Membrane Pipette with Adjustable Aperture for Precise Volume Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual and electronic pipettes face challenges with precision at small dosing volumes due to limited actuation stroke, high energy expenditure for overcoming friction, and the need for frequent maintenance and greasing of piston and cylinder seals, as well as a restricted range of adjustable dosing volumes.
Innovation Solution
A pipetting device utilizing a flexible membrane with adjustable aperture openings to control gas displacement, allowing for consistent actuation stroke and a wide range of dosing volumes without the need for piston and cylinder maintenance, achieved through deformation of the membrane to vary the displacement chamber volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a piston and cylinder system is used for gas displacement, then dosing volume can be controlled, but friction between piston and cylinder requires increased energy expenditure and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional piston-cylinder mechanical displacement system with a membrane-based system. The membrane separates the displacement chamber from the pipette point, allowing gas displacement through membrane deformation rather than piston movement. This eliminates direct mechanical contact and friction between moving parts, reducing energy expenditure while maintaining dosing volume control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible membrane as the core component of the gas displacement equipment. The membrane can deform to change the volume of the displacement chamber, enabling gas displacement without requiring a piston. This flexible membrane approach eliminates the friction problems inherent in rigid piston-cylinder systems while maintaining the ability to precisely control dosing volumes.
2Measurement precision
If a piston and cylinder system is used for gas displacement, then dosing volume can be controlled, but sealings require frequent maintenance and greasing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the piston-cylinder sealing system entirely by using a membrane-based gas displacement mechanism. The membrane provides a seal between the displacement chamber and pipette point without requiring traditional piston sealings that need greasing and maintenance. This substitution dramatically reduces maintenance requirements while preserving dosing volume control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane in the displacement chamber appears to be designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component. This approach eliminates the need for maintaining complex sealing systems, as the membrane can be simply replaced rather than greased or repaired, significantly improving ease of maintenance while maintaining dosing accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If piston pipettes with different piston cross sections are provided to cover greater ranges, then dosing volume range is expanded, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an adjustable aperture opening mechanism that allows the same pipette device to adapt to different dosing volumes dynamically. The aperture can be adjusted to change the effective cross-sectional area for liquid flow, enabling a single pipette model to cover a wide range of dosing volumes without requiring multiple specialized models. This dynamic adjustment capability expands versatility while maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a universal pipette device with an adjustable aperture opening that can handle multiple dosing volume ranges with a single model. The aperture adjustment mechanism allows one pipette to perform the function of multiple specialized pipettes, eliminating the need for collectors to maintain several different piston cross-section models and reducing overall device complexity.
4Measurement precision
If the actuation stroke is reduced for small dosing volumes, then dosing precision is improved, but control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes in the aperture opening size to accommodate different dosing volumes. By adjusting the aperture opening dimension, the system can achieve precise dosing at small volumes without reducing the actuation stroke. The aperture adjustment compensates for the reduced stroke length, maintaining both precision and ease of operation across different dosing ranges.
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 device provides precise and energy-efficient liquid delivery across a broad range of dosing volumes with a consistent actuation stroke, reducing maintenance needs and allowing a few models to cover a large range of dosing volumes, minimizing the risk of contamination and improving operational ease.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible membrane (20), delimiting the displacement chamber (30) an aperture equipment (21), covering the edge region of the membrane (20), with at least one adjustable aperture opening (28, 29), straight through which the central region of the membrane (20) is deformable
Data Source
AI summary
A pipetting device with a displacement chamber, a flexible membrane delimiting the displacement chamber, a driving equipment for deforming the membrane, a coupling equipment between the driving equipment and the membrane for coupling the driving equipment with the membrane, an equipment for detachably holding a pipette tip, a connection channel between the displacement chamber and the equipment for detachably holding the pipette tip, and an aperture equipment, covering the edge region of the membrane with at least one adjustable aperture opening straight through which the central region of the membrane is deformable.