Pipette Tip Adapter Assembly for Multichannel Pipettors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multichannel air displacement pipettors require high axial forces to install and eject pipette tips, leading to heavy designs, safety concerns, and increased costs due to the need for robust structures and reinforced tip racks, which can result in poor sealing and attachment issues.
Innovation Solution
A pipette tip adapter with a planar base and array of openings, featuring sealing and tip mounting tubes that reduce mounting and ejection forces by allowing the use of commonly available low-cost tips, with reinforcing ribs for stability and chamfered ends to minimize insertion forces and wear on seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If high axial forces are used to install and eject pipette tips in multichannel pipettors, then the tips can be securely attached and removed, but the device structure becomes heavy and requires robust construction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the tip mounting system into separate modular components: a tip rack that holds multiple tips and a mounting mechanism that engages with the rack. This segmentation allows the force application to be distributed and controlled, reducing the need for heavy robust construction while maintaining secure tip attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary tip rack structure that mediates between the mounting mechanism and the pipette tips. The rack acts as a force distribution element, allowing lower axial forces to be applied while still achieving secure tip attachment through the rack's structural integrity and geometric design.
2Force
If high axial forces are applied to install tips in multichannel pipettors, then tips can be securely mounted, but tip racks bow in the center causing poor sealing and attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The tip rack is segmented into multiple independent tip holders arranged in a grid pattern, each capable of holding individual tips. This segmentation prevents force concentration at the center, eliminating rack bowing while maintaining uniform sealing and attachment across all tip positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism applies force locally at specific engagement points on the tip rack rather than distributing force uniformly across the entire rack structure. This localized force application prevents center bowing while ensuring adequate mounting force at each tip position.
3Reliability
If reinforced tip racks are used to prevent bowing under high forces, then sealing and attachment improve, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the tip rack design, using optimized spacing, thickness, and support structure dimensions that provide adequate rigidity without requiring excessive material reinforcement. This reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip rack design uses standardized, commonly available rack geometries that can be manufactured using conventional processes, avoiding the need for expensive proprietary reinforced designs while achieving the required mechanical performance through proper force distribution.
4Force
If proprietary pipette tips with reduced insertion forces are used, then mounting and ejection forces are lowered, but the tips are more complex and expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The tip rack serves as an intermediary that decouples the force reduction requirement from the tip design itself. Standard simple tips are used, and the force reduction is achieved through the rack's force distribution mechanism rather than through complex tip geometry, maintaining tip manufacturing simplicity and low cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains compatibility with inexpensive disposable pipette tips by using a mounting mechanism that applies force through the rack structure rather than requiring complex tip features. This allows continued use of simple, low-cost tip materials and designs.
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 adapter reduces the forces required to mount and seal tips to less than 10 lbs, enhancing safety and reducing the risk of tip rack bowing, while allowing for the use of universal pipette tips, thus lowering operational costs and improving sealing reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The tip mounting tubes are externally dimensioned and configured for insertion into the conical upper ends of pipette tips
Implementation Method 2
The pipette tips comprise through bores with conical upper ends, and each of the tip mounting tubes of the adapter is engaged with one of the pipette tips
Data Source
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AI summary
An adapter for connecting an array of pipette tips having through bores with conical upper ends to a multichannel air displacement pipettor having a plurality of ports with compliant internal sealing surfaces. The adapter comprises a planar base with an array of openings extending between its top and bottom surfaces. Sealing tubes project upwardly from the top surface, and tip mounting tubes project downwardly from the bottom surface, with pairs of sealing tubes and tip mounting tubes being arranged coaxially and in communication with respective ones of the openings in the base. The tip mounting tubes are externally dimensioned and configured for insertion into the conical upper ends of the pipette tips, and the sealing tubes are externally configured and dimensioned for insertion into the ports of the pipettor and into sealing interengagement with their compliant internal sealing surfaces.