Immunoassay Analyzer Layout for Cleaner Bound-Free Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional immunoassay analyzers have complex structures, occupy large areas, and suffer from residual contamination and poor bound-free effects due to rotary disks and multiple magnets, affecting analysis performance.
Innovation Solution
An immunoassay analyzer with a compact design featuring a sampling device, incubation device, bound-free device, measuring device, and transfer device, including a unique bound-free mechanism with separate stations for cleaning and waste liquid suction, using a single liquid suction member for each reactor, and a magnetic adsorption system with evenly distributed magnets to enhance cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotary disk is used to drive the reaction container to rotate for achieving serial bound-free, then the automation and productivity are improved, but residual contamination is formed affecting analysis performance
Solution Approach 1:
The bound-free device is divided into separate first station and second station, with the liquid suction member being moved to different positions for washing and suction operations. This segmentation prevents contamination by ensuring that the suction operation occurs at a dedicated station rather than during rotation, thereby maintaining automation while eliminating residual contamination.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple magnets at different positions are used to adsorb the substance to be tested, then the coverage is improved, but the bound-free effect becomes poor affecting analysis performance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of distributing multiple magnets throughout the reaction container, a single magnet is placed at the bottom of the reaction container. This localized magnetic field is sufficient to adsorb magnetic particles effectively during the bound-free process, achieving both adequate coverage and precise bound-free separation without the complexity of multiple magnets.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the same liquid suction member is used to suck waste liquid from the same reactor multiple times during reciprocation, then the contamination is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid suction member is designed to perform multiple functions: it is used for both washing the reaction container at the first station and for suctioning waste liquid at the second station. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby reducing device complexity while still achieving the goal of reduced contamination through repeated suction operations.
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
Improves analysis performance by reducing contamination, simplifying structure, and enhancing bound-free effects through a compact and efficient design that ensures thorough cleaning and consistent magnetic adsorption across reactors.
Implementation Method 1
magnetic force is used to capture a compound (i.e., the substance to be tested) of bound magnetic particles, antigens, and labeled antibodies
Implementation Method 2
unbound free markers and other interfering impurities are removed
Data Source
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AI summary
An immunoassay analyzer (10) comprises: a sampling device (600), comprising a sampling member used to add a sample and a target reagent into a reactor (20); an incubation device (300) used to incubate the reactor containing the sample and the target reagent; a cleaning device (40) having a first work position (401) and a second work position (402) and comprising a liquid suction member (441), wherein, after at least one reactor (20) has moved back and forth between the first work position (401) and the second work position (402) several times, a waste liquid in each reactor is absorbed by means of the corresponding liquid suction member (441); a measurement device (500) performing signal measurement on the reactor (20) containing a signal reagent; and a transferring device transferring the reactor (20) between the incubation device (300), the cleaning device (40), and the measurement device (500).