Disposable Optical Flow Cell with Cut Light Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical flow cells used in measuring devices are cumbersome to clean and maintain, leading to contamination issues and requiring complex calibration procedures. Additionally, the path length between the exit and entrance surfaces of the optical flow cells can vary due to environmental factors, affecting measurement accuracy, especially when made from polymers and used for high-concentration solutions.
Innovation Solution
A disposable optical flow cell made from polymer or metal with a single-use design, eliminating the need for cleaning and maintenance. The cell features a housing with an enclosed and elongated fluid channel, where a continuous light guide is cut to form first and second light guides with a controlled path length, ensuring consistent measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reusable optical flow cell is used, then measurement capability is maintained, but cleaning and maintenance operations become cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable optical flow cell that is discarded after a single use or limited number of uses, eliminating the need for cleaning and maintenance operations. The flow cell is designed as a low-cost component that can be easily replaced, ensuring measurement capability without the burden of maintenance while reducing contamination risks and calibration requirements
2Reliability
If the path length is made short for high-concentration solutions, then detection reliability improves, but sensitivity to path length variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a compensation mechanism that is pre-configured in the flow cell design to account for path length variations. The flow cell includes reference features and calibration elements that enable automatic compensation for thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances, allowing short path lengths to be used without compromising measurement precision
3Measurement precision
If cleaning operations are performed to avoid contamination, then measurement accuracy improves, but complex calibration operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable flow cell eliminates contamination issues entirely by being discarded after use, removing the need for cleaning operations and associated complex calibration procedures. The low cost of the disposable component makes this approach economically viable
Solution Approach 2:
The flow cell is pre-calibrated during manufacturing with reference features that enable automatic compensation, eliminating the need for complex field calibration operations while maintaining measurement accuracy
4Adaptability or versatility
If environmental exposure is allowed for operational flexibility, then adaptability improves, but path length variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow cell incorporates pre-designed compensation features that account for environmental variations such as thermal expansion. Reference markers and calibration elements are built into the structure to enable automatic correction of path length changes, allowing the device to operate in varying environmental conditions without compromising precision
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Disclosed is an optical flow cell (300') comprising: a housing (910) forming;an enclosed and elongated fluid channel (920) arranged along a first axis (923);a first light guide (961) and a second light guide (962) generally concentrically arranged along a second axis (970) and on opposite side walls of the fluid channel, said first and second light guides having ends (961c,962c) removed in situ to provide a sensing gap (d).