Pipetting Apparatus Capacitive Sensor Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipetting apparatuses face challenges with mechanical control elements that wear out quickly and require complex mechanical contact for reading information from pipetting containers, limiting reliability and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A pipetting apparatus with a non-mechanical information reading system using an electric sensor device and measuring space to read information from the pipetting container without mechanical contact, featuring optical or capacitive sensors for accurate measurement without mechanical wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical control elements are used to read information from the pipetting container, then information can be read out, but the mechanical components wear out quickly and require complex mechanical contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical control elements with a capacitive sensor device that detects information through electrical fields without mechanical contact. The sensor device comprises a sensor area that capacitively interacts with the information carrier on the pipetting container, eliminating wear-prone mechanical components while maintaining reliable information reading capability.
2Reliability
If mechanical control elements are used for reading information, then information reading is possible, but the components require frequent maintenance and have limited service life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention substitutes mechanical reading components with a capacitive sensing system that has no moving parts. The sensor device uses electrical fields to detect information on the container, eliminating wear and the need for maintenance while extending service life indefinitely under normal operating conditions.
3Reliability
If a non-mechanical sensor device is used, then wear is reduced and reliability improves, but the sensor device requires a measuring space that increases device volume
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive sensor device is implemented with a localized sensor area on the connection section of the apparatus. The measuring space is confined to the immediate vicinity of the sensor area where the container makes contact, allowing the non-mechanical sensing to occur in a compact region without significantly increasing overall device volume.
4Loss of information
If mechanical probing devices are used with multiple readout regions, then information can be encoded and distinguished, but the movable components occupy large space and limit the number of possible readout regions
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive sensor device replaces mechanical probing with an electrical field-based sensing system. The sensor area can detect multiple distinct capacitive coupling regions simultaneously or sequentially, allowing encoding of multiple bits of information without requiring physically large movable components. The information is read through variations in capacitance as different portions of the container's information carrier interact with the sensor field.
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 solution enhances the reliability and accuracy of pipetting operations by reducing wear and allowing for a more compact design, easier maintenance, and improved measurement precision.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor device is configured to carry out a capacitance measurement which is influenced by the at least one information section in the at least one measuring space
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a pipetting apparatus for pipetting laboratory samples into a pipetting container which can be connected to the pipetting apparatus, which pipetting container is in particular designed according to the invention, comprising a container side and a first connection section, by means of which the pipetting container can be connected to the pipetting apparatus, and comprising an information carrying device with at least one information section, which carries information, on this container side; the pipetting apparatus comprising an electric information reading device, by means of which information contained on the information reading device can be read when the pipetting container is connected to the pipetting apparatus, and which comprises at least one electric sensor device, which comprises at least one sensor section, opposite to which a measuring space is formed, wherein the sensor device is configured to read the information content of at least one information section when the latter is arranged in the measuring space. The invention furthermore relates to the pipetting container or adapter element, which can be used with the pipetting apparatus, and a method for the production thereof.