VIAFLO CORPORATION Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110076205 | Pipette Tip Mounting Shaft - A pipette tip mounting shaft includes outwardly circumferentially extending locking lobes over which the pipette tip collar is mounted. The locking lobes preferably include an inclining ramp portion that gently flexes and distorts the pipette tip collar out-of-round as the mounting shaft is inserted into the pipette tip, rather than the stretching tip collar. Each locking lobe also includes a declining ramp portion which extends upward along the mounting shaft. The peak of the lobes is preferably curved. When the pipette tip is fully mounted on the mounting shaft, a locking ring on the inside surface of the tip collar engages the declining ramp of the lobes to provide an over-center engagement, however, the required ejection force is small. | 03-31-2011 |
20110005956 | Sample Reservoir Kits with Disposable Liners - A liquid sample or liquid reagent reservoir kit employs a reusable reservoir base and disposable liners made of a clear transparent plastic material. Graduation marks are located on the sidewall surface of the basin in the reusable reservoir base, and are calibrated to measure liquid volumes in a disposable liner placed within the reusable reservoir base. The transparency of the clear disposable liner allows the liquid volume graduation marks on the sidewall of the basin in the reusable base to be observed through the disposable liner. The disposable liners are configured so that the liners can also be used as a cover. The geometry of the disposable liners facilitates tight nesting of stacked liners to facilitate shipping as well as storage on the laboratory bench top. | 01-13-2011 |
20100034706 | Disposable Pipette Tip - In one aspect, the invention relates to a pipette tip mounting shaft configuration and a disposable pipette tip having a matching configuration. The mounting shaft includes a locking section located above a lower sealing section. The locking section has outwardly extending locking lobes located above a stop member and a lower sealing section located below the stop member. In certain embodiments, the diameter of the mounting shaft below the stop member is reduced in order to lessen insertion and ejection forces, which is particularly helpful for hand-held multi-channel pipettors. In these embodiments, the lower sealing section contains either a frustoconical sealing section, or an annular groove and a sealing ring, such as a flouroelastomeric O-ring seal. When the mounting shaft is fully inserted into the collar of the mating disposable pipette tip, the tip locks onto the mounting shaft. The bore of the pipette tip includes a circumferential shelf or shoulder separating its upper collar from the tip sealing area which is located below the circumferential shelf. The tip collar preferably includes a locking ring located at or near the upper opening for the mounting shaft. The dimensions of the collar, and in particular the distance between its circumferential shelf and the locking ring, are selected to match the dimensions of the mounting shaft between the stop member and the upper end of the locking lobes, thus locking the pipette tip in a secure, reliable position and orientation while using ergonomic insertion and ejection forces. The locking lobes preferably include a ramp portion that gently flexes and distorts the pipette tip collar out of round as the mounting shaft is inserted in the pipette tip, rather than stretching the tip collar. The circumferential shelf on the pipette tip between the tip collar and the barrel isolates the sealing area at the upper end of the barrel from distortion, thus facilitating reliable sealing engagement between the lower sealing section of the mounting shaft and the sealing ring in the upper end of the barrel of the pipette tip. | 02-11-2010 |
20090274587 | MULTI-CHANNEL PIPETTOR WITH REPOSITIONABLE TIPS - A hand-held, multi-channel pipettor has an electronically controlled motor to reposition pipette tips for different center to center spacing. Each repositionable tip fitting assembly has a cam following pin that is driven by cam tracks in a motor driven roller drum. Stationary ports for the multiple aspiration cylinders are strategically placed to simplify management of flexible tubes leading to the repositionable pipette tip fitting assemblies. The pipettor has a user interface that can be operated conveniently by one hand to reposition pipette tips. It has a pipette tip ejection mechanism with a sinusoidal stripper bar. | 11-05-2009 |
20090196797 | Electronic Pipettor With Improved Accuracy - A hand-held electronic pipettor is designed particularly to be programmed and operated with one hand for the convenience of the user. It uses a capacitance touchpad control for programming, and a separate run button for the operating mode. Internal components are located so that the center of gravity of the pipettor is located within the palm of the user. Flash memory stores an empirically derived table that correlates aspiration volume to motor steps and a separate empirically derived table the correlates dispensing volumes to motor steps. | 08-06-2009 |