Compact Blood Tube Prep Device: Horizontal Layout & Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood-sampling-tube automatic preparation devices are bulky and difficult to use in compact spaces, such as small hospitals or emergency settings, due to their large size and height, and are prone to human errors during label placement.
Innovation Solution
A compact blood-sampling-tube automatic preparation device with blood-sampling-tube containers arranged side by side, featuring a transferring device that moves tubes under the label printing and pasting unit, and a hand pasting label printer, minimizing height and width, allowing for desktop use and portability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If blood-sampling-tube containers are arranged to be mutually superposed, then the device can accommodate multiple containers, but the height of the device becomes high and the size becomes big
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a vertical stacking arrangement (superposed containers increasing height) to a horizontal arrangement (containers arranged side by side on the same plane). This dimensional change allows multiple containers to be accommodated while keeping the device height low, enabling desktop placement. The label printing and pasting unit and hand pasting label dispenser are positioned beneath the container row, optimizing space utilization.
2Ease of operation
If a worker manually writes patient names on labels and pastes them on blood-sampling-tubes, then flexibility is maintained, but the process becomes complicated and human errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic label printing with patient information and automated label dispensing. The label printing unit prints labels based on patient data, and the hand pasting label dispenser automatically applies labels to the appropriate blood-sampling tubes, reducing manual intervention and minimizing human errors while maintaining operational flexibility.
3Extent of automation
If conventional automatic preparation devices are used, then automation is achieved, but the device size is large and portability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions components to achieve compactness: containers are arranged horizontally rather than vertically, and the label printing and pasting unit along with the hand pasting label dispenser are placed beneath the container row. This spatial reconfiguration maintains full automation functionality while reducing the device's overall footprint to enable desktop placement and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The label printing and pasting unit and hand pasting label dispenser are positioned underneath the blood-sampling-tube container row, creating a nested-like compact structure. This arrangement allows the device to maintain all automated functions while minimizing its horizontal and vertical dimensions, enhancing portability and adaptability for various settings including emergency response scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is an object of the present invention to provide a blood-sampling-tube automatic preparation device having a quite short width and a superior portability, and being very compact. The blood-sampling-tube automatic preparation device according to the present invention, comprising a blood-sampling-tube containing section (B) having at least two blood-sampling-tube containers (1) each of which are able to contain separately blood-sampling-tubes according to a kind of blood-sampling-tube, a label printing and pasting unit (E) that prints a blood sampling information data related to a patient on a label and then pastes the printed label on a surface of a blood-sampling-tube, a hand pasting label printer (F), a blood-sampling-tube collecting section (G) in which one or more blood-sampling-tubes with label pasted and , if necessary, one or more printed labels for hand pasting are collected for each patient, a blood-sampling-tube transferring device (C, D) that receives the blood-sampling-tube required to a blood test of a patient from the corresponding blood-sampling-tube container (1) and transfers the received blood-sampling-tube to the label printing and pasting unit (E), and a control device (70) that controls the each component (B to G) such as one or more blood-sampling-tubes required to the blood test of the patient are selectively taken out from the corresponding blood-sampling-tube container (1), the information data corresponding to the patient is printed on the label, the printed label is pasted each blood-sampling-tube, if necessary, the information data corresponding to the patient is printed on the label for hand pasting, and then one or more the label pasted blood-sampling-tubes and, if necessary, one or more labels for hand pasting are collected in the blood-sampling-tube collecting section (G) for each patient characterized in that all blood-sampling-tube containers (1) of the blood-sampling-tube containing section (B) are arranged side by side in a row on a same horizontal surface and the blood-sampling-tube transferring device (C, D), the label printing and pasting unit (E), and the hand pasting label printer (F) are arranged to be mutually superposed under the blood-sampling-tube containing section (B).