Rotary Clamp for Automated Culture Medium Inoculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated inoculation devices are limited to using only one type of inoculation tool and cannot securely grip or unscrew tools attached to stoppers, restricting their versatility and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A device with a clamp and clamp-holder assembly that can pivot and rotate, allowing it to grip various inoculation tools, including those secured to stoppers, and move along three axes to mimic manual inoculation gestures, featuring a cam-driven mechanism for precise control and a presence sensor for stopper detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed clamp is used for automated inoculation, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot grip multiple types of inoculation tools including those secured to stoppers
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamic one with pivot branches that can rotate and adjust their position. The pivot branches are mounted to pivot between open and closed positions, allowing the clamp to adapt its shape and size to accommodate different inoculation tool configurations, including tools secured to stoppers.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp is designed with universal gripping capability through its rotary mechanism and pivot branches. It can grip various inoculation tools (inoculation loops, Drigalski spatulas, swabs) whether they are free-standing or secured to stoppers, making a single clamp design suitable for multiple inoculation scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a simple clamp is used, then the device is easy to manufacture, but it cannot unscrew stoppers from their supports
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp incorporates a rotary motion capability through its pivot mechanism. The pivot branches can rotate around the stopper, converting the clamp's movement from simple linear opening/closing to rotational motion that enables unscrewing actions on capped containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot branches act as an intermediary mechanism between the clamp body and the stopper. They transmit and transform the motor-driven linear motion into rotational motion that engages with the stopper threads, enabling the unscrewing function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp cannot tilt, then the support structure is simpler, but it cannot replicate manual inoculation gestures
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly is made tiltable through the pivot mechanism connecting it to the support base. This dynamic positioning capability allows the clamp to replicate the tilting motion performed by manual operators during inoculation, enabling realistic simulation of human inoculation gestures.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilting capability adds a rotational degree of freedom to the clamp's movement, transitioning from purely linear XYZ translation to six-degree-of-freedom motion. This enables the clamp to achieve orientations that mimic manual inoculation techniques, such as angled contact with culture media surfaces.
4Productivity
If dedicated inoculators are used for each tool type, then each inoculator is optimized for its specific tool, but the device cannot be used for multiple inoculation types
Solution Approach 1:
A single clamp design with pivot branches and rotary capability serves multiple inoculation tool types and configurations. This universal clamp can grip inoculation loops, Drigalski spatulas, swabs, and tools secured to stoppers, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated inoculators while maintaining effective gripping for each tool type.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic pivot mechanism allows the clamp to adjust its geometry to match different tool shapes and sizes. This adaptability enables one clamp design to perform the function of multiple dedicated inoculators, achieving versatility without sacrificing gripping effectiveness for specific tool types.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for automated inoculation of a culture medium, the device being of the type comprising:a clamp (2) suitable for gripping the inoculation tool;a clamp-holder (3);a support base (4) carrying the assembly formed by the clamp (2) and the clamp-holder (3); anda support structure (5) for supporting the support base (4) and for enabling the support base (4) to be moved along three axes.The device is characterized in that the assembly formed by the clamp (2) and the clamp-holder (3) is an assembly mounted to move in pivoting in such a manner that it is tiltable relative to the support base (4), in that the clamp (2) is fitted with pivot branches (6) mounted to pivot between two positions, one being an open position and the other being a closed position, pivoting being driven by drive means (7) preferably acting on return means (8), and in that the clamp (2) is a rotary clamp mounted to revolve about an axis (BB′) that is transverse and preferably orthogonal to the pivot axis (AA′) of the branches (6) of the clamp (2).