PIPETTE AND PIPETTE AID WITH A TWO-SYMBOL CODING

Abstract

The invention relates to a pipette with a first opening for receiving and removing a liquid to be dispensed and a second opening which lies opposite the first opening. According to the invention, the pipette comprises a material which causes a wavelength shift between the electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the pipette and the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the pipette. The invention additionally relates to a pipette aid for receiving a pipette for dispensing a liquid. According to the invention, the pipette aid comprises both a data storage device, in which a database with reference measurement data is stored, as well as two radiation sources and a radiation detector, wherein the two radiation sources emit electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths, and the radiation detector detects the wavelength of the received electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A pipette (11), preferably for use with a pipetting aid (23), which has a first opening (19) for receiving and discharging a liquid that is to be dispensed, and a second opening (21) at the end opposite the first opening, wherein the pipette (11) has a filling volume between the two openings (19, 21) and an outer surface that encompasses the filling volume, characterized in that the pipette (11) comprises a material (17) that causes a wavelength shift between the electromagnetic radiation absorbed and emitted by the pipette (11), and that the material (17) causing the wavelength shift is located in a part of the pipette up to 30 mm from the second opening.

2. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the difference in the wavelengths between the electromagnetic radiation absorbed and emitted by the pipette (11) is at least 20 nm.

3. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the pipette (11) has a wavelength of 100 nm to 3,000 nm.

4. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the material (17) causing the wavelength shift is integrated in the material of the pipette (11).

5. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the material (17) causing the wavelength shift is in a layer applied to the pipette (11).

6. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the material (17) causing the wavelength shift is applied to the entire circumference of the pipette.

7. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein the pipette (11) has a neck (15) on the end where the second opening (21) is, wherein the diameter of the neck is smaller than or equal to the diameter of the outer surface of the filling volume.

8. The pipette according to claim 7, wherein the material (17) causing the wavelength shift is on the neck (15) of the pipette (11).

9. The pipette (11) according to claim 1, wherein pipette (11) comprises a fluorescent material (17) that causes the wavelength shift in the emitted radiation.

10. A pipetting aid (23) for receiving a pipette (11) for dispensing a liquid, comprising a receiver (25) for securing the pipette (11) in the pipetting aid (23), a control device (39) for receiving or discharging the liquid, a handle (27) for holding the pipetting aid (23), at least one control element (29) for controlling the receiving and discharging of the liquid, a control unit (37) that is connected to the control element (29) and the control device (39), wherein the pipetting aid (23) comprises a data storage device (38) in which a database with reference measurement data is stored, and the pipetting aid (23) has two radiation sources (33) and a radiation detector (35), wherein the two radiation sources (33) emit electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths, and the radiation detector (35) detects the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation it receives.

11. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the first radiation source is designed to emit electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 380 nm to 780 nm, and the second radiation source is designed to emit electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 10 nm to 410 nm, or 750 nm to 3,000 nm.

12. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, or 11, wherein the two radiation sources (33) and the radiation detector (35) in the pipetting aid (23) are aimed at the receiver (25).

13. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the radiation detector (35) is a color sensor.

14. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the control device (39) comprises a pump with which a pressure is generated in the pipetting aid (23) for receiving and discharging the liquid.

15. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the pipetting aid (23) has a flow rate sensor (53) that measures the flow rate of the air in and out of the pipette (11), and sends this value to the control unit (37).

16. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the pipetting aid (23) has a pressure sensor (55) for measuring the hydrostatic pressure in the pipette (11).

17. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the control element (29) has a first and second button (31, 31), wherein pushing the first button (31) generates a vacuum in the pipetting aid (23) and pushing the second button (31) releases this vacuum or generates a pressure in the pipetting aid (23).

18. The pipetting aid (23) according to claim 10, wherein the pipetting aid (23) has an acceleration sensor (57) for determining the angle of inclination of the longitudinal axis of the pipetting aid (23) in relation to the direction of the force of gravity.

19. A method for identifying a property of an object specific to its type, in particular a laboratory apparatus and/or its accessories, through the following steps: irradiating the object with first electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths in a first range, detecting the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the object with a radiation detector (35), storing the wavelengths detected by the radiation detector (35) in a temporary file, irradiating the object with electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths in a second range, detecting the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the object with the radiation detector (35), storing the wavelengths detected by the radiation detector (35) in the temporary file, comparing the wavelengths from the first and second electromagnetic radiation stored in the temporary file with wavelengths stored in a database (38), determining the property of the object specific to its type on the basis of the comparison of the wavelength combinations, wherein the object comprises a material (17) that causes a wavelength shift between the electromagnetic radiation absorbed and emitted by the object, and the wavelengths in the first range lie between 380 nm and 780 nm and the wavelengths in the second range lie between 10 nm and 410 nm or between 750 nm and 3,000 nm.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the object is a pipette (11) and the method is for identifying a specific type of pipette.

21. A set containing a pipette according to claim 1, and a pipetting aid according to any of the claims 10 to 18.

Description

[0056] Other advantages and features of the invention can be derived from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in reference to the schematic illustrations thereof in the drawings. Therein, not drawn to scale:

[0057] FIG. 1: shows three pipettes according to the invention, of different volumes:

[0058] FIG. 2: shows a three dimensional illustration of a pipetting aid according to the invention, with a pipette, and a partially transparent depictions showing the radiation sources and the radiation detector;

[0059] FIG. 3: shows a cross section of the pipetting aid with the components placed therein;

[0060] FIG. 4: shows a schematic illustration of the signal processing in the pipetting aid;

[0061] FIG. 5: shows a schematic illustration of a pipetting aid with a pipette, which contains a piston for controlling the dispensing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] The same reference symbols are used for identical or functionally identical elements in the following (in the different figures). An additional apostrophe may be used to distinguish similar or functionally identical, or functionally similar, elements in different embodiments.

[0063] Three pipettes 11, 11, 11 of different volumes are shown in FIG. 1. These pipettes are also regarded as different types of pipettes in the framework of the invention.

[0064] The pipettes 11, 11, 11 have a cylindrical outer surface with a conical first end forming the pipette tip 13. The neck 15 of the pipette is at the end lying opposite the pipette tip 13, which may be narrower, depending on the type of pipette. Because the pipettes 11, 11, 11 in FIG. 1 have different volumes, they have different diameters. The diameter of the necks 15 of the pipettes are the same, however. For this reason, the ratios of the diameters of the bodies of the pipettes to those of the necks 15 are different in these pipettes.

[0065] The pipette tip 13 has a first opening 19 at its end. This opening 19 is used to receive and discharge liquids. A second opening 21 is located at the end of the neck 15. The volumes between the first opening 19 and the second opening 21 form the filling volumes of the pipettes 11, and define the maximum amount of liquid that the pipette 11 can hold. There is a fluorescent material 17 on the neck 15 of the pipette, indicated by crosshatching.

[0066] If the pipette is not narrowed, the part of the outer surface of the pipette bordering on the second opening 21 forms the neck 15 of the pipette. This area extends to up to 30 mm from the second opening 21.

[0067] A pipetting aid 23 is shown in FIG. 2, to which a pipette 11 is attached. The pipetting aid 23 comprises a receiver 25 with which the pipette 11 is held in place. The pipetting aid 23 also has a handle 27 with a control element 29 and a mount 26. The mount 26 forms the connection between the handle 27 and the receiver 25.

[0068] The handle 27 can be held in the hand, such that the control element 29 can be operated by a second hand without any additional aids. The control element 29 has two buttons 31. The pipetting aid 23 is controlled by the two buttons 31 in that the first button 31 is used to receive liquid in the pipette (aspiration), and the second button 31 is used to discharge liquid from the pipette (dispensing). The pipetting aid 23 is U-shaped in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and the handle 27 forms one leg of the U, and the receiver 25 with the pipette 11 placed therein forms the other leg. It would also be possible for the handle 27 and the mount 26, as well as the receiver 25 and pipette 11 to be aligned along a single axis in a linear design.

[0069] The receiver 25 can preferably be removed from the mount 26 on the pipetting aid 23. This means that the receiver 25 can be removed from the rest of the pipetting aid 23 and sterilized or autoclaved separately.

[0070] The mount 26 has a dedicated sensor element 32 that comprises two radiation sources 33, 33 and a radiation detector 35. The sensor element 32 is placed in the mount 26 such that the radiation sources 33, 33 and the radiation detector are aimed at the interior of the receiver 25. A part of the receiver 25 is transparent in FIG. 2, in order to show the sensor element 32. The sensor element 32 is placed in relation to the receiver 25 such that it is aligned with the neck 15 of a pipette 11 when it is placed in the receiver. The neck 15 of the pipette is indicated by crosshatching in FIG. 2. The crosshatched area indicates the surface on the pipette 11 that has the fluorescent material.

[0071] The two radiation sources 33, 33 and the radiation detector 35 are adjacent to one another linearly in the sensor element 32. The radiation detector 35 is in the middle, between the two radiation sources 33, 33. The direction of the line on which the two radiation sources 33, 33 and the radiation detector lie is selected such that the axial direction of a pipette 11 installed therein is perpendicular to this line.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the pipetting aid 23 shown in FIG. 2. When the pipetting aid 23 is divided into the handle 27, the receiver 25, and the mount 26, most of the components of the pipetting aid 23 are located in the handle 27. The buttons 31 are each placed above a spiral spring in the handle 27 for the pipetting aid 23. The buttons 31 are in their respective inactive positions when they are pushed out as far as possible by the respective springs. Each button 31 is also connected to a needle valve 43. The needle valves 43 open and close when the respective buttons 31 are pushed. The needle valves 43 are located inside a valve block 44 and are therefore not visible in this illustration.

[0073] By operating a button 31, 31 and the subsequent opening of the corresponding needle valve 43, a signal is generated that is sent to the pump 39 by a control unit 37 in the pipetting aid. The pump 39 uses this signal as a start or stop signal. A hose connection is formed between the pipette 11 and the pump 39 when the needle valves 43 are opened by pushing the buttons 31, 31.

[0074] The handle contains a battery 41 at its upper end. The battery 41 supplies the energy necessary for all of the components in the pipetting aid 23. For this reason, the battery 41 is connected by separate wires (not shown) to the control unit 37, the pump 39 and the sensor element 32.

[0075] A schematic illustration of the hose connections 47, 49, 51 and wires between the individual components in the pipetting aid 23 is shown in FIG. 4. The pipette 11 is connected to the needle valves 43 by a first hose connection. A second hose connection 49 connects the needle valves 43 to the pump 39. Depending on the setting of the needle valves 43, the pump 39 conveys air to or from the pipette 11. The setting of the needle valves 43 and the function of the pump 39 result in the pipette 11 either receiving or discharging a liquid. The setting of the needle valves 43 is dependent on the operation of the buttons 31 in the control element 29, as explained above.

[0076] A third hose connection 51 between the pump 39 and the pipette 11 is used to bypass the needle valves 43. A control valve 45 is attached to this hose connection 51. The control valve 45 is closed if either of the needle valves 43 is open. Opening the control valve 45 triggers a discharge of the liquid in the pipette 11. The control valve 45 receives the command to open or close from the control unit 37. The operation of a button 31 in the control element 29 generates the signal for this command. The button 31 can be either of the two buttons 31, 31 that control the needle valves, or an additional third button 31. The signal from the control unit 37 to the control valve 45 opens the control valve for a limited time, even if the respective button is pushed down for longer. Successively opening control valve 45 for this limited time results in a repetitive discharge of a constant amount.

[0077] A flow rate sensor 53 is located at the first hose connection 47. The flow rate sensor 53 comprises a pressure difference sensor for measuring the flow rate in the hose connection 47 on the basis of the pressure difference detected by the sensor. There is also a pressure sensor 55 at the first hose connection 47 that measures the hydrostatic pressure in the pipette 11. A humidity sensor 54 measures the amount of liquid in the air flowing through the hose connection 47. All three sensors are connected by separate wires to the control unit 37 with which they conduct the information from their measurements to the control unit 37. The control unit 37 has a data storage device 38. All of the information from the sensors is stored therein. There is an acceleration sensor 57 in the pipetting aid 23 that is used to determine the angle of the pipette 11.

[0078] Another type of pipetting aid 23 is shown with a pipette 11 in FIG. 5, which has a piston 59 that can be moved axially. The piston in the pipette 11 generates a vacuum or pressure in the pipette 11 with which liquid is drawn into or discharged from the pipette 11. The pipette 11 has a lid 61 at its second opening 21. The lid 61 fits over the rim of the second opening 21. There is a hole in the middle of the lid through which the piston rod 63 is inserted. The pipette 11 shown in FIG. 5 is designed to be attached to a pipetting aid 23 with its lid 61.

[0079] The pipetting aid 23 in FIG. 5 has a control device 39 that moves the piston 49 in the pipette 11. This control device 39 for the pipetting aid 23 must be connected to the free end of the piston rod 63 for this when the pipette 11 is placed in the pipetting aid 23. Because the piston 59 us used to draw liquid into the pipette 11 as well as discharge it therefrom, the pipetting aid 23 does not need a pump for generating vacuum or pressure. There is also no need for hose connections and needle valves with the pipetting aid 23 for a pipette 11 shown in FIG. 5. The control element 29 is connected to the control unit 37, which receives a signal when the control element is operated, and sends a corresponding signal to the control device 39.

[0080] Both the lid 61 and the piston 59 form another part of the pipette 11 shown in FIG. 5, which can comprise a material that causes a wavelength shift between the absorbed and emitted electromagnetic radiation.

[0081] Unlike the pipette shown in FIG. 1, which has a pneumatic control system for dispensing a liquid, the pipette 11 in FIG. 5 has a mechanical control system formed by the integrated piston for the dispensing function.

[0082] Further advantages and features of the invention can be derived from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and/or applications of the invention.

Further Exemplary Embodiments

[0083] The figures show exemplary embodiments of pipettes and pipetting aids according to the invention that interact to obtain an advantageous technological effect.

[0084] The same advantageous effect can also be obtained with a pipette comprising a material that is not fluorescent, but instead triggers a photon amplification. When the pipette is irradiated with infrared electromagnetic radiation, it then emits electromagnetic radiation in the visible range. Instead of a positive Stokes shift, as is the case with fluorescent material, use is made of a negative Stokes shift, in which the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the pipette are shorter than those of the electromagnetic radiation it absorbs.

[0085] In the framework of the present invention, a material that causes a wavelength shift between the electromagnetic radiation absorbed and emitted by the pipette is understood to be organic or inorganic molecules or elements that have this property. Organic molecules that can cause photo amplification are typically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Inorganic materials that can cause photon amplification are usually ions of those elements located in the d- or f-blocks in the periodic table. An incomplete list of these ions includes, by way of example, Ln3+, Ti2+, Ni2+, Mo3+, Re4+, and Os4+. These molecules can be integrated in the material of the pipette. This is obtained when the molecules or elements are mixed into the plastic material during the production of the pipette, e.g. in an extruder. The molecules can also be placed in a matrix and applied to pipette separately.

Exemplary Applications

[0086] The advantages of identifying a pipette with the pipetting aid include being able to determine the filling volume of the pipette in the pipetting aid.

[0087] This advantage enables, among others, the use of the following three functions of the pipetting aid:

Protection Against Overfilling

[0088] The pipetting aid has a flow rate sensor that measures the volumetric flow of air in the hose connection. Because the air in the hose connection is not substantially compressed, or does not experience any change in density, the volumetric flow of the air in the hose connection is basically equal to the volumetric flow of the liquid in the pipette. This means that the volume of air conveyed by the pump in the hose connection is basically the same as the volume of liquid drawn into the pipette. To make any corrections to the volumetric flow of the air, additional humidity sensors, inclination sensors, hydrostatic pressure sensors, etc. can be placed in the pipetting aid. By integrating the measured volumetric flow, it is possible to determine how much liquid has been conveyed. This amount must not exceed a previously determined filling amount for the pipette. The filling amount for the pipette is based on its volume. When the pipette is identified by the pipetting aid, it obtains the information regarding the pipette filling volume. The pipetting aid can then stop drawing liquid into the pipette when it reaches its filling volume. This prevents any overfilling of the pipette, and the lab technician can fill the pipette without having to constantly monitor the filling process.

Pressure Adjustment in the Pipetting Aid

[0089] Another advantage obtained by identifying the pipette with the pipetting aid is the adjustment of the pressure in the pipetting aid. The pressure in the pipetting aid affects the pipetting speed. When the difference between the ambient pressure and the pressure in the pipetting aid is higher, the pipetting speed is higher. Because the dimensions of the pipettes vary significantly, a higher pipetting speed in a small pipette can result in imprecision. This requires a quick reaction to the changes in small pipettes on the part of the lab technician, which may be difficult at high pipetting speeds. For this reason, the pipetting aid can adjust the pressure to the pipette therein such that the pipetting speed remains within a comfortable range for the lab technician.

Repeated Discharge:

[0090] The pipette is used to receive and discharge a liquid. This often involves a uniform dispensing of the liquid in small amounts. The pipetting aid can include a function for this, with which a predetermined amount can be discharged. This function can be repeated successively in order to dispense the same amount repetitively. The amount of liquid that is dispensed must or can be set by the user. There is a hose connection in the pipetting aid for this repetitive discharge, which bypasses the needle valves. A control valve is connected to this hose connection. The opening of the control valve reduces the vacuum in the hose connection, which, with the operation of the pump, results in discharging the liquid in the pipette. The amount of liquid discharged by the pipette corresponds to the amount of air that flows into the pipette through the hose connection. This airflow is determined simultaneously by the flow rate sensor. The integration of the flow rate speed results in the overall amount that is conveyed, as explained above. When the amount that is to be dispensed has been reached, the control valve is automatically closed by the pipetting aid, and the discharge of liquid in the pipette is stopped. The control valve can then be reopened for the subsequent dispensing, and then be closed again, after discharging the amount that is to be dispensed. The point in time at which the control valve is opened is determined by the user. There can be another button on the control element for this, with which the control valve is opened. It is also conceivable to modify one of the two buttons in the control element with which the needle valves are controlled, such that this modified button can be used to open the control valve. The modification of the button can allow the button to be rotated about its cylindrical axis for example.

[0091] Although specific embodiments have been described above, it is clear that different combinations of these possible embodiments can be used, as long as these possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0092] 11 pipette [0093] 13 tip of the pipette (conical tapering) [0094] 15 abrupt narrowing [0095] 17 fluorescent material [0096] 19 first opening in the pipette [0097] 21 second opening in the pipette [0098] 23 pipetting aid [0099] 25 receiver [0100] 26 mount [0101] 27 handle [0102] 29 control element [0103] 31 button [0104] 32 sensor element [0105] 33 radiation source [0106] 35 radiation detector [0107] 37 control unit [0108] 38 data storage device [0109] 39 operating device/pump [0110] 41 battery [0111] 43 needle valve [0112] 44 valve block [0113] 45 control valve [0114] 47 first hose connection [0115] 49 second hose connection [0116] 51 third hose connection [0117] 53 flow rate sensor [0118] 54 humidity sensor [0119] 55 pressure sensor [0120] 57 acceleration sensor [0121] 59 piston [0122] 61 lid [0123] 63 piston rod