EP2578317B1 - Manual metering device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a manual dosing device for dosing liquids.

Manual dispensers are dispensers for dispensing liquids to which a syringe or pipette tip can be releasably held. Syringes have a syringe barrel with a syringe plunger slidable therein and an aperture connecting the syringe barrel to the environment for receiving and dispensing liquid. The opening is usually arranged in a tip at the bottom of the syringe barrel. Pipette tips are small, generally downwardly tapered, tubes having a lower tip opening for receiving and dispensing liquid and an upper tip opening for connecting to a positive displacement device for air. Hand dosing devices are held in one hand by the user during dosing in order to be aligned with the syringe or pipette tip held thereon against a vessel or other object from which liquid is to be taken up or dispensed onto the liquid. In this case, the user can control the recording and dispensing of liquids and, if necessary, other functions with the same hand, with which he holds the hand dosing device. Manual dosing devices are used in particular in the laboratory for dosing liquids.

Manual dosing devices are available in the form of air cushion dosing devices and direct displacement dosing devices. Bubble dosing devices have a seat for releasably holding a pipette tip at its upper tip opening. An air displacement device is integrated with the handheld dispenser and communicatively connected to a hole in the seat via a channel. By means of the displacement device, an air cushion is displaced so that liquid is sucked in and out of the lower tip opening of the pipette tip is ejected, depending on the direction of the displacement of the air cushion. The displacement device is usually a cylinder with a piston displaceable therein. The piston is driven by means of a drive device. Manual dosing devices that work with an air cushion are also referred to as "pipettes".

Direct-displacement metering devices work together with syringes. The syringes can be coupled to and detached from the positive displacement metering devices. In this case, the syringe barrel is held fast to the direct displacement metering device and the syringe plunger held in a receiving body which is displaceable by means of a drive device. By means of the drive means, the syringe plunger is reciprocated, so that liquid is sucked in through the opening of the syringe or expelled therefrom.

Direct displacement devices that work with small syringes similar in size and shape to pipette tips are also referred to as "direct displacement pipettes." Direct-displacement metering devices that work with large syringes that are usually evacuated in multiple steps are also referred to as "dispensers".

Pipette tips and syringes are preferably made of plastic and may be discarded after use and replaced with new pipette tips or syringes.

Known Handdosiervorrichtungen have mechanical drive means or electromechanical drive means. Further, manual dosing devices with electromechanical assistance ("servo drive") have become known. There are also hand dosing devices with fixed and manual dosing devices with adjustable dosing volume. Furthermore, there are single-channel hand dispensers for use with a single syringe or pipette tip and multi-channel hand dispensers for use with multiple syringes or pipette tips simultaneously. The invention relates to all of the above types of manual dosing devices.

Conventional Handdosiervornchtungen have handles designed as a housing made of a rigid plastic. These accommodate means for holding a syringe or pipette tip, a drive means, means for transmitting the drive movement of the drive means to a piston of the syringe or a displacement means for displacing an air cushion, controls and possibly. Display members or other components. In electrically driven Handdosiervorrichtungen an electric drive motor, an electronic control device and batteries or rechargeable batteries are arranged in the housing. Thus, a large number of components are housed in the smallest space in the housings of Handdosiervorrichtungen. The housing also forms the supporting structure of the known Handdosiervorrichtungen.

The EP 2 033 712 A2 describes a dispenser having a receptacle for a syringe flange of a syringe in a lower end portion of the housing. The syringe flange is held by syringe gripping levers which are mounted on pivot axes in the lower region of the housing. On the inner surface of the housing leaf springs are arranged, which are fixed with their upper ends in the lower region of the housing. The lower ends of the leaf springs press against the inside of the syringe gripping levers to bias them in the direction of the syringe flange engaging behind position.

In the recording a sprung abutment is arranged, against which the top of the syringe flange is pressed. The abutment has sensors for sensing a coding on the top of the syringe flange.

In the housing, a receiving body is arranged with a piston receptacle into which an upwardly projecting end portion of a syringe plunger of the syringe can be inserted. In the receiving body piston gripping levers are mounted, which can engage behind a piston collar at the outer end of the syringe plunger. The piston grippers are biased by the torsion springs towards a position in which they engage behind the piston collar.

The receiving body is driven by means of mechanical piston adjusting devices. These comprise a connected to the receiving body elevator member which protrudes from the housing. Furthermore, the piston adjusting devices comprise a threaded spindle or rack, which is also firmly connected to the receiving body. On the threaded spindle sits an adjusting sleeve whose axial position on the threaded spindle by means of a knob is adjustable. In the upper region of the housing, an actuating member is arranged, which has a pivotable actuating lever and is actuated via an actuating knob from the outside. On the actuating lever a pawl is pivotally mounted. The actuating lever is pushed by a spring upwards and the pawl is biased by a spring to the threaded spindle.

The actuator, the knob and the spindle are mounted in a plate-like support with a laterally projecting bracket, which is inserted into the housing.

When a syringe is inserted into the syringe holder and held in the housing by means of the syringe gripper lever and the piston gripper lever, the liquid can be sucked up into the syringe by moving the elevator member upwards. By means of the adjusting knob, a dosing amount is set. By actuating the actuator, the syringe plunger is moved down and dispensed the desired amount of liquid. With each actuation stroke, the pawl drops into the threaded rod as it reaches the bottom of the adjustment sleeve. By adjusting the adjustment by means of the adjusting knob, the dispensed dose is determined.

Actuator, knob and spindle are preassembled on the carrier before it is inserted into the housing. Other elements are not part of the carrier or stored on it. In particular, the receptacle for the syringe flange is part of the housing. The sprung abutment, the syringe gripping levers and the leaf springs are mounted on the housing. These means for holding the syringe must be mounted separately from the carrier on the housing. This requires a high strength of the housing, because the absorption of liquid in the syringe and dispensing liquid from the syringe high forces on the means for holding the syringe are effective. This limits the choice of usable materials.

Other Handdosiervorrichtungen are off DE 22 61 645 A1 . DE 29 06 904 A1 or US 3,656,472 A known. Again, the housing has a significant supporting function for the internal components and must therefore be made of relatively hard material.

Another hand dosing device is off DE 91 08 450 U1 become known, in which the housing largely takes over the support function for the mechanical parts to fulfill the metering function.

The known Handdosiervorrichtungen have the disadvantage that the housing is not good in the hand, slightly dirty and difficult to clean.

Based on this, the object of the invention is to provide a haptically improved manual dosing device.

The object is achieved by a manual dosing device with the features of claims 1 and 2. Advantageous embodiments of the hand metering device are specified in subclaims.

• einen langgestreckten Rahmen als tragende Struktur,
• am unteren Ende Mittel zum lösbaren Halten einer Spritze,
• Antriebsmittel, die eine lineare Bewegung erzeugen und oberhalb der Mittel zum lösbaren Halten an der tragenden Struktur befestigt sind,
• mindestens ein Verlagerungsmittel zum Übertragen der linearen Bewegung über eine Stange auf einen Spritzenkolben zum Verlagern eines Fluids in der Spritze und
• ein den Rahmen umhüllendes Gehäuse.

The hand dosing device according to claim 1 according to the invention

• an elongated frame as a supporting structure,
• means for releasably holding a syringe at the lower end,
• Drive means which generate a linear movement and are secured to the supporting structure above the means for releasably holding,
• at least one displacement means for transmitting the linear movement via a rod to a syringe plunger for displacing a fluid in the syringe and
• a housing enclosing the frame.

In the manual dosing device according to the invention, the supporting structure is an elongated frame having parallel side members. The means for releasably holding syringe are arranged on the frame. They can be part of the frame or attached to this. The drive means are attached to the frame. The means for releasably holding and the drive means are interconnected by displacement means. The displacement means are means for transmitting the motion generated by the drive means to the syringe plunger of a syringe. For this purpose, the displacement means are connected to means for releasably holding the syringe plunger. If the drive means a linear drive movement generate, the transmission means may be a rod which is driven by the drive means and connected to the means for releasably holding the syringe plunger and axially guided on the frame. As a result, a Direktverdrängerdosiervorrichtung is realized.

In the solution according to claim 2, which also has an elongated frame consisting of parallel longitudinal members as a supporting structure, the displacement means are displacement means for displacing an air column. The displacement device is a cylinder and the piston displaceable therein. The cylinder is connected via a channel to a hole of the releasable holding means which communicates with the upper tip opening of a pipette tip when the releasable holding means holds a pipette tip. The displacement device is fixed to the frame. The cylinder with the piston displaceable therein is fixed to the frame. As a result, a Luftpolsterdosiervorrichtung is realized. The amount of liquid taken up and dispensed is determined by the extent of displacement of the piston or column of air by the displacement means. In a Luftpolsterdosiervorrichtung with cylinder and piston displaceable therein, the displacement means preferably have a piston rod connected to the piston with a push button at the upper end and on the one hand on the frame and on the other hand on the piston rod or on the push button attacking return spring. The return spring pushes the piston upwards into an initial position, from which air can be expelled from the displacement device by actuation of the pushbutton against the action of the return spring.

When the drive means drive the displacement means, forces are introduced into the frame in the invention. If the displacement means are transmission means for transmitting motion to a syringe plunger, these forces are transmitted by the drive means and the means for releasably holding the syringe flange to the frame. If the displacement means are a displacement means, these forces act between the drive means and the frame and between the displacement device and the frame. These forces depend in particular on the amount and viscosity of the liquid to be dispensed. The frame is designed so that it deforms at most insignificantly under the forces acting. This ensures that the movable elements of the displacement means are moved reproducibly with the desired accuracy. Thus, the desired metering accuracy is achieved. The forces acting on the hand dispenser when connecting the syringe or pipette tip are also absorbed by the frame. The frame is preferably made of a polyether ketone (PEEK), which is characterized by its enormous stability. The housing is preferably mounted only at a few points on the frame to relieve the housing. The housing is longitudinally guided on the frame and fixed to the frame at a few positions (eg only at one or two positions) so that the frame can stretch or contract longitudinally relative to the housing without significant forces being transmitted to the housing. Thus, the forces occurring during use are essentially absorbed by the frame and relieves the housing.

The special properties of the frame give the designer greater freedom in the choice of housing materials and in the design and dimensioning of the housing. In particular, it is possible to use soft housing materials and to design the housing and to dimension so that the feel of the hand-metering device is particularly pleasant. The construction with a load-bearing frame thus makes it possible to use particularly soft housings with improved haptics. The frame only partially supports the housing and in particular the unsupported areas of the housing are particularly well deformable, which is perceived by the user holding such a hand-dosing in the hand as tactile pleasant. The special properties of the frame also make it possible to use housing materials which have a particular chemical resistance and / or are dirt-repellent and / or can be easily cleaned and / or are easier to process and / or are particularly inexpensive. Initiated by the user's hand, in particular when operating control elements of the manual dosing device into the housing Forces are collected over a large area and transferred to the frame so that they do not overload the housing. Another advantage is that the use of a frame as a supporting structure provides the opportunity to pre-assemble the components of the hand-held metering device to the frame and to test the hand-held meter before the housing is mounted. In addition, the construction according to the invention of the manual dosing device favors the use of identical parts (English: carry over parts (COPs)) in various manual dosing devices. In particular, different manual dosing devices can be provided with the same frame, which is equipped differently with components depending on the product. The different products are possibly differentiated by different housing.

The frame may have a plurality of frame parts, which are joined together and firmly connected. The subdivision of the frame into several frame parts allows a separate pre-assembly of components on different frame parts and thus the preparation of assemblies. Furthermore, differently configured Handdosiervorrichtungen may be partially formed with matching and partially with different frame parts. According to a preferred embodiment, the frame has a lower part and an upper part. The lower part of the frame is preferably equipped with the means for releasably holding a syringe or pipette tip and the upper part is preferably equipped with drive means and displacement means.

Lower part and upper part of the frame may be connected by interlocking connecting structures and these connecting structures have interconnecting fasteners. The connection structures are, for example, eyelets that are connected to different frame parts, overlapping each other and connected to each other by pins.

When operating the drive means especially axial forces are effective. These are transmitted in the side rails. The parallel side rails can also absorb forces exerted by the user's hand on the sides of the housing become. In addition, the side members have the advantage that they can be accommodated in the housing to save space. The manual dosing device according to the invention can therefore be designed to be particularly compact.

According to a preferred embodiment, the hand-metering device has only two parallel longitudinal members.

According to a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal members are present in a lower part and / or an upper part of the frame.

The side rails are connected at the bottom end to the means for releasably holding a syringe or pipette tip. According to another embodiment, the longitudinal members are connected at the lower end with a support plate. The support plate is part of the means for releasably holding a syringe or pipette tip. The support plate may form a stop for a syringe flange of a syringe or be a carrier for a seat of a pipette tip. If the support plate is a stopper for a syringe flange, it is e.g. formed annular disc-shaped.

According to one embodiment, the support plate is connected via fork-shaped connecting portions with the lower ends of the side members. The bifurcated connection areas prevent tilting of the support plate in case of uneven loading.

According to a further embodiment, the parallel longitudinal members at the upper end of a bearing plate are interconnected. On the bearing plate operating means and / or display means of Handdosiervorrichtung be attached.

According to a further embodiment, the parallel longitudinal members between the lower end and the upper end of a transverse strut are bridged. According to a further embodiment, a sliding guide for a rod-shaped displacement means is integrated in the transverse strut.

The transverse strut may be arranged at a lower end of the parallel longitudinal members of the upper part.

According to a further embodiment, the side members have two bearing blocks projecting from one side and the housing has the bearing blocks in a lateral recess. The bearing blocks can be used for mounting an actuating lever of a mechanically or electrically driven hand metering device, in particular when the hand metering device is designed as a dispenser. The bulge of the housing can also be used as a hand rest, since the hand-dosing device is supported on actuation of the actuating lever by means of the thumb on the upper edge of the index finger or the adjacent palm. The housing is supported in the region of the bulge by the bearing blocks, whereby an overload is avoided.

According to one embodiment, the housing is divided in the longitudinal direction of the frame and the frame parts snap-together with each other. The housing can be divided into two parts. The housing may be divided in a plane which extends parallel to the two longitudinal members and / or perpendicular to the bearing blocks.

According to a further embodiment, the housing is guided in the longitudinal direction of the elongated frame on the frame. This allows compensation of deformation of the housing by stretching in the longitudinal direction of the frame. The frame may be bolted to the housing at the bottom and / or at the top. Preferably, housing parts are snapped together and in addition the frame is screwed to the housing.

According to a further embodiment, the housing is made of polypropylene or of another polyolefin.

The hand metering device may be bar-shaped. Thus, the hand-metering device has the form of a rod. The manual dosing device is dimensioned so that it is held by the user in one hand and can be operated with the same hand.

Fig. 1

Rahmenteile des Rahmens einer erfindungsgemäßen Handdosiervorrichtung in einer perspektivischen Explosionsdarstellung;

Fig. 2

Rahmenteile von Fig. 1 zu dem Rahmen zusammengesetzt in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von oben und von der Seite;

Fig. 3

der Rahmen von Fig. 2 in ein Gehäuse eingesetzt in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von oben und von der Seite auf das in Längsrichtung geschnittene Gehäuse;

Fig. 4

der Rahmen von Fig. 2 mit Bauteilen bestückt;

Fig. 5

der mit Bauteilen bestückte Rahmen von Fig. 4 eingesetzt in das Gehäuse in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von oben und von der Seite auf das in Längsrichtung geschnittene Gehäuse;

Fig. 6

der bestückte Rahmen von Fig. 4 in einer Detailansicht von der linken Seite;

Fig. 7

eine weitere erfindungsgemäße Handdosiervorrichtung in einem Längsschnitt;

Fig. 8

dieselbe Handdosiervorrichtung in einem Schnitt entlang der Linie VIII - VIII von Fig. 7.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments. In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

Frame parts of the frame of a Handdosiervorrichtung invention in a perspective exploded view;

Fig. 2

Frame parts of Fig. 1 assembled to the frame in a perspective view obliquely from above and from the side;

Fig. 3

the framework of Fig. 2 inserted in a housing in a perspective view obliquely from above and from the side to the longitudinally cut housing;

Fig. 4

the framework of Fig. 2 equipped with components;

Fig. 5

the component-equipped frame of Fig. 4 inserted in the housing in a perspective view obliquely from above and from the side on the longitudinally cut housing;

Fig. 6

the assembled frame of Fig. 4 in a detail view from the left side;

Fig. 7

a further Handdosiervorrichtung invention in a longitudinal section;

Fig. 8

the same Handdosiervorrichtung in a section along the line VIII - VIII of Fig. 7 ,

In the present patent application, the terms "bottom" and "top" refer to the preferred orientation of the hand dispenser during dispensing, in which the elongate housing is vertically aligned and the syringe or pipette tip is located below the housing.

In the in the Fig. 1 to 6 Hand dispenser shown is a dispenser, ie, a Direktverdrängerdosiervorrichtung by means of a syringe in several steps can be emptied.

According to Fig. 1 the frame 1 comprises a lower part 2 and a top 3. The upper part 3 is associated with a cover 4 for holding a dial.

The lower part 2 comprises two parallel, strip-shaped side members 5.1, 6.1. These are connected at the lower end in each case via fork-shaped connecting regions 7.1, 7.2 with an annular disc-shaped support plate 8. From the support plate 8 are bearing sleeves 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4 before. At the upper end of each side member 5.1, 6.1 is connected to an annular disc-shaped eyelet 10.1,10.2.

On one side, the two side members carry parallel slide guides 11.1, 11.2, which can guide a central Abwerfschieber, as described in detail in the EP 2 033 712 A1 described.

The upper part 3 has two further parallel, strip-shaped longitudinal members 5.2, 6.2. These are each provided at the lower end with a pair of concentric, circular ring-shaped eyelets 12.1, 12.2. Furthermore, bridged at the lower end by a transverse strut 13. The cross strut 13 carries in the middle of a sliding guide 14 with a through hole, which serves as a sliding guide for a rack parallel to the other longitudinal members 5.2, 6.2. At the upper end of the upper part 3, the distance region between the two longitudinal members 5.2, 6.2 is bridged by a bearing plate 15.

Between the transverse strut 13 and the bearing plate 15 project from one side of the other longitudinal beams 5.2, 6.2 plate-shaped bearing blocks 16.1, 16.2, which are each ribbed on the outside for stabilization. The bearing blocks have at the lower ends on the mutually facing inner sides aligned bearing eyes 17.1, 17.2.

On the sides of the bearing plate 15, further bearing sleeves 18.1, 18.2 for fixing the cover 4 are integrated into the longitudinal members 5.2, 6.2.

The upper side of the bearing plate 15 has milled depressions 20.1, 20.2 for receiving a spring bearing and a guide contour of a setting wheel (for setting a metering volume).

From the side of the other side members 5.2, 6.2, which is opposite to the bearing blocks 16.1, 16.2, stand of the other longitudinal beams 5.2, 6.2 bearing pin 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, 21.4.

According to Fig. 2 are the upper part 3 and the lower part 2 by inserting the eyelets 10.1, 10.2 at the upper end of the side members 5.1, 5.2 between the pairs of eyelets 12.1, 12.2 at the lower ends of the other side members 5.2, 6.2 and screwing screws 22.1, 22.2 in the eyelets 10.1, 10.2, 12.1, 12.2 positively connected with each other. Furthermore, the cover 4 is fixed by screws 22.3, 22.4 screwed into the bearing sleeves 18.1, 18.2 and holding plates 23.1, 23.2 of the cover 4 on the upper part 3.

The thus formed, elongated, elongated frame 1 is according to Fig. 3 in a two-part housing 24 made of a thin and soft material (eg polypropylene) used. The housing is formed by two assembled, shell-shaped housing parts 24.1,24.2. This in Fig. 3 lower, shell-shaped housing part 24.1 is lower than the upper, shell-shaped housing part 24.2. The housing parts have on the edges to be joined together snap connection means so that they are verschnappbar together. Furthermore, the frame 1 by means of screws 22.1, 22.2, the upper part 3 and lower part 2 connect to each other, and by means of screws 22.3,22.4, which fix the cover 4 on the upper part 3, screwed to the two housing parts 24.1,24.2.

On the front side, the two housing parts 24.1, 24.2 are screwed by means of axially directed screws 22.5, 22.6, 22.7, 22.8 with the support plate 8 of the frame 1.

This in Fig. 3 lower housing part 24.1 has a bulge 25 which receives the bearing blocks 16.1, 16.2. The training also forms a finger rest.

Between the two housing parts 24.1,24.2 remains above a slot-shaped opening 26 through which the edge region of a dial can project outward.

Furthermore, the in FIG. 3 upper housing part 24.2 a window 27 for an LCD display (eg for displaying the dosing volume, the number of steps and / or the tip or syringe type used) and slots 28, 29 for an elevator lever and an actuating lever.

According to Fig. 4 the frame 1 is equipped with syringe gripping levers 30.1, 30.2 which are mounted in the bearing sleeves 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 9.4 by means of four pins (only two are shown (31.1, 31.2).) In an alternative embodiment, only two pins are used The sensor plate 32 surrounds a centering ring 33, which engages in the cylinder of a syringe which is fixed by means of the syringe gripping levers 30.1, 30.2 on the sensor plate 32. The centering ring corresponds to the in DE 10 2009 034897 A disclosed centering ring.

In the sliding guide 14, a rack 34 is used, which has at the lower end a bell-shaped receiving body 35 for receiving the upper end of a syringe plunger or a piston rod connected to the syringe plunger. In this receiving body 35 not shown piston gripping levers are mounted. Instead of a rack 34, a preferred embodiment has a threaded rod.

The details of this syringe attachment are in the EP 0 656 229 B1 and US 5,620,660A described. Details of the sampling of a coding on the syringe flange of a syringe are in the EP 0 657 216 B1 and US 5,620,661A described. The contents of these documents are incorporated by reference into the present application.

On the bearing blocks 16.1, 16.2 an actuating lever 36 is mounted. The actuating lever 36 is two-armed and has in its two parallel arms 36.1, 36.2 each have a slot 37.1, 37.2, which is guided on an axle 38 which is inserted into the bearing eyes 17.1, 17.2 of the bearing blocks 16.1, 16.2. Above the operating lever 36 is guided on both sides via guide rollers 39.1, 39.2 in linear guides 40.1, 40.2 on the upper edge of the further longitudinal members 5.2, 6.2. On the in Fig. 4 upstanding ends of the actuating lever 36, an operating knob can be plugged.

The actuating lever 36 has a pawl 41 pivotally mounted between its two arms 36.1, 36.2.

Between the bearing plate 15 and the cover 4, the adjusting wheel 43 is rotatably mounted on a further axis 42.

The adjusting wheel 43 is provided with an adjusting sleeve 43.1 (or a cover strip) (see. Fig. 6 ) coupled in Fig. 4 covers the upper side of the rack 34, which is provided with a toothing. The position of the adjusting sleeve is adjustable by means of the adjusting wheel 43 in the region over which the pawl 41 is moved during pivoting of the actuating lever 36 within the limits predetermined by the sliding guides 40.1, 40.2. By adjusting the setting wheel 43, the position of the adjusting sleeve 43.1 can thus be determined, behind which the pawl 41 then engages in the toothing in order to move it further up to the stop on the upper side of the sliding guide 14.

In addition, the frame 1 is equipped with spring means (not shown), which press the syringe gripping levers 30.1, 30.2 and the piston grip lever into a pivoting position, in which they hold a syringe. Further spring means press the operating lever 36 in the in Fig. 4 Pictured Schwenkstelldung and press the pawl 41 against the teeth of the rack 34th

At the lower end of the rack 34 - not shown - connecting means are provided which make it possible to connect the rack with a lift button.

The actuating lever 36, the rack 34, the adjusting sleeve 43.1 and the elevator knob form piston adjusting devices, for example, in the EP 2 033 712 A1 or US 2009/139351 A1 are described. The content of the above documents is incorporated by reference into the present application.

The according to Fig. 4 equipped with components frame 1 can already be subjected to functional tests and calibration during production. Furthermore, the presettings of the manual dosing device are already made at this stage of the assembly. This has the advantage that already in this caseless Stage defective products can be identified and these are then removed from the production already at this stage. This reduces the consumption of housing material. Furthermore, this has the advantage that, depending on the nature of the fault, it is possible to remove components already mounted on the frame and to replace them with others in order to produce a faultless product; or alternatively to remove error-free components from the already stocked frame and to use these in the production of further Handdosiervorrichtungen.

According to Fig. 5 the populated frame 1 is inserted into the housing 24, as in Fig. 3 explained with reference to the unfitted frame 1. An operation knob 44 and an elevator knob 45 are mounted. These actuators 44, 45 and the thumbwheel 43 protrude from the housing 24.

When attaching a syringe, the axial forces are introduced via the support plate 8 in the frame 1, which is supported over a large area in the housing 24. Upon actuation of the elevator button 45 and the actuating button 44, the axial forces are also absorbed by the frame 1. The handheld dosing device fits well in the hand and gives the user a pleasant tactile perception, so that fatigue phenomena are delayed by prolonged handling. When using polypropylene is also given a very good chemical resistance, the housing 24 of the manual dosing is dirt-repellent and can be cleaned well.

In the in the FIGS. 7 and 8 Hand dispenser shown is a pipette, ie an air cushion dosing, which can be equipped with a pipette tip to receive in the pipette tip a certain amount of liquid and deliver it.

The dosing device of FIGS. 7 and 8 has a frame 46, with two spaced, parallel longitudinal members 47, 48. The parallel side members 47, 48 are above by a directed perpendicular to the longitudinal members, circular disc-shaped bearing plate 49 and connected by a circular disc-shaped support plate 50 below. Furthermore, the side members 47, 48 are bridged between their ends by a transverse strut 51.

On the upper side of the support plate, a cylinder 52 is fixed, in which a circumferentially to the cylinder 52 sealed piston 53 in the direction of the longitudinal members 47, 48 is arranged displaceably.

From the underside of the support plate 50 is in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beams 47, 48 before a conical (alternatively: cylindrical) pin 54 before, on a pipette tip 55 can be clamped.

The interior of the cylinder 52 is connected via a channel 56 which extends through the support plate 50 and the pin 54, with a hole in the lower end of the pin 54.

The piston 53 is connected at the top with a lifting rod 57, which is arranged in the center between the two longitudinal members 47, 48. The lifting rod 57 projects through a hole of the bearing plate 49 upwards. At the upper end, the lifting rod 57 has an actuating button 58.

The cross strut 51 has in the center on a sliding guide 59, in which the lifting rod 57 in the direction of the longitudinal members 47, 48 is guided displaceably.

Below the bearing plate 49, an abutment 60 is fixed on the lifting rod 57. A restoring spring 61 in the form of a helical spring is supported at the bottom by the transverse strut 51 and at the top by the abutment 60.

Further, located below the crossbar 51 on the lifting rod 57 is a circumferential bead 62 or one or more differently shaped projections which define an upper stop of the lifting rod 57. The return spring 61 is biased so that it loads the lifting rod 57 upwards until the bead 62 rests against the underside of the transverse strut 51. In this initial position, the manual dosing is in the FIGS. 7 and 8 shown.

Furthermore, the hand-metering device has a housing 63 which encloses the frame 46 formed by longitudinal carriers 47, 48, bearing plate 49, support plate 50 and transverse strut 51. The housing 63 is fixed by means of two screws 64, 65 approximately at the center of the longitudinal members 47, 48.

Furthermore, from the inside of the housing 63 on the front and the back of each longitudinal member 47, 48 each small guide projections 66, 67, 68, 69 before. The guide projections 66 to 69 guide the housing 63 above and below the screws 64, 65 on the longitudinal members 47, 48th

The housing 63 surrounds the frame 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 sleeve-shaped. In the example, the housing 63 is circular cylindrical. Other wrapping forms are also possible.

The housing 63 consists for example of two sleeve sections, one of which is pushed from above and the other from below onto the frame and the two sleeve sections overlap one another in the region of the screws 64, 65 and by means the screws 64, 65 are attached to the frame 46. Alternatively, the housing 63 is divided in a plane by the longitudinal members 47, 48 and each housing half by means of two screws 64, 65 fixed to the frame 46.

At the top, the housing 63 covers the bearing plate 49 with a top wall 70 and below the support plate 50 with a bottom wall 71. The top wall 70 is a small distance from the bearing plate 49 and the bottom wall 71 has a small distance from the support wall 50 to a length compensation enable.

The frame 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 is made of a rigid material, preferably of a plastic material. The housing 63 is made of a thin and soft material, preferably a plastic (e.g., polypropylene).

This manual dosing device is used by first clamping a pipette tip 55 onto the pin 54. To pick up liquid by means of the pipette tip 55, the operating knob 58 is pressed down until the piston 53 rests on the lower end of the cylinder 52. Thereafter, the pipette tip 55 is immersed with its lower opening in liquid. Subsequently, the operating knob 58 is relieved and the return spring 61, the lifting rod 57 with the piston 53 in the starting position of FIGS. 7 and 8 back. In this case, liquid is sucked into the pipette tip 55 through the lower opening.

The pipette tip 55 is then lifted by means of the manual dosing device and directed to another vessel in which it is to be dispensed. When the operating button 58 is depressed, the piston 53 displaces an air column which pushes the liquid 55 received out of the pipette tip.

The displacement of the lifting rod 57 downwardly is alternatively limited by a stop member 72, which is hit by the bead 62 in the downward displacement. In Fig. 7 is stop element 72 which is supported on the frame 46 via a spring element 73, shown in dashed lines. After the impact of the bead 62 on the stop member 72 can be performed with increased effort an overstroke. The overstroke serves to blow out residual liquid from the pipette tip 55.

In this hand-metering device, the forces acting upon attachment of the pipette tip 55 and upon actuation of the actuation button 58 are absorbed by the frame 46. Due to the frame 63 disposed on the housing 63, the hand-dosing device sits well in the hand and gives the user a pleasant tactile perception, so that fatigue phenomena are delayed by prolonged handling. In addition, the housing 63 may be made of chemical resistant and stain resistant material, e.g. made of polypropylene.

The hand dosing device of FIGS. 7 and 8 is a fixed volume pipette, in which the metering volume is fixed, by the abutment of the bead 62 on the crossbar 51 and the stop of the piston 53 at the bottom of the cylinder 52. The invention also relates to pipettes with adjustable metering. In these pipettes, the position of the upper stop for the lifting rod by means of an adjustment is adjustable to change the dosing.

Claims (13)

1. A manual dosing device with a support structure with means for releasably holding (30.1, 30.2) a syringe at the lower end drive means (36, 41) that generate a linear movement and are fastened to the structure above the means for releasably holding (30.1, 30.2) at least one displacement means (34) for transferring the linear movement on a piston of the syringe through a rod for displacement of a fluid in the syringe, and a covering housing (24), characterized in that the supporting structure is formed by an elongated frame (1) including parallel spaced elongated members (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) such that the forces are transferred into frame (1) if the drive means (36, 41) drive the displacement means (34) and if the syringe with means for releasably holding (30.1, 30.2) is displaced and the housing (24) covers the frame.
2. A manual dosing device with a support structure which at the lower end has means to releasably hold a pipette tip (55), drive means (58) attached to the structure above the means for releasably holding and displacement means to displace the fluid in the pipette tip (55), a cylinder (52) with a displaceable piston (53) therein as displacement means which is attached to the supporting structure and connected with the means for releasably holding, the cylinder (52) communicating with a hole (54) of the means for releasably holding through a passage (56), the hole communicating with the upper opening of the pipette tip (55) when the means for releasably holding the pipette tip (55) and a covering housing (53), characterized in that the support structure is formed by parallel spaced elongated members (52, 58), the support structure is formed by the spaced parallel longitudinal members (52) of the elongated frame such that the forces are transferred to the frame if piston (53) is actuated by the drive means and the housing covering the frame.
3. The manual dosing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elongated members of different frame parts (2, 3) comprise interconnecting connection structures (10.1, 10.2, 12), and these connection structures (10.1, 10.2, 12.1, 12.2) include fastening means (22.1, 22.2) connecting the connection structures.
4. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the spaced parallel longitudinal members (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) at the lower end are connected with means for releasable holding (8, 30.1, 30.2, 31.1 - 31.4) a syringe or a pipette tip.
5. The manual dosing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the parallel longitudinal members (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) at the lower end are connected to a support plate (8).
6. The manual dosing device according to claim 5, wherein the support plate (8) is connected to the lower ends of the longitudinal members (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) by fork-shaped connecting areas (7.1, 7.2).
7. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-6, wherein the parallel longitudinal members (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) are connected by a bearing plate (15) at the upper end.
8. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-7, wherein the parallel longitudinal members (5, 6) between the ends are bridged by a cross brace (13).
9. The manual dosing device according to claim 8, wherein in the cross brace (13) a slide ray (14) for rod-shaped transmission means (34) are integrated.
10. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-9, wherein the longitudinal members comprise two bearing blocks (16.1, 16.2) projecting from one side and the housing accommodates the bearing blocks (16.1, 16.2) in a lateral convexity (25).
11. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-10, wherein the housing (24) is divided in the longitudinal direction of frame (1) and the housing parts (24.1, 24.2) are interconnected by a snap connection.
12. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-11, wherein the housing (24) in the longitudinal direction of the elongated frame (1) is guided at the longitudinal members.
13. The manual dosing device according to one of the claims 1-12, wherein the housing (24) is made of polypropylene or another polyolefin.

Images