BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handheld, electronic air displacement pipette incorporating the concepts of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a disposable pipette tip and a pipette tip mounting shaft in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mounting shaft and pipette tip shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the area encircled by line 5-5 in FIG. 4 showing an upper locking collar, sealing area and circumferential shelf of the disposable pipette tip illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the area encircled by line 6-6 in FIG. 4 showing a locking section, sealing section and stop member of the mounting shaft shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view showing the mounting shaft being inserted into the disposable pipette tip.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-section taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a detailed view over the area encircled by line 9-9 in FIG. 8 showing insertion of the mounting shaft into the pipette tip just prior to final engagement.
FIG. 10 is a detailed view similar to FIG. 9 showing full insertion of the mounting shaft into the pipette tip.
FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10 illustrating the pipette tip collar and locking ring being distorted out of round when the pipette tip is fully mounted onto the mounting shaft.
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 10 illustrating the pipette tip being stripped off the mounting shaft.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a handheld, electronic air displacement pipette 10 that incorporates a pipette mounting shaft 12 and a disposable pipette tip 14 constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of invention. The pipette 10 includes a housing 16 designed to be held in the palm of the user. Internal components of the pipette (not shown) drive a piston that extends through a seal assembly to displace air within an aspiration and dispensing cylinder. The pipette mounting shaft 12 is threaded or otherwise attached to the lower end of the pipette such that it is in fluid communication with the aspiration and dispensing chamber. The attachment of the mounting shaft to the pipette is not particularly relevant to the concepts of the invention, and is well known in the art. Button 18 is provided for the user to instruct the electronic pipette to aspirate and dispense. The pipette 10 also includes a lever 20 that is actuated in the direction of arrow 22 to move an ejection mechanism sleeve 24 downward in order to eject the disposable pipette tip 14 from the mounting shaft 12.
While the invention is shown and described with respect to its use on a handheld, electronic air displacement pipette 10, the invention is also useful in connection with other types of handheld pipettes, as well as automated liquid handling machines using dispensable pipette tips. For example, the ergonomic features provided by the invention are particularly useful for handheld manual pipettes as well as electronic pipettes. In addition, features of the invention that relate to the security and stability of the engagement of the pipette tip to the mounting shaft are quite useful for automated liquid handling systems as well as handheld pipettes.
As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting shaft 12 preferably has threads 26 for attaching the mounting shaft 12 to the lower end of the aspiration and dispensing cylinder (not shown). As discussed herein, the dimensions of the mounting shaft 12 match the dimensions of the pipette tip 14 so that only pipette tips 14 with the proper dimensions can fit onto the mounting shaft 12. In order to use pipette tips with different bore dimensions in the collar and sealing region, it is necessary to replace the mounting shaft 12 and/or the tubular stripper shaft 24 with one having appropriate dimensions.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, the mounting shaft 12 contains a central bore 28 that provides for air passage between the aspiration and dispensing cylinder in the pipette 10 and the pipette tip 14, as is well known in the art. The mounting shaft 12 includes an upper locking section 30, a lower sealing section 32, and a stop member 34 located between the locking section 30 and the lower sealing section 32. The pipette tip 14 generally consists of a collar 36, a barrel 38 and a circumferential shelf 40 that extends around the inside bore of the tip 14 and connects the lower end of the collar 36 to the upper end of the barrel 38. The upper end of the collar 36 has an opening 42 to receive the pipette mounting shaft 12. The lower end of the barrel 38 has a small opening 44 through which liquid is aspirated into the tip barrel 38 and dispensed from the tip barrel 38 during normal operation of the pipette 10. Support ribs 46 extend downward on the outside surface of the pipette tip 14 from the collar 36. The support ribs 46 function to hold the tip 14 or an array of tips 14 in a tray or the like for subsequent use, as is known in the art.
The internal surface of the pipette tip 14 is now described in more detail, referring in particular to FIG. 5. The inside surface of the collar 36 preferably includes a circumferential locking ring 48, although aspects of the invention can be accomplished without the locking ring 48. The locking ring 48 is preferably located at or slightly below the opening 42 for the collar 36. The locking ring 48 extends inward from the inside wall of the collar 36 a slight amount, preferably in the range of 0.001 inches to 0.010 inches, in order to provide a locking fit over the lobes 50 on the mounting shaft 12. It is important, however, that the locking ring 48 not extend so far inward to interfere with efficient and effective ejection of the disposable tip 14 from the mounting shaft 12 after use. The locking ring 48 can optionally include one or more air bleeds 52. The air bleed can optionally be incorporated on the mounting shaft 12 instead of, or in addition to), the locking ring 48 of the pipette tip. The primary purpose of such air bleeds is to prevent aspiration of liquid in the case that an improperly sized pipette tip is mounted onto the mounting shaft. This is important in order to reduce the chance of contamination of the pipette cylinder, for example, when a large volume of liquid is accidentally aspirated into a tip designed for a small volume of liquid.
The inside surface of the collar 36 is preferably tapered or slightly frustoconical, but can also be cylindrical in accordance with the invention. Preferably, the taper is between 0° and 10°. In any event, horizontal cross-sections through the main section of the collar 36 are preferably circular.
The upper portion 39 of the barrel 38 is the sealing area for the pipette tip 14. A circumferential sealing ring 54 preferably extends inward from the inner surface of the upper portion 39 of the barrel 38 in the sealing area. Alternatively, sealing can be accomplished without sealing ring 54. The sealing area 39 in the barrel 38 is preferably frustoconical, but can also be substantially cylindrical, in accordance with the invention. The preferred taper is between ½° and 4°. Preferably, the sealing ring 54 extends 0.003 inches inward from the surface of the barrel 38, and its longitudinal thickness is 0.010 inches.
The circumferential shelf 40 of the pipette tip 14 connects the lower portion of the collar 36 to the upper portion 39 of the barrel 38. The shelf 40, as shown in the Figures, is angular and continuous around the inside circumference of the tip 14. The shelf 40 need not be angular, however, and can for example be horizontal. The shelf 40 serves to separate the locking region or collar 36 of the pipette tip 14 from the sealing area 39 of the pipette 14 in the upper portion of the barrel 38. As best illustrated in FIG. 11, the collar 36 is distorted out of round when the mounting shaft 12 is fully inserted into the pipette tip 14. The shelf 40 serves to isolate the sealing area in the upper portion of the barrel 38 from this distortion, thereby facilitating an effective seal of the sealing ring 54 against the sealing section 32 of the mounting shaft 12. It also serves to accurately locate the tip on the mounting shaft. With multiple channel devices, the tip shelf insures the same vertical mounting distance from tip to tip. This allows precise and consistent tip position during pipetting.
It is contemplated that pipette tips 14 manufactured in accordance with the invention will be typically made of molded plastic, normally polyethylene or polypropylene with or without various additives, as is known in the art. This design embodies a locking ring 48 and sealing ring 54 that help the injection molding process. They serve as a way to keep the molded tip on the core of the mold instead of using a puller ring for this process.
Referring now in particular to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, the sealing section 32 of the mounting shaft 14 is tapered in an amount corresponding to the sealing area 39 of the pipette tip in the upper portion of the pipette tip barrel 38. The outer surface of the sealing section 32 of the mounting shaft 12 forms an interference fit with the sealing ring 54 on the pipette tip 14 to provide an air-tight seal in order to effectuate accurate aspiration and dispense of liquid into and from the pipette tip barrel 38. The locking section 30 of the mounting shaft preferably includes a central cylindrical stabilizing section 56, which is located immediately above and adjacent the stop member 34. When the pipette tip 14 is mounted on the mounting shaft 12, the central cylindrical stabilizing section 56 on the mounting shaft 12 helps to support the tip 14 in a stable straight orientation. One of the advantages of the invention is that the mating locking mechanism allows the tips 14 to be securely mounted in a consistently straight orientation. This allows the use of longer pipette tips 14, which can be particularly desirable in certain applications. The diameter of the mounting shaft 12 decreases at the stop member 34 between the central stabilizing section 56 and the upper portion of the sealing section 32 commensurate with the reduction in diameter of the matching pipette tip 14 at its circumferential shelf 40. As mentioned, this reduction is preferably in the range of about 0.004 to 0.040 inches. Note that it is not necessary that the cylindrical stabilizing section 56 and the stop member 34 be continuous around the circumference of the mounting shaft 12 inasmuch as the purpose of these components is to provide secure, stable locking engagement of the pipette tip 14 on the mounting shaft 12 and not to provide a seal. Above the cylindrical stabilizing section 56, the diameter of the mounting shaft 12 may or may not reduce slightly in order to provide clearance between the mounting shaft 12 and the collar 36 of the pipette tip 14. The top of the locking section 30 of the mounting shaft 12 preferably includes two or more locking lobes 50 spaced equally around the mounting shaft 12, as well as corresponding recessed areas 58 spanning between the locking lobes 50. The lobes 50 include relatively gently sloping inclined ramps 60. The preferred slope of the ramp 60 incline with respect to the vertical axis of the mounting shaft 12 is between 10° and 20°. The lobes 50 extend outward along the ramp 60 towards the top of the locking section 30 until the lobes 50 turn abruptly inward to form catch surfaces 62. The intersection between the ramp surface 60 and the catch surface 62 at the peak of each lobe 50 is preferably slightly rounded. At its peak, the lobes 50 preferably extend outward beyond the outer surface of the cylindrical stabilizing section 56, although the exact preferred dimensions will depend on the amount of taper of the collar 36 in the corresponding matching pipette tip 14 as well as the tip wall thickness.
The mounting shaft 12 is preferably made from machined steel or machined or molded from chemically resistant plastic such as PEEK, and the specific dimensions are selected to correspond to the dimensions of the matching pipette tip 14. For example, the distance between the stop member 34 and the catch surfaces 62 of the lobes 50 of the mounting shaft 12 is selected to correspond to the distance between the circumferential shelf 40 and the locking ring 48 on the collar 36 of the pipette tip 14.
Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, as the mounting shaft 12 is pushed into the tip 14, the first point of contact is when the leading edge of the sealing section 32 on the mounting shaft 12 enters through the circumferential shelf 40 on the pipette tip 14 and contacts the sealing ring 54. As the mounting shaft 12 is further inserted into the tip 14, the sealing ring 54 interference force against the sealing section 32 of the mounting shaft 12 increases. At the same time, the ramp area 60 of the lobes 50 begins to engage the upper portion of the tip collar 36. Alternatively, as mentioned above, the initial engagement of the sealing ring 54 can be staggered with respect to the engagement of the upper portion of the tip collar 36 in order to lessen insertion force. As the mounting shaft 12 is further inserted into the tip 14, the ramps 60 on the lobes 50 push against the locking ring 48 on the collar 36 of the tip 14 and gently flex the collar 36 and distort it out of round. The recessed areas 58 on the mounting shaft 12 provide ample clearance for the straightening of the collar 30 that occurs between the lobes 50. The intent is for the lobes 50 to flex the collar 36 out of round rather than stretch the collar 36.
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and I 1, as the mounting shaft 12 is fully inserted into the pipette tip collar 36, the stop member 34 on the mounting shaft engages the circumferential shelf 40 on the pipette tip 14, thus preventing further movement of the shaft 12 into the tip 14. At the point of engagement, the locking ring 48 on the inside surface of the tip collar 36 more or less simultaneously snaps over the lobes 50 on the mounting shaft 12. Thus, the pipette tip 14 is securely locked into place onto the mounting shaft 12 with there being a positive engagement between the stop members 34 on the mounting shaft 12 and the circumferential shelf 40 on the pipette tip 14 on the one hand, and the catch surface 62 of the lobes 50 on the mounting shaft 12 and the underside of the locking ring 48 of the tip collar 36 on the other hand. FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view looking down on the tip collar 36 being locked onto the mounting shaft 12 over the lobes 50. The collar 36 is flexed and distorted to an out of round condition. Note that phantom line 70 indicates the outside surface of the collar 36 opening in its preferred round state before being mounted on the mounting shaft 12. Phantom line 72 indicates the position of the inside surface of the locking ring 48 of the collar 36 in its preferred round state before being mounted over the lobes 50 on the mounting shaft 12. While the mounted collar 36 is flexed and distorted out of round, the circumferential shelf 40 below the collar 36 remains circular due to its structural integrity.
By flexing and distorting the tip collar 36 rather than stretching the collar 36 in order to mount the tip 14, the required insertion force is relatively small as compared to other designs which require tight interference fits or stretching of the tip collar. The user senses that full engagement is near as the mounting shaft 12 is inserted into the tip 14 because of the slightly increasing resistance of the interference with the sealing ring 54 on the tip and the increasing diameter of the ramp lobes 50. Definite feedback of full engagement occurs when the stop member 34 engages the circumferential shelf 40 and the locking ring 48 snaps over the lobes 50. The locking engagement is robust and reduces unintentional dismounting of the tip when a side force is applied to the tip, such as during touching-off procedures.
In addition, the system enables low ejection forces, which is particularly advantageous for handheld pipettes. As mentioned, the out of round distortion of the collar 36 storing energy in the mounted collar 36 is useful for throwing off the tips 14 after use. Conventional ejection or stripping mechanisms can be used to push on the top of the collar 36 and push the locking ring 48 over the lobes 50 in order to eject the tips 14. FIG. 12 shows a stripper tube 24 moving downward (arrow 22a) to push on the top of the collar 36 to eject the tip 14. When the locking ring 48 clears the peaks of the lobes 50, the energy stored in the distorted collar 36 is released and facilitates efficient ejection of the tip 14 from the mounting shaft 12.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in connection with the drawings, however, various aspects and features of the invention can be implemented in other forms. For example, it is not necessary that the mounting shaft 12 have more than two lobes. Moreover, as previously mentioned, while the preferred embodiment of the invention provides for low insertion and ejection forces as well as tactile feedback when the mounting shaft is inserted into the pipette tip, the invention is also quite useful in automated liquid handling systems where these attributes may not be as important.
Also, although not preferred, it may be desirable to move the sealing area on the pipette tip from below the shelf to above the shelf, and configure the mounting shaft so that it accommodates sealing above the stop, rather than below. Even thought this is not a preferred design, such a design preferably, in accordance with the invention, includes a mounting shaft with locking lobes as described above. The sealing area on the tip, however, still has to be sufficiently isolated from distortion. This normally requires that the sealing area be located adjacent the shelf and relatively far from the upper portion of the collar that becomes distorted by the mounting shaft lobes.
Patent Application
20080095671
