Self-Locking Snap Plate for Pipette Tip Tray Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipette tip tray and rack assemblies require complex manufacturing methods and specialized tools, limiting adaptability and increasing costs, especially when trying to interface different sizes and volumes of pipette tips with standardized racks.
Innovation Solution
A pipette rack assembly featuring a tray with a deck of shaft apertures and a locking element that secures to a standardized rack using a receiving element, eliminating the need for adhesives and specialized tools, allowing for customizable and cost-effective manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional manufacturing methods are used for interchangeable pipette tip trays, then adaptability to different pipette tip sizes is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to complex tools and specialized adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into a deck portion and a locking element portion that can be separately molded and then assembled. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured using simple, standard injection molding processes without requiring complex tools or specialized adhesives, while still achieving adaptable interfacing for different pipette tip sizes through the modular assembly approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is integrated with the deck to form a unitary structure that combines the tray body and locking mechanism. This merging eliminates the need for separate adhesive bonding steps and complex assembly tools, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the adaptability to interface with various pipette tip sizes through the standardized locking/receiving element interface.
2Reliability
If conventional manufacturing methods with specialized adhesives are used, then tray-rack interfacing reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to specialized tools and adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces chemical bonding (adhesives) with a mechanical locking mechanism. The locking element with its arm and hook engages with the receiving element on the rack through pure mechanical interaction. This substitution eliminates the need for specialized adhesives and complex bonding tools, significantly improving ease of manufacture while maintaining reliable tray-rack interfacing through the mechanical lock.
3Adaptability or versatility
If unique trays are designed for each pipette tip size, then adaptability to specific sizes is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tray design incorporates a universal locking element that can interface with standardized receiving elements on racks designed for different pipette tip sizes. Instead of creating unique trays for each size, the same basic tray design with the standardized locking mechanism can be used across multiple rack types, reducing design complexity while maintaining specific size compatibility through the rack's aperture configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pipette tip tray (10) for use with a standardized rack (44). The pipette tip tray (10) includes an uppermost surface (47) defining a first plane (51) and a lowermost surface (50) defining a second plane (53). A deck (12) is located between the first and second planes (51, 53) and includes a plurality of shaft apertures (24) extending therethrough. Each of the shaft apertures (24) has a size or shape configured to receive the shaft (26) of a pipette tip (28). The tray (10) further includes a first locking element (56) located below the second plane (53).