Centrifugal Processing Unit Pivot Accommodation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal processing units for sample processing cartridges often generate unwanted force vectors due to sliding and abutting mechanisms, leading to additional stress and vibration.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugal processing unit with a rotor and accommodations that allow free pivoting of cartridges, eliminating relative movement and unwanted force vectors, and incorporating a manipulator for precise handling and additional stations for various treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a locking pin and recess mechanism is used to prevent magazine rotation, then rotational stability is improved, but sliding and abutting create additional unwanted force vectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the locking pin and recess mechanism that caused sliding and abutting. Instead, the magazine is directly coupled to the arm without separate locking components, eliminating the source of unwanted force vectors while maintaining rotational stability through direct mechanical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a locking mechanism that requires sliding and abutting actions, the patent inverts the approach by designing the magazine to be directly coupled to the arm, where the arm itself provides the stabilizing function without requiring relative movement between components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If magazines are made rotatable around axles for flexible positioning, then positioning flexibility is improved, but relative movement between magazine and arm creates unwanted force vectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the separate locking pin and recess components that enabled rotation but also caused harmful force vectors. The magazine remains coupled to the arm but without the sliding and abutting mechanism, preventing unwanted force vectors while maintaining the necessary positioning flexibility through the coupled design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If locking pins and recesses are used to secure magazines, then rotational constraint is improved, but the sliding and abutting mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the locking pin, recess, and associated sliding mechanisms from the design. The rotational constraint is achieved through the direct coupling of the magazine to the arm, eliminating multiple components and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the necessary rotational stability.
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 prevents unwanted force vectors, reduces vibrations, and enables precise and versatile handling of substances within the cartridges, allowing for efficient movement and treatment across multiple orientations and directions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one rotor drive for rotating the at least one rotor about a respective rotor axis to create a centrifugal force
Data Source
AI summary
A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge having a rotor for receiving the sample processing cartridge, a rotor drive to create a centrifugal force, the centrifugal processing unit having a pivot accommodation and a fix accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge that are arranged on the rotor, where each pivot accommodation being adapted to allow a free pivoting motion of the received sample processing cartridge about a respective pivot axis, and each pivot axis being orthogonal to the rotor axis to the respective force vector of the centrifugal force.