Method of aspirating by pipetting and pipetting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018214862-A1
Application number	US-201715420693-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspiration of a pipette arrangement is initiated. A sensor arrangement senses a least one prevailing first parameter that is dependent from the effect in the pipette arrangement during initiating and upholding the suctioning action. This at least one parameter is analyzed in an analyzing stage. From a result of this analysis and in a determining stage at least one test criterium TC for at least one further parameter as sensed by the sensor arrangement is determined. In a checking stage there is checked whether this further parameter fulfills the at least one test criterium.

First claim

1 ) A method of aspirating a dose of a liquid by pipetting in an aspirating cycle, or of manufacturing a dose of a liquid including such aspirating method, the method comprising:
a) moving a pipette containing a work fluid in an aspiration position; b) initiating at a point in time a suctioning action to said work fluid; c) analyzing at least one prevailing first parameter, being dependent from an effect of said suctioning action, within a first time span subsequent said initiating; d) determining at least one test-criterion in dependency of at least one result of said analyzing; e) checking at least one second prevailing parameter, being dependent from an effect of said suctioning action, within a second time span subsequent to said determining, upon whether said at least one prevailing second parameter does or does not fulfill said at least one test-criterion; f) identifying said aspirating cycle as acceptable or as not acceptable in dependency of a result of said checking.

2 ) The method of claim 1 said at least one prevailing first parameter at least comprising at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section.

3 ) The method of claim 1 said at least one prevailing first parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section.

4 ) The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one prevailing second parameter at least comprises at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section.

5 ) The method of claim 1 said at least one prevailing second parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section.

6 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one prevailing first parameter at least comprising at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow at least dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and said at least one prevailing second parameter at least comprises at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow at least dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid.

7 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one prevailing first parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and said at least one prevailing second parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid.

8 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein
said analyzing comprises analyzing at least one first characteristic over time of said at least one prevailing first parameter.

9 ) The method of claim 1 , said analyzing comprising analyzing at least one first characteristic over time of said at least one prevailing first parameter and wherein there prevails at least one of:
said at least one prevailing first parameter at least comprising at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and of said at least one prevailing first parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and of said at least one prevailing second parameter at least comprises at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and of said at least one prevailing second parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section.

10 ) The method of claim 1 wherein determining said at least one test-criterion comprises determining at least one rated second characteristic over time for said at least one prevailing second parameter.

11 ) The method of claim 1 wherein determining said at least one test-criterion comprises determining at least one rated second characteristic over time for said at least one prevailing second parameter and wherein there prevails at least one of:
said at least one prevailing first parameter at least comprising at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow at least dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and of
said at least one prevailing first parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section
said at least one prevailing second parameter at least comprises at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section and of
said at least one prevailing second parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section
said analyzing comprises determining at least one first characteristic over time of said at least one prevailing first parameter.

12 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprises analyzing a first time derivative of at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from effect of said suctioning action.

13 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprises analyzing a first time derivative of at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from said effect of said suctioning action and wherein there prevails at least one of:
said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section; said at least one prevailing first parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section said at least one prevailing second parameter at least comprises at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from at least one prevailing pressure in said work fluid, said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section said at least one prevailing second parameter is at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow of said work fluid said work fluid being a liquid or at least comprising at least one gaseous section said analyzing comprises determining at least one first characteristic over time of said at least one prevailing first parameter, determining said at least one test-criterion comprises determining at least one rated second characteristic over time of said at least one prevailing second parameter.

14 ) The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing comprises analyzing a first time derivative of at least one of at least one pressure and of a flow dependent from said effect of said suctioning action, said at least one pressure or said flow having the following prevailing time course:
The first time derivative alters after said point in

Assignees

• Tecan Trading Ag

Inventors

• Horsley Michael
• Truempi Kevin
• Gopinathan Sukesh

Classifications

• B01L2200/143

  Quality control, feedback systems · CPC title

• F04B51/00

  Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations · CPC title

• G01N2001/1418

  Depression, aspiration · CPC title

• B01L2300/0627

  Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated · CPC title

• G01N1/14

  Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices · CPC title