# US 2019/0376995 A1 · Processing method for volatile liquid and liquid processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2019/0376995 A1
- Document ID: US20190376995A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/480,528
- Filed: 2017-12-22
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-26
- Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation
- Applicants: Shimadzu Corporation
- Inventors: Naoki KANEKO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376995A1

## CPC

- B01L 3/021: {Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids}
- G01N 1/00: Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
- G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)}
- B01L 2200/142: Preventing evaporation
- G01N 35/1016: {Control of the volume dispensed or introduced}
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A processing method for a volatile liquid using a pipette includes a low-volatility liquid suction step of sucking a low-volatility liquid that is less volatile than the volatile liquid through the suction/ejection port, an air suction step of sucking air through the suction/ejection port after the low-volatility liquid suction step, and a volatile liquid suction step of sucking the volatile liquid through the suction/ejection port after the air suction step.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing method for a volatile liquid using a pipette including a cylinder, a piston that slides in the cylinder, and a tip attached to a tip end of the cylinder, the tip including a suction/ejection port, the pipette performing suction and ejection of a liquid through the suction/ejection port of the tip in accordance with movement of the piston, the processing method comprising:
a low-volatility liquid suction step of sucking a low-volatility liquid that is less volatile than the volatile liquid through the suction/ejection port;
an air suction step of sucking air through the suction/ejection port after the low-volatility liquid suction step; and
a volatile liquid suction step of sucking the volatile liquid through the suction/ejection port after the air suction step.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the low-volatility liquid is any one of water, dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, and phenol.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the volatile liquid is any one of acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, acetone, toluene, isopropanol, hexane, butanol, cyclohexane, ethylene glycol, benzene, chloroform, acetaldehyde, triethylamine, phenol, naphthalene, formaldehyde, tetrahydrofuran, and ethyl acetate, or a liquid containing 10% or more of these.

### Claim 4

A liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a pipette including a vertically positioned cylinder, a piston that slides in a vertical direction in the cylinder, and a tip, the tip being attached to a lower end of the cylinder in such a way that an suction/ejection port provided at a tip end of the tip faces downward, the pipette performing suction and ejection of a liquid through the suction/ejection port of the tip in accordance with movement of the piston;
a driving mechanism that causes the pipette to operate;
a volatile liquid container accommodating a volatile liquid;
a low-volatility liquid container accommodating a low-volatility liquid that is less volatile than the volatile liquid; and
a Control part that controls the driving mechanism,
wherein the Control part is configured to control the driving mechanism in such a way that a low-volatility liquid suction operation of sucking a preset amount of the low-volatility liquid from the low-volatility liquid container, an air suction operation of sucking a preset amount of air through the suction/ejection port after the low-volatility liquid suction operation, and a volatile liquid suction operation of sucking a predetermined amount of the volatile liquid from the volatile liquid container after the air suction operation are performed in a course of sucking the volatile liquid by the pipette.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the low-volatility liquid is any one of water, dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, and phenol.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the volatile liquid is any one of acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, acetone, toluene, isopropanol, hexane, butanol, cyclohexane, ethylene glycol, benzene, chloroform, acetaldehyde, triethylamine, phenol, naphthalene, formaldehyde, tetrahydrofuran, and ethyl acetate, or a liquid containing 10% or more of these.