Suspension Container with Elongate Groove for Biological Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for isolating biological materials like nucleic acids or proteins from complex mixtures face challenges such as contamination, inhomogeneous distribution, and loss of suspension during agitation, which can lead to inaccurate diagnostic results and inefficiencies in high-throughput analysis.
Innovation Solution
A suspension container with an elongate groove at the bottom and a cover that is penetrable for multiple pipets or pipet tips, allowing for homogeneous distribution and parallelization of binding particles, reducing contamination and loss, and enabling efficient retrieval and dispensing of the suspension without opening the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the container is opened for retrieving and dispensing binding particles, then the particles can be accessed and distributed, but contamination risk increases and suspension stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a penetrable cover (septum) as an intermediary that allows pipets to access the suspension through a sealed barrier. This mediator enables particle retrieval while maintaining the seal, thus preventing contamination and preserving suspension stability throughout the procedure.
2Productivity
If multiple pipets are used for parallel dispensing, then throughput increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container bottom is segmented into multiple zones with separate elongate grooves, each aligned with specific openings in the cover. This segmentation allows multiple pipets to independently access different suspension portions through designated openings, enabling parallel dispensing operations while organizing the complexity into manageable, structured sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a vertical dimension to the access system by creating a penetrable cover with multiple openings at different positions. This allows pipets to approach the suspension from above through the cover rather than requiring side access, enabling parallel operations in a compact footprint and improving throughput without proportionally increasing horizontal space requirements.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the container is agitated to maintain homogeneous suspension, then particle distribution improves, but loss of suspension material occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs a composite structure combining a sealed cover system with elongate grooves formed in the bottom. This composite design allows gentle agitation within the confined suspension volume while the sealed cover prevents spillage and material loss, maintaining homogeneous distribution without the harmful effects of open agitation.
4Quantity of substance
If elongate grooves are added to the container bottom, then residual volume is minimized and particle distribution is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elongate grooves are pre-formed as integral features of the container bottom during manufacturing, rather than being added as separate components. This preliminary action incorporates the volume-minimizing geometry into the base manufacturing process, reducing residual suspension volume while avoiding the need for additional complex assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A device, method and system is provided for binding particles for the separation and/or isolation of biological materials. In particular, a container is provided including a suspension of binding particles for the isolation of biological material, inner walls forming an elongate groove at the bottom of said container, and a cover having openings and/or being penetrable for a linear arrangement of multiple pipets or pipet tips, said openings being located above and parallel to said elongate groove.