Tempering Clamp With Movable Jaws For Microfluidic Samples
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample holders are rigid and inflexible, making them unsuitable for tolerance compensation and inaccessible during tempering, especially when used with microfluidic samples, as they require additional devices for axial force transmission and are not compatible with conical or cylindrical sample tubes.
Innovation Solution
A tempering clamp with movable clamping jaws connected by a spring element, featuring integrated heating and cooling elements, including Peltier elements, and a design that allows radial pressure contact with the sample tube, enabling efficient heat transfer and accessibility for microfluidic applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid sample holders are used, then structural stability is improved, but tolerance compensation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping jaws are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position and apply radial contact pressure to accommodate tolerance variations in sample tubes while maintaining stable thermal contact during tempering
2Force
If additional pressing devices are added for axial force transmission, then contact pressure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping function and tempering function are merged into a single integrated device. The clamping jaws both secure the sample tube and provide thermal contact, eliminating the need for separate pressing devices while maintaining effective contact pressure
3Temperature
If sample tubes are pressed against heating element, then thermal contact is improved, but accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping mechanism is segmented to allow the sample tube to be accessible from above while the clamping jaws apply radial pressure from the sides. This segmentation enables simultaneous thermal contact and accessibility for microfluidic connections
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 tempering clamp provides optimal thermal contact and accessibility for microfluidic samples, allowing for efficient heating or cooling without additional components or manual adjustments, while maintaining access from above for fluidic connections and monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The two half shells are connected by a flat spring which will be extended during insertion of the sample tube into the cavity between the half shells automatically building a radial contact pressure onto the outside surface of the sample tube
Implementation Method 2
Peltier elements can used as tempering elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention refers to a tempering clamp and a method for using this tempering clamp. The tempering clamp comprises first and second tempering elements associated to first and second clamping jaws.