Portable Urinalysis Reader With Replaceable Hygroscopic Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urine analysis strip chips face challenges in test accuracy due to color discrimination issues, particularly for individuals with color blindness, and existing digital readers are bulky, expensive, and prone to contamination from urine.
Innovation Solution
A portable digital reader with a light emitter, light distributor, and light receiver for accurate urine analysis, featuring replaceable elements and a hygroscopic member to prevent contamination, including a protective film support and auxiliary support for easy assembly and disassembly, and a display for result analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a reader is used to read information from strip chips, then test accuracy is improved, but the device becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The reader device is divided into separate functional modules: a replaceable support portion that contacts the strip chip and a main body containing the light emitter and receiver. This segmentation allows the complex reading function to be maintained in the main body while the support portion can be simple and replaceable, reducing overall device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion is designed to be replaceable and can be used with different strip chip types. The main body contains universal reading components that work with various test parameters. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices, lowering overall system complexity and cost while maintaining measurement precision.
2Ease of operation
If light emitting and receiving elements are used to create a portable reader, then device portability is improved, but contamination from urine residue occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion that is prone to contamination is extracted as a separate, replaceable component from the main body. This allows the main body containing the light emitter and receiver to remain clean and portable, while the removable support can be discarded or cleaned separately, eliminating the contamination problem while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component that comes into contact with the strip chip and urine. By making this part inexpensive and replaceable, the main portable reader body remains uncontaminated, solving the contamination issue while preserving portability and keeping overall costs low.
3Ease of manufacture
If strip chips use testing parts attached to plastic film, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but color discrimination becomes difficult leading to lower test accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion acts as an intermediary between the strip chip and the light emitter/receiver. It provides a standardized interface that ensures proper positioning and lighting conditions, enhancing color discrimination accuracy without complicating the strip chip manufacturing process. The support includes features like recesses and protrusions that facilitate precise alignment.
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 portable digital reader enhances test accuracy by eliminating color discrimination issues and prevents contamination, making it suitable for widespread, cost-effective health monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a body having a light emitter, which includes light emitting elements and emits light
Implementation Method 2
an integrated light distributor uniformly distributing the light from the light emitter to each test region of the chip
Implementation Method 3
a light receiver, which receives the light reflected from each test region
Implementation Method 4
converts the received light into an electric signal
Implementation Method 5
a hygroscopic member provided at an upper end of the loading zone and absorbing excessive urine on the chip
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a portable digital reader for urinalysis. The portable digital reader for reading an analysis target chip including a plurality of test areas, comprises: a main body including a light emitting section having light emitting elements for radiating light, an integral optical splitter for uniformly distributing the light from the light emitting section to each test area of the analysis target chip, a light receiving section for receiving light reflected from the each test area so as to convert the same to electric signals, and a measuring section for measuring concentration according to the electric signals obtained from the light receiving section; a main supporting body having the analysis target chip and assembled with the main body; and an auxiliary supporting body assembled between the analysis target chip and the main supporting body, including a groove for assembling the analysis target chip, and assembled with the main supporting body to be exchanged after use. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the reader from being contaminated with superfluous urine by forming a portion contacting a strip chip to be exchangeable and disposing a moisture absorption material to a portion for introducing the strip chip.