Pipetting devices and methods of using the same
Inventors
Sauer-Budge, Alexis • Wirz, Holger • Brookfield, Samuel J. • Pollock, Nira • Janzen, Ronald
Assignees
Boston Childrens Hospital • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc • Fraunhofer USA Inc
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Publication Number
US-11331659-B2
Publication Date
2022-05-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A pipetting device includes a housing, a valve assembly, and an actuator assembly. The housing includes a tip for receiving a capillary tube. The valve assembly includes a shuttle valve having a filling position and a dispensing position and a valve rod. The actuator assembly includes an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism. The actuator extends from the housing and has a push button coupled to a push rod. The valve trigger being configured to engage the valve assembly and includes an aperture configured to receive the piston mount therein. The indexing mechanism is configured to index a rotated position of the push button to a predefined volume of dispensed fluid.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a pipetting device comprising a housing including a tip for receiving a capillary tube. The device includes a valve assembly having a shuttle valve and a valve rod, where the shuttle valve has a filling position and a dispensing position. The housing and capillary tube arrangement is configured to receive a capillary tube for incremental dispensing of fluid.
The pipetting device further includes an actuator assembly extending from the housing. The actuator assembly includes an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism, with a push button coupled to a push rod. The valve trigger is configured to engage the valve assembly responsive to movement of the push button and includes an aperture configured to receive the piston mount therein.
The indexing mechanism includes a follower and a cylindrical cam having an origin surface and a plurality of spiral steps. Rotation of the push button causes the follower to rotate relative to the origin surface and engage one of the plurality of spiral steps. In this way, rotation of the push button indexes a rotated position to select a predefined volume of dispensed fluid, including an incremental volume selection arrangement with a stated predefined volume range and step increment.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 defines the overall architecture of the device, combining a shuttle-valve filling/dispensing assembly with a push-button-driven piston and a cylindrical cam indexing mechanism using a follower and spiral steps to select a predefined dispensed volume. The dependent claims refine the volume range and increment, the functional relationship between push-button movement and dispensing position/volume proportionality, and additional mechanical engagement and compatibility features.
Housing with capillary tube tip
A housing including a tip for receiving a capillary tube.
Shuttle valve with filling and dispensing positions
A valve assembly having a shuttle valve and a valve rod, the shuttle valve having a filling position and a dispensing position.
Actuator assembly with piston mount and valve trigger
An actuator assembly having an actuator, a valve trigger, a piston mount, and an indexing mechanism, the actuator extending from the housing and including a push button coupled to a push rod, wherein the valve trigger is configured to engage the valve assembly responsive to movement of the push button and includes an aperture configured to receive the piston mount therein.
Cylindrical cam with spiral-step indexing via follower
An indexing mechanism including a follower and a cylindrical cam having an origin surface and a plurality of spiral steps, configured such that rotation of the push button causes the follower to rotate relative to the origin surface and engage one of the spiral steps to index a rotated position of the push button to a predefined volume of dispensed fluid.
Predefined dispense volume range
The predefined volume of dispensed fluid between about 5 µL and about 50 µL.
Dispensing position and piston proportionality
When a fluid is drawn into the capillary tube and the push button is moved toward the housing, the valve trigger moves the shuttle valve to the dispensing position and the piston dispenses a predefined fluid volume proportional to the piston travel distance.
Indexing step resolution for incremental volumes
The cutout includes eleven steps, where each rotated push-button position corresponds to a 5 µL incremental change in predefined dispensed-fluid volume.
Directional engagement using valve-rod notches
The valve rod includes a first notch and a second notch each configured to engage the valve trigger, where movement of the push button toward the housing causes engagement with the first notch and movement away causes engagement with the second notch.
Standard capillary tube compatibility constraints
The pipetting device uses a standard capillary tube having an outer diameter of at least approximately 1.75 mm with a maximum volume of at least 100 µL.
Overall, the claims cover a capillary-tube pipetting device that uses a shuttle valve with filling/dispensing positions and a push-button-driven actuator with a piston, together with a cylindrical cam having spiral steps and a follower that index discrete rotated push-button positions to select a predefined dispensed volume. Dependent claims further specify a predefined volume range, step increment structure, functional dispensing behavior tied to piston travel, directional valve-trigger engagement via notches, and compatibility constraints for capillary tube geometry.
Stated Advantages
Provides incremental dispensing of fluid by indexing a rotated push-button position to a predefined volume of dispensed fluid.
Selects predefined dispensed volumes in an incremental range between about 5 µL and about 50 µL.
Uses a stated indexing resolution where each rotated position corresponds to a 5 µL incremental change.
Dispenses a predefined fluid volume proportional to piston travel distance when the valve trigger moves the shuttle valve to the dispensing position.
Documented Applications
Incremental dispensing using a fingerstick blood pipetting device for drawing and dispensing multiple volumes from one collected sample [procedural detail omitted for safety].
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