Variable-pitch apparatus and pipetting device

Abstract

A variable-pitch apparatus (1000) and a pipetting device. The variable-pitch apparatus comprises a first driving assembly (1100), a second driving assembly (1200), a connecting rod assembly (1300) and a plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400); the plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400) are arranged in a row in a first direction and are movable in the first direction; the connecting rod assembly (1300) connect the plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400) together; the plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400) comprise a first variable-pitch piece (1401) and a second variable-pitch piece (1402); the first variable-pitch piece (1401) is connected to the first driving assembly (1100); the second variable-pitch piece (1402) is connected to the second driving assembly (1200); and under the driving of the first driving assembly (1100) and / or the second driving assembly (1200) and the driving of the connecting rod assembly (1300), the pitch between the plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400) in the first direction is adjustable. In this way, the pitch between the plurality of the variable-pitch pieces (1400) of the variable-pitch apparatus (1000) does not need to be manually adjusted, thereby saving labor costs. In addition, a short time is required for adjusting the pitch between the plurality of variable-pitch pieces (1400), thereby saving time costs. Compared with manual adjustment, the adjustment mode of the variable-pitch apparatus (1000) has higher accuracy.

Description

[0001] The present application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202311009834.4, titled "VARIABLE-PITCH APPARATUS AND PIPETTING DEVICE", filed on August 10, 2023 with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to a spacing adjustment device and a pipetting device.BACKGROUND

[0003] Pipetting devices are used for pipetting, finding extensive application in fields such as mass spectrometry analysis, DNA sequencing, HPLC chromatography, and multi-marker detection.

[0004] To enhance pipetting efficiency, the pipetting device may be provided with multiple pipetting elements. The multiple pipetting elements are provided with multiple materials in one-to-one correspondence. Each material may include a container and liquid contained therein. The container may be, for example, a well plate or a test tube. Each pipetting element is able to aspirate liquid from its corresponding material. Due to constraints imposed by the well plate or a rack for the test tubes, spacing between materials cannot be kept constant. Therefore, the spacing between the multiple pipetting elements requires adaptive adjustment to enable simultaneous liquid aspiration.

[0005] However, when the spacing between the multiple pipetting elements of existing pipetting devices is required to be adjusted, the operator needs to perform the adjustment manually. As a result,, the pipetting devices require substantial manual labor, operate inefficiently, and are prone to errors. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a spacing adjustment device capable of adjusting the spacing.SUMMARY

[0006] To at least partially address the issues in the related art, a spacing adjustment device is provided according to an aspect of the present application. The spacing adjustment device includes a first drive assembly, a second drive assembly, a linkage assembly and multiple adjustable-spacing members. The multiple adjustable-spacing members are arranged in a row along a first direction and are movable along the first direction. The multiple adjustable-spacing members are connected together via the linkage assembly. The multiple adjustable-spacing members include a first adjustable-spacing member and a second adjustable-spacing member. The first adjustable-spacing member is connected to the first drive assembly, and the second adjustable-spacing member is connected to the second drive assembly. Driven by the first drive assembly and / or the second drive assembly and guided by the linkage assembly, spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members along the first direction is adjustable.

[0007] In an embodiment, the first drive assembly includes a first motor and a first transmission mechanism drivingly connected to the first motor, and the second drive assembly includes a second motor and a second transmission mechanism drivingly connected to the second motor. The first transmission mechanism is connected to the first adjustable-spacing member, and the second transmission mechanism is connected to the second adjustable-spacing member.

[0008] In an embodiment, the first transmission mechanism includes a lead screw extending along the first direction and a nut threadedly connected to the lead screw. The lead screw is connected to an output shaft of the first motor, and the first adjustable-spacing member is connected to the nut.

[0009] In an embodiment, the second transmission mechanism includes a driven pulley, a drive pulley connected to an output shaft of the second motor, and a transmission belt fitted to the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The second adjustable-spacing member is connected to the transmission belt.

[0010] In an embodiment, the linkage assembly includes a scissor-type telescopic frame. The scissor-type telescopic frame includes multiple scissor linkage units in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple adjustable-spacing members. Each scissor linkage unit includes a first link, a second link, and an intra-unit pivot shaft, where the first link is rotatably connected to the second link via the intra-unit pivot shaft, and the intra-unit pivot shaft is disposed on the corresponding adjustable-spacing member. An end of the first link of each scissor linkage unit is rotatably connected to an end of a second link of an adjacent scissor linkage unit via a first inter-unit pivot shaft. An end of the second link of each scissor linkage unit is rotatably connected to an end of the first link of the adjacent scissor linkage unit via a second inter-unit pivot shaft.

[0011] In an embodiment, the first adjustable-spacing member and the second adjustable-spacing member are located at opposite ends of the multiple adjustable-spacing members along the first direction.

[0012] In an embodiment, the first drive assembly has a first drive velocity for driving the first adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction, and the second drive assembly has a second drive velocity for driving the second adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction. When a difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is zero, the multiple adjustable-spacing members are driven to collectively move along the first direction by the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly.

[0013] In an embodiment, the first drive assembly has a first drive velocity for driving the first adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction, and the second drive assembly has a second drive velocity for driving the second adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction. When the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is non-zero, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members along the first direction is adjustable.

[0014] In an embodiment, the first drive assembly includes a first motor, the second drive assembly includes a second motor, and both the first motor and the second motor are servo motors. The difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is determined by a pulse difference between the first motor and the second motor.

[0015] In an embodiment, the spacing adjustment device further includes a first guide rail extending along the first direction. Each of the multiple adjustable-spacing members is provided with a slide member that is slidably connected to the first guide rail.

[0016] In an embodiment, multiple first guide rails are provided side by side. Slide members on adjacent adjustable-spacing members are slidably connected to different first guide rails. Projections of the slide members on the adjacent adjustable-spacing members onto a plane perpendicular to the first direction are completely offset from each other.

[0017] In an embodiment, slide members on a pair of adjustable-spacing members separated by one intervening adjustable-spacing member are slidably connected to a same one of the multiple first guide rails.

[0018] A pipetting device is provided according to another aspect of the present application. The pipetting device includes multiple pipetting channels and the spacing adjustment devices according to any one of the above solutions. The multiple pipetting channels are arranged in a row along the first direction and are disposed on the multiple adjustable-spacing members in one-to-one correspondence.

[0019] In the spacing adjustment device according to the present application, when the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members is to be adjusted, the first drive assembly drives the first adjustable-spacing member, so as to adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members via the linkage assembly; or, the second drive assembly may drive the second adjustable-spacing member, so as to adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members via the linkage assembly; or, the first drive assembly drives the first adjustable-spacing member and the second drive assembly drives the second adjustable-spacing member, so as to simultaneously adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members via the linkage assembly. With such arrangement, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members of the spacing adjustment device can be adjusted without manual operations, thereby reducing labor costs. Further, the time for adjusting the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members is reduced, which saves time costs. Additionally, compared with manual adjustment, the adjustment manner of the spacing adjustment device offers higher accuracy. Moreover, the spacing adjustment device can be provided with different numbers of adjustable-spacing members, making it scalable to meet diverse application requirements.

[0020] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in this section, which will be elaborated in further detail in the section of detailed description of the embodiments. This section is not intended to define key or essential features of the claimed technical solutions, nor does it attempt to determine the scope of protection for the claimed technical solutions.

[0021] The advantages and features of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided herein as part of the present application for the purpose of understanding the present application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present application and their descriptions to explain the principles of the present application. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pipetting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, with a door in a closed position; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pipetting device in FIG. 1, with the door in an open position; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pipetting device in FIG. 1, with a housing and the door removed; FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the pipetting device in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of some components of the pipetting device in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a spacing adjustment device in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a front view of the spacing adjustment device in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of the spacing adjustment device in FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of some components of the pipetting device in FIG. 3; and FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of the pipetting device in FIG. 9.

[0023] Reference numerals in the figures are listed as follows: 1000spacing adjustment device;1100first drive assembly;1110first motor;1120first transmission mechanism;1121lead screw;1122nut;1200second drive assembly;1210second motor;1220second transmission mechanism;1221driven pulley;1222transmission belt;1300linkage assembly;1310scissor linkage unit;1311first link;1312second link;1313intra-unit pivot shaft;1320scissor linkage unit;1321first link;1322second link;1323intra-unit pivot shaft;1331first inter-unit pivot shaft;1332second inter-unit pivot shaft;1400adjustable-spacing member;1401first adjustable-spacing member;1402second adjustable-spacing member;1403third adjustable-spacing member;1404fourth adjustable-spacing member;1410slide member;1420third guide rail;1500first guide rail;1600mounting base;1700second guide rail;1800third drive assembly;2000pipetting channel;3000drive member;4000transport device;5100base;5110target position;5120designated position;5200housing;5210opening;5300door;5400accommodation space. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] In the following description, substantial details are provided to enable a thorough understanding of the present application. However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the following description is intended to exemplarily illustrate only preferred embodiments of the present application, and the present application can be implemented without one or more such details. Further, to avoid confusion with the present application, technical features well known in the art are not described in detail.

[0025] A spacing adjustment device is provided in an aspect of the present application, which can adjust spacing between multiple adjustable-spacing members. The spacing adjustment device may be applied to any suitable devices, including but not limited to a pipetting device. The pipetting device can perform aspirating and dispensing actions to liquids. The liquids include but are not limited to sample solutions or pharmaceutical agents. The spacing adjustment device and the pipetting device according to embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 6, the spacing adjustment device 1000 includes a first drive assembly 1100, a second drive assembly 1200, a linkage assembly 1300, and multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400.

[0027] There may be two, three, or more adjustable-spacing members 1400. Different adjustable-spacing members 1400 may have identical or different structures. The multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 are arranged in a row along a first direction Y-Y. In addition, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 are collectively movable along the first direction Y-Y. The first direction Y-Y may be any suitable direction. In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first direction Y-Y is a transverse direction of the pipetting device.

[0028] The multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 may be connected together by a linkage assembly 1300. The multiple adjustable-spacing members includes a first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and a second adjustable-spacing member 1402. The first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 may be positioned arbitrarily relative to each other, For example, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 may be adjacent, separated by an intervening adjustable-spacing member, or separated by multiple adjustable-spacing members. The first adjustable-spacing member 1401 is connected to the first drive assembly 1100. The second adjustable-spacing member 1402 is connected to the second drive assembly 1200. Driven by the first drive assembly 1100 and guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 along the first direction Y-Y can be adjusted; and / or, driven by the second drive assembly 1200 and guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 along the first direction Y-Y can be adjusted.

[0029] The first drive assembly 1100 may employ various types of drive assemblies known in the art or potentially available in the future, including but not limited to a drive assembly employing a motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. The second drive assembly 1200 may employ various types of driving assemblies known in the art or potentially available in the future, including but not limited to a drive assembly employing a motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. The first drive assembly 1100 and the second drive assembly 1200 may be identical or different.

[0030] The linkage assembly 1300 may adopt a structure described below or other structures capable of connecting the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 together and cooperating with the first drive assembly 1100 and / or the second drive assembly 1200 to achieve spacing adjustment between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400. In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 is adjustable from 9 mm to 18.8 mm. If necessary, the adjustable range of the spacing between adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 may be widened or narrowed.

[0031] Any suitable devices may be provided on the adjustable-spacing members 1400, including but not limited to pipetting channels 2000, grippers, or suction cups. The spacing between the above devices provided on the adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be changed by adjusting the spacing between the adjustable-spacing members 1400.

[0032] In an embodiment where the spacing adjustment device 1000 is applied to a pipetting device, the pipetting device further includes multiple pipetting channels 2000. The multiple pipetting channels 2000 are arranged in a row along the first direction Y-Y. The multiple pipetting channels 2000 are arranged on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 in one-to-one correspondence. Each pipetting channel 2000 can perform liquid aspiration and dispensing independently. The pipetting channel 2000 includes, but is not limited to, a pipette. Hereinafter, the operational process of the spacing adjustment device 1000 and the interaction among its constituent components will be described in detail based on the embodiment where the spacing adjustment device 1000 is applied to the pipetting device.

[0033] In practical application, first materials are loaded onto the pipetting device by relevant personnel. Each first material includes a first container and liquid contained therein. The first container may be, for example, a well plate or a test tube. The first drive assembly 1100 and the second drive assembly 1200 respectively drive the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 to move synchronously along the first direction Y-Y. As such, guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 may move along the first direction Y-Y. Thus, driven by the first drive assembly 1100 and the second drive assembly 1200, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be collectively moved to the first materials located at a target position 5110.

[0034] Taking the case where the first container is a well plate as an example, because well plates of different specifications have different well spacing, the spacing between the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 needs to be adjusted prior to liquid aspiration to match or substantially match the spacing between the wells in the well plate. Specifically, the spacing between the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be adjusted by the first drive assembly 1100 and / or the second drive assembly 1200. More specifically, the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move along the first direction Y-Y, thereby enabling the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move toward or away from the second adjustable-spacing member 1402. As such, guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the spacing between the multiple pipetting channels 2000. Alternatively, the second drive assembly 1200 drives the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 to move along the first direction Y-Y, to make the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 move toward or away from the first adjustable-spacing member 1401. As such, guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the spacing between the multiple pipetting channels 2000. Alternatively, the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401, and the second drive assembly 1200 drives the second adjustable-spacing member 1402, to make the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 move toward or away from each other along the first direction Y-Y. As such, guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the spacing between the multiple pipetting channels 2000. When the spacing between the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 matches or substantially matches the spacing between the wells in the well plate, the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 are able to aspirate liquid from the first containers of their respective first material.

[0035] When liquid aspiration is completed, the liquid is stored within the pipetting channels 2000. Driven by the first drive assembly 1100 and the second drive assembly 1200, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 may move to a second container located at the target position 5110. The second container may be, for example, a well plate or a test tube. Taking the second container being a test tube as an example, a tray is typically provided to hold multiple test tubes in this case. When the spacing between the multiple test tubes differs from the spacing between the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400, the first drive assembly 1100 and / or the second drive assembly 1200 may likewise adjust the spacing between the pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 following the above methods, which will not be repeated here. The pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 may dispense the liquid into the second containers in one-to-one correspondence, thereby completing the pipetting. Therefore, the pipetting channels 2000 can complete pipetting operation at the target position 5110. Subsequently, relevant personnel may unload second materials (i.e., the second containers and the liquid therein) from the pipetting device.

[0036] In the spacing adjustment device 1000 according to the present application, when the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 is to be adjusted, the first drive assembly 1100 may drive the first adjustable-spacing member 1401, so as to adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 via the linkage assembly 1300; or, the second drive assembly 1200 drives the second adjustable-spacing member 1402, so as to adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 via the linkage assembly 1300; or, the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second drive assembly 1200 drives the second adjustable-spacing member 1402, so as to simultaneously adjust the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 via the linkage assembly 1300. With such arrangement, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 of the spacing adjustment device 1000 can be adjusted without manual operations, thereby reducing labor costs. Further, the time for adjusting the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 is reduced, which saves time costs. Additionally, compared with manual adjustment, the adjustment manner of the spacing adjustment device 1000 offers higher accuracy. Moreover, the spacing adjustment device 1000 can be provided with different numbers of adjustable-spacing members 1400, making it scalable to meet diverse application requirements.

[0037] In an embodiment, the first drive assembly 1100 has a first drive velocity for driving the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move along the first direction Y-Y. The second drive assembly 1200 has a second drive velocity for driving the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 to move along the first direction Y-Y. When the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is zero, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can collectively move along the first direction Y-Y. It should be noted that since velocity is a vector quantity, the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is zero when both the magnitude and direction of the first drive velocity are identical to those of the second drive velocity. Thus, the first drive assembly 1100 and the second drive assembly 1200 can respectively drive the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 to move synchronously along the first direction Y-Y. As such, guided by the linkage assembly 1300, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can collectively move along the first direction Y-Y.

[0038] In an embodiment, when the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is non-zero, the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 along the first direction Y-Y can be adjusted. It should be noted that when the magnitude of the first drive velocity differs from that of the second drive velocity, and / or the direction of the first drive velocity is opposite to that of the second drive velocity, the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is non-zero. Specifically, when the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity are equal in both magnitude and direction, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 move in the same direction thereby getting close to or away from each other. When the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 may move away from or toward each other, thereby getting away from or close to each other. When the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity are different in magnitude and opposite in direction, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 may move away from or toward each other, thereby getting close to or away from each other.

[0039] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the first drive assembly 1100 includes a first motor 1110. The second drive assembly 1200 includes a second motor 1210. Both the first motor 1110 and the second motor 1210 are servo motors. Compared with other drive members (e.g., a stepper motor), the servo motor offers numerous advantages including higher control precision, better operational stability, greater starting torque, stronger overload withstand capability, lower heat generation, and reduced noise. The difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity may be determined by a pulse difference between the first motor 1110 and the second motor 1210. As known to those skilled in the art, the rotational velocity of the first motor 1110 and the rotational velocity of the second motor 1210 can be changed by altering their pulses, which in turn changes the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity, and thereby changing the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity.

[0040] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the first drive assembly 1100 may further include a first transmission mechanism 1120 that is drivingly connected to the first motor 1110. The first transmission mechanism 1120 is connected to the first adjustable-spacing member 1401. The first transmission mechanism 1120 may be, but is not limited to, a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a chain transmission mechanism. The first motor 1110 is configured to drive the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move along the first direction Y-Y via the first transmission mechanism 1120. With the first transmission mechanism 1120, the first motor 1110 has greater positional flexibility, allowing it to be arranged in locations convenient for installation, maintenance, and / or cable connection. Moreover, the first transmission mechanism 1120 may be used to change parameters such as torque, thereby making the movement of the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 along the first direction Y-Y more compliant with requirements.

[0041] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the second drive assembly 1200 may further include a second transmission mechanism 1220 that is drivingly connected to the second motor 1210. The second transmission mechanism 1220 is connected to the second adjustable-spacing member 1402. The second transmission mechanism 1220 may be, but is not limited to, a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a chain transmission mechanism. The second motor 1210 may drive the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 to move along the first direction Y-Y via the second transmission mechanism 1220. With the second transmission mechanism 1220, the second motor 1210 has greater positional flexibility, allowing it to be arranged in locations convenient for convenient installation, maintenance, and / or cable connection. Moreover, the second transmission mechanism 1220 may be used to change parameters such as torque, thereby making the movement of the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 along the first direction Y-Y more compliant with requirements.

[0042] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 and FIGS. 9 to 10, the first transmission mechanism 1120 may be a ball screw. Specifically, the first transmission mechanism 1120 includes a lead screw 1121 and a nut 1122. The lead screw 1121 extends along the first direction Y-Y. The nut 1122 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 1121. The lead screw 1121 is connected to an output shaft of the first motor 1110. The first adjustable-spacing member 1401 is connected to the nut 1122. The first motor 1110 drives the lead screw 1121 to rotate, which in turn moves the nut 1122 along the first direction Y-Y, thereby moving the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 along the first direction Y-Y. The first drive assembly 1100 employing the first transmission mechanism 1120 offers numerous advantages, including high precision, low friction loss, high axial rigidity, high durability, and high reliability.

[0043] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the second transmission mechanism 1220 may be a belt transmission mechanism. Specifically, the second transmission mechanism 1220 includes a drive pulley (not shown due to the viewing angle), a driven pulley 1221, and a transmission belt 1222. The drive pulley is connected to an output shaft of the second motor 1210. The driven pulley 1221 is spaced apart from the drive pulley. The transmission belt 1222 is fitted to the drive pulley and the driven pulley 1221. The second adjustable-spacing member 1402 is connected to the transmission belt 1222. The second motor 1210 drives the drive pulley to rotate, which in turn drives the driven pulley 1221 to rotate via the transmission belt 1222, thereby moving the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 along the first direction Y-Y. The second drive assembly 1200 employing the second transmission mechanism 1220 offers numerous advantages, including impact mitigation, vibration absorption, smooth operation, and low noise.

[0044] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the first motor 1110 and the second motor 1210 are positioned on the same side of the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 along the first direction Y-Y. Such arrangement enables centralized cabling for the pipetting device, thereby improving its internal space utilization.

[0045] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, since the lead screw 1121 is connected to the output shaft of the first motor 1110, a first rotational axis of the output shaft of the first motor 1110 is parallel to the lead screw 1121, i.e., the first rotational axis is parallel to the first direction Y-Y. Since the drive pulley is connected to the output shaft of the second motor 1210, a second rotational axis of the output shaft of the second motor 1210 is parallel to an axis of the drive pulley, i.e., the second rotational axis is perpendicular to the first direction Y-Y. Therefore, the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are perpendicular to each other. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first rotational axis is parallel to the first direction Y-Y, and the second rotational axis is parallel to the second direction X-X. The first direction Y-Y and the second direction X-X may be different. An angle between the first direction Y-Y and the second direction X-X may be arbitrary, including but not limited to 30 degrees, 45 degrees, or 60 degrees. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first direction Y-Y and the second direction X-X is perpendicular to each other. The second direction X-X is a longitudinal direction of the pipetting device. Along a direction (e.g., a third direction Z-Z) perpendicular to both the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis, central portions of the first motor 1110 and the second motor 1210 may be arranged in a stacked manner. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the third direction Z-Z is a vertical direction of the pipetting device. Such arrangement enables a more compact structure of the spacing adjustment device 1000, thereby improving space utilization within the pipetting device.

[0046] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the linkage assembly 1300 includes a scissor-type telescopic frame. The scissor-type telescopic frame includes multiple scissor linkage units. The scissor linkage units are in one-to-one correspondence with the adjustable-spacing members 1400. Each scissor linkage unit includes a first link, a second link, and an intra-unit pivot shaft. The first link is rotatably connected to the second link via the intra-unit pivot shaft. The intra-unit pivot shaft is disposed on the corresponding adjustable-spacing member 1400. With such arrangement, each of the first link and second link can rotate relative to the corresponding adjustable-spacing member 1400 about the intra-unit pivot shaft. An end of the first link may be rotatably connected to an end of a second link of an adjacent scissor linkage unit via a first inter-unit pivot shaft. An end of the second link may be rotatably connected to an end of a first link of the adjacent scissor linkage unit via a second inter-unit pivot shaft.

[0047] For ease of description, referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, two adjacent scissor linkage units are defined as a scissor linkage unit 1310 and a scissor linkage unit 1320. Hereinafter, the operation process of the scissor-type telescopic frame and the interaction among its constituent components will be described in detail based on this embodiment. The scissor linkage unit 1310 and the scissor linkage unit 1320 may be in one-to-one correspondence with adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400. The scissor linkage unit 1310 includes a first link 1311, a second link 1312, and an intra-unit pivot shaft 1313. The first link 1311 is rotatably connected to the second link 1312 via the intra-unit pivot shaft 1313. The intra-unit pivot shaft 1313 is disposed on the corresponding adjustable-spacing member 1400. The scissor linkage unit 1320 includes a first link 1321, a second link 1322, and an intra-unit pivot shaft 1323. The first link 1321 is rotatably connected to the second link 1322 via the intra-unit pivot shaft 1323. The intra-unit pivot shaft 1323 is disposed on the corresponding adjustable-spacing member 1400. An end of the first link 1311 is rotatably connected to an end of the second link 1322 via the first inter-unit pivot shaft 1331. An end of the second link 1312 is rotatably connected to an end of the first link 1321 via the second inter-unit pivot shaft 1332. In this embodiment, among the multiple scissor linkage units arranged along the first direction Y-Y, the scissor linkage unit 1320 is located in an intermediate position , with one side connected to the scissor linkage unit 1310 and the other side connected to another scissor linkage unit. In this way, the first link 1321 and the second link 1322 are each connected to the intra-unit pivot shaft 1323 at a middle portion thereof. Thus, the scissor linkage unit 1320 generally forms an "X" shape. Both ends of the first link 1321 are each connected to the corresponding adjacent scissor linkage unit via the corresponding second inter-unit pivot shaft. Both ends of the second link 1322 are each connected to the corresponding adjacent scissor linkage unit via the corresponding first inter-unit pivot shaft. Among the multiple scissor linkage units arranged along the first direction Y-Y, the scissor linkage unit 1310 is positioned at an end, with one side connected to the scissor linkage unit 1320 and the other side free from connection to any scissor linkage unit. In this way, the other end of the first link 1311 and the other end of the second link 1312 are connected to the intra-unit pivot shaft 1313. Thus, the scissor linkage unit 1310 generally forms a "<" shape, reducing overall dimensions of the scissor-type telescopic frame. Alternatively, the configuration of the scissor linkage unit 1310 may refer to the scissor linkage unit 1320, i.e., the first link 1311 and the second link 1312 are each connected to the intra-unit pivot shaft 1313 at a middle portion thereof. Thus, the scissor linkage unit 1310 generally forms an "X" shape. Therefore, among the multiple scissor linkage units arranged along the first direction Y-Y, the scissor linkage unit positioned at the end may be in a "<" shape or an "X" shape.

[0048] In practical application, when the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move away from the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 along the first direction Y-Y, the scissor linkage unit on the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 drives other scissor linkage units to move the first inter-unit pivot shaft and the second inter-unit pivot shaft between each pair of adjacent scissor linkage units towards each other, thereby increasing the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400. Conversely, when the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move towards the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 along the first direction Y-Y, the scissor linkage unit on the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 drives other scissor linkage units to move the first inter-unit shaft and the second inter-unit shaft between each pair of adjacent scissor linkage units away from each other, thereby reducing the spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400. The second drive assembly 1200 drives the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 on substantially the same principle as the first drive assembly 1100 drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401, and a detailed description will not be repeated here for conciseness.

[0049] The linkage assembly 1300 employing a scissor-type telescopic frame has a relatively compact structure, facilitating installation and arrangement. Moreover, the number of scissor linkage units can be increased or decreased according to the number of adjustable-spacing members 1400, providing better scalability to the linkage assembly 1300 and enhancing its applicability. Additionally, the linkage assembly 1300 ensures relatively uniform spacing between the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400.

[0050] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, among the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 arranged along the first direction Y-Y, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 are positioned at opposite ends. Thus, compared with adjustable-spacing members located at intermediate positions along the first direction Y-Y among the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400, the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 are positioned more outwardly, providing more space for installation and disassembly. Therefore, the above arrangement not only facilitates installation and disassembly of the first drive assembly 1100 and the first adjustable-spacing member 1401, but also facilitates installation and disassembly of the second drive assembly 1200 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402.

[0051] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, the spacing adjustment device 1000 further includes a first guide rail 1500. The first guide rail 1500 extends along the first direction Y-Y. A slide member 1410 is provided on each of the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400. The slide member 1410 is slidably connected to the first guide rail 1500. With such arrangement, the first guide rail 1500 provide better guidance for the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400, thereby ensuring better stability for the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 during their sliding along the first direction Y-Y. Moreover, in the embodiment where the first transmission mechanism 1120 includes the lead screw 1121 and the nut 1122, with the slide member 1410 being connected to the first guide rail 1500, the nut 1122 is prevented from rotation, allowing the nut 1122 to move along the first direction Y-Y, which in turn drives the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 to move along the first direction Y-Y.

[0052] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, multiple first guide rails 1500 are arranged side by side. In the embodiment shown in the figures, adjacent first guide rails 1500 are spaced apart along the third direction Z-Z. The slide members 1410 on adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 are slidably connected to different first guide rails 1500. Projections of the slide members 1410 on adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 onto a plane perpendicular to the first direction Y-Y are completely offset from each other. Specifically, the slide members 1410 on adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 have a first projection area and a second projection area respectively on the plane perpendicular to the first direction Y-Y. The first and second projection areas are completely offset from each other, thus having no overlap. In an embodiment where the first direction Y-Y is perpendicular to both the second direction X-X and the third direction Z-Z, both the second direction X-X and the third direction Z-Z lie in the plane described above. In the related art, a minimum spacing between adjacent adjustable-spacing members is limited by the size of the slide members on them, meaning that at the minimum spacing, the slide members abut each other. In contrast, in this embodiment, the slide members 1410 on adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 are offset from each other along a direction perpendicular to the first direction Y-Y (e.g., the third direction Z-Z). During sliding of the slide members 1410 on adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 along the first guide rail 1500, the slide members 1410 do not interfere with each other. Even when adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 are at their minimum spacing, the slide members 1410 on them do not contact each other. This allows the adjacent adjustable-spacing members 1400 to be brought as close together as possible. Therefore, with the overall dimensions of the spacing adjustment device 1000 unchanged, the spacing between the adjustable-spacing members 1400 can be reduced. This allows for either a reduction in the space that the adjustable-spacing members 1400 occupy or an increase in their total number. As such, the spacing adjustment device 1000 has a more rational structure and higher spatial utilization.

[0053] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, each of the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 may be provided with multiple slide members 1410. Thus, each adjustable-spacing member 1400 can slide along multiple first guide rails 1500, thereby improving sliding stability.

[0054] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, 7 and 8, slide members 1410 on a pair of adjustable-spacing members 1400, separated by one intervening adjustable-spacing member 1400, are slidably connected to the same first guide rail 1500. For example, in some embodiments, four adjustable-spacing members 1400 may be provided For ease of description, the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 arranged along the first direction Y-Y may be referred to as a first adjustable-spacing member 1401, a third adjustable-spacing member 1403, a fourth adjustable-spacing member 1404, and a second adjustable-spacing member 1402 in sequence. The slide members 1410 on the first adjustable-spacing member 1401 and the fourth adjustable-spacing member 1404 are slidably connected to the same one of the first guide rails 1500. The slide members 1410 on the third adjustable-spacing member 1403 and the second adjustable-spacing member 1402 are slidably connected to the same other of the first guide rails 1500. Such arrangement requires a relatively small number of first guide rails 1500, which lowers manufacturing costs.

[0055] In an embodiment, the spacing adjustment device 1000 further includes a mounting base 1600, a third drive assembly 1800, and a second guide rail 1700. The mounting base 1600 is slidably connected to the second guide rail 1700. The first drive assembly 1100, the second drive assembly 1200, and the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 are disposed on the mounting base 1600. The third drive assembly 1800 is configured to drive the mounting base 1600 to slide along the second guide rail 1700. The second guide rail 1700 extends along the second direction X-X. The third drive assembly 1800 may employ various types of drive assemblies known in the art or potentially available in the future, including but not limited to a drive assembly employing a motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. With such arrangement, the third drive assembly 1800 can drive the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 to move along the second direction X-X.

[0056] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, multiple second guide rails 1700 are arranged side by side. In the embodiment shown in the figures, adjacent second guide rails 1700 are spaced apart along the first direction Y-Y. Thus, the mounting base 1600 can slide along the multiple second guide rails 1700, thereby improving sliding stability.

[0057] In the embodiment where the spacing adjustment device 1000 is applied to the pipetting device, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 is provided with a third guide rail 1420. The third guide rail 1420 extends along the third direction Z-Z. In the embodiment where each of the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 is provided with a slide member 1410, the slide member 1410 and the third guide rail 1420 are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the adjustable-spacing member 1400. The pipetting channels 2000 are slidably connected to their respective third guide rails 1420. The pipetting device may further include multiple drive members 3000. The drive members 3000 are connected to the pipetting channels 2000. Driven by the drive members 3000, the pipetting channels 2000 can slide along the third guide rail 1420. The drive member 3000 includes, but is not limited to, a motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. The drive members 3000 drive the pipetting channels 2000 to slide along the third guide rails 1420 so as to approach the first containers and the second containers, to facilitate liquid aspiration and dispensing. After liquid aspiration and dispensing are completed, the drive members 3000 drive the pipetting channels 2000 to move back along the third guide rails 1420, thereby facilitating pipetting. Such arrangement enhances functionality of the adjustable-spacing members 1400, thereby improving user experience of the pipetting device.

[0058] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pipetting device further includes a transport device 4000. The transport device 4000 can move along the first direction Y-Y. The transport device 4000 includes a transport gripper, a transport suction cup, or the like, provided that it is capable of transporting materials. The transport device 4000 is configured to transport materials (including the first materials and the second materials) in the pipetting device. Thus, the transport device has enhanced functionality and improved user experience.

[0059] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transport device 4000 is slidably connected to the second guide rail 1700. Thus, the transport device 4000 can transport materials to more positions.

[0060] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pipetting device further includes a base 5100, a housing 5200, and a door 5300. The base 5100 is rested on the floor or a work surface. An accommodation space 5400 is defined by the base 5100 and the housing 5200. The spacing adjustment device 1000 is disposed within the accommodation space 5400. The housing 5200 is formed with an opening 5210 being in communication with the accommodation space 5400. The door 5300 is connected to the housing 5200 in a manner that the door is movable between an open position and a closed position by translation, rotation, or any other suitable means. When the door 5300 is in the open position, the opening 5210 is uncovered, and relevant personnel can load and unload materials through the opening 5210. When the door 5300 is in the closed position, the opening 5210 is blocked, preventing external environments outside the pipetting device from affecting components such as the spacing adjustment device 1000 within the accommodation space 5400.

[0061] In some embodiments, the transport device 4000 can transport materials into and out of the pipetting device through the opening 5210. Of course, the housing 5200 may also be formed with other openings for the transport device 4000 to transport materials into and out of the pipetting device.

[0062] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base 5100 is provided with the target position 5110 and a designated position 5120. One or more first bases are disposed at the target position 5110. Each first base is used for receiving a first tray. The first tray is used to hold the first containers of the multiple first materials. One or more second bases are disposed at the designated position 5120. Each second base is used for receiving a second tray. The second tray is used to hold the second containers of the multiple second materials. The transport device 4000 can transport the first tray and the second tray between the target position 5110 and the designated position 5120, so as to transport the first materials and the second materials. The pipetting channels 2000 on the multiple adjustable-spacing members 1400 can complete pipetting operations at the target position 5110.

[0063] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that directional terms such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "transverse", "vertical", "perpendicular", "horizontal", "top" and "bottom" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description. In the absence of contrary description, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. The directional terms such as "inner" and "outer" refer to the interior and exterior, respectively, relative to the contour of respective components themselves.

[0064] For ease of description, relative spatial terms such as "on", "above", "on an upper surface of", "over" may be used herein to describe a spatial positional relationship between one or more parts or features and other parts or features as shown in the drawings. It should be understood that these relative spatial terms are intended to include not only the orientation depicted in the figures but also different orientations of the parts in use or operation. For example, if parts in the drawing are inverted as a whole, the expression that a part being "above" or "on" other parts or features would then include the situation that the part being "below" or "under" the other parts or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below" orientations. Furthermore, these parts or features may be oriented at other angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and all such orientations are intended to be included in the present application.

[0065] It should be noted that the terms used herein are solely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless explicitly indicated in the context. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in the specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, components, assemblies and / or combinations thereof.

[0066] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second" and the like in the specification, the claims and the drawings of the present application are used to distinguish similar objects rather than to describe a particular sequence or order. It should be noted that the data used in this way can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0067] The present application has been described by way of the above embodiments, but it should be understood that these embodiments are provided for purposes of illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present application to the scope of the described embodiments. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present application is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and variations may be made based on the teachings of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection sought by the present application. The scope of protection of the present application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A spacing adjustment device, comprising: a first drive assembly; a second drive assembly; a linkage assembly; and a plurality of adjustable-spacing members, wherein the plurality of adjustable-spacing members are arranged in a row along a first direction and are movable along the first direction, the plurality of adjustable-spacing members are connected together via the linkage assembly; and wherein the plurality of adjustable-spacing members comprise a first adjustable-spacing member and a second adjustable-spacing member, wherein the first adjustable-spacing member is connected to the first drive assembly, the second adjustable-spacing member is connected to the second drive assembly, and spacing between the plurality of adjustable-spacing members along the first direction is adjustable, driven by the first drive assembly and / or the second drive assembly and guided by the linkage assembly.

2. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the first drive assembly comprises a first motor and a first transmission mechanism drivingly connected to the first motor, and the second drive assembly comprises a second motor and a second transmission mechanism drivingly connected to the second motor, wherein the first transmission mechanism is connected to the first adjustable-spacing member, and the second transmission mechanism is connected to the second adjustable-spacing member.

3. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein the first transmission mechanism comprises a lead screw extending along the first direction and a nut threadedly connected to the lead screw, wherein the lead screw is connected to an output shaft of the first motor, and the first adjustable-spacing member is connected to the nut.

4. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein the second transmission mechanism comprises a driven pulley, a drive pulley connected to an output shaft of the second motor, and a transmission belt fitted to the drive pulley and the driven pulley, wherein the second adjustable-spacing member is connected to the transmission belt.

5. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly comprises a scissor-type telescopic frame, wherein the scissor-type telescopic frame comprises a plurality of scissor linkage units in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of adjustable-spacing members, each scissor linkage unit comprises a first link, a second link, and an intra-unit pivot shaft, wherein the first link is rotatably connected to the second link via the intra-unit pivot shaft, and the intra-unit pivot shaft is disposed on the corresponding adjustable-spacing member, and wherein an end of the first link of each scissor linkage unit is rotatably connected to an end of a second link of an adjacent scissor linkage unit via a first inter-unit pivot shaft, and an end of the second link of each scissor linkage unit is rotatably connected to an end of a first link of the adjacent scissor linkage unit via a second inter-unit pivot shaft.

6. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the first adjustable-spacing member and the second adjustable-spacing member are located at opposite ends of the plurality of adjustable-spacing members along the first direction.

7. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the first drive assembly has a first drive velocity for driving the first adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction, and the second drive assembly has a second drive velocity for driving the second adjustable-spacing member to move along the first direction, wherein the plurality of adjustable-spacing members are configured to be driven by the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly to move collectively along the first direction when a difference between the first drive velocity the second drive velocity is zero; and / or the spacing between the plurality of adjustable-spacing members along the first direction is adjustable when the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is non-zero.

8. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 7, wherein the first drive assembly comprises a first motor, the second drive assembly comprises a second motor, both the first motor and the second motor are servo motors, and the difference between the first drive velocity and the second drive velocity is determined by a pulse difference between the first motor and the second motor.

9. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 1, further comprising a first guide rail extending along the first direction, and each of the plurality of adjustable-spacing members is provided with a slide member that is slidably connected to the first guide rail.

10. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 9, wherein the number of the first guide rail is plural, and the plurality of first guide rails are arranged side by side, wherein slide members on adjacent adjustable-spacing members are slidably connected to different first guide rails, and projections of the slide members on the adjacent adjustable-spacing members onto a plane perpendicular to the first direction are completely offset from each other.

11. The spacing adjustment device according to claim 10, wherein slide members on a pair of the plurality of adjustable-spacing members, separated by one intervening adjustable-spacing member, are slidably connected to a same one of the plurality of first guide rails.

12. A pipetting device, comprising the spacing adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and a plurality of pipetting channels, wherein the plurality of pipetting channels are arranged in a row along the first direction and are provided on the plurality of adjustable-spacing members in one-to-one correspondence.

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