Elastic Separation Body with Fingers for Blood Phase Boundary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood collection tube separating bodies fail to efficiently allow blood to flow into the container while maintaining a non-sealing initial position, which can hinder the separation of blood serum and clots during centrifugation.
Innovation Solution
A disc-shaped separating body with alternating buoyancy bodies and fingers, where the buoyancy bodies are on the edge and the fingers protrude downwards, allowing the body to be releasably clamped and supported within the container initially, and then migrate to a sealing position under centrifugal force, ensuring separation at the phase boundary without getting stuck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the separating body is designed to seal the container wall in the initial position, then the separation function is improved, but the blood flow into the container is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The separating body transitions from a static sealed position to a dynamic migrated position. In the initial position, the separating body seals against the container wall to ensure separation integrity. During centrifugation, it dynamically migrates toward the center of the container, releasing the seal and allowing blood to flow freely into the container while maintaining the separation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The separating body is pre-positioned to seal the container wall before blood is introduced. This preliminary sealing action ensures that once blood is added and centrifugation begins, the separating body is already in the correct position to guide blood flow and maintain phase separation throughout the process.
2Productivity
If the separating body remains in the initial position during centrifugation, then the blood can flow freely, but the phase separation function is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The separating body is designed to dynamically respond to centrifugal force during centrifugation. As the centrifugal force increases, the separating body migrates from the container wall toward the center, transitioning from a blood-flow-permissive state to a phase-separation-active state, thereby achieving both free blood flow during filling and effective phase separation during centrifugation.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the separating body changes in response to changing centrifugal force parameters. At low centrifugal force (during filling), the separating body remains at the wall allowing free flow. As centrifugal force increases (during separation), the separating body migrates to the center to establish the phase boundary, utilizing the parameter change of rotational speed to switch functions.
3Reliability
If the separating body migrates to the center of the container during centrifugation, then the phase separation is improved, but the separating body may get stuck on the container wall
Solution Approach 1:
The separating body incorporates a flexible membrane that can deform and conform to the container wall geometry during migration. This flexibility allows the separating body to navigate the transition from the container wall to the center position without getting stuck, maintaining smooth migration while ensuring reliable phase separation at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The separating body features a rounded or curved geometry rather than sharp edges, allowing it to smoothly transition along the container wall and into the center position during centrifugation. The curved shape reduces friction and prevents snagging on the container wall, ensuring smooth migration while maintaining the sealing and separation functions.
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 design allows for effective separation of blood serum and clots by positioning the separating body at the phase boundary, ensuring reliable separation and preventing adherence to the container, thus facilitating laboratory analysis.
Implementation Method 1
Under the action of the centrifugal force, the separating body is released from its initial position and moves into a sealing position
Implementation Method 2
the density of the entire separating body is in a value range between the density of the blood serum and the density of the blood clot, the separating body automatically positions itself exactly at the phase boundary between blood serum and blood clot
Implementation Method 3
Due to the centrifugation, the heavier blood clot then settles in the volume area of the blood collection tube near the bottom, while the lighter blood serum floats on top of the blood clot
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a separation body (100) for separating a first phase of a liquid from a second phase in a tubular container. The separation body has a float (110) made of elastic material having a circumferential sealing edge (112) and at least one ballast body (120) fastened to the underside of the float. The density of the ballast body is greater than the density of the float, and the density of the entire separation body lies in a range of values between the density of the first phase and the density of the second phase of the liquid. In order to ensure an easy inflow of the liquid in the initial position even in volume regions of the container lying below the separation body, according to the invention, the float is disk-shaped, and the ballast body is designed in the form of a plurality of fingers (124), which extend away from the underside of the disk-shaped float, distributed at the edge thereof.