Microscope Slide Clamping and Flattening for Stable Focal Length
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic detection systems for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) face issues with inconsistent focal lengths due to mechanical action, manufacturing tolerances, and slide curvature, leading to blurred images and inaccurate CTC counting.
Innovation Solution
An automatically detecting system with a gripper and platform design that stabilizes and flattens slides on a microscope platform, combined with focal length adjustment algorithms to ensure clear imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the mechanical gripper moves the slide into the microscope, then the slide can be transferred automatically, but the mechanical action causes the slide not to be flat in the microscope resulting in different focal lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer process is divided into two independent stages: first, the gripper transfers the slide to the platform (automation), then the pressing mechanism separately flattens the slide (precision). This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
A pressing mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the slide and the microscope objective. This mediator applies pressure to flatten the slide after it reaches the platform, ensuring consistent focal length without requiring the gripper to perform both transfer and flattening functions.
2Productivity
If the slide is placed on the microscope platform, then the detection can proceed, but the curvature of the slide causes different focal lengths on different positions of the same slide
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing mechanism performs preliminary flattening action on the slide before the microscope imaging process begins. By pre-flattening the slide at the platform position, the system ensures that the entire slide area will have consistent focal length during detection, eliminating the need for repeated focusing adjustments.
3Ease of operation
If the slide is not flat in the microscope, then the mechanical gripper action is acceptable, but the liquid containing CTCs goes out of the focal length of the microscope generating blurred images
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing mechanism serves as an intermediary that resolves the conflict between simple gripper operation and image clarity. It receives the slide from the gripper and applies necessary pressure to flatten it, ensuring that the CTC-containing liquid remains within the focal length for clear imaging while keeping the gripper's function simple and straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the need for complex gripper-based flattening with a separate mechanical pressing system. This substitution allows the gripper to focus solely on transfer operations while the pressing mechanism handles the flattening, ensuring image clarity without complicating the gripper's mechanical design.
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
Ensures accurate and clear image capture by stabilizing slide placement and using focal length adjustment methods, thereby improving CTC counting precision.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member connected to the movable block and configured to push the movable block toward the carrying area
Data Source
AI summary
An automatically detecting system with microscope includes a platform and a gripper. The platform has a carrying area, a fixed block, a movable block, and an elastic member. The carrying area is formed at the platform, the fixed block and the movable block are configured at opposite sides of the carrying area, and the elastic member is connected to the movable block. The gripper pushes the movable block through an inclined plane of the movable block when moving a slide to the carrying area. When the gripper puts the slide on the carrying area, the movable block and the fixed block hold the slide with the elastic restoring force of the elastic member, and the gripper closes and moves on the upper surface of the slide to flatten the slide. Therefore, the slide can be set on the platform stably and flatly to obtain the focal length precisely and rapidly.