Patent ID: 6432719
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: B01J,C40B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for loading a plurality of receptacles with one or more reagents, comprising:(i) placing a plurality of receptacles on a support under an addressable array of reagent dispensers; (ii) selecting a dispenser equipped to dispense a desired reagent, and a receptacle for receiving the desired reagent, wherein said dispensers are elongated containers, each having a longitudinally extending passageway configured to receive and hold a respective reagent when a gate mechanism is in the closed position; (iii) simultaneously (a) positioning a fixed target region of the support at a location under the selected dispenser, and (b) positioning the selected receptacle at a location directly over the fixed target region of the support; (iv) dispensing the desired reagent from the selected dispenser into the selected receptacle; (v) detecting the desired reagent as it is dispensed from the selected dispenser using a detection assembly having a field of view extending between said dispensers and said receptacles, and adapted to detect the passage of reagent dispensed from any one of said dispensers; and (vi) repeating steps (ii)-(v) so that reagent is dispensed from at least one other dispenser into at least one other receptacle.