Pipette Tip Tray and Rack Assembly for Static-Charge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pipette tips in conventional tray and rack assemblies can become statically charged due to movement, leading to misalignment, which interferes with liquid handling and dispensing operations, especially for high-density racks, causing misalignment, contamination, and costly downtime.
Innovation Solution
A pipette tip tray and rack assembly design featuring a support plate with downward extending sleeves and a cover that minimizes movement by increasing contact and reducing gaps, using tapered holes and a cushioning layer to stabilize pipette tips, preventing static charge buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pipette tips are placed in conventional tray and rack assemblies, then they can be stored and transported, but static charge builds up causing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
A conductive tray acts as an intermediary between the rack and pipette tips, providing a pathway to dissipate static charges. The tray's conductive material (metal or conductive polymer) allows charges to flow from the tips through the tray to the rack, preventing charge accumulation that would cause misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical conductivity parameter of the tray is changed from insulating (conventional plastic) to conductive (metal or conductive polymer). This parameter change enables the tray to actively manage static charges through electrical dissipation rather than allowing charge accumulation.
2Quantity of substance
If high density rack assemblies are used to increase capacity, then more tips can be stored, but tips become more susceptible to misalignment from static charges
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive tray serves as a mediator between each tip and the rack structure, providing localized charge dissipation pathways at each tip position. This ensures that even in high-density configurations where tips are closely spaced, each tip maintains proper alignment through individual charge management.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive tray performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for high-density tip arrangement, enables charge dissipation for all tips, and maintains alignment accuracy. This multi-functionality allows high capacity without sacrificing reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pipette tips move during shipping and handling, then they can be accommodated in the rack, but misalignment occurs affecting liquid handling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive tray acts as a mediator that maintains precise tip positioning while allowing for handling flexibility. The tray's structure guides tip placement and maintains alignment during shipping and handling, preventing the misalignment that would otherwise occur during movement.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional non-conductive trays are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but static charge cannot be dissipated
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical conductivity parameter of the tray material is changed from insulating to conductive. This can be achieved through material selection (metal or conductive polymer) or surface treatment (conductive coating), maintaining ease of manufacture while enabling static charge dissipation functionality.
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 design reduces static charge-induced misalignment, enhances stability during handling, and maintains accurate liquid transfer, minimizing contamination and downtime.
Implementation Method 1
the tray can be made from a conductive material such as metal or a conductive polymer, or can include a conductive coating
Implementation Method 2
The amount of friction between the pipette tips and the tray can be increased to reduce or prevent movement between the two components
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations of a pipette tip system are disclosed having a number of innovative features. In one implementation, a pipette tip tray includes a support plate and one or more sleeves extending downward from the bottom of the support plate. The sleeves can be configured to increase the stability of pipette tips stored in the tray. In another implementation, a pipette tip rack includes a rack base having one or more support walls extending underneath a pipette tip tray having downward extending sleeves. The thickness of the sidewalls of the sleeves can be reduced in the area of the support walls so that the support walls can reach the bottom of the support plate. In another implementation, a pipette tip rack includes a cover having a cushioning layer on the bottom of the cover that contacts the top of the pipette tips and stabilizes them during handling and transport.