Dispensing cylinder, and dispensing device and dispensing treatment method using same

A dispensing device, comprising:

• a stage;
• a container group disposed on the stage and including a liquid-storing unit capable of storing various reagents and specimens;
• one or more dispensing tips;
• a tip-storing unit for storing the one or more dispensing tips;
• one or more dispensing cylinders, each of the one or more dispensing cylinders comprising:
• a cylinder having a cavity that extends through the cylinder in an axial direction, the cavity having a large diameter region with a large inner peripheral surface, a small diameter region having a small inner peripheral surface, and a floating region located between the large diameter region and the small diameter region, wherein a diameter of the large inner peripheral surface is larger than a diameter of the small inner peripheral surface;
• a nozzle configured to be coupled to a dispensing tip and provided at one end of the cylinder, the nozzle having a through hole that is fluidly coupled to the cavity and extends in the axial direction;
• and
• a plunger provided within the cavity and configured to slide in the axial direction, the plunger having a thick shaft portion, a thin shaft portion protruding from a distal end of the thick shaft portion in the axial direction and terminating in a distal end, and a guide portion extending from the distal end of the thin shaft portion in the axial direction, wherein a diameter of the thick shaft portion is larger than a diameter of the thin shaft portion;
• wherein the thick shaft portion is configured to slide in the large diameter region and the floating region, and wherein the thin shaft portion is configured to slide in the small diameter region;
• and
• wherein the guide portion has a ventilation passage configured to fluidly couple the through hole of the nozzle with the floating region;
• wherein each of the one or more dispensing tips is detachably attached to a respective nozzle of each dispensing cylinder;
• a dispensing head comprising
• a nozzle arrangement unit in which the one or more nozzles of the one or more dispensing cylinders are arranged;
• a suction/discharge driving unit for moving respective one or more of the plungers of the one or more dispensing cylinders in a vertical direction and sucking and discharging liquid with respect to the one or more dispensing tips;
• and
• a nozzle moving mechanism capable of moving the one or more nozzles relative to the container group;
• and
• a minute amount/large amount judgement and instruction unit coupled to the suction/discharge driving unit and configured to:
• receive an instruction to suck and discharge a predetermined amount of liquid to the one or more dispensing tips;
• determine whether the predetermined amount is within a first amount range or a second amount range, wherein the first amount range is separate from and smaller than the second amount range,
• responsive to a determination that the predetermined amount is within the first amount range, instruct the suction/discharge driving unit to slide the thin shaft portions of the one or more dispensing cylinders by a distance corresponding to the predetermined amount within the small diameter region, and
• responsive to a determination that the predetermined amount is within the second amount range, instruct the suction/discharge driving unit to slide the thick shaft portions of the one or more dispensing cylinders by a distance corresponding to the predetermined amount within the large diameter region.

A dispensing treatment method, comprising:

• receiving, at a control unit, an instruction to suck or discharge a predetermined amount of liquid;
• determining, at a minute amount/large amount judgement and instruction unit within the control unit, whether the predetermined amount is within a first amount range or a second amount range, wherein the first amount range is separate from and smaller than the second amount range;
• attaching, using a dispensing head moving mechanism operably coupled to the control unit, a dispensing tip to a dispensing cylinder, wherein the dispensing cylinder comprises:
• a cylinder having a cavity that extends through the cylinder in an axial direction, the cavity having a large diameter region with a large inner peripheral surface, a small diameter region having a small inner peripheral surface, and a floating region located between the large diameter region and the small diameter region, wherein a diameter of the large inner peripheral surface is larger than a diameter of the small inner peripheral surface;
• a nozzle configured to be coupled to the dispensing tip and provided at one end of the cylinder, the nozzle having a through hole that is fluidly coupled to the cavity and extends in the axial direction;
• and
• a plunger provided within the cavity and configured to slide in the axial direction, the plunger having a thick shaft portion, a thin shaft portion protruding from a distal end of the thick shaft portion in the axial direction and terminating in a distal end, and a guide portion extending from the distal end of the thin shaft portion in the axial direction, wherein a diameter of the thick shaft portion is larger than a diameter of the thin shaft portion;
• wherein the thick shaft portion is configured to slide in the large diameter region and the floating region, and wherein the thin shaft portion is configured to slide in the small diameter region;
• and
• wherein the guide portion has a ventilation passage configured to fluidly couple the through hole of the nozzle with the floating region;
• responsive to a determination that the predetermined amount is within the first amount range, sucking and discharging the first amount range of liquid to the dispensing tip by sliding the thin shaft portion in the small diameter region by a distance corresponding to the predetermined amount;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the predetermined amount is within the second amount range, sucking and discharging the second amount range of liquid to the dispensing tip by sliding the thick shaft portion in the large diameter region by a distance corresponding to the predetermined amount.