JP3733956B2 - Dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus equipped with a dispensing head that is equipped with a dispensing tip to suck and discharge liquid.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When systematically conducting tests such as the drug discovery screening field, biotechnology, and biochemical reactions of substances, a dispensing device that dispenses liquids such as reagents and specimens to a microplate for sample storage is used. As this dispensing apparatus, there is known a system in which a disposable dispensing tip is attached to a dispensing head having a pump mechanism for sucking and discharging a liquid (see Patent Document 1). This method has an advantage that contamination tips can be prevented from being mixed during dispensing operations because the dispensing tips can be easily replaced as necessary.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Utility Model Registration No. 3002709
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the dispensing device using the above-described disposable tip has the following problems with respect to restrictions on the types of liquid that can be dispensed and dispensing accuracy. In other words, the conventional dispensing device draws and discharges liquid by pumping the air inside the dispensing tip with a pump mechanism with a pipette-shaped resin dispensing tip attached to the nozzle part of the dispensing head. Because of this method, due to the compressibility of the air inside the dispensing tip, the liquid did not follow the pump operation well during suction / discharge, making it difficult to dispense with high precision. This tendency becomes conspicuous as the viscosity of the liquid increases, and it has been difficult to dispense a high-viscosity liquid with a dispensing apparatus using a disposable tip.
[0005]
Then, an object of this invention is to provide the dispensing apparatus which can perform highly accurate dispensing.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 is a dispensing apparatus having a dispensing head for dispensing a liquid by mounting a disposable dispensing tip at a lower end portion, and is inserted into a root portion of the dispensing tip. A tip mounting portion for mounting the dispensing tip, a plunger that is inserted into a through hole formed in the tip mounting portion, and a tip portion projects into the dispensing tip mounted on the tip mounting portion, and A plunger drive mechanism that causes the dispensing tip to suck and discharge liquid by moving the plunger in the axial direction with the tip of the plunger protruding into the dispensing tip.The tip of the plunger is tapered..
[0008]
  Claim2The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plunger driving mechanism is configured such that the plunger driving mechanism does not contact the distal end portion of the plunger with the inner wall surface of the dispensing tip mounted on the tip mounting portion. Move.
  A dispensing apparatus according to a third aspect is the dispensing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the lowering limit of the plunger is set according to the internal shape of the dispensing tip.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the plunger for sucking and discharging the liquid is protruded into the dispensing tip attached to the tip mounting portion, and in this state, the plunger is moved in the axial direction to suck the liquid into the dispensing tip.・ By performing discharge, the influence of air compressibility on the followability of liquid suction / discharge with respect to plunger movement can be minimized, and high-precision dispensing is performed for high-viscosity liquids. Can do.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a crystallization plate used in the dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a crystallization plate used in a dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a front view of a dispensing head portion of the dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of a dispensing head of the dispensing apparatus of the embodiment, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a dispensing operation in the protein crystallization plate manufacturing operation by the dispensing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the liquid suction / discharge operation | movement by the dispensing apparatus of one embodiment.
[0011]
First, the overall structure of the dispensing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The dispensing apparatus 1 is used for producing a crystallization container for screening protein crystallization conditions in a slitting drop method, which is a kind of protein crystallization method by a vapor diffusion method, and is a crystallization container. Dispensing operation is performed on the crystallization plate.
[0012]
The dispensing device 1 has a configuration in which each functional unit, which will be described later, is accommodated inside a box-shaped housing 2. The upper surface of the base 10 provided inside the housing 2 is a work area 11 in which various processes and operations are performed on the crystallization plate. On the front side surface of the base 10, a stock portion 12 that stores consumables is provided. The stock unit 12 includes a plate stock unit 13 and two rack stock units 14 and 15.
[0013]
The plate stock unit 13 includes an elevating plate 13a. On the elevating plate 13a, a microplate 6 for crystallization (hereinafter simply abbreviated as “crystallizing plate 6”) is stored in a multi-layer stacked state. . As the elevating plate 13a is raised, the stacked crystallization plates 6 are raised, and the uppermost crystallization plate 6 is taken out by the transport unit 20 described later. The crystallization plate 6 is a crystallization container used for crystallizing the protein in the protein solution.
[0014]
Here, the crystallization plate 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the crystallization plate 6 has a plurality of wells 6a formed in a lattice shape. The well 6a is a so-called caldera-shaped recess for storing a liquid in which a cylindrical liquid holding portion 6b is provided at the center of a circular recess. In the well 6a, a sample to be crystallized, i.e., a crystallization target. A protein solution 26a containing the target protein and a crystallization solution 25a used for crystallization are dispensed.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows a cross section of one well 6a containing these samples. In the well 6a, a droplet-like protein solution 26a is held in a pocket provided at the top of the liquid holding part 6b, and the ring-shaped liquid storage part 6c surrounding the liquid holding part 6b The crystallization solution 25a is stored. The well 6a is a solution storage section having a liquid holding section 6b that holds a protein solution to be crystallized from below in a mounted state and a liquid storage section 6c that stores the crystallization solution 25a. As will be described later, at the start of crystallization, a predetermined amount of the crystallization solution 25a is taken out from the liquid storage unit 6c and mixed with the protein solution 26a held in the liquid holding unit 6b, and then the upper surface of each well 6a. A sealing member 56 for sealing is attached to (see FIG. 2).
[0016]
By storing the crystallization plate 6 in this state under an atmosphere of a predetermined temperature, the solvent component in the protein solution 26a is evaporated, thereby increasing the protein concentration of the protein solution 26a to a supersaturated state and generating protein crystals. . At this time, the solvent evaporating from the protein solution 26a gradually proceeds while the solvent evaporating from the protein solution 26a and the vapor absorbed by the crystallization solution 25a are kept in an equilibrium state, whereby stable crystal formation is performed. .
[0017]
The rack stock parts 14 and 15 are provided with elevating plates 14a and 15a. The tip racks 7 and 8 are stored in the elevating plates 14a and 15a in a stacked state in the same manner as the crystallization plate 6, and are conveyed by the conveying unit 20. It is taken out. The tip racks 7 and 8 hold a plurality of disposable dispensing tips used for dispensing the crystallization solution 25a in a dispensing operation in a grid arrangement. As will be described later, two types of large and small dispensing tips are used for dispensing the crystallization solution 25a, and the tip racks 7 and 8 accommodate small and large sized crystallization solution dispensing tips, respectively. Yes.
[0018]
The crystallization plate 6 and tip racks 7 and 8 are transported to the work area 11 by a transport unit 20 described later, and the dispensing tips taken out from the tip racks 7 and 8 are used for the dispensing operation. The used dispensing tips are returned to the tip racks 7 and 8. The stock unit 12 is provided with a disposal box 19 for collecting used consumable parts. The tip racks 7 and 8 containing the used dispensing tips are stored in the disposal box 19 by the transport unit 20. Dumped.
[0019]
The conveyance unit 20 will be described. Above the base 10, two X-axis mechanisms 24 are arranged in the X direction, and a Zθ-axis mechanism 22 is attached to a Y-axis mechanism 23 installed on the X-axis mechanism 24. A transport head 21 is coupled to a shaft portion 22 a that extends downward from the Zθ-axis mechanism 22. By driving the X-axis mechanism 24, the Y-axis mechanism 23, and the Zθ-axis mechanism 22, the transport head 21 moves in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Zθ direction within the work area 11, and the crystallization plate 6, the tip rack 7, 8 is clamped and conveyed.
[0020]
Next, the work area 11 will be described. A dispensing stage 11a is provided at a substantially central portion of the work area 11, and the crystallization plate 6 taken out from the stock unit 12 is set on the dispensing stage 11a. In an area between the dispensing stage 11a and the stock unit 12, tip racks 7 and 8 and a nozzle rack 27 for accommodating a protein solution dispensing nozzle described later are placed. Further, in the back area of the dispensing stage 11a, there are a protein solution supply reservoir 26 storing a protein solution 26a to be screened and a crystallization solution supply reservoir 25 storing a crystallization solution 25a used for crystallization. It is placed.
[0021]
In the crystallization plate preparation process for preparing the crystallization plate to be tested in the screening, the empty crystallization plate 6 is taken out from the protein solution 26a and the crystallization solution supply reservoir 25 taken out from the protein solution supply reservoir 26. The crystallization solution 25a is dispensed by dispensing means described below.
[0022]
Above the work area 11 including the dispensing stage 11a, an X-axis table 31 is disposed in the X direction. The Y-axis table 32 coupled to the X-axis table 31 has a disposable part at the lower end. A dispensing head portion 33 equipped with a plurality of dispensing heads for dispensing liquids by attaching a dispensing tip is mounted. By driving the X-axis table 31 and the Y-axis table 32, the dispensing head unit 33 moves on the work area 11 including the dispensing stage 11a.
[0023]
Next, the structure of the dispensing head unit 33 and the dispensing head attached to the dispensing head unit 33 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 4, the X-axis table 31 moves a moving block 32f guided by a guide mechanism made up of an X guide 31e and a slider 31d through a block 31c by means of a linear motion mechanism made up of a feed screw 31a and a nut 31b. It is configured to drive in the direction. The Y-axis table 32 is configured such that a moving plate 33a guided by a guide mechanism including a Y guide 32e and a slider 32d is driven in the Y direction via a block 32c by a linear motion mechanism including a feed screw 32a and a nut 32b. It has become.
[0024]
Next, the dispensing head part 33 will be described. A vertical dispensing head base member 34 is coupled to the lower surface of the moving plate 33a. A lifting plate 35 is disposed on the dispensing head base member 34 so as to be slidable in the Z direction. The lifting plate 35 is moved up and down by a lifting motor 36 fixed to the dispensing head base member 34. The dispensing head base member 34 and the lifting / lowering motor 36 constitute a Z-axis table. The Z-axis table, the X-axis table 31, and the Y-axis table 32 constitute a dispensing head moving mechanism that moves the dispensing head unit 33.
[0025]
The elevating plate 35 is equipped with three dispensing heads, a first dispensing head 37, a second dispensing head 38, and a third dispensing head 39. Among these dispensing heads, the first dispensing head 37 and the second dispensing head 38 are both crystallization solution dispensing heads for the crystallization solution 25a, and the first dispensing head 37 has a large capacity. The second dispensing head 38 is used for dispensing a small volume of the crystallization solution 25a with high accuracy. The third dispensing head 37 is a protein solution dispensing head intended for the protein solution 26a.
[0026]
The configuration of these dispensing heads will be described. The first dispensing head 37, the second dispensing head 38, and the third dispensing head 39 have the same basic functions such as liquid suction and discharge, although the mounted dispensing tips are different. The description will be made with respect to the dispensing head 38, and the description of the common parts of the first dispensing head 37 and the third dispensing head 39 is omitted.
[0027]
The second dispensing head 38 is provided on the lifting plate 35, and has a configuration in which a second lifting member 38a is slidably disposed with respect to the lifting plate 35 along a vertical guide 38d. The second lifting member 38a is lifted and lowered by a predetermined stroke by the second head selection cylinder 41.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 5, the second elevating member 38a is provided with a plunger elevating mechanism 38b and a cylinder part 38e, and when the plunger 38f elevating and lowering by the plunger elevating mechanism 38b moves in the cylinder part 38e, It functions as a pump mechanism that allows the dispensing tip to suck and discharge liquid.
[0029]
The plunger lifting / lowering mechanism 38b moves a plunger lifting / lowering plate 46d guided by a guide mechanism (comprising a guide rail 46f and a slider 46e) disposed on the second lifting / lowering member 38a to a linear motion mechanism (motor 46a, feed screw 46b, It consists of a nut portion 46). A plunger 38f is coupled to the plunger lift plate 46d via a coupling block 46g, and the plunger 38f moves up and down by rotationally driving the motor 46a.
[0030]
The cylinder part 38e will be described. The cylinder portion 38e has a structure in which a cylinder block 47b is extended to an upper portion of a fixed block 47a fixed to the second elevating member 38a, and a tip mounting portion 48 is coupled to the lower portion of the fixed block 47a. Has been. A plunger 38f is vertically inserted into a through hole provided through the fixed block 47a, the cylinder block 47b, and the tip mounting portion 48 in the vertical direction.
[0031]
Here, on the lower end portion side of the plunger 38 f, a tapered tip portion 38 g whose diameter is successively narrowed in a tapered shape is formed, and the tip portion 38 g is inserted through the tip mounting portion 48, and is attached to the tip mounting portion 48. It protrudes to the inside of the mounted second dispensing tip 44. When causing the second dispensing tip 44 to suck and discharge the liquid by the plunger drive mechanism 38b, the plunger 38f is pivoted with the tip 38g of the plunger 38f protruding into the second dispensing tip 44. Move in the direction.
[0032]
The second dispensing tip 44 is a small-sized crystallization solution dispensing tip and is supplied by the tip rack 7. When mounting the second dispensing tip 44, first, the dispensing head 33 is moved above the tip rack 7 holding the second dispensing tip 44. Then, the tip mounting portion 48 is lowered, and the tip mounting portion 48 is inserted into the mounting opening at the upper end of the second dispensing tip 44. That is, the tip mounting portion 48 has a function of mounting the second dispensing tip 44 to the second dispensing head 38 by being inserted into the root portion of the second dispensing tip 44.
[0033]
A tip detaching plate 47g is fitted to the tip mounting portion 48, and the two tip detaching plate lifting rods 47c and 47d coupled to the tip detaching plate 47g are held by the fixed block 47a via the slide guide 47f. Yes. The tip release plate elevating rod 47d is provided with a spring 47e, whereby the tip release plate elevating rods 47c and 47d are always urged upward together with the tip release plate 47g.
[0034]
  The plunger 46 is driven by driving the motor 46a.fIs further lowered from the lower limit position for dispensing, the coupling block 46g is lowered, and the protrusion 46h comes into contact with the tip release plate lifting rod 47c, whereby the tip release plate 47g is pushed down and moved downward. To do. When the tip dispensing plate 48g moves downward with the second dispensing tip 44 attached, the second dispensing tip 44 is detached from the tip attaching portion 48. As described above, the attachment / detachment of the second dispensing tip 44 to / from the second dispensing head 38 can be performed automatically.
[0035]
The first dispensing head 37 and the third dispensing head 39 will be described. In FIG. 4, a first dispensing head 37 and a third dispensing head 39 are a first elevating member 37a and a third elevating member provided with the same mechanism as the above-described plunger drive mechanism 38b and cylinder part 38f. 39a is moved up and down by a first head selection cylinder 40 and a third head selection cylinder 42, respectively. A first dispensing tip 43 and a dispensing nozzle 45 are mounted on the first dispensing head 37 and the third dispensing head 39, respectively.
[0036]
The first dispensing tip 43 is a large-sized crystallization solution dispensing tip and is supplied by the tip rack 8. The dispensing nozzle 45 is a protein solution dispensing nozzle and is supplied by the nozzle rack 27. The mounting and dismounting of the first dispensing tip 43 and the dispensing nozzle 45 are the same as in the case of the second dispensing tip 44.
[0037]
Next, the dispensing operation by the dispensing head unit 33 will be described. The first dispensing head 37, the second dispensing head 38, and the third dispensing head 39 are moved at predetermined strokes S 1, S 2 by a first head selection cylinder 40, a second head selection cylinder 41, and a third head selection cylinder 42. The stroke S4 is simultaneously moved by the Z-axis table (lifting motor 36) that lifts and lowers the first dispensing head 37, the second dispensing head 38, and the third dispensing head 39 collectively. Just go up and down.
[0038]
When performing a dispensing operation, select one of the three dispensing heads described above according to the target / purpose of the dispensing operation, and drive the head selection cylinder corresponding to the selected dispensing head. Then, only the selected dispensing head is lowered, and the lower end of the corresponding dispensing tip or dispensing nozzle is protruded downward from the other dispensing tips or dispensing nozzles not selected. For example, when the first dispensing head 37 is selected, the first dispensing tip 43 is lowered by the stroke S1, and similarly when the second dispensing head 38 and the third dispensing head 39 are selected. The second dispensing tip 44 and the dispensing nozzle 45 are lowered by strokes S2 and S3, respectively. These strokes S1, S2, S3 are individually set according to the height of the target dispensing site.
[0039]
Then, any one of the first dispensing tip 43, the second dispensing tip 44, and the dispensing nozzle 45 is caused by lowering the elevating plate 35 by the same stroke S4 while any of the dispensing heads is lowered. However, it approaches the crystallization plate 6, and the dispensing tip and the lower end of the nozzle stop at a predetermined height level corresponding to the dispensing object.
[0040]
In the above configuration, the dispensing head unit 33 and the dispensing head moving mechanism dispense the crystallization solution 25a into the liquid storage unit 6c and hold the liquid in the well 6a of the crystallization plate 6 set on the dispensing stage 11a. Dispensing means for dispensing the protein solution 26a into the part 6b is configured. The dispensing means includes a crystallization solution dispensing head (third dispensing head 39) for dispensing the crystallization solution 25a and a protein solution for dispensing the protein solution 26a to a single dispensing head 33. A dispensing head is provided.
[0041]
FIG. 6 shows a dispensing operation in a crystallization plate manufacturing operation performed using the dispensing head unit 33. First, the first dispensing head 37 is selected, and the crystallization solution 25a is taken out from the crystallization solution reservoir 25 to the first dispensing tip 43, and then the first dispensing tip as shown in FIG. 6 (a). 43 dispenses the crystallization solution 25a into the liquid storage part 6c of the well 6a. At this time, since the first dispensing tip 43 is a large-sized crystallization solution tip, dispensing can be completed in a short time even when the dispensing amount into the liquid storage portion 6c is large.
[0042]
Thereafter, the third dispensing head 39 is selected, the protein solution 26a is taken out from the protein solution reservoir 26, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the crystallization solution 25a is dispensed into the liquid storage portion 6c. For the well 6a, the protein solution 26a is dispensed into the top pocket of the liquid holding part 6b.
[0043]
Next, the second dispensing head 38 is selected, and as shown in FIG. 6 (c), a part of the crystallization solution 25a in the liquid storage section 6c is sucked by the second dispensing tip 44, and the liquid holding section 6b is sucked. A predetermined amount of crystallization solution 25a is added to the already dispensed protein solution 26a. The liquid suction / discharge operation in this dispensing operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0044]
FIG. 7A shows an operation of sucking the crystallization solution 25 a into the second dispensing tip 44 attached to the second dispensing head 38. In this suction operation, the air in the gap 44 a is sucked by raising the plunger 38 f in a state where the tip 38 g protrudes into the gap 44 a inside the second dispensing tip 44. Then, the crystallization solution 25a is sucked from the lower end portion of the second dispensing tip 44 by the negative pressure generated in the gap portion 44a.
[0045]
FIG. 7B shows an operation of discharging the crystallization solution 25 a sucked into the second dispensing tip 44 in this way. In this discharge operation, the plunger 38f in the raised state is lowered to project the tip portion 38g into the gap 44a, and the air in the gap 44a is compressed. And the crystallization solution 25a is discharged from the lower end part of the 2nd dispensing tip 44 with the positive pressure produced by this.
[0046]
In the liquid suction / discharge operation described above, the plunger 38f is moved up and down while the tip 38g of the plunger 38f protrudes into the gap 44a in the second dispensing tip 44. For this reason, the liquid suction / discharge operation can be performed in a state where the internal volume of the gap 44a is reduced by the volume of the tip 38g. Thereby, the influence which the compressibility of the air in the space | gap part 44a has on the followability of the suction / discharge of the liquid with respect to plunger movement can be made as small as possible. Therefore, the suction / discharge of the crystallization solution 25a can be made to follow the up-and-down movement of the plunger 38f satisfactorily, and even when the amount of the crystallization solution added to the protein solution 26a is very small, accurate dispensing can be performed. Done.
[0047]
In the above-described liquid suction / discharge operation in which the plunger 38f is moved up and down by the plunger drive mechanism 38b, by setting the plunger lowering limit in the second dispensing tip 44 according to the internal shape, the tip 38g of the plunger 38f is moved. The second dispensing tip 44 is moved without being brought into contact with the inner wall surface. Thereby, the liquid to be dispensed does not adhere to the lower end portion 38g of the plunger 38f, and even when different types of liquid are continuously dispensed, the contamination is not performed without performing the cleaning process for each dispensing operation. Nation can be prevented.
[0048]
In FIG. 2, a description will be given of the sticker sticking part 50 disposed on the side of the dispensing stage 11a (on the opposite side of the stock part 12). A slide table 51 is disposed on the work area 11. On the slide table 51, a plate holding portion 52 for holding the crystallization plate 6 is slidably mounted in the Y direction, and the plate holding portion 52 reciprocates in the Y direction by moving means (not shown). In the plate holding part 52, the crystallization plate 6 for which the dispensing operation has been completed in the dispensing stage 11a is placed and held.
[0049]
Above the slide table 51, a sticking sticking head 55 is disposed so as to be movable up and down. A sheet-like seal member 56 drawn from the seal supply unit 53 is supplied to the seal sticking head 55. The sealing material portion 56 is supplied in a state of being laminated on the release paper. In the sticking operation, the crystallization plate 6 is pressed with the sticking head 55 pressed against the upper surface of the crystallization plate 6 held by the plate holding portion 52. Is moved relative to the seal sticking head 55 in the horizontal direction (Y direction).
[0050]
As a result, the sealing member 56 is adhered to the upper surface of the crystallization plate 6, and the release paper after the sealing member 56 is peeled off is taken up and recovered by the release paper collecting unit 54. By sticking the seal member 56, the upper surfaces of all the wells 6a are closed and sealed (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The seal attaching part 50 is a sealing means for sealing the well 6a into which the crystallization solution 25a and the protein solution 26a are dispensed.
[0051]
On the side surface of the housing 2, an opening 2 c for carrying out the crystallization plate is provided at a position adjacent to the seal sticking portion 50. The crystallization plate 6 having the seal member 56 attached to the upper surface thereof at the seal attaching part 50 is carried out to a downstream apparatus such as a protein crystal observation apparatus through the opening 3c by the transport head 21.
[0052]
The crystallization plate 6 produced in this manner is a dispensing head (second dispensing head 38) capable of dispensing with high accuracy even when dispensing with a high viscosity liquid as described above. Therefore, the mixing ratio of the protein solution and the crystallization solution is kept correct, and the screening accuracy can be improved. In addition, since disposable dispensing tips that are generally used can be used as dispensing tips to be used, contamination due to mixing of other types of solutions is prevented, and reliability of the test is ensured. be able to.
[0053]
In a conventional dispensing apparatus, when it is required to dispense a highly viscous liquid with high accuracy, a positive dispensing liquid ejecting apparatus in which no air is interposed in the suction / discharge system is required. In this case, it is necessary to use a dedicated discharge nozzle, and each time the type of liquid to be dispensed is changed, it is necessary to clean the wetted part inside the suction / discharge system, which is low in cost. Efficient dispensing work was difficult.
[0054]
On the other hand, in the dispensing device shown in the present embodiment, since the liquid suction / discharge well follows the pumping operation by moving the plunger, high-precision dispensing is performed for high-viscosity liquids. Even when it is performed, a disposable dispensing tip that has been conventionally used can be used, and an efficient dispensing operation is realized at low cost.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the plunger for sucking and discharging the liquid is protruded into the dispensing tip attached to the tip mounting portion, and in this state, the plunger is moved in the axial direction to suck the liquid into the dispensing tip.・ Since it is made to discharge, the influence of air compressibility on the ability to follow the suction and discharge of liquid with respect to plunger movement can be minimized, and high-precision dispensing can be performed for high-viscosity liquids. It can be carried out.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a crystallization plate used in the dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a crystallization plate used in a dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a dispensing head portion of the dispensing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a dispensing head of the dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a dispensing operation in a protein crystallization plate manufacturing operation by the dispensing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a liquid suction / discharge operation by the dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Dispensing device
11a dispensing stage
6 Crystallization plate
33 Dispensing head
37 First dispensing head
38 Second dispensing head
38b Plunger drive mechanism
38e Cylinder part
38f plunger
38g tip
39 Third dispensing head
43 First Dispensing Tip
44 Second Dispensing Tip

Claims (3)

A dispensing device having a dispensing head for dispensing a liquid by installing a disposable dispensing tip at the lower end, and the tip to which this dispensing tip is attached by being inserted into the root of the dispensing tip A mounting portion; a plunger inserted into a through-hole formed in the tip mounting portion; and a tip portion protruding into the dispensing tip attached to the tip mounting portion; and a tip portion of the plunger is disposed inside the dispensing tip. A plunger driving mechanism that causes the dispensing tip to suck and discharge the liquid by moving the plunger in the axial direction in a state where the plunger is protruded in a state where the tip of the plunger is formed in a tapered shape. Dispensing device characterized. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the plunger driving mechanism moves the distal end portion of the plunger without contacting the inner wall surface of the dispensing tip attached to the tip attaching portion. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the lowering limit of the plunger is set according to an internal shape of the dispensing tip.

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