JP2007147291A - Dispensing nozzle and removable dispensing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform dispensing work with respect to a large number of dispensing containers even in an automatic dispenser not having the feed mechanism of the dispensing containers. <P>SOLUTION: The compact automatic dispenser possible to perform mass treatment can be achieved by providing a shape detachable with respect to a dispensing nozzle to the dispensing container to enable the feed due to the dispensing nozzle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to the shape of a dispensing container for more easily carrying the dispensing container.

  Dispensing is an operation for dividing a liquid such as a sample or a reagent into a desired dispensing container in a laboratory or the like. For dispensing, use a dispensing device such as a glass pipette or a micropipette with a plastic disposable tip attached to the tip, aspirate the liquid from the dispensing source container and dispense a certain amount of liquid into the dispensing destination container. Discharging operation is a simple operation.

The dispensing container is used as a sample serving as a dispensing source, a container containing a liquid such as a reagent, and an empty container serving as a dispensing destination.
Dispensing containers have shapes suitable for storage and storage of samples and reagents before and after dispensing, as well as shapes suitable for various chemical reactions, various analyses, cell culture of microorganisms, etc. There is something suitable for both.

  One typical dispensing container is a microplate. Since there are multiple wells (dents) in one microplate, different samples and reagents can be dispensed in different amounts in different wells, making experiments and handling very easy. Widely used.

  The number of wells in the microplate is generally 96 (12 horizontal, 8 vertical), and the volume in the well is 0.3 to 2 ml. Some plates have 6, 24, 384, and 1536 wells and are sometimes called cell culture plates, deep well plates, or high-density plates instead of microplates. The outer shape of microplates is 128 mm wide and 85 mm long The height is standardized to some extent from 10 to 40 mm.

Although dispensing is a simple operation, it is an operation that requires accuracy, and therefore it is not appropriate to perform many dispensing operations continuously and manually. For this reason, automatic dispensing devices that automatically dispense have become popular.
In general automatic dispensing equipment, a unit having a structure similar to that of a dispensing instrument such as a micropipette is attached to the end of the XYZ mechanism (left / right front / rear up / down mechanism). By arranging the dispensing containers at the dispensing destination in advance, it is possible to automatically dispense an arbitrary amount of liquid from an arbitrary dispensing source to an arbitrary dispensing destination any number of times.

The name of a unit having a structure similar to a dispensing instrument such as a micropipette in an automatic dispensing apparatus is called a dispensing head or a dispensing nozzle. In this patent, it is expressed as a dispensing nozzle.
A component called a tip can be attached to and detached from the dispensing nozzle. Generally, the chip is made of resin and is disposable.
The automatic dispensing apparatus may be simply attached to a mechanism that moves up and down in addition to the dispensing nozzle being attached to the end of the XYZ mechanism (orthogonal mechanism). There are various attachment positions and attachment methods depending on the automatic dispensing apparatus.

  As a problem in the above-described dispensing apparatus, the number of the dispensing source container and the dispensing destination container that can be installed at the same time is limited to the range in which the XY mechanism of the automatic dispensing apparatus can be operated. That is, in order to automatically perform a large amount of dispensing work, the dispensing apparatus is increased in size.

  As the above-mentioned improvement measure, a method of stacking the dispensing containers in the vertical direction (Z direction of the XYZ mechanism of the automatic dispensing device) is adopted. When dispensing containers are stacked vertically, a mechanism (conveying mechanism) for taking out an appropriate dispensing container is required. There are two types of transport mechanisms.

One is a method of taking out the stacked dispensing containers from the uppermost stage, which requires a mechanism for holding the dispensing containers, and requires parts called hands and grippers. Similarly to the dispensing nozzle, the hand and the gripper are attached to the end of the XYZ mechanism, and the dispensing container can be transported within the operable range of the XY mechanism of the automatic dispensing apparatus.
Dispensing can be performed on the conveyed dispensing container. Usually, after dispensing is completed, the taken-out dispensing containers are sequentially stacked in an upward direction at a position different from the position where they are initially stacked. Next, the second dispensing container of the stacked dispensing containers is transported and the same processing is performed.

The other is a method in which the stacked dispensing containers are taken out from the lowermost stage, and the taken out dispensing containers are installed and transported on a mechanism such as a belt conveyor or a horizontal slider. Usually, a position where the dispensing nozzle can be moved is provided during the conveyance, and a dispensing operation is performed.
After the dispensing is completed, the dispensing containers are further transported and stacked in order from the bottom at different positions.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-21814 JP 2003-194833 A

  The problem to be solved is that the conventional dispensing container transport method requires a dispensing container transport mechanism in addition to a dispensing mechanism such as a dispensing nozzle to transport the dispensing container. This is an increase in size, complexity and cost.

  The main feature of the present invention is that the dispensing container is transported using a dispensing nozzle without using a separate transport mechanism.

  The dispensing container of the present invention has an advantage that it is possible to perform dispensing work on a larger number of dispensing containers even in an automatic dispensing apparatus that does not have a dispensing container transport mechanism.

  By providing a part of the dispensing container with a shape that can be attached to and detached from the dispensing nozzle, an automatic dispensing system that can transport the stacked dispensing containers to the dispensing position without using the dispensing container transport mechanism. Implemented the injection device.

  FIG. 4 is a view in which a part that can be attached to and detached from the dispensing nozzle is provided on a part of the microplate. The shape that can be attached to and detached from the dispensing nozzle can be easily manufactured by making the shape similar to the fitting portion of the disposable tip attached to and detached from the dispensing nozzle.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic view when the dispensing container of the present invention is used in a dispensing apparatus that does not have a dispensing container transport mechanism. Without using the dispensing container transport mechanism in the dispensing apparatus having the dispensing container transport mechanism of FIG. 3, it is equivalent to one microplate than the dispensing apparatus without the dispensing container transport mechanism of FIG. 2. It is possible to process 5 times as many microplates only by securing the space. FIG. 6 shows that the tip can be attached to the dispensing nozzle, the liquid can be sucked and discharged, the dispensing nozzle and the dispensing container are detachable, and the dispensing container can be transported by the dispensing nozzle. FIG.

  Widely used in biotechnology and medical fields.

It is the schematic of the conventional microplate. It is the schematic of the dispensing apparatus which does not have a conveyance mechanism of a dispensing container. It is the schematic of the dispensing apparatus which has a conveyance mechanism of a dispensing container. It is the schematic of the dispensing container of this invention. Example 1 It is the schematic at the time of using the dispensing container of this invention with the dispensing apparatus which does not have a conveyance mechanism of a dispensing container. (Example 2) Schematic of the mechanism that transports the dispensing container with the dispensing nozzle

Explanation of symbols

1 Dispensing nozzle 2 Disposable tip 3 Dispensing destination microplate 4 Dispensing source microplate 5 Position for stacking plates after dispensing 6 Dispensing container transport mechanism 7 Dispensing nozzle and removable shape 8 With dispensing nozzle Dispensation destination microplate that can be transported 9 Dispensing source microplate that can be transported with a dispensing nozzle

Claims (1)

A dispensing container having a shape detachable from a dispensing nozzle of an automatic dispensing device.

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