Disposable Laboratory Blade Holder for Safe Sample Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current laboratory tools, such as single edge razors and glass microscope slides, pose safety risks when handling dangerous chemicals and biological samples, as they can damage equipment, cause exposure to toxins, and lead to personal injury due to their sharpness, conductivity, and inability to be sterilized.

Innovation Solution

A combination blade and blade holder system designed for laboratory use, featuring a blade with a handle and a retaining flap for secure positioning, made from non-conductive, autoclavable materials, allowing for safe manipulation and processing of biological samples without damaging equipment or causing exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional sharp tools like single edge razors or glass microscope slides are used for cutting biological samples, then cutting efficiency is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential cuts and exposure to dangerous chemicals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidsafety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable plastic blades that are discarded after single use, eliminating the need to sterilize reusable tools and removing sharp tools from the laboratory environment after each procedure. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining cutting efficiency through fresh blades while eliminating safety risks associated with reused sharp tools that may have micro-fractures or contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameter from metal or glass to plastic, and the blade geometry from traditional sharp edges to a specific beveled edge design with controlled angles. This allows the blade to maintain cutting efficiency through proper geometry while the plastic material inherently reduces safety risks by being non-conductive, non-mutagenic, and less prone to causing severe injuries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If metal razors are used for laboratory cutting tasks, then cutting precision is improved, but harmful effects increase due to electrical conductivity and temperature conduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidelectrical and thermal conduction

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from conductive metal to non-conductive plastic, eliminating electrical and thermal conduction hazards while maintaining cutting precision through carefully engineered beveled edge geometry with specific angle specifications that ensure sharp, precise cutting edges despite the different material properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Shape

If glass microscope slides are used for cutting, then surface smoothness is improved, but device damage occurs due to scratching of light box surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface smoothnessVSAvoidequipment damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable plastic blades that are discarded after single use, preventing cumulative damage to expensive laboratory equipment like light boxes. The blades are designed to be used once and then disposed of in biohazard containers, eliminating the repeated scratching problem caused by reusable glass slides on sensitive optical surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses plastic material with specific mechanical properties that provide sufficient sharpness and durability for cutting while being softer than the light box surface material, preventing scratches and damage to equipment. The plastic composite maintains adequate surface smoothness for cutting precision without the hardness that causes equipment damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of manufacture

If reusable cutting tools are used, then cost effectiveness is improved, but sterilization capability is lost due to inability to autoclave

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost effectivenessVSAvoidsterilization capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable plastic blades that are discarded after single use, eliminating the need for sterilization infrastructure and procedures. The low cost of disposable plastic blades makes this approach more cost-effective than maintaining reusable autoclavable tools, while the single-use nature ensures complete elimination of sterilization requirements and associated reliability concerns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS9132561B2Laboratory cutting device

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 LEVGO INC

AI summary

The present invention is directed to a combination blade and blade holder for performing a plurality of laboratory applications. The combination blade and blade holder comprises a blade having an elongated body portion with a front surface, a rear surface, a first edge and a second edge joined by way of a pair of opposing side edges, a blade cutting edge extending along the first edge and a blade handle formed along the second edge and the blade holder comprising a holder body having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front surface, a rear surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a retaining flap positioned at the proximal end to receive and hold the blade firmly. The blade, the blade handle, the blade holder and the retaining flap are designed in such a way to hold the blade in position for performing the plurality of laboratory applications.