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US 2003/0213504 A1Published application
Method for rinsing micro-dispensing syringes
OwnerRenato Cerra, Ernest Frederick Da Wes +1inventors
InventorsRenato Cerra, Ernest Frederick Da Wes, Stefan Karl Lofhelm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to liquid dispensing and to a method of rinsing micro-dispensing syringes. In particular, the invention relates to a method of rinsing syringes of the plunger-in-needle type provided in an array.
Claims12
A method for rinsing a syringe comprising:
- providing a syringe having a needle and a plunger, said needle being provided with an opening to receive rinse fluid;
- providing a wash module adjacent said needle, said wash module comprising:
- first and second sealing means coaxial with said needle and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of said needle;
- and
- a cavity formed in the wash module and disposed between the first and second sealing means, said cavity being adapted to receive rinse fluid from an external source;
- sealing said needle to permit aspiration and dispensing of fluids by creating relative movement of said needle and said wash module such that said first sealing means seals the opening of said needle;
- and
- rinsing said needle by creating relative movement of said needle and said wash module to expose the opening to said cavity, whereby rinse fluid passes through said cavity, and through said opening of said needle to rinse said needle.
5 more elements
A method for rinsing a syringe comprising:
- providing a syringe having a needle and a plunger, said needle being provided with an opening to receive rinse fluid;
- providing a wash module adjacent said needle and said plunger, said wash module including:
- first sealing means coaxial with said plunger and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of said plunger;
- second sealing means coaxial with said needle and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of said needle;
- a cavity formed in said wash module and disposed between said first and said second sealing means, said cavity being adapted to receive rinse fluid from an external source;
- and
- third sealing means provided adjacent the opening of said needle and engageable by said plunger to selectively seal the opening of said needle;
- sealing said needle to permit aspiration and dispensing of fluids by moving said plunger such that said plunger engages said third sealing means and seals the opening of said needle;
- and
- rinsing said needle by moving said plunger such that said plunger disengages said third sealing means thereby exposing the opening to said cavity, whereby rinse fluid passes through said cavity through said opening and said needle to rinse said needle.
7 more elements
A liquid dispensing system comprising:
- a syringe having a plunger and a needle, said plunger being moveable within said needle to aspirate liquids into said needle and to dispense liquids from said needle;
- a wash module adjacent the needle, the wash module comprising:
- first and second sealing means coaxial with said needle and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of the needle;
- and
- a cavity formed in the wash module and disposed between said first and second sealing means, said cavity being adapted to receive rinse fluid from an external source;
- wherein said needle is formed with an opening to receive rinse fluid;
- and
- wherein said needle is sealed to permit aspiration and dispensing of fluids by relative movement of said needle and said wash module such that said first sealing means seals the opening of said needle;
- whereby said needle is rinsed by relative movement of said needle and said wash module to expose the opening to said cavity, causing rinse fluid to pass through said cavity, and thereby through said opening of said needle.
6 more elements
A liquid dispensing system comprising:
- a syringe having a needle, said needle comprising an opening to receive rinse fluid, said syringe further comprising a plunger, said plunger being moveable within said needle to aspirate liquids into said needle and to dispense liquids from said needle;
- a wash module adjacent said needle and said plunger, the wash module including:
- first sealing means coaxial with said plunger and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of said plunger;
- second sealing means coaxial with the needle and adapted to form a fluid-tight seal against the outside of said needle;
- a cavity formed in said wash module and disposed between said first and said second sealing means, said cavity being adapted to receive rinse fluid from an external source;
- and
- third sealing means adjacent to said opening of said needle and engageable by said plunger to selectively seal the opening of said needle;
- wherein said needle is sealed to permit aspiration and dispensing of fluids by moving said plunger to engage said third sealing means to seal the opening of said needle;
- and
- wherein said needle is rinsed by moving said plunger such that said plunger disengages from said third sealing means thereby exposing said opening to said cavity, thereby causing rinse fluid to pass through said cavity, and through said opening and said needle.
7 more elements
The system of claim 11 wherein said syringe forms part of a syringe array, and said wash module is configured to allow a plurality of syringes to be rinsed simultaneously, wherein said wash module comprises first and second sealing means for each of said needles and said cavity is continuous across said plurality of needles such that rinsing fluid from said cavity enters and rinses each of said needles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.