Multifunctional mechanical arm for large pipetting workstations

Abstract

The utility model relates to pipetting technical field, concretely to a multifunctional mechanical arm for large pipetting workstation, including X axis movement module, and the first mobile arm and second mobile arm are fixed on the execution end of X axis movement module, first Y axis movement module is provided with 96 channel pipetting module and grab plate hand in the execution end of first Y axis movement module, second Y axis movement module is provided with 8 channel pipetting module in the execution end of second Y axis movement module, the utility model sets up 96 channel pipetting module and grab plate hand on the first mobile arm, can realize high throughput pipetting operation through 96 channels, can also complete the automatic grabbing of well plate, the transport, greatly shortens the experiment link time, in addition, sets up 8 channel pipetting module on the second mobile arm, can be aimed at processing small volume, high precision pipetting demand, can form complementation with 96 channel module, realizes the pipetting operation of different specifications, different precision, improves the comprehensive processing capacity and experimental efficiency of equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pipetting technology, specifically a multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation. Background Technology

[0002] In experiments in fields such as biology, chemistry, and medicine, pipetting workstations serve as core equipment for automated liquid handling, performing complex operations such as high-throughput pipetting, separation, dilution, and mixing. Due to the large sample sizes and high precision requirements, robotic arms are widely used. Through program control, they achieve precise automated operations, significantly improving experimental efficiency.

[0003] Existing robotic arms typically consist of a drive system, a transmission mechanism, and an end effector. The drive system usually uses servo motors or stepper motors for power, while the transmission mechanism transmits motion via ball screws, synchronous belts, or linear guides, thereby driving the end effector to move in the X, Y, and Z axes. The end effector is usually equipped with a multi-channel pipetting module, which works with the suction tip to pick up and release liquids.

[0004] However, most robotic arms only have one multi-channel pipetting module at their end effector, limiting the overall processing capacity of the workstation. For example, when experiments require simultaneous pipetting operations of different volume ranges, a single pipetting module cannot meet the needs, often requiring manual module replacement or interruption of the process for equipment adjustment. This not only prolongs the experimental cycle but also increases the risk of cross-contamination. Therefore, we propose a multi-functional robotic arm for large-scale pipetting workstations to effectively address these shortcomings. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a multifunctional robotic arm for large-scale pipetting workstations, which solves the problem mentioned in the background art that the execution end of the robotic arm is only equipped with a multi-channel pipetting module, resulting in limited functionality.

[0006] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation, comprising:

[0007] X-axis moving module, which is installed in the pipetting workstation, has a first moving arm and a second moving arm fixed on the execution end of the X-axis moving module, and both the first moving arm and the second moving arm extend along the Y-axis direction.

[0008] The first Y-axis moving module is mounted on the first moving arm. The execution end of the first Y-axis moving module is equipped with a 96-channel pipetting module and a gripper that can move along the Z-axis direction.

[0009] The second Y-axis moving module is mounted on the second moving arm, and the execution end of the second Y-axis moving module is provided with an 8-channel pipetting module that can move along the Z-axis direction.

[0010] Optionally, the X-axis moving module includes a fixed base installed in the pipetting workstation and extending along the X-axis direction, an X-axis slide rail fixed on the fixed base along the length direction, and two X-axis sliders sliding on the X-axis slide rail; an X-axis drive assembly is provided on the fixed base and connected to each X-axis slider in a one-to-one correspondence, for driving the corresponding X-axis slider to slide along the X-axis slide rail.

[0011] The first and second moving arms are fixed to the two X-axis sliders, respectively.

[0012] Optionally, an auxiliary slide rail parallel to the X-axis slide rail is fixed inside the pipetting workstation, and the ends of the first and second moving arms away from the X-axis slider are slidably connected to the auxiliary slide rail.

[0013] Optionally, the first Y-axis moving module includes a first Y-axis slide rail fixed to the first moving arm and extending along the Y-axis direction, a first Y-axis slider sliding on the first Y-axis slide rail, and a first Y-axis driving component for driving the first Y-axis slider to slide along the first Y-axis slide rail is provided on the first moving arm.

[0014] Optionally, a mounting base is fixed on the first Y-axis slider, and a first Z-axis moving module and a second Z-axis moving module are provided on the mounting base. The 96-channel pipetting module is fixed to the execution end of the first Z-axis moving module, and the gripper is fixed to the execution end of the second Z-axis moving module.

[0015] Optionally, the 96-channel pipetting module uses a 96-channel pipette.

[0016] Optionally, the 8-channel pipetting module consists of eight single-channel pipettes arranged along the Y-axis.

[0017] Optionally, the second Y-axis moving module includes a second Y-axis slide rail fixed to the second moving arm and extending along the Y-axis direction, a second Y-axis slider corresponding to each single-channel pipette sliding on the second Y-axis slide rail, and a second Y-axis driving component connected to each second Y-axis slider corresponding to each second Y-axis slider on the second moving arm.

[0018] A third Z-axis moving module is set on each of the second Y-axis sliders, and each single-channel pipette is fixed to the execution end of the corresponding third Z-axis moving module.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, this utility model provides a multifunctional robotic arm for large-scale pipetting workstations, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] This invention features a 96-channel pipetting module and a gripper on the first moving arm. This enables high-throughput pipetting operations through the 96 channels, and also allows for automated gripping and transfer of well plates without manual replacement of actuators, significantly reducing experimental setup time and minimizing the risk of cross-contamination from manual intervention. Furthermore, an 8-channel pipetting module on the second moving arm can specifically handle small-volume, high-precision pipetting needs. This complements the 96-channel module, enabling pipetting operations of different specifications (96 channels / 8 channels) and different precision levels, thus improving the overall processing capacity and experimental efficiency of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from another perspective;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting base of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. X-axis moving module; 101. Fixed base; 102. X-axis slide rail; 103. X-axis slider; 104. X-axis drive assembly; 2. First moving arm; 3. Second moving arm; 4. First Y-axis moving module; 401. First Y-axis slide rail; 402. First Y-axis slider; 403. First Y-axis drive assembly; 5. 96-channel pipetting module; 6. Gripper; 7. Second Y-axis moving module; 8. 8-channel pipetting module; 9. Auxiliary slide rail; 10. First Z-axis moving module; 11. Second Z-axis moving module; 12. Mounting base. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0027] Please see Figures 1 to 4 A multi-functional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation includes: an X-axis moving module 1, a first Y-axis moving module 4, and a second Y-axis moving module 7. Each module achieves multi-dimensional collaborative operation through transmission cooperation.

[0028] The X-axis moving module 1 is installed inside the pipetting workstation, serving as the basic support component for the overall movement. A first moving arm 2 and a second moving arm 3 are fixed to the actuator end of the X-axis moving module 1, both extending along the Y-axis. The two moving arms are arranged in parallel and can move synchronously or independently along the X-axis under the drive of the X-axis moving module 1, achieving a large horizontal lateral coverage.

[0029] In addition, the first Y-axis moving module 4 is mounted on the first moving arm 2. At the execution end of the first Y-axis moving module 4, there is a 96-channel pipetting module 5 and a gripper 6 capable of moving along the Z-axis. These two components are modularly designed to enable rapid switching or coordinated operation. The second Y-axis moving module 7 is mounted on the second moving arm 3. At the execution end of the second Y-axis moving module 7, there is an 8-channel pipetting module 8 capable of moving along the Z-axis, focusing on small-volume pipetting operations.

[0030] With the above design, the horizontal lateral coverage of the two moving arms is achieved through the X-axis moving module 1. Combined with the longitudinal adjustment of each Y-axis moving module and the lifting function in the Z-axis direction, the 96-channel pipetting module 5, the gripper 6 and the 8-channel pipetting module 8 can all move in three-dimensional space, meeting the high-precision operation requirements of consumables such as 96-well plates and 384-well plates.

[0031] The 96-channel pipetting module 5 and gripper 6 mounted on the first moving arm 2 can perform high-throughput pipetting (such as full-plate liquid transfer) and orifice plate gripping and transport in the same workflow without interrupting the process to change parts, reducing the process connection time by more than 50% compared to a single pipetting module. The 8-channel pipetting module 8 mounted on the second moving arm 3 can simultaneously perform small-volume, high-precision pipetting, forming a complementary "high-throughput + high-precision" function with the 96-channel module 5, enabling parallel processing of experimental operations with different specifications and precision requirements.

[0032] The following is an introduction to the X-axis movement module 1:

[0033] The X-axis moving module 1 includes a fixed base 101 installed within the pipetting workstation and extending along the X-axis direction, providing a stable foundation for the moving parts along the entire X-axis. An X-axis slide rail 102 is fixed along the length of the fixed base 101, and two X-axis sliders 103 slide along the X-axis slide rail 102, each capable of sliding along the X-axis. An X-axis drive assembly 104 is provided on the fixed base 101, corresponding to each X-axis slider 103, for driving the corresponding X-axis slider 103 to slide along the X-axis slide rail 102. The first moving arm 2 and the second moving arm 3 are respectively fixed to the two X-axis sliders 103, enabling synchronous or independent movement of the first moving arm 2 and the second moving arm 3. When handling different tasks (such as parallel 96-channel plate transfer and 8-channel dispensing), the two arms can operate independently along preset paths without interference, significantly improving the task scheduling flexibility of the equipment.

[0034] It should be added that the X-axis drive assembly 104 consists of a servo motor, a synchronous pulley, a synchronous belt, and a connecting component. The servo motor is mounted on the fixed base 101, and its output end is connected to the synchronous pulley for transmission. The synchronous belt is rigidly fixed to the X-axis slider 103 through the connecting component. When the servo motor is working, it can drive the synchronous pulley to rotate, thereby driving the X-axis slider 103 to slide along the length direction of the X-axis slide rail 102 through the cooperation of the synchronous belt and the connecting component.

[0035] To further improve stability during long-span movement, an auxiliary slide rail 9 parallel to the X-axis slide rail 102 is fixed inside the pipetting workstation. The ends of the first moving arm 2 and the second moving arm 3 away from the X-axis slider 103 are slidably connected to the auxiliary slide rail 9, forming a "double-end support" structure. This effectively avoids vibration or deformation caused by the cantilever effect during movement, providing a reliable guarantee for subsequent high-precision pipetting and gripping operations.

[0036] The following is a description of the first Y-axis moving module 4:

[0037] The first Y-axis moving module 4 includes a first Y-axis slide rail 401 fixed to the first moving arm 2 and extending along the Y-axis direction. A first Y-axis slider 402 slides on the first Y-axis slide rail 401. A first Y-axis driving component 403 is provided on the first moving arm 2 to drive the first Y-axis slider 402 to slide along the first Y-axis slide rail 401. The first Y-axis driving component 403 also adopts a "servo motor + synchronous pulley + synchronous belt" transmission scheme, which can drive the first Y-axis slider 402 to slide along the first Y-axis slide rail 401.

[0038] Additionally, a mounting base 12 is fixed on the first Y-axis slider 402, and a first Z-axis moving module 10 and a second Z-axis moving module 11 are mounted on the mounting base 12. The two modules are arranged in parallel and do not interfere with each other. The 96-channel pipetting module 5 is fixed to the execution end of the first Z-axis moving module 10, and the gripper 6 is fixed to the execution end of the second Z-axis moving module 11. The first Z-axis moving module 10 adopts a "servo motor + ball screw" drive scheme, enabling the lifting range of the 96-channel pipetting module 5 to reach 0-150mm, meeting the liquid aspiration depth adjustment requirements of orifice plates at different heights. The second Z-axis moving module 11 uses an electric telescopic rod, which can drive the gripper 6 to quickly lift and lower, thereby quickly completing the gripping, lifting, and transfer of orifice plates.

[0039] With the above design, the 96-channel pipetting module 5 and the gripper 6 can move synchronously in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and can independently complete their respective lifting and lowering actions in the Z-axis direction, which greatly shortens the process connection time.

[0040] In this embodiment, the 96-channel pipetting module 5 uses a 96-channel pipette, with the 96 channels arranged in an 8×12 matrix. The channel spacing strictly matches the center-to-center distance between wells of a standard 96-well plate (9mm laterally and 9mm longitudinally), ensuring that the entire plate's wells can be covered in a single operation, thus achieving high-throughput whole-plate processing. The 8-channel pipetting module 8 consists of eight single-channel pipettes arranged along the Y-axis, which can flexibly adapt to a single row of 8 wells, thereby completing precise operations in small volumes.

[0041] The second Y-axis movement module 7 is described below:

[0042] The second Y-axis moving module 7 includes a second Y-axis slide rail fixed to the second moving arm 3 and extending along the Y-axis direction. Second Y-axis sliders, corresponding one-to-one with each single-channel pipette, slide on the second Y-axis slide rail. A second Y-axis drive assembly, corresponding one-to-one with each second Y-axis slider, is provided on the second moving arm 3. The second Y-axis drive assembly also adopts a "servo motor + synchronous pulley + synchronous belt" transmission scheme, capable of driving the corresponding second Y-axis slider to slide along the second Y-axis slide rail. This allows the eight single-channel pipettes to move synchronously (e.g., to align as a whole with a row of wells in a 96-well plate), and also allows for individual spacing adjustment (e.g., to adapt to experimental containers with non-standard well spacing), significantly improving the adaptability of the 8-channel pipetting system.

[0043] To enable independent lifting and lowering adjustment of each single-channel pipette, a third Z-axis moving module is provided on each second Y-axis slider, and each single-channel pipette is fixed to the execution end of the corresponding third Z-axis moving module. In this embodiment, the third Z-axis moving module adopts a "servo motor + ball screw" drive scheme. When processing samples with inconsistent liquid levels (such as differences in liquid residue at different well positions), each pipette can adjust its insertion depth individually to avoid contamination caused by suction-out or excessive immersion.

[0044] By adopting the above design, through the dual-layer design of "independent Y-axis drive + independent Z-axis adjustment", the 8-channel pipetting module 8 maintains the efficiency of multi-channel parallel operation and has the flexibility of single-channel precise control, effectively filling the functional gap of traditional robotic arms in small-volume, high-precision, multi-scenario pipetting operations.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation, characterized in that, include: X-axis moving module (1), the X-axis moving module (1) is installed in the pipetting workstation, and a first moving arm (2) and a second moving arm (3) are fixed on the execution end of the X-axis moving module (1). The first moving arm (2) and the second moving arm (3) both extend along the Y-axis direction. The first Y-axis moving module (4) is mounted on the first moving arm (2). The execution end of the first Y-axis moving module (4) is provided with a 96-channel pipetting module (5) and a gripper (6) that can move along the Z-axis direction. The second Y-axis moving module (7) is mounted on the second moving arm (3). The execution end of the second Y-axis moving module (7) is provided with an 8-channel pipetting module (8) that can move along the Z-axis direction.

2. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The X-axis moving module (1) includes a fixed base (101) installed in the pipetting workstation and extending along the X-axis direction. An X-axis slide rail (102) is fixed on the fixed base (101) along the length direction. Two X-axis sliders (103) slide on the X-axis slide rail (102). An X-axis drive assembly (104) is provided on the fixed base (101) and is connected to each X-axis slider (103) in a one-to-one correspondence. It is used to drive the corresponding X-axis slider (103) to slide along the X-axis slide rail (102). The first moving arm (2) and the second moving arm (3) are respectively fixed on two X-axis sliders (103).

3. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 2, characterized in that: An auxiliary slide rail (9) parallel to the X-axis slide rail (102) is fixed inside the pipetting workstation. The ends of the first moving arm (2) and the second moving arm (3) away from the X-axis slider (103) are slidably connected to the auxiliary slide rail (9).

4. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first Y-axis moving module (4) includes a first Y-axis slide rail (401) fixed on the first moving arm (2) and extending along the Y-axis direction, a first Y-axis slider (402) sliding on the first Y-axis slide rail (401), and a first Y-axis driving component (403) for driving the first Y-axis slider (402) to slide along the first Y-axis slide rail (401) is provided on the first moving arm (2).

5. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 4, characterized in that: A mounting base (12) is fixed on the first Y-axis slider (402). A first Z-axis moving module (10) and a second Z-axis moving module (11) are provided on the mounting base (12). The 96-channel pipetting module (5) is fixed to the execution end of the first Z-axis moving module (10), and the gripper (6) is fixed to the execution end of the second Z-axis moving module (11).

6. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The 96-channel pipetting module (5) uses a 96-channel pipette.

7. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The 8-channel pipetting module (8) consists of eight single-channel pipettes arranged along the Y-axis.

8. The multifunctional robotic arm for a large pipetting workstation according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second Y-axis moving module (7) includes a second Y-axis slide rail fixed on the second moving arm (3) and extending along the Y-axis direction. A second Y-axis slider corresponding to each single-channel pipette is slidable on the second Y-axis slide rail. A second Y-axis drive assembly corresponding to each second Y-axis slider is provided on the second moving arm (3). A third Z-axis moving module is set on each of the second Y-axis sliders, and each single-channel pipette is fixed to the execution end of the corresponding third Z-axis moving module.

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