Connecting device for pipette tips

Abstract

To provide a coupling device for pipette tips that ensures reliable expansion and retraction of the retaining portion of the coupling device's engaging portion. [Solution] The connecting device 1 has a connecting base body 2, which has a distal end plate 20, a groove 21 for sealing means 3, a cylindrical region 23, and a shaft region. A retaining plate 4 can be placed in the shaft region. The connecting base body 2 also has an aspiration / discharge opening 25, which extends axially through the entire connecting base body to draw fluid from or discharge fluid thereto from a connected pipette tip. A group of three retaining elements 51, 52, and 53 is provided. Each of the retaining elements 51, 52, and 53 is securely guided by an actuator sleeve 6.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a pipette tip holder and a connecting device respectively for a pipette tip, such as the pipette tip shown in International Publication No. 2024 / 170593 (A1).

Background Art

[0002] In the current state of the art, a number of pipette tip connecting devices are known for use, for example, with pipette operating robots.

[0003] The connecting device is usually designed to grip the pipette tip and / or seal between the pipette tip and the connecting device. For this purpose, the connecting device can have a mandrel that engages from above with the inside of the pipette tip. After engagement, a part (holding part) of the engaging part of the mandrel expands, and by doing so, the pipette tip is sealingly held by the mandrel as required. The expanded engaging part can seat against the inner wall of the pipette tip or in a groove formed in the inner wall thereof.

[0004] To release the pipette tip from the mandrel, the holding part of the mandrel is retracted to its initial position, and by doing so, the mandrel can be pulled out from the inside of the pipette tip or the pipette tip can be removed from the mandrel substantially without friction. In the prior art International Publication No. 2024 / 170593 (A1), the holding part is retracted, for example, by an elastic return element.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a coupling device for pipette tips that ensures reliable expansion and retraction of the retaining portion of the coupling device's engaging portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This objective is achieved by the connecting device described in the claims, as described below.

[0008] The coupling device according to the present invention comprises a coupling base, at least one holding element that is radially movable relative to the coupling base, at least one actuator element that is axially movable relative to the coupling base, and a shape-coupled guide between the holding element and the actuator element.

[0009] The actuator element may be, for example, a sleeve that is positioned on and / or surrounds a part of the connecting base.

[0010] The retaining element is moved outward in a connected state so as to contact the inner wall of the pipette tip or a retaining surface formed on the inner wall of the pipette tip.

[0011] In this context, “movement” means the translation and / or tilt of an element that causes at least one of the axial and radial displacements of an element or at least a portion of an element.

[0012] The coupling device may comprise at least one of the following components: a coupling base, a retaining element, and a removal sleeve that at least partially encloses the actuator element; a sealing element positioned on the coupling base; a stopper plate for restricting the axial movement of the actuator element; and / or a return element for applying an axial force to the actuator element.

[0013] The term "stop plate" refers to all conceivable forms of stoppers that can restrict the movement of an actuator element.

[0014] The connecting base may comprise at least one of the following components: a distal end plate, a groove for receiving a sealing element (e.g., an O-ring), a cylindrical region, a shaft region, an suction / discharge opening extending axially through the connecting base, and / or a projection for engaging with a return element.

[0015] A shape-coupled guide may comprise at least a first guide element positioned on one or more holding elements, and at least one second guide element positioned on an actuator element that interacts with the first guide element in the form of a shape-coupled guide.

[0016] Each guide element may have a guide projection, a guide groove, a guide slide, a slotted link guide, and so on.

[0017] In particular, the axial movement of the actuator element reliably guides the radial movement of the retaining element (linear translation and / or tilt with a radial component). When the retaining element is extended or retracted, there is no need to use a return element in the form of an elastic element, such as a spring or rubber. This reduces the number of required components and, therefore, reduces the system's vulnerability to failure. Furthermore, it has been found that the inward and outward movements of the retaining element can be executed more precisely by the shape-coupled guide. The present invention is illustrated by the drawings and the following description of the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the connecting device according to the present invention in the first state is shown. [Figure 2a] A perspective view of the connecting base body according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 2b] A perspective view of the retaining element according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a side view and a top view of the connecting device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 1 shows a side view and a cross-sectional view of a connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows an axial cross-sectional view and a radial cross-sectional view of a connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows a side view of a connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a second state. [Figure 7] Figure 10 shows an axial cross-sectional view of a connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 13 shows an enlarged detailed view of a form-fit guide of a retaining element for a sleeve according to the present invention. **DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**

[0019] The connecting device of the liquid handling system has a connecting device according to the present invention and an ejector sleeve (not shown). Figure 1 shows the connecting device 1 according to the present invention, and the connecting device 1 has the form of a mandrel that can be partially inserted into the inside of a pipette tip (not shown).

[0020] The connecting device 1 has a connecting base body 2. The connecting base body 2 has a distal end plate 20, a groove 21 for a sealing means 3 (for example, an O-ring), a cylindrical region 23, and a shaft region 24. A retaining plate 4 can be arranged in the shaft region 24. The connecting base body 2 also has a suction / discharge opening 25, and the suction / discharge opening 25 extends axially through the entire connecting base body 2 to suck fluid from or discharge fluid to a pipette tip (not shown) connected to the connecting device 1.

[0021] Figures 2a and 2b show the components of the connecting device 1. Figure 2a shows the connecting base body 2, and Figure 2b shows one group of three retaining elements 51, 52, 53. Each of the retaining elements 51, 52, 53 has a step 510 (shown only for the first retaining element 51 as an example).

[0022] Furthermore, the coupling device 1 has an actuator sleeve 6, the function of which will be described in more detail below. The retaining elements 51-53 and the actuator sleeve 6 are arranged on a plate-like carrier 26 of the coupling base body 2, the sleeve 6 is movable in the axial direction, and the retaining elements 51-53 are movable and / or tiltable in the radial direction. The movements of the sleeve 6 and the retaining elements 51-53 are interlocked; that is, when the sleeve 6 moves axially upward (towards the proximal end) or downward (towards the distal end), the retaining elements 51-53 move inward or outward, respectively, depending on its upward or downward direction. Their movements are interlocked in the form of a shape-coupled guide. This means that no elastic elements (springs or compressible elements) are required for the retaining elements 51-53 to enable or assist the outward movement and / or the inward return movement.

[0023] Shape-coupled guides can be realized, for example, by corresponding guide elements formed on the sleeve 6 and retaining elements 51-53, which interact according to the shape-coupled guide, e.g., corresponding guide protrusions and grooves / slots. In this example, retaining elements 51-53 have lateral guide protrusions (e.g., 512, 532).

[0024] Figures 3 to 5 show side and cross-sectional views of the same coupling device 1 in a first state where the retaining elements 51 to 53 are extended, i.e., in a state where it is connected to a pipette tip. The sleeve 6 is in a first axial position. The retaining elements 51 to 53 are in a first radial position (including a first inclined position). There is a relatively small projection d that extends beyond the edge of the carrier 26 (corresponding to the inner gap d). The compression spring 7, positioned between the projection 27 of the coupling base 2 and the inner projection 60 of the sleeve 6, is in a compressed state.

[0025] Figures 6 and 7 show a side view and a cross-sectional view of the same coupling device 1 in a second state where the retaining elements 51-53 are retracted, i.e., the coupling with the pipette tip is released. The sleeve 6 is in the second axial position. The retaining elements 51-53 are in the second radial position (including the second inclined position). There are no protrusions beyond the edge of the carrier 26, and the lower edges (e.g., 511) of the retaining elements 51-53 are flush with the edge of the carrier 26. The compression spring 7 between the projection 27 of the coupling base 2 and the projection 60 on the inside of the sleeve 6 is in the uncompressed state. The upper surface 61 of the sleeve 6 is in contact with the retaining plate 4, and the retaining plate 4 restricts the movement of the sleeve 6 toward the proximal end.

[0026] The shape-coupled guide 530, for example, a slide guide or a slotted link guide, ensures that when the sleeve 6 moves in the axial direction, the retaining elements 51-52 perform radial movement (or inclined movement) corresponding to the axial movement of the sleeve.

[0027] Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the radial cross-section of Figure 5, which shows the shape-coupled guide of the retaining elements 51-53 by projections 512, 522, and 532 that engage with the groove (sliding guide) 63 of the actuator sleeve 6. The radial position (or inclined position) of the retaining elements 51-53 changes according to the radial position of the groove 63, which depends on the axial position of the sleeve 6. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0028] 1 connecting device, 2 connecting base body, 3 sealing means, 4 stopper plate, 6 actuator sleeve, 20 distal end plate, 21 groove, 23 cylindrical region, 24 shaft region, 25 suction discharge opening, 51 retaining element, 52 retaining element, 53 retaining element, 63 groove, sliding guide, 510 step, 512 projection, 522 projection, 532 projection.

Claims

1. Connecting base (2), The connecting base body (2) is provided with at least one holding element (51-53) that is radially movable, The connecting base body (2) is provided with at least one actuator element (6) that is movable in the axial direction, A shape-coupled guide between the holding elements (51-53) and the actuator element (6), A connecting device (1) characterized by comprising:

2. The connecting device (1) according to claim 1, A removal sleeve that at least partially surrounds the connecting base (2), the holding elements (51-53), and the actuator element (6), The sealing element (3) is arranged on the connecting base (2), A stopper plate (4) for restricting the axial movement of the actuator element (6), A return element (7) for applying an axial force to the actuator element (6), A connecting device (1) characterized by comprising at least one of the following components.

3. The connecting device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the connecting base (2) is Distal end plate (20), A groove (21) for receiving the sealing element (3), A cylindrical region (23) and Shaft region (24) and A suction and discharge opening (25) extends axially through the aforementioned connecting base (2), A projection (27) for engaging with the return element (7), A connecting device (1) characterized by comprising at least one of the following components.

4. The connecting device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the shape-connecting guide is At least one first guide element is arranged on one or more of the holding elements, A second guide element, positioned on the actuator element (6), cooperates with the first guide element in the form of a shape-coupled guide, A connecting device (1) characterized by comprising:

5. A connecting device (1) according to claim 4, wherein each of the guide elements has at least one of the following: a guide projection, a guide groove, a guide slide, a slotted link guide, etc.

6. A connecting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the axial movement of the actuator element (6) forces the radial movement of the holding elements (51-53).

Images