Specimen Collector With Separable Tray Components
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing specimen collectors require pausing medical procedures to remove and clean the specimen tray, leading to a lengthy collection process and potential loss of tissue specimens due to vacuum loss and improper suction handling.
Innovation Solution
A specimen collector with a separable and individually removable specimen tray, allowing one tray component to be cleaned or replaced while the other remains in the housing, maintaining the vacuum and enabling continuous specimen collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the specimen tray is made as a single integrated unit, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the entire tray must be removed and cleaned even when only one specimen well is full, leading to loss of vacuum and procedure interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The specimen tray is divided into multiple separable tray components, each defining a respective specimen well. This allows individual removal and cleaning of only the filled tray component while others remain in place, eliminating procedure interruptions and vacuum loss while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular construction
2Ease of operation
If the specimen tray is removed for cleaning, then the accumulated specimens can be cleaned, but the vacuum within the housing is lost and the procedure must be paused
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is segmented into multiple independently removable components. When one specimen well becomes full, only that specific tray component needs to be removed for cleaning while the housing vacuum is maintained and other tray components continue collecting specimens, eliminating procedure pauses
Solution Approach 2:
The separable tray components enable continuous specimen collection during the medical procedure. While one tray component is being cleaned outside the housing, other tray components remain in place maintaining the vacuum seal and continuing to gather specimens without interruption
3Ease of operation
If the specimen tray is removed while suction is active, then the tray can be cleaned, but tissue specimens may be inadvertently delivered to the suction source
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tray into separable components, the system allows controlled removal of only the filled tray component. This enables the operator to manage tray removal safely by coordinating with suction control, preventing specimens from being delivered to the suction source while maintaining the ability to clean trays as needed
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 continuous tissue specimen collection during a single medical procedure without losing vacuum, facilitating the gathering of multiple specimens in a more timely and efficient manner.
Implementation Method 1
wherein a vacuum within the housing is used to gather tissue specimens from the patient
Implementation Method 2
The housing includes an inlet port and an outlet port each fluidly communicating with the hollow interior
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen collector for gathering tissue specimens includes a housing extending along a first axis between a first opening and a second opening to define a hollow interior. An inlet port and an outlet port are located axially between the first and second openings. A specimen tray defines a first specimen well and a second specimen well and is slideably disposed within the housing and axially slideable between a first position to dispose the first specimen well in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports and a second position to dispose the second specimen well in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports. The specimen tray comprises a pair of tray components each defining a respective one of the first and second wells and jointly slideable. The pair of tray components are separable from one another and each individually removable from the housing.