Patent ID: 6666100
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A sample injector comprising:a syringe holder assembly for holding a syringe body in a fixed position relative thereto; a plunger driver for holding a plunger of said syringe in a fixed position relative thereto, said plunger driver being movably engaged with said syringe holder so that said plunger moves relative to said syringe as said plunger driver is moved relative to said syringe holder; a release having a cocked position and a released position, said release in its released position allowing said plunger driver to move relative to said syringe holder so that said plunger can achieve a full ejection position relative to said syringe, said release when in its cocked position limiting movement of said plunger driver relative to said syringe holder so that said plunger is maintained at least a predetermined minimum distance from said full ejection position; an interface assembly for engaging a sample injection port so that sample ejected from said syringe enters said sample injection port, said interface assembly being movably engaged with said syringe holder so that said syringe can move relatively toward and away from said sample injection port, said interface assembly having an actuator that, when said release is in its cocked position and said syringe holder is moving toward said port, moves said release from its cocked position to its released position; a spring for providing a force opposing motion of said actuator toward said release due to motion of said syringe holder relative to said interface assembly; and an interface-control lever having plural selectable orientations including a injection orientation, an extraction orientation, a safety orientation, said interface-control lever when in said injection orientation allowing said actuator to move from a syringe-retracted position toward and into contact with said release, said interface-control lever when in its extraction orientation allowing said actuator to move from said syringe-retracted position toward said release but preventing it from moving into contact with said release, said interface-control lever, when in said safety orientation, preventing said actuator from moving from its needle-retracted position.