Grooved Clamp for Biological Sample Holder Contamination Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamps for gripping biological sample holders, such as gel cards, pose a significant risk of contamination due to direct contact with the samples during gripping, which can lead to contamination of the biological samples.
Innovation Solution
A clamp design featuring first and second arms with grooves that are spaced apart in the releasing position and brought closer in the gripping position to receive the lateral edges of the sample holder, reducing contact with the upper rim and incorporating V-shaped profiles to guide and securely grip the edges, thereby minimizing contamination risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the clamp arms directly contact the upper rim of the gel card for gripping, then the gripping stability is improved, but the risk of contamination of biological samples increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces grooves as intermediary structures that receive the lateral edges of the sample holder. These grooves act as mediators between the clamp arms and the sample holder, allowing the clamp to grip the holder through the grooves rather than directly contacting the upper rim where samples emerge, thus reducing contamination risk while maintaining gripping stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the gripping dimension from contacting the upper rim (top surface) to contacting the lateral edges through grooves (side surfaces). This dimensional shift allows the clamp to grip the sample holder from the sides rather than the top, avoiding direct contact with the sample emergence area while maintaining secure gripping
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the clamp arms are positioned to grip the sample holder by the lateral edges, then the contamination risk is reduced, but the gripping force and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating grooves with specific V-shaped profiles at the gripping locations. These grooves have optimized geometries with inclined surfaces that concentrate gripping force on the lateral edges of the sample holder, ensuring sufficient gripping strength is achieved through the edge-contacting grooves rather than through direct upper rim contact
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp arms are made of elastomeric material that combines flexibility with sufficient gripping force. This material property allows the grooves to conform to and securely grip the lateral edges of the sample holder while maintaining the reduced contamination risk associated with edge-contacting rather than top-contacting
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for treatment and/or analysis of biological samples, including a hinged arm to which a clamp for gripping a first biological sample holder is fixed. The clamp including first and second arms able to move relative to each other along a gripping position between a first position of gripping the first biological sample holder, and a first position of releasing the biological sample holder. Each arm of the clamp includes a groove. When the first and second arms are in the first position of release, the first and second grooves are spaced away from each other along the gripping direction, and when the first and second arms are in the first gripping position, the first and second grooves are brought closer to each other along the gripping direction, so as to be able to receive lateral edges of the first biological sample holder, so as to grip it by squeezing the lateral edges along the gripping direction.