Reagent Bottle Aspiration Pipe Slosh Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reagent containers for automated analyzers suffer from reagent sloshing issues due to inertial forces, leading to pipetting errors, level sensing errors, and pipette contamination, and have shortcomings such as inadequate slosh protection, bubble and aerosol formation, high dead volume, and limitations on bottle fill rate.
Innovation Solution
A reagent container design featuring an elongated blow-molded bottle with a pipe affixed to the bottle opening, where the pipe has a tube wall with a single aperture at the bottom end, and a controlled surface on the bottle bottom wall that slopes to reduce dead volume and stabilize reagents, minimizing sloshing effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If reagent containers are presented in rapid succession on a rotating turntable, then test throughput is improved, but reagent sloshing increases causing pipetting errors and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the specially designed aspiration pipe with aperture and baffle system) that mediates between the moving reagent container and the stationary pipetting system. This intermediary absorbs and dampens the sloshing motion, allowing rapid container presentation while maintaining pipetting accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The aspiration pipe design includes features that cushion reagent motion before it can cause problems. The baffle structure and aperture positioning create a damping effect that prevents sloshing from reaching the aspiration tip, effectively cushioning the system against inertial forces during rapid movement.
2Reliability
If pipes and baffles are added to reduce reagent sloshing, then pipetting accuracy is improved, but dead volume increases and bubble formation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the aperture and baffle features at specific locations within the aspiration pipe rather than using extensive piping throughout the container. The aperture is strategically placed near the bottom, and the baffle is positioned to intercept sloshing motion only where needed, minimizing overall dead volume while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The aspiration pipe is segmented into functional zones: the aperture region for aspiration, the baffle region for slosh reduction, and the vent region for pressure equalization. This segmentation allows each feature to perform its specific function with minimal interference, reducing the total volume required compared to a continuous baffle system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If ventilation holes are added to the pipe wall, then pressure equalization is improved, but blocking by liquid film occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the ventilation function from a two-dimensional hole in the pipe wall to a three-dimensional space above the reagent surface. The vent aperture is positioned at the top of the aspiration pipe, allowing vapor and air to escape without requiring holes in the pipe wall that could be blocked by liquid films.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating holes in the pipe wall for ventilation (which risks blocking), the patent inverts the approach by providing a large open vent at the top of the pipe. This reverses the ventilation path from horizontal (through wall holes) to vertical (through the top opening), eliminating the blocking problem.
4Strength
If the pipe opening takes up the entire bottle opening, then structural support is improved, but attachment consistency deteriorates due to varying internal surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bottle opening structure into two parts: the large outer bottle opening for structural support and access, and a smaller inner pipe opening for precise pipe attachment. This segmentation allows each opening to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the pipe collar or attachment flange) that mediates between the irregular inner bottle surface and the pipe. This intermediary provides a standardized attachment surface that compensates for variations in the blow-molded bottle geometry, ensuring consistent pipe positioning despite surface irregularities.
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 design effectively reduces reagent sloshing, minimizes dead volume, and prevents bubble and aerosol formation, enhancing the stability and efficiency of reagent transfer during automated analysis.
Implementation Method 1
reagents in the containers are subject to a variety of inertial forces. These forces include centrifugal force that accelerates the reagents radially outwardly, Coriolis force that accelerates particles of fluid perpendicularly to their velocity
Implementation Method 2
Reagent waves slosh through the reagent container, altering the local height of reagent even after motion stops
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An embodiment of a reagent container includes a bottle with a pipe to reduce the effects of reagent sloshing. The bottle has an elongated base and an opposed cover connected by side walls and an end wall. A flat platform surrounded by a raised rim lies in the base opposite an opening in the cover. A ribbed pipe frictionally fits within the bottle opening and may attach to the anchor region leaving vent passages around the pipe. The pipe includes an aperture adjacent to the anchor region and oriented toward the end wall so that sloshed fluid has only a small effect on the level of reagent in the pipe during transfers. A modified blow molding process produces the anchor region by extending a pin a predetermined distance into a mold while the molded material is still plastic.