Needle assembly for aspirating and dispensing from sealed containers

Abstract

A needle assembly has at least one guide member supported by a first body for sliding movement between an extended position and a retracted position. A second body is attached to the guide member. A biasing member biases the guide member to the extended position. A liquid handling needle is coupled to the first body so sliding movement of the guide member toward the retracted position retracts the second body relative to the liquid handling needle. The second body is adapted to contact a sealed receptacle. The biasing member urges the guide member toward said extended position during insertion and during said removal of the needle from the receptacle whereby the second body remains in contact with the sealed receptacle as the guide member moves from its extended position to its retracted position during said insertion and from its retracted position to its extended position during said removal.

1 . A needle assembly for aspirating a liquid out of or dispensing liquid into a sealed receptacle, the assembly comprising:
 a first body;   at least one guide member supported by the first body for sliding movement between an extended position and a retracted position;   a second body attached to said at least one guide member, the second body being relatively farther from the first body when the guide member is in the extended position and relatively closer to the first body when the guide member is in the retracted position;   a biasing member biasing the guide member to the extended position; and   a liquid handling needle coupled to said first body so sliding movement of the guide member toward the retracted position retracts the second body relative to the liquid handling needle,   said second body being adapted to contact the sealed receptacle during insertion of the liquid handling needle into the receptacle and during removal of the liquid handling needle from the receptacle, said biasing member urging said at least one guide member toward said extended position during said insertion and during said removal whereby the second body remains in contact with the sealed receptacle as the guide member moves from its extended position to its retracted position during said insertion and from its retracted position to its extended position during said removal.   
     
     
         2 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the second body moves in conjunction with said at least one guide member. 
     
     
         3 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the biasing member comprises a spring. 
     
     
         4 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the spring is retained between the first and second bodies by the guide. 
     
     
         5 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the liquid handling needle extends into the first body and is connected to a mechanism operable to transfer a liquid through the liquid handling needle. 
     
     
         6 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the at least one guide member comprises a first guide member and a second guide member, the first and second guide members are each supported by the first body for sliding in parallel relative to the first body, and the second body is attached to each of the first and second guide members so the second body moves with the first and second guide members. 
     
     
         7 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the liquid handling needle extends a fixed distance from the first body. 
     
     
         8 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a venting needle supported by the second body. 
     
     
         9 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the venting needle is held in a fixed position relative to the second body and the liquid handling needle is held in fixed position relative to the first body. 
     
     
         10 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 8  in combination with a robot having a moveable arm, the needle assembly being mounted on the arm for movement of the needle assembly by the robot. 
     
     
         11 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with a robot having a moveable arm, the needle assembly being mounted on the arm for movement of the needle assembly by the robot. 
     
     
         12 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the second body comprises a guide block. 
     
     
         13 . A needle assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the guide member comprises a rod.