Removable Imaging Cassette With Power Disconnect for Safe Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices for biological growth plates face challenges with dust and contaminant buildup, which impede proper operation and create biohazardous conditions, and manual cleaning is difficult due to inaccessible components.
Innovation Solution
A removable cassette design for the imaging device that allows for easy maintenance, featuring a feed mechanism with a drive wheel, motor, and illumination plate, along with a power disconnect mechanism that isolates the cassette from the power source during removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the imaging device uses a fixed integrated design, then device functionality is maintained, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult due to inaccessible components
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device is divided into a main body and a removable cassette that houses the feed mechanism. The cassette can be easily detached from the main body, providing access to previously inaccessible components for cleaning and maintenance while maintaining the overall device functionality.
2Ease of repair
If the feed mechanism is made accessible for cleaning, then maintenance ease improves, but device complexity increases due to removable components
Solution Approach 1:
The feed mechanism is segmented into a separate removable cassette that can be easily detached for maintenance. This segmentation allows technicians to access and clean the feed mechanism without disassembling the entire device, significantly improving maintenance ease while the modular design keeps the added complexity manageable.
3Reliability
If the cassette remains connected to power source during removal, then electrical connectivity is maintained, but risk of electrical damage and biohazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection between the cassette and main body is extracted as a separate function that automatically disengages when the cassette is removed. This ensures that the cassette is electrically isolated during removal and cleaning operations, eliminating the risk of electrical damage and reducing biohazard exposure to technicians.
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 easy access for cleaning and maintenance, reducing the risk of biohazardous conditions and electrical damage, while maintaining device functionality.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination plate configured to transmit light
Data Source
AI summary
The technology disclosed herein relates to, at least in part, a removable imaging cassette. An illumination plate is configured to transmit light. A cassette body defines an outer surface and a cassette cavity within the outer surface, where the outer surface surrounds the illumination plate. The cassette cavity abuts the illumination plate. A light source is disposed in the cassette cavity. Mating electrical contacts extend through the outer surface of the cassette body, where the mating electrical contacts are operably coupled to the light source.