Biological Cartridge Heating in Microscopes for Uniform Sample Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional biological sample heaters in microscope assemblies fail to evenly distribute heat, leading to inconsistent results due to varying sample parameters with temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a microscope assembly with a stage, heat spreader, and heating element that surrounds the sample chamber, coupled with a temperature sensor and controller to maintain the biological sample within a predetermined temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional biological sample heaters are used, then heating function is provided, but heat distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independent heating zones corresponding to different sample chambers. Each heating zone has its own heating element that can be independently controlled, allowing uniform heat distribution across multiple samples simultaneously. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing both heating function and uniform heat distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat spreader component is introduced as an intermediary between the heating element and the sample chamber. The heat spreader receives heat from the heating element and distributes it uniformly across the sample chamber, ensuring consistent temperature distribution. This intermediary component directly addresses the heat distribution uniformity issue while maintaining effective heating.
2Reliability
If temperature control is added to maintain consistent results, then result consistency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors are integrated into the system to continuously monitor the temperature of each sample chamber. The sensor signals are fed back to the controller, which automatically adjusts the heating power to maintain the desired temperature. This feedback mechanism ensures result consistency through automatic temperature control without requiring complex manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation of temperature through integrated sensors and automatic control. The heating element, temperature sensor, and controller work together as a self-contained temperature control system that automatically maintains consistent temperatures without external intervention, improving reliability while keeping the control mechanism integrated and relatively simple.
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
Ensures consistent biological sample analysis by evenly distributing heat and maintaining the sample within a fixed temperature range, enhancing data reliability.
Implementation Method 1
applying, by the heating element, heat to the biological cartridge
Implementation Method 2
contacting a heat spreader of the microscope assembly with a biological cartridge containing a biological sample
Implementation Method 3
measuring a temperature of the heating clement with a temperature sensor
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to assemblies and methods for heating a biological cartridge in a microscope assembly. The assembly includes a stage for receiving a cartridge holding a biological sample, the cartridge having a top face, a bottom face, and defining a sample chamber that at least partially encapsulates the biological sample, an image detector in optical communication with the stage, a controller communicatively coupled to the image detector, and a heating element communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the heating element defines a perimeter surrounding a sample chamber of the cartridge with the cartridge positioned on the stage.