US 12,416,643 B2
Systems and methods for pipette robots
Andrew Sigler, Brooklyn, NY (US); Taylor Schlaff Goodman, New York, NY (US); Nicholas Pease Starno, Fort Pierce, FL (US); and Jonathan Preston Badal, Brooklyn, NY (US)
Assigned to Opentrons Labworks Inc., Brooklyn, NY (US)
Filed by Opentrons LabWorks Inc., Brooklyn, NY (US)
Filed on May 14, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/663,846.
Application 18/663,846 is a division of application No. 17/972,295, filed on Oct. 24, 2022, granted, now 12,013,408.
Application 17/972,295 is a division of application No. 16/722,749, filed on Dec. 20, 2019, granted, now 11,506,677, issued on Nov. 2, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/784,135, filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0310398 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. B01L 3/02 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/0099 (2013.01) [B01L 3/0227 (2013.01); B01L 3/0237 (2013.01); G01N 35/00693 (2013.01); G01N 35/1011 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pipette robot, comprising:
a computer, wherein said computer comprises:
at least one processor; and
a memory including instructions;
a frame;
a deck operatively connected to the frame;
a gantry operatively connected to the frame;
a Z-axis motor operatively connected to the gantry, wherein the Z-axis motor is further operatively connected to the at least one processor; and
a pipette operatively connected to the gantry, wherein said pipette comprises a pipette body, and wherein the Z-axis motor is configured to travel the pipette along a Z-axis,
wherein the instructions configure the pipette robot to perform a method comprising:
aligning, using the gantry, the pipette with a pipette tip;
selecting, by the at least one processor, a current, wherein the selected current causes the Z-axis motor to, if stalled, output a stall torque that is reduced relative to a maximum stall torque of the Z-axis motor;
placing, using the at least one processor, a limit that the Z-axis motor draw no more than the selected current; and
moving, using the Z-axis motor, the pipette downwards until the pipette makes contact with the pipette tip and the Z-axis motor stalls, wherein the pipette tip becomes attached to the pipette.