US 11,331,659 B2Granted

Pipetting devices and methods of using the same

AssigneesFraunhofer USA, Inc., Children's Medical Center Corporation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.

InventorsAlexis Sauer-Budge, Holger Wirz, Samuel J. Brookfield, Nira Pollock, Ronald Janzen

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Abstract

A pipetting device includes a housing, a valve assembly, and an actuator assembly. The housing includes a tip for receiving a capillary tube. The valve assembly includes a shuttle valve having a filling position and a dispensing position and a valve rod. The actuator assembly includes an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism. The actuator extends from the housing and has a push button coupled to a push rod. The valve trigger being configured to engage the valve assembly and includes an aperture configured to receive the piston mount therein. The indexing mechanism is configured to index a rotated position of the push button to a predefined volume of dispensed fluid.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A pipetting device comprising:

a housing including a tip for receiving a capillary tube;
a valve assembly having a shuttle valve and a valve rod, the shuttle valve having a filling position and a dispensing position;
an actuator assembly having an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism;
the actuator extending from the housing and including a push button coupled to a push rod;
the valve trigger being configured to engage the valve assembly responsive to movement of the push button and including an aperture configured to receive the piston mount therein;
and
the indexing mechanism including a follower and a cylindrical cam having an origin surface and a plurality of spiral steps, the indexing mechanism being configured such that rotation of the push button causes the follower to rotate relative to the origin surface and engage one of the plurality of the plurality of spiral steps to index a rotated position of the push button to a predefined volume of dispensed fluid.

4 more elements

A method for using a pipetting device, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing including a tip coupled to a capillary tube;
providing a valve assembly including a shuttle valve and a valve rod;
providing an actuator assembly including an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism;
the actuator including a push rod and a push button extending from the housing, the push rod being coupled to the push button;
the indexing mechanism including a follower and a cylindrical cam having an origin surface and a plurality of spiral steps;
rotating the push button such that the follower engages one of the plurality of spiral steps of the cylindrical cam;
pressing the push button towards the housing such that the shuttle valve moves to a filling position;
and
placing the capillary tube in a volume of fluid, wherein the shuttle valve causes the volume of fluid to be drawn into the capillary tube.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/486,114Filed 14 Feb 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Feb 2017
Published: US 2020/0230592 A123 Jul 2020
Granted: 17 May 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B01L 3/0224
Of the plunger pump type: having mechanical means to set stroke length, e.g. movable stops
B01L 3/0234
Of the plunger pump type: repeating pipettes, i.e. for dispensing multiple doses from a single charge
F04B 7/0015
The distribution member forming both the inlet and discharge distributor for one single pumping chamber: and having a slidable movement
F04B 9/14
Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members: pumps characterised by muscle-power operation