Modular replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform

Abstract

This application provides a modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform, relating to the fields of pipetting and dispensing technology. It includes a mechanical support module and a multi-channel pipetting execution module. The lower part of the mechanical support module houses a material carrying module, and the upper part houses a guide rail transmission module. The multi-channel pipetting execution module is located at the output end of the guide rail transmission module and includes a variable pitch module, an adjustment seat, and a pipette. This application provides a modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform that uses a sliding contact line module for power supply. Compared to the commonly used cable chain power supply, this offers advantages such as compact installation and simplified wiring. Furthermore, when a module needs to be replaced, only the corresponding module needs to be replaced; the corresponding cable chain does not need to be disassembled. For example, if a pipetting module and a sample transfer module are installed on the mechanical support module, the sample transfer module can be directly removed when only pipetting is required.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of pipetting and dispensing technology, and in particular to an all-in-one liquid handling platform with modular replacement. Background Technology

[0002] In experiments involving biological detection, drug development, and chemical analysis, pipetting is a fundamental and frequent task. However, traditional manual pipetting suffers from multiple drawbacks, including low precision, low efficiency, poor consistency, and susceptibility to contamination. For instance, manual operation is prone to errors due to fatigue or habit; it is time-consuming in high-throughput experiments, making it difficult to meet batch requirements; consistency among different operators is difficult to guarantee, affecting the reproducibility of experimental results; and there is also a risk of cross-contamination, especially in biological sample processing. Therefore, partially automated pipetting equipment is used for pipetting operations.

[0003] For example, patent CN118253361A discloses a pipetting workstation. This patent uses a second XY dual-axis linear module to drive the head-changing liquid-dispensing mechanism to move. It engages with a suitable needle above the dispensing needle holder, then moves above the container mounting rack to insert the needle into the reagent bottle, draw up the solution, and then transfers the solution to a volumetric flask, completing the entire pipetting process. However, in actual use, such devices are often difficult to maintain due to the limited number of channels or complex mechanical structures, and still cannot fully meet the experimental requirements of high throughput and high precision. Furthermore, it is not convenient to replace modules to adapt to different usage scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application is made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an all-in-one liquid handling platform with modular replacement to solve the problems mentioned in the background art. To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform, including a mechanical support module and a multi-channel pipetting execution module. A material support module is located at the lower part of the mechanical support module, and a guide rail transmission module is mounted on the upper part of the mechanical support module. The multi-channel pipetting execution module is located at the output end of the guide rail transmission module, and includes a pitch control module, an adjustment seat, and a pipette. The pitch control module is mounted at the output end of the guide rail transmission module, and the output end of the pitch control module is connected to the adjustment seat. A pipette is fixed to one side of the adjustment seat. A sliding contact line module is located on one side of the guide rail transmission module.

[0005] Furthermore, the mechanical load-bearing module includes an aluminum profile frame and four ferrules, with the ferrules located at the bottom of the aluminum profile frame.

[0006] Furthermore, the mechanical bearing module also includes a base plate, which is provided at the bottom of the material bearing module and is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame.

[0007] Furthermore, the guide rail transmission module includes a gear and rack linear module and a first linear module. The gear and rack linear module is installed on the top of one side of the aluminum profile frame, and the first linear module is fixed to the output end of the gear and rack linear module.

[0008] Furthermore, the guide rail transmission module also includes a slide block and a slide rail. One end of the first linear module is fixed with a slide block, and the bottom of the slide block is slidably connected to a slide rail.

[0009] Furthermore, the slide rail is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame, and the length direction of the slide rail is parallel to the length direction of the gear and rack linear module.

[0010] Furthermore, the guide rail transmission module also includes a second linear module, the output end of the first linear module is equipped with the second linear module, and the second linear module is fixedly connected to the pitch-changing module.

[0011] Furthermore, the gear and rack linear module and the first linear module form a vertical structure, and the first linear module and the second linear module form a vertical structure.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This utility model uses a sliding contact line module for power supply, which has the advantages of compact installation and simplified wiring process compared with the commonly used drag chain power supply. When it is necessary to replace the module, only the corresponding module needs to be replaced, without disassembling the corresponding drag chain. For example, if a pipetting module and a sample transfer module are installed on the mechanical bearing module, the sample transfer module can be directly removed when only pipetting is required, realizing rapid replacement between modules. 2. This utility model, by setting up multiple pipettes, can realize simultaneous pipetting in multiple channels, complete the pipetting operation of a large number of samples in a short time, significantly improve experimental efficiency, and adopts extended pipettes, which are suitable for 250ml volumetric flask scenarios in physicochemical analysis. Moreover, the automated operation avoids the interference of human factors, ensures the consistency of each pipetting operation, improves the repeatability of experimental results, and the pipetting accuracy is much higher than that of manual, ensuring the accuracy of experimental data. 3. This utility model, through the setting of the material carrying module, can place containers such as reagent tubes and reaction plates to be pipetted. When different specifications of carrying components are replaced according to experimental needs, the position of pipettes can be adjusted according to the different specifications of volumetric flasks through the variable pitch module. Thus, it can cover a variety of specifications of volumetric flasks and PCR plates, and can be compatible with life science plate scenarios, meeting the needs of different experimental scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this drawing or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this drawing. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional front view of the overall structure of the device of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional rear view structure of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-channel pipetting execution module of this utility model.

[0015] The reference numerals in the attached diagrams are as follows: 1. Mechanical load-bearing module; 101. Aluminum profile frame; 102. Fouma wheel; 103. Base plate; 2. Material load-bearing module; 3. Guide rail transmission module; 301. Gear and rack linear module; 302. First linear module; 303. Slide block; 304. Slide rail; 305. Second linear module; 4. Multi-channel pipetting execution module; 401. Variable pitch module; 402. Adjustment seat; 403. Pipette; 5. Sliding contact line module.

[0016] The purpose, features, and advantages of this accompanying drawing will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawing. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following description and illustration are provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments provided in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0018] Obviously, the following description is merely some examples or embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can apply this application to other similar scenarios without any inventive effort. Furthermore, it is understood that although the effort involved in such development may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this application, any changes to design, manufacturing, or production based on the technical content disclosed in this application are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient disclosure of the content of this application.

[0019] Unless otherwise specified, the terms "comprising" and "including" as used in this application can be open-ended or closed-ended. For example, "comprising" and "including" can mean that other components not listed may also be included, or that only the listed components may be included.

[0020] Unless otherwise specified, the term "or" is inclusive in this application. For example, the phrase "A or B" means "A, B, or both A and B". More specifically, the condition "A or B" is satisfied by any of the following conditions: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist); A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists); or both A and B are true (or exist).

[0021] Terminology explanation: such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the modular, all-in-one liquid handling platform includes a mechanical support module 1 and a multi-channel pipetting execution module 4. A material support module 2 is located at the lower part of the mechanical support module 1, and a guide rail transmission module 3 is mounted on the upper part of the mechanical support module 1. Containers such as reagent tubes and reaction plates to be pipetted can be placed through the material support module 2. The multi-channel pipetting execution module 4 is located at the output end of the guide rail transmission module 3 and includes a pitch-changing module 401, an adjusting seat 402, and a pipette 403. The pitch-changing module 401 is mounted at the output end of the guide rail transmission module 3, and the output end of the pitch-changing module 401 is connected to the adjusting seat 402. A pipette 403 is fixed to one side of the adjusting seat 402. Multiple pipettes 403 enable simultaneous multi-channel pipetting, completing pipetting operations on a large number of samples in a short time, significantly improving experimental efficiency. The pitch-changing module 401 internally uses a motor-driven cam to rotate, causing the sliding columns in multiple pitch-changing slots to move, thereby driving the adjusting seat 402 to slide. Since the variable pitch module 401 is a commonly used mechanical module, its specific structure will not be described in detail in this application. Therefore, the position of the pipettes 403 can be adjusted according to the different specifications of the volumetric flasks through the variable pitch module 401, thereby covering a variety of volumetric flasks and PCR plates. For example, in biological high-throughput screening experiments, samples of 96-well plates can be processed simultaneously, while in chemical analysis experiments, micro-reagents can be accurately transferred. It should be noted that since the outer shell and control panel of the mechanical support module 1 in this application are common components of this type of equipment, and this application does not improve this part, they are not shown or described in detail in the accompanying drawings. A sliding contact line module 5 is provided on one side of the guide rail transmission module 3. The sliding contact line is powered by the sliding contact line. Compared with the commonly used drag chain, the sliding contact line has the advantages of compact installation and simplified wiring process. When it is necessary to replace the module, only the corresponding module needs to be replaced, without disassembling the corresponding drag chain, realizing quick replacement between modules.

[0022] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the mechanical support module 1 includes an aluminum profile frame 101 and four fuma wheels 102. The aluminum profile frame 101 has four fuma wheels 102 mounted on its bottom. The aluminum profile frame 101 provides stable support for each functional module of the equipment, ensuring the structural stability of the equipment during operation. The fuma wheels 102 also improve the convenience of equipment movement and stability during operation. The mechanical support module 1 also includes a base plate 103. The bottom of the material support module 2 is provided with the base plate 103, which is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame 101. The base plate 103 provides support for the material support module 2. The guide rail transmission module 3 includes a gear and rack linear module 301 and a first linear module 302. The gear and rack linear module 301 is mounted on the top of one side of the aluminum profile frame 101, and the first linear module 302 is fixed to the output end of the gear and rack linear module 301. The guide rail transmission module 3 also includes a slide block 303 and a slide rail 304. The first linear module 302... A slide block 303 is fixed to the bottom of one end, and a slide rail 304 is slidably connected to the bottom of the slide block 303. The slide rail 304 is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame 101, and the length direction of the slide rail 304 is parallel to the length direction of the gear and rack linear module 301. The slide block 303 and the slide rail 304 improve the stability of the first linear module 302 when it moves. The guide rail transmission module 3 also includes a second linear module 305. The output end of the first linear module 302 is equipped with the second linear module 305, and the first linear module 305 is also equipped with the second linear module 305. The two linear modules 305 are fixedly connected to the variable pitch module 401. The rack and pinion linear module 301 and the first linear module 302 form a vertical structure, and the first linear module 302 and the second linear module 305 form a vertical structure. The rack and pinion linear module 301, the first linear module 302 and the second linear module 305 can control the multi-channel pipetting execution module 4 to move along the X, Y and Z axes, providing precise spatial displacement control for the pipetting execution module and ensuring the positional accuracy of the pipetting operation.

[0023] When using this modular, all-in-one liquid handling platform, such as Figures 1 to 3As shown, firstly, the aluminum profile frame 101 is easily moved to the designated position using the fuma wheel 102. Then, according to experimental requirements, a suitable pipette 403 and material carrier module 2 are selected and installed. The pitch module 401 drives the adjusting seat 402 to change the spacing between the pipettes 403. The reagent tubes, volumetric flasks, etc., to be pipetted are placed on the material carrier module 2. Then, the pipetting parameters are set through the control system, including pipetting volume, number of pipetting channels, starting position, and target position. After the parameters are set, the equipment is started. The pipette 403 can be moved above the reagent tubes using the gear and rack linear module 301 and the first linear module 302. During this process, the pipette 403 is moved above the reagent tubes. The stability of the other end of the first linear module 302 is improved by using the slide block 303 and the slide rail 304. Then, the second linear module 305 drives the pipette tip to move down to draw liquid. Subsequently, the gear and rack linear module 301 and the first linear module 302 drive the multi-channel pipetting execution module 4 to move above the volumetric flask. The second linear module 305 drives the pipette tip to move down to complete the liquid release. The whole process can be repeated to complete the pipetting operation of multiple sets of samples. When there is a need for sample transfer, a sample transfer module can be added to the gear and rack linear module 301. At this time, the sample transfer module can be quickly powered by the sliding contact line module 5 without the need for additional drag chain assembly operations, thereby improving the convenience of module replacement.

[0024] It should be noted that this application is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above embodiments are merely examples, and any embodiments with the same structure and effect as the technical concept within the scope of this application are included in the technical scope of this application. Furthermore, various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art to the embodiments, and other ways of constructing by combining some of the constituent elements of the embodiments, without departing from the spirit of this application, are also included in the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform, comprising a mechanical support module (1) and a multi-channel pipetting execution module (4), characterized in that, The lower part of the mechanical support module (1) is provided with a material support module (2), and the upper part of the mechanical support module (1) is provided with a guide rail transmission module (3). The multi-channel pipetting execution module (4) is located at the output end of the guide rail transmission module (3). The multi-channel pipetting execution module (4) includes a variable pitch module (401), an adjustment seat (402), and a pipetting gun (403). The output end of the guide rail transmission module (3) is provided with a variable pitch module (401), and the output end of the variable pitch module (401) is connected to the adjustment seat (402). A pipetting gun (403) is fixed on one side of the adjustment seat (402). A sliding contact line module (5) is provided on one side of the guide rail transmission module (3).

2. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical load-bearing module (1) includes an aluminum profile frame (101) and a fuma wheel (102). The bottom of the aluminum profile frame (101) is equipped with a fuma wheel (102), and the number of fuma wheels (102) is set to four.

3. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mechanical bearing module (1) also includes a base plate (103). The bottom of the material bearing module (2) is provided with a base plate (103), and the base plate (103) is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame (101).

4. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 3, characterized in that, The guide rail transmission module (3) includes a rack and pinion linear module (301) and a first linear module (302). The rack and pinion linear module (301) is installed on the top of one side of the aluminum profile frame (101), and the first linear module (302) is fixed at the output end of the rack and pinion linear module (301).

5. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guide rail transmission module (3) also includes a slide block (303) and a slide rail (304). The bottom of one end of the first linear module (302) is fixed with a slide block (303), and the bottom of the slide block (303) is slidably connected to the slide rail (304).

6. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid handling platform according to claim 5, characterized in that, The slide rail (304) is fixedly connected to the aluminum profile frame (101), and the length direction of the slide rail (304) is parallel to the length direction of the gear and rack linear module (301).

7. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide rail transmission module (3) further includes a second linear module (305), the output end of the first linear module (302) is provided with the second linear module (305), and the second linear module (305) is fixedly connected to the pitch module (401).

8. The modularly replaceable all-in-one liquid processing platform according to claim 7, characterized in that, The gear and rack linear module (301) and the first linear module (302) form a vertical structure, and the first linear module (302) and the second linear module (305) form a vertical structure.

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