Laboratory Shaker External Pivoting Door for Easier Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laboratory shakers face challenges in maintaining cleanliness and safety during maintenance and cleaning due to the internal placement of door kinematics, which increases contamination risk and complicates access to chamber components.

Innovation Solution

The laboratory device features an externally mounted swing door mechanism with a spring-assisted opening and a design that keeps pivot arms outside the chamber, allowing for easier cleaning and reduced contamination risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door pivoting mechanism is mounted inside the chamber, then the door can be closed effectively, but the complexity of cleaning and maintenance increases due to difficult access to internal components

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDoor closing functionVSAvoidAccess to pivot mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the door pivoting mechanism from the chamber interior and relocates it to the exterior. The pivot arms are mounted on the outer surface of the chamber wall, allowing the door to pivot externally. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining effective door closure while enabling easy access to the pivoting mechanism for cleaning and maintenance without requiring entry into the chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the pivoting mechanism is enclosed within the chamber, then the door structure is compact, but contamination risk increases due to difficulty in cleaning internal surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDoor structure compactnessVSAvoidContamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By extracting the pivoting mechanism from the chamber interior and mounting it on the outer surface, the patent eliminates the creation of difficult-to-clean internal contours. The door structure remains compact in its closed position, but the pivoting components are now accessible from the exterior, significantly reducing contamination risk by enabling thorough cleaning without chamber entry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If the pivot arms are mounted inside the chamber, then the door mechanism is compact, but cleaning effort and time increase due to need for chamber entry

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePivot mechanism arrangementVSAvoidCleaning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the pivot arms from the chamber interior and relocates them to the exterior surface. This arrangement maintains a compact door mechanism when closed, but crucially allows cleaning personnel to access and clean the pivoting components from the outside, eliminating the time-consuming requirement to enter the chamber for maintenance activities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of repair

If maintenance work is performed inside the chamber, then the door mechanism can be serviced, but the risk of additional contamination increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDoor mechanism maintenanceVSAvoidContamination risk during maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By extracting the door pivoting mechanism from the chamber interior and mounting it on the exterior, the patent enables maintenance and servicing to be performed outside the chamber. This resolves the contradiction by providing easy access to the door mechanism for repair while eliminating the contamination risk associated with opening the chamber and exposing samples to the external environment during maintenance activities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

The external swing door mechanism reduces cleaning effort and contamination within the sample chamber, enhancing the reproducibility of results and safety by minimizing the need for chamber entry during maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

The swing door mechanism is spring-assisted to open

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP4644521A1Laboratory device with pivoting door
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 EPPENDORF AG
  • EP4644521A1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4644521A1 patent drawingFigure 1c~1d
  • EP4644521A1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2f

AI summary

The invention relates to a laboratory shaker for shaking laboratory samples stored in sample containers in a chamber, which has a drawer device carrying drive components that can be extended from a drawer space of the laboratory shaker for maintenance purposes.