Multi-function dispense head
AssigneeAccel Biotech, Inc.
InventorBruce Richardson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-function dispense head operable by a single motor comprises a pipette housing having carriage driven pipette rods and carriage driven pistons and a wash/ejector head movable by the pistons. The carriage is attached to the pipette rods and vertically moves the rods through the pipette housing as needed for various pipette functions. The pistons are pushed into movement by the carriage and, in a lower position, into contact with a lower ledge along a bottom portion of the movable head forcing the lower ledge downwardly to eject pipette tips. The pistons also move the wash/ejector head when the movable head performs a wash function.
Claims20
A multi-function dispense head, comprising:
- a pipette housing having a plurality of vertically extending pipette rod passages through the housing and pipette rods, each pipette rod disposed in one vertically extending passage and extending past a lower surface of the housing, the pipette rods removably connected to pipette tips, and a pair of ledge contactable pistons movably disposed within a pair of piston openings in the pipette housing;
- a movable head having a lower ledge along a bottom portion of the movable head, the lower ledge disposed beneath the lower surface of the pipette housing and having openings through which pipette rods pass in vertical alignment with the pipette passages, each opening having a diameter slightly smaller than a diameter of an upper portion of a pipette tip, the movable head vertically movable relative to the pipette housing;
- and
- a vertically movable motor driven carriage, the carriage operable to push the ledge contactable pistons through the piston openings from an upper position out of contact with the lower ledge to a lower position in contact with the lower ledge, thereby moving the movable head downwardly and urging the lower ledge against pipette tips to eject pipette tips.
A multi-function dispense head, comprising:
- a pipette housing having pipette rods extending from the pipette housing, pipette tips removably connectable to pipette rods, and ledge contactable pistons vertically movable within piston openings in the pipette housing;
- a movable head having a lower ledge along a bottom portion of the movable head, the lower ledge disposed beneath the pipette housing and having openings through which the pipette rods are disposed, the movable head linearly movable relative to the pipette housing;
- and
- a carriage operable to push the ledge contactable pistons from an upper position out of contact with the lower ledge to a lower position in contact with the lower ledge, wherein in the lower position the carriage is operable to urge the pistons against the lower ledge thereby urging the movable head downwardly.
A multi-function dispense head, comprising:
- a pipette housing having pipette rods extending from the pipette housing, the pipette rods removably connectable to pipette tips, and ledge contactable pistons vertically movable within piston openings in the pipette housing;
- a movable head having a lower ledge along a bottom portion of the movable head disposed beneath the pipette housing and having openings through which the pipette rods are disposed, the movable head linearly movable relative to the pipette housing;
- and
- a carriage movable along a linear pathway, the carriage attached to pipette rods and operable at a higher extent of the linear pathway to linearly move pipette rods within the pipette housing and operable at a lower extent of a linear pathway to push the ledge contactable pistons from an upper position out of contact with the lower ledge to a lower position in contact with the lower ledge, wherein in the lower position the carriage urges the pistons against the lower ledge thereby lowering the movable head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.