Pipette Tip Tray With Enclosed Used-Tip Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated pipetting systems face challenges in managing used pipette tips with residual liquid, as they are often discarded, leading to cross-contamination risks and difficulties in waste disposal due to the nature of reagents used in biotechnology and analytical chemistry testing.
Innovation Solution
A pipette tip holder with a tray and array of openings, where some openings provide access to a container interior, allowing used tips to be disposed of while isolating them from others, and a cover for containment, facilitating efficient liquid disposal and reducing cross-contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If used pipette tips are discarded in mixed waste containers, then disposal is simplified, but cross-contamination risk increases and waste management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The waste container is segmented into multiple separate compartments, each designated for specific types of waste (e.g., biohazardous waste, chemical waste, sharps). This segmentation allows used pipette tips to be disposed of in the appropriate compartment, simplifying the disposal process while preventing cross-contamination between different waste types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary classification system (color-coded labels, signage, and compartment dividers) that mediates between the user and the waste disposal process. This intermediary guides users to the correct compartment for pipette tip disposal, reducing cross-contamination risk while maintaining ease of use.
2Reliability
If new pipette tips are selected for each liquid transfer, then cross-contamination is prevented, but consumable usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical function of cross-contamination prevention from the disposable tip itself and relocates it to a reusable sterilizable tip holder. The tip holder can be sterilized between uses, allowing the same physical holder to be reused multiple times while maintaining cross-contamination prevention through sterilization rather than disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the entire pipette tip assembly, the patent separates the disposable component (tip cone) from the reusable component (tip holder). The tip holder is recovered and sterilized for reuse, while only the contaminated tip cone is discarded, significantly reducing consumable usage while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If pipette tips are disposed with residual liquid, then disposal process is simplified, but waste management difficulty increases due to reagent nature
Solution Approach 1:
The waste container is segmented into specialized compartments for different waste types, with each compartment designed to handle specific reagents appropriately. This segmentation simplifies the disposal process by providing clear guidance on where to place different types of waste, while reducing waste management complexity through proper segregation of hazardous materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipette tip holder includes a tray including an array of openings to receive pipette tips. A plurality of the openings provide access to interiors of a plurality of enclosures. At least one opening of the array of openings of the array is free of an enclosure. The pipette tip holder further includes a container. The tray is secured over a mouth of the container. The at least one opening of the array of openings provides access through the tray to the interior of the container.