Abstract:
A dispensing device, which may be used with an immunoassay apparatus, includes at least two dispensing pipettes for sucking and discharging liquid; a pipette elevating device for selectively raising and lowering each pipette along an elevating path thereof; a base for holding the pipette elevating device; a base moving device for moving the base; a washing vessel in which each pipette is alternately immersed to be cleaned; and a washing vessel moving device for allowing the washing vessel to selectively move between locations in the elevating paths of the pipettes.
Abstract:
A buffer solution is sampled from a buffer solution vessel and is dispensed into a reaction vessel on a reaction table by first sampling/dispensing means, and a specimen containing an antigen or antibody to be measured is sampled from a specimen vessel and is dispensed into the reaction vessel by second sampling/dispensing means. A reagent containing insoluble carriers to which is bonded an antibody or antigen that specifically reacts with the antigen or antibody in the specimen is sampled from a reagent vessel and dispensed into the reaction vessel by third sampling/dispensing means. The entire reaction table is shaken continuously during mixing of the buffer solution, reagent and specimen, and the reaction vessel is maintained in an isothermal state. A stable antigen-antibody reaction in the resulting reaction solution is thus promoted to form an agglutinate of the insoluble carriers. The reaction solution is sampled from the reaction vessel and dispensed into a sample chamber by fourth sampling/dispensing means. The dispensed reaction solution is transferred to a detector through which the insoluble carriers are passed and in which a signal is generated based upon a difference in terms of electrical or optical characteristics. The degree of agglutination of the insoluble carriers is obtained as a numerical value, thus making it possible to quantify the antigen or antibody of interest contained in the specimen.
Abstract:
A dispensing device having a flexible tube provided with a pipetting nozzle at an end, a washing solution supplier supplying washing solution to the flexible tube and the pipetting nozzle, a syringe connected to another end of the flexible tube and a control section for controlling the driving of the syringe. The control section of the present invention includes a syringe driving compensator by which the washing solution is supplied into or discharged out of the syringe in an amount compensate for the variation in the inner volume of the tube caused by reduction in the liquid pressure when the washing solution is transmitted from the washing solution supplier into the flexible tube. The liquid surface of the washing solution contained in the pipetting nozzle is maintained at a constant level by actuating the driving compensator in response to the completion of washing of the pipetting nozzle with the washing solution.