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  Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma device to clean and sterilize the surfaces of probes, cannulas, pin tools, pipettes and spray headsUSPTO Application #: 20060081336Title: Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma device to clean and sterilize the surfaces of probes, cannulas, pin tools, pipettes and spray heads Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for the use of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma to clean and sterilize the surfaces of liquid handling devices. In one embodiment, an apparatus for plasma cleaning includes a hollow dielectric member having a first opening disposed at a first end of the hollow dielectric member and an electrode coupled to a central portion of an outer surface of the hollow dielectric member. A conductive member is coupled to the outer surface of the hollow dielectric member proximate the first end of the hollow dielectric member. (end of abstract) Agent: Raymond R. Moser Jr., Esq. MoserIPLaw Group - Shrewsbury, NJ, US Inventor: Peter Frank Kurunczi USPTO Applicaton #: 20060081336 - Class: 156345430 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060081336. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/858,272, filed Jun. 1, 2004 and entitled "Atmospheric Pressure Non-Thermal Plasma Device to Clean and Sterilize The Surfaces of Probes, Cannulas, Pin Tools, Pipettes and Spray Heads," which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/478,418, filed on Jun. 16, 2003 and entitled "Atmospheric Pressure Non-Thermal Plasma Device to Clean and Sterilize The Surfaces of Probes, Cannulas, Pin Tools, Pipettes and Spray Heads." This application is further related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/039,628, filed Jan. 20, 2005 and entitled "Atmospheric Pressure Non-Thermal Plasma Device to Clean and Sterilize The Surfaces of Probes, Cannulas, Pin Tools, Pipettes and Spray Heads," which is a divisional application of the '272 application. All of the aforementioned applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Within the disciplines of the clinical, industrial and life science laboratory, scientists perform methods and protocols with extremely small quantities of fluids. These fluids consist of many categories and types with various physical properties. Frequently, volumes are worked with that are between a drop (about 25 microliters) and a few nanoliters. There are a number of standard methods employed to transfer liquid compounds from a source by aspirating the liquid from such fluid holding devices into a fluid handling device having a probe, cannula, pin tool or other similar component or plurality of components that move, manually or robotically, and then dispensing, from the same probe or plurality of probes, into another fluid holding device. [0003] Four common techniques are (1) a scheme using a probe or cannula, that may or may not be coated with a layer of material or special coating, which is attached directly or by a tube to a pumping device, (2) a scheme using a disposable pipette instead of the probe/cannula but otherwise similar, (3) a scheme using a spray head with one or a plurality of openings and pumping system that physically propels multiple precisely metered microdroplets, and (4) a scheme using metal shafts with precisely machined hollowed out spaces at their ends that hold the fluid by surface tension (commonly referred to as a "pin tool"). [0004] As routine a process as fluid transfer is in the laboratory, technical challenges remain to achieve suitable levels of cleanliness of the dispensing devices. Currently the fluid handling devices undergo a "tip wash" process wherein they are cleansed in between use with a liquid solvent, such as DMSO or water. After the "tip wash" process, the used and now contaminated liquids must then be properly disposed of with respect to the required environmental regulations. As an alternative to this wet "tip wash" process, atmospheric pressure plasma can be used to replace the liquid cleaning process with a "dry" plasma cleaning process, thus eliminating the need for the handling and disposal of solvents that are biohazards and environmentally unfriendly. [0005] The term "plasma" is generally used to denote the region in an electric gas discharge that has an equal number of positive ions and negative electrons (N. St. J. Braithwaite, "Introduction to gas discharges" Plasma Sources Science and Technology, V9, 2000, p 517-527; H. Conrads et al., "Plasma Generation and Plasma Sources" Plasma Sources Science and Technology, V9, 2000, p 441-454). A non-thermal, or non-equilibrium, plasma is one in which the temperature of the plasma electrons is higher than the temperature of the ionic and neutral species. Within an atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma, there is typically an abundance of other energetic and reactive particles, such as ultraviolet photons, excited and/or metastable atoms and molecules, and free radicals. For example, within an air plasma, there are excited and metastable species of N.sub.2, N, O.sub.2, O, free radicals such as OH, NO, O, and O.sub.3, and ultraviolet photons ranging in wavelengths from 200 to 400 nanometers resulting from N.sub.2, NO, and OH emissions. [0006] The "dry" plasma cleaning process is achieved by exposing the surfaces of the fluid handling devices or other components to the atmospheric pressure plasma. The above mentioned reactive and energetic components can now interact with any contaminants on the surfaces, thereby volatizing, dissociating, and reacting with the contaminants, to form smaller and benign gaseous compounds that are vented off through the plasma cleaning device. [0007] In addition to removing various unwanted compounds, the plasma can also be used to sterilize the surfaces of the fluid handling devices. The same ultraviolet photons, especially those with wavelengths below 300 nm, the free radicals and metastable molecules, and the plasma electrons and ions, provide a very harsh environment in which bacteria, viruses, fungi and their corresponding spores are lysed or otherwise rendered non-viable and either partially or completely volatized into gaseous compounds. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for cleaning a fluid handling device. In one embodiment, an apparatus for plasma cleaning includes a hollow dielectric member having a first opening disposed at a first end of the hollow dielectric member and an electrode coupled to a central portion of an outer surface of the hollow dielectric member. A conductive member is coupled to the outer surface of the hollow dielectric member proximate the first end of the hollow dielectric member. [0009] In one embodiment, a fluid handling device forms a conducting ground. In an embodiment of the present invention, a plasma is produced in a plasma cleaning apparatus by applying a voltage in the range from about 5000 Volts to 15000 Volts. [0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus is cylindrical. In another embodiment, a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus is rectangular. In one embodiment of the present invention, a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus is closed on one end. In another embodiment, a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus is open on both ends. [0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a plasma cleaning apparatus that is in direct communication with a vacuum source. [0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus may contain an array of plasma cleaning apparatuses. In one embodiment, an array of plasma cleaning apparatuses is in an arrangement corresponding to a microtiter plate format. [0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a plasma cleaning apparatus containing at least one rare gas. [0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for cleaning a fluid handling device, wherein the apparatus contains an array of channels in a configuration corresponding to a microtiter plate. In one embodiment, each channel includes a dielectric material and is configured to accommodate a single fluid handling device. In one aspect, there is at least one electrode in contact with each channel for producing a discrete plasma in each channel and, additionally, there is a continuous conducting ground adjacent to the array of channels. In one embodiment, the channels of an apparatus of the invention are cylindrical. In another embodiment, the channels of an apparatus of the invention are rectangular. [0015] Another embodiment of the present invention features an apparatus for cleaning a fluid handling device, wherein the apparatus contains an array of channels in a configuration corresponding to a microtiter plate, further wherein each channel consists of a dielectric material and is configured to accommodate a single fluid handling device. In one embodiment, there is at least one electrode in contact with each channel for producing a discrete plasma in each channel and additionally, there is a conducting ground adjacent to each channel. In one embodiment, a fluid handing device forms the conducting ground for the channel in which the device is accommodated. In one embodiment, the channels of an apparatus of the invention are cylindrical. In another embodiment, the channels of an apparatus of the invention are rectangular. [0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, a fluid handling device is inserted into a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus such that the tip of the fluid handling device is located at about the center of the plasma field. [0017] In one embodiment the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a fluid handling device by positioning at least a portion of a fluid handling device within the interior of a channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus and forming a plasma within the interior of each channel in order to clean the fluid handling device. In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a plurality of fluid handling devices by positioning at least a portion of each of a plurality fluid handling devices within the interior of a discrete channel of a plasma cleaning apparatus and forming a plasma within the interior of each of the discrete channels to clean the plurality of fluid handling devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the present invention. Some aspects of the drawings are not labeled, but are included to provide further details of the present invention. Further, in some drawings, if a feature is present more than once in a drawing, the feature may be referenced only once. [0019] FIG. 1 is a cross section view of one embodiment of an atmospheric pressure plasma-based cleaning device of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 2 is a top angle view of one embodiment of an atmospheric pressure plasma-based cleaning device of the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma device to clean and sterilize the surfaces of probes, cannulas, pin tools, pipettes and spray heads Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma device to clean and sterilize the surfaces of probes, cannulas, pin tools, pipettes and spray heads patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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