Multi-well Plate Peripheral Wall Marking for Oblique Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-well plates, operators face difficulties in identifying target wells due to the placement of symbols on the bottom or top surfaces, leading to potential misidentification and contamination, especially when working at an oblique angle, which increases the risk of incorrect sample input and reduces experiment accuracy and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The multi-well plate design features well marks placed on the opening peripheral wall end portions, allowing easy visibility and accurate identification of wells, even when viewed obliquely, with symbols arranged to clearly indicate row and column identifiers, and a coating to prevent interference with light-based analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If symbols are placed on the bottom wall of the well, then identification is possible, but visibility becomes difficult when viewed obliquely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the symbol placement from the bottom wall (horizontal surface) to the peripheral wall (vertical surface) of the well. This dimensional transition allows operators to view symbols from oblique angles without requiring direct overhead viewing, thereby maintaining visibility while accommodating natural working postures.
2Loss of information
If symbols are placed on the top surface surrounding the well, then identification is possible, but misidentification between adjacent wells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns unique symbol combinations to each individual well's peripheral wall, creating localized identification information. This ensures that each well can be distinctly identified without confusion with adjacent wells, as each well has its own dedicated symbol set on its surrounding peripheral wall.
3Reliability
If transparent resin material is used for the multi-well plate, then light interference is prevented, but symbol visibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies colored symbols (such as black or dark-colored markings) on the peripheral walls of the transparent resin plate. The color contrast between the dark symbols and the transparent or light-colored resin background ensures high visibility while maintaining the transparency needed for light-based analytical measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-well plate allows for improvement in accuracy of experiments or tests. The present invention relates to a multi-well plate comprising: a top portion placed in a horizontal direction; a bottom portion opposing the top portion in a direction crossing the horizontal direction; and wells each recessed from the top portion toward the bottom portion, wherein the wells are horizontally arranged in a matrix with rows and columns, and each well has an opening formed at the top portion, and a peripheral wall extending from a periphery of the opening to the bottom portion. In the multi-well plate, at least two wells respectively include marks each containing at least one symbol, and each mark is placed at an opening peripheral wall end portion close to the corresponding opening.