Enclosing Holder for Stool Sample Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ergonomic sample containers for stool specimens face challenges in secure sealing and ease of use, particularly for patients with disabilities, leading to risks of leakage during transport and processing, which can contaminate laboratory samples and pose health hazards.
Innovation Solution
An enclosing holder with a flexible hinge and mated latching features that securely engages an ergonomic sample container, allowing for easy opening and closing with one hand, and is designed for use in mechanical shakers to prevent leakage during agitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sample container uses a simple lid design for easy opening, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of leakage during mechanical shaking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two functional components: a simple sample container for easy patient operation and an enclosing holder for secure processing. The container lid remains simple for easy opening by patients, while the holder provides the secure containment needed during mechanical shaking, separating the ease-of-use function from the security function.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosing holder acts as an intermediary between the simple sample container and the mechanical shaker. It receives the easily-opened container and provides the additional security and containment needed during processing, mediating between the simple container design and the rigorous shaking requirements.
2Reliability
If the sample container uses a secure friction seal, then leakage prevention is improved, but ease of opening deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented between the sample container and the enclosing holder. The sample container uses a simple lid that patients can easily open, while the enclosing holder provides the secure friction seal and clamping mechanism needed for leakage prevention during processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the sample container itself secure and difficult to open, the design inverts the approach by making the container simple and easy to open, then adding the security features in the enclosing holder that receives the container.
3Reliability
If the container is clamped securely during shaking, then leakage prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosing holder is designed as a universal device that performs multiple functions: it receives various sample containers, provides secure clamping during shaking, and contains any potential leakage. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by consolidating multiple requirements into a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder merges several functions into one structure: container reception, secure clamping, leakage containment, and shaker interface. By combining these functions, the design avoids the need for separate devices for each function, making the increased complexity worthwhile.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is technology relating to processing samples and particularly, but not exclusively, to technology for containing and processing a stool specimen. The technology provides an enclosing holder for securing a sample container in a leak-proof manner e.g., during mechanical shaking.