Anti-static Reagent Bead Storage and Dispensing Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reagent beads used in chemical reactions, such as PCR, are fragile and prone to static handling issues due to static charges, which complicates their storage and dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a bead carrier with anti-static material wells and a peelable anti-static cover tape allows for efficient storage and controlled dispensing of reagent beads, utilizing a channel and mechanism to expose wells individually for precise dispensing, optionally with a counter for tracking the number of beads dispensed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reagent beads are stored in a conventional container, then storage is simple, but static charges cause handling problems and bead fragility leads to loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the inert atmosphere principle by using anti-static materials throughout the storage device, including the bead carrier, cover tape, and dispensing apparatus. These materials create a static-free environment that prevents charge accumulation on the fragile reagent beads, thereby improving handling reliability without requiring complex active shielding or grounding systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible thin films in the form of a peelable cover tape made of anti-static material. This cover tape seals the bead carrier to protect beads during storage and can be easily peeled back during dispensing. The flexibility and thinness of this film provide protection while maintaining simplicity, avoiding the need for rigid complex sealing mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If reagent beads are dispensed individually, then precision is improved, but handling difficulty increases due to static charges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary anti-static dispensing apparatus that mediates between the bead carrier and the user's handling actions. This apparatus includes anti-static components that prevent charge buildup during the dispensing process, allowing individual beads to be precisely dispensed without the handling difficulties caused by static electricity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical handling of individual beads with a controlled dispensing mechanism. The apparatus uses anti-static materials and controlled mechanisms to release beads one at a time, substituting the need for direct manual manipulation that would generate static charges, thereby improving both precision and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If cover tape is used to seal bead carrier, then bead retention is improved, but dispensing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-sealing the bead carrier with an anti-static cover tape before dispensing. This pre-sealing ensures bead retention during storage and transport, and the tape is designed to be peelable for straightforward dispensing. The preliminary sealing action prevents the need for complex sealing mechanisms during the dispensing process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover tape functions as a disposable sealing element that is used once and then discarded. This simple, single-use approach provides reliable bead retention without requiring complex reusable sealing mechanisms, thereby maintaining low device complexity while ensuring good bead retention.
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
The solution effectively addresses static handling problems and ensures reliable, efficient dispensing of reagent beads, maintaining their integrity and facilitating precise control over the dispensing process.
Implementation Method 1
The bead carrier and the cover tape each comprise an anti-static material
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the invention provide an efficient and effective technique for storing and dispensing reagent beads. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells; a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the wells; and a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the wells and retain the reagent beads in the wells. The apparatus comprises a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel. The stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge. The cover tape is insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the wells individually to dispense the reagent beads.