Pipetting System Spiral Guide Volume Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air displacement pipetting systems face challenges in comfortably adjusting volumes, particularly for manual pipettes, and complicate motorized systems with variable amplitude movements, leading to issues with pipetting comfort and system complexity.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a translationally movable pipetting control member with rotary actuating means and a spiral guide path for the connecting member, allowing for volume adjustment while maintaining a constant pipetting stroke, simplifying motorized systems and enhancing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If volume adjustment means are provided on manual pipettes to adapt the quantity of volume to be pipetted, then volume adaptability is improved, but pipetting comfort deteriorates due to variable amplitude movements requiring different operator strokes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the linear translation movement of the control member into a rotational movement through a spiral guide path. The connecting member follows a spiral trajectory during volume adjustment, converting one-dimensional linear motion into two-dimensional rotational motion, which maintains constant stroke amplitude while varying volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral guide path introduces curvature to the movement trajectory of the connecting member. Instead of moving in a straight line, the connecting member follows a curved spiral path during volume adjustment, which enables continuous volume variation while maintaining consistent control member displacement amplitude.
2Adaptability or versatility
If variable amplitude movements are implemented in motorized pipettes to adjust volume, then volume adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to complicated motors and electronic control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a spiral guide path to convert simple linear control member translation into rotational motion of the connecting member. This mechanical dimensionality change eliminates the need for complex variable amplitude motor control, as the constant amplitude movement naturally produces volume variation through the spiral geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral guide path structure automatically generates the required rotational movement and volume adjustment based on the control member's linear displacement. The system self-regulates volume without requiring complex electronic control, as the geometry of the spiral path inherently couples linear control input to rotational output and volume variation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the initial position of the piston is moved to adjust volume, then volume adaptability is improved, but the pipetting stroke varies requiring different operator movements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention decouples volume adjustment from piston initial position changes by introducing a spiral guide path. The control member translates linearly while the connecting member rotates along a spiral trajectory, maintaining constant piston stroke amplitude regardless of volume setting, thus preserving operator comfort across all volumes.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for controlling pipetting and adjusting a volume to be sampled, including a pipetting control member; rotary actuating means coupled to the control member; a linking member slidably mounted on the actuating means, the linking member being connected to a piston; volume adjusting means; rotary means defining, for the linking member, a spiral-shaped guiding path, the rotary means being coupled to the adjusting means so that their actuation causes a rotation of the means about a second axis which the guiding path is centered, this rotation leading to a displacement of the linking member along the path, and to a sliding of the member relative to the actuating means.