Apparatus for fluid treatment of framed membranes
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsDonald H. Brunk, David J. Regester, Charles W. Robertson, Anders J. Wellings
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Abstract
A disclosure is made of automatic apparatus for processing transfer membranes to which a blot pattern of molecular fragments has been bound so that the pattern may be optically visualized. The apparatus is characterized by at least one open processing cell and two systems for pumping; one selectively controlled to direct fluid to and from functional units and one which is closely coupled to the cell and recirculates the fluid in the cell to assure adequate and thorough treatment therein by uniform fluid flow across both sides of the membrane.
Claims12
Apparatus for the fluid treatment of a supported membrane having first and second sides and a region containing a latent blot image thereon, comprising:
- (a) a processing chamber enclosing the membrane in the region containing the latent blot image, said chamber comprising an inlet port and an outlet port;
- (b) means to uniformly introduce fluid into said chamber through said inlet port, in an amount sufficient to submerge the region of the membrane containing the latent blot image;
- (c) means to circulate the fluid within said chamber such that the fluid flows uniformly across the first and second sides of the membrane and the region containing the latent blot image;
- and
- (d) means to uniformly extract fluid from said chamber through said outlet port;
- wherein said processing chamber (a) further comprises first and second enclosure portions adapted to receive the supported membrane therebetween along at least one peripheral edge thereof, and means to translate the supported membrane into and out of said chamber (a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.