Laser Chamber Opener for Microfluidic Sample Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing micro channel devices face challenges in uniformly opening chamber covers to control the flow of processing agents due to conflicting requirements of burst strength and material thickness, leading to non-uniform processing and potential premature release of fluids across multiple channels.
Innovation Solution
A sample processing apparatus with a chamber opener that uses illumination to selectively open chamber covers, allowing controlled movement of agents from agent chambers into sample channels, ensuring uniform processing by preventing concurrent opening and minimizing premature fluid release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pressurized air is used to open chamber covers, then the covers can be opened to release agents, but the covers may burst under a wide range of pressures causing non-uniform processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressurized air system with an optical system. A laser beam is used to directly ablate or cut through the chamber covers, eliminating the need for pressure control and avoiding the variability caused by mechanical bursting. This substitution of mechanical action with optical action resolves the contradiction by providing precise, uniform opening without relying on material thickness consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the method of cover opening from mechanical pressure to optical energy. By using a laser with specific wavelength, power, and duration parameters, the system can precisely control the opening process. This parameter change allows for consistent, uniform opening of covers regardless of minor variations in material thickness, thereby resolving the manufacturing precision issue.
2Productivity
If a common air supply line is used to open multiple chamber covers, then all covers can be opened simultaneously, but agents may be prematurely released causing non-uniform processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cover opening process into individual, independently controllable events for each chamber. Instead of using a common air supply that acts on all chambers simultaneously, the system uses a scanning laser that can be directed to open one cover at a time or in any desired sequence. This segmentation of the opening process allows precise control over when each agent is released, ensuring uniform processing while maintaining high productivity through rapid sequential operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control to the cover opening process. The laser scanning system can dynamically adjust its position, speed, and activation timing to open covers in the optimal sequence for each specific processing requirement. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain uniform agent release timing while achieving concurrent processing across multiple channels, resolving the reliability issue.
3Ease of operation
If chamber covers are made weak to be readily broken, then they can be easily opened with reasonable air pressure, but they cannot sustain vibration and shock during shipping and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical breaking method with an optical method. Instead of requiring covers to be weak enough to break under reasonable air pressure, the system uses a laser to directly open the covers regardless of their strength. This allows the covers to be made much stronger to withstand shipping and handling vibrations and shocks, while the laser opening process remains equally effective. The substitution of mechanical breaking with optical ablation resolves this contradiction entirely.
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
Enables controlled and uniform movement of agents across multiple channels, ensuring consistent processing and reducing the risk of premature fluid release, while maintaining the necessary strength and durability of chamber covers.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second chamber covers include a material that melts in response to being illuminated with illumination for a pre-determined time duration
Data Source
AI summary
A sample processing apparatus includes a sample carrier receiving region configured to receive a sample carrier. The sample carrier includes at least one sample channel carrying at least one sample, at least one agent chamber carrying at least one agent to be moved to the at least one sample channel to facilitate processing of the at least one sample, and the at least one agent chamber includes at least one chamber cover covering at least one opening of the at least one agent chamber, inhibiting flow of the at least one agent from the at least one agent chamber to the at least one sample channel. The sample processing apparatus further includes a chamber opener configured to facilitate opening the at least one chamber cover. The sample processing apparatus further includes a fluid mover that moves the agent out of the at least one agent chamber after the at least one chamber cover is opened and into the at least one sample channel.