Patent ID: 6220075
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: B01J,B01L,C40B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for determining and verifying a microvolume of a sample liquid dispensed from a closed container including a passage with a tip opening, said method comprising the following steps:(a) introducing a liquid into the passage;(b) constricting the passage volume to eject a droplet of said liquid;(c) allowing the passage volume to return to its pre-constricted passage volume;(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) a predetermined number of times;(e) determining the volume of the liquid ejected during steps (b) through (d);(f) determining the average size of the ejected droplets;(g) repeating steps (b) through (d) sufficient to dispense a predetermined microvolume of the liquid;(h) determining the pressure drop in the passage resulting from step (g);(i) determining the microvolume of the liquid dispensed from the pressure drop measured in (h); and(j) comparing the predetermined microvolume of step (g) with the microvolume determined in step (i) to verify the dispensed microvolume.