LASER TRIANGULATION FOR PIPETTE TIP POSITION

• US 20140260696A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Original Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Inventors: Criswell, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/864.01
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0237 Details of electronic control, e.g. relating to user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1011 Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device

Abstract

A sample processing apparatus includes a laser triangulation system that locates the position of a lower end of a pipette tip. When the laser triangulation system identifies a discrepancy between the actual position of the lower end and the proper position of the lower end, the sample processing apparatus may undergo a compensating action to compensate for the discrepancy.

Claims

1. A method for determining pipette tip position, comprising:

attaching a first pipette tip to a pipetting head, the first pipette tip having a lower end that extends away from the pipetting head;

using laser triangulation to locate a position of the lower end of the first pipette tip; and

compensating for the position of the lower end with a compensating action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using laser triangulation includes:

emitting a laser beam from a laser source toward the lower end of the first pipette tip;

illuminating the lower end of the first pipette tip with the laser beam;

detecting the illumination of the lower end using a detector; and

calculating the position of the lower end using a controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of compensating for the position of the lower end with a compensating action comprises moving the pipetting head to position the lower end of the first pipette tip at a proper position of the lower end.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in the proper position, the lower end of the first pipette tip is vertically aligned with an opening of a vessel.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of calculating a difference between the position of the lower end and the proper position of the lower end.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching a second pipette tip to the pipetting head, the second pipette tip having a second lower end that faces away from the pipetting head;

using laser triangulation to locate a position of the second lower end of the second pipette tip; and

compensating for the position of the second lower end with a compensating action.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising performing a sample handling operation with the pipetting head and the first pipette tip.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sample handling operation comprises filtering, aspirating, dispensing, centrifuging, cell plating, and/or electrophoretic separation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of compensating for the position of the lower end with a compensating action comprises ejecting the first pipette tip.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of compensating for the position of the lower end with a compensating action comprises disabling liquid handling function of the first pipette tip.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching a plurality of pipette tips to the pipetting head, the each of the plurality of pipette tips having a lower end that faces away from the pipetting head;

using laser triangulation to locate positions of the lower ends of the plurality of pipette tips; and

compensating for the positions of the lower ends with a compensating action.

12. A sample handling apparatus, comprising:

a pipetting head adapted to hold a first pipette tip and allow for movement of a liquid sample relative to the first pipette tip, the first pipette tip having a lower end;

a laser triangulation system constructed and arranged to locate a position of the lower end of the first pipette tip relative to the pipetting head;

a controller constructed and arranged to calculate the position of the lower end of the first pipette tip relative to the pipetting head and to operate the pipetting head to perform a compensating action to compensate for the position of the lower end of the first pipette.

13. The sample handling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the laser triangulation system comprises a first laser source and a first detector.

14. The sample handling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the laser triangulation system further comprises a second detector.

15. The sample handling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to receive information from the first detector.

16. The sample handling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to receive information from the first laser source.

17. The sample handling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a robotic manipulator adapted to manipulate a position of the pipetting head.

18. The sample handling apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to control the robotic manipulator.

19. The sample handling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the compensating action comprises a movement of the pipetting head to position the lower end of the first pipette tip at a proper position.

20. The sample handling apparatus of claim 19, wherein, in the proper position, the lower end of the first pipette tip is vertically aligned with an opening of a vessel.