Arcuate Oscillating Container for High-Efficiency Bead Lysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating materials, particularly biological samples, face inefficiencies in lysis and separation processes, including chemical degradation, low lysis efficiency, and limitations in handling small sample sizes, which necessitate the development of more effective and efficient bead-based lysing apparatus and methods.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a container with a particulate lysing material, oscillated along an arcuate path to enhance lysis efficiency, incorporating a pump for controlled fluid flow and filters to separate and retain particles, allowing for high-frequency oscillation and efficient processing of small samples, including flow-through lysing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If chemical approaches (enzymes or detergents) are used for lysis, then cell membranes can be disrupted, but the resulting bio-products may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical lysis methods (enzymes or detergents) with a mechanical lysis system using glass beads agitated by an impeller. The mechanical force from bead collision and shear stress disrupts cell membranes without chemical degradation of bio-products. The system uses an impeller-driven container to circulate beads through the sample, providing controlled mechanical lysis that preserves protein integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If bead-based lysis with vortex mixer is used, then chemical degradation is avoided, but lysis efficiency and throughput are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static bead containment to dynamic bead circulation. The impeller continuously moves beads through the sample in a controlled flow pattern, increasing collision frequency and lysis efficiency. The system allows adjustable agitation speeds to optimize lysis throughput while maintaining gentle handling of bio-products. The dynamic system processes larger volumes more efficiently than vortex mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates fluid flow dynamics to enhance bead agitation. The impeller creates hydraulic circulation patterns that move beads through the sample with controlled velocity and direction. This fluid-driven approach provides more uniform and efficient lysis compared to the turbulent but uncontrolled vortex mixing, increasing throughput while preserving bio-product integrity.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional centrifuges are used for separation, then material can be separated by density, but processing time is extended and throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs high-frequency oscillation of the impeller and beads to accelerate the lysis process. The vibrational and turbulent flow patterns created by rapid impeller rotation intensify bead-sample interactions, achieving complete lysis in minutes rather than hours. This mechanical energy input dramatically reduces processing time while maintaining effective separation capability through subsequent centrifugation.
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 achieves higher lysis efficiency, reduces processing time, and increases throughput while minimizing the amount of lysing material required, enabling efficient separation and analysis of difficult-to-lyse materials like spores, and allows for portable, cost-effective operation in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
The container is oscillated along an arcuate path to subject the particulate lysing material to high-frequency acceleration. The lysing material is effective for disrupting cell membranes.
Implementation Method 2
The apparatus may include a pump configured to move the material to be lysed through the chamber at a controlled flow rate.
Implementation Method 3
The container may include filters positioned to retain the particulate lysing material within the chamber.
Data Source
AI summary
Oscillating angularly rotating a container containing a material may cause the material to be separate. Denser or heavier material may unexpectedly tend to collected relatively close to the axis of rotation, while less dense or light material may tend to collect relatively away from the axis of rotation. Oscillation along an arcuate path provides high lysing efficiency. Alternatively, a micromotor may drive an impeller removably received in a container. Lysing may be implemented in batch mode, flow-through stop or semi-batch mode, or flow-through continuous mode. Lysing particulate material may exceed material to be lysed or lysed material and/or air may be essentially eliminated from a chamber to increase lysing efficiency.