Pipetting device, pipette tip coupler, and pipette tip: devices and methods

Inventors

Guzman, Jose Eduardo • Barresi, Thomas • Belton, Dana A.

Assignees

Hamilton Co Inc

Abstract

Pipette tip couplers, pipette tips, coupler and tip combinations, and methods for coupling and decoupling a pipette tip to or from, respectively, a pipette tip coupler mounted on a pipette device. The pipette tip couplers include an elastomeric element, a discrete segment assembly, and a coupler stop shoulder surface. The pipette tips include a groove in a first cylindrical section, a second cylindrical section, a tip stop shoulder surface at the interface of the first and second cylindrical sections, a third cylindrical section, a sealing seat surface at the interface of the second and third cylindrical sections, and a fourth section adjacent to the third cylindrical section. When the pipette tip is mounted on the pipette tip coupler, the discrete segment assembly abuts the tip groove, the coupler stop shoulder surface abuts the tip stop shoulder surface, and the elastomeric element abuts the sealing seat surface.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention relates to a pipette tip coupling device and a pipette tip assembly in which a pipette tip is secured to a coupling device using a ball assembly and an elastomeric element. The pipette tip includes a circumscribing sidewall with an open interior passage along a central longitudinal axis between an open proximal end and an open distal end. The coupling device includes a shank and a distal coupler body with an open-ended interior circumscribing surface forming an open passageway extending longitudinally through a distal end plate, and an elastomeric element disposed around a distal stem portion adjacent to the distal end plate.

A pipette tip ball assembly circumscribes the shank and comprises a plurality of spherical balls carried in a ring-shaped raceway body. The ring-shaped raceway body includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart guide sockets and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart circular ball openings for receiving and retaining the spherical balls. During coupling, the tip interior geometry cooperates with the ball assembly and distal elastomeric element to establish controlled alignment and a sealed connection, including an interior groove and stepped stop/seat surfaces that establish a controlled axial position and perpendicular datum between axes.

The invention also provides fluid-tight sealing by compressing an elastomer against a sealing seat surface, including a frustoconical sealing seat and alternative sealing seat geometries. The disclosed approach is stated to improve over prior conical stud and single O-ring approaches by reducing sealing deterioration and providing more controlled axial positioning for small holes and volumes, as well as improved alignment and misalignment tolerance, easier removal with a counter-axial disengaging force, and improved coupler and tip life. Optional variants further include conductive components for liquid level detection and additional coupler/tip geometries and retention hardware.

Claims Coverage

One independent claim is explicitly provided. It covers a pipette tip assembly and a pipette tip coupling device that cooperatively use a plurality of spherical balls in a ring-shaped raceway, an elastomeric element, and specific pipette tip interior geometry to secure the tip and form a seal, with size relationships that establish axial positioning.

The provided independent claim focuses on combining the ring-shaped raceway-supported plurality of spherical balls with an elastomeric element and defined coupling passage and tip interior geometry to secure the pipette tip and form a sealed, aligned coupling, with the coupler body diameter being greater than the shank diameter.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications