Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
  • B01L3/021—Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
  • B01L3/0217—Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids of the plunger pump type
  • B01L3/0237—Details of electronic control, e.g. relating to user interface
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
  • B01L3/021—Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
  • B01L3/0217—Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids of the plunger pump type
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
  • B01L2200/14—Process control and prevention of errors
  • B01L2200/143—Quality control, feedback systems
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/02—Identification, exchange or storage of information
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/02—Identification, exchange or storage of information
  • B01L2300/023—Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of sampling pipettes, also called laboratory pipettes or liquid transfer pipettes, intended for sampling and dispensing liquid in containers or the like.
• the pipettes concerned by the present invention are manually operated pipettes. These pipettes are intended to be held in the hand by an operator during the operations of sampling and dispensing liquid, these operations being performed by setting in motion a control knob obtained by the application of an axial actuation pressure. on that same button.
• the invention relates to pipette means for detecting a passage of the piston through a predetermined position along its dispensing stroke or purge stroke.
• a switch incorporating contacts 118 embedded on the movable piston sliding. In operation, these contacts are moved a length equal to the total length of the piston stroke, after which contacts 118 generate switching via a fixed conductive bridge on the pipette body.
• the large stroke required for the contacts 118 makes their implantation difficult, especially because of the necessary presence of the electrical son 120 whose length must be large enough to tolerate the movement between the fixed microprocessor 84 and the low point of the contacts 118 It also results in a risk of failure, since the electrical wires 120 are subject to risks of jamming during movements of the piston of the pipette.
• the invention therefore aims to at least partially overcome the disadvantages mentioned above, relating to the achievements of the prior art.
• the invention relates to a manually operated sampling pipette, comprising a control rod whose low end controls the displacement of a piston slidably housed in a suction chamber of the pipette, the upper end of the control rod carrying a control button intended to be set in motion by an axial actuation pressure of an operator so that the piston successively performs a dispensing stroke during which load first elastic means return, then a purge stroke during which load second elastic return means, said pipette comprising an electronic device for receiving a switching signal translating the passage of the piston by a predetermined position along its dispensing stroke or its purge stroke, a position in which said first and / or second elastic return means have a predefined level terminated deformation, the pipette further comprising a switch which, when actuated by switch control means, outputs said switching signal to said electronic device.
• said control means comprise a movable actuating member integral with an elastic support capable of being deformed elastically under the effect of said axial actuation pressure applied by the operator to the control knob, said pipette being designed so that the elastic deformation of the support, causing the movable member from an inactive position to an actuating position, is caused only when said axial pressure is greater than or equal to that placing said first and / or or second elastic means at their predetermined level of deformation.
• the principle of the invention is based on the establishment of a judicious correlation of the stiffness of the first / second return means and the deformable elastic support. Indeed, the latter is designed to deform and trigger a switch only when the axial pressure it undergoes is sufficient to have previously caused a deformation of the first and / or second elastic return means having led the pipette piston to reach its predetermined position that one seeks to detect.
• the invention therefore has the advantage of no longer having an identity between the stroke length of the piston and the length of the relative displacement between the fixed and movable contacts of the switch. This results in greater reliability, easier installation, and a greatly reduced risk of failure.
• the detection means mentioned above are preferably integrated in the control button. Their implementation is easy, and this solution makes it easy to implement the invention on the existing pool of pipettes, without greatly affecting the initial design. Nevertheless, the system can be implanted elsewhere in the pipette, preferably always at least partly in the control button, but also in other appropriate places.
• the switch and its control means may be arranged between the lower end of the control rod and the piston.
• the invention such as counting the number of pipetting cycles, this number being able to be stored in memory and / or displayed on the pipette, but also the possibility of ordering any action following the detection of the passage. the piston by the predetermined position, or the emission of a signal to be received by any device provided to communicate remotely with the pipette.
• any type of wireless link can be envisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the predetermined position of the piston is chosen according to the desired applications. It can thus be held anywhere between the start of the dispensing run and the end of the purge stroke, including the low point of this purge stroke.
• said elastic support is designed to deform abruptly when it moves the movable member from the inactive position to the actuating position.
• said elastic support has a dome shape whose recess is oriented towards the bottom of the pipette.
• the orientation of the dome trough is reversed, preferably abruptly as mentioned above.
• said elastic support is integrated with said control button, and constitutes the part of the button on which the operator exerts the axial actuation pressure directly during a pipetting operation.
• said elastic support constitutes an upper part of the outer envelope of the plug, but could alternatively only indirectly be subjected to axial pressure while being covered by another element, for example a flexible skin that closes the button at the top.
• said movable member integral with the elastic support, is a pin. It could alternatively be a central portion of the dome.
• said first and second elastic return means are compression springs, as is conventionally the case in today's manually operated pipettes.
• the command button is integrated in the command button:
• said electronic device comprises a microprocessor or the like, and preferably also a transmitter.
• This storage is essentially intended for counting the number of pipetting cycles performed by the pipette.
• an action following the issuance of a switching signal by said switch for example the measurement of a physical data such as pressure, temperature, a mass of liquid taken, etc.
• the display may indicate the number of pipetting operations since the last reset.
• any wireless link via a transmitter, a transmission signal to a receiver located remote from the pipette, following the issuance of a switching signal by the switch.
• a receiver located remote from the pipette, following the issuance of a switching signal by the switch.
• it may be a receiver equipping any type of device capable of communicating remotely with the pipette, such as a light assist device for dispensing liquid in the wells of at least one titration microplate intended to rest on this luminous device.
• said predetermined position of the piston corresponds to the transition position between the dispensing stroke and the purge stroke, or to a position near this transition position. If other positions are The transition position is particularly suitable for detecting that a liquid dispensing has been fully realized.
• the subject of the invention is also a system comprising a sampling pipette as described above, as well as a luminous aid device for dispensing liquid from the wells of at least one titration device intended to be based on the light device, the latter being designed to successively illuminate said wells in response to the transmission signals transmitted by wireless connection by said electronic device of the pipette.
• the wireless link can be of any type known to the a person skilled in the art, for example RF, optics, etc.
• the invention also relates to a manually operated control button incorporating the invention described above.
• this button is intended to be integral with the upper end of a pipette control rod whose lower end is intended to control the displacement of a pipette piston, said control button having a top surface intended to to receive an axial actuation pressure of an operator desiring to successively cause a dispensing stroke and a purge stroke of the piston.
• said button comprises an electronic device as well as a switch which, when actuated by switching control means also integrated in the button, delivers a switching signal to said electronic device, said control means comprising a mobile actuating member secured to an elastic support capable of elastically deforming under the effect of said axial actuation pressure applied by the operator to the control button, said button being designed so that the elastic deformation of said support causing the movable member from an inactive position to an actuating position, is caused only when said axial pressure applied to said upper surface is of greater intensity than a predetermined intensity.
• buttons can be integrated into this control button, without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the button also integrates a power supply of the electronic device.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a manually operated sampling pipette according to the present invention, when actuated by an operator;
• FIGS. 5 to 7 show the pipette according to various configurations adopted during a pipetting operation
• FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the various components of the pipette for issuing transmission signals, and the various components for equipping a device remote from the pipette to receive the transmission signals;
• FIG. 9 shows a system comprising a sampling pipette and a light device for assisting the dispensing of liquid in the wells of at least one titration microplate intended to rest on the light device.
• FIG. 1 there is shown a manually operated sampling pipette 1 held by the hand 2 of an operator, who, with his thumb 4, actuates the pipette to generate the dispensation of a liquid that has been previously aspirated.
• the pipette 1 comprises a handle 6 forming the upper body of the pipette, the handle of which opens a control rod 10 carrying at its upper end, in the pipetting position, a control button 12 whose upper part is intended to undergo the pressure of the thumb of the operator.
• a display screen (not shown) can be provided on the handle 6.
• the pipette 1 comprises a removable lower part 14, which ends downwards by a cone holder 16 receiving a consumable 18, also called sampling cone.
• a consumable 18 also called sampling cone.
• the cone can be ejected mechanically by an ejector 20 whose actuating button 22 is also projecting on the top of the handle, close to the control knob 12.
• control knob 12 is shown in detail.
• the dome 30 has its hollow downwardly, and thus has an upward curved shape for undergoing the pressure applied by the thumb of the operator, during pipetting.
• the dome 30 is the part of the button on which the operator directly exerts the axial actuation pressure, during a pipetting operation.
• the dome 30 is an integral part of the means for detecting a passage of the pipette piston by a predetermined position, as will be detailed below.
• the aforementioned means are all integrated in the plug 12, thus starting with the dome 30 constituting the upper end of the plug, and forming an integral part of the control means of a switch 32.
• the control means also comprise a movable actuating member 34, in the form of a pin centered on the axis 26 and extending in the direction of the latter.
• the pin 34 is integral with the dome 30 which carries it internally, as
• These two elements 30, 34 can be made in one piece, preferably made of a suitable elastic polymer material, such as natural or synthetic rubber or thermoplastic elastomers, for example silicone rubber, polyurethane etc.
• the resilient / flexible nature of the dome 30 forming the support of the pin 34 is essential because it is its deformation that allows the actuation of the switch 32, as will be detailed below.
• the switch 32 is in fact arranged under the pin 34, and comprises a fixed electrical contact 36 carried by an electronic device 40, as well as a deformable electrical contact 38 in the form of a cup, arranged in contact and under the pin 34. last, in Figure 2, is shown in an inactive position which causes no switching.
• the electronic device 40 which generally comprises a microprocessor and a transceiver, is powered by a battery 42 located under the device, always inwardly with respect to the outer wall 24, just above the upper end of the rod. ordered.
• FIG. 3 there is shown a central portion of the pipette, comprising a portion of the handle 6 and a portion of the lower portion 14.
• the selected design is of the conventional type and known to man of the profession, and will therefore only be briefly described.
• the lower end of the control rod 10 is surrounded by a volume control device to be taken, known in itself. This lower end is in contact with a seat part 46 secured to the upper end of a piston 50 whose lower end is housed within a suction chamber 52 shown in FIG. 4, communicating with inside the sampling cone 18.
• the piston 50 slidably movable in the direction of the axis 26 in the suction chamber, is held in the upper position by a first compression spring 54 whose upper end bears against a shoulder of the seat 46, and whose lower end is resting on the shoulder of another seat 56 arranged near the junction between the handle 6 and the lower part 14.
• the seat 56 is secured of the fixed shell 58 of the handle, and also secured to the fixed shell 60 of the lower part 14.
• the first spring 54 is commonly called liquid dispensing spring.
• the seat 56 has an orifice 62 through which the piston 50 passes.
• a downwardly directed shoulder stops in translation a ring 68 held in a high position by a second compression spring 70 whose lower end is in abutment. in the bottom of the hull 60.
• the second spring 70 is commonly referred to as a purge spring. It has a stiffness greater than that of the dispensing spring 54.
• the aforementioned detecting means are here shaped so as to detect the passage of the piston 50 by the dispensing end-stop position, that is to say at the moment of the transition between the two races, just before the second spring 70 began to warp.
• the stiffness of the dome 30 is adapted according to the stiffness of the springs 54, 70 so that the dome only deforms at the end of the dispensing stroke, in order to actuate the switch for the delivery of a switching signal.
• the operator holding the handle 6 in his hand exerts with his thumb an axial pressing pressure on the button.
• the first spring 54 is loaded compressing, but the pressure applied by the thumb on the button 12 is not high enough to deform the dome 30.
• the electronic device does not record any data duration this phase, because the switch is not actuated.
• the pipette is designed so that it occurs simultaneously, always in response to the axial pressure exerted by the operator, a sudden deformation of the dome 30, as shown in FIG.
• the abrupt deformation of the dome 30, which results in a tactile sensation for the operator, causes the pin 34 to move downward towards its operating position shown in FIG. 6.
• the abrupt deformation of the dome 30 leads to an inversion of its hollow, which is then turned upward.
• the pin 34 causes the deformation of the negligible mechanical strength cup 38 to bring it into abutment against the fixed contact 36 of the switch, thereby generating a switching signal which is transmitted to the electronic device 40.
• the switching signal is delivered as soon as the electrical contact exceeds a given duration, for example 300 ⁇ .
• the operator continues to increase the pressure on the button to perform the purge stroke causing the compression of the second spring 70, until the arrival of the piston at a low point shown in Figure 7. It is noted that during this purge stroke, the first spring continues to charge gradually.
• the second spring 70 its compression is generated by pressing on the seat 68 a sleeve extending downwardly the seat 46 and passing through the orifice 62.
• one of the privileged lies in the transmission, by a wireless link and via the transmitter, of a transmission signal to a receiver located at a distance from the pipette.
• FIG. 8 shows an example of equipment for such wireless communication, here by RF radio frequency.
• the detection means 81 equipping the button of the pipette have already been described above. They comprise the electronic device 40 equipped with the microprocessor 80 and the transceiver 82. They also include the switch 32 and the power supply cell 42.
• the receiver 84 provided on a device arranged at a distance from the pipette and intended to communicating with it, includes an electronic device 85 provided with a microprocessor 86 and a transceiver 87. It also includes a pairing control 88, a power supply battery 89, and possibly a status LED 90 of the receiver.
• a connector 91 for example of the USB type, allows its connection to the remote device 92, which is here preferably a pipetting aid light device shown in Figure 9.
• FIG. 9 shows a system 100 comprising the pipette 1 and the luminous device 92 for assisting the dispensing of liquid into the wells of at least one titration device, intended to rest in a manner known per se on this device luminous.
• This is for example a microplate 98, such as that placed on the left side of the light device 92 of FIG. 9. The latter is intended to communicate wirelessly with the pipette, by RF means by means described in FIG. 8.
• the liquid taken by a pipette may be dispensed into the wells of the titration microplate 98 resting on the upper surface of the light device, having a matrix of light points 94 corresponding to the matrix formed by wells 95 on the microplate.
• the liquid is then dispensed successively in the various wells, which are very numerous and small.
• the device 92 generally consists in illuminating, via the appropriate light point 94, the well which must be filled, after having extinguished the light point 94 of the well previously filled with liquid. Lighting is effected for example with LEDs located under the microplate, at least partially transparent.
• the operator has a pedal control to order the movement of lighting from one well to another.
• the foot pedal is then actuated after each filled well.
• the successive illumination of the wells takes place automatically after the transmission of each transmission signal received by the receiver 84, connected to the light device 92.
• the succession of events described above occurs, until a change in the light 96 which then illuminates the next well to be filled.
• Other illumination configurations are of course conceivable, without departing from the scope of the invention.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Devices For Use In Laboratory Experiments (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

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Publications (2)

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• 2012
  • 2012-02-13 FR FR1251329A patent/FR2986718B1/fr active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-02-13 CA CA2864111A patent/CA2864111C/fr active Active
  • 2013-02-13 CN CN201380008814.3A patent/CN104136125B/zh active Active
  • 2013-02-13 BR BR112014019573A patent/BR112014019573A8/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2013-02-13 PL PL13707301T patent/PL2814613T3/pl unknown
  • 2013-02-13 JP JP2014556101A patent/JP6240095B2/ja active Active
  • 2013-02-13 WO PCT/EP2013/052807 patent/WO2013120862A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2013-02-13 US US14/377,967 patent/US9440230B2/en active Active
  • 2013-02-13 KR KR1020147023433A patent/KR102012895B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2013-02-13 ES ES13707301.1T patent/ES2585078T3/es active Active
  • 2013-02-13 EP EP13707301.1A patent/EP2814613B1/de active Active
• 2014
  • 2014-07-31 IN IN1550MUN2014 patent/IN2014MN01550A/en unknown

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