초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for an automated biological reaction system is provided. In the processing of a biological reaction system, there is a need for consistently placing an amount of liquid on a slide. In order to accomplish this, several methods are used including a consistency pulse and a volume

A method and apparatus for an automated biological reaction system is provided. In the processing of a biological reaction system, there is a need for consistently placing an amount of liquid on a slide. In order to accomplish this, several methods are used including a consistency pulse and a volume adjust means. Moreover, in order to reliably operate an automated biological reaction system, the dispenser must be reliable, easy to assemble and accurate. Among other things, in order to accomplish this, the dispense chamber is substantially in line with the reservoir chamber, the reservoir chamber piston is removed, and the flow of liquid through the dispenser is simplified. Further, in order to operate the automated biological reaction system more reliably, the system is designed in modular pieces with higher functions performed by a host device and the execution of the staining operations performed by remote devices. Also, to reliably catalog data which is used by the automated biological reaction system, data is loaded to a memory device, which in turn is used by the operator to update the operator's databases. The generation of the sequence of steps for the automated biological reaction device based on data loaded by the operator, including checks to determine the ability to complete the run, is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of placing a consistent amount of fluid on a slide in an automated biological reaction apparatus, the automated biological reaction apparatus having at least one rinse station, the rinse station comprising a rinse station nozzle positioned for directing a stream of fluid o

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of placing a consistent amount of fluid on a slide in an automated biological reaction apparatus, the automated biological reaction apparatus having at least one rinse station, the rinse station comprising a rinse station nozzle positioned for directing a stream of fluid onto the slide, the rinse station nozzle connected to tubing which is connected to at least one valve, the valve connected to a bottle containing fluid, the valve controlling the flow of fluid from the bottle to the nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:pressurizing the tubing with a predetermined amount of pressure;turning on and off the valve for supplying fluid to the nozzle at least one time thereby causing a wave effect in the tubing wherein the pressure in the tubing varies from the predetermined amount of pressure, the time between turning on and turning off the valve being a first predetermined time;delaying until the wave effect wave effect in the tubing is lessened so that the pressure in the tubing is substantially equal to the predetermined amount of pressure;turning on the valve to begin a consistency pulse and directing a stream of fluid onto the slide;waiting for a second predetermined time, the second predetermined time being greater than the first predetermined time; andturning off the valve to end the consistency pulse.