Laboratory Instrument Panel System for Sanitation and Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laboratory instruments lack aesthetic and customizable features, which can make the environment dreary and impact the mood and productivity of occupants, while also being difficult to sanitize.
Innovation Solution
A customizable laboratory instrument design featuring a housing with an indented backing surface and a panel system that allows for the integration of decorative objects, maintaining ease of sanitation and operation without compromising functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If laboratory instruments are designed with aesthetic features and customizable appearance, then the laboratory environment becomes more appealing and productive, but the instruments become more difficult to sanitize
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument housing is divided into distinct segments: a smooth sanitary surface for cleaning and a separate panel receiving structure for decorative objects. This segmentation allows the sanitary portion to remain simple and easy to clean, while the panel area provides customization without compromising the sanitizeability of the main instrument surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The decorative or customizable elements are extracted as separate removable panels that can be detached from the main instrument housing. This extraction allows the primary instrument surface to maintain its simple, sanitizeable form while enabling customization through removable panel elements that can be taken off for cleaning or replaced with different designs.
2Shape
If laboratory instruments are designed with aesthetic features, then the overall laboratory environment improves, but the instruments lose functionality or become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The aesthetic customization features are segmented into separate removable panels that do not interfere with the internal functionality of the instrument. The panel receiving structure is designed as a distinct compartment that accommodates decorative elements without adding complexity to the core instrument operations or test material handling functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A panel receiving structure acts as an intermediary element between the functional instrument housing and the aesthetic panel elements. This intermediary structure provides a dedicated space for customization while maintaining a clear separation between the functional and aesthetic components, preventing complexity from propagating throughout the entire instrument system.
3Shape
If decorative objects are integrated into the instrument housing, then aesthetic appeal increases, but the space for test materials or artwork placement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The panel receiving structure is nested within the housing interior space, utilizing otherwise unused voids or recesses in the housing structure. This nesting approach allows decorative panels to be accommodated within the existing instrument envelope without encroaching on the functional spaces required for test materials or artwork placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The decorative panels are positioned in a vertical or depth dimension within the housing rather than occupying horizontal surface area. By utilizing the third dimension (depth) of the housing structure, the design accommodates aesthetic elements without reducing the available workspace or test material area on the instrument's functional surfaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
A customizable laboratory instrument comprising an interior space for receipt of test materials therein. An indented exterior surface of the laboratory instrument defines a boundary surface, a backing surface, and a sidewall. The backing surface is offset from the boundary surface a distance substantially equal to a depth of the sidewall. A panel having an edge is attachable to the sidewall such that a space is formed between the panel and backing surface for receipt of an object therein.