Automated Tip Waste Rack Transport for Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for wasting pipette tips in automated diagnostic analyzers often result in sample contamination and manual intervention, as error tips need to be transported over other samples or removed manually when the waste rack is full, leading to increased risks of contamination and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
An automated method and system that transfers a tip waste rack to an adjacent position within the processing module, allowing error tips to be discarded directly into the waste rack without moving them over other samples, using a SWAP rack mechanism to minimize contamination and automate the process, eliminating the need for a fixed tip waste station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If error tips are discarded into the respective sample, then the sample can be reused, but the sample must be discarded and cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the tip waste rack from the sample processing area and places it in a dedicated position outside the sample rack positions. This separation allows error tips to be discarded without contacting samples, eliminating the contradiction between sample reuse and contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip waste rack acts as an intermediary container positioned between the pipette head and the samples. Instead of discarding tips directly into or over samples, the rack provides a dedicated receptacle that mediates the waste disposal process, preventing contamination while allowing continuous operation.
2Reliability
If a fixed tip waste park is used, then error tips can be placed in a dedicated location, but the rack must be manually removed when full, increasing contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automation where the rack transport mechanism automatically moves the tip waste rack to and from the waste position without manual intervention. The system monitors the rack status and performs transport operations autonomously, eliminating the need for user hands-on time while maintaining contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated rack transport mechanism enables continuous operation by automatically managing the tip waste rack throughout the sample processing workflow. The rack is continuously available in the dedicated position, and the transport mechanism ensures it is replenished and removed automatically, maintaining uninterrupted sample processing without manual intervention.
3Device complexity
If error tips are transported over rows of sample tubes, then the tip waste rack can be positioned centrally, but the risk of contaminating samples increases due to aerosols or droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The tip waste rack is extracted from the sample processing area and positioned in a dedicated location outside the sample rack positions. This removes the rack from the path of sample tubes, eliminating the hazard of aerosol or droplet contamination while maintaining efficient rack positioning and transport.
4Ease of manufacture
If manual removal of the tip waste rack is required, then the rack can be emptied and reused, but user hands-on time increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated rack transport mechanism performs the complete cycle of moving the tip waste rack to the waste position, monitoring its status, and transporting it back automatically. This self-service automation eliminates user hands-on time for rack management while maintaining the ability to empty and reuse racks, as the system handles all transport operations autonomously.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of wasting tips in an automated processing module which comprises at least three positions for holding sample racks. One of the positions is a tip waste rack position holding a tip waste rack, which comprises tip receiving openings. Furthermore, it comprises a SWAP rack holding mechanism for temporarily holding a sample rack. The method comprises transferring the tip waste rack from the tip waste rack position to an adjacent sample rack position. Once the tip waste rack is placed in the adjacent sample rack position, the error pipette tip is discarded into one of the tip receiving openings of the tip waste rack. Following this, the tip waste rack is transferred back to the tip waste rack position. The sample rack temporarily placed in the SWAP rack holding mechanism is transferred from the SWAP rack holding mechanism to the adjacent sample rack position.