Disk Placement Device with Piston and Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for positioning reactive disks on culture media, such as Petri dishes, face issues with accurate placement due to gravity-induced misalignment, requirement of compressed air, and risk of disk detachment, leading to non-compliant analysis results.
Innovation Solution
A device with a piston and disk movement assist guide that allows for guided vertical movement of disks from a cartridge to a culture medium, using a transfer system and blade-holder support to ensure precise positioning, even over significant vertical distances, with a mechanism to absorb variations in culture medium thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a disk is ejected from the cartridge and drops under gravity, then the positioning process is simple, but the disk may be incorrectly positioned on the culture medium when the receiving surface is too far
Solution Approach 1:
A guide is introduced as an intermediary element between the cartridge and the culture medium. The guide receives the disk from the cartridge and directs it along a controlled path to the target position on the culture medium, ensuring accurate placement even over significant vertical distances while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from purely vertical gravity-based dropping to a multi-dimensional path controlled by the guide. The guide extends in both vertical and horizontal dimensions, allowing the disk to follow a controlled trajectory that combines vertical descent with horizontal positioning guidance
2Manufacturing precision
If a pneumatic actuator is used to position the disk, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the device requires a compressed air source which is not always available
Solution Approach 1:
The complex pneumatic system including compressed air sources is extracted and replaced with a simple mechanical guide structure. The guide achieves positioning accuracy through its geometric design and gravitational assistance rather than requiring external pneumatic infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system utilizes gravity and the disk's own weight to achieve positioning, eliminating the need for external power sources. The structure is passive and self-sufficient, relying on fundamental physical principles rather than complex actuated systems
3Ease of operation
If a pricking needle is used to position the disk, then the disk can be positioned, but there is a risk of incorrect positioning due to detachment from the needle
Solution Approach 1:
The guide serves as a reliable intermediary that receives the disk from the cartridge and ensures its accurate transfer to the culture medium. This eliminates the detachment problem by providing a continuous guided path from source to destination without requiring needle-disk attachment
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 assured and accurate positioning of disks on culture supports with reduced risk of error, allowing for quick and effective placement on movable supports, ensuring reliable analysis results without the need for compressed air.
Implementation Method 1
a piston laterally offset from the cartridge reception zone, means for moving the piston between a high position and a low position in order to allow, in the state in which the disk is positioned on the path followed by the piston, during the transition from the high position to the low position, the disk to be positioned on any surface positioned in line with the disk by pushing the piston on the disk
Implementation Method 2
a disk movement assist guide that can be positioned in the transit zone and can move in a direction parallel to the up and down direction of movement of the piston
Data Source
AI summary
A device for placing disks contained in a cartridge comprises a disk cartridge receiving area, a piston, means for moving the piston between a high position and a low position to enable, in the state in which a disk is positioned in the path followed by the piston during the transition from the high position to the low position of the piston, the disk to be placed on a surface vertically in line with the disk, a transfer system capable of transferring a disk from the cartridge in the cartridge receiving area to a location, arranged in the path to be followed by said piston, the said transit area. The device comprises a disk motion assist guide positionable in the transit area and moveable in a direction parallel to the up and down direction of movement of the piston.