Laboratory Consumable Drying Device with Piston Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale laboratories face significant environmental pollution and operational costs due to the high disposal of plastic pipette tips, with limited options for efficient cleaning, sterilization, and drying, leading to contamination risks and waste.
Innovation Solution
A drying device that combines a compartmentalized design with air flow and agitation mechanisms to efficiently dry large quantities of laboratory consumables, such as pipette tips, after sterilization, allowing for reuse and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If small-scale cleaning methods are used for pipette tips, then cleaning capability is improved, but scalability to large industrial laboratories is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cleaning process into separate functional modules: a washing chamber for cleaning, a drying chamber for drying, and a sterilization chamber for sterilization. Each chamber can independently process large numbers of pipette tips, enabling scalability while maintaining effective cleaning capability through specialized treatment in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a multi-functional system that performs cleaning, drying, and sterilization operations within a single integrated platform. This universal device can handle large-scale laboratory requirements by combining multiple functions that were previously addressed by separate small-scale devices into one comprehensive system.
2Reliability
If individual transfer of consumables for drying is performed, then drying effectiveness is improved, but time consumption and labor requirements are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the drying function with the washing and sterilization chambers into a single integrated drying chamber. Consumables remain in their racks throughout the entire process, eliminating the need for individual transfer operations. The drying chamber directly receives and processes the consumables from the washing chamber, combining multiple operations into one continuous workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service processing where consumables are automatically positioned and processed through the drying chamber without manual intervention. The racks holding consumables are directly inserted into the drying chamber, and the system automatically performs the drying operation, eliminating time-consuming manual transfer tasks.
3Productivity
If large quantity of consumables are processed simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but ensuring complete drying and preventing contamination is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the drying process into multiple zones within the drying chamber, including a drying zone with air flow sources and a sterilization zone. This segmentation allows different stages of processing to occur simultaneously for large quantities of consumables while maintaining control over drying completeness and contamination prevention through zoned treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pneumatic systems with air flow sources that generate controlled air currents to facilitate drying of large numbers of consumables simultaneously. The pneumatic air flow ensures uniform drying across all consumables in the chamber while the enclosed design prevents contamination, enabling high productivity without compromising drying completeness or sterility.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic pipette tips are discarded after single use, then contamination risk is reduced, but environmental pollution and operational costs are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a recovery system that captures and reuses consumables after their initial use. Instead of discarding plastic pipette tips after single use, the system recovers them through automated collection, cleans them in the washing chamber, dries them in the drying chamber, and sterilizes them in the sterilization chamber, making them suitable for reuse and eliminating the harmful effects of environmental pollution and waste.
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 device enables effective and complete drying of laboratory consumables, reducing waste and operational costs while ensuring cleanliness and sterility, making it suitable for large-scale laboratory settings.
Implementation Method 1
The second compartment includes one or more air flow sources for directing a flow of air to the plurality of laboratory consumables
Implementation Method 2
The first compartment includes one or more pistons capable of displacing the tray to agitate the laboratory consumables
Implementation Method 3
an air filter located proximate to the one or more air flow sources
Data Source
AI summary
A drying device includes a first compartment configured to removably receive a drying chamber. The drying chamber includes a tray capable of receiving one or more racks that are configured to hold a plurality of laboratory consumables. The first compartment includes one or more pistons capable of displacing the tray to agitate the laboratory consumables. A second compartment is attached to the first compartment. The second compartment includes one or more air flow sources for directing a flow of air to the plurality of laboratory consumables and an air filter located proximate to the one or more air flow sources. A method of drying laboratory consumables is also disclosed.