Specimen Container Seal for Odor Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Urine specimens in containers release odors during measurement or storage, causing discomfort to users, and existing methods do not effectively minimize this issue.
Innovation Solution
A specimen processing method and system that seal the container opening with a film or seal, allowing aspiration through a smaller hole to reduce odor release, and re-seal the container for storage, eliminating the need for uncapping and recapping operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the container opening is left open for aspiration, then aspiration operation is simple, but odor release increases causing user discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is segmented into a large opening for storage and a small puncture hole for aspiration. The seal divides the opening space into sealed and unsealed portions, allowing different functions in different segments. This resolves the contradiction by enabling simple aspiration through the small hole while maintaining odor containment through the sealed portion.
Solution Approach 2:
A seal (such as a puncture seal or adhesive seal) acts as an intermediary between the container opening and the environment. It allows the aspiration tube to pass through while maintaining overall sealing, thus facilitating aspiration operation while preventing odor release to the surrounding environment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the container opening is sealed completely, then odor release is prevented, but aspiration operation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is prepared in advance to be punctured or opened at the aspiration location. The seal maintains overall sealing for odor prevention, but has a predetermined weak point or opening mechanism that facilitates easy aspiration without requiring complete unsealing of the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal serves as an intermediary structure that appears sealed but contains an integrated aspiration pathway. The puncture seal with its protruding portion or the adhesive seal with opening portion allows the aspiration tube to access the specimen while the rest of the seal maintains odor containment.
3Ease of operation
If the opening is opened for aspiration, then specimen can be accessed, but odor leaks through the opening during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is divided into a sealed portion for storage and an unsealed portion for aspiration. The seal covers most of the opening to prevent odor leakage during storage, while leaving a specific small area uncovered or puncturable for specimen access during aspiration operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the opening have different sealing qualities. The majority of the opening is sealed with high sealing quality to prevent odor leakage, while a local small area has reduced sealing quality or is intentionally left open to facilitate specimen access during aspiration.
4Ease of operation
If uncapping and recapping operations are performed frequently, then specimen container can be opened for aspiration, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed in advance to be punctured or opened only at the aspiration location rather than requiring complete removal of a cap. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for repeated uncapping and recapping operations, reducing operational complexity while maintaining specimen access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The aspiration function is extracted from the cap removal process. Instead of removing the entire cap for aspiration and then replacing it, the seal allows direct aspiration through a puncture or opening in the sealed structure, eliminating the repetitive cap removal and replacement operations.
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 significantly reduces odor release during aspiration and storage, enhancing user comfort and simplifying handling by eliminating the need for frequent uncapping and capping operations.
Implementation Method 1
The seal penetrates through the film seal with a puncture member
Implementation Method 2
aspirating the urine specimen through the through-hole by using an aspiration tube
Implementation Method 3
sealing the opening of the specimen container with a film seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Disclosed is a specimen processing method of processing, by using a specimen processing device, a urine specimen contained in a specimen container having an opening. The method includes: sealing, with a seal, the opening of the specimen container containing the urine specimen; aspirating the urine specimen in the specimen container by using an aspiration tube, of the specimen processing device, which has penetrated through the seal; and processing the aspirated urine specimen.