Patent ID: 7595027
Filing Date: 2009-09-29
Classification: B01L

Abstract:
1. A nozzle device comprising: a nozzle body having a nozzle portion on a distal end portion of an aliquoting/dispensing pipe through which a specimen is aliquoted and dispensed; at least one pair of solid sphere silicone balls, each having a through hole through which the nozzle body moves in an axial direction and cooperable with the nozzle body and elastically deformable by compression so that their outside diameters in a plane perpendicular to a direction of compression are larger than the outside diameters of the nozzle body when the solid sphere silicone balls are compressed in the axial direction of the nozzle body; an aliquoting/dispensing tip having a barrel portion in which the nozzle body cooperable with the silicone balls is inserted; and a ball compressing mechanism which is cooperable with the nozzle body, configured elastically to deform the silicone balls by compression so that the outside diameter of the silicone balls in the plane perpendicular to the direction of compression increases, thereby pressing the silicone balls airtightly against an inner peripheral surface of the barrel portion of the tip, when the tip is attached to the nozzle body, and configured to remove a compressive force from the silicone balls so that the outside diameter of the silicone balls is reduced, thereby separating the silicone balls from the inner peripheral surface of the barrel portion of the tip, when the tip is detached from the nozzle body, wherein the silicone balls are located spaced in the axial direction of the nozzle body, a cylindrical moving tube having upper and lower movable flange portions movable in the axial direction of the nozzle body is fitted between the silicone balls, and fixed flange portions at the nozzle body respectively opposing the movable flange portions with the silicone balls interposed therebetween; and wherein when the nozzle body moves in the axial direction, the movable flange portions move closer to the fixed flange portions, so that the silicone balls are simultaneously compressed and airtightly pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the barrel portion of the aliquoting/dispensing tip.