Cartridge Clamp Sensor Prevents Fluid Short-Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flow cell sensor devices face a high risk of short-circuiting or damage due to fluid contact with electronic interfaces, particularly during engagement or disengagement, as existing clamp devices fail to effectively prevent fluid from reaching the electronic components.

Innovation Solution

A clamp device with a slidable carriage and sensor system that detects the presence of a cartridge, preventing the fluidics and electronic interfaces from engaging when the cartridge is absent, and includes drivers to securely engage the cartridge between the fluidics and electronic interfaces, ensuring safe and secure operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the carriage is designed to be slidable between open and closed positions for easy cartridge engagement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of fluid contact with electronic interface increases when the interface is not properly engaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecartridge engagementVSAvoidfluid contact with electronic interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system performs preliminary detection of cartridge presence before the driver activates the fluidics and electronic interfaces. This preliminary action prevents the interfaces from engaging when the cartridge is absent, eliminating the risk of fluid contact damage while maintaining easy engagement when the cartridge is present

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system provides feedback about cartridge presence to the driver, which controls the engagement of fluidics and electronic interfaces. This feedback mechanism ensures that interfaces are only activated when the cartridge is properly positioned, preventing harmful fluid contact while maintaining operational ease

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the fluidics and electronic interfaces are always engaged to ensure secure connection, then the reliability is improved, but the risk of damage increases when cartridge is absent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface engagementVSAvoidfluid contact with electronic interface

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system continuously monitors cartridge presence and provides feedback to the driver. When the cartridge is absent, the sensor system prevents the driver from activating the interfaces, thereby preventing damage while maintaining reliability through proper engagement detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system takes preliminary anti-action by detecting cartridge absence before the driver can activate the interfaces. This preventive measure stops the harmful action of fluid contact with electronic components before it can occur, maintaining both reliability and safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a sensor system is added to detect cartridge presence and prevent interface engagement when cartridge is absent, then the protection against fluid contact damage is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid contact with electronic interfaceVSAvoidclamp device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system acts as an intermediary between the carriage position and the driver activation. It detects cartridge presence and mediates the driver's ability to engage interfaces, providing protection against fluid contact damage while adding minimal complexity through a straightforward detection and control mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3347130B1Clamp devices for receiving a cartridge and methods for using same

Publication Date: 2019.06.19 LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORP

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AI summary

A clamp device includes a frame; a carriage slidably engaged with the frame and including a receptacle to receive a cartridge including fluidics ports and electronic contacts, the carriage slidable between an open position and a closed position; a fluidics interface to engage the fluidics ports of the cartridge when the carriage is in a closed position; an electronic interface to engage the electronic contacts of the cartridge when the carriage is in the closed position; a driver to draw the fluidics interface and the electronic interface together, the cartridge secured between the electronic interface and the fluidics interface; and a sensor system to detect the presence of the cartridge in the receptacle and configured to prevent the driver from drawing the fluidics interface and electronic interface together when the cartridge is absent.