Modular Liquid Handling System with Interlocked Asymmetric Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid handling systems in laboratories lack the necessary flexibility and speed when performing operations with microwell plates, due to suboptimal module configurations and tool-to-tool distances.
Innovation Solution
A modular liquid handling system with specifically designed modules that can be arranged in interlocked pairs, featuring a housing with a protruding front face portion and a back face, allowing for optimal tool-to-tool distance alignment and efficient use of space, thereby facilitating faster and more precise liquid handling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If modules are arranged in a compact configuration to reduce tool-to-tool distance, then liquid handling speed and flexibility improve, but module width constraints make it difficult to accommodate standard microwell plate dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The module is divided into distinct functional sections: a back face for mounting, a front face with a protruding portion for tool engagement, and an intermediate section. This segmentation allows the module to maintain a compact overall width while providing optimized spacing between tools and the microwell plate, thereby improving liquid handling speed without increasing module width.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion of the front face extends in a direction perpendicular to the main width dimension, creating a three-dimensional configuration. This allows the module to achieve optimal tool-to-tool distance and tool-to-plate distance by utilizing depth and height dimensions rather than increasing width, thus improving productivity within width constraints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple modules are arranged in paired interlocked configuration to optimize space utilization, then system flexibility improves, but precise alignment of tool-to-tool distance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The module employs an asymmetric design where the protruding portion of the front face has specific geometric features that complement the recessed portion of the mating module. This asymmetric configuration provides inherent alignment characteristics that guide precise tool-to-tool distance alignment when modules are interlocked, while still allowing flexible arrangement patterns for different microwell plate configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking configuration of paired modules includes self-aligning features through the geometric relationship between protruding and recessed portions. When modules are brought together, these features automatically guide them into the correct relative position, ensuring precise tool-to-tool distance alignment without requiring complex external alignment mechanisms, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while enabling system flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid handling module comprising: a housing element having a width, height, and depth, wherein the housing element comprises: a back face and a front face comprising two portions wherein the first portion of the front face protrudes outwardly from the front face and wherein the first portion of the front face has a width which is less than the width of the back face.