Blood Smear Test Kit Automation With Contact Patch Staining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood smear examinations require manual smearing and staining, which can lead to non-uniform results and inaccuracies, especially in resource-limited settings, making them difficult to perform accurately and consistently.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic device that automates the smearing and staining process using a test kit with a specimen plate and patch plate, employing a moving unit and contact unit to ensure uniform specimen smearing and staining, facilitated by power transmission members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual smearing and staining is performed by an operator, then the test can be carried out with simple equipment, but the smearing uniformity and staining accuracy deteriorate when the operator is unskilled
Solution Approach 1:
The test kit is designed to perform smearing and staining automatically without requiring operator skill. The specimen plate and patch plate are configured to self-align and self-stain through their structural design, eliminating the need for skilled manual operation while maintaining uniform smearing and accurate staining.
Solution Approach 2:
A contact-type patch is introduced as an intermediary element between the specimen and the staining reagent. This patch facilitates automatic transfer of staining reagent to the specimen during the closing motion, ensuring consistent staining without operator intervention.
2Device complexity
If manual smearing and staining is performed, then the equipment complexity is low, but the test reliability deteriorates due to reaction condition errors
Solution Approach 1:
The staining reagent is pre-loaded onto the contact-type patch before the test is performed. This preliminary preparation ensures that the correct amount of reagent is available and properly positioned, eliminating errors related to improper reagent application or insufficient mixing during the actual test.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the state of the staining reagent from liquid to solid form on the contact patch. This parameter change allows the reagent to be precisely controlled and transferred, ensuring consistent reaction conditions without requiring complex equipment to monitor and adjust parameters manually.
3Manufacturing precision
If automated smearing and staining is implemented, then the smearing uniformity and staining accuracy are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated test kit is divided into distinct functional segments: the specimen plate for sample placement, the patch plate for reagent storage, and the contact-type patch for transfer. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently with simple mechanics, achieving uniform smearing and staining without requiring a complex integrated automated system.
4Measurement precision
If contact-type patch is used for staining, then the staining accuracy is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The contact-type patch combines multiple functions into a single element: it serves as both the reagent carrier and the transfer medium. By merging the reagent reservoir and application interface into one component, the design achieves accurate staining control without adding significant structural complexity to the patch plate.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a diagnostic device using a test kit including a specimen plate having a specimen region in which a specimen is smeared and a patch plate configured to store a contact-type staining patch, which comes into contact with the specimen to stain the specimen, the diagnostic device comprising a moving unit configured to move a structure of the test kit, wherein the moving unit transmits power to one or more of the specimen plate and the patch plate through a power transmission member, and moves the specimen plate and the patch plate relative to each other such that a smearing unit of the patch plate moves in one direction along a longitudinal direction of the test kit so that the specimen is smeared in the specimen region.