Handheld Analyzer Sealing Foil Integrity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held analytical devices for medical component analysis face challenges in reducing power consumption and handling complexity, particularly in detecting sealed consumables and avoiding unnecessary actuation of the removal facility, which leads to increased waiting times and potential use of defective consumables.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a testing facility to detect whether the sealing foil of a chamber is intact, allowing for reduced power consumption by avoiding unnecessary removal facility actuation and enabling the recognition of damaged foils, thus ensuring only functional consumables are used and reducing the risk of false test results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the removal facility is actuated to check for consumable presence, then the device can detect whether a consumable is present, but power consumption increases and waiting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing foil is checked for integrity before the removal facility is actuated. This preliminary check prevents unnecessary actuation of the removal facility when the consumable is already removed or the sealing is compromised, thereby reducing power consumption and waiting time while maintaining reliable consumable detection
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing foil serves as an intermediary indicator of consumable presence. Instead of directly actuating the removal facility to check for consumables, the system uses the sealing foil's integrity as a proxy indicator, reducing the need for direct mechanical intervention and associated power consumption
2Reliability
If the removal facility is actuated frequently to check for consumables, then consumable presence is reliably detected, but waiting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing foil integrity is checked before actuating the removal facility, providing advance information about consumable presence. This prevents repeated unnecessary actuations and reduces the waiting time associated with multiple detection attempts
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback through the sealing foil's appearance (intact vs. compromised) to indicate consumable presence. This immediate feedback eliminates the need for repeated mechanical checking, reducing waiting time while maintaining detection reliability
3Ease of operation
If the device provides detailed sealing status information, then users with impaired perception or manual skills benefit, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing foil itself provides the information about consumable presence and sealing integrity through its physical state (intact or compromised). The system leverages the sealing foil's inherent properties to provide user-friendly feedback without requiring complex electronic sensors or processing, thus improving ease of operation while minimizing added complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hand-held analytical device for analyzing a sample, in particular a biological fluid, for a medically significant component, comprising a housing comprising a loading opening for receiving a replaceable cartridge having multiple chambers that may contain analytical consumables, in particular test strips, and each chamber comprising an opening on at least one face of the cartridge and each opening may be sealed by a sealing foil, a removal facility for removing one of the analytical consumables from the cartridge. The removal facility can be used to remove one of the consumables from one of the chambers of the cartridge, in the process of which the opening sealed by the sealing foil is opened. A drive allows the cartridge to be moved in order to position one chamber in a removal position in which a consumable can be removed from the chamber by the removal facility. The invention provides for the hand-held analytical device to comprise a testing facility that can generate a signal containing information regarding whether the opening of one of the chambers is sealed by sealing foil.