Lab Vessel Sieve and Helical Transport for Clog-Free Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for processing infectious, malodorous, chemically corrosive, or sterile substances face challenges when handling fibrous or chord-containing substances, as they can clog the pipette opening, hindering the removal of the processed sample.

Innovation Solution

A device with a helically shaped transportation means and a sieve within the laboratory test vessel ensures that substances are constantly guided past the processing tool, allowing for separation of unmilled components and easy removal through the hollow shaft or a penetrable sieve without opening the vessel, facilitating the extraction of the processed substance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional mixer and homogenizer is used to process fibrous or chord-containing substances, then the substances can be mixed and homogenized, but the processed substance cannot be removed due to clogging of the pipette opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidsample removal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device divides the processing chamber into two separate chambers using a sieve: a first processing chamber for mechanical processing and a second collection chamber for the processed substance. The sieve acts as a separator that allows processed material to pass through while retaining fibrous components, thus preventing clogging during sample removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sieve is introduced as an intermediary element between the processing tool and the collection chamber. This sieve filters the processed substance, allowing only properly processed material to pass through while blocking fibrous or chord-containing components that would otherwise clog the pipette opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the processing chamber is opened to remove the processed substance, then complete removal is possible, but hermetic isolation is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstance removalVSAvoidhermetic isolation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The processed substance is extracted from the first processing chamber through the sieve into a second collection chamber, which remains part of the hermetically sealed system. This allows complete removal of processed material through the hollow shaft without opening the processing chamber, maintaining hermetic isolation throughout the process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The second collection chamber is nested within the hermetically sealed processing system, allowing the processed substance to be collected and removed through the hollow shaft of the processing element without breaking the hermetic seal of the main processing chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Manufacturing precision

If small amounts of substances are processed, then precision is improved, but processing efficiency decreases due to frequent interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing precisionVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The helical transportation means continuously moves substances past the processing tool during the entire processing cycle, ensuring that even small amounts of material are constantly processed without interruption. This continuous action maintains both precision and efficiency by eliminating idle time between processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 enables the continuous processing and easy removal of even small amounts of substances, preventing clogging and ensuring efficient handling of fibrous or chord-containing materials by separating and removing the processed fraction directly through the processing element.

Implementation Method 1

The substances unprocessed and being processed are guided past the processing tool by a helically shaped transportation means until the desired consistency is achieved.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHelical transport: Helix

Implementation Method 2

a sieve, dividing the processing space in the laboratory test vessel, to separate unnecessary unmilled or to be milled components still contained in the sample to be processed from the optimally homogenized, fragmented, i.e. extracted substances

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 3

the removal of these separated materials can occur directly through the hollow shaft of the processing element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS7927006B2Device for extracting, fragmenting, mixing and homogenizing especially infectious, malodorous, chemically corrosive or sterile substances

Publication Date: 2011.04.19 MILTENYI BIOTEC SWISS AG

AI summary

A device for extracting and fragmenting substances, especially infectious or malodorous substances, in a laboratory test vessel (3) is provided. The device includes a processing tool (11) and a stirrer element (33). An interior of the laboratory test vessel (3) is subdivided by a sieve (59) into a collection chamber and a processing chamber. The sieve (59) prevents parts of the substances having a defined rain size from reaching the collection chamber (73). A sample can be taken from the collection chamber using a pipette (45) which is passed through the stirrer element (33) and the sieve (59).