Deflectable Grip Hinge for Disposable Test Device Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable diagnostic test devices for blood samples are difficult to manually insert and remove from readers due to their small size and firm engagement, which can lead to user effort and contamination issues, especially when end-fill sample application is used.
Innovation Solution
A test device with a first portion containing a sample port and a second portion with grip means deflectably coupled at a hinge portion, allowing for easy manual handling and removal by bending the grip portion, which is designed to be thinner and more susceptible to bending than adjacent parts, facilitating access to the sample port during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the test device is designed to engage firmly with the reader, then the test device is not dislodged during measurement, but users find it difficult to manually remove from the reader
Solution Approach 1:
The test device is divided into a first portion (containing the sample port and test elements) and a second portion (grip means), deflectably coupled at a hinge portion. This segmentation allows the grip portion to be independently manipulated to facilitate removal while maintaining firm engagement of the test portion during measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge portion allows the second portion (grip means) to be deflectably coupled to the first portion, enabling dynamic movement. The grip portion can be deflected to overcome the firm engagement force and facilitate easy removal by the user, while the test portion remains stable during measurement.
2Volume of moving object
If the test device is made small in size, then it is convenient for disposable use, but users have difficulty manually handling and removing it
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the device into a compact first portion and a separate second portion (grip means), the design maintains a small overall device size for convenient disposable use while providing a dedicated grip portion that is optimized for manual handling and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The second portion (grip means) is designed with specific local properties (larger surface area, grip features) to facilitate manual handling, while the first portion maintains a compact size for the test function. This local differentiation solves the handling difficulty despite small overall device size.
3Ease of operation
If end-fill sample application is used, then sample application is simplified, but the device becomes more difficult to remove without contaminating the user
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into a first portion containing the sample port and a second portion (grip means) that is deflectably coupled. The hinge portion allows the grip portion to be deflected during removal, enabling the user to pull the device out without touching the contaminated sample area, thus maintaining simple end-fill application while reducing contamination risk.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If an ejection mechanism is provided in the reader, then manual removal is eliminated and contamination is reduced, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The test device incorporates its own removal mechanism through the deflectable hinge portion and grip means, allowing the user to easily remove it manually without requiring an ejection mechanism in the reader. This self-service approach reduces contamination risk while avoiding the added complexity and cost of reader ejection mechanisms.
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
Enables simple and contamination-reduced removal of the test device from the reader without the need for an ejection mechanism, while allowing for easy sample application and analysis, such as determining coagulation time of blood.
Implementation Method 1
a hinge portion (4) deflectably coupling the first portion (2) to the second portion (3)
Implementation Method 2
The sample fluid is typically drawn into the interior of the test device along a capillary channel via a sample inlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable test device consists of a first portion 2 having a fluid application port 5 to which a sample of fluid can be applied, and a handle portion 3 hingedly attached to the first portion 2 at a hinge portion 4 and which normally lies in the plane of the first portion. In use the device is held by the handle portion 3 and the first portion inserted into a measuring instrument. The handle is then deflected downwardly e.g. by the finger of a person to supply a drop of fluid to the port 5.