Elastically Coupled Rocking Platforms for Liquid Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pathohistological and laboratory-diagnostic studies face challenges with miniaturization, where a significant volume of liquid adheres to surfaces, making efficient removal difficult, and individual sample treatment is cumbersome, leading to interference in subsequent method steps and reduced reaction yield.
Innovation Solution
An incubation device with multiple rocking platforms, each mounted tiltably and coupled to a common drive unit via an elastic coupling mechanism, allowing for flexible and synchronized rocking movements, enabling efficient liquid distribution and individual sample processing without interrupting ongoing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If miniaturization is implemented to save reagents and space, then the ratio of liquid volume held back by capillary forces and adhesion on surfaces increases, but this makes efficient liquid removal difficult and interferes with subsequent method steps
Solution Approach 1:
The incubation tray is designed to be tiltable about its transverse axis, enabling dynamic position changes. By tilting the tray, liquid can be efficiently removed through gravity-driven flow to collection channels located at the longitudinal ends, solving the problem of liquid adhesion in miniaturized formats
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a spatial dimension by incorporating longitudinal ends and transverse tilting capability. Liquid removal is achieved by utilizing the longitudinal dimension through collection channels at the ends, transforming the static liquid retention problem into a dynamic flow solution through dimensional exploitation
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual sample treatment is implemented, then sample processing flexibility improves, but this requires elaborate individual driving and processing mechanisms that increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides multiple samples into separate incubation trays, each capable of independent tilting. This segmentation allows individual sample treatment while using a common drive unit with elastic coupling mechanisms to reduce overall system complexity compared to fully individualized driving mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
A common drive unit serves multiple incubation trays simultaneously through elastic coupling mechanisms. This universal drive system provides individual sample treatment capability without requiring separate complex driving mechanisms for each tray, achieving versatility with reduced complexity
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
This solution allows for efficient liquid distribution and individual treatment of biological samples, reducing manual dexterity requirements, minimizing contamination risks, and enhancing flexibility and safety in processing multiple samples simultaneously.
Implementation Method 1
each of the respective rocking platforms is coupled to the drive unit by means of a respective coupling mechanism, and each of the respective coupling mechanisms elastically resiliently couples the respective rocking platform to the drive unit
Data Source
AI summary
An incubation device has multiple rocking platforms with each platform pivotally mounted about a respective axis. Each rocking platform has a respective receiving device for mechanically reversibly receiving a respective incubation channel. The device also has a common drive unit for common respective rocking movements of each platform from a zero position through with a specific angle range as a result of movement of the drive unit. Each rocking platform is coupled to the drive unit via a respective coupling mechanism, and each coupling mechanism elastically and resiliently couples the respective rocking platform to the drive unit, such that when the rocking platform is restrained, despite continuation of the drive movement, the rocking platform remains motionless in a fixed position. After release of the restraint on the rocking platform, the rocking platform resumes the rocking movement with the specific angle range.