Molten Paraffin Bottle Handling for Immediate Tissue Immersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tissue piece handling apparatuses face issues with paraffin spilling and worker burns due to direct handling of molten paraffin, and require heating before use, hindering immediate immersion treatment.

Innovation Solution

A tissue piece treating apparatus with a configuration that includes a treating tank, storage containers for paraffin bottles, a constant temperature rack, and a paraffin pipeline, allowing paraffin replacement in sealed bottles and immediate use without exposure, with visual monitoring and controlled supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If paraffin is directly housed in storage containers for immediate use, then immersion treatment can be performed, but paraffin may spill and cause burns to workers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmersion treatment availabilityVSAvoidparaffin spill and burn risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a transfer container as an intermediary between the paraffin storage container and the treating tank. The transfer container serves as a buffer that receives molten paraffin from the storage container and then supplies it to the treating tank. This intermediary system eliminates the need for workers to directly handle molten paraffin, preventing spills and burns while maintaining continuous immersion treatment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the paraffin supply system into separate functional components: a storage container for bulk paraffin storage, a transfer container for controlled transfer and temporary holding, and the treating tank for immersion treatment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function safely and efficiently, with the transfer container acting as a controlled interface that prevents direct exposure to molten paraffin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If solid paraffin is injected into storage containers, then storage is simplified, but immersion treatment cannot be performed until heating converts it to molten state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparaffin storage simplicityVSAvoidheating wait time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a constant temperature rack that maintains the storage container at a temperature above the paraffin melting point, keeping the paraffin in a molten state ready for immediate use. Additionally, the transfer container can hold a small amount of pre-melted paraffin, ensuring that immersion treatment can begin immediately without waiting for heating of solid paraffin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temperature parameter of the storage environment by introducing a constant temperature rack that heats and maintains the storage container at a controlled temperature. This parameter change keeps the paraffin in a molten state, eliminating the need for additional heating time before immersion treatment while maintaining easy storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If paraffin is replaced in storage containers, then fresh paraffin is available, but the replacement process is complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparaffin replacement efficiencyVSAvoidparaffin replacement procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the paraffin transfer function from the storage container by introducing a separate transfer container. The storage container is dedicated solely to bulk storage and can be easily replaced or refilled, while the transfer container handles the molten paraffin transfer. This separation simplifies the replacement process as the storage container can be changed without handling molten paraffin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer container acts as a mediator that decouples the storage container replacement from the active paraffin supply to the treating tank. When the storage container needs replacement, the system can switch to using the transfer container's stored molten paraffin, allowing storage container replacement without interrupting the immersion treatment process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Prevents paraffin spills and worker contact, enables immediate immersion treatment, and facilitates easy replacement and monitoring of paraffin levels.

Implementation Method 1

a constant temperature rack that houses the storage containers, and heats the paraffin in each paraffin bottle to hold the paraffin in a molten state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3859300B1Tissue processing apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 SAKURA SEIKI
  • EP3859300B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3859300B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3859300B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a tissue piece treating apparatus capable of preventing paraffin from spilling and coming into contact with a body of a worker when the paraffin is replaced, and performing immersion treatment immediately after the paraffin has been replaced. As a solution, a tissue piece treating apparatus (10) is provided with: a treating tank (18); a plurality of storage containers (28) in each of which a paraffin bottle (62) for storing a paraffin is housed; a constant temperature rack (26) that houses the storage containers (28), and heats the paraffin to hold the paraffin in a molten state; and a paraffin pipeline (74) that branches from the treating tank (18), in which in the storage containers (28), a treatment container (58) in which the paraffin to be transported to the treating tank (18) is housed and a standby container (60) in which the paraffin not to be transported to treating tank (18) is housed, are disposed, and the paraffin pipeline (74) is connected to the paraffin bottle (62) to be housed in the treatment container (58).