Blood Processing Apparatus Air Port Sealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood processing apparatuses face challenges in introducing a metered quantity of blood samples into chambers without residual air, leading to potential air bubbles and scattering of blood samples during centrifugal separation and delivery, which affects the accuracy and reproducibility of blood component analysis.
Innovation Solution
A blood processing apparatus with an injection port and a separate air port, where the air port is equipped with a blood coagulant that reacts with the blood sample to seal the port, preventing air from entering the chamber and ensuring accurate metering and separation of blood components without the need for additional sealing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate air port is provided to drain air during blood sample introduction, then air bubbles are eliminated and metering precision is improved, but the risk of blood sample scattering during centrifugal separation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air port is sealed with a sealing member before centrifugal separation begins. This preliminary sealing action prevents the blood sample from scattering through the air port during the high-speed rotation, while still allowing the air port to function for draining air during the earlier blood sample introduction phase
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is designed to be movable, transitioning from an open state during blood sample introduction to a sealed state during centrifugal separation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to different operational phases, maintaining both air drainage capability and sample containment
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the air port is sealed after blood sample introduction, then blood sample scattering is prevented, but additional sealing operations are required increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is driven automatically by the centrifugal force generated during rotation. As the rotor accelerates, the sealing member is pushed by the centrifugal force to seal the air port autonomously, eliminating the need for external actuation mechanisms or manual sealing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism utilizes the hydraulic pressure generated by the blood sample itself under centrifugal force. The pressure differential created during rotation automatically drives the sealing member into the sealed position, converting the harmful centrifugal force into a useful sealing action
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 apparatus allows for reliable introduction of a metered blood sample into the chamber, preventing air bubbles and sample scattering, thereby ensuring quantitative accuracy and reproducibility in blood component analysis, and enabling efficient centrifugal separation and delivery of blood plasma for further analysis.
Implementation Method 1
an air port formed in the platform and communicating the first chamber with the outside of the platform; and a blood coagulant held on a port wall surface of the air port and/or around a portion of a surface of the platform where the air port is opened
Implementation Method 2
when CRP (C reactive proteins) contained in blood are measured electrochemically, blood cells are an inhibiting factor for measurements. Therefore, blood cells—blood plasma separation has to be carried out
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a blood processing apparatus that can introduce a metered quantity of a blood sample into a chamber and does not require an opening linked to the chamber to be closed after the introduction of the blood sample. An introducing chamber, an injection port, and an air port are formed in a rotatable platform of a blood processing apparatus. The injection port links the introducing chamber with the outside of the rotatable platform. A blood sample is introduced from the injection port into the introducing chamber. A blood coagulant is held on the port wall surface of the air port and/or around a portion of the surface of the rotatable platform where the air port is open.