Sample Cap Clot Detection Before Piercing in Auto Analyzers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blood clots formed on the cap of a sample container can fall into the sample during the sampling process, leading to incorrect measurement results in automatic analyzing apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzing apparatus equipped with a detector to identify blood clots on the cap and a controlling function to prevent the piercer from piercing if a clot is detected, ensuring the cap is cleaned before sampling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the piercer makes a hole on the cap to sample the blood, then the sampling function is achieved, but the blood clot on the cap may fall into the sample container and contaminate the sample
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of blood clots on the cap using an imaging device before the piercer makes the hole. If a clot is detected, the piercing operation is cancelled, preventing the clot from falling into the sample container. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful effect before it occurs while maintaining the sampling function when safe.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses imaging to detect the presence of blood clots on the cap and provides feedback to control whether the piercing operation should proceed. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively decide based on the actual state of the cap, ensuring sampling efficiency when no clot is present while preventing contamination when a clot is detected.
2Ease of operation
If the piercer pierces the cap without detection, then the sampling process is simple and fast, but the blood clot contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
An imaging device is introduced as an intermediary between the piercer and the cap to detect blood clots before piercing. This intermediary component automatically detects potential contamination risks and provides information to control the piercing operation, maintaining process simplicity while eliminating the harmful effect of clot contamination.
3Reliability
If the system detects blood clots and prevents piercing, then sample contamination is avoided, but the analysis process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual visual inspection of the cap with an automated imaging device that detects blood clots. This substitution performs the detection function quickly and automatically as part of the existing workflow, avoiding sample contamination while minimizing additional time loss compared to manual inspection methods.
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
Prevents blood clots from contaminating the sample, thereby ensuring accurate measurement results by the apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a detector that detects a blot on the cap
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic analyzing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a specimen container, a piercer, a detector, and processing circuitry. The specimen container is a container in which a specimen is housed, an opening of the specimen container being sealed by a cap. The piercer pierces the cap by a distal end. The detector detects a blot on the cap. The processing circuitry controls a piercing operation of the piercer.