Handheld Analysis Device Optical Consumable Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld analysis devices for examining medically significant components, such as blood glucose levels, often experience malfunctions due to contamination of electrical contacts and incorrect positioning of analytical consumables, leading to issues like continuous strip pushers and strip jamming, which are costly and inconvenient for users.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a test unit with both an electrical switching component and an optical sensor unit to verify the correct positioning of analytical consumables on the conveying path, using mechanical and optical scanning to emit signals that are evaluated by a control unit to prevent malfunctions, ensuring accurate positioning and reducing contamination-related errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical switching components are used to detect consumable positioning, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but contamination of electrical contacts occurs leading to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical switching components with optical sensors to detect consumable positioning. The optical sensor unit uses light-based detection instead of electrical contacts, eliminating contamination issues while maintaining ease of operation. The optical sensor emits light and detects reflections or transmissions to determine whether a consumable is correctly positioned in the conveying path.
2Device complexity
If mechanical scanning with electrical contacts is used, then device complexity is reduced, but contamination leads to permanent strip pushers and strip jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical electrical contacts with an optical sensor system. The optical sensor unit uses non-contact light-based detection to identify consumable positioning, eliminating the mechanical wear and contamination problems that cause permanent strip pushers and strip jamming, while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
3Reliability
If optical sensor unit is added to verify positioning, then reliability is improved by reducing contamination errors, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical sensors to create an optical copy or signal representation of the consumable's physical position. Instead of directly manipulating or contacting the consumable, the system uses light to detect and verify positioning, providing a non-intrusive verification method that improves reliability without significantly complicating the device architecture.
4Measurement precision
If dual detection system (electrical and optical) is implemented, then measurement precision of positioning is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fully replaces electrical switching components with optical sensor units for consumable positioning detection. This substitution provides sufficient measurement precision for the application while eliminating the need for dual detection systems, as the optical sensor alone can accurately determine whether a consumable is correctly positioned in the conveying path.
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
This design significantly reduces malfunctions associated with contamination and incorrect positioning, preventing unnecessary consumable usage and jamming, thereby enhancing the reliability and usability of the handheld analysis device.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor unit which optically scans the positioning of an analytical consumable on the conveying path
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The device (1) has an electrically switching component, which mechanically scans positioning of analytic consumable unit (10) on a conveying path, and adopts a switching position, which represents a presence of the analytic consumable unit. The switching component delivers a switching signal based on the positioning of the analytic consumable unit. A control unit (40) evaluates the switching signal of the electrical switching component and a sensor signal of an optical sensor unit, and controls the handheld analysis device based on comparison of the switching signal and the sensor signal. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating the handheld analysis device for investigating a sample e.g. biological fluid.