Porous Pouch Analysis Bag for Microbial Culture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current culture broth packaging is bulky, expensive to transport, has a short shelf life, and requires time-consuming reconstitution processes, leading to musculoskeletal disorders and increased risks of contamination.
Innovation Solution
A portable analysis bag containing culture broth powder that can be reconstituted with sterile water, using a pouch with a porous interface to facilitate water circulation and powder retention, reducing the number of handling steps and storage costs, and extending the product's shelf life through sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If culture broth is packaged as liquid in bottles or pouches, then microbial cultivation is enabled, but transportation costs increase and storage becomes difficult due to voluminous and substantial packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The culture broth is transformed from liquid state to powder state, fundamentally changing its physical parameter. This allows the same amount of active substance to be packed in much smaller, lighter containers, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining adequate culture broth quantity and reducing packaging weight and volume for transportation and storage
Solution Approach 2:
The culture broth is segmented into powder form that can be easily distributed in small portions within the analysis bag, allowing the total volume to be reduced while maintaining functionality. The powder can be reconstituted as needed, enabling flexible quantity management without requiring large bulk packaging
2Quantity of substance
If culture broth is packaged as liquid in bottles or pouches, then microbial cultivation is enabled, but the packaging becomes voluminous and substantial making storage difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The culture broth is transformed from liquid state to powder state, fundamentally changing its physical parameter. This allows the same amount of active substance to be packed in much smaller, lighter containers, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining adequate culture broth quantity and reducing packaging volume for storage
Solution Approach 2:
The culture broth is segmented into powder form that can be easily distributed in small portions within the analysis bag, allowing the total volume to be reduced while maintaining functionality. The powder can be reconstituted as needed, enabling flexible quantity management without requiring large bulk packaging
3Reliability
If culture broth is packaged as liquid in bottles or pouches, then microbial cultivation is enabled, but the duration until expiration becomes short requiring use within 48 hours
Solution Approach 1:
The analysis bag is pre-sterilized before use, and the powder formulation is designed to maintain sterility during storage. This preliminary preparation of the sterile environment allows the product to maintain its expiration date extension without compromising reliability, as the sterility is established in advance and maintained through the extended storage period
Solution Approach 2:
The powder formulation changes the storage parameters compared to liquid form. The powder state with controlled humidity and oxygen exposure allows for extended shelf life while maintaining sterility, directly addressing the contradiction between short expiration duration and reliable sterility maintenance
4Weight of moving object
If culture broth is packaged as powder, then storage and transportation costs are reduced, but the reconstitution process becomes time consuming requiring multiple manipulations
Solution Approach 1:
The analysis bag combines the powder storage function with the reconstitution function in a single integrated system. The bag includes features such as water reservoirs or pre-measured liquid compartments that merge the storage and reconstitution steps, eliminating the need for separate manipulation steps and reducing overall time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The analysis bag is designed to facilitate self-service reconstitution through user-friendly features such as pre-cut openings, pre-measured powder amounts, and integrated water addition ports. This allows the user to reconstitute the culture broth quickly without requiring complex manual procedures, reducing the time loss associated with powder reconstitution
5Weight of moving object
If culture broth is packaged as powder, then storage and transportation costs are reduced, but the reconstitution process requires multiple steps increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The analysis bag combines the powder storage function with the reconstitution function in a single integrated system. The bag includes features such as water reservoirs or pre-measured liquid compartments that merge the storage and reconstitution steps, eliminating the need for separate manipulation steps and reducing overall time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The reconstitution process is segmented into simple, sequential steps integrated within the analysis bag design, such as opening a flap, adding water through a designated port, and mixing. This segmentation simplifies the complex powder reconstitution process into manageable, straightforward actions, reducing perceived complexity
6Quantity of substance
If large capacity bottles are used for powder reconstitution, then more culture broth can be prepared, but manipulation becomes difficult increasing risk of musculoskeletal disorders
Solution Approach 1:
The analysis bag divides the culture broth preparation into small, manageable portions that can be easily manipulated. Instead of requiring large capacity bottles that are difficult to handle, the bag contains pre-measured powder amounts that can be quickly reconstituted in the required quantities, eliminating the need for large, cumbersome containers while maintaining adequate culture broth volume for the analysis
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
The solution reduces handling steps, minimizes musculoskeletal disorders, lowers storage and transportation costs, and extends the shelf life of culture broth, thereby reducing contamination risks and improving microbial culturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The pouch can have a porous interface allowing water circulation while retaining the powder
Data Source
AI summary
An analysis bag for receiving a biological sample for microbial culture with a culture broth powder disposed within an inner volume of the container and retained by a porous wall. The culture broth powder can be disposed in at least one pouch comprising an envelope of porous material with an open inner volume. The container can have two compartments sharing a common porous wall with one compartment adapted to receive the culture broth powder and the other compartment adapted to receive the biological sample. The pouch can be manufactured with a panel of porous material folded over and sealed with the culture broth powder retained therein. A microbial culture process can be implemented with such analysis bags retaining at least one pouch or having compartments separated by a common porous wall.