A dual deck rotary disc pipetting station and method of use thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of pipetting workstations, and more particularly to a double-deck rotary disc type pipetting workstation and a method for using the same. The double-deck rotary disc type pipetting workstation comprises an upper disc, a lower disc, a driving mechanism and a pipetting module. The upper disc is arranged above the lower disc. The driving mechanism is in power connection with the upper disc and the lower disc, and can drive the upper disc and the lower disc to rotate. The upper disc is provided with a plurality of consumable boxes for loading pipette tips. The lower disc is provided with a plurality of constant temperature modules, a plurality of magnetic modules for adsorbing magnetic beads, a plurality of mixed well plates and a plurality of liquid storage well plates. The constant temperature modules are provided with constant temperature well plates, and the magnetic modules are provided with magnetic well plates. The pipetting module can move between the upper disc and the lower disc. The pipetting module only moves in the Z-axis direction, and has a lower control difficulty and a lower required control precision, so that the fault tolerance is higher, the reliability is higher, and the pipette tips will not be missed or dropped due to the deviation in the control movement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of pipetting workstations, and more specifically, to a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of molecular diagnostics, such as real-time quantitative PCR and NGS gene sequencing, samples need to undergo complex liquid handling procedures such as pipetting, serial dilution, separation, and mixing before being loaded onto the machine.

[0003] Thanks to the use of multichannel pipettes, laboratory efficiency has improved significantly. However, while multichannel pipettes have increased efficiency, they do not free up hands. Long hours of manual pipetting remain a monotonous and arduous task, potentially causing repetitive strain injuries.

[0004] Furthermore, the ever-decreasing sample volume makes accurate and error-free pipetting increasingly difficult, and uncontrollable human error easily leads to poor reproducibility of experimental results. Moreover, these experiments are extremely sensitive to environmental pollution, generally requiring operation on a clean bench with regular cleaning and disinfection. Additionally, aerosol contamination is easily generated during the operation, posing a potential hazard to the operator.

[0005] Automated pipetting workstations are fully automated operation platforms for laboratory liquid handling. They can not only replace manual liquid handling and reduce problems such as leakage, misplacing, and contamination caused by human operation, but also greatly improve work efficiency and meet the needs of high-throughput experiments.

[0006] Existing automated pipetting workstations typically control the pipette's motion in three dimensions (XYZ), while the deep-well plate containing the sample to be processed is arranged in a planar (XY) configuration. This results in complex motion control, high positional accuracy requirements, and compromises the reliability of the instrument. Furthermore, these instruments generally require users to program motion sequences based on the specific application scenario, and the complex motion control methods and human-computer interaction detract from the user experience.

[0007] For example, there is a fully automated pipetting workstation, including a frame with a receiving space inside the frame; a movable component that can move in the X and Y axes above the receiving space; several Z-axis drive modules are mounted on the movable component; a pipetting section is detachably mounted on the Z-axis drive modules; the pipetting section includes a pipetting needle that can move up and down via a lead screw drive motor; the bottom of the pipetting needle has a pipetting head that adsorbs pipetting tips; the pipetting tips are connected to the pipetting head; and a plate mounting assembly has multiple plate positions for placing waste containers, consumables, and reagent tubes.

[0008] The existing pipetting workstations mentioned above require high positional accuracy due to their three-dimensional (XYZ) control of the pipettes, making it difficult to guarantee reliability. Positional deviations can easily lead to the pipette tips being missed or falling off, resulting in leakage. At the same time, because the pipettes need to be controlled in three dimensions, the time required for operations such as PCR and NGS reaction system construction and purification, and nucleic acid extraction is relatively long and the efficiency is low. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To overcome the problems of low error tolerance and poor reliability of pipettes in the prior art, which require three-dimensional control of movement, this invention provides a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation and its usage method.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation, including an upper plate, a lower plate, a drive mechanism, and a pipetting module. The upper plate is located above the lower plate. The drive mechanism is poweredly connected to both the upper and lower plates and can drive the upper and lower plates to rotate. The upper plate is provided with multiple consumable boxes for loading pipette tips. The lower plate is provided with several temperature control modules, several magnetic modules for adsorbing magnetic beads, several mixing orifice plates, and liquid storage orifice plates. The temperature control modules are provided with temperature control orifice plates, and the magnetic modules are provided with magnetic suction orifice plates. The pipetting module can move between the upper and lower plates.

[0011] The upper tray holds the consumables box, which contains pipette tips. The lower tray houses the magnetic module, temperature control module, mixing plate, and reservoir plate. The magnetic module controls the adsorption and release of magnetic beads within the magnetic plate; the temperature control module incubates nucleic acid fragments in the reagent solution. The pipetting module first connects the pipette tip to the consumables box in the upper tray, then moves to the lower tray to perform the pipetting operation. The upper and lower trays are rotated, eliminating the need for the pipetting module to move in the X and Y directions. Instead, rotation of the upper or lower tray aligns the components on it with the pipetting module, allowing the pipetting module to operate on all components only by moving in the Z-axis direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the driving mechanism includes a first driving component, a second driving component, and a column; the upper plate and the lower plate are both mounted on the column; the first driving component is mounted on the upper plate and can drive the upper plate to rotate around the column; the second driving component is mounted on the lower plate and can drive the lower plate to rotate around the column; the pipetting module is movably mounted on the column and can move linearly along the column; the upper plate has a first slot for the pipetting module to pass through.

[0013] Furthermore, the pipetting module includes a drive cylinder and a pipette, the drive cylinder being mounted on a column and the pipette being mounted on the output end of the drive cylinder.

[0014] Furthermore, the lower plate has a second slot for the pipetting module to pass through; a waste box is provided below the lower plate.

[0015] Furthermore, the magnetic module includes multiple magnetic plates, a driving component, and a connecting assembly; the magnetic plates are movably disposed on the lower plate, and there is a gap between adjacent magnetic plates that can accommodate a tube body with magnetic suction holes; the driving component is disposed on the lower plate, and the driving component is poweredly connected to the magnetic plates through the connecting assembly, and the driving component drives the magnetic plates to move up and down through the connecting assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, the connecting assembly includes a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, and a support plate; the magnetic plate is disposed on the top of the support plate, the first connecting rod is connected to the output end of the driving component; one end of the second connecting rod is hinged to the first connecting rod, and the other end is hinged to the support plate.

[0017] Furthermore, the constant temperature module includes a heating element, a cooling element, a temperature control sensor, and a heat dissipation assembly; the cooling element is located at the top of the heating element; the heating element is located at the top of the heat dissipation assembly; the temperature control sensor is located on the heating element; and the constant temperature perforated plate is located on top of the cooling element and the heating element.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes a barcode scanner, which scans the barcodes on the mixing plate, magnetic plate, liquid storage plate, and thermostatic plate.

[0019] On the other hand, the present invention provides a method for using a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation, comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1. Rotate the upper plate until any of the consumable boxes are directly opposite the pipetting module. Then, move the pipetting module down until it connects with the pipette tip in the consumable box. Then, move the pipetting module with the pipette tip installed up again to disengage the pipette tip from the consumable box.

[0021] S2. Rotate the lower plate until the liquid storage plate is directly below the pipetting module. Then, move the pipetting module down to the position where the pipette tip is inserted into the reagent solution in the liquid storage plate. The pipetting module draws up the set amount of reagent solution. After the drawing is completed, the pipetting module moves up to the position where it is disengaged.

[0022] S3. Rotate the lower plate until the mixing well plate is directly opposite the pipetting module. Then, move the pipetting module down to the position where the pipette tip is inserted into the mixing well plate. The pipetting module repeatedly ejects and draws the aspirated reagent solution into the mixing well plate through the pipette tip to mix the reagent solution. After completing the set number of ejections and draws, the pipetting module draws the reagent solution back into itself. At the same time, the pipetting module moves up to the position where it is detached from the mixing well plate to complete the mixing operation.

[0023] S4. Rotate the lower plate until the temperature control module is directly opposite the pipetting module. Then, move the pipetting module downwards until the pipette tip is inserted into the thermostatic plate. The pipetting module injects the reagent solution into the thermostatic plate on the thermostatic module. The thermostatic module maintains the reagent solution in the thermostatic plate at a constant set temperature for a set time. Then, the pipetting module draws the reagent solution in the thermostatic plate back into itself. At the same time, the pipetting module moves upwards to the position where it is detached from the thermostatic plate, completing the thermostatic incubation operation.

[0024] S5. The lower plate rotates until the magnetic module is directly opposite the pipetting module. Then, the pipetting module moves downward until the pipette tip is inserted into the magnetic suction plate. The pipetting module injects liquid into the magnetic suction plate. The pipetting module then moves upward to the position where it is detached from the magnetic suction plate. Then, the magnetic module performs magnetic purification of the reagent solution in the magnetic suction plate for a set time. After that, the pipetting module moves downward again until the pipette tip is inserted into the magnetic suction plate and draws the magnetically purified reagent solution into itself. The pipetting module then moves upward again to the position where it is detached from the magnetic suction plate, completing the magnetic purification operation.

[0025] S6. Rotate the lower plate until the liquid storage plate is directly opposite the pipetting module. The pipetting module moves down until the pipette tip is inserted into the liquid storage plate. The pipetting module then injects the magnetically purified reagent solution into the liquid storage plate. Finally, the pipetting module moves up until it detaches from the liquid storage plate, thus obtaining the purified product.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0027] 1. The pipetting module only needs to move in the Z-axis direction. Compared with the existing pipetting modules that move in the X, Y, and Z axes, it is easier to control and requires less control precision. Therefore, it has a higher fault tolerance and higher reliability. It will not cause the pipette tip to be missed or fall off due to deviations in control movement.

[0028] 2. In the magnetic module, the magnetic plate is raised and lowered by a drive component. The perforated plate is placed above the magnetic plate. When the magnetic plate rises, it approaches the magnetic perforated plate, thereby attracting and gathering the magnetic beads in the magnetic perforated plate. When the magnetic plate moves away from the magnetic perforated plate, the magnetic beads in the magnetic perforated plate are released, achieving the effect of magnetic purification without moving the magnetic perforated plate.

[0029] 3. By setting up a barcode scanner, users can set the barcode or QR code information of the corresponding plate position when setting up the motion process. The barcode scanner can identify the barcode or QR code of the plate position that has been loaded with reagent liquid and compare it to determine whether it is loaded correctly.

[0030] 4. The double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention can quickly perform operations such as PCR and NGS reaction system construction and purification, and nucleic acid extraction. Through the layout of the upper and lower double-layer rotary tables, compared with the existing pipetting workstations, the pipetting workstation of the present invention simplifies the control dimension of the pipetting module to only the Z-axis, thereby simplifying the operations such as NGS reaction system construction and purification and nucleic acid extraction, and improving the operational efficiency of the aforementioned applications. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention from another perspective;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the upper and lower plate structures in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lower plate structure in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic module in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic module from another perspective in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the constant temperature module in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature control module from another perspective in an embodiment of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention.

[0040] In the attached diagram: 1. Upper plate; 2. Lower plate; 3. Drive mechanism; 31. First drive assembly; 32. Second drive assembly; 33. Column; 4. Pipetting module; 41. Drive cylinder; 42. Pipette; 5. Consumables box; 6. Temperature control module; 61. Temperature control plate; 62. Heating element; 63. Cooling element; 64. Temperature control sensor; 65. Heat dissipation assembly; 651. Heat dissipation fins; 652. Cooling fan; 653. Box body; 7. Magnetic module; 71. Magnetic attraction. 72. Orifice plate; 73. Magnetic plate; 74. Drive component; 75. Connecting assembly; 76. First connecting rod; 77. Second connecting rod; 78. Support plate; 79. Fixing plate; 70. Slide rail; 71. Slider; 72. Connecting plate; 73. Liquid storage orifice plate; 74. Mixing orifice plate; 75. Controller; 16. Base plate; 17. First slot; 18. Second slot; 19. Waste box; 10. Outer shell; 11. Pick-up / drop-off port; 12. Door; 13. Barcode scanner; 14. Protective cover. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent. To better illustrate this embodiment, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings. The positional relationships described in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent.

[0042] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "long," and "short" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the present patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] Reference Figures 1 to 9This is Embodiment 1 of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention, comprising an upper plate 1, a lower plate 2, a drive mechanism 3, and a pipetting module 4. The upper plate 1 is located above the lower plate 2. The drive mechanism 3 is poweredly connected to both the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2, and the drive mechanism 3 can drive the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 to rotate. The upper plate 1 is provided with multiple consumable boxes 5 for loading pipette tips. The lower plate 2 is provided with multiple temperature control modules 6, multiple magnetic modules 7 for adsorbing magnetic beads, multiple mixing orifice plates 9, and liquid storage orifice plates 8. The temperature control modules 6 are provided with temperature control orifice plates 61, and the magnetic modules 7 are provided with magnetic suction orifice plates 71 loaded with magnetic beads. The pipetting module 4 can move between the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2.

[0046] The upper plate 1 is used to hold the consumable box 5, which contains pipette tips. The lower plate 2 is used to install the magnetic module 7, the temperature control module 6, the mixing plate 9, and the liquid storage plate 8. The magnetic module 7 is used to control the adsorption and release of magnetic beads in the magnetic plate 71; the temperature control module 6 is used to incubate nucleic acid fragments in the reagent solution. The pipetting module 4 is first connected to the pipette tip in the consumable box 5 of the upper plate 1, and then moved to the lower plate 2 to perform the pipetting operation. The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are rotated, so that the pipetting module 4 does not need to move in the X and Y directions. Instead, the rotation of the upper plate 1 or the lower plate 2 aligns the components on the upper plate 1 or the lower plate 2 with the pipetting module 4. The pipetting module 4 only needs to move in the Z-axis direction to operate all the components on the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2.

[0047] In this embodiment, the driving mechanism 3 includes a first driving component 31, a second driving component 32, and a column 33; the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are both mounted on the column 33; the first driving component 31 is mounted on the upper plate 1 and can drive the upper plate 1 to rotate around the column 33; the second driving component 32 is mounted on the lower plate 2 and can drive the lower plate 2 to rotate around the column 33; the pipetting module 4 is movably mounted on the column 33 and can move linearly along the column 33; the upper plate 1 has a first slot 12 for the pipetting module 4 to pass through.

[0048] Specifically, both the first drive assembly 31 and the second drive assembly 32 are hollow rotating platforms. The first drive assembly 31 is located on top of the upper plate 1, and its output bearing is coaxially arranged with the upper plate 1. The output bearing of the first drive assembly 31 is bolted to the top of the upper plate 1. The second drive assembly 32 is located on top of the lower plate 2, and its output bearing is coaxially arranged with the lower plate 2. The output bearing of the second drive assembly 32 is bolted to the top of the lower plate 2. The column 33 is cylindrical and is bolted to the bottommost base plate 11. The column 33 is coaxially connected to the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2, and is also connected to the output bearing of the first drive assembly 31 on the upper plate 1 and the output bearing of the second drive assembly 32 on the lower plate 2. The column 33 is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the output bearing of the first drive assembly 31 on the upper plate 1 and the inner ring of the output bearing of the drive assembly 32 on the lower plate 2, so that the first drive assembly 31 on the upper plate 1 can drive the upper plate 1 to rotate about the column 33 as the axis, and the second drive assembly 32 on the lower plate 2 can drive the lower plate 2 to rotate about the column 33 as the axis. The upper plate 1 has a square first slot 12, so that the pipetting module 4 can pass through the first slot 12 to reach the lower part of the upper plate 1, so as to facilitate interaction with the components on the lower plate 2.

[0049] In this embodiment, the pipetting module 4 includes a drive cylinder 41 and a pipette 42. The drive cylinder 41 is mounted on the column 33, and the pipette 42 is mounted on the output end of the drive cylinder 41.

[0050] Specifically, the column 33 is surrounded by a protective cover 19. Two protective covers 19 are provided, one above the upper plate 1 and the other above the lower plate 2, with a gap between them to facilitate rotation of the upper plate 1. The drive cylinder 41 is a rodless electric cylinder, bolted to the protective cover 19 above the upper plate 1. The stroke direction of the drive cylinder 41 is the same as the axial direction of the column 33. The pipette 42 is a 96-channel pipette, bolted to the slider 77 of the drive cylinder 41. The drive cylinder 41 drives the pipette 42 to move vertically, allowing the pipette 42 to interact with various components on the upper plate 1 or the lower plate 2.

[0051] In this embodiment, the lower plate 2 has a second slot 13 for the pipetting module 4 to pass through; a waste box 14 is provided below the lower plate 2.

[0052] Specifically, the waste container 14 is fixed to the substrate 11 by bolts. The waste container 14 is located directly below the pipette 42 in the vertical direction. The waste container 14 is square and has an open top. The area of ​​the open top of the waste container 14 is larger than the projected area of ​​the second slot 13 on the substrate 11, so as to facilitate the disposal of pipette tips or waste liquid into the waste container 14.

[0053] In this embodiment, the magnetic module 7 includes multiple magnetic plates 72, a driving component 73, and a connecting assembly 74. The magnetic plates 72 are movably disposed on the lower plate 2, and there is a gap between adjacent magnetic plates 72 that can accommodate the tube body of the magnetic suction plate 71. The driving component 73 is disposed on the lower plate 2, and the driving component 73 is poweredly connected to the magnetic plates 72 through the connecting assembly 74. The driving component 73 drives the magnetic plates 72 to move up and down through the connecting assembly 74. The connecting assembly 74 includes a first connecting rod 741, a second connecting rod 742, and a support plate 743. The magnetic plates 72 are disposed on the top of the support plate 743. The first connecting rod 741 is connected to the output end of the driving component 73. One end of the second connecting rod 742 is hinged to the first connecting rod 741, and the other end is hinged to the support plate 743.

[0054] Specifically, the magnetic plate 72 is a square plate made of permanent magnets. Each magnetic module 7 includes six magnetic plates 72, which are inserted parallel and perpendicularly onto the support plate 743. The lower plate 2 has multiple square slots through which the support plate 743 can pass and move up and down. The driving component 73 is a motor, which is bolted to the bottom surface of the lower plate 2 near the slots. The lower plate 2 has a magnetic suction plate 71 above the slots. The drive motor drives the support plate 743 through the slots via the connecting assembly 74, allowing it to move up and down within the lower plate 2. The driving component 73 drives the magnetic plates 72 upwards towards the magnetic suction plate 71, attracting and gathering the magnetic beads within the magnetic suction plate 71 at its bottom, achieving magnetic-liquid separation without moving the magnetic suction plate 71.

[0055] The drive component 73 is bolted to a fixed plate 75. The top of the fixed plate 75 is bolted to the bottom of the lower plate 2. Two slide rails 76 are provided on the side wall of the fixed plate 75 away from the drive component 73. The travel direction of the slide rails 76 is vertical. A slider 77 is slidably embedded in each of the two slide rails 76. Two connecting plates 78 are provided on the sliders 77. One end of the connecting plate 78 is welded to the slider 77, and the other end is welded to the support plate 743. The output end of the drive component 73 passes through the fixed plate 75 and is located between the two slide rails 76. It is poweredly connected to the support plate 743 through the connecting assembly 74. By setting the slide rails 76 and sliders 77, the vertical movement of the support plate 743 is made more stable, ensuring that the support plate 743 moves in a straight line. The first connecting rod 741 is bolted to the output end of the drive component 73, so that the drive component 73 can drive the second connecting rod 742 through the first connecting rod 741 to drive the support plate 743 to move vertically along the slide rails 76.

[0056] In this embodiment, the constant temperature module 6 includes a heating element 62, a cooling element 63, a temperature control sensor 64, and a heat dissipation assembly 65; the cooling element 63 is disposed at the top of the heating element 62; the heating element 62 is disposed at the top of the heat dissipation assembly 65; the temperature control sensor 64 is disposed on the cooling element 63 and the heating element 62; and the constant temperature perforated plate 61 is disposed at the top of the cooling element 63 and the heating element 62.

[0057] Specifically, the cooling element 63 is a TEC semiconductor chip, the heating element 62 is a mica sheet, and the temperature control sensor 64 is used to sense the temperature of the cooling element 63 and the heating element 62, and can control the temperature of either the cooling element 63 or the heating element 62 so that the constant temperature orifice plate 61 can maintain the set temperature. The heat dissipation component 65 is used to dissipate heat from the mica sheet to prevent the temperature from becoming too high.

[0058] In this embodiment, the heat dissipation assembly 65 includes heat dissipation fins 651 and a heat dissipation fan 652; the heat dissipation fins 651 are disposed on the air outlet of the heat dissipation fan 652; and the heating element 62 is disposed on the top of the heat dissipation fins 651.

[0059] Specifically, the cooling fan 652 and the heat dissipation fins 651 are mounted in a housing 653, which is fixed to the bottom surface of the lower plate 2 by screws. The heat dissipation fins 651 are inserted through the lower plate 2, thereby reducing the overall height of the constant temperature module 6. The heat dissipation fins 651 can increase the heat transfer efficiency of the heating element 62.

[0060] In this embodiment, the outer shell 15 is also included. The upper plate 1, the lower plate 2 and the column 33 are all disposed inside the outer shell 15. The outer shell 15 is provided with a pick-up and put-down port 16 for picking up and putting down the perforated plate. The outer shell 15 is movably provided with a hatch 17 at the position of the pick-up and put-down port 16.

[0061] Specifically, the outer casing 15 is equipped with a touchscreen-operated controller 10. The controller 10 is electrically connected to the pipetting module 4, the magnetic suction module, and the temperature control module 6, and is used to control these modules. In this embodiment, the controller 10 is a PLC. The controller 10 is mounted on the outer casing 15 and located on top of the hatch 17. The controller 10 is electrically connected to the hatch 17 and can control the opening and closing of the hatch 17.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] Reference Figure 3This is Embodiment 2 of a double-layer rotary pipetting workstation of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that it also includes a barcode scanner 18. The barcode scanner 18 scans the barcodes on the mixing orifice plate 9, the magnetic suction orifice plate 71, the liquid storage orifice plate 8, and the constant temperature orifice plate 61. The barcode scanner 18 is located above the lower plate 2 and is electrically connected to the controller 10. The barcode scanner 18 scans the barcodes on the mixing orifice plate 9, the magnetic suction orifice plate 71, the liquid storage orifice plate 8, and the constant temperature orifice plate 61, and sends the scanned barcode information to the controller 10 to verify whether the position of each orifice plate is correct.

[0064] Example 3

[0065] The method of using the double-layer rotary pipetting workstation in Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0066] S1. The upper plate 1 rotates to the position where any of the consumable boxes 5 are directly opposite the pipette 42. Then the drive cylinder 41 drives the pipette 42 to move down until the pipette 42 is connected to the pipette tip in the consumable box 5. Then the pipette 42 with the pipette tip installed moves up again to disengage the pipette tip from the consumable box 5.

[0067] S2. The lower plate 2 rotates to the position where the liquid storage plate 8 is directly below the pipette 42. Then the pipette 42 moves down to the position where the pipette tip is inserted into the reagent solution in the liquid storage plate 8. The pipette 42 draws a set amount of reagent solution. After the drawing is completed, the pipette 42 moves up to the position where the pipette tip is removed.

[0068] S3. The lower plate 2 rotates to the position where the mixing well plate 9 is directly opposite the pipette 42. Then, the pipette 42 moves down to the position where the pipette tip is inserted into the mixing well plate 9. The pipette 42 repeatedly ejects and draws the aspirated reagent solution into the mixing well plate 9 through the pipette tip to mix the reagent solution. After completing the set number of ejection and aspiration cycles, the pipetting module 4 draws the reagent solution back into itself. At the same time, the pipette 42 moves up to the position where the pipette tip is detached from the mixing well plate 9 to complete the mixing operation.

[0069] S4. The lower plate 2 rotates to the position where the constant temperature module 6 is directly opposite the pipetting module 4. Then, the pipette 42 moves downward until the pipette tip is inserted into the constant temperature plate 61. The pipette 42 injects the reagent solution into the constant temperature plate 61 on the constant temperature module 6. The constant temperature module 6 maintains the reagent solution in the constant temperature plate 61 at a constant set temperature for a set time. Then, the pipette 42 draws the reagent solution in the constant temperature plate 61 back into itself. At the same time, the pipette 42 moves upward until the pipette tip is removed from the constant temperature plate 61, thus completing the constant temperature incubation operation.

[0070] S5. The lower plate 2 rotates to the position where the magnetic module 7 is directly opposite the pipette 42. Then, the pipette 42 moves downward until the pipette tip is inserted into the magnetic suction plate 71. The pipette 42 injects liquid into the magnetic suction plate 71. The pipette module 4 then moves upward until the pipette tip is removed from the magnetic suction plate 71. Then, the drive unit 73 drives the support plate 743 to move upward, so that the magnetic plate 72 is close to the magnetic suction plate 71. The magnetic plate 72 attracts and gathers the magnetic beads in the magnetic suction plate 71 at the bottom, and performs magnetic purification of the reagent liquid in the magnetic suction plate 71 for a set time. After that, the pipette 42 moves downward again until the pipette tip is inserted into the magnetic suction plate 71, and draws the magnetically purified reagent liquid into itself. The pipette 42 moves upward again until the pipette tip is removed from the magnetic suction plate 71. At the same time, the drive unit 73 drives the support plate 743 to move downward until the magnetic plate 72 is away from the magnetic suction plate 71, completing the magnetic purification operation.

[0071] S6. The lower plate 2 rotates to the position where the liquid storage plate 8 is directly opposite the pipette 42. The pipette 42 moves down until the pipette tip is inserted into the liquid storage plate 8. The pipette 42 injects the magnetically purified reagent solution into the liquid storage plate 8. Then the pipetting module 4 moves up until the pipette tip is removed from the liquid storage plate 8, thus obtaining the purified product. The lower plate 2 rotates again to the position where the second slot 13 is directly opposite the pipette 42. The pipette 42 moves through the second slot 13 to a position close to the waste container 14. The pipette 42 discards the pipette tip into the waste container 14 and rises again above the upper plate 1, waiting for the next operation.

[0072] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation, characterized in that, The application relates to a pipetting device, which comprises an upper disc (1), a lower disc (2), a driving mechanism (3) and a pipetting module (4), the upper disc (1) is arranged above the lower disc (2), the driving mechanism (3) is in power connection with the upper disc (1) and the lower disc (2), and the driving mechanism (3) can drive the upper disc (1) and the lower disc (2) to rotate; the upper disc (1) is provided with a plurality of consumable boxes (5) for loading pipette tips; the lower disc (2) is provided with a plurality of constant-temperature modules (6), a plurality of magnetic modules (7) for adsorbing magnetic beads, a plurality of mixed well plates (9) and liquid storage well plates (8); the constant-temperature module (6) is provided with a constant-temperature well plate (61), the magnetic module (7) is provided with a magnetic well plate (71) loaded with magnetic beads; the pipetting module (4) can only move up and down between the upper disc (1) and the lower disc (2).

2. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 1, wherein, The driving mechanism (3) comprises a first driving assembly (31), a second driving assembly (32) and a stand column (33); the upper disc (1) and the lower disc (2) are arranged on the stand column (33); the first driving assembly (31) is arranged on the upper disc (1), and the first driving assembly (31) can drive the upper disc (1) to rotate around the stand column (33); the second driving assembly (32) is arranged on the lower disc (2), and the second driving assembly (32) can drive the lower disc (2) to rotate around the stand column (33); the pipetting module (4) is movably arranged on the stand column (33), and the pipetting module (4) can move linearly along the stand column (33); the upper disc (1) is provided with a first slot (12) for the pipetting module (4) to pass through.

3. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 2, wherein, The pipetting module (4) comprises a driving cylinder (41) and a pipettor (42), the driving cylinder (41) is arranged on the stand column (33), and the pipettor (42) is arranged on the output end of the driving cylinder (41).

4. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 2, wherein, The lower disc (2) is provided with a second slot (13) for the pipetting module (4) to pass through; a waste box (14) is arranged below the lower disc (2).

5. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 1, wherein, The magnetic module (7) comprises a plurality of magnetic plates (72) with magnetism, a driving piece (73) and a connecting assembly (74); the magnetic plates (72) are movably arranged on the lower disc (2), and adjacent magnetic plates (72) have gaps capable of accommodating the tube of the magnetic well plate (71); the driving piece (73) is arranged on the lower disc (2), the driving piece (73) is in power connection with the magnetic plates (72) through the connecting assembly (74), and the driving piece (73) drives the magnetic plates (72) to move up and down through the connecting assembly (74).

6. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 5, wherein, The connecting assembly (74) comprises a first connecting rod (741), a second connecting rod (742) and a supporting plate (743); the magnetic plates (72) are arranged on the top of the supporting plate (743), the first connecting rod (741) is connected with the output end of the driving piece (73); one end of the second connecting rod (742) is hinged with the first connecting rod (741), and the other end is hinged with the supporting plate (743).

7. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 1, wherein, The constant temperature module (6) comprises a heating sheet (62), a refrigeration sheet (63), a temperature control sensor (64) and a heat dissipation assembly (65); the refrigeration sheet (63) is arranged at the top end of the heating sheet (62); the heating sheet (62) is arranged at the top end of the heat dissipation assembly (65); the temperature control sensor (64) is arranged on the refrigeration sheet (63) and the heating sheet (62); and the constant temperature hole plate (61) is arranged at the top of the refrigeration sheet (63) and the heating sheet (62).

8. The dual-tiered rotary dial pipetting workstation of claim 7, wherein, The heat dissipation assembly (65) comprises heat dissipation fins (651) and a heat dissipation fan (652); the heat dissipation fins (651) are arranged on the air outlet of the heat dissipation fan (652); and the heating sheet (62) is arranged at the top of the heat dissipation fins (651).

9. The dual decked turntable pipetting station of claim 1, wherein, The code scanner (18) is further arranged to scan bar codes on the mixing hole plate (9), the magnetic hole plate (71), the liquid storage hole plate (8) and the constant temperature hole plate (61).

10. A double-decker rotary dial pipetting station as claimed in claim 1 9. A method of using a double-decker rotary dial pipetting station as claimed in any one of claims 1 The method comprises the following steps: S1. The upper disc (1) is rotated to a position where any one consumable box (5) is opposite to the pipette module (4), then the pipette module (4) is lowered until the pipette module (4) is connected with the suction head in the consumable box (5), then the pipette module (4) with the suction head is raised again to separate the suction head from the consumable box (5); S2. The lower disc (2) is rotated to a position where the liquid storage hole plate (8) is opposite to the lower side of the pipette module (4), then the pipette module (4) is lowered to a position where the suction head is inserted into the reagent liquid in the liquid storage hole plate (8), the pipette module (4) sucks the reagent liquid with a set amount, and after the sucking is completed, the pipette module (4) is raised to a position where it is separated; S3. The lower disc (2) is rotated to a position where the mixing well plate (9) is directly opposite the pipetting module (4), and then the pipetting module (4) is lowered to a position where the pipette tip is inserted into the mixing well plate (9), and the pipetting module (4) repeatedly ejects the reagent liquid that has been sucked through the pipette tip The reagent liquid is mixed in the mixing well plate (9), and the set amount of ejection is completed After the number of times of suction, the pipetting module (4) again sucks the reagent liquid into itself, and at the same time, the pipetting module (4) is raised to a position where it is separated from the mixing well plate (9), and the mixing operation is completed S4. The lower disc (2) is rotated to a position where the constant temperature module (6) is opposite to the pipette module (4), then the pipette module (4) is lowered to a position where the suction head is inserted into the constant temperature hole plate (61), the pipette module (4) injects the reagent liquid into the constant temperature hole plate (61) on the constant temperature module (6), the constant temperature module (6) keeps the reagent liquid in the constant temperature hole plate (61) at a constant set temperature for a set time, then the pipette module (4) sucks the reagent liquid in the constant temperature hole plate (61) into itself again, and the pipette module (4) is raised to a position where it is separated from the constant temperature hole plate (61), thereby completing the constant temperature incubation operation; S5. The lower disc (2) is rotated to a position where the magnetic module (7) is opposite to the pipette module (4), then the pipette module (4) is lowered to a position where the suction head is inserted into the magnetic hole plate (71), the pipette module (4) injects the liquid into the magnetic hole plate (71), the pipette module (4) is raised to a position where it is separated from the magnetic hole plate (71), then the magnetic module (7) performs magnetic attraction purification on the reagent liquid in the magnetic hole plate (71) for a set time, then the pipette module (4) is lowered again to a position where the suction head is inserted into the magnetic hole plate (71), the reagent liquid after the magnetic attraction purification is sucked into the pipette module (4), the pipette module (4) is raised to a position where it is separated from the magnetic hole plate (71), thereby completing the magnetic attraction purification operation; S6. The lower disc (2) is rotated to a position where the liquid storage hole plate (8) is directly opposite the pipetting module (4), the pipetting module (4) is lowered to insert the tip into the liquid storage hole plate (8), the pipetting module (4) injects the magnetically purified reagent liquid into the liquid storage hole plate (8), and then the pipetting module (4) is raised to be separated from the liquid storage hole plate (8), thereby obtaining the purified product.

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