Patent ID: 6079230
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: C03B,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for preparing quartz micropipettes by pulling opposite ends of a length of capillary tubing made from quartz or fused silicate glass, comprising:a) a pulling means for pulling opposite ends of a length of capillary tubing;b) a heating means for heating a section of capillary tubing, said heating means including a pair of miniature torches adapted for being fueled by a flammable gas, the torches being mounted vertically on a torch base on opposite sides of a vertical plane bisecting the distance between the torches measured on the torch base;c) a spark generating means for generating a spark between said torches in order to ignite a flammable gas;d) an optical encoder assembly having an axle, said optical encoder assembly being connected to said pulling means for converting a distance the capillary tubing is pulled into electrical pulses proportional to the distance; ande) a computer control, said optical encoder, said spark generating means, said heating means, and said pulling means being connected to the computer control, the computer control being programmed to switch said heating means to an off position and to pull the tubing apart in order to form two symmetric micropipettes when the electrical pulses from the optical encoder assembly reach a predetermined level.