Polymer Cartridge Verification for Capillary Sequencer Reagent Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and wastage of electrophoresis polymer in capillary sequencers due to the inclusion of a polymer block, leading to unnecessary consumption and maintenance operations, and the risk of analysis accuracy issues with informal or reused containers.
Innovation Solution
An analysis system and method that utilizes a capillary sequencer without a polymer block, where the polymer is used in a consumable bottle form, and includes a transmission device to acquire and transmit reagent filling container information to a server for collation and determination of its suitability for analysis, issuing warnings if specifications are not met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polymer block is included in the capillary sequencer, then the device can maintain polymer for analysis, but polymer consumption increases and maintenance operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the polymer block component from the sequencer device, extracting the polymer storage function from the device itself. Polymer is now supplied only through consumable bottles, eliminating the need for a separate polymer block that requires maintenance and causes waste through cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The consumable bottle serves multiple functions: it stores polymer, provides it to the capillary, and can be directly mounted on the device without requiring a separate polymer block. This multi-functional design eliminates redundant components and reduces overall polymer consumption.
2Productivity
If a polymer block is included in the capillary sequencer, then polymer can be reused, but maintenance operations and cleaning are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a disposable consumable bottle design where polymer is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the need for maintaining and cleaning a reusable polymer block, reducing maintenance time and operational complexity while ensuring consistent analysis quality.
3Loss of substance
If informal or reused polymer containers are used, then cost is reduced, but analysis accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates an identification system that reads information from the consumable bottle and transmits it to a server for verification. This feedback mechanism ensures that only authenticated, proper polymer containers are used, preventing the use of informal or reused containers that could compromise analysis accuracy while still providing cost benefits through efficient polymer usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The authenticity of the polymer container is verified in advance through the identification system before analysis begins. This preliminary verification ensures that only suitable, authenticated containers are used, preventing potential accuracy issues before they occur.
4Quantity of substance
If manual ordering of reagents is performed, then inventory control is possible, but operational task increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors polymer inventory levels and performs ordering operations without manual intervention. The identification system tracks consumable bottle usage, and the server handles reordering automatically, eliminating the manual ordering task while maintaining proper inventory control.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual ordering process is replaced with an automated information system that uses identification data, network communication, and server processing to manage reagent inventory and ordering, transforming a manual operational task into an automated information-based system.
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
Reduces polymer consumption and maintenance costs, ensures analysis accuracy by verifying the authenticity and compliance of polymer containers, and automates inventory management and ordering, thereby enhancing cost-effectiveness and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
This polymer exhibits a molecular sieve effect, and plays a role of developing various DNA that are filled in a proximal end of the capillary and have different base lengths depending on molecular weights.
Implementation Method 2
A DNA sequencer that uses this Sanger method is referred to as a capillary sequencer. In the capillary sequencer that uses the Sanger method, a capillary tube that is referred to as a capillary is filled with a polymer that is a separation medium.
Data Source
AI summary
An analysis system includes: an analyzer that performs an analysis using polymer filled in a polymer cartridge, acquires attribute information on the polymer cartridge, and transmits the attribute information to the outside; and a server that acquires the attribute information on the polymer cartridge transmitted from the analyzer, collates the attribute information with attribute information stored in a database, and transmits to the analyzer a determination result obtained by determining whether or not the polymer cartridge in which polymer corresponding to the collated attribute information has been filled already is proper as an object to be set on the analyzer.