Manifold Housing Oblique Surface Simplifies Mold Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manifold designs for fluidic cartridges require complex and expensive molds with sliders, leading to increased susceptibility to wear and tear, and necessitate large anti-leakage forces that are difficult to maintain, especially in disposable plastic cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A manifold housing with an oblique inner surface and corresponding oblique surface on the manifold core, allowing for easy manufacturing without undercuts or sliders, and generating the necessary anti-leakage forces internally, thus eliminating the need for external instruments to maintain a fluid-tight connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sliders are used in the mould during manufacturing, then the manifold can be shaped as a cylinder with radial connections, but the mould becomes more complex, more expensive and more susceptible to wear and tear
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold housing features an oblique inner surface that is asymmetric relative to the cylindrical axis, allowing the fluidic channel to end at this oblique surface. This asymmetric geometry eliminates the need for sliders in the mould, as the oblique surface allows for easy release of the manifold from the mould without requiring complex sliding mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluidic channel is configured to end at the oblique inner surface rather than extending radially to the cylindrical wall. This dimensional reconfiguration of the channel orientation allows the manifold to be manufactured without sliders, transforming the problem from a radial connection geometry to one that utilizes the oblique surface geometry for easier mould release.
2Ease of manufacture
If connections are positioned radial at one of the flat ends of a cylindrical manifold, then the manifold can be manufactured without sliders, but relatively large forces are needed to keep connections fluid-tight
Solution Approach 1:
The oblique inner surface creates an asymmetric sealing geometry where the sealing force is distributed at an angle rather than perpendicular to the connection interface. This asymmetric angle distribution reduces the magnitude of force required to maintain fluid-tight connections compared to radial positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique angle of the inner surface changes the geometric parameters of the sealing interface. This angular parameter modification allows the sealing force to be resolved into components that are more efficient at preventing leakage, reducing the total force required compared to radial connections.
3Reliability
If large anti-leakage forces are applied by an additional instrument, then a fluid-tight connection can be maintained, but the device becomes more complex and more susceptible to leaks when the disposable cartridge is unloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The oblique inner surface geometry enables the manifold housing and core to generate the necessary sealing forces through their own structural interaction. The asymmetric geometry creates self-aligning and self-sealing characteristics that eliminate the need for additional instruments to apply external forces, making the system self-sufficient for maintaining fluid-tight connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The need for additional external instruments to apply anti-leakage forces is extracted and eliminated from the system. The oblique surface geometry inherently provides the sealing mechanism, removing the complexity of additional force-application devices and reducing the risk of leaks during cartridge unloading.
Data Source
AI summary
A manifold system is provided that includes a manifold housing and a manifold core. The manifold housing is configured to receive the manifold core. The manifold housing includes an oblique inner surface and at least one fluidic channel. The fluidic channel ends with one of its ends at the oblique inner surface. The manifold housing together with the at least one fluidic channel has no undercut.