Automated Cell Dispensing Device with Transfer Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of drug screening is labor-intensive and time-consuming due to the repetitive and manual dispensing of cells and medicaments into culture plates, requiring frequent pipette tip replacements to prevent contamination.
Innovation Solution
A cell and medicament dispensing device that automates the process by using a transfer plate with solution recesses, where solutions are injected and then dispensed into culture plate wells using a pipette with a detachable tip, featuring a base with multiple mechanisms for transfer, positioning, injection, and dispensing, allowing for coordinated automation of the dispensing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual dispensing operation is performed for each well with multiple medicament liquids, then precise control of dispensing is achieved, but the process becomes extremely time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the dispensing process by using a transfer plate with multiple solution recesses to hold different medicament liquids, and a multi-channel pipette to dispense multiple substances simultaneously to different well groups, thereby reducing the number of sequential operations required
Solution Approach 2:
A transfer plate serving as an intermediary component is introduced between the medicament storage and the culture plate. The transfer plate receives multiple medicament liquids and facilitates their organized transfer to the culture plate, streamlining the dispensing workflow
2Reliability
If disposable tips are replaced frequently to prevent contamination, then contamination risk is reduced, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pipette is designed with a detachable tip mechanism that allows a single tip to be used for multiple dispensing operations across different solution recesses and well groups. The tip can be removed and reattached as needed, reducing the frequency of replacements while maintaining contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a tip recovery and reuse mechanism where disposable tips are retained on the pipette between uses rather than being discarded after each operation. Tips are recovered and reused for subsequent dispensing tasks, eliminating repeated replacement operations while maintaining sterility
3Measurement precision
If multiple medicament liquids are dispensed sequentially into dozens of wells, then each substance is precisely delivered, but the repetitive operation increases labor intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The culture plate wells are divided into multiple groups, with each group receiving a specific medicament liquid from a corresponding solution recess on the transfer plate. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different well groups, increasing overall dispensing throughput while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables continuous dispensing operations by having the multi-channel pipette dispense to one group of wells while simultaneously preparing for the next group. The transfer plate is pre-loaded with all required medicament liquids, eliminating idle time between dispensing operations and maintaining continuous productive action
Data Source
AI summary
A cell and medicament dispensing device for drug screening is configured to dispense minute amount of cells and medicaments. The device has a base, a transfer plate serving mechanism, a transfer plate positioning mechanism, an injection mechanism, a cell culture plate positioning mechanism, and a dispensing mechanism. The transfer plate serving mechanism moves a transfer plate to the transfer plate positioning mechanism. The injection mechanism injects cells and medicaments into recesses in the transfer plate. A cell culture plate is fixed in the cell culture plate positioning mechanism. The dispensing mechanism moves back and forth between a position above the transfer plate and a position above the cell culture plate to dispense the cells or medicaments from the transfer plate to the cell culture plate. As a result, the process of drug screening is automated to reduce labor and improve quality significantly.