APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING LIQUID DISPENSING EQUIPMENT

摘要

A method for cleaning deposits of particulate material from the tip of a nozzle (12a) of a dispensing apparatus (10), such as, for example, the tip of the nozzle (12a) of a liquid reagent dispensing apparatus. The method involves the use of a multiple excitation signal waveform to cavitate and agitate the cleaning medium ("L") in which the tip of the nozzle (12a) is suspended. Multiple excitation refers to a method of excitation that uses waves of alternating polarity; multiple excitation may involve excitation at a plurality of frequencies in sequence, at a plurality of amplitudes in sequence, at a plurality of waveforms in sequence, combinations of the aforementioned frequencies, amplitudes, and waveforms. The invention also provides an- apparatus incorporating electrical (36, 38) and mechanical components (34), along with appropriate software (40), sufficient to perform the method described herein.