Electrophoresis Chip Overflow Cavity for Stable Imaging and Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophoresis chips experience liquid overflow during sample loading, leading to poor image quality, electrical interference, and increased risk of biological contamination due to liquid overflow on the chip surface.
Innovation Solution
The chip design incorporates an overflow cavity adjacent to the electrophoresis channel to collect excess liquid, preventing overflow and ensuring stable electrophoresis and imaging processes, while a sample analysis device with a blocking mechanism secures the chip during transfer to prevent slippage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the puncture needle pierces into the internal cavity of the electrophoresis chip during sample loading, then the sample can be delivered into the cavity, but the liquid in the cavity is compressed and overflows
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cavity is segmented into two functional regions: the electrophoresis chamber for sample analysis and the overflow cavity for liquid collection. This segmentation allows the puncture needle to deliver samples without causing harmful overflow outside the chip, as excess liquid is contained within the dedicated overflow cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of liquid compression and overflow is converted into a beneficial function by providing the overflow cavity. The excess liquid that would otherwise spill outside and cause contamination is now directed into a designated collection area, transforming a harmful byproduct into a controlled feature of the system.
2Reliability
If liquid overflows the cavity and slides down along the outer surface of the electrophoresis chip, then the power supply mechanism may come into contact with the overflowed liquid, but electrophoretic separation cannot be performed smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cavity is segmented into two functional regions: the electrophoresis chamber for sample analysis and the overflow cavity for liquid collection. This segmentation allows the puncture needle to deliver samples without causing harmful overflow outside the chip, as excess liquid is contained within the dedicated overflow cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of liquid compression and overflow is converted into a beneficial function by providing the overflow cavity. The excess liquid that would otherwise spill outside and cause contamination is now directed into a designated collection area, transforming a harmful byproduct into a controlled feature of the system.
3Productivity
If the optical mechanism captures an image of the electrophoresis chip with overflowed liquid on the surface, then the imaging process can proceed, but the image quality is poor due to shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cavity is segmented into two functional regions: the electrophoresis chamber for sample analysis and the overflow cavity for liquid collection. This segmentation allows the puncture needle to deliver samples without causing harmful overflow outside the chip, as excess liquid is contained within the dedicated overflow cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of liquid compression and overflow is converted into a beneficial function by providing the overflow cavity. The excess liquid that would otherwise spill outside and cause contamination is now directed into a designated collection area, transforming a harmful byproduct into a controlled feature of the system.
4Ease of operation
If the chip has overflowed liquid on the outer surface during transfer, then the chip can be moved, but the probability of dropping due to slippage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cavity is segmented into two functional regions: the electrophoresis chamber for sample analysis and the overflow cavity for liquid collection. This segmentation allows the puncture needle to deliver samples without causing harmful overflow outside the chip, as excess liquid is contained within the dedicated overflow cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of liquid compression and overflow is converted into a beneficial function by providing the overflow cavity. The excess liquid that would otherwise spill outside and cause contamination is now directed into a designated collection area, transforming a harmful byproduct into a controlled feature of the 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 solution effectively contains overflowed liquid, maintaining electrophoresis and imaging quality and preventing biological contamination by ensuring stable chip transfer.
Implementation Method 1
the power supply mechanism supplies power to the electrophoresis chip to achieve electrophoretic separation of the sample
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a chip and a sample analysis device. The chip includes: a cover plate; a substrate disposed on the cover plate; and an overflow cavity and an electrophoresis channel disposed between the cover plate and the substrate. The overflow cavity is disposed adjacent to the electrophoresis channel. A sample transfer mechanism for loading a sample enters the substrate, and then passes through the overflow cavity and enters the electrophoresis channel. Liquid overflowing from the electrophoresis channel enters the overflow cavity. The overflow cavity can store the liquid overflowing from the electrophoresis channel, thereby preventing the liquid from overflowing the electrophoresis chip, such that effective electrophoresis and imaging on the sample by the electrophoresis mechanism and imaging mechanism in the subsequent process are ensured, while also maintaining stable transfer of the chip during the subsequent chip transfer process, thus preventing biological contamination caused by chip dropping due to slippage.