Rinse Basin Blower System for Pipette Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods for testing instruments in laboratories are slow and ineffective, leading to residual reagent and water carryover, which can contaminate subsequent experiments and delay testing processes.
Innovation Solution
A blower system integrated with a rinse basin, featuring a hollow tube with tapered lower port and upper port, separates air from liquid using a waste reservoir and dryer, and exhausts dry air to efficiently clean pipettes and other instruments, minimizing reagent and water carryover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional cleaning methods are used for testing instruments, then the cleaning process is simple to operate, but the cleaning speed is slow and effectiveness is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is divided into distinct functional modules: a rinse basin for initial cleaning, a waste reservoir for liquid collection and separation, and a dryer for final drying. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, improving overall cleaning speed while keeping each individual component relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a blower to generate high-speed air flow that forces liquid waste upward through the rinse basin and into the waste reservoir. This pneumatic mechanism replaces traditional manual or mechanical cleaning methods, significantly increasing cleaning speed and effectiveness without requiring complex mechanical structures.
2Reliability
If traditional cleaning methods are used, then the equipment structure is simple, but residual reagent and water carryover occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The waste reservoir acts as an intermediary component between the rinse basin and the exhaust system. It receives liquid waste forced upward by high-speed air, separates liquid from air, and prevents residual reagent and water carryover. This intermediary structure ensures thorough cleaning without requiring complex additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower port of the hollow tube is tapered to create a specific flow pattern that directs liquid waste upward. This local structural modification optimizes the flow dynamics in the critical separation zone, ensuring effective removal of residuals without complicating the overall system design.
3Reliability
If cleaning is performed repeatedly on reused instruments, then sterile environment is maintained, but time is lost due to slow cleaning process
Solution Approach 1:
The blower system provides continuous high-speed air flow through the rinse basin, maintaining constant cleaning action. The waste reservoir continuously separates liquid from air, and the dryer continuously dries the cleaned instrument. This continuous operation eliminates idle time between cleaning stages, reducing total cleaning time while maintaining sterile conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the cleaning process by using high-speed air flow instead of slow liquid rinsing. The blower generates high-velocity air that rapidly removes liquid waste, and the dryer uses continued high-speed air flow to evaporate remaining moisture. These parameter changes dramatically reduce cleaning time while ensuring sterile results.
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 system provides quick, robust, and efficient cleaning of testing instruments, ensuring a sterile environment and improving the reliability of analytical test results by effectively removing residual reagents and water, thus reducing contamination and speeding up the testing process.
Implementation Method 1
high speed air flow to pull liquid upward through a rinse basin
Implementation Method 2
The air stream is pulled into a waste reservoir, which can separate the liquid from the air
Implementation Method 3
The air can then be pulled into a dryer, which can further separate any remaining liquid from the air
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment provides a rinse basin and blower system configured to clean a pipette including: a rinse basin comprising: a hollow tube enclosed at one end; wherein the hollow tube comprises an upper port and a lower port; and the lower port being tapered toward the hollow tube; and wherein the rinse basin is connected to a blower system; the blower system comprising: a waste reservoir that receives, from the rinse basin, a waste product comprising: air and liquid, wherein the waste reservoir separates the liquid from the air; a dryer that receives the air from the waste reservoir and further separates any remaining liquid from the air; and a blower that receives the air from the dryer and exhausts the air.