Vibrating Pipette Tip Assembly for Well Cover Stiction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pipette tips often get stuck in the covers of wells during automated testing, leading to significant disruptions and productivity losses due to the need for manual intervention to remove them.
Innovation Solution
A pipette assembly equipped with a vibration inducer that vibrates the pipette tip when it is inserted or retracted from a well to reduce stiction between the tip and the cover, preventing the tip from becoming stuck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pipette tip is inserted into the well to aspirate liquid, then liquid aspiration is enabled, but stiction between the cover and pipette tip causes the tip to become stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration to the pipette tip through a vibration inducer that generates oscillatory motion at frequencies and amplitudes sufficient to reduce static friction between the pipette tip and well cover. This vibration mechanically disrupts the stiction bond, allowing the pipette tip to be reliably removed without manual intervention.
2Productivity
If manual intervention is used to remove stuck pipette tips, then removal is achieved, but throughput and productivity are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration inducer enables the pipette tip removal process to be self-service, automatically reducing stiction and facilitating tip ejection without requiring operator intervention. The system performs the removal function autonomously, maintaining continuous operation and preventing throughput disruptions.
3Ease of operation
If vibration is applied to reduce stiction, then pipette tip removal is facilitated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration inducer is integrated into the existing pipette assembly architecture, allowing the same component to serve multiple functions: generating vibration for stiction reduction, maintaining structural support, and facilitating liquid aspiration. This multi-functionality minimizes the addition of separate dedicated components.
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 vibration effectively reduces stiction, allowing the pipette tip to be easily removed from the well, minimizing disruptions and maintaining continuous automated testing operations.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration inducer configured to vibrate the pipette tip when at least a portion of the pipette tip is located in the well thus reducing stiction between the cover and the pipette tip
Data Source
AI summary
A pipette assembly configured to aspirate liquid from a well having a cover includes: a pipette including a terminal end; a pipette tip detachably coupled to the terminal end; and a vibration inducer configured to vibrate the pipette tip when at least a portion of the pipette tip is located in the well thus reducing stiction between the cover and the pipette tip. This minimizes the pipette tip from getting detached from the pipette and stuck in the cover. Other systems and methods including vibrating a pipette tip are disclosed.