Disposable Dispenser Unit with Integrated Piston Pump and RFID Tag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current liquid handling devices face issues such as large dead volumes leading to wasted fluid, instability due to ambient gases, and confusion between bottles and tubing lines, which result in incorrect results and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A disposable dispenser unit with a fluid reservoir connected directly to a pump chamber and injector nozzle, featuring a piston with valves and an RFID tag for identification, reduces dead volume, prevents gas exposure, and ensures correct fluid attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a long tube with large dead volume is used between the bottle and injection nozzle, then the device structure is simple, but fluid waste increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid handling system is divided into separate disposable dispenser units and reusable diagnostic system components. Each dispenser unit contains its own fluid reservoir and pumping mechanism, eliminating the need for long connecting tubes and reducing dead volume. The segmentation allows the disposable unit to be optimally designed for minimal fluid waste while the reusable system maintains structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs disposable dispenser units that are discarded after use, eliminating the need for complex cleaning and validation of long tubing systems. The disposable nature allows for optimized short fluid paths without concern for reuse, significantly reducing dead volume and fluid waste while keeping the overall device structure simple through standardized replacement units.
2Device complexity
If an open bottle is used for fluid storage, then the device structure is simple, but fluid stability deteriorates due to ambient gas exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable dispenser units are designed to be filled and sealed in a controlled environment, creating an inert or protected atmosphere within the fluid reservoir. This prevents ambient gas exposure and maintains fluid stability without requiring complex active protection systems in the diagnostic device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable nature of the dispenser units allows them to be pre-filled and sealed with optimal fluid protection measures during manufacturing. Each unit is designed for single use, eliminating the need for complex reusable protection mechanisms while ensuring fluid stability through factory-sealed reservoirs that prevent ambient gas contamination.
3Ease of manufacture
If consumable bottles with the same shape are used for different fluids, then manufacturing is simple, but operator confusion increases leading to incorrect placement
Solution Approach 1:
While the basic bottle shape remains standardized for ease of manufacture, local quality variations are introduced through color-coded labels, RFID tags, or unique marker patterns on each dispenser unit. These localized distinctive features allow operators to quickly identify the correct fluid type without changing the overall manufacturable bottle geometry, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates identification mechanisms such as RFID tags or optical codes on the dispenser units that provide feedback to the operator or automated system. This feedback confirms correct fluid selection and placement, preventing incorrect assembly while maintaining simple standardized bottle shapes for manufacturing efficiency.
4Device complexity
If integrated components are used in the diagnostic system, then device complexity is reduced, but repairability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into disposable dispenser units and reusable diagnostic system components. This segmentation maintains system integration benefits for the permanent infrastructure while allowing easy replacement of the consumable dispenser units. The modular design enables straightforward repair or replacement of disposable components without affecting the integrated permanent system.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable dispenser units are designed to be discarded after use rather than repaired, while the integrated permanent components are recovered and retained. This approach simplifies the permanent system by eliminating the need for complex repair mechanisms in integrated components, as the disposable units are simply replaced when needed.
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 minimizes fluid waste, enhances chemical stability, and reduces the risk of misconnection and contamination, improving the reliability and efficiency of liquid handling processes.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid sensor for detecting a fluid within the fluid reservoir
Implementation Method 2
a pump chamber with a piston which is hollow and has at least two openings and comprises a volume which can be filled with a fluid so that the fluid that is to be dispensed flows through the piston to the injector nozzle
Implementation Method 3
the pump chamber comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve arranged at the outlet of the pump chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
A disposable dispenser unit is disclosed. The disposable dispenser unit comprises a fluid reservoir, a tag for storing information, a dispenser head having a pump chamber and at least one injector nozzle, and a means disposed at the dispenser head for attachment thereof to a diagnostic system, wherein the pump chamber comprises a piston and the piston comprises a volume which can be filled with fluid.