Liquid Handling Robot Grip Detection for Pipette Tip Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid handling robots experience mechanical errors such as unsuccessful gripping and jamming during manipulation of pipette tips and tubes, leading to potential equipment damage and reduced efficiency due to the need for human intervention.
Innovation Solution
A liquid handling robotic system equipped with a sensor to detect jamming conditions using an infrared break-beam sensor or other types, coupled with a microcontroller to monitor the sensor and perform corrective actions, such as disengaging and reengaging pipette tips from the rack to resolve jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot operates autonomously without human intervention, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to mechanical errors such as jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism using optical sensors to detect jamming conditions during tip withdrawal. The sensor monitors the space between the tip receiver and rack, and when jamming is detected, the system automatically executes corrective actions including releasing and re-engaging tips, thereby maintaining autonomous operation while preventing mechanical errors from causing equipment damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of potential jamming conditions before they cause damage. By monitoring the optical field during the withdrawal process, the system identifies jamming situations in advance and executes preventive corrective actions, ensuring continuous autonomous operation without requiring human intervention for error handling.
2Reliability
If the robot waits for human confirmation after problematic manipulation steps, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs self-diagnosis and self-correction by using optical sensors to detect jamming conditions and automatically executing corrective actions. The system independently monitors its own operations, identifies problems, and resolves them without requiring human confirmation or intervention, thereby maintaining both high reliability and productivity.
3Productivity
If the robot operates outside human working hours, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of human observation
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor system provides continuous feedback during autonomous operation, enabling the robot to detect and respond to jamming conditions independently. This self-monitoring capability ensures that operations conducted outside human working hours remain reliable, as the system automatically identifies and corrects errors without requiring human observation.
4Reliability
If the tip receiver engages tightly with pipette tips, then gripping reliability is improved, but the rack becomes jammed more easily during withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor detects when the rack becomes jammed during withdrawal by monitoring the optical field between the tip receiver and rack. When jamming is detected, the system automatically releases the grip and re-engages the tips, thereby maintaining strong gripping reliability while preventing harmful jamming conditions from causing equipment damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system temporarily discards the strong grip on the tips during withdrawal to prevent rack jamming, then recovers the grip by re-engaging the tips with the tip receiver. This cyclic process of releasing and re-engaging maintains both gripping reliability and prevents harmful jamming conditions.
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
The system effectively detects and resolves jamming conditions autonomously, enhancing operational efficiency by reducing the need for human intervention and preventing equipment damage.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor is an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor. For example, the sensor may include an infrared break-beam sensor that has an emitter configured to emit the beam and a photoelectric receiver configured to receive the beam
Implementation Method 2
the sensor is an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid handling robot has a worktable that supports a rack holding a set of pipette tips. The liquid handling robot also has an arm that is operably suspended above the worktable, where the arm includes a tip receiver that is configured to engage the set of pipette tips. A controller of the liquid handling robot is configured to raise the tip receiver away from the worktable to withdraw the engaged set of pipette tips from the rack. A sensor is fixed relative to the worktable and is operable to emit a beam. A microcontroller monitors the sensor with the arm in a checking position to determine if the rack interrupts in the beam to indicate that the rack stuck to the pipette tips, which is autonomously resolved by the liquid handling robot performing a corrective action.