# US 11,992,833 B2 · Pipette tip extension for treating a sample with a liquid attachable to a pipette tip > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,833 B2 - Document ID: US11992833B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/295,624 - Filed: 2019-12-20 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-20 - Assignees: Tecan Trading AG - Applicants: Tecan Trading AG - Inventors: Adrian Sager; Philipp Ott; Patrick Kinney; Hagen Reinhardt; Michael Keller; Sujata Iyer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992833B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/0275: {Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips} - B01L 3/5082: {Test tubes per se} - B01L 3/0279: {co-operating with positive ejection means} - B03C 1/01: by addition of magnetic adjuvants - B03C 1/32: acting on the medium containing the substance being separated, e.g. magneto-gravimetric-, magnetohydrostatic-, or magnetohydrodynamic separation - G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} - B01L 3/0217: {of the plunger pump type} - B01L 2200/023: adapted for different sizes of tubes, tips or container - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2200/026: Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details - B01L 2300/0609: Holders integrated in container to position an object - B01L 2300/0832: cylindrical, tube shaped - B01L 2300/0858: Side walls - B01L 2300/18: Means for temperature control - B01L 2400/0478: pistons - G01N 2035/103: {using disposable tips} - G01N 2035/1051: {for transporting containers, e.g. retained by friction} - G01N 2035/1053: {for separating part of the liquid, e.g. filters, extraction phase} - G01N 2035/106: {by sucking and blowing} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end is disclosed. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and forms at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting a pipette tip, and at the distal end a dispense aperture. The pipette tip extension further has an inner cavity, a distance element connected to the inner side of the exterior wall, and a constriction element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip, the pipette tip extension comprising: a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the exterior wall having an outer side and an inner side and forming at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting the pipette tip, and at the distal end a dispense aperture, an inner cavity enclosed by the inner side of the exterior wall, a distance element connected to the inner side of the exterior wall, the distance element being configured to position the pipette tip within the inner cavity and to establish a fluid uptake area adjacent to the inner side of the exterior wall, the fluid uptake area extending from the dispense aperture towards the reception aperture and being in fluid connection with the surrounding atmosphere at the reception aperture, and a constriction element which is connected to the inner side of the exterior wall of the pipette tip extension, the constriction element being configured to control an insertion depth of a pipette tip within the pipette tip extension and thereby to define a gap with a gap height (h) between a distal end of an inserted pipette tip and the distal end of the pipette tip extension, the constriction element defining an end stop for a pipette tip and is configured as a fluid-permeable sieve-like structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pipette tip extension according to claim 1, wherein the distance element is a sleeve which is configured to receive and circumferentially enclose a distal end of a pipette tip within the inner cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pipette tip extension according to claim 2, the sleeve is open at the distal end for allowing a liquid being dispensed from an inserted pipette tip into the gap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pipette tip extension according to claim 3, wherein the sleeve is connected to the inner side of the exterior wall by one or more distance bars which are arranged at the inner side of the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pipette tip extension according to claim 4, comprising at least two additional distance elements, each distance element being configured as a distance bar which extends along a direction from the proximal end towards the distal end of the pipette tip extension, wherein the form of the distance bars and the position of the distance bars are configured such that each distance bar can be abutted by an outer side of a pipette tip when inserted into the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The pipette tip extension according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve is arranged centrally within the inner cavity, extending along a medial axis of the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pipette tip extension according to claim 1, wherein the constriction element comprises a guiding plate which defines or is connected to the end stop, the guiding plate being arranged close to the distal end of the pipette tip extension but offset from the distal end of the pipette tip extension towards the proximal end, and delimits together with the inner side of the exterior wall the gap at the distal end of the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pipette tip extension according to claim 7, wherein the guiding plate extends perpendicular to the medial axis of the pipette tip extension and is connected to the inner side of the exterior wall by one or more support bars, the support bars providing one or more passages for fluidly connecting the gap with the fluid uptake area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pipette tip extension according to claim 8, wherein the guiding plate comprises a connection channel which provides a fluid connection between an inserted pipette tip and the gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pipette tip extension according to claim 9, wherein the end stop is configured as an elongated, tubular hollow cylinder which is functionally connected to the connection channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The pipette tip extension according to claim 7, wherein the guiding plate comprises a groove which faces the gap at the distal end of the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pipette tip extension according to claim 1, wherein the distance element is configured as a sleeve for receiving and circumferentially enclosing a distal end of a pipette tip, the sleeve being open at the distal end for allowing a liquid being dispensed from an inserted pipette tip into the gap, and wherein the end stop is configured as an elongated, tubular hollow cylinder which provides a passage for fluidly connecting an inserted pipette tip with the gap, wherein the sleeve and the end stop are fluidly connected to provide the fluid connection between the pipette tip and the gap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pipette tip extension according to claim 12, wherein the constriction element comprises a guiding plate which comprises the end stop, the guiding plate being arranged close to the distal end of the pipette tip extension but offset from the distal end of the pipette tip extension towards the proximal end, and delimits together with the inner side of the exterior wall the gap within the inner cavity of the pipette tip extension, and wherein the pipette tip extension further comprises an inner wall arranged between the sleeve and the exterior wall, wherein the inner wall extends circumferentially around the sleeve and along a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the pipette tip extension, thereby restricting the fluid uptake area towards within the inner cavity, the inner wall being connected to the exterior wall by the distance bars, and being connected to the guiding plate at the side which faces towards the inner cavity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The pipette tip extension according to claim 1, wherein the exterior wall comprises at the distal end a seal for sealing the gap at the dispense aperture when the pipette tip extension is placed with the distal end onto a surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of treating a sample with a liquid, the method comprises the following steps: providing a pipette tip extension according to claim 1, aspirating a liquid into a pipette tip, inserting the pipette tip filled with the liquid into the pipette tip extension placing the pipette tip extension with the distal end onto a sample, isolating an area of the sample from a remaining area with the distal end of the pipette tip extension, and dispensing the liquid from the pipette tip into the pipette tip extension, thereby generating a liquid flow from the pipette tip over the isolated area of the sample and into the fluid uptake area of the pipette tip extension. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising one or more of the following steps after the dispensing of the liquid from the pipette tip into the pipette tip extension: soaking the isolated area of the sample with the liquid for a certain time period, whereby during soaking, the liquid contacts the isolated area of the sample without the application of a liquid flow, and/or consecutively aspirating and dispensing the fluid between the pipette tip and the pipette tip extension, thereby exposing the isolated area of the sample to a repeated, bidirectional fluid flow, and/or subjecting the isolated area of the sample to a temperature treatment, in particular to a heating step and/or a cooling step, using a heating device and/or a cooling device in operative contact with the sample, thereby allowing the fluid to adapt to the temperature of the sample. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the dispensing of the fluid and/or the aspirating of the fluid is carried out with the total volume of a fluid present in the second reservoir and/or with a partial volume of the fluid present in the second reservoir. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the sample is selected from a group comprising: a tissue, a tissue section, a cell or a cell culture thereof, including a bacterial cell, a fungi cell, a plant cell, an animal cell, and/or a human cell, a dried sample provided on a flat carrier, and one or more component of a tissue, tissue section, cell and/or cell culture. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid is a liquid which is selected from a group comprising: a buffer or cell culture medium for cultivating and/or maintaining and/or storing one or more samples, a reagent for treating the sample, a transport liquid for collecting particles for further analysis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the sample is a tissue section provided on a microscopic slide, and the fluid is a liquid for performing a cell lysis reaction and for collecting one or more components of the tissue section selected from a group comprising: a nucleic acid, a protein, component comprising a carbohydrate, a fatty acid, a vitamin, and/or a hormone, or other cellular compounds, and/or combinations thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein one or more of the method steps are carried out manually using a pipettor or automatically using a liquid handling workstation. ### Claim 22 An assembly comprising a pipette tip for aspirating and/or dispensing a liquid, a pipette tip extension attached to the pipette tip, the pipette tip extension comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the exterior wall having an outer side and an inner side and forming at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting the pipette tip, and at the distal end a dispense aperture, an inner cavity enclosed by the inner side of the exterior wall, a distance element connected to the inner side of the exterior wall, for positioning the pipette tip within the inner cavity and for establishing a fluid uptake area adjacent to the inner side of the exterior wall, the fluid uptake area extending from the dispense aperture towards the reception aperture and being in fluid connection with the surrounding atmosphere at the reception aperture, and a constriction element which is connected to the inner side of the exterior wall of the pipette tip extension for controlling an insertion depth of the pipette tip within the pipette tip extension, the constriction element defining a gap with a gap height (h) between a distal end of the inserted pipette tip and the distal end of the pipette tip extension, the constriction element comprises an end stop for the pipette tip and is configured as a fluid-permeable sieve-like structure.