Rotatable Tube Rack Holder for Parallel Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-throughput laboratory procedures require efficient sample mixing and agitation, but existing test tube rotators are limited by batch size, manual labor requirements, and lack of standardization, leading to inefficiencies and sample integrity issues.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable tube rack holder with radially extending plates and compartments that allow secure attachment of multiple test tubes, enabling parallel agitation and conforming to industry standards for easy transfer between instruments, along with a locking mechanism for secure tube placement and a bearing system for stability and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If test tubes are processed one at a time in existing rotators, then mixing can be performed, but the number of samples that can be agitated in parallel is limited and manual labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is divided into multiple compartments (first, second, third compartments) that can independently hold tube racks, allowing multiple sets of test tubes to be processed in parallel. Each compartment can be loaded and unloaded independently, reducing manual labor while increasing throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
Tube racks are nested within compartments of the holder, and multiple compartments are integrated into a single rotatable holder structure. This nested arrangement allows multiple tube racks to be accommodated simultaneously, enabling parallel processing of multiple sample sets.
2Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary tube racks are used in existing rotators, then batch handling is possible, but the racks do not conform to industry standards and cannot be transferred to other instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed with compartments that accommodate standard tube rack dimensions, making it compatible with industry standards (such as 96-well plate formats). This universal design allows the same holder to be used across different laboratory instruments including centrifuges, incubators, and rotators, eliminating the need for proprietary racks.
3Speed
If vigorous vortexing is used for mixing, then mixing speed is high, but sample integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rotator performs periodic inversion movements, rotating the holder through 360 degrees and back, repeatedly flipping the tube racks upside down and right-side up. This periodic action provides thorough mixing through gentle gravitational forces and controlled movement, avoiding the high-speed mechanical stress of vortexing while ensuring complete mixing of samples.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a rotatable tube rack holder for a tube rack rotator device, comprising: one or more plate(s) extending radially from an axis of rotation; one or more compartment(s) for tightly holding one or more tube rack(s) configured to hold a plurality of tubes, said compartment(s) is/are attached to at least one side of said plate(s); and one locking mechanism for each of said compartment and configured such that when said tube rack(s) holding a plurality of said tubes is/are placed inside said compartment, said tubes are restricted from moving in a direction perpendicular to said plate.