Sterilisation Assembly with Passage Decontamination for Parallel Assays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing molecular diagnostic assays face challenges in increasing throughput while minimizing cross-contamination between sample sets, which limits the number of samples that can be tested due to the need for single-sample processing in controlled environments.
Innovation Solution
A sterilization assembly with a passage and decontaminator that restricts fluid communication across an enclosure, allowing samples to be processed on either side without cross-contamination, using a decontaminator to sterilize contamination passing through the passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If samples are processed in separate controlled environments to avoid cross-contamination, then contamination risk is reduced, but sample throughput is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processing environment into separate zones (clean zone and contaminated zone) with controlled access between them. The enclosure with passage creates distinct segments that allow independent processing of multiple sample sets simultaneously while maintaining contamination barriers through defined fluid communication paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage acts as an intermediary element that controls fluid communication between zones. By restricting fluid communication to pass through the passage, the system enables controlled interaction between clean and contaminated zones, allowing throughput improvement while maintaining contamination prevention.
2Productivity
If multiple sample sets are processed simultaneously to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but cross-contamination between sample sets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure creates segmented processing zones that allow multiple sample sets to be processed simultaneously in spatial separation. Each zone can handle different sample sets independently, enabling parallel processing while preventing cross-contamination through the enclosure barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage serves as a controlled intermediary that mediates fluid communication between zones. By requiring all fluid communication to pass through this controlled interface, the system enables multiple simultaneous sample sets to be processed while maintaining strict contamination barriers.
3Reliability
If a barrier is introduced to restrict fluid communication and prevent contamination, then contamination control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is implemented as a segmented enclosure structure that divides the system into distinct zones. This segmentation approach provides effective contamination control while keeping the structure manageable through modular zone definitions rather than a completely sealed complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage acts as a simplified intermediary that reduces overall system complexity. By concentrating fluid communication control into a single defined passage rather than multiple complex barriers, the system achieves effective contamination control with reduced structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a sterilisation assembly for a molecular diagnostic assay analyse. The assembly comprising: an enclosure having a passage therethrough, the passage being arranged in use to allow an assay sample set to pass through the enclosure, the enclosure defining a barrier adapted in use to restrict fluid communication across the enclosure to communication through the passage; and a decontaminator located within the passage, the decontaminator is arranged in use to sterilise contamination in the passage.