Cleaning of system for dispensing of liquid droplets

a technology for liquid droplets and dispensing systems, which is applied in the direction of immunoassays, instruments, material testing goods, etc., can solve the problems of contamination of the proportion of dispensing systems, and achieve the effects of short washing cycle, enhanced instrument productivity, and reduced carryover

US20060258011A1Inactive Publication Date: 2006-11-16ALLEGRO RES
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2006-11-16
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

There is provided a method of cleaning a dispensing assembly for small liquid droplets less than 50 μl and even as low as 10 nl. A purging step with pressurised gas followed by a cleaning step using a suitable cleaning liquid is carried out a number of times.
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Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the cleaning, operation and construction of a dispensing assembly for liquid droplets of the order of 50 μl in volume and as low as 10 nl (10−8 I) or even smaller. Further the invention is directed towards providing a method for dispensing such droplets with reduced carryover, namely, the leaving of traces of a sample liquid in a dispenser after the dispenser has been emptied which then mix with the future sample liquids. Further, the invention provides a method and apparatus for cleaning a low volume dispensing system and a dispensing system including a cleaning system. PRIOR ART

[0002] The present invention relates to an assembly for dispensing and aspirating small volumes of liquid as used extensively for drug development in the pharmaceutical industry, and also in medical diagnostics, biotechnology and indeed small droplets of liquids as used for many techniques in industry. Particular examples of this are High Throughput Scre...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0029]FIG. 1 shows a dispensing assembly for dispensing and aspiration of low volumes of liquids, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, hereinafter, for brevity, the system 1. The system 1 has a dispensing tip 2 terminating in a nozzle 3 that can be connected to an output 4 of a pneumatic source 5 delineated by interrupted lines. The pneumatic source 5 comprises a pressure source 6 and a vacuum source 7 provided by a compressor, not shown. The pneumatic source 5 connects the pressure source 6 and vacuum source 7 via a switching valve 10 to a conduit 11. The conduit 11 in turn feeds, via a switching valve 15, a pneumatic line 16 which in turn feeds a valve 17. The valve 17 is connected to a liquid feed line 18 terminating at an inlet 19 mounted in a cleaning liquid tank or flush bottle 20. The valve 17 also feeds a pneumatic line 21 connected to the dispensing tip 2.

[0030] The dispensing tip 2 houses a valve 25. The valve 15 is also connected to a further pressurising line...