Precision metered aerosol dispensing apparatus
AssigneeBio Dot, Inc.
InventorThomas C. Tisone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reagent dispensing apparatus is provided including a positive displacement syringe pump in series with an air brush dispenser. The pump is controlled by a stepper motor or the like to provide incremental or continuous flow of reagent to the air brush dispenser. The air brush dispenser mixes the predetermined incremental quantity or continuous flow of reagent with pressurized air to atomize the reagent and produce an aerosol spray pattern which coats the substrate.
Claims30
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid, comprising:
- an aerosol dispenser having an air inlet port and a liquid inlet port for mixing said liquid with a predetermined flow of said air to form an aerosol mist;
- and
- a positive displacement pump in fluid communication with the liquid inlet port of said aerosol dispenser for metering predetermined quantities of said liquid to said liquid inlet port of said aerosol dispenser;
- whereby the quantity and/or flow rate of liquid dispensed by said aerosol dispenser can be precisely metered substantially without being affected by the particular operating parameters of said aerosol dispenser or the particular flow characteristics of said liquid being dispensed.
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid reagent onto a substrate, comprising:
- an air brush dispenser having an air passage terminating in a nozzle and a liquid reagent passage terminating in a mixing chamber for mixing said liquid reagent with a flow of said air to form an aerosol mist proximate said substrate;
- and
- a positive displacement syringe pump in fluid communication with said liquid reagent passage for metering predetermined quantities of said liquid reagent to said air brush dispenser;
- whereby the quantity and/or flow rate of said liquid dispensed by said air brush dispenser can be precisely metered substantially without regard to the particular operating conditions of said air brush.
An apparatus for forming a diagnostic test strip comprising:
- a support carriage and/or platform for movably transporting a receptive substrate;
- a pump for metering a predetermined quantity or flow rate of liquid reagent to be dispensed;
- an aerosol dispenser for receiving said metered quantity or flow rate of liquid reagent and mixing it with air to form an aerosol mist which is deposited on said receptive substrate;
- and
- means for regulating the metering of said predetermined quantity or flow rate of liquid reagent and the transporting of said receptive substrate such that the dispensing of said reagent may be controlled in terms of volume of reagent per unit length of substrate substantially independently of the particular operating characteristics of said aerosol dispenser and the flow characteristics of said liquid reagent being dispensed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.