Sterile Microbial Sensitivity Plate with Indented Drug Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining microorganism sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs, such as the Petri dish, require multiple dishes and are time-consuming and inconvenient due to the limited sector division and manual placement of media and drugs.
Innovation Solution
A sterile plastic plate with pre-filled indentations containing agar culture medium and antimicrobial drugs, sealed with a moisture-absorbing material and a transparent protective lid, allowing for efficient and secure storage and easy laboratory use, where microorganisms are introduced to assess growth and sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple Petri dishes are used to test different antimicrobial drugs, then the testing capacity increases, but the desktop space requirement and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple Petri dishes are merged into a single integrated plate structure with multiple indentations, allowing simultaneous testing of multiple antimicrobial drugs in one device rather than requiring separate dishes for each drug
Solution Approach 2:
The plate is segmented into multiple independent indentations, each capable of holding separate culture media and antimicrobial drugs, enabling parallel testing while maintaining individual test conditions
2Productivity
If the insert is divided into more sectors to increase testing capacity, then more drugs can be tested, but the volume of each sector becomes unacceptably small or the Petri dish diameter must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design transitions from a two-dimensional sector division on a flat surface to a three-dimensional structure using vertical indentations of varying depths, allowing multiple test compartments without increasing surface area or reducing individual test volumes
3Adaptability or versatility
If nutrient medium and antimicrobial drugs are manually placed in indentations in the laboratory, then customization is possible, but time consumption and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is pre-assembled with indentations designed to receive specific culture media and antimicrobial drugs, allowing laboratory personnel to simply add samples rather than manually constructing the entire testing apparatus
Solution Approach 2:
The plate structure includes built-in features such as retention means and sealing elements that automatically hold media and drugs in place without requiring additional manual intervention or complex assembly procedures
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
Significantly reduces time consumption and improves usability in the laboratory by allowing for simultaneous testing of multiple antimicrobial drugs with minimal laboratory preparation, enhancing the efficiency of microorganism sensitivity determination.
Implementation Method 1
a moisture-absorbing material with a rigid mesh situated therebelow
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of microbiology. A device for determining the sensitivity of microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs is configured in the form of a sterile plate made from a plastic material with indentations and is provided with a hermetically sealing element which covers the sterile plate. The indentations are filled with a solid culture medium containing agar. In different indentations, the culture medium contains antimicrobial drugs or combinations thereof or serves as a control. Between the plate and the hermetically sealing element, the device contains a moisture-absorbing material with a rigid mesh situated therebelow. The device is provided with a transparent protective lid made from a rigid durable plastic.