Abstract: An automatic fluid sampler includes a substantially watertight housing and a structure for drawing fluid from outside the housing, wherein the fluid drawing structure is powered by stored potential energy within the housing. A method of automatic fluid sampling employs such samplers, and a fluid sampling system includes a plurality of interconnected samplers.

Abstract: A portable automated pipette includes a linear actuator, a flywheel, an optical coupler and a control circuit. The linear actuator has a step motor and is connected to a control circuit. The step motor has a rotor and is connected to a flywheel. The flywheel includes a plurality of apertures formed on an internal surface of the flywheel. An optical coupler is arranged on two opposite sides of the flywheel and is connected to the control circuit. By means of the step motor, the portable automated pipette can monitor the displacement of the threaded rod to accurately control the picking/dispensing volume of liquid. Furthermore, the portable automated pipette can detect whether an aspirator is removed and can alert the user to check whether there is a wrong operation.

Abstract: A pipette gun and holster apparatus having a remote source of positive and negative air pressure. The holster supports the pipette gun above a work table with the pipette connector oriented generally, vertically downwardly. The holster has a base which may be fastened to a vertical wall. A mounting bracket is fixed to and extends transverse to the base. The bracket has a bottomless socket constructed and arranged to receive and removably hold the pipette gun by inserting the pipette connector into the socket. A switch deactivates the remote air pressure source when the pipette gun is parked in the holster and energizes the remote air pressure source when the pipette gun is removed from the holster. A method of metering fluid using a pipette gun and holster apparatus. The holster is removable fastened to a vertical surface next to or proximate a horizontal work table top.

Abstract: A pipettor head adapter allows the adaptation of pipettors having a set number of pipettor channels to successfully pipette microtiter trays having a different number of wells than the pipettor has pipettor channels. For example, in a pipettor having 384 channels for pipetting a 384 well microtiter tray, the pipettor head adapter of the present invention will allow a “stepping down” or adaptation, such that the pipettor with its 384 pipettor channels can successfully and reliably pipette microtiter trays having 96 wells. Such adaptation occurs without the need for special microtiter trays. Industry standard operations are then preserved, even though they were previously unavailable from such a pipettor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flow through pipet for sample measurement. The pipet of the invention has a body defining an interior space for receiving a fluid. The drain line is provided to drain fluid above a drain line inlet, thereby establishing a repeatable upper fluid level in the body. A dispense valve on the lower end of the body selectively permit dispensing of the fluid from the body. A restriction member may be located in the interior space of the body for defining a passageway. The drain line inlet may communicate with the passageway to establish a smaller surface area for an upper surface of the fluid, thereby minimizing a variance in the fluid level. A vent line vents gas from the measuring chamber during filling of a fluid. The pipet of the invention is particularly suitable for use in an automated system due to the top fill feature, which eliminates the need for cycling back and forth between a fill vessel and a dispense vessel.

Abstract: A dispensing assembly for liquid droplets that includes a dispenser connected to a liquid carrying pipe which in turn is connected to a source of pressurized liquid. The dispenser has an elongated body member having a main bore connected to the liquid carrying pipe. At the other end, the main bore has a valve seat that is connected to a nozzle having a nozzle bore terminating in a dispensing tip. A valve boss of ferromagnetic material covered with a soft polymer is mounted in the main bore and has a cross-sectional area less than that of the main bore. A separate valve boss actuating coil assembly has upper and lower coils that are separate from the main body that can be unplugged from both coils and from the liquid carrying pipe. As such, the main body can be a disposable member.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for aspirating a volume of liquid into a syringe from a sample of the liquid. A substantial portion of the liquid in the syringe is subsequently dispensed from the syringe and returned to the sample. Accordingly, a small portion of the aspirated liquid is retained in the syringe. One or more nanoliter volumes of the liquid retained in the syringe are then dispensed from the syringe to a container for further use or analysis. It will be understood, therefore, that the volume of the originally aspirated liquid is substantially larger than the volume of liquid dispensed for further use or analysis. The invention also includes a method and apparatus for aspirating and dispensing a plurality of liquids by using a plurality of syringes, and also can be used to dispense liquids onto microplates.

Abstract: A three stage needle for use with a sampling station of an autosampler to facilitate gas and liquid extractions and injections. The needle includes a bottom stage, a middle stage, and a top stage. Each of the stages of the needle includes at least one aperture used to extract gas or liquid from a specimen or perform an injection. In addition, each of the stages can be placed in fluidic communication with the sampling station to facilitate the desired extraction or injection.

Abstract: An exhaust gas dilution apparatus 10-2 is the same form multi-venturi type comprising a rectifier 11, divider 12, exhaust chamber 14, dilution tunnel 15, and a divider pipes 13t on the dilution side of a tunnel 15 side. All divider pipes 13 are provided with a venturi 21 having the same performance inserted in the same position, to measure the flow rate in the dilution tunnel and the flow rate on the exhaust pipe side. The opening of the shutter 19 provided in the exit of the exhaust chamber 14 is controlled so that the two flow rates are equivalent.

Abstract: A pin support assembly includes a pin support frame having a plurality of apertures for supporting an array of pins for dispensing fluids. The pins are supported for longitudinal or “floating” movement to prevent damage to the pins. An actuation assembly engages an end of each of the pins to ensure that the pins are properly seated in the support frame in a planar fashion. The actuation assembly engages the pins as the pins move relatively toward a head block and disengages the pins as the pins move relatively away from the head block.

Abstract: Liquids are transferred from a plurality of wells or depots having openings arranged in a selected format to one or more receptacles, by displacing liquid contained in each well so that a convex meniscus swells from the opening, and contacting the receptacle with the swollen meniscus to draw a portion of the liquid into the receptacle. According to the invention, the liquid transfer is effected directly from the depot to the corresponding receptacle without contact between depots and receptacles, and without interposition of any transfer device between depots and receptacles.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of performing one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis with or without gel in an automated way. The two dimensional electrophoresis can be performed either separately or continuously. Both electrokinetic and hydrodynamic forces can be used to facilitate sample transfer from the first to the second dimension. The samples can be detected on-line by using common detectors like UV-Vis, laser induced fluorescence (LIF), and mass spectrometry (MS).

Abstract: A dispenser (1) for liquid droplets of the order of 30 &mgr;l or less in volume. The dispenser (1) comprises a metering valve body (2) having a main bore (3) connected by a pipe (4) to a pressurised liquid delivery source (not shown). The body (2) comprises a base (5) from which is mounted a nozzle (6) projecting above the base (5) to form a valve seat (7). An actuating coil assembly (11) is mounted on the exterior of the body (2) for moving a floating valve boss (15) of a ferromagnetic material. Sensing coils (20, 21) are mounted around and spaced-apart along the body (2) forming part of a valve boss detector. The valve boss detector acts as a positional movement detector so that the opening and closing of the valve can be accurately controlled and bouncing of the valve boss (15) either against an end stop (9) or on the valve seat (7) can be greatly minimized, if not prevented fully, by careful operation of the actuating coil assembly (11).

Abstract: An automated sample collection workstation comprises a motor actuated sealing assembly having upper (23) and lower (25) clamping plates and fixtures to which particle-containing components of a particle testing unit such as an inertial impactor are mounted. The workstation also includes a sampling module (SM) including a plurality of sampling needles (SN) movable along two axes, and a solvent flow-through system. The solvent flow-through system includes a pump and multi-position valve arrangement communicating with the sealing assembly and the sampling module. The workstation can also include a pump calibration system communicating with the solvent flow-through system.

Abstract: A sample testing device has a buffer container that can hold buffer fluid, a filter with a securement for holding a test strip, the test strip, a test strip container having a receptacle to accommodate the filter, so that when the filter is held therein the test strip is disposed in the receptacle, and a sample collector for holding a sample. The sample collector receives the buffer container, and the sample collector has a piercing member which, when the buffer container is placed in the sample collector, pierces the buffer container. Buffer fluid in the buffer container then contacts the sample. As buffer fluid flows through the sample collector, the buffer fluid that has contacted the sample passes through the filter to the test strip.

Abstract: A method for drawing a biological sample using a suction-discharge device, such as a manual or automatic pipette, built into an automated device or not. A method for detecting the free surface of a biological sample and/or solid, a sample drawing device such as a pipette and a device for detecting the free surface of a biological sample or a solid are also disclosed. This method includes actuating a means causing a pressure variation or an air flow within the suction-discharge device, positioning the lower free end of the device in such a way so that it becomes flush with a free surface of the biological sample, measuring an overpressure within the suction-discharge device, and sampling a quantity of the sample by suction using the device. The invention finds a preferable application in the field of automatic analyzers.

Abstract: A dual-manifold assembly is provided for the rapid, parallel transfer of liquid reagents from a microtiter plate to a solid state microelectronic device having biological sensors integrated thereon. The assembly includes aspiration and dispense manifolds connected by a plurality of conduits. In operation, the aspiration manifold is actuated such that the aspiration manifold is seated onto an array of reagent-filled wells of the microtiter plate. The wells are pressurized to force reagent through conduits toward the dispense manifold. A pressure pulse provided by a standard ink-jet printhead ejects nanoliter-to-picoliter droplets of reagent through an array of printhead orifices and onto test sites on the surface of the microelectronic device.

Abstract: A multiple channel pipetting device and pipette shaft, in which each pipette shaft has a circumferential seal receptacle inside, at its upper end in which the circumferential plunger seal is positioned and in which the circumferential plunger seal, at least in the case of a pulled back pipette plunger, definitely remains in the seal receptacle when the pipetted shaft is removed from the shaft carrier.

Abstract: The drop-by-drop evaporation of a liquid or solution is controlled by monitoring the disappearance of each successive droplet and by actuating the deposition of the next droplet until the desired volume is deposited. In the case of a solution, non-volatile residue (NVR) is collected on a deposition surface plate as a relatively small mound. One of a variety of methods may be employed to measure the evaporative behavior of each droplet and to key the deposition procedure. The process is preferably carried out employing a clean deposition surface plate that is maintained at or below the boiling point of the particular liquid or solvent being deposited. The environment is preferably controlled so that inadvertent contamination is precluded from interfering, and thus the method permits the automatic, micro-processor controlled evaporation of liquids with the resultant deposition of non-volatile residues from solutions within relatively short periods of time.

Abstract: Several pin transfer assemblies are disclosed that utilize the surface tension of liquids for picking up and dispensing minute volumes of liquid from wells in a first well plate to a flat substrate surface or into wells in a second well plate. In one embodiment, a plurality of pins reciprocate through complementary arrays of holes in a base plate and an overlying spring plate biased apart by coil springs located around the periphery of the base plate. A foam layer sits on top of the spring plate and a weight plate sits on top of the foam layer. A single coil spring is positioned between a center of the weight plate and the cover to push the weight plate downwardly. The periphery of the cover guides the vertical movement of the weight plate and is connected to the periphery of the base plate. The periphery of the base plate is supported by a frame used to register the pin assembly in a receptacle of a manual or automated liquid transfer apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-channel dispensing head including a plurality of micropipettes, each micropipette having an electrically actuatable trigger device with a ground and signal terminal; and a shared carrier having a plurality of receptacles located in a one- or two-dimensional arrangement and sized and shaped to receive said micropipettes, each receptacle having a ground and signal contact, wherein the ground and signal contacts on the carrier are spaced apart in the direction of a longitudinal axis extending through the respective micropipettes and each of the ground and signal contacts on the carrier contacting the ground and signal terminals of the trigger devices, respectively.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser characterized by a dispensing head which is movable upward and downward as a whole and comprises a plurality of plungers supported by a plunger plate, drive means for moving the plunger plate upward and downward, a plurality of cylinders in which the plungers slidably fit, and a plurality of nozzles arranged at the lower ends of the cylinders and having configurations adapted to engage airtightly with holes for holding specific dispensing tips, the plurality of nozzles being supported by a single nozzle holder, which is built to be detachable from said dispensing head. According to the invention, only the nozzle holder that support nozzles has to be replaced with another holder conforming to dispensing tips of different dimensions. The arrangement facilitates the replacement and make the dispenser available at lower cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides a one-piece pipette/dropper assembly that includes a pipette portion, a threaded cap portion, and bulb portion. The cap potion has a top wall including a top and bottom surface and the bulb portion has a first end integrally formed with the top wall of the cap on the top surface. The pipette portion has a first end integrally formed with the top wall of the cap on the bottom surface thereof. The bulb potion communicates with the pipette potion through the first end of the pipette portion and the pipette portion has an opening in a second end for receiving and discharging a fluid.

Abstract: A pin replicator is disclosed for dispensing minute volumes of liquid onto a substrate surface in an array in connection with drug discovery, diagnostic analysis, and other applications. The pin replicator comprises a base plate, a plurality of pins reciprocable through corresponding holes in the base plate, and a free floating weight plate resting on top of the upper ends of the pins. The weight plate biases the pins toward their fully extended lowered positions. A cover attaches to the base plate, encloses the pins and weight plate and guides the weight plate during vertical movement thereof. The pin replicator can be moved downwardly toward a first micro titer plate so that a lower end of each of the pins contacts the sample liquid in the corresponding well a sufficient amount to pick up and retain a small quantity of the sample liquid due to surface tension.

Abstract: After attaching a disposable pipette tip to an end of pipetting probe, which is held by a movable holder, humidity in the pipette tip is increased before a pipetting operation of a sample or a reagent. The pipette tip is transferred to a high humid chamber provided with a warmer, and high humid air is introduced into the pipette tip. Subsequently, the pipetting operation of the sample or the reagent is performed. Accordingly, an exact amount of the sample or the reagent can be supplied to a reaction vessel.

Abstract: A dual-manifold assembly is provided for the rapid, parallel transfer of liquid reagents from a microtiter plate to a solid state microelectronic device having biological sensors integrated thereon. The assembly includes aspiration and dispense manifolds connected by a plurality of conduits. In operation, the aspiration manifold is actuated such that the aspiration manifold is seated onto an array of reagent-filled wells of the microtiter plate. The wells are pressurized to force reagent through conduits toward the dispense manifold. A pressure pulse provided by a standard ink-jet printhead ejects nanoliter-to-picoliter droplets of reagent through an array of printhead orifices and onto test sites on the surface of the microelectronic device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ceramic tip and a random access print head for the transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluid. The print head can randomly collect and deposit fluid samples to transfer the samples from a source plate to a target. The print head can also be programmed to create a direct map of the fluid samples from the source plate on the target or to create any desired pattern or print on the target. The tip and print head can be used for a wide variety of applications such as DNA microarraying and compound reformatting. In one preferred embodiment, the tip is used as a capillary or “gravity” pin to draw or collect source fluid and “spot” or deposit the fluid onto the target via physical contact (touch-off). In another preferred embodiment, the tip is used in conjunction with an aspirate-dispense system to actively aspirate source fluid and deposit the fluid via a contact or non-contact approach.

Abstract: A device and related method for dispensing liquid. The device includes a housing configured to contain a plurality of liquid dispensing members containing a liquid and configured to contain a receiving member in a receiving position to receive the liquid from the plurality of liquid dispensing members. The housing defines a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber. The first pressure chamber is capable of being sealed relative to the second pressure chamber. The device also includes a differential pressure generator operably connected to one of the first and second pressure chambers. The generator is capable of generating a pressure differential between the first and second pressure chambers to cause the plurality of liquid dispensing members to dispense liquid onto the receiving member.

Abstract: A pipette for the handling of a syringe. The pipette has jaw chucks which are adjustably arranged with respect to the plunger receptacle, being pivotably mounted on a plunger-gripping device. The syringe is insertable with opened jaw chucks with the plunger head only partially contacting the jaw chucks. The jaw chucks are laterally engageable on the plunger head upon insertion of the syringe. The engaging movement of the jaw chucks on the plunger head is regulated according to the invention so that the engaging movement has a substantially tangential component with respect to the surface of the plunger head. As a result, a desired and form-locking connection to the plunger head of the syringe results that requires a small amount of force.

Abstract: A reagent dispensing valve particularly adapted for dispensing precise microfluidic quantities of fluids. The valve includes a valve portion and a solenoid actuator that are in fluid isolation from one another. The valve portion includes a plunger and seat combination and the actuator is substantially decoupled from the fluid path through the valve. The fluid path through the valve is substantially non-tortuous, thereby minimizing localized fluid pressure drops, and hence undesirable gaseous bubble precipitation within the fluid. The valve is also configured to substantially prevent bubble accumulation. The valve can further include a bubble trap for trapping and removing bubbles.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for aspirating and dispensing reagents are provided. Aspirating of reagents is accomplished by a probe, a vial insert and reagent vial according to the present invention wherein a seal is formed between the probe and the vial insert when the probe engages the vial insert. Dispensing of reagents is accomplished by a probe and a probe dispense and wash station according to the present invention wherein a seal is formed between the probe and the vial insert when the probe engages the probe dispense and wash station.

Abstract: A multiple pipette X according to the present invention includes a first pipette 1 and a second pipette 2. The first pipette 1 is capable of dispensing a liquid stored in a liquid storing section 17a divisionally a plurality of times each by a constant amount. The second pipette 2 is capable of dispensing a liquid sucked from the outside all at a time. The first pipette utilizes, for example, a ratchet mechanism 12d, 13a for dispensing the liquid divisionally a plurality of times each by a constant amount. Preferably, the first pipette 1 is provided with a cap 19 removably attached to the tip end thereof.

Abstract: An automatic tip changer for an automatic multichannel pipettor comprises a plurality of pipettes arranged in a pipetting head. Each of the pipettes arranged in the pipetting head is directly connected to a tip. A magazine which is outfitted with tips and lying in a magazine frame is pressed against the pipetting head. A supply carousel is provided for storing a plurality of stacking boxes in which magazines outfitted with tips are deposited. A lifting group which is arranged in a stationary manner relative to the supply carousel and the magazines are positioned successively in a mounting plane which is determined by the position of the magazine frame. A sliding group is included which is arranged in a stationary manner relative to the lifting group and by which the magazines are displaceable back and forth successively between the stacking box and the magazine frame.

Abstract: A hand-held, single-channel dispenser/aspirator is disclosed. The present dispenser/aspirator comprises a body portion for gripping the dispenser and a head portion. In some embodiments, the head portion includes a valve, a liquid conduit and a removable liquid reservoir. The liquid conduit places the liquid reservoir and the dispensing valve in fluid communication. A gas conduit received by the body portion of the dispenser is operable to pressurize the fluid reservoir, or draw a partial vacuum therein. Controls located on the body portion operate the dispenser. The liquid reservoir is advantageously disposed near the valve, so that a relatively short length of liquid conduit is required to operatively connect the reservoir and the dispensing valve, thereby improving the accuracy of the dispensing operation.

Abstract: The device serves for the transfer of microobjects, in particular of biological objects, from a current substrate (9) to a target substrate. In this case, use is made of a displaceable pipette system which is connected to a pressure generating device for aspirating in and flushing out the biological objects. The pipette system is disposed in a micromanipulator (3) and consists mainly of a substantially vertically disposed microcapillary (1) having a clear width of 1 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The invention provides multichannel pipette heads and autopipettors for loading, measuring, transporting and dispensing, particularly from one micro-plate to another. An exemplary multichannel pipette head comprises a pump housing, pistons, a drive plate, an aspiration drive and bearing rails, wherein the pump housing comprises chambers adapted to receive the pistons, the pistons each comprise a shaft, the drive plate retains the pistons and translocates the piston shafts through the chambers, the aspiration drive translocates the drive plate along the bearing rails which pass through the drive plate and attach to the pump housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, and an apparatus, for forming a prescribed concentration of a substance in a mixture with a fluid, from a comparatively dilute mixture. The mixture is most preferably a solution of a solute in a solvent. The following summary and description generally discuss the invention in terms of a particularly preferred solution and a preferred use for that solution; however, in its broadest embodiments, the invention encompasses both the use for other solutions, and the use for a suspension of a solid substance in a fluid to form a mixture (which can also be referred to as a slurry). The invention provides for significant economic, safety and quality benefits over conventional evaporative systems.

Abstract: An improved pre-filled disposable pipette (10) consisting of a hollow tube (12) dimensioned to enclose a medicinal product and having attached a medication transfer tube (22) from where the pipette is filled and the medicinal product released. The improvement consists in having a primary grasping tab (32) attached to an upper end (14) of the bulb (12); a secondary grasping tab (38) attached to each side of the tube (22); and a support tab (52) also attached to each side of the tube (22) near the lower end (26) of the tube (22). The primary and secondary grasping tabs (32, 38) allow the pipette (10) to be conveniently and easily handled without having to grasp the sensitive bulb (12) or to directly grasp the tube (22). The support tab (52) functions to allow the pipette (10) to be placed on a conveyor rack apparatus (88) from where the pipette (10) can be automatically filled and sealed by a cap (72) or heat applied foil (82).

Abstract: It has been hard to suck the high viscosity sample by using the syringe and to stop the suction of the sample. A sample sucking-discharging device in the invention comprises an injector provided with a cylinder and a piston installed in the cylinder so as to move up and down; a main body for holding the cylinder of the injector; a gear or a pair of gears held in the main body so as to rotate on an axis right-angled to the moving direction of the piston; a first rack, of which one end is connected with the piston, for moving with meshing to the gear or the pair of gears; and, a second rack held in the main body so as to move in the direction opposite to or crossing with the moving direction of the first rack.

Abstract: A multichannel pipette has downwardly depending tip cones to receive disposable tips which have free ends. Adjacent tip cones, and thus the disposable tips, are spaced apart a first distance, which is referred to as the intra-channel spacing. An adapter changes the intra-channel spacing of the free ends of the pipette tips. The adapter has a series of apertures therethrough, and the distance (center-to-center) between adjacent apertures differs from the first distance. The disposable tips are inserted through the adapter to change the intra-channel spacing between the free ends of the tips, either by spreading out or contracting the spacing between the free ends of the tips.

Abstract: An exchangeable oscillating pipette needle for an automatic analyzer for examining biological body fluids is provided, in which the analyzer has a holder provided with a tension spring, and with which the oscillating arm, carrying the pipette needle and resting on a knife-edge bearing, is fixed in a stationary position and is releasably connected.

Abstract: A pipetting system including a syringe (2), a working piston (5) connectable with the syringe piston (24) and extending into a working chamber (3), an actuating piston (7) extending into the working chamber, and a storage chamber (4) connected with the working chamber (3) by a valve (12) that provides for flow of the hydraulic liquid, which fills both chambers, from the working chamber (3) into the storage chamber when the working piston (5) is displaced into the working chamber (3), for flow of the hydraulic fluid from the storage chamber (4) into the working chamber (3) when the actuating piston is displaced out of the working chamber, and that separates the storage and working chambers (3, 4) when the actuating piston (7) is advanced into the working chamber.

Abstract: An improvement on the standard bi-directional liquid sample handling system mechanism is provided. The improvement comprises a mechanism for sealing 24 pipettes arranged in a row. When the industry went from 12 wells to 24 wells, the construction of the pipettes, plungers and seals and the means for locating the pipettes had to be changed. This improvement comprises stainless steel plungers and pipettes that are much smaller in diameter, as well as an external sealing mechanism comprising an O-ring, a flange, and a biasing spring. Another improvement comprises replacing the rack-and-pinion table drive mechanism with a belt and pulley mechanism for more precisely locating the 24 pipettes over the corresponding 24 microtitre wells.

Abstract: A volume adjustable manual pipette having a hand-holdable housing supporting (i) an electronic digital display and associated position sensing and control circuitry, (ii) a plunger unit and (iii) a quick set volume adjustment mechanism for simultaneously controlling the volume setting of the pipette and the electronic display, the quick set volume adjustment mechanism comprising a pipette volume setting member for limiting upward movement of the plunger unit within the housing to define the volume setting for the pipette and the volume setting member being supported for axial movement on the plunger unit and releasably secured relative to the housing by a pipette user operable locking mechanism. When released from the housing, the volume setting member is axially moveable on and with the plunger unit to quickly set the volume for the pipette.

Abstract: A method and system to deposit rapidly, accurately and efficiently liquid droplets onto a sample plate. A liquid from which the droplet is formed contains sample molecules, matrix molecules or a mixture of both sample and matrix molecules. A sample plate is positioned with respect to a position below a portion of the liquid, such as a droplet. A power supply forms an electric field between the sample plate and the liquid, which pulls the droplet to a target location on the sample plate. A plurality of capillary columns is provided for simultaneous or successive multiple depositions via application of one or more high voltage pulses between the liquid sample array and a sample plate.

Abstract: A method and device for storing and dispensing specified subsets from a collection of tens, hundreds or thousands of different reagents to specified locations within microtitre trays or microarray substrates or the like. The reagents of interest are stored in racks of syringe-like dispensers. These dispensers and/or substrates and/or actuators are controllably moved by automated means to a dispensing position where a single action, vibration and weighing system transfers a controlled quantity to a specified location in a microtitre tray or the like. Deficits of the prior art, such as evaporation, cross-contamination, oxidation, waste of reagents and lab-ware, and human operator non-reliability are overcome.

Abstract: A micropipetter a plurality of hollow needles to deliver fluid, the needles being anchored in a sample block; a needle guide assembly with a plurality of needle guide shafts and compression springs attached at one end to the sample block and at the other end to a needle guide plate, each spring surrounding a needle guide shaft, and the needle guide plate controlling the spacing of the needles; a sample block having a plurality of hollow, tapered spaces, each of which connect with the hollow needle; a displacement volume block having a plurality of hollow spaces, each being occupied by a piston pin, each piston pin being sealed with a stationary seal assembly; a stationary sheet seal located between the sample block and the displacement volume block, the sheet seal having a plurality of holes corresponding to and separating the spaces in the sample block and the displacement volume block, such that precise volume displacement is provided; a seal constraint plate located above the displacement volume block, the

Abstract: A fixed volume liquid transfer device defined by a small bore tube having an open end for collection of liquids and a plunger in the tube is disclosed. A piston is mounted around the open end and an air plug is mounted in the piston adjacent the open end. Liquid in a test tube is transferred to a testing site by inserting the transfer device into the test tube. As the piston contacts the liquid, the liquid is pumped into the tube. As the transfer device is inserted further, the air plug is actuated to balance air pressure across the piston. The device may then be withdrawn from the test tube and transported to a test site. At the test site, the plunger is depressed to expel the liquid into a testing device.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser comprises a fluid chamber having two actuators coupled thereto. One of the actuators damps a fluid response of the other. The fluid chamber may comprises a cylindrical capillary, and the actuators may comprise spaced cylindrical piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: A membrane actuated fluid dispensing head apparatus and method for dispensing fluids. The dispenser housing has a top plate, a bottom plate, and a fluid distribution plate disposed between the top and bottom plates. The top plate has fluid inlet means therethrough for admitting pressurized fluid over the distribution plate, the bottom plate having a plurality of elongated hollow pipettes thereon extending away from the top plate and in fluid communication with the fluid distribution plate. A first resilient membrane is disposed between the fluid distribution plate and the bottom plate, the bottom plate having a plurality of spaced cavities thereon having outer peripheries and in fluid communication with the pipettes. A second resilient membrane is disposed between the top plate and the distribution plate having an opening therethrough.