Patent US5079231A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0331057A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0331057A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic reagent dispenser
Assignee: Alfa Wassermann Inc
•
Filing: 1989-02-25
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2009-02-25
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for automatically pipetting reagents which avoid contamination of the reagents by moving an aspirating arm in the X, Y and Z directions to a selected reagent bottle, engaging a pipette tip situated in the cap of the reagent bottle, aspirating reagent, moving the tip out of the reagent bottle and, without passing over any other reagent bottles or non-selected cuvettes, into a selected cuvette and ejecting reagent into that cuvette. The pipette tip is then returned to the cap of the bottle before the aspirating arm moves to the next reagent.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald L. Saxon
- 👤 Leroy Zeger
- 👤 Kenneth Horbatt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/10; G01N35/1002; G01N2035/1027; G01N2035/103; G01N35/1009; G01N35/1011; G01N35/1081; G01N35/109; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/113332; Y10T436/114998
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for automatically dispensing one or more reagents into one or more cuvettes which avoids contamination of said reagents comprising the steps of: (1) moving an aspirating arm to a selected reagent bottle, (2) engaging a pipette tip which is supported by the cap of the reagent bottle, (3) inserting said tip into the reagent, (4) aspirating a preselected volume of reagent, (5) elevating the aspirating arm so that the tip is clear of the bottle and its cap, (6) moving the aspirating arm to a selected cuvette so that the tip does not pass over another reagent bottle or a non-selected cuvette, (7) expelling the aspirated reagent into the cuvette, (8) moving the aspirating arm so that the tip is repositioned over the original bottle, (9) releasing the tip into the cap of the bottle and (10) moving the aspirating arm to the next reagent bottle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for automatically dispensing one or more reagents into one or more cuvettes which avoids contamination of said reagents comprising the steps of: (1) moving an aspirating arm to a selected reagent bottle, (2) engaging a pipette tip which is supported by the cap of the reagent bottle, (3) inserting said tip into the reagent, (4) aspirating a preselected volume of reagent, (5) elevating the aspirating arm so that the tip is clear of the bottle and its cap, (6) moving the aspirating arm to a selected cuvette so that the tip does not pass over another reagent bottle or a non-selected cuvette, (7) expelling the aspirated reagent into the cuvette, (8) moving the aspirating arm so that the tip is repositioned over the original bottle, (9) releasing the tip into the cap of the bottle and (10) moving the aspirating arm to the next reagent bottle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
2 The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of elevating the pipette tip above the level of reagent remaining in the bottle and aspirating air after the preselected volume of reagent is aspirated from the bottle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of aspirating air before moving the aspirating arm to the selected reagent bottle and expelling that air and any liquid trapped in the tip after the tip has been engaged.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of elevating the tip clear of the reagent bottle after the tip has been engaged and before air and trapped liquid are expelled from the tip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of aspirating air before inserting the tip a fixed distance into the bottle to aspirate reagent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of inserting the tip into the cuvette before expelling reagent into the cuvette.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A positive displacement pump adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising a piston capable of movement in a cylindrical tube wherein the clearance fit between the piston and bore allows for a small, predictable leakage, and an optical sensor which senses the distance travelled by the piston.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A positive displacement pump adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising a piston capable of movement in a cylindrical tube wherein the clearance fit between the piston and bore allows for a small, predictable leakage, and an optical sensor which senses the distance travelled by the piston.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A pipette tip pick-up device adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising: (1) a shaft, (2) a multi-angled, ported conical tip, affixed to the end of said shaft, and (3) an ejector device affixed near said shaft and substantially surrounding said conical tip wherein the angle of the cone of the conical tip is greater than the angle of the inside of the pipette tip to be picked up.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
A pipette tip pick-up device adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising: (1) a shaft, (2) a multi-angled, ported conical tip, affixed to the end of said shaft, and (3) an ejector device affixed near said shaft and substantially surrounding said conical tip wherein the angle of the cone of the conical tip is greater than the angle of the inside of the pipette tip to be picked up.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
A bottle cap comprising: (1) a cylindrical sleeve adapted to fit around the neck of a bottle, (2) a perforated disk located within the sleeve, (3) a cylindrical chute passing through the disk, (4) a plurality of ribs attached to the outside of the cylindrical sleeve, and (5) a fin attached to the outside of the cylindrical sleeve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A bottle cap comprising: (1) a cylindrical sleeve adapted to fit around the neck of a bottle, (2) a perforated disk located within the sleeve, (3) a cylindrical chute passing through the disk, (4) a plurality of ribs attached to the outside of the cylindrical sleeve, and (5) a fin attached to the outside of the cylindrical sleeve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
A bottle rack adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising: (1) a base having a plurality of wells which receive bottles, (2) a top providing access to a plurality of bottles, said access means having means for preventing rotation of the bottles which respect to the rack, and (3) uprights connecting the base and top.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A bottle rack adapted for use in an automatic reagent dispensing system comprising: (1) a base having a plurality of wells which receive bottles, (2) a top providing access to a plurality of bottles, said access means having means for preventing rotation of the bottles which respect to the rack, and (3) uprights connecting the base and top.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.