Modular Pipetting Device with Micro-Gearwheel Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated pipetting devices are hindered by the weight and inertia of plunger pumps, leading to a bulky design, complex maintenance, and increased dead volumes, which compromise precision and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A modular pipetting device with a detachable pipetting unit and a micro-gearwheel pump, where the pipetting tip and pump conduit define a fluid sample conduit, allowing for compact design, easy maintenance, and precise control of fluid volumes, using a liquid system fluid for reduced compressibility and temperature-induced variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If plunger pumps are used for high-precision pipetting, then pipetting precision is improved, but device weight and overall dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a stationary base unit containing the plunger pump and a movable pipetting tip unit. The pump remains fixed while only the tip moves, separating the heavy component from the moving components to reduce inertia while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
A conduit system acts as an intermediary between the stationary pump and movable tip, transmitting pressure forces over a distance without requiring the pump itself to move, thus decoupling weight from motion requirements
2Measurement precision
If plunger pumps are fixed to base-plate for stationary operation, then pipetting precision is maintained, but device complexity and overall dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump, base-plate, and control systems are merged into a single integrated base unit, while the movable unit contains only essential components (tip, conduit connection). This consolidation reduces the number of separate assemblies and simplifies the overall device architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The heavy plunger pump mechanism is extracted from the movable pipetting unit and placed in the stationary base unit, removing the source of complexity and inertia from the moving components while preserving the precision function
3Ease of operation
If lengthy pump conduits are used to connect pump and pipetting tips, then pump-pipette connection is achieved, but dead volume increases and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit length is made dynamic rather than fixed - it can be adjusted or reconfigured based on the specific pipetting task requirements, allowing optimization between connection flexibility and dead volume minimization for different operating scenarios
4Adaptability or versatility
If independently operable pipettes with separate plunger pumps are provided, then pipetting versatility is improved, but device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary pump serves multiple movable pipetting tips simultaneously, making the heavy component universal rather than dedicated to each tip. This allows one pump to support multiple tips for parallel operations, reducing total weight while maintaining versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into one shared pump unit and multiple independent tip units, allowing versatile multi-tip operation without replicating the heavy pump mechanism for each tip, thus reducing overall device weight
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 modular design enables a compact, high-precision pipetting system with reduced maintenance costs and improved adaptability, allowing for precise handling of various fluid volumes while minimizing contamination and particle mixing.
Implementation Method 1
a pump conduit (4) for transferring a negative or positive pressure generated by a micro-gearwheel pump to the pipetting tip (3)
Implementation Method 2
using a liquid system fluid for reduced compressibility and temperature-induced variations
Data Source
AI summary
A pipetting device having a modular pipetting unit including a pipetting tip for pipetting of fluid samples and a pump conduit for transferring a negative or positive pressure to the pipetting tip is disclosed. The pipetting tip and a portion of the pump conduit adjoining the pipetting tip mutually define a fluid sample conduit for receiving the fluid samples. The modular pipetting unit is detachably attached to an automated positioning device for positioning the modular pipetting unit. A system and method for pipetting of fluid samples using such a pipetting device are also disclosed wherein pipetting of the fluid samples is performed in such a manner that each pipetted fluid sample volume is smaller than a volume of the fluid sample conduit.