Pipette tip

• US 20080131326A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IDEXX Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Pelletier, Dominic, Traigle, William J., Sinnett, Chandler G., Phelps, Jeffrey, Hammond, Jeremy, Aguiar, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/025 tapping tip on substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0262 using touch-off at substrate or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips

Abstract

A pipette tip includes a main body having an upper end, a lower end and a sidewall extending between the two ends. A bore extends axially through the main body between the upper and lower ends. The lower end has a bottom surface in which is formed a central opening that communicates with the axial bore to allow the passage of fluid therethrough. The bottom surface is formed with at least one groove that may be concentrically disposed or spirally disposed about the central opening. The at least one groove acts to inhibit fluid passing through the central opening from at least partially flowing along the outer surface of the sidewall from the central opening toward the upper end of the main body of the pipette tip.

Claims

1. A pipette tip, which comprises:

a main body having an upper end, a lower end disposed axially opposite the upper end and a sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the main body having formed therein a bore extending axially therethrough between the upper end and the lower end, the lower end having a bottom surface, the bottom surface having an opening formed through the thickness thereof which is in communication with the axial bore to allow the passage of fluid therethrough, the bottom surface further having at least one groove formed therein, the at least one groove acting to inhibit fluid passing through the opening from flowing towards the outer surface of the pipette tip.

2. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is V-shaped in cross-section.

3. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is rectangular in cross-section.

4. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is semi-circular in cross-section.

5. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is concentrically disposed about the central opening of the bottom surface of the main body.

6. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is spirally disposed about the central opening of the bottom surface of the main body.

7. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is radially disposed with respect to the central opening in the bottom surface of the main body.

8. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is disposed on the bottom surface of the main body in a serpentine configuration about the central opening.

9. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove includes a plurality of grooves formed in the bottom surface of the main body of the pipette tip.

10. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove includes at least a first groove and a second groove formed in the bottom surface of the main body of the pipette tip, the at least first and second grooves having similar shapes in cross-section.

11. A pipette tip as defined by claim 10, wherein the at least first and second grooves are concentrically disposed about the central opening.

12. A pipette tip as defined by claim 11, wherein the at least first and second grooves are spirally disposed about the central opening.

13. A pipette tip as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one groove includes at least a first groove and a second groove formed in the bottom surface of the main body of the pipette tip, the first groove being situated on the bottom surface radially inwardly of the second groove, the first groove having a first cross-sectional dimension, the second groove having a second cross-sectional dimension, the first cross-sectional dimension of the first groove being different from the second cross-sectional dimension of the second groove.

14. A pipette tip as defined by claim 13, wherein the first and second grooves are concentrically disposed about the central opening.

15. A pipette tip as defined by claim 13, wherein the first cross-sectional dimension of the first groove is less than the second cross-sectional dimension of the second groove.

16. A pipette tip, which comprises:

a main body having an upper end, a lower end disposed axially opposite the upper end and a sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the main body having formed therein a bore extending axially therethrough between the upper end and the lower end, the lower end having a bottom surface, the bottom surface having an opening formed through the thickness thereof which is in communication with the axial bore to allow the passage of fluid therethrough, the bottom surface further having means for inhibiting fluid passing through the opening from flowing towards the outer surface of the pipette tip.

17. The pipette tip according to claim 16, wherein the inhibiting means comprises at least one groove formed in the bottom surface.

18. The pipette tip according to claim 17, wherein the groove is continuous and circular in shape.

19. The pipette tip according to claim 16, wherein the inhibiting means comprises an increase in material between the opening and the outer surface of the pipette tip.

20. The pipette tip according to claim 16, wherein the bottom surface of the pipette tip is at least one of flat and convex.

21. A pipette tip as defined by claim 16, wherein the inhibiting means includes at least one protrusion situated on the bottom surface and extending outwardly therefrom.

22. A pipette tip as defined by claim 21, wherein the at least one protrusion is continuous and circular in shape.