Automatic pipetting apparatus and pipetting module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10710066-B2
Application number	US-201715825119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A pipetting module includes a pipette head and a pipette tip. The pipette head has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The pipette tip includes a connecting portion. The connecting portion is adapted to be sleeved on the pipette head, and the connecting portion has a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The second coefficient of thermal expansion of the connecting portion is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipette head. In addition, an automatic pipetting apparatus is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipetting module, comprising:
a pipette head having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
a pipette tip adapted to be sleeved on the pipette head and having a second coefficient of thermal expansion,
wherein the second coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipette tip is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipette head,
when the pipette tip with the second coefficient of thermal expansion is sleeved on the pipette head with the first coefficient of thermal expansion, a volume of the pipette tip contracts by temperature decrease such that the pipette tip is tightly fitted to the pipette head, or the volume of the pipette tip expands by temperature increase such that the pipette tip is detached from the pipette head.

2. The pipetting module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a material of the pipette tip comprises polymethylmethacrylate, polypropylene, or polyethylene, and a material of the pipette head comprises ceramics or glass.

3. The pipetting module as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor disposed on the pipette head, the sensor being a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor.

4. An automatic pipetting apparatus, comprising:
a pipette tip pre-cooling station, comprising a cooling device;
a pipette tip recycling station;
a movable pipetting mechanism, comprising:
a pipette head, the pipette head having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
a movement mechanism, the pipette head being disposed on the movement mechanism, and the movement mechanism being adapted to move between the pipette tip pre-cooling station and the pipette tip recycling station; and
a pipette tip comprising a connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is adapted to be sleeved on the pipette head and having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the second coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipette tip is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the pipette head,
when the pipette tip with the second coefficient of thermal expansion is sleeved on the pipette head with the first coefficient of thermal expansion, a volume of the pipette tip contracts by temperature decrease such that the pipette tip is tightly fitted to the pipette head, or the volume of the pipette tip expands by temperature increase such that the pipette tip is detached from the pipette head.

5. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pipette tip pre-cooling station comprises a tray, and the tray is adapted to carry the pipette tip.

6. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pipette tip is adapted to be combined with the pipette head at the pipette tip pre-cooling station, to be moved together with the pipette head to the pipette tip recycling station, and to be detached from the pipette head.

7. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pipette tip recycling station comprises an upper pre-heating station and a lower waste station, and the upper pre-heating station comprises a heating module.

8. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein an upper pre-heating station comprises an infrared sensor.

9. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a material of a pipette tip structure comprises polymethylmethacrylate, polypropylene, or polyethylene, and a material of the pipette head comprises ceramics or glass.

10. The automatic pipetting apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the movable pipetting mechanism further comprises:
a sensor disposed on the pipette head, the sensor being a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor.

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Chu Yu-Jung
• Sung Chen-An

Classifications

• G01N35/10 Primary

  Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01L3/0279

  co-operating with positive ejection means · CPC title

• B01L9/543

  for disposable pipette tips, e.g. racks or cassettes · CPC title

• G01N2035/00425

  Heating or cooling means associated with pipettes or the like, e.g. for supplying sample/reagent at given temperature · CPC title

• B01L2200/146

  Employing pressure sensors · CPC title