General-Purpose Optical Measuring Device with Flow Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical measuring devices require dedicated equipment for various chemical substance solutions, leading to increased costs, complexity, and limited optical path lengths, which can result in inaccurate measurements due to light absorption and interference from container walls.
Innovation Solution
A general-purpose optical measuring device with a photometric content designation unit, irradiation reception pairs, and a control unit that allows for flexible optical path lengths and minimizes container wall interference by using a flow tube with a translucent region and a suction discharge mechanism to measure chemical substances without dedicated components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated devices are prepared for each measurement type, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal optical measuring device that can perform multiple measurement types (absorbance, fluorescence, luminance) using a single integrated system. The device uses interchangeable measurement units with different optical paths and a single light source that can emit multiple wavelengths, eliminating the need for separate dedicated devices for each measurement type while maintaining measurement accuracy through optimized optical designs for each specific measurement mode.
2Strength
If container wall thickness is increased, then mechanical strength is improved, but light absorption increases and measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the container walls thin only in the specific regions where light passes through (optical paths), while maintaining adequate thickness in non-critical areas for mechanical strength. The container is designed with optimized wall thickness distribution: thin walls at the light transmission zones to minimize absorption, and sufficient thickness elsewhere to maintain structural integrity and handling safety.
3Measurement precision
If optical path length is extended, then measurement sensitivity is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the optical path length by changing the spatial arrangement from a linear horizontal path to a multi-dimensional configuration. The light beam is directed through the container using mirrors or prisms, creating a folded optical path that achieves longer effective path length within a compact device footprint. This allows increased measurement sensitivity without proportionally increasing the overall device dimensions.
4Measurement precision
If multiple dedicated devices are used for different measurements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple measurement functions (absorbance, fluorescence, luminance measurements at different wavelengths) into a single integrated device. The system uses a single light source capable of emitting multiple wavelengths, interchangeable measurement units for different detection modes, and a unified control system that can sequentially or simultaneously perform various measurements on the same sample, thereby maintaining accuracy while significantly improving productivity by eliminating the need to transfer samples between multiple devices.
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
Enables high-accuracy, versatile measurements across different chemical substance solutions with reduced costs and complexity, allowing for concurrent processing of multiple samples and minimizing fluid usage while preventing cross-contamination.
Implementation Method 1
measurement light of predetermined wavelength λ that can be transmitted through the quartz cell, and can be absorbed by the chemical substance... a ratio between incident light intensity I0 and transmitted light intensity I (transmissivity) is measured
Implementation Method 2
one or two or more photometric containers that can store the chemical substance solution, and include a bottom portion having a formed translucent region translucent to the measurement light
Data Source
AI summary
A general-purpose optical measuring device enables at least measurement of a nucleic acid amplification amount; detection or quantitative measurement by a nucleic acid detection method, an immunoassay method, an enzyme method; or measurement of concentration or absorbance, and a method of the same. There are included a photometric content designation unit, an irradiation reception pair including an emission end that can emit measurement light, and a reception end that can receive light from the emission end, a photometric container that can store measurement target chemical substance solution, and includes a bottom portion having a formed translucent region, a nozzle communicated with a suction discharge mechanism of gas, a flow tube, an optical measurement unit, and a control unit configured to suck and hold the chemical substance solution into the flow tube, or store the chemical substance solution into the photometric container.