Multi-functional Specimen Collector with Inverted Hanging Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional specimen collection methods are complicated and prone to contamination, with the risk of specimen re-mixture during centrifugal separation due to the design of conventional injection syringes, which hinder efficient separation of blood plasma and red blood cells.
Innovation Solution
A multi-functional specimen collector with a barrel featuring first and second graduated sections, a shaft body, a piston, and seal caps, where the piston is restricted by a stopper to prevent accidental removal and re-mixture, allowing for accurate volume extraction and separation without contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the barrel is placed in a centrifugal machine with the front end at the bottom to facilitate handling, then the separated red blood cells are located at the front end and blood plasma at the middle segment, but the blood plasma of smaller volume cannot easily push the red blood cells of larger volume out of the barrel, causing re-mixture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the hanging portion at the front end of the barrel instead of the rear end. This inversion changes the orientation of the barrel when placed in the centrifugal machine, causing red blood cells to separate at the rear end and blood plasma at the middle segment, enabling effective extraction of plasma without re-mixture
2Device complexity
If the needle and push shaft are removed and ends are sealed to use the barrel as a test tube, then the procedure is simplified and requires fewer containers, but the barrel cannot be placed in a centrifugal machine unless upside down, causing separation failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the location of the hanging portion from the rear end to the front end of the barrel, which fundamentally changes how the barrel can be oriented in a centrifugal machine. This allows the barrel to be placed with the front end at the top, maintaining proper separation layers and enabling effective plasma extraction while keeping the simplified single-container design
3Productivity
If the push shaft pushes the piston to expel blood plasma from the middle segment, then specimen collection is completed, but the blood plasma may mix again with red blood cells at the front end
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the hanging portion location, the invention changes the separation orientation so that red blood cells are at the rear end and blood plasma is at the middle segment. This allows the push shaft to expel plasma from the front end without encountering red blood cells, maintaining specimen purity while completing extraction efficiently
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 efficient separation and accurate expulsion of blood plasma and red blood cells without re-mixture, reducing contamination risks and collection costs by allowing the specimen collector to be used in a centrifugal machine without orientation limitations.
Implementation Method 1
The barrel is then placed in a centrifugal machine for specimen separation
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-functional specimen collector comprises a barrel, a shaft body disposed in the barrel, a piston disposed in the barrel and connected to the shaft body, a first seal cap connected to an end of the barrel, and a second seal cap for connecting to the piston after the shaft body is removed. An interior at the end of the barrel is disposed a stopper for restricting a moving range of the piston inside the barrel to prevent the piston from being pulled out of the barrel. The outer diameter of the stopper and the inner diameter of the barrel are designed to closely fit each other. The inner diameter of the stopper might be smaller than the outer diameter of the piston, and the inner diameter of the stopper might be larger than the largest outer diameter of the shaft body.