Rectangular pipetting tip carrier

Abstract

A rectangular pipetting tip carrier (1) comprising: a rectangular top plate; a peripheral wall (4) surrounding the top plate (3) and connecting the top plate to a rectangular skirt (5) vertically spaced from the top plate; a plurality of vertically oriented hollow cylinders (6) defining a matrix of channels (8) through the pipette tip carrier for removably holding the disposable pipette tips; a plurality of ribs (9) connecting the hollow cylinder to another hollow cylinder; and a plurality of skirt ribs (10) connecting the top surface of the rectangular skirt (5) to the peripheral wall (4). The carrier further comprises at least one opening (11) in a longitudinal side (12) or a transverse side (13) of the rectangular skirt (5) providing a raised channel for the packaging or a raised channel for a spacer configured to be positioned on top of the pipette tip carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a rectangular pipetting tip carrier for holding multiple tips used in pipetting devices. Background Technology

[0002] In chemical, biological, pharmaceutical, and similar laboratories, pipettes are commonly used to receive and dispense small volumes of liquid. Automated liquid handling platforms are frequently used for this purpose, capable of aspirating and / or dispensing liquid volumes with high accuracy and / or high throughput for liquid samples. Such liquid handling platforms typically include a pipetting robot equipped with disposable or single-use pipette tips to prevent contamination between the processed liquid and the sample liquid. The liquid handling platform is often equipped with such disposable or single-use pipette tips, i.e., it provides a support plate or even a stack of such support plates. This support plate typically includes an array of pipette tips arranged in a standardized matrix, allowing the pipetting robot's pipetting head to receive one or more of these tips. The multi-channel pipetting head of the pipetting robot collects one or more rows of pipettes from the support plate by attaching each pipette tip to a pipette. A collar adapter on the pipette tip is pushed onto the collar of the pipette tip, thereby applying a vertical load to the pipette carrier. Since the pipettes are discarded after use, this increases the need for disposable pipette tips that need to be stored within the pipetting robot. A space-saving solution for storing disposable tips has been developed.

[0003] Stacking of support plates for disposable pipette tips and such support plates with inserted pipette tips is known from the prior art. EP 2210668 A2 discloses a storage system comprising a rectangular box and a rectangular pipette support plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a matrix for insertion of pipette tips. The pipette support plate can be placed on top of the rectangular box such that space within the box can be used for pipette tips extending through the holes in the support plate. Spacers for constructing alternating stacks are disclosed, the alternating stack comprising a plurality of pipette support plates, each separated by spacers. Using multiple support plates and multiple spacers results in a space-saving and nested arrangement of pipette tips, whereby, for example, during the collection of pipette tips by the pipette tip of a pipetting robot, a vertical load is repeatedly transferred from the edge of each carrier to the spacer according to the spacer-to-carrier load principle. The pipette carrier is constructed with a plurality of holes penetrating a solid material to increase the mechanical strength of the carrier for transferring the vertical load from the center of the pipette carrier to the edge. The longitudinal edge at least partially surrounds the carrier for handling and holding the carrier by a pipetting robot.

[0004] US 20170008001 A1 discloses a pipette tip holder having a bottom and a base sidewall projecting vertically from the bottom. Multiple cylindrical orifices for holding the pipette penetrate the bottom, and these cylinders are interconnected by ribs, or connected by ribs to the base sidewall surrounding the multiple cylinders. A vertical buttress provides mechanical support between the bottom and the base sidewall on the longitudinal and transverse sides of the rectangular holder. Utility Model Content

[0005] The alternating load transfer from pipette carrier to spacer requires both the spacer and pipette carrier to be manufactured with low dimensional tolerances to reduce the superposition of multiple tolerances that could affect proper alignment and effective transfer of vertical loads. A pipette carrier that allows spacer-to-spacer loading is likely preferred. Furthermore, the vertical load during pipette pickup is transferred to the spacer via the edges and corners of the carrier, necessitating a rigid and material-intensive construction of the pipette carrier along its sides and within the corner sections. Carriers according to the prior art may have an increased carbon footprint because they require more plastic material in their construction.

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a pipette carrier with high mechanical strength that requires less material or reduces the carbon footprint. Furthermore, a pipette tip carrier configured for spacer-to-spacer loading is provided.

[0007] These objectives are achieved by a rectangular pipette tip carrier for holding multiple disposable tips used in a pipette device, the pipette tip carrier comprising:

[0008] - Rectangular top plate, defining the horizontal plane.

[0009] - A peripheral wall surrounding the top plate and connecting the top plate to a rectangular skirt, the rectangular skirt being vertically spaced from the top plate and surrounding the peripheral wall.

[0010] - Multiple vertically oriented hollow cylinders extend from the top plate toward the bottom surface of the rectangular skirt.

[0011] - A matrix of circular openings in the top plate, aligned with the plurality of hollow cylinders, thereby defining a matrix of channels through the pipette tip carrier for removably holding and guiding the disposable pipette tip.

[0012] - Multiple ribs are located between the hollow cylinders and connect the hollow cylinders to one hollow cylinder.

[0013] - Multiple skirt ribs connect the top surface of the rectangular skirt to the peripheral wall.

[0014] Wherein, at least one opening on the longitudinal or transverse side of the rectangular skirt provides a channel for the packaging of the pipetting tip carrier, or provides a channel for the protrusion configured as a spacer positioned on top of the pipetting tip carrier.

[0015] In one aspect of this invention, a rectangular pipetting tip carrier is disclosed for holding multiple disposable tips used in a pipetting device. The pipetting tip carrier includes a rectangular top plate defining a horizontal plane surrounded by a rectangular peripheral wall that connects the top plate to a rectangular skirt or edge. The rectangular skirt is vertically spaced from the top plate and surrounds the peripheral wall, and is oriented substantially parallel to the horizontal plane. The rectangular skirt extends outward from the peripheral wall or toward the center of the rectangular pipetting tip carrier. A plurality of vertically oriented hollow cylinders or orifices extend from the top plate toward the bottom surface of the rectangular skirt, and a plurality of circular openings in the top plate are aligned with the plurality of hollow cylinders, thereby defining a matrix of channels through the pipetting tip carrier for removably holding and guiding disposable pipetting tips. A plurality of ribs, so-called inter-cylinder ribs, are provided to connect one hollow cylinder to another, and / or a plurality of ribs, so-called wall ribs, may be located between the hollow cylinder and the peripheral wall and connect the hollow cylinder to the peripheral wall. The thickness of the inter-cylinder ribs can be constant or variable, depending on their location within the carrier. For example, inter-cylinder ribs at the center of the pipetting tip carrier can have thicker walls compared to those closer to the peripheral wall. Preferably, there are open spaces between the ribs and / or cylinders, requiring less material. The ribs are preferably oriented perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Alternatively, the outer surfaces of the plurality of cylinders intersect, thereby directly connecting one cylinder to another or to the peripheral wall. The pipetting tip carrier also includes a plurality of skirt ribs or buttresses that connect the top surface of the skirt to the peripheral wall.

[0016] The skirt ribs preferably connect the horizontally oriented top surface of the rectangular skirt to the vertically oriented peripheral wall. The skirt ribs are preferably oriented perpendicular to the horizontal plane and may have a triangular shape.

[0017] The rectangular skirt includes at least one opening on either the longitudinal or transverse side, which provides a channel for a complementary protrusion for packaging a pipetting tip carrier, or for a complementary protrusion configured to be positioned on top of a spacer on the pipetting tip carrier.

[0018] The space available on the peripheral walls between the skirt ribs can be used for product labeling or coding, such as using barcodes or QR codes. The thickness or stiffness of the skirt ribs can be constant or varied depending on their position on the pipetting tip carrier to be designed to suit the distribution of mechanical stress on the carrier during vertical loading.

[0019] The pipetting tip carrier is optimized for mechanical stiffness and therefore includes ribs between the cylinders, thus reducing the material used for the pipetting tip carrier compared to a monolithic design where the hole penetrates a thick plate. Open spaces can be present between the cylinders or between the cylinder and the peripheral wall, thereby reducing the amount of material used, for example, during injection molding.

[0020] The rectangular skirt is preferably thinner than the vertical height of the pipette tip carrier and positioned at the distal end of the peripheral wall, thereby allowing easy access for the robot's pipette tip and enabling the pickup of a single array of pipette tips, while avoiding collisions between the pipette tip and the top surface of the skirt. Furthermore, in a system comprising a pipetting robot and a pipette tip carrier with a thin-walled skirt section, missing pipette rows can be detected via the firmware of the pipetting robot.

[0021] The openings in the skirt, adapted to complement the protrusions, prevent relative rotation or horizontal movement between the spacers of the carrier and the joining carrier, or horizontal movement between the packages of the carrier and the joining carrier.

[0022] The rectangular pipette tip carrier may also include corner openings at each corner of the rectangular skirt, the corner openings providing channels for complementary protrusions on a spacer configured to be positioned below or beneath the pipette tip carrier. The corner openings may be located within the rectangular skirt of the pipette tip carrier. The corner openings at the corners may be part of, or separate from, openings on the lateral or longitudinal sides of the rectangular skirt. The corner openings may be circular, rectangular, or triangular. A mechanical support edge may surround each corner opening, and this edge may include facets to facilitate insertion of the complementary protrusions into the underlying carrier during placement.

[0023] The rectangular pipette tip carrier may also include corner ribs that connect corner openings or ribs surrounding corner openings at each corner to the corners of the rectangular peripheral wall. The corner ribs preferably extend vertically from the top surface of the peripheral wall and provide support for the corner segments of the pipette tip carrier. The corner ribs may have a right-angled triangular shape, with one side connected to the top surface of the horizontal skirt and the other side connected to the vertical peripheral wall.

[0024] When the pipetting robot applies a vertical load, the corner ribs reinforce the corner sections of the pipetting tip carrier. The corner ribs also prevent warping of the pipetting tip carrier, keeping it straight.

[0025] A rectangular pipette carrier, wherein the channels for holding the pipette tip are provided by a matrix of rows and columns evenly distributed across the rectangular top plate. This matrix can be organized according to the ANSI / SLAS standard.

[0026] The center of the rectangular top plate can be aligned horizontally with the center of the rectangular skirt at the top of the rectangular tip carrier for a mirror-symmetrical arrangement of multiple channels within the carrier. These channels are organized in arrays and columns, and the matrix of channels is symmetrically positioned within the rectangular tip carrier. This symmetrical arrangement facilitates easy pickup of the tip because the path taken by the pipetting robot from each side of the carrier is identical.

[0027] Alternatively, the center of the rectangular top plate is horizontally shifted relative to the center of the rectangular skirt, so that the channel matrix is ​​arranged asymmetrically within the rectangular carrier. This asymmetrical arrangement facilitates the interlocking of the pipetting openings of pipetting tips facing each other, for example, in a package of pipetting carriers with two bottom surfaces facing each other.

[0028] The end of the hollow cylinder penetrating the top surface of the pipette carrier can be flush with the bottom surface of the rectangular skirt. The cylinder does not extend beyond the bottom surface of the rectangular skirt, thus eliminating the need for additional material. Alternatively, the end can penetrate and extend beyond the bottom surface, as the penetrating portion of the cylinder with its connecting ribs can provide additional mechanical stability.

[0029] Additional bottom walls can extend vertically from the bottom surface of the rectangular skirt. The bottom walls preferably surround a matrix around the ends of the cylinder. The bottom walls can mechanically reinforce the pipetting tip carrier to resist bending during vertical loading from the top surface. The bottom walls can be configured for stacking pipetting tip carriers on top of each other.

[0030] The bottom wall extending from the bottom surface may include at least one snap-fit ​​connector or guide member. The snap-fit ​​connector may be compatible with a corresponding component on a pipette cassette, transport carrier, package, or spacer, or another pipette tray, for releasably connecting parts during use with the pipetting robot or during transport. The guide member may be used to hold or clamp pipetting tip carriers or guide the grippers of the pipetting robot for holding the carriers. Alternatively, the guide member may support alignment of the pipetting tip carriers when they are stacked on top of each other.

[0031] The rectangular skirt of the carrier may also include at least one cut in a longitudinal or transverse side of the rectangular skirt that does not have at least one opening. The cut can provide space for protrusions or pillars extending from the packaging for releasably securing the carrier to the packaging, or for facilitating vertical load transfer from spacer to spacer. The cut can prevent vertical load transfer to the carrier.

[0032] At least one opening in the skirt surrounding the peripheral wall of the pipette carrier may be rectangular in shape. The dimensions of the rectangular opening allow the complementary protrusions to have sufficient play, or vice versa, allow the protrusions to have sufficient play relative to the opening. The rectangular opening may have rounded corners or may be mechanically reinforced around the edges of the rectangular opening.

[0033] The rectangular skirt surrounding the perimeter may include two openings, each positioned on one of two opposing longitudinal sides, or may include two openings, each positioned on one of two opposing transverse sides, wherein the two opposing openings provide two channels for two protrusions for packaging a pipette tip carrier, or for two protrusions configured to be positioned on top of a pipette tip carrier.

[0034] Pipette carriers can be manufactured by injection molding of polymers, polymer compounds, paper, cellulose, or cellulose derivatives.

[0035] The polymer can be a recycled polymer or a biopolymer selected from polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene (PE), or polypropylene (PP). The polymer is selected from any one of polystyrene PS, polycarbonate PC, high-impact polystyrene HIPS, polyethylene PE, or polypropylene PP. Using recycled polymers, biopolymers, or cellulose reduces the carbon footprint of the product.

[0036] These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below, and will be explained with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which present:

[0038] Figure 1 : A perspective view from the top of the pipette tip carrier according to the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 : A perspective view of the bottom of the pipette tip carrier according to the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2a : A bottom view of a pipette tip carrier according to another embodiment,

[0041] Figure 3 Maintain details of the corner sections of the pipette tip carrier and the gripper of the pipetting robot.

[0042] Figure 4a The pipette allows for the use of a pipetting robot to pick up details of the thin rectangular skirt segment of the first row of pipetting tips.

[0043] Figure 4b The pipette allows for the use of a pipetting robot to pick up details of the medium-thickness rectangular skirt segment of the first row of pipetting tips.

[0044] Figure 4cThe thick rectangular skirt section of the pipette tip prevents the use of a pipetting robot from picking up details of the first row of pipette tips due to the collision between the pipette tip's collar adapter and the skirt before the pipette tip is picked up.

[0045] Figure 4d Details of the thin rectangular skirt segment for detecting missing tips in the pipette carrier.

[0046] Figure 4e The pipette carrier's ring adapter, due to its rigid stop on the skirt of the carrier, prevents the detection of details in the rectangular skirt segment lacking the tip.

[0047] Figure 5 Used for Figure 1 and Figure 2 The illustrated pipetting tip carrier is packaged in an unfolded configuration.

[0048] Figure 6 Used for Figure 1 and Figure 2 The folded packaging of the pipette tip carrier shown.

[0049] Figure 7 : Maintain the packaging of both pipette tip carriers.

[0050] Figure 8 : Figure 7 The longitudinal section of the package shown is...

[0051] Figure 9 Used for Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective top view of the spacer of the pipette tip carrier shown.

[0052] Figure 10 : Perspective bottom view of the spacer used for pipetting tip carriers

[0053] Figure 11 : An exploded view of two spacers, with three pipette tip carriers positioned between them.

[0054] Figure 12 Stacking of pipette tip carrier and spacer

[0055] Figure 13 : Figure 12 The longitudinal section of the stack,

[0056] Figure 14 Details of the stacked corner sections,

[0057] Figure 15 Details of spacer-to-spacer stacking via spacer protrusions and openings in the longitudinal skirt segment of the pipetting tip carrier.

[0058] Figure 16: Details of the corner section, cross-sectional view.

[0059] List of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0060]

[0061] Detailed Implementation

[0062] Definition: The distal or distal direction is defined by the direction of fluid flow; therefore, the distal tip of a pipette is defined by the outlet of the pipette tip, and the proximal end is opposite to the distal end. The term "below" means the lower layer or under; the term "above" means located above or on top. The word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple. For example, "opening" does not exclude the fact that there may be two openings that functionally or structurally achieve the purpose of "opening".

[0063] The top and bottom perspective views of the pipetting tip carrier 1 according to the embodiments of this utility model are respectively in... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the diagram. The pipetting tip carrier 1 has a rectangular shape, wherein a rectangular top plate 3 is surrounded by a peripheral wall 4 that connects the top plate 3 to a rectangular skirt 5. The top plate 3 defines a horizontal plane, and the rectangular skirt 5 is also horizontally oriented. The top plate 3 includes a plurality of circular openings 7, which are organized in a matrix of rows and columns according to ANSI / SLAS microplate standards, such as the 96 well plate standard (ANSI SLAS 4-2004 (R2012): Well Location). A hollow cylinder 6 is suspended at or begins from the circular openings 7, thereby providing a matrix of channels 8 through the pipetting tip carrier 1. The pipetting tip carrier can releasably hold a disposable pipetting tip 2 (see diagram) using the channels 8. Figure 3The peripheral wall 4 may include marking segments 58 for printing information, such as trademark names or two-dimensional or three-dimensional barcodes for identification or logistical purposes. The peripheral wall 4 may also include notches 59. The rectangular skirt 5 includes longitudinal sides 12 and transverse sides 13 and is relatively thin to achieve a material-saving product. The thickness of the skirt is less than 3 mm, preferably less than 2 mm, and more preferably less than 1.5 mm. The relatively thin rectangular skirt 5 is reinforced by a plurality of edge ribs 10 connecting the top surface of the rectangular skirt 5 to the peripheral wall 4. The edge ribs 10 also provide guidance and limit horizontal clearance for a cap that can be placed on top of the pipette tip carrier 1. The top surface of the edge ribs 10 can be used to mechanically detect the presence of the pipette tip carrier by the gripper of a pipetting robot. Marking segments 58 may be provided in the space between two edge ribs 10 on the peripheral wall or on the top surface of the skirt 5. The rectangular skirt 5 includes corner openings 14 at each corner of the pipette tip carrier, the corner openings being adapted to engage complementary protrusions of a spacer that will be positioned below the pipette tip carrier, as will be discussed further below. Alternatively, the corner openings 14 engage protrusions of a pipette cartridge fixed to the stage of the pipetting robot. Rounded edges may surround each corner opening 14, providing an inlet segment, such as a multifaceted edge, for guiding the protrusion during the stacking of the spacer and pipette tip carrier. The rounded edges may further locally reinforce the rectangular skirt 5 in the corner segments. The corner openings 14 may be sized to allow horizontal clearance between the corner openings 14 and the protrusions of the spacers, or there may be a frictional fit engagement between the outer surface of the protrusion and the inner surface of the corner opening 14. A form-fit engagement allows the spacer and carrier assembly to be temporarily transported by clamping the carrier alone. Preferably, only the spacer is clamped by the pipetting robot in a form-fit or frictional fit engagement.

[0064] The corner rib 15 can connect the corner opening 14 or the rounded edge surrounding the corner opening 14 to the peripheral wall 4, preferably to the corner 16 of the peripheral wall. The rectangular skirt 5 may also include at least one opening 11, preferably two openings 11 penetrating the two longitudinal sides 12 or the two transverse sides 13 of the skirt. The opening 11 may have a rectangular, circular, or triangular shape and provide a channel for the complementary protrusions of the upper spacer. The corners of the opening may be rounded, and the edges of the opening may include facets. The opening 11 may be surrounded by an edge for mechanically supporting the rectangular skirt 5 surrounding the opening 11. The rectangular skirt 5 may include a cut 55 that provides a channel for the protrusions of the upper spacer.

[0065] The pipette tip carrier 1 may include a bottom wall 18 extending vertically from the bottom surface 17 of the rectangular skirt 5. The bottom wall 18 surrounds the matrix of channels 8, and the end of the cylinder 6 providing the channels 8 is preferably flush with or flush with the bottom surface 17 of the rectangular skirt 5. Alternatively, the cylinder penetrates and extends beyond the bottom surface 17, but extending the cylinder further beyond the bottom surface 17 may result in unnecessary material use. Further extension of the cylinder can mechanically strengthen the pipette tip carrier. The cylinder 6 can be directly connected to an adjacent cylinder via connecting ribs 9 to mechanically strengthen the pipette tip carrier. The cylinder 6 may also intersect with an adjacent cylinder without using connecting ribs 9, and the cylinder 6 can be connected to the inner surface of the peripheral wall 4 via connecting ribs, or as... Figure 2 As shown, the cylinder may intersect with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 4. The thickness of the ribs can vary depending on their location within the carrier, as required by the localized mechanical stress in the carrier under vertical loading. The ribs 9 in the center of the carrier may be thicker than those in the outer region facing the skirt 5.

[0066] The notch 59 on the bottom wall 18 of the carrier may include a horizontal ridge 60, which can serve as a vertical position holder for stacking multiple carriers, or the notch may provide a snap-fit ​​connector between two carriers or between a carrier and a pipette. The guide member 19 on the bottom wall 18 may be used for self-alignment or clamping purposes. When positioned, for example, on a pipette, the guide member 19 of the pipette tip carrier can enable carrier self-alignment. The notch 59 with the ridge 60 can engage the pipette tip carrier on a pipette or spacer. The notch 59 and / or the guide member 19 may locally reinforce the bottom wall 18.

[0067] Figure 2a An alternative embodiment of the pipetting tip carrier is shown. A view on the bottom surface 17 shows two openings 11 in the skirt of the carrier and a bottom wall 18 penetrating from the bottom surface 17. Multiple channels 8 for the pipetting tip are surrounded by a cylinder connected to each other by connecting ribs 9. Figure 2a The illustrated embodiment is further mechanically supported by a reinforcing rib 71 that connects two connecting ribs 9 to another rib providing vertical directional reinforcement. The reinforcing rib 71... Figure 2a The reinforcing ribs are oriented vertically and parallel to the transverse side of the pipetting tip carrier. Alternatively, the reinforcing ribs are oriented horizontally parallel to the longitudinal side of the pipetting tip carrier. In yet another embodiment, there are both horizontally and vertically oriented reinforcing ribs 71.

[0068] Figure 3Details of a corner section of the carrier 1 holding the pipette tip 2 are shown. The pipette 2 includes a collar 32 that engages with a top plate 3 of the carrier and a pipette 33 extending from the collar 32 through a channel. A gripper 61 of the pipetting robot abuts the top surface of the edge rib 10, for example, to mechanically detect the presence of a tray. The pipetting robot may include a pipette head 62 for collecting the pipette tip 2, see [link to documentation]. Figures 4a to 4e The thickness and position of the rectangular skirt 5 define the height of the peripheral wall 4, which may affect the matrix pick-up of single rows from the pipetting tips in the carrier (see...). Figures 4a to 4c ) or detect missing sections at the pipette tip (see Figure 4d and Figure 4e The accessibility of the pipette tip 62 includes multiple collar adapters 70, which are lowered by the pipetting robot toward the collar 32 of the pipette 2 for picking up the pipette. The descent stops when the collar adapters 70 of the pipette tip abut against a mechanical stop (e.g., the rectangular skirt 5 of the carrier 1), and the thin rectangular skirt 5 ( Figure 4a and Figure 4b This provides sufficient accessibility to the pipettes in the carrier for picking up single rows of pipettes, while adjacent collar adapters 70 do not contact the skirt 5 surrounding the carrier. If the pipetting robot detects a hard block before effectively picking up pipettes from the carrier, tip picking may be compromised, or picking up individual rows may damage the pipetting robot's hardware, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4c The thickness of the skirt 5 affects the proximity of the collar adapter 70 to the skirt 5 before the adjacent collar adapter 70 can capture the pipette tip 2 from the first row. The thickness of the rectangular skirt 5 may also affect the detection of missing rows of pipettes in the pipette tip carrier. Figure 4d A pipette tip carrier 1 with a missing first row of pipettes 2 is shown, and the firmware of the pipetting robot can detect the missing row because the vertical position of the pipette tip 62 with the collar adapter 70 will typically detect an increase in the vertical force required to pick up the pipettes, as the collar adapter 70 may need to elastically deform the edge of the pipette collar 32. The collar adapter adjacent to the collar adapter entering the channel 8 of the pipette carrier 1 does not abut against the thin-walled rectangular skirt 5. Figure 4e The thicker circumferential skirt 5 shown will result in a hard stop on the collar adapter 70 adjacent to the collar adapter entering the first row channel 8, and the hard stop on the skirt will be detected before the missing row can be detected by the pipetting robot's firmware. Therefore, the thin-walled circumferential skirt 5 can provide a universal solution when used in a pipetting robot.

[0069] Example of packaging 20 for pipetting tip carrier in Figures 5 to 8As shown in the figure. Packaging 20 is based on a foldable sheet 66, which is stamped from a sheet of material such as cardboard, coated cardboard, plastic, or composite material. The foldable sheet 66 includes two longitudinal sides 22 connected by a transverse side 23. Each longitudinal side 22 includes two protrusions or flaps, flaps or protrusions 27 and 28, which extend from the top edge 25 and bottom edge 26 of packaging 20 after the sheet 66 is folded into a rectangular box 24 (see figure). Figure 6 A top cap 29 and a bottom cap 30 are attached to one of the two lateral sides 23, and a closing cap or closing flap extends from the top and bottom caps, respectively. A closing slit 63 is included in the other of the two lateral sides 23 and is configured to engage the closing cap 31. A closing flap 64 is attached to one of the lateral sides 23 for closing the rectangular box 24. Fold lines or predetermined creases are integrated into the foldable flap 66; for example, perforated lines or cut lines 65 may be integrated into the foldable flap 66. The two protrusions or flaps 27 or 28 may include barbs for releasably securing the pipette tip carrier to the packaging.

[0070] Piece 66 can be folded into the shape of... Figure 6 The rectangular box 24 shown provides a folded package 20. A top edge 25 and a bottom edge 26 extend from the upper and lower surfaces of the longitudinal side 22 and the transverse side 23, respectively, providing a top opening and a bottom opening for insertion of two pipetting tip carriers 1. The top and bottom openings are surrounded by the top and bottom edges, respectively. Protrusions or flaps 27 and 28 extend from the top edge 25 and the bottom edge 26, respectively. A top cap 29 and a bottom cap 30 are bendable in a vertical direction, allowing access to the carriers towards the top and bottom edges for closure of the package.

[0071] Figure 7 An assembly including a package 20 and two pipette tip carriers 1 is shown. Each carrier 1 is inserted with its respective bottom surface 17 of the skirt 5 facing the top edge 25 and bottom edge 26 of the package 20. A pipette 33, releasably connected to the two pipette tip carriers, is enclosed within a rectangular box 24, and two flaps 27 extending from the top edge 25 engage an opening 11 in one of the two pipette tip carriers. Two flaps 28 extending from the bottom edge 26 engage two openings 11 in the other of the two pipette tip carriers. Optional barbs on the flaps can provide temporary fixation of the carrier to the package. The bottom surface 17 of the rectangular skirt 5 of each pipette tip carrier is supported by the top edge 25 and bottom edge 26 of the rectangular box 24, and the engagement between the protrusions 27, 28 and the opening 11 prevents dislodgement between the rectangular skirt 5 of the carrier and the rectangular box 24. The package 20 is closed by folding the top cap 29 and the bottom cap 30 so that the cap is aligned with the horizontal surface of the pipette tip carrier. The closure 31 uses a slit 63 (see Figure 5 ) Attached to the horizontal side 23 of the packaging. Figure 8 A longitudinal section of a package containing two pipette tip carriers that hold the pipette tips is shown. The pipettes 33 of each carrier engage with each other to save space for arranging the pipette tips 2. After opening the closure 31 and tilting the top cover 29 and bottom cover 30 toward the vertical position, two pipette tip carriers 1 can be removed from each side of the box.

[0072] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A rectangular spacer 34 for stacking pipette tip carriers is shown. The spacer 34 includes a horizontal base surface 35 surrounded by peripheral sidewalls 36, which are oriented substantially vertically relative to the base surface 35. The base surface 35 includes a semi-circular opening 53, the center of which is oriented to have the same pattern as the channel 8 in the pipette tip carrier. The semi-circular openings may intersect, resulting in a plurality of shamrock-shaped openings. The openings provide channels for the pipette tip 33 to engage with the pipette tip carrier positioned on top of the spacer 34 and prevent the collar 33 from misaligning from the pipette tip carrier positioned below the spacer 34. The horizontal base surface 35 is reinforced by a corrugated structure 67, allowing material to be added to the base surface where mechanically necessary. The peripheral sidewalls 36 include two longitudinal sides 37 and two transverse sides 38, providing upper edges 40 and lower edges 42 oriented parallel to each other. The shelf 50 protrudes upward from the upper surface 39 of the upper edge, and the protrusion 51 protrudes downward from the lower surface 41 of the lower edge 42. Protrusions 44 protrude upward from the upper surface 39 at each corner of the rectangular spacer 34. A protrusion 52 protrudes from the center of the rectangular spacer 34 toward the upper edge 40. Figure 9 ), and also protrudes from the center toward the lower edge 42 ( Figure 10 Load transfer elements 43 are located at each corner of the rectangular spacer 34, and include protrusions 44 and stop surfaces 45. Optionally, additional load transfer elements may exist between the corners of the spacer. Figure 14 and Figure 15 The lieutenant general provided further details about the load transfer elements. Figure 10 The perspective bottom view further shows the spring element 54, which surrounds the stop surface 45 at each corner, and the spring element 54 is connected to the bottom surface of the horizontal base surface 35, and the free end of the spring element 54 can flex toward the center or corner of the rectangular spacer 34. The spring element 54 can be mechanically supported by support ribs 56 projecting from the bottom surface of the base 35. The load transfer element 43 provides the transfer of vertical load from the spacer to the spacer below, while the spring element 54 provides proper alignment of the spacers in the spacer stack.

[0073] Figure 11An exploded view of the stack of alternating spacers 34 and pipette tip carriers 1 is depicted. Each pipette tip carrier 1 is positioned such that a corner opening 14 at each corner is located on a protrusion 44 at each corner of the spacer below. A protrusion 51 projecting from the lower edge 42 of each spacer 34 aligns with a cutout 55 and an opening 11 in the rectangular skirt 5 of each pipette tip carrier 1, such that the opening 11 provides a channel for the protrusion, preferably not contacting or adjacent to the protrusion 51, thereby avoiding vertical load transfer from the spacer 34 to the pipette tip carrier 1 positioned below the spacer. The clearance between the protrusion 51 on the spacer and the cutout 55 or opening 11 on the carrier in the horizontal plane is sufficient to avoid direct contact.

[0074] The stack of spacer 34 and carrier 1 in the stack 69 Figure 12 As shown in the diagram. The stack is placed on top of a pipette cassette 68 that releasably holds the stack, such that the stack or a portion thereof can be removed by the gripper of a pipetting robot. The pipette cassette 68 can be secured to the worktable of the pipetting robot. Each pipette tip carrier 1 is placed on the upper surface 39 of the upper edge 40 of the lower spacer. Optionally, the carrier is supported by a ledge 50. A protrusion 51 projecting downward from the lower edge of each spacer abuts the upper surface 39 of the lower spacer via a cutout 55 or via an opening 11 in the rectangular skirt 5 of each pipette tip carrier 1. The vertical load of the pipette tip carrier 1 within the vertical space or gap between the two spacers 34 and applied to the top of the stack is transferred via the rectangular skirt 5 to the upper edge 40 of the first spacer 34, and the vertical load is then transferred to the second spacer 34 via load transfer elements 43 at each corner of the first spacer and / or via a protrusion 51 extending from the lower edge of the first spacer. The vertical load is ultimately transferred to the stage of the pipetting robot via the pipetting cartridge 68. Details of the load transfer via the load transfer element 43 are as follows: Figure 14 The details of load transfer via protrusion 51 are shown in [the diagram]. Figure 15 As shown in the image.

[0075] Figure 13 The longitudinal section of the stack is depicted. The vertical load from the pipetting tip carrier 1 on top is transferred to the upper edge 40 of the first spacer 34 via the rectangular skirt 5. The first spacer 34 includes a base surface 35 surrounded by peripheral sidewalls 36, and the base surface 35 is reinforced by a corrugated structure 67 (see also...). Figure 9 In the event that the pipette carrier 34 on top flexes or bends due to a vertical load, the protrusion 52, which does not contact the pipette tip carrier below or above in the resting position, can additionally absorb the vertical load, thereby transferring a small portion of the central load from the pipette tip carrier on top to the first spacer, and ultimately from the first spacer to the next pipette tip carrier.

[0076] Figure 14 The details of the load transfer element are shown in the figure. Starting from the bottom of the figure: the spacer below the pipette tip carrier provides a protrusion 44 through the corner opening 14 of the pipette tip carrier 1, and the top surface 46 of the protrusion 44 abuts against the stop surface 45 of the spacer positioned above the pipette tip carrier 1. A gap 57 exists between the two spacers (see...). Figure 15 This gap can be used for the pipette tip carrier to prevent load transfer to the carrier. The vertical height of the peripheral wall 36 is defined by the distance 48 between the upper edge 40 and the lower edge 42, while the height of the load transfer element 43 is defined by the vertical distance 49 between the end of the protrusion 46 and the stop surface 45. The vertical distance 49 exceeds the height 48 of the peripheral wall 36, thus leaving a gap below the lower edge 42 of each spacer for use with the pipette tip carrier. Each pipette tip carrier can be placed on the upper edge 40 of the first spacer 34, and a second spacer can be placed on top of the first spacer, with the lower edge 42 of the second spacer not contacting the rectangular skirt 5 surrounding the pipette tip carrier.

[0077] Figure 15 Further details of the protrusion 51 of the spacer that engages with the top surface of the lower spacer are shown. The protrusion 51, which projects downward from the longitudinal side of the lower surface 41 of the upper spacer 34, abuts the upper surface 39 of the lower spacer 34 via an opening 11 in the pipetting tip carrier 1. The abutment of the protrusion 51, which projects downward from the lateral side, provides a comparable cross-sectional view, the only difference being that the opening 11 is replaced by a cutout 55.

[0078] Therefore, in the stack of spacers and carriers, the vertical load applied to the pipette tip carrier can be transferred via load transfer elements 43 at each corner, and / or via protrusions 51 on the longitudinal side of the spacer, and / or via protrusions 51 on the lateral side of the spacer, for direct spacer-to-spacer load transfer. Optionally, a portion of the vertical load is transferred via the central protrusion 52 for spacer-to-carrier loading.

[0079] like Figure 10 , Figure 15 and Figure 16As shown, spacer 34 includes a spring element 54 at each corner. When spacer 34 is placed on top of another spacer carrying a pipette tip carrier, this placement may be accompanied by a horizontal displacement of one spacer relative to the other. The spring element 54 at each corner is used to compensate for or eliminate play in the horizontal plane. The spring element 54 protrudes from the bottom surface of the horizontal base 35 toward the lower edge 42 and may flex along the diagonal of the rectangular spacer toward the center or toward the corner of the peripheral wall 36. The spring element 54 of the spacer may have a semi-circular shape for at least partially surrounding a protrusion 44 projecting upward from the lower spacer. When the protrusion 44 of the lower spacer is engaged, the spring element of the top spacer at each corner may flex, thereby self-centering the spacer relative to the lower spacer and compensating for horizontal misalignment or providing a barrier against twisting the stack of spacers. The twisting barrier provides a resilient realignment force when the top of the stack is twisted relative to the bottom of the stack. Reliable pickup of the pipette from the carrier depends on the accuracy of the pipetting robot's movements and the dimensional tolerances of the stacking of the spacer and pipetting tip carrier. Therefore, a self-centering spring element can reduce the cumulative tolerances caused by the placement and handling of the spacer and carrier. The flexibility or elasticity of the spring element can be adjusted by the material used for spring element 54 and / or the wall thickness of the spring element and / or by using support ribs 56 projecting along the rear surface of spring element 54 toward the end of the spring element. Spring element 54 can surround a stop surface 45 at each corner, thus serving as a guide element during spacer placement to guide the post 44 of the lower spacer toward the stop surface of the upper spacer, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 16 .

[0080] Figure 15 A gap 57 between the two spacers 34 is also shown, which can be used to place the pipetting tip carrier 1 between the two spacers. The height of the gap 57 is determined by the length 49 of the transfer element and... Figure 14 The difference between the vertical distance 48 between the upper and lower edges of the spacer shown is defined. Figure 14 A spring element 54, engaging with the protrusion 44 of the lower spacer, is also shown in the longitudinal cross-section. The spring element 54, for guiding and aligning the spacer, functions during the stacking or pile-up of the spacer and pipette tip carrier. This operational step in laboratory automation procedures is accomplished by picking up the stack before initiating the liquid handling process, thereby achieving vertical loading of the stack. Therefore, the combination of spacer and tray shown above allows for proper alignment during stacking and efficient transfer of vertical load during liquid handling, and this, combined with the spacer and pipette tip carrier, requires less material and has a lower carbon footprint during manufacturing.

[0081] The fact that certain elements or steps are described only in different parts should not preclude the existence of further meaningful combinations of these elements or steps.

Claims

1. A rectangular pipette tip carrier for holding a plurality of disposable pipette tips (2) used in a pipette device, the pipette tip carrier (1) comprising: - Rectangular top plate (3) defines the horizontal plane. - A peripheral wall (4) surrounds the top plate (3) and connects the top plate to a rectangular skirt (5), the rectangular skirt being vertically separated from the top plate and surrounding the peripheral wall (4). - Multiple vertically oriented hollow cylinders (6) extend from the top plate (3) toward the bottom surface (17) of the rectangular skirt (5). - A matrix of circular openings (7) in the top plate (3), the circular openings being aligned with the plurality of hollow cylinders (6), thereby defining a matrix of channels (8) through the pipette tip carrier for removably holding and guiding the disposable pipette tip. - Multiple ribs (9) are located between the hollow cylinders and connect the hollow cylinders to another hollow cylinder. - Multiple skirt ribs (10) connect the top surface of the rectangular skirt (5) to the peripheral wall (4). The feature is that at least one opening (11) on the longitudinal side (12) or the transverse side (13) of the rectangular skirt (5) provides a channel for the protrusion of the pipetting tip carrier, or provides a channel for the protrusion of the spacer configured to be positioned on the top of the pipetting tip carrier.

2. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Corner openings (14) at each corner of the rectangular skirt (5) provide channels for complementary protrusions positioned on the spacer below the pipetting tip carrier.

3. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: Corner rib (15) connects the corner opening (14) to the corner (16) of the peripheral wall (4).

4. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The channel (8) provides a matrix of rows and columns uniformly distributed across the rectangular top plate (3) according to the ANSI / SLAS standard.

5. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The center of the rectangular top plate (3) is on top of the center of the rectangular skirt (5), for the mirror symmetrical arrangement of the channel (8) within the pipetting tip carrier.

6. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The center of the rectangular top plate (3) is shifted in the horizontal plane relative to the center of the rectangular skirt (5).

7. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The end of the hollow cylinder (6) is flush with the bottom surface (17) of the rectangular skirt (5).

8. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bottom wall (18) extends vertically from the bottom surface (17) of the rectangular skirt (5).

9. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom wall (18) includes at least one snap-fit ​​connector or guide member (19).

10. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The rectangular skirt (5) also includes at least one cut (55) on the longitudinal or transverse side of the rectangular skirt (5) that does not have the at least one opening (11).

11. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The at least one opening (11) has a rectangular shape.

12. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The rectangular skirt (5) includes two opposing openings (11) positioned on the two longitudinal sides (12) or on the two transverse sides (13), wherein the two opposing openings (11) provide two channels for two protrusions for packaging the pipetting tip carrier or for two protrusions configured as spacers positioned on top of the pipetting tip carrier.

13. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The rectangular pipetting tip carrier is manufactured by polymer injection molding.

14. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to claim 13, characterized in that, The polymer is a recycled polymer or a biopolymer.

15. The rectangular pipetting tip carrier according to claim 14, characterized in that, The polymer is selected from any one of polystyrene PS, polycarbonate PC, high-impact polystyrene HIPS, polyethylene PE, or polypropylene PP.

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