Comb Transfer Structure for Reusable Pipette Holder Loading

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laboratory equipment requires the use of disposable pipettes, leading to high material and cost requirements due to the disposal of entire magazines after a single use.

Innovation Solution

A reusable transfer device with a comb structure that allows the use of a comb structure that can accommodate pipette holders, which are designed to be inserted into a pipetting device, allowing the use of a reusable pipette holder that can be used with a pipette holder, which is designed to be inserted into a pipetting device, allowing the use of a pipette holder that can be used with a reusable pipette holder.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If disposable magazines with pipette tips are used, then each pipette tip can be securely sealed and used, but the entire magazine must be disposed of after single use, leading to high material and cost requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into three separable components: a reusable magazine body, a reusable transfer device, and disposable pipette tip strips. This segmentation allows only the minimal necessary part (pipette tips) to be disposed of, while the expensive structural components (magazine and transfer device) are reused across multiple uses, directly reducing material consumption and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding the entire magazine after single use, the invention enables recovery and reuse of the magazine body and transfer device. Only the consumable pipette tips are discarded, transforming a single-use system into a reusable system that recovers valuable components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Ease of manufacture

If the inner cross struts are made with uniform height, then manufacturing is simpler, but the pipette holder cannot be securely retained during transfer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidholder retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner cross struts are designed with non-uniform height, where specific struts are extended to create engagement surfaces that interact with the pipette holder. This localized variation in geometry provides the necessary retention function only where needed, while the rest of the structure maintains simple geometry for ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4663301A1Transfer device, transfer system and pipetting system
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 ANALYTIK JENA GMBHCO KG
  • EP4663301A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4663301A1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4663301A1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a transfer device (40) for inserting a pipette holder (41) into a pipetting device (42), comprising: - a comb structure (43) with a longitudinal strut (44) and a plurality of transverse struts (45, 46) arranged perpendicular to it, which are arranged parallel and equidistant to each other and which comprise two outer transverse struts (45) and several inner transverse struts (46) arranged between the outer transverse struts (45), wherein the longitudinal strut (44) and the two outer transverse struts (45) are formed in the form of a three-sided frame (47), wherein the comb structure (43) has a top (57) and a bottom (58), - wherein the inner transverse struts (46) are chamfered on the bottom (58) such that the height of the inner transverse struts (46) extends from the longitudinal strut (44) to an end (46a) of the inner struts facing away from the longitudinal strut (44). Crossbars (46) reduced in size.The invention further relates to a transfer system (55) and a pipetting system (80).