Fluid Dispensing Attachment Device with Branching Ribs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensing assemblies face challenges such as increased pressure in sealed assay vessels during fluid dispensing, which compromises accuracy, and blockages in the dispensing tip due to barrier or reagent materials, affecting fluid delivery.
Innovation Solution
The attachment device features a hollow body with a proximal collar and a longitudinally tapering barrel portion, including side openings for fluid aspiration and dispensing, and an outer surface with ribs that branch into channels to facilitate air escape and prevent blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluid is dispensed into a sealed assay vessel, then the assay vessel remains closed to prevent contamination, but pressure increases inside the vessel compromising dispensing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device is divided into separate functional components: a barrier-piercing end portion, a fluid dispensing portion with侧 openings, and an attachment interface. This segmentation allows the fluid to be dispensed through侧 openings away from the sealed barrier penetration point, enabling pressure relief while maintaining the sealed environment for contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment device acts as an intermediary between the fluid dispensing assembly and the sealed assay vessel. It penetrates the barrier to establish a fluid connection while providing an alternative pressure relief path through its侧 openings, thus mediating between the need for a sealed environment and the need to manage internal pressure for accurate dispensing.
2Ease of operation
If the tip penetrates the barrier material, then fluid can be dispensed into the sealed vessel, but the tip opening becomes blocked by barrier or reagent materials
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device separates the barrier penetration function (end portion) from the fluid dispensing function (portion with侧 openings). The侧 openings are positioned away from the barrier contact zone, so even if the barrier material contacts the tip, the fluid can still exit through the侧 openings without being blocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid dispensing is moved from a single-point opening at the tip to侧 openings distributed on the surface of the attachment device. This dimensional change from a single-point to a distributed multi-point dispensing system ensures that if one opening is blocked, fluid can still be dispensed through other openings.
Data Source
AI summary
Attachment devices for releasable coupling to a fluid dispensing device are provided. The attachment devices include a hollow body comprising a collar portion and a barrel portion extending from the collar portion. The barrel portion has an end portion having a closed end and at least one side opening. Longitudinally positioned along the exterior surface of the barrel is at least one rib branching upwards into two rib branches. When coupled to a fluid dispensing device, the assembly can be used to obtain a fluid sample. Thereafter the assembly can be used to dispense the fluid sample into an assay vessel so that the fluid sample can then be assayed. Methods for operating the attachment devices, and assemblies containing the attachment devices are also provided.