The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 22, 1995
Filed:
Aug. 07, 1992
G Richard Cathcart, San Carlos, CA (US);
Thomas Brennan-Marquez, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
John A Bridgham, Hillsborough, CA (US);
George S Golda, El Granada, CA (US);
Harry A Guiremand, Half Moon Bay, CA (US);
Marianne Hane, Burlingame, CA (US);
Louis B Hoff, Belmont, CA (US);
Eric Lachenmeier, Cupertino, CA (US);
Melvyn N Kronick, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Douglas H Keith, Oakland, CA (US);
Paul E Mayrand, Pacifica, CA (US);
Michael L Metzker, San Bruno, CA (US);
William J Mordan, Mountain View, CA (US);
Lincoln J McBride, Belmont, CA (US);
John Shigeura, Fremont, CA (US);
Chen-Hanson Ting, San Mateo, CA (US);
Norman M Whiteley, San Carlos, CA (US);
Perkin Elmer - Applied Biosystems Division, Foster City, CA (US);
Abstract
A liquid-handling instrument has a worksurface with registration for modular stations to support containers of liquid, pipette apparatus with a pipette tip coupled to a sensing circuit, a robotic translation system for moving the pipette tip, and a control system with an iconic user interface for programming and editing. A gauge block registered on the worksurface provides for calibration using the sensing tip, and register cavities on the worksurface provide for modular stations. There is a wash station fop the pipette tip on the worksurface. An automated laboratory based on the liquid-handling system has heating and cooling and a sealable incubation station as well as a magnetic separation station. Methods are disclosed using the apparatus to convey droplets of liquid, to aspirate with minimum tip contamination, to mix liquids in containers, and to validate the worksurface. A duck-billed closure is disclosed for minimizing evaporation and cross-contamination during processing, and is a part of a container disclosed for storing and transporting liquids.