Motorized Pipette Dynamic Rate Control for Electrophoresis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motorized pipettes face challenges in accurately handling and displaying small liquid volumes during pipetting, particularly in applications like electrophoresis, where turbulence must be prevented and precise control over dispensing rates is crucial, often requiring high user attentiveness and lacking clear volume display during cycles.
Innovation Solution
The motorized pipette introduces selectable operating modes that allow for an additional volume to be aspirated beyond the nominal volume, with a reduced take-up rate to avoid air aspiration and a freely selectable low minimum dispensing rate, along with an interruptable dispensing cycle for precise control and display of dispensed volumes, optimized for electrophoresis applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard take-up rate is used to aspirate liquid, then the pipetting process is efficient, but air may be aspirated along with the liquid when approaching the bottom of the source vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The take-up rate is dynamically adjusted during the aspiration process. The control system automatically reduces the take-up rate when the pipette tip approaches the bottom of the source vessel, as detected by position sensing. This dynamic rate adjustment prevents air aspiration while maintaining efficient liquid transfer for the majority of the cycle.
2Productivity
If a high dispensing rate is used, then the pipetting process is faster, but turbulence occurs in the liquid which is unacceptable for electrophoresis applications
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing rate is dynamically controlled based on the selected application mode. For electrophoresis applications, the system automatically implements a low minimum dispensing rate to prevent turbulence. The control system adjusts the motor speed in real-time during dispensing to maintain laminar flow conditions throughout the entire dispensing cycle.
3Manufacturing precision
If the take-up volume is limited to the nominal volume, then the pipette operates within specified parameters, but residual liquid remains in the source vessel that could be valuable
Solution Approach 1:
The control system allows dynamic adjustment of the take-up volume beyond the nominal volume when operating in electrophoresis mode. The positioning means can be advanced further than the standard stop point to aspirate additional residual liquid from the source vessel. The system automatically reduces the take-up rate during this extended phase to ensure complete liquid transfer without introducing air bubbles.
4Ease of operation
If the dispensing cycle is continuous and automatic, then the operation is simple, but the user cannot monitor or control the dispensing process in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The optical display means provides real-time feedback during the dispensing cycle by displaying the current dispensed volume. The control system continuously updates the display with the actual volume dispensed, allowing the user to monitor progress. The display also shows the target volume and can indicate when the cycle is complete or interrupted.
Data Source
AI summary
A motorized pipette is described for pipetting and titration of especially small amounts with an especially slow rate. An interruptable dispensing cycle allows extremely accurate titration and pipetting in which a take-up cycle is continued with an additional volume of a limited amount. Additionally, a certain minimum dispensing rate, which is preferably preset at the factory, for certain operating modes can be provided.