Counterweight Stabilized Laboratory Shaker Rack

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage devices in climate-controlled cabinets face limitations in shaking frequency and amplitude due to undesired oscillatory movements of high storage racks, leading to noise, vibrations, and inconsistent shaking amplitudes across different locations.

Innovation Solution

A storage device with a shaker drive and counterweight assembly that counteracts oscillations by exerting an opposing force, allowing for efficient horizontal or vertical shaking motions, ensuring homogeneous acceleration forces and improved mixing within small fluid volumes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If storage racks are made high to increase storage capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but oscillatory movements occur during shaking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidoscillatory movements

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a counterweight assembly connected to the upper end section of the storage rack that moves opposite to the shaking motion to counteract oscillations. This counterweight generates an opposing force that stabilizes the high storage rack during shaking, allowing high storage capacity without excessive oscillatory movements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

2Productivity

If shaking frequency and amplitude are increased to improve mixing efficiency, then mixing efficiency is improved, but noise and vibrations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemixing efficiencyVSAvoidnoise and vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The counterweight assembly counteracts harmful vibrations and noise by generating opposite forces during shaking. This allows high shaking frequency and amplitude for efficient mixing while reducing the harmful effects of vibrations and noise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful oscillatory movements into beneficial stabilizing forces through the counterweight assembly. The oscillations that would normally cause noise and vibrations are transformed into controlled movements that maintain mixing efficiency while reducing harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If horizontal shaking motion is used to achieve mixing, then mixing is achieved, but acceleration forces are not homogeneous

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemixing capabilityVSAvoidhomogeneity of acceleration forces

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from horizontal shaking to vertical shaking motion, changing the dimension of movement. This vertical motion provides more homogeneous acceleration forces throughout the storage rack while still achieving effective mixing of small fluid volumes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 reduces lateral oscillations, achieves high acceleration forces, and ensures efficient mixing of small fluid volumes, even for high storage racks, by using a counterweight assembly to stabilize the upper end sections during shaking.

Implementation Method 1

a counterweight assembly connected to an upper end section of the storage rack and being driven to exert a force opposite to the shaking motion in order to counteract an oscillation of the upper end section of the storage rack

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCounterbalancing force: Inertia

Implementation Method 2

a rack carrier being driven by said shaker drive for performing a shaking motion with horizontal component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 3

the shaker drive is adapted to shake the storage carrier in a vertical direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 4

This prevents a lateral oscillation of the storage rack and leads to highly homogeneous acceleration forces within the whole storage rack

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration:

Data Source

PatentUS8152360B2Storage device for laboratory samples having storage racks and a shaker

Publication Date: 2012.04.10 LICONIC

AI summary

The invention provides a storage device with storage racks and a shaker where the undesired horizontal oscillations of the upper ends of the storage racks are small. The storage device for laboratory samples includes a shaker drive, a rack carrier being driven by said shaker drive for performing a shaking motion with horizontal component, at least one storage rack arranged on the rack carrier, which storage rack comprises vertical side walls, each side wall having a plurality of ledges arranged vertically above each other and forming storage locations for a plurality of laboratory samples on top of each other, and a counterweight assembly connected to an upper end section of the storage rack and being driven to exert a force opposite to the shaking motion in order to counteract an oscillation of the upper end section of the storage rack.