Positive displacement pipette syringe identification system
Described are exemplary embodiments of a syringe identification system for use with a positive displacement pipette, such as a handheld powered positive displacement pipette. An exemplary syringe identification system may include a sensor, such as a color sensor, that is located at or near a distal end of the pipette and arranged such that the sensor is operative to read an identifying marking(s) on a syringe that has been installed to the pipette. The sensor may be a color sensor having an illumination source and configured to read a color code on the syringe. The color code may be usable to identify the syringe to the pipette.
1 . A pipette system having syringe identification functionality, comprising:
a pipette comprising a color sensor located internal to, and at a distal end portion of, the pipette, said color sensor is configured to differentially recognize reflected visible light of at least a group of colors and provide color identification data to a controller;
the controller configured to receive data signals from the color sensor, including the color identification data; and
a syringe configured for installation with the pipette, said syringe comprising: a color coding provided at a surface of a proximal end portion of the syringe that resides within a field of view of the color sensor when the syringe is installed to the pipette and having a given color of the group of colors, where the given color of the color coding is configured to indicate at least one distinct characteristic of the syringe, which is or includes a respective syringe volume, from other syringes of a group of syringes, each of the syringes of the group of syringes having the color coding with a different respective color of the group of various colors and a different respective internal volume;
wherein the controller is programmed to use the color identification data received from the color sensor to differentially identify the syringe installed to the pipette from the other syringes of the group of syringes, including by at least the respective syringe volume, and to automatically set or adjust one or more operating parameters of the pipette based on the differential identification.
2 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the surface is provided by a chamfered shoulder such that the color coding is located on the chamfered shoulder, said chamfered shoulder extending laterally beyond an outer perimeter of a capillary of the syringe.
3 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the color coding is selected from the group consisting of: a colored marking, a continuous patch of color, a discrete patch of color, a collection of dots of one or more colors, and a collection of segmented lines of one or more colors.
4 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the color coding is integrally formed with the syringe.
5 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the color sensor includes an illumination source.
6 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the color coding extends completely around a syringe retention element.
7 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
said surface extends at an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the syringe.
8 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
said syringe comprises a syringe retention mechanism;
said pipette comprises a syringe retention element configured to be temporarily engaged with the syringe retention mechanism to temporarily secure the syringe to the pipette; and
said surface is provided at the syringe retention element.
9 . The syringe identification system of claim 8 , wherein:
the syringe retention mechanism is configured to temporarily secure the syringe from removal from the pipette by way of at least the syringe retention element when the pipette is sufficiently inserted axially into the distal end portion of the pipette.
10 . The syringe identification system of claim 1 , wherein:
the pipette is a handheld, powered, positive displacement pipette.
11 . A pipette system having syringe identification functionality, comprising:
a handheld powered positive displacement pipette comprising:
a color sensor located within and at a side of a distal end of the pipette, said color sensor is configured to differentially recognize reflected visible light of at least a group of various colors and provide color identification data to a controller; and
a syringe retention mechanism;
the controller in communication with the color sensor and configured to receive data signals therefrom including the color identification data; and
a syringe configured for installation with the pipette to form a unitary device, said syringe comprising: a syringe retention element and a color coding provided at a surface of the syringe retention element having a given color of the group of various colors, said color coding provided at a location on the surface that resides within a field of view of the color sensor when the syringe is installed to the pipette, the given color of the color coding indicating at least one distinct characteristic of the syringe, which is or includes the syringe volume, from other syringes of a group of syringes, each having the color coding with a different respective color of the group of various colors;
wherein the controller is programmed to use the color identification data received from the color sensor to differentially identify the syringe installed to the pipette from the other syringes of the group of syringes, including by at least the respective syringe volume, and to automatically set or adjust one or more operating parameters of the pipette based on the differential identification;
wherein the syringe retention mechanism temporarily secures the syringe from removal from the pipette by way of at least the syringe retention element when the pipette is sufficiently inserted axially at the distal end of the pipette.
12 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
the surface of the syringe retention element is provided by a chamfered shoulder such that the color coding is located on the chamfered shoulder, said chamfered shoulder extending laterally beyond an outer perimeter of a capillary of the syringe.
13 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
each of the syringes of the group of syringes have different internal volumes.
14 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
the color coding is selected from the group consisting of a colored marking, a continuous patch of color, a discrete patch of color, a collection of dots of one or more colors, and a collection of segmented lines of one or more colors.
15 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
the color coding is integrally formed with the syringe.
16 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
the color sensor includes an illumination source.
17 . The syringe identification system of claim 11 , wherein:
the color coding extends completely around the syringe retention element.