Pipette comprising imaging device element

Abstract

A pipette comprising a cylinder with a piston movable inside the cylinder for aspiring and dispensing liquid, and a handle portion for gripping the pipette, wherein the pipette further comprises an imaging device element for obtaining images that assist the use of the pipette.

Claims

1. A hand-held pipette, comprising: an elongated hand-held body having a handle portion configured for gripping the pipette, a display portion, and a tip portion located below the handle portion configured for supporting at least one detachable tip; a cylinder disposed within the body and having a piston movable inside the cylinder for aspiring and dispensing liquid; an imaging device element supported by the pipette and configured for obtaining at least one image, wherein the imaging device element comprises one of a camera unit or an optical imaging sensor including an optical lens that is focused at an area in front of the at least one tip of the pipette and/or at the at least one tip of the pipette; and a display supported by the display portion and being configured to display at least one image from the imaging device element.

2. The hand-held pipette according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device element is configured to provide continuous image feed and/or snapshot images.

3. The hand-held pipette according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held pipette is an electronic pipette, comprising: a motor for moving the piston inside the cylinder; a control system for carrying out pipette operations; and a user interface for operating the pipette.

4. The hand-held pipette according to claim 3, wherein the imaging device element, the display for viewing the image from the imaging device element, or the control system of the electronic pipette, is equipped with image recognition.

5. The hand-held pipette according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device element is connected to the handle portion of the pipette, or the imaging device element is connected to the pipette via bendable fiber optics wire.

6. The hand-held pipette according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device element comprises a digital camera.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplifying embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are explained in greater detail below in the sense of an example and with reference to the accompanying figures, where:

(2) FIG. 1A shows an electronic pipette according to the present invention,

(3) FIG. 1B shows the pipette of FIG. 1A as a cross-section,

(4) FIG. 1C shows area of the cross-section of FIG. 1B,

(5) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of an electronic pipette according to the present invention as a cross-section, and

(6) FIG. 3 shows a functional diagram of an electronic pipette according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The electronic pipette 1 of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1A-1C is formed as a handheld entity and the body of which comprises handle portion 2, at upper end of the handle portion tilted display portion 3, and at lower end of the handle portion tip portion 4 of the pipette.

(8) When the pipette 1 is used, it is gripped from the handle portion 2 so that middle finger of the user sets against finger support 5 at the upper part of the handle portion, which leaves index finger of the user free to operate the operating switch 6 of the pipette. To the tip portion 4 is attached detachable pipette tip 7, to which liquid is aspired and from which liquid is dispensed during the use of the pipette 1.

(9) The outer surface of the display portion 3 of the pipette 1 is equipped with a display 8 and operation keys 9, which form the user interface of operating system of the pipette together with the operating switch 6.

(10) Inside the body of the pipette 1, extending in the area of the handle portion 2 and the tip portion 4 of the pipette, is located a cylinder 10 and inside the cylinder piston 11 movable with respect to the cylinder, which both extend along or parallel with the central axis of the handle portion and/or tip portion of the pipette. From the lower end of the cylinder 11, extends a channel 12 at the bottom end surface of the tip portion 4 for obtaining aspiration and dispensing of liquid to and from the detachable pipette tip 7 by moving the piston 11 inside the cylinder 10. Between surfaces of the cylinder 10 and the piston 11 is located a spring member 13 extending in the length direction of the cylinder and piston for supporting a sealing o-ring 20 between the cylinder and the piston.

(11) The means for moving the piston 11 comprises a linear actuator formed by a threaded rod 14, which extends along or parallel with the central axis of the handle portion 2, and an electric motor 15, which moves the threaded rod in its lengthwise direction through a threaded connection between the unrotating threaded rod and a rotating member of the motor. By moving the threaded rod 14, the piston 11 moves accordingly inside the cylinder 10.

(12) At the lower end of the handle portion 2 is formed a protrusion 17, inside which is set an imaging device element 16, which is able to provide a picture or live feed to the pipette's 1 display 8 and/or save the picture or live feed to the memory of the pipette's electronic control system. The imaging device element 16 can be a single unit, such as a digital camera unit, or it can have an optical lens and an optic fiber to transfer the optical image to a separate optical imaging sensor 18 (e.g., CCD, Charge-Coupled Device), which is preferably located on the electric circuit board of the control system. The picture may also be transferred with a cable or wirelessly to an external display.

(13) The imaging device element 16 is positioned and aimed so, that it shows the pipette tip 7 and area in front of it (FIG. 1C). Thus, the image or image feed from the imaging device element 16 can be used to help the correct positioning of the pipette tip 7. Further, the thus obtained image feed can be used to detect any leftover liquid in the pipette tip 7 or if there are any other problems with the pipette tip, for example. These detection actions can also be implemented automatically by analyzing the image feed from the imaging device element 16 with the electronic operating system.

(14) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of an electronic pipette 21 according to the present invention, where the pipette is otherwise similar than one presented in FIGS. 1A-1C, and the same reference numerals are used for the same parts, with the exception of the connection of the imaging device element 16.

(15) In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the imaging device element 16 is connected to the lower part of the handle portion 2 with a bendable fiber optics wire 22. The bendable fiber optics wire 22 allows free positioning and aiming of the imaging device element 16 so that it can be adjusted to be suitable for different applications and for different pipette tips 7, for example.

(16) FIG. 3 shows an example of a functional diagram of an electronic pipette, like the pipettes shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2. The operations of the pipette are controlled with a central processing unit (CPU), which is equipped with memory for storing pre-programmed operations and functions. The user gives commands to the CPU through operation keys and selections and information displayed in a display. The CPU is supplied with operating power by a battery and a voltage regulator, which can be recharged with a changer through charging connections when the pipette is placed in its stand. The CPU of the pipette can also be connected to external databases through data interface. The CPU receives information from and controls the pipette's piston home position detector. In accordance with instructions received from the user through the operation keys, the CPU controls the motor of the pipette through a motor driver. The CPU controls a digital camera based on user's input commands, carries out required digital detection and recognition actions, and saves the digital image feed from the camera either to its memory or to external database through data interface. The memory of the pipette may also include a detachable memory module (not shown), such as memory cards, for storing the digital image feed or snapshot images. The CPU also gives alerts through a buzzer in preset situations, or when the CPU notices a problem in a pipetting operation, for example. The dashed line in FIG. 3 presents boundary surface between the pipette itself and the stand of the pipette in which the pipette is placed when not in use.

(17) The specific exemplifying embodiments of the present invention shown in figures and discussed above should not be construed as limiting. A person skilled in the art can amend and modify the embodiments in many evident ways within the scope of the attached claims. Thus, the present invention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above.