UV LED Reagent Sterilization with Safety Interlocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing analyzers face challenges in maintaining reagent quality over time due to temperature changes, humidity, and microbial activity, leading to reduced reproducibility of analysis results, and current methods for inhibiting microbial proliferation are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
An analyzer is designed with an ultraviolet irradiation section that uses UV LEDs to inactivate microorganisms within the reagent storage container, with a simple and inexpensive configuration that includes electric power switches to control UV light emission based on the storage door's position, preventing exposure to operators and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold insulation device is installed to inhibit microbial proliferation, then reagent quality is maintained, but analyzer cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the method of microbial inhibition from thermal parameters (cold insulation) to optical parameters (ultraviolet light irradiation). The ultraviolet irradiation section irradiates the liquid storage container with UV light to inhibit microbial proliferation, avoiding the need for expensive cold insulation devices while maintaining reagent quality.
2Reliability
If ultraviolet flash lamp with sensor control is used to sterilize container, then microbial proliferation is inhibited, but system complexity and cost increase due to sensor and controller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the sensor and controller components from the ultraviolet irradiation system. Instead of using a flash lamp with complex control, it employs an ultraviolet LED that provides continuous irradiation without requiring sensors or controllers, thereby inhibiting microbial proliferation while simplifying the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultraviolet LED automatically provides sterilization functionality without requiring external control systems. The LED inherently emits ultraviolet light that inhibits microbial proliferation, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If ultraviolet laser beam with elevating means is used for sterilization, then microbial proliferation is inhibited, but device complexity and cost increase due to elevating mechanism and position sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the elevating means and position sensor from the sterilization system. By using an ultraviolet LED that can be positioned fixedly near the liquid storage container, the system eliminates complex mechanical elevation mechanisms while maintaining effective sterilization through continuous UV irradiation.
4Reliability
If simple ultraviolet irradiation is applied without safety controls, then microbial proliferation is inhibited, but operator safety is compromised due to potential UV exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a door as a physical barrier that blocks ultraviolet light. When the door is closed, it prevents UV radiation from reaching the operator; when opened, the ultraviolet LED is not activated. This simple mechanical barrier effectively protects operators while maintaining microbial inhibition capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses door position as feedback to control ultraviolet LED activation. The door's closed or open state provides feedback that automatically controls whether the UV irradiation should be active, ensuring operator safety without complex control systems.
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 solution effectively inhibits microbial proliferation using UV light while ensuring operator safety and reducing the analyzer's cost and complexity, improving safety and maintaining reagent quality without the need for expensive cold insulation or complex light emission control systems.
Implementation Method 1
an ultraviolet irradiation section that irradiates the liquid in the liquid storage container with ultraviolet light
Data Source
AI summary
An analyzer that has a simple configuration, that is inexpensive, that can improve safety, and that can inhibit proliferation of microorganisms using ultraviolet light is realized. A first electric power switch, a second electric power switch, and a third electric power switch are connected in series between an ultraviolet LED that irradiates an interior of a shared reagent storage container with ultraviolet light and a power supply that supplies electric power to the ultraviolet LED. The first electric power switch, the second electric power switch, and the third electric power switch are configured with two contact points and a connection section that connects and disconnects the two contact points. The first electric power switch is opened when a reagent storage door is opened, and the second electric power switch is opened in response to an action of extracting an ultraviolet irradiation section from a shared reagent storage container. The third electric power switch is opened when an amount of the reagent within the shared reagent storage container is equal to or smaller than a constant value. When one of the first electric power switch, the second electric power switch, and the third electric power switch is opened, supply of the electric power to the ultraviolet LED is intercepted.