Patent ID: 6989132

Claim:
A liquid transfer apparatus comprising: a capillary for aspirating liquid from one end thereof by means of capillarity; a pressure mechanism for pressurizing an inside of the capillary from an other end of the capillary; and a connection mechanism for bringing the other end of the capillary into, alternately, an ambient pressure state and a state in which the other end of the capillary is connected to the pressure mechanism, wherein the connection mechanism comprises: a capillary support member adapted for hermetic contact with an outer periphery of the capillary, said capillary support member having an elastic member for hermetically securing the capillary to the capillary support; and a pressure unit removably connected to the capillary support member, wherein the pressure unit forms a hermetic space between the other end of the capillary and the pressure mechanism when connected to the capillary support member, and wherein the pressure unit has a first pressure chamber with a diaphragm on one wall surface thereof for pressurizing an inside of the capillary from the other end of the capillary, and a second pressure chamber connected to the pressure mechanism for urging the diaphragm toward the first pressure chamber and pressurizing an inside of the first pressure chamber.