Mapping Pin Positioning for Automated Diagnostics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated in vitro diagnostic devices face positioning uncertainties due to manufacturing and assembly inaccuracies, leading to potential needle contamination and contamination of reactive products or samples, necessitating a precise method to determine the position of fixed mapping pins without blind holes to avoid contamination and facilitate easy cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A method for automatically determining the position of at least one fixed mapping pin using a cubic base with a stud of smaller section, allowing precise coordinate determination along Cartesian or cylindrical coordinates, and validating Z coordinates, while avoiding liquid retention and enabling easy cleaning and visual alignment verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If blind holes are used in mapping pins for needle contact, then needle position determination is achieved, but liquid retention and contamination risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle position determinationVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a blind hole (cavity) to receive the needle, the invention inverts the approach by using a protruding stud that the needle contacts from the outside. This eliminates the enclosed space where liquid could be retained, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and contamination risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful feature (blind hole cavity) is extracted and removed from the mapping pin design. By replacing it with a simple protruding stud, the source of liquid retention and contamination is eliminated while preserving the needle position determination function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If blind holes with small diameter are used in mapping pins, then needle contact is enabled, but cleaning becomes tedious and difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle contact capabilityVSAvoidcleaning ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the traditional blind hole design by using a protruding stud instead. This simple external geometry has no hidden cavities, making it trivial to clean compared to small-diameter blind holes that are difficult to access and clean thoroughly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The complex blind hole structure is extracted and replaced with a simple protruding stud. This eliminates the cleaning difficulty associated with small cavities while maintaining the essential needle contact function for precise measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If manufacturing tolerances and assembly inaccuracies are present, then device production is feasible, but positioning precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice production feasibilityVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mapping pin with protruding stud serves a dual function: it is both a positioning reference and a self-aligning feature. The stud's geometry provides a natural contact point for the needle, automatically compensating for minor positioning variations and eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms, thus maintaining precision despite manufacturing tolerances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

This method provides precise positioning of elements near the mapping pin, reducing contamination risks, simplifying cleaning, and ensuring accurate alignment of needles with pins, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of automated diagnostic processes.

Implementation Method 1

The needle (or the pipette) is conventionally equipped with capacitive detection means, making it possible in particular to detect the position from which the needle comes into contact with the liquid.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive detection: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP3080616B2Method of determining the position of at least one cartography token

Publication Date: 2023.11.15 DIAGNOSTICA STAGO SA

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AI summary

The invention relates to a method of determining the position of at least one fixed cartography token (10) of an automaton, said token (10) comprising a base (11) comprising a lateral surface and an end face (14a), a stud (15) of smaller cross section than the base (11) projecting from the end face (14a) of the base (11), said stud (15) comprising an end face (16) opposite the base (11). The method is aimed in particular at deducing the coordinates (XO, YO, ZO) of at least one point (O) of the cartography token (10) with respect to a movable member.