Locking pipette tip and mounting shaft
First Claim
1. A pipetting system comprising:
- a disposable pipette tip havinga barrel with a lower opening through which liquid is aspirated into the barrel and dispensed from the barrel,a collar having an upper opening for receiving a pipette tip mounting shaft, the inside surface of the collar including a substantially circumferential locking element extending inward from the inside surface of the collar, and the lower end of the collar having a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter at the upper end of the barrel, anda circumferential shelf that connects the lower end of the collar to the upper end of the barrel; and
a pipette mounting shaft includinga lower sealing section; and
an upper locking section, the locking section of the mounting shaft including a stop that engages the shelf of a pipette tip when the mounting shaft is fully inserted into the collar of the pipette tip, two or more outwardly extending lobes spaced circumferentially around the locking section of the mounting shaft and located above the stop on the mounting shaft for engaging the locking element on the inside surface of the collar, and recessed relief portions in the upper locking section of the mounting shaft spanning circumferentially between the lobes and recessed relative to the lobes such that the collar distorts outwardly at the lobes and inwardly at the relief portions when the pipette tip is locked on the mounting shaft over the stop and the lobes; and
wherein a circumferential portion of the lower sealing section of the mounting shaft engages the upper end of the tip barrel to seal the tip barrel against the mounting shaft when the tip collar is locked onto the mounting shaft over the stop and lobes.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a pipette tip mounting shaft configuration and a disposable pipette tip having a matching configuration. The mounting shaft includes a locking section located above a lower sealing section. The locking section has outwardly extending locking lobes circumferentially spaced around the mounting shaft and located above a stop member that separates the lower sealing section from the upper locking section. When the mounting shaft is fully inserted into the collar of the mating disposable pipette tip, the tip locks onto the mounting shaft. The bore of the pipette tip includes a circumferential shelf separating its upper collar from the tip sealing area which is located below the circumferential shelf. The locking lobes gently flexes and distorts the pipette tip collar out of round as the mounting shaft is inserted in the pipette tip, rather than stretching the tip collar. The circumferential shelf on the pipette tip between the tip collar and the barrel isolates the sealing area at the upper end of the barrel from distortion, thus facilitating reliable sealing engagement.
122 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A pipetting system comprising:
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a disposable pipette tip having a barrel with a lower opening through which liquid is aspirated into the barrel and dispensed from the barrel, a collar having an upper opening for receiving a pipette tip mounting shaft, the inside surface of the collar including a substantially circumferential locking element extending inward from the inside surface of the collar, and the lower end of the collar having a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter at the upper end of the barrel, and a circumferential shelf that connects the lower end of the collar to the upper end of the barrel; and a pipette mounting shaft including a lower sealing section; and an upper locking section, the locking section of the mounting shaft including a stop that engages the shelf of a pipette tip when the mounting shaft is fully inserted into the collar of the pipette tip, two or more outwardly extending lobes spaced circumferentially around the locking section of the mounting shaft and located above the stop on the mounting shaft for engaging the locking element on the inside surface of the collar, and recessed relief portions in the upper locking section of the mounting shaft spanning circumferentially between the lobes and recessed relative to the lobes such that the collar distorts outwardly at the lobes and inwardly at the relief portions when the pipette tip is locked on the mounting shaft over the stop and the lobes; and wherein a circumferential portion of the lower sealing section of the mounting shaft engages the upper end of the tip barrel to seal the tip barrel against the mounting shaft when the tip collar is locked onto the mounting shaft over the stop and lobes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A pipetting system comprising:
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a disposable pipette tip having a barrel with a lower opening through which liquid is aspirated into the barrel and dispensed from the barrel; a collar having an upper opening that receives a lower end of a pipette mounting shaft, a lower end of the collar having a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter of the upper end of the barrel; and a circumferential shelf that connects the lower end of the collar to the upper end of the barrel; and a pipette mounting shaft including an upper locking section, the locking section of the mounting shaft including a stop that engages the circumferential shelf of the pipette tip when the mounting shaft is fully inserted into the collar of the tip, two or more outwardly extending lobes spaced circumferentially around the locking section of the mounting shaft and located above the stop on the mounting shaft for engaging the inside surface of the collar, and recessed relief portions in the upper locking section of the mounting shaft spanning circumferentially between the lobes and recessed relative to the lobes such that the collar distorts outwardly at the lobes and inwardly at the relief portions when the pipette tip is fully mounted on the mounting shaft.
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Specification