EP4063013A1 - Pointe de pipette - Google Patents

Pointe de pipette Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4063013A1
EP4063013A1 EP21165248.2A EP21165248A EP4063013A1 EP 4063013 A1 EP4063013 A1 EP 4063013A1 EP 21165248 A EP21165248 A EP 21165248A EP 4063013 A1 EP4063013 A1 EP 4063013A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pipette tip
tubular body
attachment
pipette
tip according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21165248.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Vito BRABETZ
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eppendorf SE
Original Assignee
Eppendorf SE
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eppendorf SE filed Critical Eppendorf SE
Priority to EP21165248.2A priority Critical patent/EP4063013A1/fr
Priority to US17/703,007 priority patent/US20220305484A1/en
Priority to CN202210305620.0A priority patent/CN115121307A/zh
Priority to JP2022050053A priority patent/JP7329651B2/ja
Publication of EP4063013A1 publication Critical patent/EP4063013A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • B01L3/0275—Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
    • B01L3/0279—Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips co-operating with positive ejection means
    • 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
    • B01L3/0275—Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
    • 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
    • B01L2200/02—Adapting objects or devices to another
    • B01L2200/025—Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
    • 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
    • B01L2200/02—Adapting objects or devices to another
    • B01L2200/026—Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
    • 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
    • B01L2200/04—Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
    • 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
    • B01L2200/06—Fluid handling related problems
    • B01L2200/0605—Metering of fluids
    • 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
    • B01L2200/06—Fluid handling related problems
    • B01L2200/0689—Sealing
    • 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
    • B01L2200/08—Ergonomic or safety aspects of handling devices
    • B01L2200/085—Protection against injuring the user
    • 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
    • B01L2200/08—Ergonomic or safety aspects of handling devices
    • B01L2200/087—Ergonomic aspects
    • 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
    • B01L2300/06—Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
    • B01L2300/0609—Holders integrated in container to position an object
    • 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
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0848—Specific forms of parts of containers
    • B01L2300/0858—Side walls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
    • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
    • B01L2400/0475—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
    • B01L2400/0487—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure fluid pressure, pneumatics
    • B01L2400/049—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure fluid pressure, pneumatics vacuum

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a pipette tip.
  • Pipette tips are used together with pipettes and other dosing devices, particularly in medical, biological, biochemical and chemical laboratories for dosing liquids.
  • pipettes and other dosing devices are collectively referred to as "pipetting devices”.
  • Pipette tips have an elongate tubular body having a lower opening at the lower end for the passage of liquid and an upper opening at the upper end for clamping onto the hub of a pipetting device.
  • Most pipette tips are generally conical in shape, increasing in cross-section from the lower opening to the upper opening.
  • Standardized conical or truncated cone-shaped attachments are known with a standard geometry that is used uniformly by many manufacturers and is characterized by a specific mean diameter and by a specific cone angle of the conical attachment for each pipette tip size.
  • Multi-channel pipetting devices are used to take up liquid from one or more vessels or to dispense it into one or more vessels at the same time. They are often used for processing microtiter plates which have a large number of vessels in a matrix-like arrangement. For this purpose, multi-channel pipetting devices have a plurality of conical extensions arranged parallel to one another in one or more parallel rows, onto which pipette tips can be clamped.
  • multi-channel pipettes with 8, 12, 16 or 24 approaches in a row are known.
  • multi-channel dosing devices with a dosing head that has 96 or 384 attachments. According to the distance between adjacent vessels from In microtiter plates with 96 or 384 wells, adjacent wells are spaced 9 mm or 4.5 mm apart.
  • the pipetting device When designed as an air-cushion pipetting device, the pipetting device has at least one displacement device for air, which is connected in a communicating manner to a through-hole of at least one attachment.
  • An air cushion can be displaced by means of the displacement device in order to suck liquid into a pipette tip clamped onto the attachment and eject it therefrom.
  • the displacement device is usually designed as a cylinder with a piston that can be moved within it.
  • displacement devices with a displacement chamber and at least one deformable wall are also known, with a deformation of the wall causing the displacement of the air cushion.
  • a small piston is arranged in the pipette tip, which is coupled when the pipette tip is attached to a socket with a coupling element of a piston drive of the pipetting device, which is displaceable in a through hole of the socket.
  • the liquid is preferably taken up into the pipette tip in a single step or in several small steps.
  • the liquid is dispensed in a single step when pipetting and in several small steps when dispensing.
  • Pipette devices usually have an ejector that acts on the upper edge of the pipette tip to push it off the base.
  • the ejector can be pressed against the upper edges of several pipette tips at the same time. Using the ejector, the user can separate the pipette tips contaminated with liquid from the attachment without touching them.
  • the pipetting device can be a hand-held pipette that the user can hold and operate with just one hand. It can also be a dosing station (“pipetting station”) or an automatic dosing machine (“pipetting machine”), in which a dosing head with one or more attachments can be displaced on a robot arm or on another transmission system above a work surface.
  • the pipetting device can also be part of a laboratory machine ("workstation") which, in addition to dosing, can also carry out other treatments of liquids (e.g. mixing, temperature control, analysis).
  • the pipette tip In order to avoid incorrect dosing, the pipette tip must be clamped sufficiently tightly or sealingly onto the attachment. In addition, the forces for attaching and detaching the pipette tip from the attachment must not be too high.
  • Conventional pipette tips are thick-walled and rigid in the area of contact with the conical attachment. When attaching, the pipette tips are elastically widened at the circumference by the attachment. The spring characteristic is steep, so high push-on forces have to be applied. After attachment, a correspondingly high level of static friction acts between the attachment and the pipette tip, which has to be overcome when the pipette is ejected. The user is burdened by the high forces involved in attaching and detaching the pipette tip. This can trigger diseases that are summarized under the term "cumulative trauma disorders" (CTD). Insofar as the attachment and ejection takes place by means of motor drives, these must be correspondingly powerful and have a high power consumption.
  • the U.S. 6,197,259 describes a pipette tip which can be firmly attached to a pipette hub by application of relatively low axial insertion forces of six pounds (26.7 N) and by application of relatively low ejection forces of three pounds (13.3N) is droppable from it.
  • the pipette tip has a conical top end with an inner diameter at the top end that is larger than the diameter of the pipette hub onto which the pipette tip is to be fitted.
  • the pipette tip has a hollow middle section and an annular sealing area at the junction between the upper end and the middle section.
  • the middle section has a side wall with a wall thickness of between 0.2 and 0.5 mm on and next to the sealing area.
  • the annular sealing portion has an inner diameter less than a value "x" and is adapted to engage the lower end of a sealing zone of the stud to expand radially when the stud is inserted. This creates a liquid-tight seal between the sealing zone of the attachment and the sealing area of the pipette tip.
  • the pipette tip has lateral stabilizing means on the inside next to the sealing area, which engage with the outer surface of the attachment in order to stabilize the pipette tip on the attachment.
  • the lateral stabilizing means includes at least three circumferentially spaced contacts extending inwardly from the inner surface of the pipette tip.
  • the contacts are diametrically spaced to readily engage the bottom of the hub and allow the bottom to slide past without expanding the sidewalls of the pipette tip on which the contacts are located.
  • the pipette tip is stretched in and immediately adjacent to the sealing area.
  • the contacts guide the pipette tip on the hub, the sidewall of the pipette tip deforms inward between the contacts and does not expand, thereby minimizing the force required to depress the hub.
  • the attachment can be pressed deeper into the pipette tip with increasing attachment force.
  • high ejection forces are required to release the pipette tip apply approach.
  • the design is only suitable for relatively large pipette tips due to the inwardly protruding contacts.
  • the U.S. 6,568,288 describes a pipette tip that has annular sealing zones and essentially cylindrical lateral guiding zones that are axially spaced apart from one another, the sealing zone being sufficiently thin to ensure a press fit and airtight seal between to form a sealing surface of the sealing zone and the sealing area.
  • the wall thickness in the sealing area is preferably between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.
  • the sealing surface is the outer surface of an annular, radially outwardly projecting projection adjacent the lower end of the lug.
  • the pipette tip has an annular, upturned and inward shoulder on the inner circumference to limit push-on on the hub.
  • the attachment force should be approximately two pounds (8.9 N) and the detaching force should be approximately one pound (4.45 N).
  • the depth stop can lead to incomplete immersion when picking up several pipette tips from a tray or rack at the same time using a multi-channel pipetting device. If the tray or rack sags slightly downwards between lateral edges, the seating of the two outer lugs on the shoulders of the two outer pipette tips can lead to insufficient immersion of the further lugs in the pipette tips arranged between them.
  • the U.S. 6,967,004 B2 describes a pipette tip having an annular sealing area with an inner sealing surface on a side wall that is sufficiently thin in the sealing area to expand slightly and an interference fit and an airtight seal between the sealing surface and a sealing zone of a tip of the pipette inserted into the pipette tip.
  • the pipette tip has an annular inward and upward shoulder that limits insertion of the tip.
  • the approach has two cylinder sections with different diameters. Its annular sealing zone includes a sealing edge at a junction of the lower end of a barrel section and the extreme edge of a radially extending transition of the lug.
  • the pipette tip insertion and ejection forces are less than two pounds (8.9 N).
  • the depth stop can lead to insufficient immersion of approaches when picking up several pipette tips at the same time using a multi-channel pipetting device.
  • the EP 2 138 234 A1 describes a pipette tip that has a flexible, tubular connecting section with a wavy cross-sectional contour at the upper end of an elongate tubular section for detachable connection to the attachment of a pipetting device, which increases the extensibility of the seating area.
  • Seat area has over 20% reversible stretch when clipped onto neck.
  • the wavy contour on the attachment must be smoothed out, which means that there is only little further stretchability.
  • the pipette tip requires precise manufacturing.
  • there is an inwardly radially projecting shoulder between the seating area and the tubular area which provides a depth stop for the attachment, which can lead to insufficient immersion of attachments when picking up pipette tips using a multi-channel pipetting device.
  • the EP 2 606 977 A1 describes a pipette tip in the form of an elongate tube having a lower opening at the lower end for the passage of liquid and an upper opening at the upper end, with a seating area adjacent to the upper opening on the inner periphery, which is for slipping on a standardized conical attachment of a pipetting device is used.
  • the seating area has a holding area with axially extending ribs projecting radially inward and below the holding area a sealing area with an inwardly projecting sealing projection running around the circumference.
  • the seating area is designed in such a way that when it is pushed onto the attachment with an attachment force that ensures that the pipette tip is held and sealed on the attachment, the ribs are partially plastically deformed and elastic deformation occurs outside of the ribs in the seating area.
  • Below the sealing area it has a braking area that widens conically towards the upper opening to limit the attachment. This ensures a secure seal on the attachment of a pipetting device and significantly reduces the ejection force to be applied for ejection.
  • the design is particularly suitable for relatively large pipette tips with a nominal volume of 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mL. It is less suitable for smaller pipette tips due to the difficult production of the filigree ribs.
  • the EP 3 115 110 A1 describes a pipette tip with a tubular body and a seat area for plugging onto a conical attachment of a pipetting device, which has a circumferential, inwardly projecting sealing projection on the inner circumference at a distance from the upper opening, below the sealing projection a circumferential, downwardly stronger than the Approach tapering braking area and above the sealing projection has a circumferential, inwardly projecting support projection.
  • the sealing projection can be clamped onto the shoulder in a sealing manner under elastic deformation, with the braking area lying further down on the shoulder and the supporting projection further up lying on the shoulder without pretension or being spaced from the shoulder by a circumferential gap.
  • the pipette tip is well sealed and can be clamped securely onto the attachment of a pipetting device, can be ejected from the attachment with reduced effort and is also well suited for smaller pipette tip sizes. is disadvantageous the still high effort when clamping onto the attachment and when stripping from the attachment.
  • the WO 2011/091308 A2 describes a pipette tip which has an annular flange at the proximal end of a proximal section and axially directed ribs in the proximal section, which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction.
  • the flange is intended to increase the rigidity of the pipette tip and make it easier to align the dispenser with the pipette tip.
  • the ribs are intended to limit the axial expandability of the pipette tip in the proximal area.
  • the attachment forces of the pipette tips with 200 ⁇ l and 1000 ⁇ l filling volume on five different pipettes are over 1000 g (10 N) and reach up to 2,000 g (20N).
  • the pipette tip has elastic expansion elements that reduce the axial push-on and ejection force.
  • the elastic expansion elements are arranged in an upper section of the pipette tip above a sealing ring running around the inner circumference. They are formed by outwardly curved areas of reduced wall thickness between cylindrical or conical segments of the pipette tip.
  • Ribs on the inside of the wall segments guide and align the pipette tip on the attachment.
  • the push-on forces are still high because the pipette tip has a large wall thickness in the area of the circumferential sealing ring and can only expand slightly, and increase sharply when the expansion elements are drawn flat.
  • the WO 2018/213196 A1 describes a pipette tip having a proximal portion with alternating longitudinal grooves and panels configured to facilitate expansion and compression of the wall when the pipette tip is attached to and sealingly engaged with a correspondingly configured dispenser. These measures reduce the axial force for clamping a pipette tip onto a dispensing device and releasing a pipette tip from a liquid dispensing device.
  • the grooves are stepped, V- or U-shaped.
  • a plurality of grooves and panels are alternately arranged around the periphery of the proximal section. In order to form the grooves, constrictions in the injection molding tool and the corners at approximately right angles between the grooves and the panels must be filled with plasticized plastic compound during injection molding.
  • the invention is based on the object of providing a pipette tip that can be clamped onto an attachment of a pipette device sufficiently firmly and sealingly with reduced attachment and ejection force, has more favorable manufacturing properties with improved dimensional accuracy and strength and is better suited for labeling different types of pipette tip .
  • the plastic pipette tip comprises an elongate, tubular body with a lower opening at a lower end of the tubular body for the passage of liquid and an upper opening at an upper end of the tubular body for clamping onto an attachment of a pipetting device, wherein in addition to the upper opening at the inner circumference of the tubular body there is a seating area for the attachment, characterized in that the tubular body has a plurality of axially extending flats on the outer circumference adjacent to the upper opening and the tubular body in a cross-section through the flats on the outer circumference the contour of an arc polygon.
  • the pipette tip according to the invention has a smaller wall thickness in the area of the flat areas than on the two lateral edges of the flat areas. This improves the deformability of the pipette tip when it is clamped onto an attachment of a pipetting device, so that the pipette tip can be reliably sealed on the attachment even with comparatively low attachment forces.
  • the pipette tip can be designed in such a way that it is exclusively elastically deformed when it is clamped onto a defined attachment of a pipetting device with a specific force. However, it can also be designed in such a way that it is plastically deformed when it is clamped onto a defined attachment of a pipetting device with a specific force. With elastic deformation, the attachment force increases proportionally to the deformation.
  • the elastic deformation can be restored completely after the pipette tip has been released from the attachment.
  • plastic deformation occurs.
  • Plastic deformation is an irreversible deformation that does not recover by itself after the pipette tip has been detached from the socket.
  • the attachment force no longer increases or only slightly with the deformation.
  • the elastic or plastic deformation preferably takes place in the area of the flattened areas, since the pipette tip has the smallest wall thickness next to the upper opening in the area of the flattened areas. As a result, the effort required for sealingly clamping the pipette tip onto the attachment can be kept low.
  • the push-on force can be limited to a specified limit value.
  • the flats each having an arcuately curved profile, define an outer periphery of the tubular body in the form of an arc polygon.
  • An arc polygon has its sides formed by arcs extending between any two adjacent vertices.
  • the arc polygon is a regular arc polygon, such as the Reuleaux polygon.
  • An arc polygon is based on a polygon, the sides of which are replaced by circular arcs between two adjacent corner points, the center of which is the opposite corner point. The intersection (common area) of the circles forms the arc polygon.
  • the underlying polygon must be convex and not overlapped.
  • a regular arc polygon is based on a regular polygon that has both sides of equal length and interior angles of equal size.
  • a special case are equal-thickness polygons whose underlying polygons have an odd number of vertices, so that every possible diameter of the solid has the same magnitude (constant width).
  • a particular advantage is the good ratio between the thick-walled and thin-walled areas of the cross section.
  • the thin-walled areas bring about a reduction in the force required to stretch the pipette tip when it is clamped onto an attachment and, as a result, also a reduced attachment force. Due to the increased flexibility, the pipette tip can be better used with tips of different shapes and/or dimensions.
  • the thick-walled areas can also advantageously be used as a support surface for the ejector of a pipette, in order to reliably detach the pipette tip from an attachment.
  • the thickened areas can also be used for a good rest in the tray (holder for pipette tips), which has holes into which the pipette tips are inserted and on the upper edge of which they are supported with the thickened areas.
  • the ratio of the thick-walled and thin-walled areas of the cross-section in combination with the reduced stretching force is particularly advantageous.
  • the outer contour of the tubular body in the form of an arc polygon due to the outer contour of the tubular body in the form of an arc polygon, the cross-sectional area and thus the weight of the pipette tip and the plastic material required for production can be reduced.
  • a further advantage is that the special external appearance of the pipette tips with the outer contour in the form of an arc polygon makes it possible to distinguish between different pipette tip types.
  • a simulation comparison of a pipette tip with the outer contour in the form of an arc polygon with a conventional hollow-cylindrical pipette tip has shown that the stretching force to be applied when attaching the tip can be reduced by up to approx. 35%.
  • the plastic compound can fill the cavity in the injection mold in the area of the flat areas better than in the area of the grooves in conventional pipette tips due to the lower pressure losses at the flat areas.
  • weld lines can also be reduced and more dimensionally stable and stronger pipette tips can be achieved.
  • the increased strength can prevent the pipette tips from tearing open at the points with the smallest wall thickness due to the push-on forces.
  • the flat areas can be used to identify the pipette tips.
  • information about the pipette tip and/or its manufacture can be attached to the flattened areas during injection molding, for example about the pipette tip size, the material or the degree of purity of the pipette tip, the manufacturer, the brand and/or the production tool used for manufacture.
  • the pipette tip size is the largest volume that can be dispensed with the pipette tip.
  • Pipette tips that differ from one another by at least one of the aforementioned criteria are also referred to in this application as "pipette tips of different pipette tip types".
  • the identification may be in the form of raised or depressed letters, numbers, characters or symbols during injection molding or may be printed later.
  • Identification by the user can also be considered, e.g. by printing, inscribing with a writing tool or affixing a label.
  • the flat areas themselves can be used as an identification feature to distinguish different types of pipette tips from one another.
  • the flat areas can also serve as anti-roll protection in order to prevent a pipette tip placed on a work surface or other surface from rolling away.
  • the invention relates exclusively to pipette tips in which the sides of the arc polygon are outwardly curved such that the flats have an outwardly (convex) curved profile in a cross-section through the tubular body.
  • the invention in addition to the aforesaid pipette tips, the invention relates to pipette tips in which the sides of the arc polygon curve inward so that the flats in a cross-section through the tubular body have an inward (concave) have a curved profile.
  • the profile of the flattened areas is curved mostly or exclusively outwards or mostly or exclusively inwards.
  • the radius of curvature is constant along each profile.
  • the radius of curvature varies along each profile or part thereof.
  • the profile of the flattened areas is curved in the same or different ways in sections.
  • the profile of the flats curves outwards or straight at the two edges and curves outwards or curves inwards in between, so that it is approximately V-shaped as a whole.
  • the profile of the flattened areas is differently curved in sections.
  • the different curvature can be curvatures with different radii of curvature or outward and inward curvatures with the same or different radii of curvature.
  • the curvature denotes the reciprocal of the radius of curvature of the respective profile.
  • the tubular body has, in all cross-sections through the flats in the flats, exclusively a profile curved with the same radius of curvature or in different cross-sections a profile curved with different radius of curvature, the curvature of the profile preferably changing gradually from cross-section to cross-section.
  • the flats have an outwardly curved profile and an inwardly curved profile in different cross-sections, the curvature of the profile preferably changing gradually from cross-section to cross-section.
  • the wall thickness of the tubular body gradually decreases in a cross-section through the tubular body, starting from one of the two edge regions of each flat in the flat towards its central region. The gradual reduction in wall thickness promotes even filling of the cavity in the injection mold and avoids excessive stress when the pipette tip is clamped onto a socket.
  • the flats extend upwardly to a distance from the top of the tubular body.
  • a circumferential upper edge with a uniform wall thickness can be achieved at the upper end of the pipette tip, which is advantageous for ejecting a pipette tip from the attachment by means of an ejection device of the pipetting device.
  • the upper edge of the pipette tip is a circumferential flange. The flange can be used to hold a pipette tip in a hole of a pipette tip holder (rack) .
  • the flats extend to the top of the tubular body.
  • the extension of the flat areas to the upper end is advantageous for the deformation of the pipette tip with reduced effort.
  • the tubular body has a shoulder on the outer periphery.
  • the shoulder can be used to support the pipette tip in a hole of a pipette tip holder.
  • the flattened areas extend downwards at least as far as or beyond the shoulder.
  • the tubular body has three to ten, preferably three, four or five flat areas on the circumference. Due to the multiple flattenings, the effort required to deform the pipette tips can be further reduced. Furthermore, different types of pipette tips can be identified differently by pipette tips with different numbers and/or dimensions (e.g. with different widths and/or curvatures) of the flat areas.
  • all the flattened areas are of the same width and have the same curvature.
  • the flats are parallel to the central axis of the tubular body or helically around the central axis of the tubular body.
  • each flat extends only a fraction of the circumference of the tubular body or once or more than once around the circumference of the tubular body.
  • the seating area is conical and/or cylindrical.
  • the tubular body has on the inner circumference of the seat area at least one inwardly projecting, circumferential sealing structure and/or at least one inwardly projecting, circumferentially extending guide structure or having several sections spaced apart from one another and/or at least one inwardly projecting , circumferential or more spaced apart portions having braking structure.
  • the sealing structure is a sealing bead and/or the guide structure is a guide bead and/or a guide rib and/or nub- or wart-shaped guide projections and/or the braking structure is a braking bead and/or a conical braking area .
  • the sealing structure brings about a ring support between the attachment of the pipette device and the pipette tip and thus a good seal with low frictional forces when the pipette tip is pushed onto the attachment.
  • the seating area can have a surface seal, which is formed, for example, by a conical or cylindrical surface or a partially conical and partially cylindrical surface.
  • the guide structure brings about a ring support or a plurality of circular arc-shaped supports spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction and/or a plurality of approximately punctiform supports spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction between the attachment of the pipetting device and the pipette tip, and thus good guidance with low frictional forces when the pipette tip is placed on the attachment.
  • the guide structure keeps the pipette tip stable at the base, even if a force is introduced from the side into the lower end of the pipette tip during wall dispensing (liquid dispensing on a vessel wall).
  • the braking structure provides a ring or arcuate or ramped interface between the hub and the pipette tip and brakes the insertion movement of the hub into the pipette tip.
  • the braking effect is determined by the geometry of the braking structure and the approach and the Material properties (particularly elasticity and roughness) of the pipette tip and attachment are determined.
  • the guide structure is arranged above the sealing structure and/or the braking structure is arranged below the sealing structure.
  • the guiding structure coincides with the sealing structure and/or the sealing structure coincides with the braking structure.
  • a guide bead can also be designed as a sealing bead and/or a sealing bead can also be designed as a friction bead.
  • the tubular body has a plurality of sealing structures and/or guide structures and/or friction structures on the inner circumference, which have a wavy contour in a longitudinal section through the tubular body.
  • the tubular body has a widening at the upper opening and/or an insertion bevel at the inner circumference.
  • the widening and/or insertion bevel makes it easier to insert an attachment of a pipetting device into the pipette tip.
  • the pipette tip consists exclusively of the tubular body.
  • the pipette tip is an air cushion pipette tip, ie it is designed to be used with an air cushion pipette device.
  • the air-cushion pipette tip consists solely of the tubular body.
  • the pipette tip consists of the tubular body and another component.
  • the further component is, for example, a small piston which is arranged inside the tubular body and can be displaced in it.
  • This is a positive displacement pipette tip, i.e. a pipette tip that can be used with a positive displacement pipetting device.
  • the pipette tip is made from at least one thermoplastic, preferably from at least one polyolefin, preferably from at least one polypropylene and/or polyethylene.
  • the invention also relates to a pipette tip system comprising a plurality of pipette tips according to one of claims 1 to 15 or one of the above embodiments, pipette tips of different pipette tip types having differently designed flat areas and/or different markings on the flat areas.
  • the invention also relates to a pipetting system with at least one pipette tip according to one of claims 1 to 15 or one of the above embodiments and a single-channel pipetting device with a single attachment for attaching a pipette tip and/or a multi-channel pipetting device with multiple attachments for attaching multiple pipette tips at the same time.
  • the terms “vertical” and “horizontal”, “above” and “below” and terms derived therefrom such as “above” and “below” refer to an arrangement of the pipette tip with a vertically aligned Central axis of the tubular body with the top opening at the top and the bottom opening at the bottom.
  • each cross-section through the tubular body is a plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis of the tubular body.
  • Each longitudinal section through the tubular body is a plane in which the central axis of the tubular body extends.
  • the central area of the flat denotes a line or a strip-like zone that runs between the two lateral edges of the flat, it being possible for the line or zone to be at the same distance from the two lateral edges of the flat or at different distances from the two lateral edges of the flat may have flattening.
  • a pipette tip 1 has an elongate, tubular body 2 which has a lower opening 4 at the lower end 3 and an upper opening 6 at the upper end 5 .
  • the lower opening 4 is smaller than the upper opening 6.
  • the inner and outer diameters of the tubular body 2 increase from the lower opening 4 to the upper opening 6 .
  • the tubular body 2 has a conical section 7 below and above it a head section 8 which is slightly conical in a lower head section part 8.1 and more heavily conical in an upper head section part 8.2 ( 1a, 1f ). Adjacent to the conical section 7 runs around the underside of the head section 8 at the outer periphery 9 of the tubular body 2 a downwardly directed outer shoulder 10 .
  • the head section 8 of the tubular body 2 is triangular in cross-section and has a flattened area 12 between each two adjacent corners 11 with an arc-shaped outwardly curved profile 13 ( Fig. 1d ).
  • the tubular body 2 thus has an outer contour 14 in the form of a regular triangular arc polygon 15 in a cross section through the head section 8, which is also referred to as a Reuleaux triangle.
  • the head section 8 Due to the outer contour 14 in the form of an arc polygon 15 and its circular inner contour 16, the head section 8 has the thickest-walled points 17 at the corners 11 of the arc polygon 15 and the thinnest-walled points 18 in the middle between the corners, with its wall thickness corresponding to the thickest-walled points 17 to to the thinnest points 18 gradually decreases.
  • the tubular body 2 has a peripheral edge 19 with a corresponding progression of the wall thickness ( 1g ).
  • the tubular body 2 has a widening 21 with an insertion bevel 22 on the inner circumference 20 . This is particularly in 1c shown.
  • the tubular body 2 has an essentially conical seating area 23 on the inner circumference 20 for a conical attachment 24 of a pipetting device 25 .
  • the seat portion 23 extends into the head portion 8 and has a cone angle of, for example, 2° to 6°.
  • the seat area 23 forms a surface seal for a sealing seat of the pipette tip 1 on the attachment 24.
  • the tubular body 2 has a circumferential annular groove 26 on the inner circumference 20 below the seating area 23 for holding on the core of an injection mold during the production of the pipette tips ( 1c ).
  • the inner contour of the tubular body 2 merges smoothly into the downwardly tapering conical section 7 ( 1c ).
  • One or more pipette tips 1 can be held ready in holes in a holder for pipette tips so that they can be clamped onto the attachment 24 of a pipetting device 25, with their shoulder 10 being supported on the edge of the holes.
  • the attachment 24 of a pipetting device 25 can easily be inserted into the pipette tip 1 through the widening 21 with the insertion bevel 22 at the upper opening 6 .
  • the pipette tip 1 can be elastic and/or plastic in the area of the flat areas 12 are deformed, as a result of which the push-on forces are reduced and a securely sealing fit of the extension 24 in the seat area 22 is achieved with relatively lower push-on forces.
  • the thin-walled areas between the corners 11 lead to a reduction in the expansion force required when attaching the pipette tip 1 to an attachment 24 of a pipetting device 25 and to a correspondingly reduced attachment force and increased flexibility when using the pipette tip 1 with a pipetting device 25, the attachments 23 with have different geometries.
  • the pipette tip 1 can easily be ejected from the attachment 24 since the ejection forces to be applied for the ejection are also reduced.
  • an ejection sleeve of the pipette device 25 guided on the attachment 24 is pressed against the peripheral edge 19 at the upper end 5 of the pipette tip 1 and the pipette tip 1 is stripped off the attachment 24 .
  • the thick-walled areas at the corners 11 enable the pipette tip 1 to be ejected safely, since they offer a large contact surface on the upper edge 19 for placing an ejector.
  • the thick-walled portions are also formed on the shoulder 10 on the underside of the head portion 8, they provide good seating on the rim portions of holes in a pipette tip holder.
  • the cross-sectional shape promotes an even distribution of stress when it is placed on the attachment 24, which prevents the pipette tip 1 from tearing open in the head section 8.
  • the cross-sectional shape in the head section 8 is also advantageous for the uniform filling of the injection mold with plasticized plastic mass during the injection molding of the pipette tip 1.
  • the pipette tip 1 from 2 differs from the pipette tip of 1 characterized in that they are rounded in a cross section through the head portion 8 three Corners 11, ie corners 11 with a radius 27 has.
  • the radius 27 is smaller than the radius of curvature of the flat areas 12.
  • the pipette tip 1 from 3 differs from the pipette tip of 1 in that a cross-section through the head section 9 has four flattened areas 12 with a profile 13 curved outwards in an arc shape, the profiles 13 abutting at four corners 11 .
  • the outer contour of this pipette tip 1 has the shape of a regular quadrilateral arc polygon 15 according to Reuleaux.
  • the pipette tip 1 from 4 is preferably used for pipetting smaller filling volumes (eg 10 ⁇ l) than the pipette tips 1 from Figures 1 to 3 (e.g. 200 ⁇ l).
  • the pipette tip 1 from 4 differs from those described above in particular in that the elongate tubular body 2 has a conical middle section 28 above the conical section 7, a conical transition section 29 thereover and a conical head section 8 thereover with a circumferential, radially outwardly projecting flange 30 at the upper end 5 has.
  • the aforementioned sections 7, 28, 29 and the flange 30 connect directly to each other.
  • the outer diameter of the tubular body 2 gradually increases from the lower end 3 to the flange 30. In the middle section it has small diameter jumps 31 which form level markings.
  • the inner diameter of the tubular body 2 basically also increases gradually from the lower end 3 to the upper end 5 of the tubular body 2.
  • the tubular body 2 has on the inner circumference 20 in the seating area 23 sealing structures 32 in the form of two inwardly projecting, closed peripheral sealing beads 33 which are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction.
  • the lower sealing bead 33 is at the same time a braking structure 34 in the form of a braking bead 34 which has the function of stopping the insertion of an attachment 24 of a pipetting device 25 .
  • the lower sealing bead 33 has a smaller inner diameter than the upper sealing bead 33.
  • the seat area 23 has a guide structure 36 in the form of several (e.g. 3) guide knobs 37 or guide bosses distributed uniformly on the same cross-section on the inner circumference.
  • the tubular body 2 has a widening 21 on the inner circumference 20 with an insertion bevel 22 , which ends above the guide structure 36 .
  • the flange 30 has downwardly projecting ribs 38 on the underside, which extend radially outwards from the head section 8 .
  • This pipette tip 1 also has three rounded corners 11 with radii 27 and three flat areas 12 with a profile 13 curved outwards in an arc shape between the corners 11 .
  • the flat areas 12 extend from the underside of the flange 30 in the axial direction of the tubular body 2 to the upper edge area of the transition section 29.
  • One or more pipette tips 1 according to 4 may be provided in a pipette tip holder. They are inserted into holes in the holder and supported with the ribs 38 on the underside of the flange 30 on the edge of the holes. According to Figure 4c the attachment 24 is only partially pushed into the guide structure 36 in the pipette tip 1 . The approach 24 is up to the sealing and Braking bead 33, 35 is advanced so that the pipette tip 1 is aligned and clamped onto the attachment 24 in a sealing manner.
  • FIG 5 are in comparison the cross sections through the seat area 23 of a hollow cylindrical pipette tip 1.1, a pipette tip 1 with flat areas 12 with an outwardly curved profile 13 between adjacent cylindrical areas 39, a pipette tip 1.3 with flat areas 12 with a straight profile 40 between adjacent cylindrical areas 39 and a pipette tip 1.4 with the outer contour of a regular triangular arc polygon 15 shown.
  • All pipette tips 1.1 to 1.4 have the same maximum outside diameter and the same inside diameter.
  • the pipette tip 1.2 with outwardly curved flat areas 12 has a significantly reduced cross-sectional area in comparison to the hollow-cylindrical pipette tip 1.1 and at the thinnest points 17 a significantly reduced wall thickness.
  • the pipette tip 1.3 with the straight flattened areas 12 has an even further reduced cross-sectional area and even further reduced wall thickness at the thinnest points 17 in comparison to the pipette tip 1.2 with the outwardly curved flattened areas 12.
  • the pipette tip 1.4 with the outer contour of an arc polygon 15 has the smallest cross-sectional area and the smallest wall thickness at the thinnest points 17.
  • the table also shows for each cross-sectional shape the relative force saving for stretching in relation to the pipette tip with a circular cross-section given in the second line.
  • the pipette tip of row 2 of the table with the thick annular cross-section has the largest cross-sectional area and the highest extension forces. According to 6 the deformation is comparatively small (maximum comparison strain: 0.60).
  • the pipette tips with a circular cross-section with 1, 3 or 10 grooves have correspondingly reduced cross-sectional areas and required expansion forces, so that a certain relative power saving is achieved.
  • 6 shows that relatively large deformations (maximum equivalent strain: 0.162; 0.160; 0.139) and stresses occur in the grooves, so that the pipette tips tear easily there.
  • the pipette tips with the outer contour in the form of an arc polygon have even further reduced cross-sectional areas and reduced extension forces as well as an even greater relative power saving.
  • the deformations comparativative elastic strain: 0.83
  • stresses in the cross section are further reduced, so that there is even better protection against tearing.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Devices For Use In Laboratory Experiments (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
EP21165248.2A 2021-03-26 2021-03-26 Pointe de pipette Pending EP4063013A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21165248.2A EP4063013A1 (fr) 2021-03-26 2021-03-26 Pointe de pipette
US17/703,007 US20220305484A1 (en) 2021-03-26 2022-03-24 Pipette tip
CN202210305620.0A CN115121307A (zh) 2021-03-26 2022-03-25 移液头
JP2022050053A JP7329651B2 (ja) 2021-03-26 2022-03-25 ピペット・チップ

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21165248.2A EP4063013A1 (fr) 2021-03-26 2021-03-26 Pointe de pipette

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4063013A1 true EP4063013A1 (fr) 2022-09-28

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP21165248.2A Pending EP4063013A1 (fr) 2021-03-26 2021-03-26 Pointe de pipette

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20220305484A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP4063013A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP7329651B2 (fr)
CN (1) CN115121307A (fr)

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6197259B1 (en) 1998-11-06 2001-03-06 Rainin Instrument Co., Inc. Easy eject pipette tip
US6568288B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2003-05-27 Rainin Instrument, Llc Pipette with improved pipette tip and mounting shaft
US6967004B2 (en) 2001-10-30 2005-11-22 Rainin Instrument, Llc Pipette with improved pipette tip and mounting shaft
US7335337B1 (en) 2001-09-11 2008-02-26 Smith James C Ergonomic pipette tip and adapters
US20080286157A1 (en) * 2006-10-24 2008-11-20 Gregory Mathus Locking pipette tip and mounting shaft
EP2138234A1 (fr) 2008-06-24 2009-12-30 F. Hoffmann-Roche AG Interface souple de pointe jetable
WO2011091308A2 (fr) 2010-01-22 2011-07-28 Biotix, Inc. Pointes de pipette
EP2606977A1 (fr) 2011-12-23 2013-06-26 Eppendorf AG Pointe de pipette
EP3115110A1 (fr) 2015-07-07 2017-01-11 Eppendorf Ag Pointe de pipette
WO2018213196A1 (fr) 2017-05-17 2018-11-22 Biotix, Inc. Embouts de pipette ergonomiques
EP3575000A1 (fr) * 2018-05-31 2019-12-04 Eppendorf AG Pointe de pipette

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10345324B3 (de) 2003-09-30 2004-08-19 Eppendorf Ag Pipettenspitze
JP7290214B2 (ja) 2018-08-01 2023-06-13 株式会社NejiLaw 位置可調固定支持部材及び支持構造

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6197259B1 (en) 1998-11-06 2001-03-06 Rainin Instrument Co., Inc. Easy eject pipette tip
US6568288B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2003-05-27 Rainin Instrument, Llc Pipette with improved pipette tip and mounting shaft
US7335337B1 (en) 2001-09-11 2008-02-26 Smith James C Ergonomic pipette tip and adapters
US6967004B2 (en) 2001-10-30 2005-11-22 Rainin Instrument, Llc Pipette with improved pipette tip and mounting shaft
US20080286157A1 (en) * 2006-10-24 2008-11-20 Gregory Mathus Locking pipette tip and mounting shaft
EP2138234A1 (fr) 2008-06-24 2009-12-30 F. Hoffmann-Roche AG Interface souple de pointe jetable
WO2011091308A2 (fr) 2010-01-22 2011-07-28 Biotix, Inc. Pointes de pipette
EP2606977A1 (fr) 2011-12-23 2013-06-26 Eppendorf AG Pointe de pipette
EP3115110A1 (fr) 2015-07-07 2017-01-11 Eppendorf Ag Pointe de pipette
WO2018213196A1 (fr) 2017-05-17 2018-11-22 Biotix, Inc. Embouts de pipette ergonomiques
EP3575000A1 (fr) * 2018-05-31 2019-12-04 Eppendorf AG Pointe de pipette

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP7329651B2 (ja) 2023-08-18
US20220305484A1 (en) 2022-09-29
CN115121307A (zh) 2022-09-30
JP2022153323A (ja) 2022-10-12

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