Pipetting device

• US 20040076550A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Inventors: Murset, Peter, Ruedisser, Martin, Ingenhoven, Nikolaus
• Application Number:
  US10/466,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20040076550A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1009 Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids

Abstract

The invention relates to an elongate support (1) in which a plurality of pipettes (5) are mounted so that they can be longitudinally displaced and lifted and lowered. The pipette tip (26) is configured to be electroconductive so that, when it is dipped into a liquid, the capacity between the tip and the parts electrically connected to it and other, grounded parts changes and is registered to detect the liquid. To this end, the pipette tip (26) is linked with a circuit (34) in a support (1) via a flexible cable (33). In order to prevent the cable (33) from being caught by movable parts, it is guided, just like the connecting tube (25) of the pipette (5), in a channel of a pipette housing configured as a hollow profile (12) up to the top end thereof and preferably through the interior of a stiffer jacket tube (38) that is configured as a support element and to a C profile (3) of the support (1).

Claims

1. A pipetting device having:

at least one support (1), in which a carriage (4) or slide block is mounted and situated so it is displaceable horizontally longitudinally;

at least one pipette (5), suspended on this carriage (4), having an oblong pipette housing, mounted so it is vertically displaceable in the support (1) and in this carriage (4) or slide block, which is implemented as a vertical hollow profile (12), enclosing a channel (11), which is guided in a holder (10) penetrating the carriage (4);

a pipette tip (26) positioned on the lower end of the hollow profile (12);

an electric liquid detector positioned in the region of the pipette tip (26);

a connection hose (25) and a cable (33), which connect the upper end of the pipette tip (26) and/or the liquid detector to the support (1), on which they are attached,

characterized in that an elastic support element adjoins the upper end of the hollow profile (12), which is connected to the hollow profile (12) and the support (1) in such a way that it is provided at both ends with a vertical initial direction, the connection hose (25) and the cable (33) running through the channel (11) in the hollow profile (12) and further along the support element, which at least partially encompasses the connection hose (25) and cable (33), and through an opening in the support (1) into the inside of the support.

2. The pipetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipette housing has outer teeth (16) extending essentially over its height, with which a drive wheel (17), implemented as a toothed wheel, suspended so it is vertically immovable in the carriage (4) and positioned therein, engages, which is positioned so it is not rotatable in relation to a profiled rod (18), which extends essentially over the length of the support (1) and drives the drive wheel (17), but is situated longitudinally movable with the holder (10).

3. The pipetting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pipette housing is guided in the holder (10) between two guide arms (13a,b), having grooves (14) facing one another, in which ribs (15) of the hollow profile (12) engage.

4. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the support element is flexible, but stiffer than the cable (33), and the length and the stiffness of the support element are each selected so that it forms a relatively taut, freestanding curve between the pipette and support in any position of the pipette from which it originates.

5. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connection hose (25) is also implemented as a support element running from the pipette housing to the support (1), the connection hose (25) and the cable (33) running through the channel (11) in the hollow profile (12) and further essentially parallel to one another and through an opening in the support (1) into the inside of the support.

6. The pipetting device according to claim 5, characterized in that the cable (33) is attached to the connection hose (25) and/or wound around it in the region between the pipette housing and the support (1).

7. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it includes a support element, running from the pipette housing to the support (1) and implemented as a bracket, which is flexible but stiffer than the cable (33) and to which the cable (33) and the connection hose (25) are mechanically connected at at least one point between the pipette housing and the support (1).

8. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it includes a support element, running from the pipette housing to the support (1) and implemented as an sheath hose (38), the connection hose (25) and the cable (33) running through the channel (11) in the hollow profile (12) and,further inside of the sheath hose (38) and through an opening in the support (1) into the inside of the support.

9. The pipetting device according to claim 8, characterized in that the sheath hose (38) is implemented as stiffer than the connection hose (25).

10. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the pipette housing includes a vertical hollow profile (12) having an essentially constant cross-section and a pipette head (20), attached to its lower end, which supports the pipette tip (26) on its lower side.

11. The pipetting device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least the lowermost part of the pipette tip (26) is implemented as electrically conductive and is electrically connected to the cable (33).