Test Strip Container Discharge Door for Humidity Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing test strip containers allow outside air to enter, leading to deterioration of test strips due to humidity, and providing a reagent portion for detecting intermediate deterioration increases cost without effectively preventing deterioration.

Innovation Solution

A test strip container design that includes a cylindrical accommodating member with a door member and rotating mechanism, using a door member to control access to the discharge opening, and incorporating a drying agent to prevent outside air from entering, ensuring test strips are protected from humidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a door member is provided to open and close the discharge opening, then outside air entry is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest strip quality maintenanceVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door member is integrated with the rotating member, combining the sealing function with the discharge mechanism. The door member rotates together with the rotating member to open and close the discharge opening, merging two functions into a single component to reduce overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The door member acts as an intermediary element between the rotating member and the discharge opening. It provides a controlled interface that allows test strips to be discharged while maintaining the sealed environment, mediating between the need for discharge and the need for sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the discharge opening is kept closed to prevent outside air entry, then test strip deterioration is prevented, but test strip discharge becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest strip qualityVSAvoidtest strip discharge operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge opening is opened periodically only when a test strip needs to be discharged, rather than remaining continuously open. The door member opens briefly during discharge operations and then closes to maintain the sealed environment, implementing periodic action to balance accessibility with protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The door member is designed to be dynamic, rotating open and closed as needed rather than being fixed. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt between maintaining a sealed environment and enabling test strip discharge, resolving the contradiction between protection and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If a reagent portion for sensing intermediate deterioration is provided, then deterioration detection is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeterioration detection capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding expensive detection components, the patent converts the harmful effect of humidity into a beneficial sealing design. By preventing humidity entry through the door member and rotating member structure, the system eliminates the need for expensive deterioration detection reagents while actually improving test strip protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

Prevents the entry of outside air into the container, maintaining the quality of test strips and reducing the risk of deterioration, while avoiding the need for additional reagent portions that increase cost.

Implementation Method 1

incorporating a drying agent to prevent outside air from entering

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4180366B1Test strip container and test strip discharging mechanism

Publication Date: 2025.07.23 ARKRAY INC

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AI summary

A test strip container (10) includes: an accommodating member (20) in which a test strip (90) is accommodated; a moving member (31) moving the test strip (90) therein; a door member (40) opening and closing at a side surface of the accommodating member (20) to discharge the test strip (90) out of the accommodating member (20), and cutting the interior and the exterior of the accommodating member (20) off from each other when closed; a door accommodating portion (27) covering the door member (40), in which the door member (40) can open and close; and a discharge opening (28) cutting the interior and an exterior of the door accommodating portion (27) off from each other when closed, and which is provided at the door accommodating portion (27) so as to open and close to discharge the test strip (90) to the exterior of the door accommodating portion (27), the discharge opening (28) being able to open when the accommodating member (20) is closed by the door member (40).