Heating and Magnet Module for Nucleic Acid Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for nucleic acid purification in microplates face issues due to the simultaneous application of magnetic fields and heating, which affects the magnetic particles, leading to prolonged drying times and agglomeration, and increased space requirements for separate workspaces.
Innovation Solution
A heating and magnetic module with a vessel carrier plate and a magnet carrier plate, where magnets are arranged to match the vessel arrangement, allowing for independent control of heating and magnetic field application, using coil springs for vertical movement and a guide rail for precise positioning, ensuring that the magnetic fields are only applied during the separation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic fields are applied during heating of vessels, then magnetic particles are affected and cause agglomeration, but this leads to prolonged drying times and reduced purification efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet carrier plate is designed to be movable relative to the heating plate, allowing the magnetic field application to be dynamically adjusted. The magnet carrier plate can be positioned close to the vessels during separation phases and moved away during heating phases, enabling the system to switch between magnetic separation and thermal processing without interference, thus preventing agglomeration during heating while maintaining separation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The device separates the magnetic field generation function from the heating function by using distinct components (magnet carrier plate with individual magnets vs. heating plate). This segmentation allows independent control of each function, enabling the magnetic fields to be applied only when needed for separation while heating occurs without magnetic interference, thereby eliminating the trade-off between separation effectiveness and processing time
2Reliability
If separate workspaces are used for heating and magnetic separation, then each process can be optimized independently, but this increases space requirements and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The heating plate and magnet carrier plate are integrated into a single workspace configuration where the magnet carrier plate is positioned above the heating plate. This merging allows both heating and magnetic separation to occur in the same physical space, reducing the overall footprint while maintaining the ability to independently control each function through vertical positioning of the magnet carrier plate
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from horizontal separation of functions (separate workspaces side-by-side) to vertical integration (stacked configuration). The magnet carrier plate operates in the vertical dimension above the heating plate, allowing both functions to coexist in the same horizontal footprint while maintaining independent optimization capabilities through vertical positioning
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
This solution allows for efficient heating and magnetic separation on a single workspace without influencing each other, reducing agglomeration and drying time of magnetic particles, and optimizing space usage by integrating heating and magnetic functions within a single module.
Implementation Method 1
heating of the vessels to warm the sample liquid in the vessels for the purpose of forming a lysate, supporting the elution, or drying the magnetic particles
Implementation Method 2
deposition of the magnetic particles on the vessel walls by the application of a magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
A heating and magnet module for a device for the purpose of purifying nucleic acids, having a plate assembly which has a heating plate, and a magnet carrier plate. The heating plate and the magnet carrier plate can be moved vertically relative to each other between two end positions, in opposition to a spring force. A vessel arrangement is placed on the heating plate, having row or matrix form vessels. One magnet of the magnet carrier plate is functionally assigned to each of these.