Light-Shielding Protective Cover for Automatic Analysis Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automatic analysis devices face challenges in achieving high sensitivity for latex immunity analysis due to the susceptibility of scattered light measurements to external light interference, and they often require additional mechanisms that can lead to contamination or safety hazards during operation.

Innovation Solution

An automatic analysis device with a light-shielding protective cover system that allows for safe operation and reduced external light influence, incorporating a scattered light measurement unit and a lock mechanism to prevent accidental opening during analysis, ensuring accurate and precise measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If scattered light measurement is used for latex immunity analysis, then sensitivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to external light interference

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesensitivityVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A light-shielding protective cover is introduced as an intermediary element between the external environment and the scattered light photometer. This cover blocks external light from reaching the reaction liquid and photometer, eliminating the harmful light interference while preserving the scattered light measurement capability for sensitive antigen detection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective cover is designed with differentiated regions: a light-shielding portion that blocks external light and a see-through portion that allows visual observation of the dispensing mechanism. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing light shielding exactly where needed (at the photometer and reaction liquid) while maintaining transparency where observation is required

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If a light-shielding protective cover is introduced, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both a light-shielding barrier for the photometer and a protective cover for the reaction liquid, while also providing a visual observation window. This merging of functions achieves light shielding without requiring separate complex systems for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective cover is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides light shielding, contamination protection, and visual observation capability. This universality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the top face is kept open for visual checking, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to contamination and safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual verification capabilityVSAvoidcontamination resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover implements local quality by being transparent (see-through) at the dispensing mechanism observation area while remaining opaque (light-shielding) at the photometer and reaction liquid areas. This allows visual checking where needed while maintaining protection and light shielding where critical for measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 device achieves high-precision analysis by minimizing external light interference and ensuring safe operation, with the protective cover system effectively blocking external light and allowing visual verification of dispensing mechanisms without compromising measurement accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

a light-shielding protective cover to cover an upper part of the main-body casing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight blocking: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

measure a latex agglutination reaction with scattered light instead of transmitted light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP2762889B1Automatic analysis device
Publication Date: 2020.12.30 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2762889B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2762889B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2762889B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an automatic analysis device including a light scattering photometer incorporated therein, the automatic analysis device having improved analysis accuracy by reducing the influences from external light and that can be used safely with good operability. An automatic analysis device includes a scattered light measurement unit disposed inside the main-body casing, and openable/closable protective covers 610 to 630 to cover the top face 410 of the main-body casing. The first protective cover 610 at the center includes a light-shielding part to block external light. The protective covers include see-through parts 621, 631 enabling seeing therethrough of inside. The light-shielding part is configured to cover an area of the reaction disk at least corresponding to the area above the scattered light measurement unit, thus reducing external light leaking into the scattered light measurement unit, and thus removing influences from external light on the scattered light measurement. The protective cover may have a two-divided structure or may include one protective cover, other than the three-divided structure.