Small-Volume Sample Container With Sealed Flowpath Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for handling small liquid samples, particularly those containing biological materials, face challenges such as spillage, leakage, and inefficiency in transfer processes, leading to poor reproducibility and potential damage to instruments, with existing flow cytometry systems requiring large sample volumes and complex cleaning procedures.
Innovation Solution
A container design with an inlet and outlet chamber, connected by a flowpath, allowing for the transfer and recirculation of small liquid volumes without spillage or leakage, using a detachable lid and septum access points for easy connection to flowpaths, enabling continuous analysis and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid samples are transferred from one container to another for analysis, then the sample can be analyzed, but spillage and leakage occur leading to poor reproducibility and potential instrument damage
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple sealed chambers (sample chamber, analysis chamber, waste chamber) that are interconnected through controlled pathways. This segmentation allows the liquid sample to be contained and transferred through defined routes, preventing spillage and leakage while maintaining reliability of analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary between chambers, allowing liquid to move from the sample chamber to the analysis chamber without direct exposure to the external environment. This intermediary system eliminates spillage and leakage risks associated with traditional open transfer methods.
2Productivity
If liquid samples are transferred between containers, then analysis can be performed, but process speed decreases due to transfer time
Solution Approach 1:
The sample container and analysis device are merged into a single integrated system where the sample chamber is directly connected to the analysis chamber through a sealed pathway. This eliminates the need for separate transfer steps, reducing transfer time and improving process efficiency while maintaining containment.
3Quantity of substance
If harsh or unstable chemicals, biomolecules, or microbes are handled, then valuable samples can be analyzed, but spillage-free transfer becomes crucial to prevent loss
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid sample is extracted and contained within a sealed chamber system that provides controlled access points. The sample remains enclosed throughout the analysis process, with only controlled portions exposed to reagents through sealed interfaces, preventing spillage and preserving the quantity of valuable or hazardous samples.
4Productivity
If the analyzer instrument flowpath is used for multiple samples, then productivity increases, but cleaning steps are required preventing immediate reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a dedicated waste chamber that receives and contains used samples and reagents after analysis. This allows the flowpath to be quickly emptied and prepared for the next sample without extensive cleaning, as residual materials are directed to the waste chamber. The seamless connection enables rapid sample-to-sample transition, improving throughput while minimizing cleaning complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Containers for small liquid volumes have at least one inlet chamber, at least one outlet chamber, an open top end and a bottom end which includes at least one access region. At least one inlet chamber is capable of accommodating a swab stick and is provided with at least one open top end and is connectable to at least a first free end of a flowpath via the at least one access region. The at least one outlet chamber has at least one open top end and is connectable to at least another free end of the flowpath via the at least one access region. A kit, an interface for fluid handling, and a method for analyzing a sample liquid are also provided.