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
  • B01L3/021—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

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to air displacement pipettes, and is concerned in particular with an improvement in pipette tips and the manner in which they are releasably retained on and ejected from the tubular mounting shafts of the pipettes.
• a tubular pipette tip has an upper section surrounding a locking chamber.
• a tubular mounting shaft on an air displacement pipette has a distal end configured and dimensioned for insertion into an axially interengaged relationship with the upper section.
• a spring loaded ejection sleeve is manually shiftable on the pipette mounting shaft between a retracted position accommodating establishment of the aforesaid axially interengaged relationship, and an advanced position disrupting that relationship to thereby accommodate axial ejection of the pipette tip from the pipette mounting shaft.
• a spring loaded collar on the ejection sleeve serves to forcibly eject the pipette tip from the mounting shaft when the axially interengaged relationship is disrupted.
• the spring loaded collar also serves to eject a pipette tip that has not been fully inserted to establish its axially interengaged relationship with the mounting shaft.
• a tubular pipette tip has a body section tapering downwardly from its upper section to a reduced diameter end.
• the upper section of the pipette tip is provided with at least one and preferably a plurality of integral circumferentially spaced resilient fingers that project inwardly into the locking chamber to coact in snap engagement with a complimentary surface on the distal end of the mounting shaft.
• Figure 1 is a side view of a manually operable air displacement pipette incorporating the concepts of the present invention
• Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the tip mounting and ejection assembly of the pipette illustrated in Figure 1, with the pipette tip separated therefrom
• Figure 3 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view of the end portion of the tip mounting and ejection assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2
• Figure 4 is a side view of the pipette tip shown in Figures 1 and 2
• Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the pipette tip taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4
• Figure 6 is a top plan view of the pipette tip
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of the crown section of the pipette tip
• Figures 8-11 are views similar to Figure 3 showing successive stages in the tip mounting and ejection sequence
• Figures 12A, 13 A, 14A and 15A are side views of alternative pipette tip embodiments
• a manually operable air displacement pipette incorporating concepts of the present invention is generally depicted at 10.
• the pipette includes a housing 12 with a manually operable push button 14 at its upper end.
• the push button is connected via internal components (not shown) to a piston 16 projecting from the lower end of the housing.
• the piston 16 extends through a seal assembly 18 contained in the enlarged diameter head 20 of an aspirating and dispensing cylinder 22.
• the cylinder is threaded into the lower end of the housing and communicates with an integral tubular mounting shaft 24 with a distal end configured and dimensioned to removably retain a disposable pipette tip 26.
• the mounting shaft 24 is threaded into the cylinder end as at 28, with its reduced diameter coacting with the end of the cylinder 22 to form a circular shoulder 30.
• the distal end of the mounting shaft 24 is externally configured with an enlarged diameter shoulder 32 optionally having a chamfered leading edge 34.
• An intermediate surface 36 tapers inwardly from shoulder 32 to a circular groove 37 containing a resilient O-ring seal 38.
• a cylindrical section 40 extends from the groove 37 to an end surface 42.
• a sleeve 44 surrounds the aspirating and dispensing cylinder 22 and its tubular shaft extension 24.
• the upper end of sleeve 44 is spaced radially from the exterior surface of cylinder head 20 to define an annular space containing a first coiled compression spring 46.
• the spring 46 is axially confined between an external shoulder 48 on cylinder head 20 and a spring retainer 50 snap fitted into the upper sleeve end.
• Spring 46 resiliently urges sleeve 44 into a retracted position at which an internal sleeve shoulder 44' contacts the shoulder 30.
• Sleeve 44 includes a cylindrical press fitted insert 54 formed with an enlarged diameter end 56 having a chamfered or radiused leading edge 58.
• a collar 60 surrounds and is axially shiftable on the sleeve insert 54.
• the lower interior of sleeve 44 is spaced radially from the exterior of insert 54 to define an annular spaced containing a second coiled compression spring 62.
• Spring 62 is axially confined between an internal shoulder 64 on sleeve 44 and the collar 60.
• the spring 62 serves to resiliently urge the collar 60 against the enlarged diameter end 56 of sleeve insert 54.
• the pipette tip 26 has a tubular configuration with an upper section having an upper wall segment 67 surrounding a locking chamber 68 and a lower wall segment 69 surrounding a sealing chamber 70.
• a body section 72 extends downwardly from the upper section 66 to a reduced diameter open end 74.
• the upper wall segment 67 of section 66 is formed with at least one and preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers 76.
• a pair of resilient fingers 76 are provided in an oppositely disposed relationship.
• the fingers 76 border and project inwardly in cantilever fashion from an upper chamfered rim 78 into the locking chamber 68.
• the lower wall segment 69 is interiorly provided with an entry section 80 tapering inwardly to a cylindrical section 82.
• a stop surface in the form of a circular ledge 81 is located between the locking chamber 68 and the sealing chamber 70.
• the lower wall segment is reinforced by external circumferentially spaced ribs 86 extending from ledge 80 to the body section 72.
• the lower ends 84 of external vertical ribs 86 lie on a plane demarcating the upper crown section 66 from the body section 72.
• a tip mounting sequence will now be described with initial reference to Figure 8 where a pipette tip 26 is shown supported on the lower ends 84 of ribs 86 in the aperture of a support plate 88 or the like.
• the pipette 10 is first aligned with the tip 26 and then lowered, causing the cylindrical end 40 of the mounting shaft 24 to pass axially through the locking chamber 68 into the sealing chamber 70.
• the shoulder 32 aided by its chamfered leading edge 34, makes initial contact with the resilient fingers 76 and begins to deflect them outwardly.
• Figure 9 shows an intermediate stage in the mounting sequence at which axial insertion of the mounting shaft 24 has progressed to the point where the resilient fingers 76 are now fully expanded, the O-ring seal 38 is about to enter into sealing engagement with the cylindrical section 82 of the sealing chamber 70, and the collar 60 has encountered the upper rim 78 of the pipette tip and has begun to shift axially against the compressive force of spring
• FIG. 10 shows the final stage in the mounting sequence.
• the resilient fingers 76 have now snapped inwardly behind and in locked interengagement with the shoulder 32 on mounting shaft 24.
• Spring 62 has been compressed and loaded to an elevated level between shoulder 64 and collar 60.
• a fluid-tight seal has been established between the O-ring seal 38 and the cylindrical section 82 of the sealing chamber 70, and the shoulder 32 has bottomed out against the circular ledge 81.
• the ledge 81 thus establishes a positive stop, which in combination with the audible sound of the fingers 76 snapping into interlocked engagement, provides the user with a reliable indication that the pipette tip has been securely mounted.
• the pipette 10 further includes an ejection button 92 connected via a mechanical linkage (not shown) contained in housing 12 to a link 94 bearing against the spring retainer 50.
• Tip ejection is effected by manually pushing button 92 in the direction of arrow 96, resulting in a corresponding axial shifting of link 94, causing sleeve 44 to shift axially in the same direction on cylinder 24 against the compressive force of springs 46 and 62.
• Figure 11 shows that as the sleeve 44 and its insert 54 shift in the direction of arrow 96, the resilient fingers 76 are biased outwardly by the enlarge diameter end 56 of insert 54.
• tip mounting and ejection assembly of the present invention is not limited in use to manually operable pipettes of the type herein disclosed, and that the concepts of the present invention are applicable to a wide range of mechanically and/or automatically driven pipette types and designs. It should also be understood that various pipette tip designs may be employed with the above described mounting and ejection assembly.
• the upper section 66a of the tip again surrounds a locking chamber 68a, it is formed separately from and assembled as an insert into the upper end of the body section 72a.
• the resilient fingers 76a project in cantilever fashion upwardly from a circular base at the bottom of the locking chamber, and an internal shelf 98 has a through bore 100 surrounded by a raised bead 102 projecting upwardly into the locking chamber 68a.
• the end surface 42 of the mounting shaft 24 will coact in sealing engagement with the raised bead 102, making it unnecessary to employ an O-ring seal 38.
• the upper section 66b includes a locking chamber 68b and a lower sealing chamber 70b, and is again formed separately and assembled as an insert into the upper end of body section 72b.
• the resilient fingers 76b project downwardly, and inwardly in cantilever fashion from a top rim into the locking chamber 68b, and the internal shelf 98b is located at the bottom of the upper section.
• the pipette tip 26c is similar to that shown in Figures 13A and 13B, except that here the internal shelf 98c is fonned as a thin apertured membrane designed to coact in sealing engagement with the end surface 42 of the mounting shaft 24.
• the pipette tip 26d is similar to that depicted in Figures 4-7, except that here the sealing chamber 70c is bordered by an angled ledge 104 positioned to coact in sealing engagement with the O-ring seal 38 on the tubular shaft extension 24. As shown in Figure 16, the O-ring 38 coacts in a "face sealing" relationship with the angled ledge 104, without disadvantageously increasing frictional resistance to subsequent ejection of the tip from the mounting shaft.
• the mounting shaft 24 of the pipette and each of the several pipette tip embodiments 26a-26d are respectively configured and dimensioned to effect an axially interengaged relationship and a snap connection between a shoulder 32 or the like on the former and resilient fingers on the crown sections of the latter.
• a positive stop on the pipette tip limits the extent of mounting shaft insertion required to achieve the snap connection, and this, together with the audible nature of the snap connection, provides the user with a reliable indication that an adequate insertion force has been exerted, and that the pipette tip has been reliably and securely retained on the mounting shaft.
• Tip ejection requires only a modest force exerted on button 92 and transmitted to sleeve insert 54 to spread the resilient fingers 76 sufficiently to disrupt their interengaged relationship with the mounting shaft 24. The pipette tip is then freed for forcible ejection by the spring loaded collar 60.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• Devices For Use In Laboratory Experiments (AREA)
• External Artificial Organs (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

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Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (5)

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Citations (5)

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• 2004
  • 2004-11-18 US US10/991,673 patent/US7641859B2/en active Active
• 2005
  • 2005-01-10 JP JP2006553125A patent/JP5264078B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-01-10 EP EP10179875.9A patent/EP2311566B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-01-10 WO PCT/US2005/000667 patent/WO2005082536A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2005-01-10 AU AU2005216853A patent/AU2005216853B2/en not_active Expired
  • 2005-01-10 CN CN2005800101162A patent/CN1984717B/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-01-10 EP EP05705364.7A patent/EP1729885B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2009
  • 2009-07-27 US US12/509,845 patent/US8163256B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

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