Reagent Container Set With Beveled Holding Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional reagent container sets experience difficulties in maintaining the position of reagent and waste fluid containers during transport, leading to dislocation and challenging tube insertion, which complicates handling and increases the risk of damage from impact shocks.

Innovation Solution

A reagent container set with a container holding member that secures reagent and waste fluid containers at predetermined positions, featuring a top surface and side surfaces with beveled corners for easy insertion, flexible waste fluid containers with gas cushioning for impact protection, and a container support system to align aspiration and discharge openings for easier tube insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the reagent container and waste fluid container are placed adjacent to each other without a holding member, then the device complexity is reduced, but the containers become dislocated during transport making tube insertion difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidtube insertion ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container holding member is divided into a top surface part for supporting containers and side surface parts extending downward, with bottom corners beveled for easy insertion. This segmentation allows the holding member to be inserted as a separate component into the box, simplifying assembly while ensuring containers are securely positioned for easy tube insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If the container holding member has sharp bottom corners, then the structural strength is improved, but the corners get caught on the box or containers during insertion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholding member strengthVSAvoidinsertion ease
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom corners of the side surface parts are asymmetrically modified with beveled surfaces. This asymmetric design maintains the overall structural strength of the holding member while creating smooth leading edges that prevent catching on the box or containers during insertion, facilitating easier assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Manufacturing precision

If the waste fluid container is rigid, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the impact shocks during transport damage the reagent container

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer shape precisionVSAvoidimpact shock damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The waste fluid container changes its physical parameter from rigid to flexible. This flexibility allows the container to deform and absorb impact shocks during transport, protecting the reagent container from damage while maintaining sufficient manufacturing precision for its intended function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If the openings are not pre-aligned, then the adaptability is improved, but the tube insertion becomes difficult when containers are dislocated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer positioning flexibilityVSAvoidtube insertion ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container holding member pre-aligns the openings of the reagent container and waste fluid container at predetermined positions before use. This preliminary positioning ensures that tubes can be easily inserted without difficulty, even though the holding member itself provides flexible positioning adaptability during transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Prevents dislocation and facilitates easier handling by maintaining the position of reagent and waste fluid containers, reduces damage from impacts through gas cushioning, and simplifies tube insertion by aligning openings, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.

Implementation Method 1

the discharge opening of the waste fluid container is sealed by the cover with gas entrapped within the interior prior to use. According to this configuration, the waste fluid container is cushioned by the cushioning effect of the gas sealed therein during impacts received when the first reagent container is subjected to impact shock during transporting and the like.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas cushioning: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP2275205B1Reagent container set
Publication Date: 2019.03.20 SYSMEX CORP
  • EP2275205B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2275205B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2275205B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A reagent container set is disclosed which comprises: a first reagent container for accommodating a first reagent to be used in a sample analyzer, the top part of the first reagent container having a first aspiration opening for inserting a first reagent aspirating tube to aspirate the first reagent; a waste fluid container for accommodating the first reagent used in the sample analyzer as a waste fluid, the top of the waste fluid container having a discharge opening for inserting a waste fluid discharging tube to discharge the waste fluid into the waste fluid container; a box for accommodating the first reagent container and the waste fluid container; and a container holding member for holding the first reagent container and the waste fluid container so that the first aspiration opening and the discharge opening are disposed at predetermined positions, the container holding member being maintained at a predetermined position within the box.