Reagent Container Piercing Lid for Automated Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reagent containers for automatic analyzing devices are bulky, difficult to open, require strong probes for piercing, and suffer from contamination and inaccurate liquid level detection due to cap design and hinge mechanisms, making them inefficient for holding multiple reagents in a compact and balanced manner.
Innovation Solution
A reagent container design featuring a container body with multiple open holding sections sealed by sheet-like seal members and a lid with hollow piercing sections that allow easy piercing and insertion of probes, reducing the need for probe strength and minimizing contamination, while ensuring accurate liquid level detection through capacitive methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a screw cap is used to seal the reagent container opening, then the container can be sealed, but the cap size must be greater than the opening size making the container bulky and difficult to downsize
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into a lid body and a separate seal member. The seal member can be detached and replaced, allowing the lid to be downsized without compromising sealing functionality. This segmentation enables the container to be compact while maintaining ease of operation through simple seal replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is designed as a disposable component that can be easily replaced. This allows the lid to be minimized in size since the sealing function is provided by the consumable seal member rather than a bulky permanent cap structure.
2Ease of operation
If a pipette is used to pierce the screw cap, then reagent can be accessed without manual cap removal, but the pipette requires sufficient strength to pierce the cap while remaining thin for accurate liquid handling
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing function is separated from the probe. The lid includes a piercing member that is specifically designed to pierce the seal member, while the probe remains thin for accurate liquid handling. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing member acts as an intermediary between the probe and the seal member. It transfers the piercing action to the seal member, allowing the thin probe to access reagents without requiring the probe itself to have sufficient piercing strength.
3Productivity
If the pipette is pulled out after sucking reagent, then reagent can be retrieved, but liquid adheres to the cap hole and pipette causing contamination and inaccurate liquid level detection
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is extracted as a separate, removable component. After the probe retrieves the reagent, the seal member can be removed to prevent liquid adhesion and contamination. This extraction eliminates the source of the contamination problem while maintaining efficient reagent retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is designed as a disposable component that is replaced after use. This prevents liquid adhesion and contamination issues, ensuring accurate liquid level detection while maintaining productivity in reagent retrieval operations.
4Extent of automation
If a hinge mechanism lid is provided for automatic opening/closing, then operation is automated, but the container structure becomes more complex and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simple pull-type opening mechanism. The lid can be opened by simply pulling it off the container body, eliminating the need for complex hinge mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation and reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical hinge system is replaced with a simpler pull-off mechanism. This substitution reduces the complexity of the container structure while maintaining automated-like operation through the simple pulling action required to open the lid.
5Reliability
If a screw cap is used to seal the container, then the container can be sealed, but individual caps must be opened one by one requiring time and effort when there are many caps
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple seal members are merged into a single lid structure that can be opened simultaneously. The lid includes multiple openings with corresponding seal members that can be removed together, allowing multiple reagent containers to be accessed at once, thereby reducing the time and effort required compared to opening individual caps one by one.
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 enables compact storage of multiple reagents, easy opening and operation, prevents contamination, and ensures accurate liquid level detection, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of reagent handling in automatic analyzing devices.
Implementation Method 1
the seal member is pierced by pressing the lid onto the container body from above
Implementation Method 2
a probe of an automatic analyzing device is inserted to suck the reagent
Implementation Method 3
The adherence of the liquid to the cap may lead to an erroneous detection of the liquid level of the reagent when detected by a capacitance measurement
Data Source
AI summary
A reagent container having a plurality of open holding sections, each holding a reagent and into which a probe is inserted to suck the reagent. An opening of each of the holding sections is sealed with at least one sheet-like seal member. The reagent container includes a container body and a lid having a plurality of hollow piercing sections, formed on a lower surface of the lid, protruding downward for piercing the seal member at each of the openings, and openings, formed in an upper surface of the lid, communicating with piercing sections respectively to allow the probe to be inserted therethrough or withdrawn therefrom.