Analyzer Cuvette Table Intermittent Rotation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing analyzers face accuracy issues in photometry due to rotational speed variations of the cuvette table, causing deviations in the illuminated area, which affect the accuracy of analytical value calculations.
Innovation Solution
An analyzer with a cuvette table that intermittently rotates, alternating between resting and rotating states, with a controller ensuring that cuvettes pass through a photometric position at a fixed rotational speed, minimizing the impact of acceleration or deceleration inertia, and performing pretreatments and post-treatments during the resting states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the cuvette table rotates intermittently to perform multiple processes (washing, dispensing, agitating, photometry) at different positions, then automation and productivity are improved, but rotational speed variations cause illumination area deviation and reduce measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The cuvette table performs intermittent rotation with periodic acceleration and deceleration phases. During acceleration, cuvettes move from pretreatment positions toward photometric positions; during deceleration, they move from photometric positions toward post-treatment positions. This periodic motion pattern allows automated multi-position processing while managing rotational dynamics.
Solution Approach 2:
Pretreatment processes (washing, dispensing, agitating) are performed on cuvettes before they reach the photometric position, during the acceleration phase. This preliminary action ensures cuvettes are properly prepared before measurement, separating preparation functions from measurement functions in time and space.
Solution Approach 3:
The photometric measurement function is extracted from the acceleration and deceleration phases and performed only during the constant-speed rotation phase. This separation removes the harmful effects of rotational inertia from the measurement process, maintaining measurement precision while preserving automated multi-position processing capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cuvette table rotates at variable speeds to accommodate different process positions, then operational flexibility is improved, but illumination area deviation occurs during acceleration/deceleration and reduces photometry accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation operates in periodic cycles: acceleration phase for moving cuvettes to photometric positions, constant-speed phase for measurement, deceleration phase for moving cuvettes to post-treatment positions. This periodic pattern provides operational flexibility for multi-position processing while ensuring measurements occur only during the stable constant-speed phase.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning and preparation actions are performed preliminarily during the acceleration phase, before the cuvette reaches the photometric position. This separates the flexible positioning function from the precision measurement function, allowing variable speed operation for positioning while maintaining constant speed for accurate measurement.
3Reliability
If photometry is performed multiple times to the same cuvette to calculate analytical values, then measurement reliability is improved, but illumination area deviation during rotation causes photometry value variation and reduces calculation accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple photometry measurements are performed periodically as the cuvette passes through the photometric position during constant-speed rotation. The constant-speed condition ensures the illuminated area remains stable across all measurements, providing consistent photometry values that reliably represent the sample composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The photometry function is extracted from the variable-speed portions of rotation and performed exclusively during the constant-speed phase. This separation ensures that all measurements are taken under identical rotational conditions, eliminating speed-induced variation and improving the consistency and reliability of analytical calculations.
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
This approach reduces the adverse effects on photometry due to rotational speed changes, ensuring accurate photometry data collection and maintaining the accuracy of analytical value calculations without enlarging the analyzer's size.
Implementation Method 1
a quantity of light which is emitted from the light source and transmits the illuminated area on the cuvette is measured
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an analyzer with a reduced adverse effect to photometry accompanying acceleration or deceleration of a cuvette table. An actuator drives a cuvette table where a plurality of cuvettes are disposed annularly so that the cuvette table performs intermittent rotation in which a resting state and a rotating state are repeatedly alternated, and each time the cuvette table rotates intermittently, a row of the plurality of cuvettes is displaced in the annular direction by a given number of cuvettes. In the resting state, a pretreatment part performs pretreatment to a cuvette that stands still at a pretreatment position, and a post treatment part performs post treatment to a cuvette that stands still at a post treatment position. In the rotating state, a photometry part performs photometry to a cuvette that passes through a photometric position. A controller, in the rotating state until the cuvette that stood still at the pretreatment position stands still at the post treatment position after the completion of the pretreatment, controls the actuator so that the cuvette passes through the photometric position at a fixed rotational speed, each time the cuvette passes through the photometric position.