Stepped Microfluidic Disc Tray for Stable Multi-Disc Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic processes in healthcare are disjointed from care delivery, leading to inefficiencies, missed diagnoses, and poor outcomes, particularly in rural areas or among populations facing adverse social determinants of health, due to the lack of comprehensive, fast, and automated lab testing solutions.
Innovation Solution
A packaging tray and multi-function micro-fluidic assembly utilizing centrifugal microfluidics discs, featuring a stepped support with axial and angular retaining members to secure disc assemblies, compartments for desiccants and reagents, and a design that ensures precise positioning and stability during processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple disc assemblies of different sizes are stacked in a single tray, then space utilization and storage efficiency are improved, but the structural complexity of the tray increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is segmented into multiple compartments, each with stepped supports tailored to accommodate specific disc assembly sizes. This segmentation allows efficient stacking of multiple disc assemblies while maintaining structural organization and reducing overall complexity through modular compartment design.
Solution Approach 2:
Smaller disc assemblies are nested within compartments designed to hold them, while larger disc assemblies occupy outer compartments. The stepped supports create a nested arrangement where disc assemblies of different diameters are accommodated in a space-efficient manner, maximizing tray storage capacity.
2Reliability
If retaining members are added to secure disc assemblies in the tray, then stability and positioning precision are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Retaining members are strategically placed only at critical locations where disc assemblies require stabilization, rather than uniformly across the entire tray. This localized approach provides necessary stability and positioning precision while minimizing the addition of components and overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stepped supports are designed to automatically engage with disc assemblies of specific sizes, providing self-aligning and self-retaining functionality. This reduces the need for additional active retaining mechanisms while maintaining stability and positioning precision through passive geometric constraints.
3Area of stationary object
If disc assemblies are closely spaced to maximize tray capacity, then storage density is improved, but the risk of cross-contamination and handling errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into separate compartments with physical walls between them, creating isolated zones for different disc assemblies. This segmentation allows high storage density within each compartment while preventing cross-contamination between compartments, as each disc assembly type is contained in its own dedicated space.
Solution Approach 2:
Partition walls and sealing structures act as intermediary barriers between adjacent disc assemblies. These intermediaries physically separate the contents of different compartments, preventing cross-contamination while allowing the tray to maintain high storage density through efficient use of vertical and horizontal space.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are packaging trays, tray assemblies, supporting packs and other devices for use in centrifugal microfluidics. A tray includes a stepped support for stacking a plurality of disc assemblies. The tray also includes retaining members for preventing undesired movement of a disc assembly when it is placed in the tray.