Soluble Membrane Valve for Automated Supernatant Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual removal of supernatant from centrifuged liquid samples is cumbersome and inefficient, requiring manual intervention with pipettes.
Innovation Solution
A device with a holding chamber and a valve device featuring a soluble membrane that automatically opens to allow controlled drainage of supernatant, either by pressure or dissolution, facilitating automated removal without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual removal of supernatant using a pipette is used, then the supernatant can be separated from the centrifuged sample, but the process becomes cumbersome and requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device automatically opens to drain the supernatant without requiring manual intervention with a pipette. The system serves itself by using the dissolved membrane as the opening mechanism, eliminating the need for external manual operation while maintaining simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical operation of using a pipette to remove supernatant is replaced by an automatic valve mechanism. The valve opens in response to the dissolved membrane, substituting the manual mechanical process with an automated system that is equally simple in structure.
2Extent of automation
If automated drainage is implemented, then manual intervention is eliminated, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device achieves automation through self-service mechanism where the dissolved membrane directly causes the valve to open. The system uses its own operational process (membrane dissolution) to trigger the automation, eliminating the need for external control systems or complex automation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve device utilizes parameter changes in the membrane (from intact to dissolved state) to trigger automation. This chemical parameter change naturally drives the mechanical opening of the valve, achieving automation through material property transformation rather than complex control systems.
3Productivity
If a temporarily closed outlet is used, then controlled drainage is enabled, but the valve mechanism adds structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device structure is minimized by using parameter changes in the membrane (intact to dissolved) to control the opening. This approach achieves controlled drainage efficiency through material transformation rather than complex mechanical valve structures, maintaining simplicity while enabling productivity.
4Loss of time
If manual pipetting is used for supernatant removal, then the process is simple in structure, but it requires time-consuming manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates time-consuming manual handling by implementing self-service automation. The valve automatically opens when the membrane dissolves, enabling the system to perform supernatant removal without human intervention, thus saving time while maintaining operational simplicity.
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
Enables simplified and automated manipulation of liquid samples by allowing controlled drainage of supernatant, reducing manual handling and improving efficiency in concentrating solid constituents for further examination.
Implementation Method 1
the valve device opens automatically as a result of the membrane being partially or completely dissolved by the liquid
Implementation Method 2
the sample is centrifuged in the holding chamber and then drained off from the holding chamber—particularly by centrifugal and/or gravitational force—through an outlet
Implementation Method 3
the sample is centrifuged in the holding chamber and then drained off from the holding chamber—particularly by centrifugal and/or gravitational force—through an outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A device and a method for separating a supernatant of a liquid sample are proposed, in which an outlet is closed off by a water-soluble membrane that dissolves after a certain length of time so that the supernatant of the sample is automatically drained away after centrifugation. The water-soluble membrane may in principle may also be used for other purposes for temporarily retaining a liquid in a holding chamber.