Plate Handling Grip Mechanism for Clean Vessel Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for handling analytical and culture vessels, such as plates and flasks, are awkward, messy, and pose biohazard risks due to direct hand contact, with no effective hand-indirect handling tools available.
Innovation Solution
A plate handling device with a base and handle mechanism that expands and contracts to securely grip vessels, featuring biasing members for constant force and tapered interfacing members for alignment, allowing safe and intuitive handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If direct hand contact is used to handle plates and flasks, then the handling method is simple and requires no additional tools, but it causes awkwardness, messiness, and biohazard risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a handling device as an intermediary tool between the user's hand and the laboratory vessels. The device includes a handle for hand grip and a base with gripping members that contact the vessel, thereby mediating the interaction and eliminating direct hand contact with the vessel surfaces, thus reducing biohazard risk while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The handling device is segmented into distinct functional components: a handle portion for user interaction and a base portion for vessel contact. This segmentation allows the device to separate the user's hand from the vessel, with the base members providing the gripping function while the handle provides the handling interface, thus solving the contradiction between simplicity and safety
2Device complexity
If direct finger contact is used to pick up plates, then no additional equipment is needed, but it creates awkwardness and messiness in laboratory situations
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device serves as an intermediary that replaces direct finger contact with a mechanical gripping system. The base members with gripping surfaces contact the vessel edges, providing secure holding while the handle transmits the user's gripping action, thereby eliminating the awkwardness of direct finger contact without requiring complex equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to be self-contained and self-operating through simple manual actuation. The user simply grasps the handle and squeezes, which automatically actuates the base members to grip the vessel. This self-service mechanism provides comfortable handling while maintaining simplicity, as the device handles the complex gripping function automatically
3Productivity
If plates are removed from instruments like PCR cyclers, then the vessels are needed for further processing, but direct removal is difficult and messy
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device acts as an intermediary tool that facilitates the removal of plates from instruments. The base members are designed to engage with the plate edges, providing leverage and control during removal, while the handle provides a comfortable grip for the user. This intermediary mechanism significantly improves both the ease and efficiency of plate removal from instruments
Solution Approach 2:
The handling device incorporates dynamic elements that adapt to the removal process. The base members can move and adjust their gripping force during the removal operation, allowing the user to apply varying levels of force as needed. This dynamic capability makes the removal process easier and more efficient compared to static handling methods
4Reliability
If gloved hands are used to handle vessels, then biohazard protection is provided, but contamination of gloves occurs during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device serves as an intermediary that separates the gloved hand from the vessel contact point. The base members with gripping surfaces contact the vessel, while the handle is grasped by the gloved hand. This separation prevents direct contact between the glove and the vessel surfaces, thereby preventing contamination of the gloves while maintaining biohazard protection
Solution Approach 2:
The device segments the contact interface into two distinct parts: the handle portion that contacts the user's hand and the base portion that contacts the vessel. This segmentation ensures that the glove remains clean by preventing direct contact with potentially contaminated vessel surfaces, while still providing reliable biohazard protection during handling operations
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 safe, efficient, and ergonomic handling of vessels, reducing the risk of contamination and damage while facilitating removal from instruments and improving handling in laboratory environments.
Implementation Method 1
The plate handling device includes a plurality of biasing members adapted to produce a constant force on the plate when the plate is held by the base
Implementation Method 2
The plate interfacing members are tapered for easy alignment and self-centering of the plate handling device with respect to the plate
Implementation Method 3
a base having a first and second base member configured to hold a plate, wherein the base is adapted to expand and contract to secure the plate to the plate handling device
Data Source
AI summary
A plate handling device includes a base having a first and second base member configured to hold a plate. The base is adapted to expand and contract to secure the plate to the plate handling device. The plate handling device includes a handle having an upper end and a lower end, and the handle is adapted to actuate the expanding and contracting of the base to secure and hold the plate. An outer handle member is fixedly attached to the first base member. A user interface member is fixedly attached to the second base member, is pivotably attached to the lower end of the handle, and is pivotably receivable in portions of the outer handle member.