Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample

Claim 2

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving means, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; said receptacle comprising a capillary tube; a dispensing aid, located to operate directly upon said capillary tube, to force the liquid sample contents thereof to be dispensed to said receiving means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving meAns, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; a conduit for transporting a transmitting medium; said receiving means being a segment of said conduit and having an inlet thereinto through which the contents of said receptacle can be emptied into said segment and thereby into said conduit in order that the contents of said receptacle might be transported through said conduit.

Claim 4

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving meAns, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; a conduit for transporting a transmitting medium; said receiving means being a segment of said conduit and having an inlet thereinto through which the contents of said receptacle can be emptied into said segment and thereby into said conduit in order that the contents of said receptacle might be transported through said conduit.

Claim 5

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving means, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; said shifting means comprising a solenoid device having an energized and a deenergized condition; said solenoid device having a plunger which shifts to a first position when said solenoid device is energized and to a second position when it is deenergized; said receiving means being connected with said plunger and being shifted by said plunger to be in the sample transfer position when said plunger is in one of said first and said second positions, and to be away from the sample transfer portion when said plunger is in the other of said first and second positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving means, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; said shifting means comprising a solenoid device having an energized and a deenergized condition; said solenoid device having a plunger which shifts to a first position when said solenoid device is energized and to a second position when it is deenergized; said receiving means being connected with said plunger and being shifted by said plunger to be in the sample transfer position when said plunger is in one of said first and said second positions, and to be away from the sample transfer portion when said plunger is in the other of said first and second positions.

Claim 7

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 3, wherein said receiving means is in the sample transfer position when said solenoid device is deenergized and said plunger is in said second position.

Claim 8

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 4, including a plurality of said receptacles for holding liquid sample; a receptacle moving means for moving each receptacle, in turn, to a predetermined dispensing position from which it can dispense its contents to said receiving means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving means, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; a plurality of said receptacles for holding liquid sample; a receptacle moving means for moving each receptacle, in turn, to a predetermined dispensing position from which it can dispense its contents to said receiving means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for dispensing liquid sample from a receptacle holding same to a sample receiving means, comprising: a receptacle for holding liquid sample to be dispensed; a receiving means for receiving sample from said receptacle; said receiving means having a normal direction of extension; shifting means operatively connected with said receiving means for shifting said receiving means transversely to its normal direction of extension into a sample transfer position to enable the sample in said receptacle to be transferred to said receiving means, and for moving said receiving means away from said sample transfer position after the sample transfer is completed; a plurality of said receptacles for holding liquid sample; a receptacle moving means for moving each receptacle, in turn, to a predetermined dispensing position from which it can dispense its contents to said receiving means.

Claim 11

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 6, wherein said receiving means comprises an elongated strip of material having a plurality of locations thereon, each adapted to receive the sample held by one of said receptacles; and means for moving said strip lengthwise to position each location, in turn, at a receiving location at which it can receive sample from one of said receptacles after said strip has been shifted to the sample transfer position by said shifting means.

Claim 12

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 7, wherein said shifting means operates on said strip to shift each said location on said strip toward and away from the sample transfer position.

Claim 13

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 8, wherein said shifting means comprises a solenoid device having an energized and a deenergized condition; said Solenoid device having a plunger which shifts to a first position when said solenoid device is energized and to a second position when it is deenergized; said receiving means being connected with said plunger and being shifted by said plunger to be in the sample transfer position when said plunger is in said second position, and to be away from the sample transfer position when said plunger is in said first position.

Claim 14

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 9, further including a timing device connected with said receptacle moving means, said solenoid device and said means for moving said strip; said timing device being operative to both start and stop said receptacle moving means and said means for moving said strip; a first sensing device connected with said timing device and positioned and adapted to sense when a receptacle is at said dispensing position; said first sensing device sending a signal to said timing device at this time to cause said timing device to stop said receptacle moving means; a second sensing device connected with said timing device and positioned and adapted to sense that a new one of said sample receiving locations on said strip is positioned at said receiving location; said second sensing device sending a signal to said timing device at this time to cause said timing device to stop said means for moving said strip; said timing device being operative to both energize and deenergize said solenoid device; said timing device keeping said solenoid device energized while said receptacle moving means and said means for moving said strip are operating; said timing device including means to deenergize said solenoid device, to shift said strip toward the sample transfer position, after both said first and said second sensing devices have caused said timing device to stop both said receptacle moving means and said means for moving said tape; said timing device including a time delay means which operates to hold at their stopped condition both said receptacle moving means and said means for moving said tape and to hold said solenoid device deenergized, all for a predetermined period; said time delay means being further adapted to first reenergize said solenoid device before restarting said receptacle moving means and said means for moving said tape.

Claim 15

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 10, wherein said receptacle moving means comprises a support to which each of said receptacles is secured; each of said receptacles being in spaced-apart relationship to the neighboring ones of said receptacles; said support for said receptacles comprises a disc having the receptacles positioned thereon so that each faces substantially radially outward from said disc; a motor connected with said disc for rotating same concentrically to bring each said receptacle into said dispensing position.

Claim 16

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 10, further including a dispensing aid for operating on each of said receptacles when it is at said dispensing position to aid in the dispensing of the liquid sample contents of said receptacle said timing device being connected with said dispensing aid for starting and stopping its operation; said timing device including means for delaying the starting of the operation of said dispensing aid until after said solenoid device is deenergized and including means for stopping the operation of said dispensing aid before causing said solenoid device to be reenergized.

Claim 17

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 12, wherein each said receptacle comprises a capillary tube; and said dispensing aid comprises an air blower for blowing out the contents of each said capillary tube.

Claim 18

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 6, further including a timing device connected with said shifting means and with said receptacle moving means; said timing device being operative to cause said shifting means to shift said receiving meAns into the sample transfer position for each said receptacle, in turn, to then shift said receiving means away from the sample transfer position after the dispensing operation for each said receptacle has been completed, and being operative to start said receptacle has been completed, and being operative to start said receptacle moving means to move another receptacle into said dispensing position and to thereafter stop said receptacle moving means; said timing device including means to delay the shifting of said receiving means by said shifting means to the sample transfer position until after another receptacle is in said dispensing position, and including means for delaying the restarting of said receptacle moving means until said shifting means has shifted said receiving means away from said sample transfer position, and including means for causing said shifting means to shift said receiving means away from said sample transfer position, only after a sufficient time interval to permit the dispensing of liquid sample.

Claim 19

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 14, wherein said receptacle moving means comprises a support to which each of said receptacles is secured; each of said receptacles being in spaced-apart relationship to the neighboring ones of said receptacles.

Claim 20

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 15, wherein each said receptacle comprises a capillary tube.

Claim 21

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 16, wherein said support for said capillaries comprises a disc having the capillaries positioned thereon so that each faces substantially radially outward from said disc; and further including a motor connected to said disc for rotating same concentrically to bring each said capillary into said dispensing position.

Claim 22

The apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 17, wherein said disc is supported so as to be tilted at an angle from the horizontal, whereby each of said capillaries has its radially outward end tilted downward when said receiving means moves into the sample transfer position.

Claim 23

In combination, the apparatus for dispensing liquid sample of claim 14, and a conduit for transporting a liquid transmitting medium; said receiving means being a segment of said conduit, which has an inlet thereinto through which the contents of each receptacle can, in turn, be emptied into said segment and thereby into said conduit, in order that the contents of each said receptacle might be transported through said conduit.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 19, wherein said shifting means comprises a solenoid device having an energized and a deenergized condition; said solenoid device having a plunger which shifts to a first position when said solenoid device is energized and to a second position when it is deenergized; said receiving means being connected with said plunger and being shifted by said plunger to be in the sample transfer position when said plunger is in one of said first and said second positions, and to be away from the sample transfer position when said plunger is in the other of said first and said second positions.