Reagent Container Shield Plate for Spatter Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The increased centrifugal force and high-speed rotation of reagent containers in automatic analysis apparatuses lead to reagent spattering, which can stain identification labels and cause reading failures, especially with larger capacity containers.

Innovation Solution

A reagent container design featuring a second opening with an attachable/detachable lid equipped with an air vent and shield plates to prevent spattering, where the air vent has an area equal to or greater than the first opening, and a wave motion preventing tube to manage reagent oscillation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the reagent container capacity is increased to reduce frequent replacement, then the productivity is improved, but the reagent spatters out during high-speed rotation due to increased centrifugal force and impact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereagent container capacityVSAvoidreagent spattering
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A shield plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the reagent and the air vent. The shield plate intercepts the spattering reagent before it can reach the air vent and escape to the exterior, thus resolving the contradiction by allowing large capacity containers to rotate at high speed without reagent spattering

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The shield plate is positioned in advance to counteract the spattering motion of the reagent. By placing the shield plate between the reagent bulk and the air vent opening, it preemptively blocks the harmful spattering trajectory before the reagent can reach the vent, preventing the contradiction from manifesting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Loss of time

If the reagent container capacity is increased to avoid frequent replacement, then the loss of time is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to reagent spattering that stains identification labels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for reagent replacementVSAvoididentification label readability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The shield plate serves as a protective intermediary that blocks reagent spatter from reaching the identification label and window areas. This allows the use of large capacity reagent containers without compromising label readability, thus maintaining reliability while reducing replacement frequency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The shield plate converts the harmful spattering motion into a beneficial containment effect. By redirecting the spatter away from critical areas (identification label and window), the shield plate transforms the problematic high-speed rotation into a safe operating condition for large capacity containers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 reagent spattering during high-speed rotation, maintaining label readability and ensuring reliable analysis results by reducing the likelihood of reagent stains on identification labels and windows.

Implementation Method 1

a reagent disc on which a plurality of the reagent containers are placed; a reaction container for making the reagent in the reagent container react with a specimen to be analyzed; and a reagent dispensing probe for sucking the reagent from the reagent container on the reagent disc and dispensing the reagent into the reaction container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP2916135B1Reagent container and automated analyzer
Publication Date: 2018.05.02 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2916135B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2916135B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2916135B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A reagent container used in an automatic analysis apparatus capable of preventing reagent in the reagent container from spattering out of the reagent container even when the reagent container with large capacity is rotated at a high speed and an automatic analysis apparatus using the reagent container are provided. A reagent container 12 for an automatic analysis apparatus has a first opening 27 used for sucking reagent and a second opening 28 used for the filling of the reagent. The second opening 28 is provided with an attachable/detachable lid 29. The lid 29 is provided with an air vent 33, a first shield plate 30 and a second shield plate 31 for preventing spattering of the reagent through the air vent 33 due to a wave motion of the reagent.