Multi-station capping device and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-station capping device and method, including an upper capping assembly, a vacuum chamber assembly and a tray assembly; the upper capping assembly includes a capping cylinder fixedly installed on a cylinder bottom plate, a travel guide rod installed between the cylinder bottom plate and a pressure rod fixing plate, and a plurality of pressure rod parts are evenly arranged on the pressure rod fixing plate; the pressure rod part includes a telescopic column, a sleeve and a spring connected to the sleeve are sleeved on the telescopic column, and a bearing is arranged between the sleeve and the telescopic column. In the multi-station capping device and method provided by the present invention, during the capping process, the capping cylinder is actuated to drive the pressure rod fixing plate to work in conjunction, and the cap is pressed down by the pressure rod part. Due to the different heights of the samples in the sample tube, a height difference is formed. During the pressing process, the tube with a high sample in the sample tube is stressed in advance, the spring is stressed and contracts, the pressure rod part contracts, and the test tube with a low sample in the sample tube continues to be pressed down, ensuring that the samples in the sample tube can be pressed into place at different heights, alleviating the uneven capping caused by the height difference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of production equipment, and in particular relates to a multi-station capping device and method. Background Art

[0002] The existing capping production process is mostly manual capping, which involves inserting a fishing line into the tube in advance, manually pressing the rubber cap in, and pulling out the fishing line after pressing in. This traditional operation method has low production process efficiency, and due to manual operation, the capping force is uneven, the air in the tube is not completely discharged, and pores, cracks, separation, etc. are prone to occur, which not only wastes human resources and production costs, but also reduces production efficiency, and is not suitable for large-scale production. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a multi-station capping device and method. The capping device includes a vacuum chamber assembly, a tray assembly, an upper capping assembly, an air pressure valve and a control panel, etc. During the operation of the device, the capping cylinder is actuated and the pressure rod is pressed downward to realize the capping operation, and the pressure of the capping cylinder is adjusted by the air pressure valve, so that the capping pressure can be controlled, and the best capping effect can be achieved for samples of different materials.

[0004] The technical solution of the present invention is:

[0005] A multi-station capping device comprises an upper capping assembly, a vacuum chamber assembly, and a tray assembly installed in a closed cavity formed by the upper capping assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly; the upper capping assembly comprises a capping cylinder, a cylinder bottom plate, a travel guide rod, a pressure rod fixing plate and a pressure rod member which are arranged in sequence, the capping cylinder is fixedly mounted on the cylinder bottom plate, the travel guide rod is mounted between the cylinder bottom plate and the pressure rod fixing plate, and a plurality of pressure rod members are evenly distributed on the pressure rod fixing plate; the pressure rod member comprises a telescopic column, a sleeve and a spring connected to the sleeve are sleeved on the telescopic column, and a bearing is provided between the sleeve and the telescopic column.

[0006] Furthermore, an upper screw is installed at one end of the telescopic column, and a gasket is provided between the upper screw and the telescopic column; a top block and a lower screw are installed at the other end of the telescopic column, and the lower screw fixes the top block to the telescopic column.

[0007] Furthermore, the tray assembly includes a cover tray for placing lids, and a tube tray for placing sample tubes. The cover tray is arranged horizontally and parallel to the tube tray and the cover tray is located directly above the tube tray. The number of workstations in the cover tray is consistent with that in the tube tray and is consistent with the number of pressure rods.

[0008] Furthermore, the cover device also includes a fixed seat, a frame, and an opening and closing cylinder fixedly installed on the fixed seat and the frame, the opening and closing cylinder is connected to the upper cover assembly through a connecting bracket and controls the opening and closing of the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly; the vacuum chamber assembly includes an exhaust hole for connecting a vacuum pump, a vacuum chamber side beam and a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber side beam is fixedly connected to the frame; the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly are connected by a loose-leaf connection, and the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly are sealed by a sealing strip to form a closed cavity.

[0009] Furthermore, the capping device also includes a control panel and a pressure valve for adjusting the air pressure of the capping cylinder; the control panel is equipped with a pressure gauge for displaying the air pressure in the vacuum chamber, as well as an emergency stop button, an open cover button, a close cover button and a start button.

[0010] Furthermore, the gland device also includes a cabinet plate, which covers the outside of the frame and the upper gland assembly, and the air pressure valve is fixedly mounted on the cabinet plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the number of the travel guide rods is four, and the four travel guide rods are symmetrically installed between the cylinder base plate and the pressure rod fixing plate. One end of the travel guide rod is fixedly installed on the lower plate surface of the cylinder base plate, and the other end passes through the pressure rod fixing plate and is slidably connected to the pressure rod fixing plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the bearing is a self-lubricating bearing, and the cover is a rubber cover; the number of the pressure rods is 36, and the number of the workstations in the cover tray and the tube tray is 36.

[0013] A capping method of a multi-station capping device, comprising the following steps:

[0014] (1) Pre-install the rubber cap into the cap tray, and place the sample tube containing the sample into the tube tray; connect the compressed air to the air pressure valve and adjust the appropriate air pressure;

[0015] (2) Place the cover tray and the tube tray into the vacuum chamber, operate the cover closing button, extend the opening and closing cylinder, close the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly to form a closed chamber;

[0016] (3) Press the start button, the vacuum pump starts, and vacuum is drawn through the exhaust hole. At this time, the air pressure value can be observed through the barometer; when the vacuum chamber reaches the set negative pressure and stabilizes, the capping operation is automatically started;

[0017] (4) The capping cylinder drives the pressure rod fixing plate to work in conjunction with the pressure rod to press the capping tray under the pressure rod to cover the sample tube with the rubber cap.

[0018] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0019] (1) The multi-station capping device provided by the present invention has a spring structure on the pressure rod included in the upper capping assembly. The spring can be contracted under force to ensure that the sample in the sample tube can be pressed into place regardless of its height, thereby avoiding uneven capping and preventing the sample from being squeezed out due to excessive downward pressure.

[0020] (2) By adjusting the pressure of the capping cylinder through the air pressure valve, the capping pressure can be controlled, so that different pressures can be used for samples of different materials, and the best capping effect can be achieved for samples of different materials.

[0021] (3) The method of the multi-station capping device provided by the present invention, during the capping process, the capping cylinder is actuated to drive the pressure rod fixing plate to work in conjunction, and the cap is pressed down by the pressure rod. Due to the different heights of the samples in the sample tubes, a height difference will be formed. During the pressing process, the tube with the higher sample in the sample tube is stressed in advance, the spring is contracted under the force, the pressure rod contracts, and the test tube with the lower sample in the sample tube continues to be pressed down, ensuring that the samples in the sample tubes of different heights can be pressed into place, alleviating the uneven capping caused by the height difference. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the multi-station capping device provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the multi-station capping device provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the compression rod provided by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 The overall structure of the multi-station capping device provided by the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 5 The overall structure of the multi-station capping device provided by the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 2 ;

[0027] In the above figures, 11, cover cylinder; 12, cylinder bottom plate; 13, travel guide rod; 14, pressure rod fixing plate; 15, pressure rod member; 151, upper screw; 152, gasket; 153, sleeve; 154, self-lubricating bearing; 155, telescopic column; 156, spring; 157, top block; 158, lower screw; 16, loose-leaf; 21, exhaust hole; 22, vacuum chamber side beam; 23, vacuum chamber; 31, cover tray; 32, tube tray; 41, emergency stop button; 42, pressure gauge; 43, cover opening button; 44, cover closing button; 45, start button; 5, frame; 6, air pressure valve; 7, connecting bracket; 8, opening and closing cylinder; 9, fixing seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In order to further understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention relates to a multi-station capping device, comprising a vacuum chamber assembly, an upper capping assembly, a tray assembly, an opening and closing cylinder 8, a frame 5 and a control panel, etc.; the vacuum chamber assembly and the upper capping assembly constitute a closed cavity, and the cavity has a built-in tray assembly; the upper capping assembly comprises a capping cylinder 11, a cylinder base plate 12, a travel guide rod 13, a pressure rod fixing plate 14 and a pressure rod member 15 which are arranged in sequence, the capping cylinder 11 is fixedly mounted on the cylinder base plate 12, the travel guide rod 13 is mounted between the cylinder base plate 12 and the pressure rod fixing plate 14, a plurality of pressure rod members 15 are evenly distributed on the pressure rod fixing plate 14, and the pressure rod member 15 comprises a telescopic column 155, a sleeve 153 and a spring 156 connected to the sleeve 153 are sleeved on the telescopic column 155, and a bearing is arranged between the sleeve 153 and the telescopic column 155.

[0031] During the operation of the above-mentioned capping device, the control panel controls the opening and closing cylinder 8 to merge the upper capping assembly with the vacuum chamber assembly, and the vacuum chamber assembly and the upper capping assembly are sealed to form a closed cavity, which is connected to a vacuum pump for evacuation; the tray assembly includes a cover tray 31 for placing a cover, and a tube tray 32 for placing a sample tube, and the tray assembly is located in the above-mentioned closed vacuum chamber 23; the capping cylinder 11 is actuated to drive the pressure rod fixing plate 14 to work in conjunction, and the pressure rod 15 is pressed downward, and the cover is covered into the sample tube through the pressure rod, thereby realizing the capping operation while preventing excessive downward pressure from squeezing out the sample.

[0032] like Figure 3 As shown, in the composition of the pressure rod 15, an upper screw 151 is installed at the upper end of the telescopic column 155, a gasket 152 is provided between the upper screw 151 and the telescopic column 155, the upper screw 151 passes through the gasket 152, the sleeve 153 and the bearing to be fixed on the telescopic column 155, and a top block 157 and a lower screw 158 are installed at the lower end of the telescopic column 155, and the top block 157 is fixed to the telescopic column 155 by the lower screw 158.

[0033] In the above-mentioned capping device, the capping cylinder 11 is fixedly mounted on the cylinder bottom plate 12, and the telescopic action of the capping cylinder telescopic rod pushes and controls the pressing rod fixing plate 14 to move downward, thereby driving the pressing rod member 15 to be pressed downward. There are four travel guide rods 13 between the cylinder bottom plate 12 and the pressing rod fixing plate 14, and the four travel guide rods 13 are symmetrically mounted between the cylinder bottom plate 12 and the pressing rod fixing plate 14. The pressing rod fixing plate 14 serves as an action mechanism, and the travel guide rod 13 serves as a guide support. One end of the travel guide rod 13 is fixedly mounted on the lower plate surface of the cylinder bottom plate 12, and the other end penetrates the pressing rod fixing plate 14 and is slidably connected thereto, which can prevent the pressing rod fixing plate 14 from losing balance during the pressing process, ensure its horizontal downward movement, and further ensure that the downward moving distance of each pressing rod member 15 and the applied pressure remain consistent.

[0034] like Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the tray assembly includes a cover tray 31 for placing covers, and a tube tray 32 for placing sample tubes. The cover tray 31 is arranged horizontally and parallel to the tube tray 32 and the cover tray 31 is located directly above the tube tray 32. During use, the cover tray 31 with the cover turned is placed on the tube tray 32 with the sample tubes, and then placed in the vacuum chamber 23. It can be understood that the number of workstations in the cover tray 31 is consistent with that in the tube tray 32, and is consistent with the number of the pressing rods 15.

[0035] In the capping device, the vacuum chamber assembly is located on the fixed seat 9, and the vacuum chamber side beam 22 is fixed to the frame 5 by screws or other fasteners; a wheel set is provided under the fixed seat 9 to facilitate the movement of the capping device; the wheel set includes four wheels, and the wheels are provided with locks to clamp the wheels and fix their positions after the capping device stops moving. The upper capping assembly is connected to the opening and closing cylinder 8 through the connecting bracket 7, and the opening and closing cylinder 8 is integrally fixed to the frame 5 through the fixed seat 9. The upper capping assembly is connected to the vacuum chamber assembly through the loose-leaf 16, and the telescopic action of the opening and closing cylinder 8 can realize the opening and merging of the upper capping assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly. The upper capping assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly are sealed by a sealing strip to form a closed cavity; the vacuum pump connected to the exhaust hole 21 can be used to evacuate and restore normal pressure.

[0036] like Figure 5 As shown, the capping device also includes a control panel, on which an emergency stop button 41, a pressure gauge 42, a cover opening button 43, a cover closing button 44 and a start button 45 are sequentially installed. The emergency stop button 41 is used for emergency stop, the pressure gauge 42 displays the air pressure in the vacuum chamber 23, the cover opening button 43 is used to open the upper capping assembly and the vacuum chamber 23 assembly, the cover closing button 44 is used to close the upper capping assembly and the vacuum chamber 23 assembly, and the start button 45 is used to start the device, and the capping is automatically terminated after completion.

[0037] In a specific embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, the capping device also includes an air pressure valve 6 and a cabinet plate for adjusting the air pressure of the capping cylinder 11. The cabinet plate covers the outside of the frame 5 and the upper capping assembly to ensure the overall aesthetics. The air pressure valve 6 is fixedly mounted on the cabinet plate and is used to adjust the air pressure of the capping cylinder 11 to achieve different pressures for samples of different materials to achieve the best capping effect.

[0038] In this specific embodiment, the bearing is a self-lubricating bearing 154, and those skilled in the art may also use other types of suitable bearings; the cover pressed in the capping operation is a rubber cover or a cover made of other similar materials. The capping device of the present invention can perform 36-station capping at a time, so the number of corresponding pressing rods 15 is 36, and the number of stations in the cover tray 31 and the tube tray 32 is 36.

[0039] A capping method of a multi-station capping device provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0040] Pre-install the rubber cover into the cover tray 31, and put the sample tube loaded with the sample into the tube tray 32; connect the compressed air to the air pressure valve 6 and adjust the appropriate air pressure; place the cover tray 31 with the rubber tube installed on the tube tray 32 with the sample tube installed, and then place it into the vacuum chamber 23. Operate the cover closing button 44 on the control panel, the opening and closing cylinder 8 extends, closes the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber 23 assembly, and forms a closed cavity under the action of the sealing strip. Operate the start button 45 on the control panel, start the vacuum pump, and vacuumize through the exhaust hole 21. At this time, the air pressure value can be observed through the barometer 42; when the set negative air pressure is reached and stabilized, it automatically enters the next stage, that is, capping. The action of the capping cylinder 11 drives the pressure rod fixing plate 14 to move in conjunction, and the cover tray 31 is pressed down by the pressure rod 15, and the rubber cover is covered into the sample tube. At the same time, the air pressure valve 6 adjusts the pressure of the capping cylinder 11, which can realize the controllable capping pressure and achieve the best capping effect for samples of different materials.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some of the technical features therein by equivalents. Any modification, equivalent replacement, modification, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-station capping device, characterized in that: The utility model comprises an upper gland assembly, a vacuum chamber assembly, and a tray assembly installed in a closed cavity formed by the upper gland assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly; the upper gland assembly comprises a gland cylinder, a cylinder bottom plate, a travel guide rod, a pressure rod fixing plate and a pressure rod member which are arranged in sequence, the gland cylinder is fixedly installed on the cylinder bottom plate, the travel guide rod is installed between the cylinder bottom plate and the pressure rod fixing plate, and a plurality of pressure rod members are evenly arranged on the pressure rod fixing plate; the pressure rod member comprises a telescopic column, a sleeve and a spring connected to the sleeve are sleeved on the telescopic column, and a bearing is arranged between the sleeve and the telescopic column; There are four travel guide rods, which are symmetrically mounted between the cylinder bottom plate and the pressure rod fixing plate. One end of the travel guide rod is fixedly mounted on the lower plate surface of the cylinder bottom plate, and the other end passes through the pressure rod fixing plate and is slidably connected to the pressure rod fixing plate. An upper screw is installed at one end of the telescopic column, and a gasket is provided between the upper screw and the telescopic column; a top block and a lower screw are installed at the other end of the telescopic column, and the lower screw fixes the top block to the telescopic column.

2. The multi-station capping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray assembly includes a cover tray for placing lids and a tube tray for placing sample tubes. The cover tray is arranged horizontally and parallel to the tube tray and the cover tray is located directly above the tube tray. The number of workstations in the cover tray is consistent with that in the tube tray and is consistent with the number of the pressure rods.

3. The multi-station capping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cover device also includes a fixed seat, a frame, and an opening and closing cylinder fixedly installed on the fixed seat and the frame. The opening and closing cylinder is connected to the upper cover assembly through a connecting bracket and controls the opening and closing of the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly; the vacuum chamber assembly includes an exhaust hole for connecting a vacuum pump, a vacuum chamber side beam and a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber side beam is fixedly connected to the frame; the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly are connected through a loose-leaf connection, and the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly are sealed by a sealing strip to form a closed cavity.

4. The multi-station capping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The capping device also includes a control panel and a pressure valve for adjusting the air pressure of the capping cylinder; the control panel is equipped with a pressure gauge for displaying the air pressure in the vacuum chamber, as well as an emergency stop button, an opening button, a closing button and a start button.

5. The multi-station capping device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gland device also includes a cabinet plate, which covers the frame and the outer side of the upper gland assembly, and the air pressure valve is fixedly mounted on the cabinet plate.

6. The multi-station capping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bearing is a self-lubricating bearing, and the cover is a rubber cover; the number of the pressure rods is 36, and the number of the workstations in the cover tray and the tube tray is 36.

7. A capping method using the multi-station capping device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: (1) Pre-install the rubber cap into the cap tray, and place the sample tube containing the sample into the tube tray; connect the compressed air to the air pressure valve and adjust the appropriate air pressure; (2) Place the cover tray and the tube tray into the vacuum chamber, operate the cover closing button, extend the opening and closing cylinder, close the upper cover assembly and the vacuum chamber assembly to form a closed chamber; (3) Press the start button, the vacuum pump starts, and vacuum is drawn through the exhaust hole. At this time, the air pressure value can be observed through the barometer; when the vacuum chamber reaches the set negative pressure and stabilizes, the capping operation is automatically started; (4) The capping cylinder drives the pressure rod fixing plate to work in conjunction with the pressure rod to press the capping tray under the pressure rod to cover the sample tube with the rubber cap.

Images