Acceleration-Sensitive Indicator for Centrifugation Status Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the centrifugation status of biological samples are often inaccurate, as they rely on visual inspection or image systems that can misinterpret natural sedimentation effects, leading to incorrect conclusions about centrifugation, which can impact the validity of diagnostic tests.
Innovation Solution
An acceleration-sensitive indicator that changes its physical state upon exposure to a centrifugal force above a threshold, allowing for reliable detection of centrifugation through fluid or particle transfer zones, providing a durable and machine-readable indication of centrifugation status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If visual inspection or image systems are used to determine centrifugation status, then the method is simple and low-cost, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish natural sedimentation from centrifugation effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary indicator system comprising a indicator layer with particles that responds specifically to centrifugal force. This indicator layer acts as a mediator between the centrifugation process and the detection system, providing a clear visual signal (particle migration, color change, or pattern formation) that distinctly indicates centrifugation has occurred, thereby resolving the ambiguity of natural sedimentation versus centrifugation effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color changes as a detection mechanism in the indicator layer. The indicator contains components that undergo color transformation when subjected to centrifugal force, providing a visually distinct and unambiguous signal that differentiates centrifuged samples from non-centrifuged samples, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining simplicity.
2Loss of information
If IT systems are used to track centrifugation status, then data management capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator system is self-service in that it automatically provides centrifugation status information through its physical response to centrifugal force. The indicator layer undergoes irreversible changes (particle migration, color change) that self-record the centrifugation event, eliminating the need for complex IT system integration while still providing reliable tracking information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic IT systems with a simple mechanical/physical indicator system. The indicator layer uses physical principles (particle migration under centrifugal force, color changes) to provide centrifugation status information, substituting complex electronic data management with a straightforward physical indication mechanism.
3Reliability
If additional centrifugation steps are applied to already centrifuged samples, then the centrifugation status can be re-verified, but the gel barrier is damaged and sample quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator layer is applied to the sample container before centrifugation and provides real-time feedback during the centrifugation process. By monitoring the indicator's response, the system can determine when centrifugation is complete and prevent additional unnecessary centrifugation steps that would damage the gel barrier and compromise sample quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator system provides feedback on the centrifugation status by showing when the centrifugal force has been sufficient to separate components. This feedback mechanism allows the system to stop centrifugation at the appropriate point, avoiding over-centrifugation that would damage the gel barrier and maintain sample integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the reliability of diagnostic tests by accurately determining whether a sample has been centrifuged and the quality of centrifugation, distinguishing between swing-type and fixed-angle centrifuges, and providing internal quality control.
Implementation Method 1
the indicator comprises an indication zone, wherein the indication zone comprises two adjacent fluid transfer zones... the fluid has a distribution with respect to the indication zone, which is changeable upon application of a g-force above a threshold value
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4
AI summary
An acceleration sensitive indicator (1, 1', 1", 31, 31', 51, 61, 71, 81, 121, 121', 131) for indicating a centrifugation status of a biological sample, a sample container (100, 100') comprising the acceleration sensitive indicator, a centrifuge (200) for centrifuging sample containers (100, 100') and an analytical system (300) for analyzing centrifuged samples are disclosed. The indicator (1, 1', 1", 31, 31', 51, 61, 71, 81, 121, 121', 131) comprises at least one closed chamber (2, 2', 32, 32', 112) formed between two opposite surfaces. The chamber (2, 2', 32, 32', 112) comprises at least one indication zone (3, 3', 3", 33, 53, 63, 73, 93, 123, 124, 124', 133, 134), the at least one indication zone (3, 3', 3", 33, 53, 63, 73, 93, 123, 124, 124', 133, 134) comprising at least two fluid transfer zones (4, 4', 5, 5', 16, 17, 18) or at least one particle transfer zone (34, 54, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 122, 125, 125', 135). The at least one fluid transfer zone (4, 4', 5, 5', 16, 17, 18) comprises at least one solid carrier phase (14) and at least one fluid (15, 15') stabilized in the solid carrier phase (14), or at least one non-stabilized non-Newtonian fluid (13) having thixotropic and/or shear thinning properties. The at least one particle transfer zone (34, 54, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 122, 125, 125', 135) comprises at least one particle stabilizing fluid (35, 83) comprising stabilized dispersed particles (36, 84, 85, 86, 87). In particular, the at least one fluid (13, 15, 15') or particles (36, 84, 85, 86, 87) have a distribution with respect to the at least one indication zone (3, 3', 3", 33, 53, 63, 73, 93, 123, 124, 124', 133, 134), which is changeable only upon application of a g-force above a threshold value, the change of distribution indicating the centrifugation status.