METHOD OF MONITORING FUNCTIONALITY OF WASH STATION FOR PIPETTING NEEDLES

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for monitoring functionality of a wash station for a pipetting needle in an automated analysis device.SOLUTION: A wash station 1 for a pipetting needle 2 includes an inner wash fountain cylinder 4 which is almost completely filled with a wash liquid 7 and has an opening 5 for receiving a tip 3 of a pipetting needle, and an outer overflow cylinder 6 surrounding the wash fountain cylinder 4 and having a height greater than that of the wash fountain cylinder. The wash liquid 7 is pumped from a reservoir into the wash fountain cylinder 4 through a supply opening 8. Pumping fresh wash liquid 7 into the wash fountain cylinder 4 from below allows the wash liquid 7 to be continuously replaced, while letting excess wash liquid 7 flow over the edge of the wash fountain cylinder 4 and into the overflow cylinder 6. Used wash liquid 7 is pumped out of the wash station 1 through a drainage opening 9 in the overflow cylinder 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1