Magnetic Reagent Bottle Cap for Automated Liquid Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reagent bottle closures are complex and fail to prevent contamination between dispensers and containers, and they do not allow dispensing devices to function without touching the vessels or closures, leading to inefficient and costly robotic grippers for handling reagent bottles and pipette tips in automated analyzing apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A reagent bottle with a removable cap featuring a magnetic gripper system that allows easy attachment and detachment using a ferromagnetic material and a conical recess, enabling the same gripper to handle both caps and pipette tips without additional adapters, utilizing magnetic and vacuum forces for secure handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional piercable septum closures are used to prevent evaporation and contamination, then the reagent bottle remains sealed during storage, but the dispenser edge contacts the closure during piercing causing contamination of both dispenser and container contents
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into two separate functional parts: a pierceable seal portion and a non-pierceable outer closure body. The seal is contained within a recessed chamber, separating the piercing action from the dispenser contact area, thus preventing contamination while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed chamber acts as an intermediary structure that contains the pierceable seal. This intermediate configuration allows the dispenser to pierce the seal without the dispenser edge contacting the outer closure body, eliminating the contamination pathway while preserving the sealing function.
2Reliability
If complex closure structures with multiple components are used to prevent evaporation and contamination, then sealing reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements (seal, closure body, recessed chamber) are merged into a single integrated closure component. This unified structure achieves reliable sealing and contamination prevention without requiring multiple separate parts, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated closure structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: sealing the bottle, preventing contamination, and providing a mechanical interface for the dispenser. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, simplifying the overall system while ensuring reliable operation.
3Reliability
If conventional closures require separate handling mechanisms for caps and pipette tips, then handling reliability improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The closure cap is designed with a standardized magnetic interface that serves dual purposes: securing the cap to the bottle and providing a universal gripping point for the robotic gripper. This same gripper can then handle both caps and pipette tips using the identical magnetic attachment mechanism, eliminating the need for separate handling systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining handling reliability.
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 magnetic gripper system effectively prevents contamination and evaporation, simplifies the handling of reagent bottle caps and pipette tips, reducing the complexity and cost of robotic systems while ensuring reliable operation in automated environments.
Implementation Method 1
A reagent bottle with a removable cap featuring a magnetic gripper system that allows easy attachment and detachment using a ferromagnetic material
Implementation Method 2
utilizing magnetic and vacuum forces for secure handling
Data Source
AI summary
A reagent bottle includes an outer cap and an inner closing cap. The inner closing cap has a recess for gripping the cap. In addition, a system for handling closures is provided wherein a method removes a closing cap from a reagent bottle and a related gripper.