Specimen Storage Device Vertical Rack Oil Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing specimen storage devices and methods face issues with immersion oil leakage and contamination during specimen transportation, leading to operational inefficiencies and maintenance challenges due to the static nature of storage systems and long transportation paths.
Innovation Solution
A specimen storage device with a rack configuration that accumulates liquid at the bottom, allowing for short transportation distances and preventing oil from attaching to the periphery, combined with a transport mechanism that moves the rack horizontally to minimize contamination and enable continuous operation by using accumulating sections and stopper mechanisms to manage rack movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the magazine stores specimens in a horizontal posture with an opening at the side surface, then specimens can be easily placed in and taken out, but immersion oil leaks from the opening and attaches to the periphery and mechanism, causing contamination and operational issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the storage orientation from horizontal to vertical (standing) posture. The rack stores specimen plates vertically with the opening facing upward, fundamentally changing the dimensional arrangement. This vertical orientation prevents oil from leaking outward while maintaining ease of operation through automated vertical transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of oil leakage into a beneficial containment system. By providing a bottomed rack structure with vertical storage, any oil that drips from the specimen plate is contained within the rack and accumulates at the bottom rather than leaking to the periphery. This transforms a contamination problem into a controlled containment solution.
2Device complexity
If the magazine is fixed and does not move, then the structure is simple, but the transportation distance of the specimen becomes long, increasing the possibility of oil dropping and getting the transportation path dirty
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic movement to the previously static magazine. The rack is designed to move vertically along a guide rail, transforming from a fixed structure to a dynamic one. This movement capability shortens the transportation path of specimen plates while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of straightforward vertical guidance and transport mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If the storage box is fixed and does not move, then the structure is simple, but the transportation path of the slide glass becomes long, increasing the possibility of immersion oil dropping during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The storage rack is designed with vertical movement capability along a guide rail, transforming from a static to a dynamic structure. This allows the rack to be positioned close to the imaging apparatus, significantly shortening the transportation path of specimen plates and reducing the risk of oil dropping during transport, while maintaining relatively simple structural design.
4Device complexity
If one storage box is set in the specimen imaging apparatus, then the structure is simple, but when it becomes filled with slide glasses, manual intervention is required to change storage boxes, stopping the apparatus and degrading operation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the storage function into multiple racks that can be independently loaded and unloaded. Each rack can be filled to capacity and then removed for replacement with a fresh rack. This segmentation allows continuous operation without apparatus stoppage, as the transport mechanism can automatically handle rack exchanges, thereby maintaining high productivity while keeping individual rack structures simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport mechanism is designed to automatically handle the loading and unloading of racks without requiring manual intervention. The system performs self-service by automatically transporting specimen plates between the imaging apparatus and racks, and by enabling automatic rack exchange when racks are full, thus maintaining continuous operation and high efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a specimen storage device capable of preventing liquid such as immersion oil and the like attached to the specimen plate from leaking to the outside of the rack and capable of enhancing the operation efficiency by automating the supply and discharge of the rack. Provided is a specimen storage device which stores a imaged specimen plate in a bottomed-shaped rack having an opening at an upper part, the specimen storage device including a rack transport mechanism which transports the rack with the opening directed upward, and a specimen transport mechanism which transports the specimen in an up-down direction, wherein the rack transport mechanism transports the rack to a predetermined specimen storage position, and the specimen transport mechanism stores the specimen to the rack positioned at the specimen storage position from above the rack.