Pipette Tip Refill Pack with Low-Rigidity Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refill packs for pipette tips are not adequately protected against contamination and result in excessive packaging waste, as they often require opening to transfer pipette tips, leading to exposure and potential contamination during handling.
Innovation Solution
A refill pack design featuring a shell and cover that allows for easy insertion and protection of pipette tips within a holder, with a low-rigidity shell that minimizes material usage and deformation during pipette tip removal, ensuring the tips remain sterile and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional refill packs are used to store and transfer pipette tips, then the pipette tips can be organized and stored, but they are not adequately protected against contamination during handling and transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The refill pack employs a nested structure where the perforated plate with pipette tips is inserted into a holder, and the entire assembly is covered by a lid. This nested configuration protects the pipette tips from contamination while maintaining ease of handling during transfer to the pipette.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the pipette tips from the sealed refill pack environment only at the moment of use, allowing the user to remove the needed tips while the remaining tips stay protected inside the holder, thus maintaining sterility while enabling convenient access.
2Reliability
If sturdy boxes or frames are used to hold refill packs, then the pipette tips are well protected, but excessive packaging waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The refill pack is designed as a disposable component that can be discarded after use, eliminating the need for durable, reusable packaging. This reduces packaging waste while providing adequate protection during storage and handling through its simple yet effective structure of holder and lid.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using rigid, material-intensive boxes or frames, the invention employs a lightweight holder and lid structure that provides sufficient protection for the pipette tips during storage and transfer, significantly reducing packaging material consumption and waste.
3Strength
If the refill pack shell has high rigidity to maintain structural integrity, then more material is used and deformation may occur during tip removal, but the tips remain secure
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed with optimized rigidity that provides sufficient structural integrity to maintain tip positioning during storage and transfer, while using minimal material. The structure is stiff enough to prevent deformation during tip removal but not overly rigid to excessive material consumption.
4Ease of operation
If the refill pack is designed to be easily opened for tip access, then handling is convenient, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid can be opened to access the pipette tips, but the design allows users to remove only the needed tips while leaving the remaining tips protected inside the holder, thus maintaining convenience while minimizing contamination exposure of the unused tips.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3.1~3.2
AI summary
The device (1) comprises a refill (2) and a perforated plate having multiple holes among which pipette tips are inserted. One of the pipette tips covers the bottom cup having a stiffness of up to 300 N/mm. A holder (3) has a receptacle for insertion of the refill pack. The supporting units of the refill are provided between refill and holder, when the refill is inserted in receptacle. An independent claim is included for method for manufacturing refill package.