Slide Support Pin Bases with Solidified Elastomeric Tips
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide imaging apparatuses face challenges with slide support pins made of metal, which can cause slides to slip during fast movement, leading to image discontinuity, and previous solutions like wedged levers or downwardly extending pins either damage the slides or obscure imaging areas.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a stage with slide support pin bases that are filled with a fluid pin surfacing material, which solidifies to form tips with enhanced friction, allowing coplanar surfaces to support slides without the need for precision metal manufacturing, enabling faster image acquisition with reduced slipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal slide support pins are used, then the stage can support slides during movement, but the slides may slip during fast movement causing image discontinuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of a metal pin base combined with a rubber or elastomeric tip material. The metal provides structural support while the rubber tip provides high friction to prevent sliding, resolving the contradiction between support stability and acquisition speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface material parameter of the support pins from metal to rubber/elastomeric material, which has higher friction coefficients. This allows faster stage movement without slide slipping, improving productivity while maintaining reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If precision metal manufacturing is used for slide support pins, then coplanar surfaces can be achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pin into two functional parts: a metal base for structural support and positioning, and a separate rubber tip for friction and coplanarity. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured independently with simpler processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber tip acts as an intermediary between the metal pin base and the slide. It provides the coplanar surface needed for precision while being easier to manufacture than precision metal surfaces, reducing device complexity.
3Reliability
If downward pressure mechanisms like wedged levers are used to prevent sliding, then slide stability improves, but slide damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wedged lever pressure system with a friction-based rubber tip system. The rubber material provides high friction to prevent sliding without applying concentrated mechanical pressure that could damage the slide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from a mechanical pressure application system to a friction-based system using rubber material with high coefficient of friction. This prevents sliding while avoiding the harmful concentrated forces that cause slide damage.
4Reliability
If downwardly extending pins are used to apply pressure, then slide stability improves, but imaging areas are obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure application function from a large downwardly extending pin structure and concentrates it in small rubber tips at the pin endpoints. This maintains slide stability while minimizing the area occupied, preserving imaging areas.
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
The method provides improved friction with glass surfaces, allowing for faster and more efficient image formation by preventing slide slipping, while maintaining image quality and avoiding damage to the slides.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a fluid pin surfacing material configured to solidify into the hole of the slide support pin base
Implementation Method 2
The solid pin surfacing material may have a coefficient of static friction relative to glass of 0.2 or higher
Data Source
AI summary
A method of preparing a stage for use in a slide imaging apparatus including positioning a stage in relation to a flat surface so that the flat surface is positioned in front of the top surfaces of slide support pin bases on the top surface of the stage. The method also includes injecting a fluid pin surfacing material configured to solidify into the hole of each slide support pin base so that at least some of the fluid pin surfacing material exits the hole at the top surface of the slide support pin bases and pushes up against the flat surface. The method also includes removing the flat surface so that a tip of solid pin surfacing material is formed on the top surface of each slide support pin base, thereby providing the stage with a plurality of slide support pins.