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Publication Number
US-9604207-B2
Publication Date
2017-03-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
To provide an electric pipette in which the impact resistance against the dropping of the electric pipette is elevated, the external breakage of the device and the damage of operation performances are reduced, and the discharging performance of the device is maintained and ensured. An electric pipette 100 including a main casing 1, an operation switch 14, a hand grip 15, a display-operation section 9, a release switch 12 and a finger rest 16, in which at least one shock absorber 201 to 206 disposed on at least one apex of at least one line among a line LF, a line LB, a line LL, a line LR and a line LU, which are prepared by drawing lines between two or more projecting sites in each of a front surface 100F, a back surface 100B, a left side surface 100L, a right side surface 100R and an upper surface 100U.
Core Innovation
An electric pipette includes a vertically cylindrical main casing with a liquid sucking and discharging mechanism that sucks and discharges a liquid by vertically moving a piston in a cylinder. A chip is detachably positioned on a front end of the mechanism forming a lower side and is in communication with the mechanism. The pipette further includes an operation switch for activating the mechanism, a hand grip for gripped operation, a display-operation section for establishing a sucking and discharging movement, and a release switch for detaching the chip. The pipette also includes a finger rest acting as a support assistance during an operation and as a stopper during a non-operation.
The pipette is protected against shock by shock absorbers arranged only at predetermined locations on the external shape. The shock absorbers are disposed on only a corner and/or a convex portion of at least one line among a front surface line, a back surface line, a left side surface line, a right side surface line, and an upper surface line. Each line is prepared by drawing lines between two or more projecting sites on the corresponding front surface, back surface, left side surface, right side surface, and upper surface that appear on the external shape designed to include the above constituents. The shock absorber material is soft and elastic and is different from the material forming the cylindrical main casing.
In embodiments, the placement of the shock absorbers is defined relative to the display-operation section, the release switch, the finger rest, and the hand grip. The documented arrangement places the display-operation section on a base section of the main casing and positions the shock absorber on an upper surface of the electric pipette, or places the display-operation section and the release switch on the front surface while the shock absorber is disposed on an upper surface of the release switch. Additional refinements position the shock absorber on an outer periphery of a bottom end of the handgrip, or dispose the display-operation section on the front surface and the finger rest on a back surface of the pipette with the shock absorber disposed on a bottom surface of the finger rest.
A further embodiment specifies that the shock absorbers are disposed solely on at least one apex of at least one line among the defined surface lines. In this arrangement, projecting charging points positioned on the left and right side surfaces are formed in electrical communication with a rechargeable battery stored in the main casing, and the shock absorbers are disposed on the left and right side surfaces more externally than the charging points in a horizontal direction. The effects described emphasize reduced external breakage and protection of internal motor/control board to maintain discharging performance and reliability.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims that share the same core structure of the electric pipette and specify the shock-absorber arrangement in relation to external lines/apexes and, in one claim, charging points and the rechargeable battery. The independent claims include 7 principal structural components and a defined limitation on how shock absorbers are disposed on specified corners/convex portions or apexes of predetermined surface lines, with the shock-absorber material being soft and elastic and different from the casing material.
Vertically cylindrical pipette with detachable chip communicating with piston-cylinder mechanism
An electric pipette comprising a vertically cylindrical main casing including a liquid sucking and discharging mechanism for sucking and discharging a liquid by vertically moving a piston in a cylinder, and a chip detachably positioned on a front end of the mechanism constituting a lower side and in communication with the mechanism.
Operation, display-operation, and release for controlling sucking and discharging
An operation switch for activating the mechanism; a display-operation section for establishing a sucking and discharging movement; and a release switch for detaching the chip.
Finger rest as support during operation and stopper during non-operation
A finger rest acting as a support assistance during an operation and as a stopper during a non-operation, in addition to a hand grip of the main casing gripped when the operation switch is operated.
Shock absorbers only at corners/convex portions of predetermined surface lines with soft-elastic material
A shock absorber mounted on the main casing, release switch and finger rest and disposed only at a corner and/or a convex portion of at least one line among a front surface line, a back surface line, a left side surface line, a right side surface line and an upper surface line prepared by drawing lines between two or more projecting sites, wherein the shock absorber is made of a soft and elastic material different from the material forming the cylindrical main casing, and wherein the operation switch and all other components are contained within said lines.
Soft-elastic shock absorbers only on apexes of predetermined surface lines with charging-points/ battery positional relationship
A shock absorber disposed solely on at least one apex of at least one line among a front surface line, a back surface line, a left side surface line, a right side surface line and an upper surface line prepared by drawing lines between two or more projecting sites, wherein the shock absorber is made of a soft and elastic material different from material forming the cylindrical main casing; projecting charging points positioned on the left and right side surfaces are formed in electrical communication with a rechargeable battery stored in the main casing; and the shock absorbers are disposed on the left and right side surfaces more externally than the charging points in a horizontal direction.
Across the two independent claims, inventive coverage centers on an electric pipette with a vertically moving piston liquid sucking and discharging mechanism and a detachably positioned chip communicating with the mechanism, combined with operation/display/release user controls and a finger rest. The key distinguishing limitations are the defined external-shape disposition of soft, elastic shock absorbers only at specified corners/convex portions or solely at apexes of predetermined front/back/side/upper surface lines, and, in one independent claim, the positional relationship of shock absorbers to left/right projecting charging points for a rechargeable battery.
Stated Advantages
Reduced external breakage.
Protection of the internal motor/control board.
Maintains discharging performance.
Improves reliability.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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