Non-destructive measurement, dispense, and replication of density gradients
AssigneeBeckman Coulter, Inc.
InventorsLarry Wayne McIntyre, Matthew Aaron Halsmer, Steven Adam Kibler
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Abstract
A system performs a non-destructive measurement of a density gradient to automatically replicate and dispense the density gradient. The system obtains measurements at points along a length of the density gradient and generates a profile of the density gradient based on the measurements. The system uses the profile to replicate the density gradient of components in a second container. The system inserts a distal end of a probe into the second container, and pumps separate components into a manifold and mixing chamber connected to a proximal end of the probe to automatically dispense the density gradient in the second container.
Claims19
A system for automatically dispensing a density gradient of a mixture including two or more components, the system comprising:
- a processing circuitry having a memory for storing instructions which, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to control:
- insertion of a distal end of a probe into a container;
- separate pumping of two or more components into a mixing chamber connected to a proximal end of the probe, such that the mixing chamber generates a mixture by mixing the two or more components;
- dispensing of a first liquid volume into the container at a first dispense speed;
- dispensing of a plurality of sequentially dispensed liquid volumes defining a density gradient into the container at a second dispense speed, wherein each sequentially dispensed liquid volume has a density determined by relative concentrations of the two or more components in the mixture generated by the mixing chamber, and displaces, via dispensing of a subsequent liquid volume, an antecedent liquid volume away from the distal end of the probe;
- and
- removing the distal end of the probe from the container without substantially mixing adjacent liquid volumes of the density gradient.
A method of automatically dispensing a density gradient of a mixture including two or more components, the method comprising:
- inserting a distal end of a probe into a container;
- dispensing a first liquid volume into the container, the at a first dispense speed;
- dispensing, after dispensing the first liquid volume into the container, a plurality of sequentially dispensed liquid volumes into the container at a second dispense speed, and increasing from the second dispense speed to the first dispense speed, each sequentially dispensed liquid volume having a density higher compared to an immediately previously dispensed liquid volume and displacing, via dispensing of a subsequent sequentially dispensed liquid volume, an antecedent volume away from the distal end of the probe;
- and
- removing the probe from the container without substantially mixing adjacent liquid volumes of the density gradient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.