Sample Rack Front Chamber for Condensation-Free Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic analyzers face issues with sample dilution due to condensation in containers, particularly when samples are warmed from low temperatures, leading to inaccurate analysis results, especially with minute sample amounts.
Innovation Solution
The automatic analyzer incorporates a front chamber with temperature and humidity control units to manage temperature differences, using heaters and cooling fans to stabilize sample containers before analysis, preventing condensation and maintaining accurate sample volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If samples are warmed from cold storage to room temperature, then dispensation accuracy improves, but condensation occurs in containers causing sample dilution
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary warming of samples in a controlled warming chamber before dispensation, and pre-drying of container exteriors using heating elements and airflow, to prevent condensation during the warming process and ensure accurate dispensation
Solution Approach 2:
A controlled environment chamber serves as an intermediary between cold storage and room temperature, providing gradual temperature transition and humidity control to prevent condensation while warming samples to dispensation temperature
2Stability of the object's composition
If samples are kept in cold storage, then sample stability is maintained, but viscosity increases when taken out
Solution Approach 1:
Samples are preliminarily warmed in a controlled chamber before being transferred to the dispensation station, ensuring they reach optimal temperature for accurate dispensation while maintaining compositional stability through controlled warming conditions
3Measurement precision
If minute sample amounts are dispensed, then measurement precision is improved, but condensation has greater relative impact on accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-condensation measures including heating elements and airflow drying before and during the dispensation of minute sample amounts, preventing condensation from forming on container exteriors and contaminating the sample
Solution Approach 2:
A controlled humidity environment chamber acts as an intermediary during the dispensation of minute samples, preventing external humidity from condensing on the small sample volumes and compromising measurement accuracy
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 approach inhibits condensation, ensuring accurate sample dispensation and analysis by controlling temperature and humidity, reducing the need for sample re-collection and minimizing operational burdens.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature control unit that controls a temperature of the inside of the front chamber to a value between a temperature outside the cold storage and a temperature inside the cold storage
Implementation Method 2
a humidity control unit that controls a humidity inside the front chamber
Implementation Method 3
using heaters and cooling fans to stabilize sample containers before analysis
Implementation Method 4
using heaters and cooling fans to stabilize sample containers before analysis
Data Source
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AI summary
An automatic analyzer includes a transportation line 102 that executes carrying-in/out of a sample rack 203 in which a sample is mounted from/to an analyzation unit 107, a cold storage 104 that cools a plurality of the sample racks 203 in which the sample having been measured in the analyzation unit 107 is mounted, a transportation control unit 121a that executes operation control for carrying-in of the sample rack 203 from the transportation line 102 to the cold storage 104 and operation control for carrying-out of the sample rack 203 from the cold storage 104 to the transportation line 102, a front chamber 103 that is disposed between the cold storage 104 and the transportation line 102, the inner space of the front chamber 103 being shielded from the outside, and a temperature/humidity control unit 121b that controls temperature of the inside of the front chamber 103 to temperature/humidity between those of the outside of the cold storage 104 and those of the inside of the cold storage 104.