Patent ID: 7661326
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for aspirating and dispensing a liquid sample in an automated analytical instrument, said apparatus comprising: (a) an aspiration probe, operably connected to a pump, and adapted to enter a sample container to aspirate a liquid sample within such container; (b) a transport system for selectively advancing the aspiration probe in mutually perpendicular planes so that said aspiration probe can aspirate or dispense liquid from or to different containers spaced apart; and (c) a liquid-sampling valve, operatively connected between said aspiration probe and pump, and comprising structure defining at least one aliquoting chamber for temporarily storing a precise volume of liquid sample to be dispensed; said pump being selectively operable to either (i) draw a liquid sample through said aspiration probe and through the liquid-sampling valve to fill said aliquoting chamber, or (ii) to dispense an already aspirated liquid sample through said liquid-sampling valve and through aspiration probe, said liquid-sampling valve being selectively operable in either (i) a loading configuration in which a liquid sample aspirated by the aspiration probe under the influence of the pump will pass through the liquid-sampling valve while simultaneously filling said aliquoting chamber thereof, or (ii) a segmenting/dispensing configuration in which liquid within said aliquoting chamber is positioned to be dispensed from said liquid-sampling valve by an external force, while a liquid sample can be either aspirated or dispensed through said aspiration probe and through said liquid-sampling valve by said pump.