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US 5,743,960 AGranted
Precision metered solenoid valve dispenser
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 a solenoid valve dispenser. The pump is controlled by a stepper motor or the like to provide an incremental quantity or continuous flow of reagent to the solenoid valve dispenser. The solenoid valve is opened and closed in at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to dispense droplets of reagent onto a target substrate at the metered flow rate.
Claims34
An apparatus for forming a diagnostic test strip comprising:
- a carriage for movably supporting a receptive membrane,
- a non-contact solenoid valve dispenser mounted in juxtaposition with said carriage and having a valve adapted to be opened and closed at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to form droplets of reagent which are deposited onto said receptive membrane, said droplets having a size in the range from about 0.42 nonoliters to about 2.1 microliters;
- and
- a positive displacement pump in fluid communication with a source of said reagent and said solenoid valve dispenser for metering predetermined quantities of said reagent to said solenoid valve dispenser so that the quantity and/or flow rate of said reagent dispensed by said solenoid valve dispenser can be precisely metered substantially without being affected by the particular operating parameters of said solenoid valve dispenser or the particular flow characteristics of said airborne reagent being dispensed.
1 more element
An apparatus for dispensing precise quantities of liquid onto a substrate, comprising:
- a non-contact dispenser having a valve adapted to be opened and closed at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to form droplets of said liquid which are deposited onto said substrate and
- a positive displacement pump in hydraulic communication with said dispenser for metering predetermined quantities of said liquid to said dispenser:
- whereby the quantity and/or flow rate of liquid dispensed by said dispenser can be precisely metered substantially without being affected by the particular operating parameters of said dispenser or the flow characteristics of said liquid being dispensed.
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid onto a substrate, comprising:
- a solenoid valve dispenser having a valve adapted to be opened and closed at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to form airborne droplets of said liquid which are deposited onto said receptive membrane;
- a positive displacement pump in fluid communication with said solenoid valve dispenser for metering a predetermined quantity or flow rate of said liquid to said solenoid valve dispenser;
- and
- means for independently adjusting any one of several operating parameters of said solenoid valve dispenser, including valve operating frequency and duty cycle, without substantially affecting said metered quantity or flow rate of said liquid dispensed onto said substrate.
1 more element
An apparatus for aspirating or dispensing a liquid, comprising:
- a carriage mounted on said platform and being adapted for X, X-Y or X-Y-Z motion relative to said platform;
- a solenoid valve dispenser having a valve adapted to be opened and closed at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle;
- a positive displacement pump in fluid communication with said solenoid valve dispenser for metering predetermined quantities of said liquid to or from said solenoid valve dispenser;
- whereby the quantity and/or flow rate of said liquid dispensed or aspirated by said solenoid valve dispenser can be precisely metered substantially without regard to the particular operating parameters of said solenoid valve or the particular flow characteristics of said liquid to be dispensed or aspirated.
1 more element
A printing apparatus, comprising:
- a platform for supporting a substrate;
- a carriage mounted on said platform and being adapted for X, X-Y or X-Y-Z motion relative to said platform;
- a non-contact dispenser having a valve adapted to be opened and closed at a predetermined frequency and duty cycle to form droplets of ink, liquid toner or other liquid which are deposited onto said substrate in accordance with a predetermined desired matrix position or pattern;
- and
- a positive displacement pump in hydraulic communication with said dispenser for metering predetermined quantities of said ink, toner or other liquid to said solenoid valve dispenser.
2 more elements
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;
- a non-contact dispenser for receiving said metered quantity or flow rate of liquid reagent and forming airborne droplets of said liquid for depositing on said receptive substrate, said droplets having a size in the range from about 0.42 nanoliters to about 2.1 microliters;
- 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 dispenser and the flow characteristics of said liquid reagent being dispensed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.