Method and dispensing device for dispensed fluid output

#The invention relates to a method for dispensed output of a fluid at an output opening of a dispensing channel of a dispensing device.

#The invention also relates to a dispensing device for dispensed output of a fluid, having a dispensing channel extending between a supply opening and an output opening for the fluid to be dispensed, in the course of which is arranged a dispensing valve which is selectively switchable into an open position enabling a fluid passage or into a closed position preventing a fluid passage, and having a pump to supply fluid into the dispensing channel.

#A dispensing device designed and operable in this manner, which is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,728 B2, has a dispensing channel consisting in part of a pipeline which, at one end, is connected to a fluid reservoir and, at the other end, ends in an output opening formed on a dispensing needle. The fluid reservoir is partially filled with a transfer fluid and positive pressure or negative pressure can be optionally applied by means of a pump actuatable by an electronic control device. A fluid can be transferred between two containers with the aid of the dispensing device. To this end, the dispensing channel is filled with the transfer fluid by means of a positive pressure generated by the pump, and the dispensing needle is subsequently introduced into the first container. Fluid located in the first container is sucked into the dispensing needle by subsequently switching over the pump into a suction operation and held therein. The dispensing needle is subsequently introduced into the second container and the previously sucked fluid is output into this second container by the pump being switched over into a positive pressure operation. The suction of the fluid into the first container is controllable by a dispensing valve which is connected into the dispensing channel. If the desired amount of fluid is sucked, the dispensing valve is closed. The dispensing valve can be opened to output the sucked fluid into the second container.

#The invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred structure of the dispensing device according to the invention which is suitable for carrying out a particularly advantageous variant of the dispensing method according to the invention.

#The dispensing device referred to in its entirety with reference numeral 1 is designed to output a predetermined amount of fluid referred to as the target fluid amount in order to supply said fluid for further use, for example in a laboratory area in medical technology. The fluid amount to be output is also referred to below as the fluid sample. The fluid sample is a partial amount of a fluid 3 provided in a larger amount in a fluid reservoir 2, which is preferably a liquid, in particular an aqueous liquid which can, however, also be present in gaseous form.

#The dispensing device 1 is designed to output a plurality of fluid samples one after the other chronologically in a certain sequence, the output taking place through an output opening 4 of the dispensing device 1. The dosed output of the fluid 3 takes place in particular into a suitable receptacle 5, which is for example a vessel or a receiving chamber of a microwell plate.

#A fluid output operation taking place through the output opening 4 is indicated in the drawing at 6 by an arrow.