Automatic Analyzer Power Switches for Emergency Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic analyzers face challenges in reducing power consumption while being able to quickly respond to emergency test requests at night, as existing methods require the system to be in an active state, leading to increased power usage.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzer with power switches for heat and cold sources, a selection mechanism for various startup modes, and a control system to manage power usage efficiently, allowing for rapid startup and energy-saving operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the system is kept in an active state to handle emergency test requests at night, then the response time to emergency requests is reduced, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operational state based on the urgency of test requests. For emergency requests, the system activates a rapid startup mode that selectively powers on only the minimum necessary components (measurement unit and essential control circuits) while keeping non-essential components (such as sample processing mechanisms and full temperature control systems) in standby or off states. This dynamic configuration allows the system to achieve fast response times for emergencies while minimizing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The analyzer system is divided into multiple independently controllable modules with different power states. The measurement unit can be activated independently from other components, allowing emergency samples to be analyzed using only the essential measurement functionality. Non-essential modules remain in low-power standby modes, enabling the system to provide rapid emergency response while segmenting power consumption across different functional areas.
2Loss of time
If the system is started up quickly to handle emergency requests, then the startup time is reduced, but the power consumption and instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary stabilization of the measurement unit independently before full system activation. When an emergency request is detected, the measurement unit is pre-powered and allowed to stabilize its internal temperature and electronic components for a brief period (e.g., 5-15 minutes) while other system components remain in standby. This preliminary action ensures measurement stability is achieved before emergency testing begins, without requiring full system startup.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature control and stability measures are applied locally to only the measurement unit and essential components during rapid startup, rather than heating or stabilizing the entire system. The measurement chamber receives focused thermal management while other areas of the system remain in their current thermal states, reducing overall power consumption and startup time while maintaining local measurement stability.
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
Enables the analyzer to handle emergency test requests at night while minimizing power consumption by optimizing temperature control and power distribution among components, reducing startup time and energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source for raising the temperature inside the analyzer
Implementation Method 2
a cold source for lowering the temperature inside the analyzer
Data Source
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AI summary
With an ordinary automatic analyzer for analyzing biological samples such as blood or urine, it takes a fairly long time from the time the power source of the analyzer is turned on until the analyzer reaches a state stable enough to start analyzing. Thus in order to deal with emergency analysis typically at night, the power source needs to be continuously turned on, which has incurred growing power consumption. Disclosed here is an automatic analyzer including power switches which, from among the components configuring the automatic analyzer, turn on and off the power source of the component serving as a heat source for raising the temperature inside the analyzer and the power source of the component as a cold source for lowering the temperature inside the analyzer; a selection means which selects any of a plurality of startup modes each corresponding to a temperature rise speed inside the analyzer following an analyzer startup; and a control mechanism which, in accordance with the startup mode selected by the selection means, controls the on/off operations of the power switch coupled to each of the components.