Pipette Volume Adjustment Mechanism for Compact Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing manual pipettes face challenges in optimizing the upper part design to reduce size and integrate additional components without increasing overall size, and digital counters often suffer from reliability issues and require a power supply.

Innovation Solution

The design features a set of graduations and markers integral in rotation with threaded members, allowing direct volume adjustment and display, eliminating gear connections, and enabling coarse and fine adjustments with separate threaded members for precise volume control, with graduations readable from above, facilitating calibration and reducing component count.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If gear connections are installed between the threaded adjustment member and the counter wheels, then the volume can be displayed through a window on the outer body, but the overall size of the upper part increases and free volume for integrating other components is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume displayVSAvoidfree volume in hollow body
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the counter mechanism from the hollow outer body by making the threaded adjustment member itself displayable with integrated graduations. This removes the need for separate counter wheels and gear connections inside the hollow body, thereby freeing up internal volume while maintaining volume display functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the threaded adjustment member with the volume display function by integrating graduations directly onto the adjustment member. This combination eliminates the need for separate counter components and their connecting gears, reducing the overall size and freeing internal space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If digital counters are used to display the adjusted volume, then the reading can be displayed electronically, but reliability problems occur and additional power supply components are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume displayVSAvoidcounter reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces complex electronic digital counters with a simple mechanical graduation system that has no moving parts, no power requirements, and no reliability issues. The mechanical graduations on the threaded member provide a durable, maintenance-free display solution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Measurement precision

If the graduations are placed inside the hollow body behind a window, then the display is protected, but the size of the upper part increases and component integration becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume displayVSAvoidupper part structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention moves the graduations from an internal position behind a window to an external position on the threaded adjustment member itself. This dimensional relocation allows the graduations to be read directly from the outside without requiring a window or internal mounting structure, simplifying the overall design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This design reduces the pipette's size, allows for easier integration of components, enhances reliability by eliminating the need for digital counters and power supplies, and enables precise volume adjustments with improved ergonomic reading and calibration efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a device for adjusting this volume is generally provided. By actuating this device, the initial position of the piston is moved... the actuation of this adjustment device usually generates the movement of a threaded member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3043913B1Sampling pipette having an improved device for adjusting and displaying a volume to be sampled
Publication Date: 2018.04.25 GILSON SAS
  • EP3043913B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3043913B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3043913B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~3

AI summary

The invention relates to an upper part (2) of a sampling pipette (1) comprising: - a hollow outer body (6) forming a handle; - a pipetting control rod (14); - a device (20) for adjusting and displaying a volume to be sampled, comprising a first threaded member (22) for adjusting the volume to be sampled passed through by the control rod (14), the device also comprising a set of first volume graduations (42) spaced angularly apart from one another around the longitudinal axis (3) and cooperating with a first reference (44) so as to provide information on the volume to be sampled. According to the invention, the first threaded member (22) is constrained to rotate with one of the two elements made by the set of first volume graduations (42) and the first reference (44), that element being arranged axially between the hollow outer body (6) forming a handle and the control button (16).