Blood Coagulation Test Device with Reciprocating Stirring and Elastic Body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blood coagulation test methods, such as optical tests and devices like TEG and ROTEM, face challenges in accurately measuring viscoelasticity due to interference from substances in the blood specimen and fixed measurement conditions, leading to inadequate resolution and high costs, especially as they fail to adapt to varying blood specimens and agents.

Innovation Solution

A blood coagulation test device that uses a servo motor to control the reciprocating rotation of a stirring part within a predetermined angle, allowing for precise adjustment of rotation speed and angle based on the test object, using an elastic body connected to the stirring part to deform and transmit rotary motion, enabling accurate measurement of viscoelasticity across different viscoelastic states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a fixed rotation angle is used in TEG or ROTEM devices, then the device structure is simple, but the measurement resolution is insufficient for highly viscoelastic areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement resolutionVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the rotation angle adjustable rather than fixed. The device can modify the rotation angle according to the viscoelastic state of the blood specimen, allowing for higher resolution measurements in highly viscoelastic areas while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter (rotation angle) dynamically during the testing process. By adjusting the rotation angle based on the blood's viscoelastic state, the system achieves variable measurement resolution without fundamentally changing the device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the cup is rotated largely over 4.45 degrees after blood gelling, then the measurement range is increased, but the gel may be destroyed and viscoelasticity cannot be accurately measured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement rangeVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the rotation angle based on the blood coagulation state. During early coagulation when the gel is forming, a smaller rotation angle is used to avoid destroying the gel structure. As coagulation progresses and the gel strengthens, the rotation angle can be increased to expand the measurement range while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessment of the blood coagulation state before determining the appropriate rotation angle. This preliminary action allows the device to select an optimal rotation angle that prevents gel destruction while ensuring accurate viscoelasticity measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If optical test method is used, then the measurement is non-contact, but the scattered light quantity is affected by interference substances and cannot accurately reflect viscoelasticity changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenon-contact measurementVSAvoidviscoelasticity measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the optical measurement system with a mechanical measurement system. Instead of measuring scattered light quantity, the device directly measures the rotation angle of the stirring part, which is mechanically coupled to the blood specimen. This mechanical approach eliminates interference from substances that affect light scattering while maintaining non-contact operation through magnetic or other non-mechanical coupling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 device achieves improved resolution and adaptability to various blood specimens by controlling the rotation speed and angle, reducing costs and enhancing the accuracy of blood coagulation testing, while mitigating variations in elastic body performance.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic body being connected to the stirring part and capable of deforming in response to a force received through stirring of the test-object blood from the stirring part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3505937B1Blood coagulation test device and blood coagulation test method
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 FUJIMORI KOGYO CO LTD
  • EP3505937B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3505937B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3505937B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A blood coagulation test device includes: a container into which a test-object blood is placed; a stirring part for stirring the test-object blood in the container; an elastic body being connected to the stirring part and capable of deforming in response to a force received through stirring of the test-object blood from the stirring part; a control unit for transmitting a predetermined rotary motion to the stirring part and causing the stirring part to rotate in a reciprocating manner in a circumferential direction by rotating the elastic body in a reciprocating manner about an axis of the stirring part as a rotation axis and controlling the reciprocating rotation at a position separated by a predetermined diameter from the rotational axis; and a measurement unit for measuring a rotation angle pertaining to the reciprocating rotation of the stirring part.