Cell-Capturing Filter with Concave Metallic Porous Film
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell-capturing filters with metallic porous films face issues as captured cells dry out due to the lack of fluid on the surface, making analysis challenging.
Innovation Solution
A cell-capturing filter design featuring a metallic porous film with a filtering portion and a frame portion, where the film thickness varies, creating a concave surface that retains fluid and prevents cell drying, improving handleability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cells are captured on a flat metallic porous film surface, then cell capture efficiency is achieved, but the fluid is not retained and cells dry out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming a concave surface on the metallic porous film where the center portion is recessed relative to the peripheral portion. This concave geometry creates a fluid retention pool that prevents captured cells from drying out, directly resolving the contradiction between cell capture efficiency and fluid retention.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional flat metallic porous film is used, then filtering function is provided, but handleability of captured cells deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The concave surface geometry created by the varying film thickness (thinner at center, thicker at periphery) forms a natural fluid reservoir that prevents cell drying. This curvature-based design directly addresses the harmful drying effect while maintaining ease of cell handleability during analysis.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform film thickness is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fluid retention capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating a non-uniform film thickness distribution where the center portion has a different thickness than the peripheral portion. This localized variation in the center region specifically provides fluid retention capability without compromising the overall manufacturability of the filter structure.
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 filter effectively retains fluid on the concave surface, maintaining cell viability for analysis and enhancing handleability by utilizing surface tension, allowing for better cell capture and handling.
Implementation Method 1
the concave surface is more likely to allow a fluid puddle to be formed thereon with the effect of the surface tension of the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A cell-capturing filter that filters out cells includes a metallic porous film having a plurality of through holes that extend through a first main surface and a second main surface, which are opposite to each other. The metallic porous film includes a filtering portion including the plurality of through holes, and a frame portion disposed to surround an outer periphery of the filtering portion. In the filtering portion, a first film thickness of the metallic porous film at a center of the filtering portion is smaller than a second film thickness of the metallic porous film at a portion located closer to the frame portion than the center of the filtering portion.