Measuring Cartridge Flow Path Geometry for Plasma Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing centrifugal separation methods for blood samples, blood cell components tend to remain on the wall surface of the rotating shaft during centrifugation, leading to contamination of the plasma reservoir and reduced analysis accuracy due to residual blood cell components mixing with plasma components.
Innovation Solution
A measuring cartridge design with a separation chamber and flow paths that utilize centrifugal force and capillary action to separate blood samples into plasma and blood cell components, where the flow paths are configured to prevent mixing by maintaining a distance from the rotating shaft and using inclined inner walls to guide the plasma component away from potential contamination areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the flow path is positioned close to the rotating shaft for compact design, then device complexity is reduced, but blood cell components contaminate the plasma component during centrifugal separation
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is designed with non-uniform width along its length, with the width varying to create different flow characteristics at different positions. This local variation in geometry allows the flow path to maintain compact positioning while creating flow conditions that prevent blood cell contamination of the plasma component.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention addresses the contamination problem not just by changing the radial position of the flow path, but by utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the flow path and varying its width along this dimension. This dimensional approach creates favorable flow patterns that prevent contamination without requiring the flow path to be positioned far from the rotating shaft.
2Quantity of substance
If the first storage part has large width in rotation direction to accommodate more sample, then quantity of substance increases, but blood cell components mix with plasma component during centrifugation
Solution Approach 1:
The first storage part is designed with non-uniform width in the rotation direction, creating different local characteristics along its length. This allows certain regions to accommodate blood cell components while other regions are optimized for plasma component collection, preventing mixing while maintaining overall large capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first storage part is effectively segmented into different functional zones through its variable width design, with regions that preferentially collect different components during centrifugal separation. This segmentation allows simultaneous accommodation of both blood cells and plasma in separate zones within the same storage part.
3Productivity
If centrifugal force is increased to improve separation speed, then productivity increases, but blood cell components are forced into the plasma reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the flow path, specifically its width variation, to optimize the balance between centrifugal separation efficiency and contamination prevention. The variable width creates flow resistance patterns that prevent blood cell intrusion even at high centrifugal forces, allowing fast separation while maintaining purity.
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 configuration effectively prevents blood cell components from contaminating the plasma component during transport, enhancing the measurement accuracy of plasma components by ensuring their separation and purity.
Implementation Method 1
a separation chamber (30, 210) that separates a blood sample (70, 280) into a blood cell component (71, 281) and blood plasma component (71, 281) by utilizing centrifugal force through rotation around the rotating shaft (20, 103)
Implementation Method 2
a second flow path (50, 220) for moving the separated plasma component (72, 282) in the separation chamber (30, 210) by capillary action
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A measuring cartridge and a liquid transporting method capable of improving measurement accuracy of plasma components by suppressing contamination of blood cell components when transferring plasma components separated by centrifugation are provided. The measuring cartridge 10 includes a first storage part 31 and a second storage part 32 which is disposed in a direction away from the rotating shaft 20 with respect to the first storage part 31 and has a width in the rotation direction around the rotating shaft 20 larger than that of the first storage part 31; a separation chamber 30 for separating the blood sample into a blood cell component and a plasma component by utilizing centrifugal force caused by rotation around the rotating shaft 20, a flow path connected to an inner wall of at least one of the first storage part 31 or second storage part 32. The flow path includes a flow path 63 for moving the blood sample input from the sample input port 61 to the separation chamber 30, and a flow path 50 for moving the plasma component separated in the separation chamber 30 by capillary phenomenon.