Deformable Sheet Filtration Funnel for Liquid Sample Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid sample filtration devices face challenges in sustainability, particularly with increasing volumes and the need to reduce resource usage and waste, as they require significant materials and energy for sterilization and cleaning, leading to environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a deformable sheet material blank to form a funnel at the point of use, which minimizes storage volume, material usage, and waste, allowing for flexible volume adjustment and easy disposal, with the funnel being formed by a bowl and piston system that deforms the sheet material to create a filtration funnel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional rigid funnel filtration devices are used, then filtration effectiveness is maintained, but material usage and waste increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sheet material that can be deformably configured into a funnel shape during use. This flexible membrane approach replaces traditional rigid funnels, significantly reducing material consumption while maintaining filtration effectiveness through the deformable structure that adapts to the filtration process requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic configurability to the funnel structure through deformable sheet material that can be shaped and reconfigured. This dynamic approach allows the same flat sheet to serve multiple filtration operations after sterilization, reducing overall material usage while maintaining consistent filtration performance through proper deformation.
2Reliability
If disposable filtration devices are used, then sterilization requirements are met, but waste volume and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of the filtration device through sterilization. The deformable sheet material can be sterilized and then reconfigured for subsequent filtration operations, transforming a disposable model into a reusable one. This reduces waste volume while maintaining sterilization standards through proper processing of the flexible membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
While the invention moves away from disposable models, it acknowledges that for certain applications the flexible sheet can be easily discarded after a single use if contamination occurs. However, the primary advantage is the ability to sterilize and reuse the same basic structure, reducing the frequency of disposal and waste generation.
3Loss of substance
If multiple-use filtration equipment is used, then resource consumption is reduced, but cleaning and sterilization energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheet material's simplicity and uniform structure make it ideal for sterilization processes. The thin film configuration requires less energy for sterilization compared to rigid devices, as there is less material volume to heat or chemically treat. This reduces the energy burden of multiple-use sterilization while maintaining resource consumption reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and configuration parameters of the filtration medium from rigid to flexible/deformable. This parameter change enables more efficient sterilization processes and reduces the energy required for cleaning and sterilization operations, while still allowing multiple-use functionality to reduce overall resource consumption.
4Ease of manufacture
If fixed-volume filtration devices are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to varying sample volumes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable sheet material provides dynamic adaptability to varying sample volumes. The same flat sheet can be deformed into different funnel configurations and volumes to match different filtration requirements. This dynamic configurability maintains ease of manufacture (simple flat sheet production) while achieving high adaptability to varying volumes through post-manufacturing deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sheet material can be segmented or cut into different sizes and shapes before use, allowing adaptation to various sample volumes. This segmentation capability maintains manufacturing simplicity (basic sheet production) while providing versatility for different volume requirements through cutting and configuring the sheet in different ways.
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
This approach significantly reduces environmental impact by minimizing material usage and waste, offering flexibility in handling varying sample volumes with reduced equipment varieties and costs, while maintaining effective filtration capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
providing a blank of a deformable sheet material and a filtration medium, deforming the blank to form a funnel
Implementation Method 2
filtering the liquid sample from the funnel through the filtration medium
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the filtering of liquid samples, preferably in a laboratory environment, for example for collecting micro organisms from the liquid sample for subsequent testing. The invention provides a method for filtering a liquid sample which comprises providing a blank of a deformable sheet material and a filtration medium, deforming the blank to form a funnel extending above and about the filtration medium, introducing the liquid sample to be filtered into the so formed funnel, and filtering the liquid sample from the funnel through the filtration medium, for example to a downstream receptacle. The method is accordingly based on the concept that the funnel is not or at least not completely preformed but provided in a form of a blank of a deformable material sheet which is deformed so as to form the funnel at the point and time of use during filtration.