Incubation Chamber Illumination Using Light Guides for Heat Disinfection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incubators and shakers face challenges in maintaining optimal humidity and temperature conditions while minimizing contamination risks due to difficult-to-clean interfaces and condensation issues, which affect the reproducibility and cleanliness of cell culture experiments.
Innovation Solution
The use of light guides, such as optical fibers or plastic optical conductors, to illuminate the incubation chamber without positioning light sources near the chamber walls, combined with a heating device that allows high-temperature disinfection and flexible positioning of light sources, along with a heating coil design that enhances temperature homogeneity and reduces condensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If light sources are positioned close to the chamber wall for illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but the light sources are exposed to high temperatures causing premature aging and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses light guides as an intermediary component to transmit light from the light source to the chamber interior. The light source remains outside the high-temperature chamber environment, while the light guide delivers the illumination inside, thus protecting the light source from thermal damage while maintaining effective illumination.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple interfaces (sensors, inlets, lighting) are added to the chamber wall, then functionality is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases and condensation risk is heightened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated component. The light guide serves both as an illumination device and as a sealed interface that prevents condensation. By integrating the lighting function with the sealing function, the number of separate interfaces is reduced, making the chamber easier to clean and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides illumination to the chamber interior, acts as a sealed interface to prevent condensation formation, and serves as a mounting structure for the light source. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components and interfaces required.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If chamber walls are kept at high temperature to prevent condensation, then condensation prevention is improved, but temperature homogeneity becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is designed with spatially varying heating power to address different thermal requirements in different regions of the chamber. Areas prone to condensation receive higher heating power, while other areas receive appropriate heating to maintain overall temperature homogeneity without overheating.
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 design ensures easy cleaning, maintains optimal incubation conditions, prevents contamination, and achieves consistent temperature and humidity levels, enhancing the reproducibility of cell culture experiments.
Implementation Method 1
allows for high-temperature treatment (160-200°C) of the illuminated chamber
Implementation Method 2
Optical fibers consist of thin glass filaments that conduct light through total internal reflection
Implementation Method 3
the entire surface must be temperature-controlled to prevent condensation and ensure that the temperature never falls below the dew point
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a laboratory device with an incubation chamber and a lighting device for illuminating the interior of the chamber, which is particularly resistant to high temperatures in order to carry out a high-temperature disinfection process of the interior of the chamber, particularly when the interior of the chamber is illuminated.