Decapper Enclosure With Reservoir for Sample Spillage Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diagnostic analyzers face issues with spillage of liquid samples during the decapping process, leading to contamination of sensitive areas and requiring additional components for containment, which complicates maintenance and cleanliness.
Innovation Solution
An enclosure device for a decapper with a cap gripper and enclosure portions that captures and directs spilled liquid to a reservoir, minimizing contamination and simplifying maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If additional covers are added to protect sensitive areas from spillage, then protection against contamination is improved, but device complexity increases and maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protective enclosure and spillage containment functions into a single integrated unit. The enclosure device with reservoir is positioned to simultaneously protect sensitive areas and contain any spillage, eliminating the need for separate protective covers and reservoirs that would otherwise be required.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of spillage is extracted and isolated into a dedicated reservoir portion of the enclosure device. This allows spillage to be contained in a specific, easily maintainable location rather than requiring complex multi-component protective systems throughout the apparatus.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If additional covers and reservoirs are added to contain spillage, then contamination protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased maintenance effort
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure device merges the containment structure and reservoir into one unit, reducing the number of separate components that require maintenance. This integrated design simplifies cleaning and maintenance compared to multiple separate covers and reservoirs.
3Reliability
If more components are added to the system for spillage containment, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions (enclosure, containment, reservoir) into a single device, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining reliable spillage containment. The unified structure eliminates gaps and interfaces between separate components that could compromise containment reliability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a wider area is used for spillage containment, then spillage containment is improved, but device complexity increases and maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure device with reservoir provides localized spillage containment precisely where spillage is most likely to occur during decapping operations. This targeted approach contains spillage in a focused area rather than requiring a wide-area containment system, reducing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure device for a decapper for removing a cap from a laboratory sample container, a decapper and an apparatus comprising a decapper. The decapper comprises a cap gripper comprising at least two gripping jaws. At least one of the at least two gripping jaws is displaceable between a holding position and a release position in a radial direction. The enclosure device comprises an outer enclosure portion and an inner enclosure portion disposed within the outer enclosure portion. The outer enclosure portion comprises a wall portion and a reservoir portion at a bottom of the wall portion. The wall portion is configured to enclose the two gripping jaws. The inner enclosure portion is configured to receive a laboratory sample container and comprises at least two openings configured to allow the two gripping jaws to extend therethrough. The enclosure device is configured to be mounted to the cap gripper.