Flexible Elastomeric Seal for Multi-Axis Pipette Tip Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing diagnostic cartridges and modules fail to maintain a sealed environment during reagent transfer between wells, leading to potential contamination and vaporization or spills of biological samples.

Innovation Solution

The use of a flexible seal with an opening for pipette tip insertion, allowing for movement in X, Y, and Z axes while maintaining a sealed environment, combined with a microbial filter and a perforable seal for accessing contents, supports the transfer of reagents and samples within the cartridges or modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid seal is used to seal the cartridge, then the sealed environment is maintained, but the pipette tip cannot move freely in X, Y, and Z axes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealed environmentVSAvoidpipette tip movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible seal made of elastomeric material that can deform to accommodate pipette tip movement in multiple axes while maintaining the sealed environment. The flexibility of the thin film allows the seal to conform to the moving pipette tip without compromising the seal integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The seal transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can adapt its shape during operation. The flexible seal dynamically adjusts to the pipette tip position changes in X, Y, and Z axes while continuously maintaining the sealed environment throughout the movement range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the seal is made flexible to allow pipette tip movement, then ease of operation is improved, but the sealing reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepipette tip movementVSAvoidsealed environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible seal is constructed from elastomeric material with specific mechanical properties that provide both flexibility for movement and sufficient sealing force. The material composition and thickness are optimized to maintain reliable sealing while accommodating the required range of motion for the pipette tip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The seal may incorporate composite material structures combining different elastomeric components or layers with complementary properties, where one layer provides flexibility for movement and another layer ensures sealing reliability, achieving both ease of operation and sealed environment maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a microbial filter is added to the pipette tip, then contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidpipette tip structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The microbial filter is integrated directly into the pipette tip structure, merging the filtration function with the existing pipette tip. This combination eliminates the need for separate filter components and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining contamination prevention capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pipette tip is designed to serve multiple functions: liquid transfer, sealing interaction, and microbial filtration. By incorporating the microbial filter into the pipette tip, the same component performs both sampling and sterilization functions, reducing the number of separate parts needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration ensures a sealed environment for reagent and sample handling, preventing contamination and spills, and allows for efficient processing of biological samples by enabling precise movement of pipette tips within the cartridges or modules.

Implementation Method 1

The flexible seal permits movement of a pipette tip positioned in the seal along an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, all while maintaining a sealed environment. Suitable flexible materials for forming the flexible seal may include elastomers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the pipette tip includes a microbial filter located inside the pipette tip (e.g., a 0.2 micron microbial filter)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11130137B2Diagnostic cartridges having flexible seals

Publication Date: 2021.09.28 NANOSPHERE INC

AI summary

Disclosed are cartridges and modules that may be utilized in diagnostic systems and methods. The cartridge includes a flexible seal that caps the cartridge. The flexible seal has an opening for a pipette tip, and the flexible seal is configured to create a sealed environment when a pipette tip is positioned in the opening of the flexible seal and when the pipette tip is moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis.