Apparatus and method of fluid sample analysis
AssigneeTechnicon Instruments Corporation
InventorsDonald A. Burns, Michael J. Brand, Alexander M. Saunders
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for obtaining a concentration gradient in a liquid sample analyzer including flowing a first liquid in a stream to fill a conduit, and continuing the flow of the first liquid along the conduit subsequent to the filling step. Combined with these steps is the step of changing the concentration of the first liquid by removing from the stream a predetermined varying volume of the first liquid and adding to the stream a predetermined proportional varying volume of a second liquid. There is also provided a method of serial dilutions of a liquid stream in a conduit by removal of a portion of the stream prior to each diluent addition for the purpose of conserving diluents which may be reagents.
Claims10
A method of preparing a concentration gradient, comprising the steps of:
- flowing a first liquid from a source in a stream along a first conduit to fill said conduit;
- continuing said flow of said first liquid along said first conduit subsequent to said filling step;
- and removing a portion of said first liquid from said stream through a second conduit coupled to said first conduit and at a controlled varying rate and concurrently adding a second liquid to said stream through a third conduit coupled to said first conduit and at a controlled varying rate, the junction of said third and first conduits being downstream from the junction of said second and first conduits, said rates of removal from and addition to said stream in said first conduit being the same.
Apparatus for preparing a concentration gradient, comprising:
- means for flowing a first liquid from a source along a first conduit, first flow means for removing a portion of said first liquid from said first conduit through a second conduit coupled to said first conduit, second flow means for adding a second liquid to said first conduit along a third conduit coupled to said first conduit, the junction of said third and first conduits being downstream from the junction of said second and first conduits, and means for operating said first and second flow means at a same flow rate, so as to provide a concentration gradient of said second liquid along said first conduit, said operating means including further means for concurrently varying the respective flow rates of said first and second flow means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.