Detachable Nozzle Carrier for Sample Processor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample processors require complex and time-consuming disassembly and reassembly of nozzle systems, often leading to positional deviations and contamination risks due to the nozzle and injector body being molded together, necessitating adjustments of peripheral devices and realignment of optical paths.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle system with a detachable carrier that allows independent disassembly and assembly, featuring a body with an orifice that abuts against the injector body along the sample injection direction, eliminating the need for upstream installation and reducing the risk of contamination and optical path misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the nozzle and injector body are molded together, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ease of maintenance and cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle system is divided into separate components: the nozzle body can be independently removed from the injector body through the carrier mechanism. This segmentation allows the nozzle to be cleaned or replaced without removing the entire injector body, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and ease of maintenance.
2Ease of operation
If the nozzle is fitted in the injector body in a threaded manner, then the ease of installation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier acts as an intermediary component between the nozzle and the injector body. It provides precise positioning features that guide the nozzle into the correct position during installation, eliminating the positional deviation issues associated with threaded fittings while maintaining ease of installation.
3Ease of repair
If the entire nozzle system is removed for cleaning or replacement, then the ease of nozzle maintenance is improved, but the device complexity and time consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented such that only the nozzle (not the entire injector body) needs to be removed for maintenance. The carrier enables this selective removal, reducing disassembly complexity from system-level to component-level operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle is extracted as a separate serviceable component through the carrier mechanism. This allows the nozzle to be removed, cleaned, or replaced independently while the injector body remains in place, significantly reducing maintenance time and complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the nozzle is removed and reinstalled, then the ease of cleaning is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to contamination risks and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier serves as a protective intermediary that maintains precise alignment between the nozzle and injector body during removal and reinstallation. It includes positioning features that prevent misalignment and contamination, ensuring reliability is maintained after maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier is pre-configured with positioning features and alignment guides that automatically ensure correct nozzle positioning upon reinstallation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for post-installation alignment adjustments and prevents contamination during the maintenance process.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a nozzle for a sample processor, a carrier of a nozzle for a sample processor, a nozzle assembly for a sample processor, and a sample processor. The nozzle includes a body and an orifice. The body is adapted to be loaded and held in the carrier. The carrier can be slidably inserted into the sample processor in a detachable manner. The orifice is provided in the body and is configured to inject a sample from an injector body in a predetermined mode. An end surface of the body is adapted to abut against an end surface of the injector body along a sample injection direction. The nozzle assembly and the sample processor according to the present disclosure include the above-described nozzle and carrier. With the aid of the carrier, it is not necessary to install the nozzle to the injector body upstream of the nozzle, so that various adjustment operations when reinstalling the nozzle can be omitted, thereby simplifying the process of reinstalling the nozzle.