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:
May. 10, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 21, 2003
Jeffrey A. Olson, Libertyville, IL (US);
Mark L. Chiu, Kenosha, WI (US);
Jeffrey Y. Pan, Lake Forest, IL (US);
Michael D. Mccoy, Lakemoor, IL (US);
Jeffrey A. Olson, Libertyville, IL (US);
Mark L. Chiu, Kenosha, WI (US);
Jeffrey Y. Pan, Lake Forest, IL (US);
Michael D. McCoy, Lakemoor, IL (US);
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for dispensing protein-containing materials, such as, for example, pastes, gels, lipidic cubic phases, lipidic mesophases, and mixtures of the foregoing into containers, e.g., wells of assay trays. The invention further provides a method for preparing the aforementioned containers for various experiments involving soluble proteins or membrane proteins or both types of proteins. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes (a) a gel dispenser assembly for dispensing small quantities of gels; (b) a pipette probe for dispensing fluids; (c) an actuator for moving the gel dispenser assembly vertically relative to the pipette probe; (d) a liquid-handling robot having a robot arm for moving the pipette probe and the gel dispenser assembly vertically and horizontally relative to containers, e.g., wells of assay trays; (e) at least one pump for delivering a substantially incompressible fluid to the gel dispenser assembly; and (f) at least one pump for delivering reagents, and, optionally, other materials, to the pipette probe.