Disposable Cuvette Analyzer Blank Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic analyzers with disposable reaction vessels face high running costs and inefficient resource usage due to the need for external washing devices and high pure water consumption, which complicates the measurement process and increases contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzer that uses disposable reaction vessels with integrated reagent and specimen injection, absorbance measurement, and arithmetic units to compensate for absorbance variations using blank values, reducing the need for external washing and pure water usage, while also providing flexible measurement scheduling and waste management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external washing devices are used to clean reaction vessels, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and running costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable reaction vessels that are discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for external washing devices. Each vessel is pre-cleaned during manufacturing, ensuring measurement accuracy without requiring complex washing mechanisms in the analyzer. This resolves the contradiction by sacrificing the vessel for long-term system simplicity and reduced running costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing function is extracted from the analyzer system and performed externally during manufacturing of the disposable vessels. The vessels are pre-washed and packaged sterile, so the analyzer only needs to use them as-is, removing the washing subsystem from the device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If external washing devices are used to clean reaction vessels, then measurement accuracy is improved, but running costs and pure water consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
By using disposable vessels that are pre-cleaned, the system eliminates ongoing pure water consumption for washing. The one-time manufacturing cost of pre-cleaned vessels is lower than the cumulative running costs of washing used vessels repeatedly, reducing operational expenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing action is performed in advance during vessel manufacturing rather than after each use. Vessels are pre-cleaned, sterilized, and packaged ready-for-use, eliminating the need for post-use washing operations and associated water consumption.
3Measurement precision
If blank value compensation is performed, then measurement accuracy is improved, but measurement time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blank value measurement is merged with the specimen measurement process. The same light measuring unit and optical path are used for both blank and specimen measurements, eliminating the need for separate measurement systems and reducing overall operational time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously performs measurements without interruption. The blank measurement is automatically performed before or during specimen measurement sequences, maintaining continuous operation rather than requiring separate batch processing of blanks.
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 achieves high accuracy in measurements with reduced pure water consumption and operational costs, simplified construction, and flexible measurement scheduling, allowing for uninterrupted operations and efficient waste disposal.
Implementation Method 1
an absorbance measuring unit for emitting light to the disposable reaction vessel and measuring absorbance thereof
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic analyzer using a reaction vessels of disposable type is provided which is compact in construction and with high accuracy of measurement.The analyzer is comprised with a reaction container which is capable of having a plurality of cuvettes of disposable type set therein, an extracting and injecting unit for injecting a first reagent, a specimen and a second reagent into a disposable cuvette, a light measuring unit for emitting light to the cuvette, and for measuring absorbance thereof and a CPU for producing a calculated value based on outputs of the light measuring unit.The light measuring unit measures absorbance of the first reagent, specimen and second reagent injected into and reacted with each other in a disposable cuvette, and also measures an air blank value representing absorbance of an empty disposable cuvette and a first reagent blank value representing absorbance of a disposable cuvette having first reagent in the cuvette (S104, S106). The CPU compensates the absorbance based on at least one of the air blank value and the first reagent blank value (S112, S113).