Multi-chamber pump apparatus, systems, and methods

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus adapted to dispense and/or aspirate liquids, such as in a clinical analyzer. In one aspect, a multi-chamber pump apparatus is disclosed that has a pump body containing first and second chambers, a piston having a first piston portion of a first pump area A1 received in the first chamber, and a second piston portion of a second pumping area A2 received in the second chamber, and an actuator coupled to the piston. The first and second chambers can be selectively accessed to improve metering accuracy at dissimilar flow volumes from the chambers. Methods and systems including the multi-chamber pump apparatus are provided, as are other aspects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-chamber pump apparatus, comprising:
 a pump body containing a first chamber and a second chamber, each adapted to contain a liquid;   a piston having
 a first piston portion of a first pump area A1 received in the first chamber, and 
 a second piston portion of a second pumping area A2 received in the second chamber; and 
   an actuator coupled to the piston.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising A2>A1. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising A2≧3A1. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising A2≧5A1. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a coupling attaching the piston to a shaft of the actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 5 , comprising a sensor mounted to the pump body and a flag extending from the coupling wherein the flag is configured to interact with the sensor to provide information concerning a position of the piston. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pump body comprises:
 a lower housing coupled to the actuator, the lower housing receiving the coupling and a shaft of the actuator.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump body comprises:
 a lower housing coupled to the actuator;   a middle housing coupled to the lower housing, the middle housing containing the first chamber and a first chamber inlet and a first chamber outlet; and   an upper housing coupled to the middle housing, the upper housing containing the second chamber and a second chamber inlet and a second chamber outlet.   
     
     
         9 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the middle housing and the upper housing comprise a transparent material. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-chamber pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the piston comprises co-axial cylinders, and the first piston portion of has a diameter D1, and the second piston portion has a diameter D2, and D1>D2. 
     
     
         11 . A liquid delivery system, comprising:
 at least one liquid source;   a multi-chamber pump apparatus fluidly coupled to the at least one liquid source, the multi-chamber pump apparatus having a pump body with a first chamber and a second chamber, a piston having a first piston portion of a first pump area A1 received in the first chamber, and a second piston portion of a second pumping area A2 received in the second chamber;   a dispensing and/or aspirating device fluidly coupled to a first chamber outlet of the first chamber, and a second chamber outlet of the second chamber;   a first flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled to the first chamber; and   a second flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled to the second chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The liquid delivery system of  claim 11 , comprising:
 the first flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled between the first chamber outlet and the dispensing and/or aspirating device; and   the second flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled between the second chamber outlet and the dispensing and/or aspirating device.   
     
     
         13 . The liquid delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the dispensing and/or aspirating device comprises a probe receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the dispensing and/or aspirating device comprises a probe. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid delivery method, comprising:
 providing at least one liquid source containing a liquid;   providing a multi-chamber pump apparatus fluidly coupled to the at least one liquid source, the multi-chamber pump apparatus having a pump body with a first chamber and a second chamber, a piston having a first piston portion of a first pump area A1 received in the first chamber, and a second piston portion of a second pumping area A2 received in the second chamber;   providing a dispensing and/or aspirating device fluidly coupled to a first chamber outlet of the first chamber, and a second chamber outlet of the second chamber; and   translating the piston to pump liquid to the dispensing and/or aspirating device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 controlling flow in both a first flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled between the first chamber outlet and the dispensing and/or aspirating device and a second flow-controllable passage fluidly coupled between the second chamber outlet and the dispensing and/or aspirating device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 the first flow-controllable passage and the second flow controllable passage are simultaneously open.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 one or the first flow-controllable passage and the second flow controllable passage is open and one of the first flow-controllable passage and the second flow controllable passage is closed.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 providing a first liquid source coupled to a first chamber inlet of the first chamber, and   providing a second liquid source fluidly coupled to a second chamber inlet of the second chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 dispensing a first liquid from the first liquid source from the first chamber outlet of the first chamber; and   dispensing a second liquid from the second liquid source from a second chamber outlet of the second chamber.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising:
 the dispensing of the first liquid and the dispensing of the second liquid occur simultaneously.