Pyramidal Cuvette with Curved Surfaces for Single-Vessel Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cuvettes require multiple vessels for analysis, leading to increased handling, material usage, and time consumption, which complicates the analysis process and reduces efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A cuvette with pyramidal inner and outer surfaces connected by curved surfaces, featuring a cone and ring design that allows for single-vessel analysis, incorporating a hook-shaped locking element and optical lens functionality for enhanced light refraction and sensitivity, and a suction needle with a 45° incline for efficient liquid handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple vessels are used for analysis, then the analysis process is more robust, but handling complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis robustnessVSAvoidhandling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate vessels into a single integrated cuvette with multiple chambers. Each chamber can hold different liquids or samples, allowing multiple analysis steps to occur in one vessel. This eliminates the need to transfer samples between multiple vessels, reducing handling complexity while maintaining analysis robustness through the integrated multi-chamber design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple vessels are used for analysis, then comprehensive analysis is possible, but material usage and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis comprehensivenessVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cuvette integrates multiple chambers that can simultaneously hold different samples or reagents, allowing comprehensive analysis to be performed in a single vessel. This eliminates sequential transfer operations between multiple vessels, significantly reducing time consumption while maintaining the ability to perform comprehensive multi-parameter analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single cuvette is designed to perform multiple functions - it can hold different types of samples, reagents, and control solutions in its various chambers. This multi-functional design allows comprehensive analysis of multiple parameters or samples without requiring separate specialized vessels for each type of analysis, reducing both time and material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional cuvette geometry is used, then manufacturing is simple, but optical measurement sensitivity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidoptical sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cuvette incorporates curved surfaces and optimized geometric shapes in its chamber design. These curved geometries are specifically designed to enhance light refraction and focusing properties, improving optical measurement sensitivity. The curved surfaces help concentrate light paths and reduce stray light, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity while remaining manufacturable using standard molding techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

Facilitates single-vessel analysis, reduces material usage, enhances sensitivity through improved light refraction, and simplifies liquid mixing and handling, while maintaining precise optical measurements and efficient stacking.

Implementation Method 1

The bottom end of the cavity of the cuvette (10) comprises a concave and/or convex surface representing an optical lens

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight refraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3722785B1Sample cuvette
Publication Date: 2022.11.30 STRATEC SE
  • EP3722785B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP3722785B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a cuvette comprising a pyramidal shaped cavity with four sides surfaces, which are connected to each other by curves, wherein side surfaces and curves merge into a transition area that is located above a ring followed by a cone above the bottom of the pyramidally shaped cavity.