Microplate Temperature Equalizing Plate for Uniform Well Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microplate readers experience uneven heating or cooling of microplate wells, leading to inconsistent measurement results due to temperature differences between the reader's inner atmosphere and the microplate, with corners heating or cooling faster than edges and centers, necessitating long wait times for temperature equalization.
Innovation Solution
A temperature equalizing plate with specific vertical offsets and through-holes designed to uniformly heat all microplate wells, ensuring rapid and homogeneous temperature distribution across the microplate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a frame-shaped carriage is used to transport microplates, then the microplate can be transferred into the reader, but the temperature distribution in the wells becomes uneven with corners heating or cooling faster than edges and center
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage base is segmented into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control, allowing different regions (corner, edge, center) to be heated separately to achieve uniform temperature distribution across all wells
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the carriage base provide different heating intensities tailored to their specific thermal requirements, with corner areas receiving more heating power than edge areas, which receive more than center areas, compensating for the natural heat distribution gradient
2Temperature
If the reader's inner atmosphere temperature is adjusted, then temperature control is achieved, but the heating or cooling rate varies across different well positions
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage base pre-heats or pre-cools the microplate and its contents before the plate enters the measurement chamber, ensuring that all wells reach the target temperature simultaneously and eliminating temperature gradients before measurements begin
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage base acts as an intermediary thermal management device between the reader's temperature control system and the microplate, providing direct thermal contact and more efficient heat transfer than convection alone
3Measurement precision
If waiting for temperature equalization is performed, then measurement accuracy improves, but cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature equalization is performed in advance during the plate transfer and positioning phase, so that by the time measurements begin, all wells have already reached the target temperature, eliminating the need for additional waiting time
Solution Approach 2:
The heating process continues uninterrupted during the entire plate handling sequence, with the carriage base maintaining thermal contact and active heating throughout the transfer, positioning, and preparation phases, ensuring continuous temperature equalization without idle periods
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
The solution achieves faster and more uniform temperature equalization among microplate wells, reducing cycle times and improving measurement consistency by minimizing temperature variance.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature transfer between the reader's inner atmosphere and the wells of the microplate takes place mainly by convection and by thermal radiation.
Implementation Method 2
The temperature transfer between the reader's inner atmosphere and the wells of the microplate takes place mainly by convection and by thermal radiation.
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature equalizing plate (1) for a micro plate reader (4), onto which temperature equalizing plate (1) a microplate with wells can be removably arranged, the temperature equalizing plate (1) having a plate-shaped body, wherein a first vertical offset is provided between four upward facing corner surfaces (100) and four upward facing edge surfaces (110) and wherein a second vertical offset is provided between the four upward facing edge surfaces (110) and one upward facing center surface (120), resulting in gaps between at least some of the upward facing surfaces (100;110;120) of the temperature equalizing plate (1) and corresponding wells of the thereon arranged microplate.