A biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system, comprising: a sample storage system and a sample unit transport circulation system. Through the above-mentioned method, the biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention not only realizes fully automatic biological sample transport docking, storage and retrieval operations, effectively improving work efficiency, but also provides a more precise, stable, and balanced low-temperature environment, ensuring the activity of samples during storage operations and improving the safety of stored samples.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of low-temperature storage technology, and in particular to a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system. Background Art

[0002] When storing biological samples, it is necessary to provide a low-temperature environment through liquid nitrogen or other means to keep the samples active.

[0003] At present, manual methods are generally used to carry out operations such as loading and unloading, and transporting samples. Although there are some automated adjustments to achieve simple storage functions, the current technology still has many problems, such as uneven temperature in sample storage devices, poor sample storage effect, small sample storage capacity per unit device, high liquid nitrogen consumption, and easy failure during the automation process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main technical problem solved by the present invention is to provide a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system with the advantages of high reliability, precise positioning, compact structure, etc., and at the same time has broad market prospects in the application and popularization of low-temperature sample storage systems.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] Provided is a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system, which includes: a sample storage system, a sample unit transport circulation system,

[0007] The sample storage system is used to connect to the external turnover device of the equipment and store and retrieve samples in a low-temperature environment, thereby realizing the storage and call of samples;

[0008] The sample unit transport circulation system is used to store carriers containing samples and sample boxes at low temperatures, and to transport and lift freezing racks to achieve loading and unloading of freezing racks.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sample storage system includes a material retrieval mechanism for grabbing and transporting sample test tubes and / or material boxes, a material supporting mechanism for supporting a carrier and maintaining a low-temperature environment for the carrier, and a carrier storage and retrieval mechanism for transporting the carrier to a sample unit transport circulation system or a material supporting mechanism, wherein the material retrieval mechanism, the material supporting mechanism and the carrier storage and retrieval mechanism are arranged in a transport and insulation warehouse.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a docking mechanism is connected to the turnover loading port of the transport insulation warehouse for delivering the turnover device containing biological samples to the target material collection position. The docking mechanism includes a docking platform for receiving the turnover device and a docking drive device for driving the docking platform to lift and / or translate to the turnover loading port.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material picking mechanism includes a tube picking gripper, a box picking gripper, and a material picking drive mechanism for driving the tube picking gripper and the box picking gripper to move.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a sealing lid opening device is movably connected to the turnover loading port of the heat preservation warehouse to seal or open the turnover loading port, and a box-taking gripper is movably connected to the sealing lid opening device to synchronously open and close the turnover loading port and the turnover device through the sealing lid opening device, wherein the sealing lid opening device includes a lid opening cover plate, a fastening groove, and a clamping block, the fastening groove allowing the box-taking gripper to pass through is arranged on the lid opening cover plate, the clamping block movably connected to the turnover device cover is elastically arranged at the lower part of the lid opening cover plate, and the box-taking gripper drives the clamping block to move horizontally to synchronously clamp or release the lid opening cover plate and the turnover device cover.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting mechanism includes a liquid nitrogen tank for storing liquid nitrogen and a supporting rack movably connected to the carrier plate. The supporting rack and / or the liquid nitrogen tank can be raised and lowered, and the supporting rack and the liquid nitrogen tank cooperate to drive the carrier plate to move closer to or away from the liquid nitrogen tank. The liquid nitrogen tank is provided with a carrier plate tank body for placing the carrier plate and a box tank body for placing test tube boxes to be put in and out of the warehouse. The carrier plate tank body is communicated with the box tank body to maintain a low temperature environment and ensure that there is no frost on the bottom of the sample box and the test tube.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tray storage and retrieval mechanism includes a storage and retrieval connecting frame, a tray gripper for gripping the tray, a tray lifting mechanism for supporting the tray, and an access drive mechanism. The tray gripper is arranged on the storage and retrieval connecting frame, and the tray lifting mechanism is retractably arranged below the tray gripper. The access drive mechanism drives the tray gripper and the tray lifting mechanism to perform translational and rotational movements through the storage and retrieval connecting frame.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sample unit transport circulation system includes a liquid nitrogen tank storing liquid nitrogen, a freezing rack for placing a carrier plate, a freezing rack discharge port for the freezing rack to enter and exit, a carrier plate discharge port for the carrier plate to enter and exit, a first opening and closing mechanism for opening or sealing the freezing rack discharge port, a second opening and closing mechanism for opening or sealing the carrier plate discharge port, a storage bracket rotating mechanism, and a lifting and discharging mechanism for driving the freezing rack to move up and down, the freezing rack discharge port is arranged on the top surface of the liquid nitrogen tank, the carrier plate discharge port is arranged on the side of the freezing rack discharge port, the storage bracket rotating mechanism suspends the freezing rack in the liquid nitrogen tank and drives the freezing rack to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank, wherein the lifting and insulation bin cover is arranged on the discharge port, the opening and closing mechanism, and the lifting and discharging mechanism.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage bracket rotation mechanism includes a rotation drive mechanism, a cantilever shaft, a landing frame, a partition plate, a hollow connecting groove, and a central liquid storage tank for replenishing liquid nitrogen. The lower part of the cantilever shaft is connected to the top of the landing frame to suspend the landing frame in the liquid nitrogen tank, and its upper end is connected to the rotation drive mechanism to drive the landing frame to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank. The partition plate array is arranged on the landing frame to form a plurality of freezing spaces for placing freezing racks. A hollow connecting groove is provided in the central axis of the storage disk in the landing frame. The central liquid storage tank is arranged in the hollow connecting groove, and the liquid nitrogen in the central liquid storage tank is transported to the hollow cooling interlayer at the bottom and side of the liquid nitrogen tank to increase the liquid nitrogen storage capacity.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second opening and closing mechanism includes a sealing cover and a second driving mechanism that synchronously drives the sealing cover to lift and move back and forth, so that the sealing cover opens or seals the carrier plate outlet. The second driving mechanism includes a second driving fixed frame, a lifting transmission guide groove, a telescopic transmission guide groove, a transmission guide wheel, a transmission connecting rod, and a power device. The lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove are provided on the second driving fixed frame. The end of the transmission connecting rod is connected to the sealing cover, and the transmission connecting rod is movably connected to the lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove respectively through the transmission guide wheel to lift and telescopically guide the transmission connecting rod and the sealing cover. The power device drives the transmission connecting rod to move along the guide groove, so that the sealing cover descends and approaches the sealed carrier plate outlet inward, or rises and moves away from the open carrier plate outlet.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: not only can it realize fully automatic biological sample transport docking, storage and retrieval operations, effectively improving work efficiency, but it can also provide a more accurate, stable and balanced low-temperature environment, ensuring the activity of samples during handling and transportation, and improving storage effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive work, among which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a partial back structural diagram of a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a lifting and discharging mechanism in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the first opening and closing mechanism in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a liquid nitrogen tank in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the side cross-section of a liquid nitrogen tank in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of a sample storage system in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of the second opening and closing mechanism in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of temperature zones in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a sealing and opening device in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid nitrogen tank in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of a multi-stage module in a preferred embodiment of a biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following is a clear and complete description of 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 making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] See also Figure 1-12 , embodiments of the present invention include:

[0034] A biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system realizes fully automated, information-based, and dynamic intelligent management of sample storage. Its structure includes: a rack, a sample storage system, and a sample unit transport circulation system. The sample storage system and the sample unit transport circulation system are arranged in the rack.

[0035] (1) Sample storage system

[0036] The sample storage system includes a transport and thermal insulation warehouse, a docking mechanism, a material retrieval mechanism, a liquid nitrogen tank 14, a material supporting mechanism, and a tray storage and retrieval mechanism. The docking mechanism is arranged below the transport and thermal insulation warehouse, the liquid nitrogen tank is arranged in the transport and thermal insulation warehouse, the material supporting mechanism is arranged on both sides of the liquid nitrogen tank, the tray storage and retrieval mechanism is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank, and the material retrieval mechanism is arranged above the material supporting mechanism.

[0037] The transport and heat preservation warehouse includes a platform 11 and an outer cover arranged on the platform. The liquid nitrogen tank is arranged on the platform, and the supporting mechanism and / or the liquid nitrogen tank can be raised and lowered on the platform to facilitate placing the carrier plate into the liquid nitrogen in the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0038] (1.1) Docking mechanism: used to deliver the external turnover device 17 containing the biological sample box (or sample tube turnover box) to the target material extraction position.

[0039] The docking mechanism includes a docking platform 121 for receiving and placing the turnover device, and a docking drive 122. The docking drive is located at the bottom of the platform and drives the docking platform upward to the material extraction position. Furthermore, a docking translation device can be installed on the docking platform to drive the turnover device to move horizontally on the docking platform, thereby adjusting its horizontal position. To further improve docking accuracy, the side of the telescopic platform can be slidably mounted on the docking plate at the bottom of the platform via lifting rails.

[0040] Among them, the docking drive device can adopt a drive device such as a cylinder, a motor screw, etc.

[0041] The docking translation device includes a drive cylinder, a telescopic platform 123, and a docking conveyor belt 124. The telescopic platform is connected to the slide rails on the docking platform via a slider. The docking conveyor belt is mounted on the telescopic platform. The drive cylinder drives the telescopic platform to move back and forth on the docking platform, thereby driving the docking conveyor belt to extend outward to receive the turnover device or to retract the turnover device inward to the loading position. Alternatively, the docking translation device can directly use a drive device such as a conveyor belt or a cylinder.

[0042] (1.2) Material removal mechanism: used to transfer the material box in the turnover device to the liquid nitrogen tank, and take out the biological sample tube in the material box, take a photo to identify the sample parameters, and then transfer it to the test tube carrier.

[0043] The material picking mechanism includes a turnover feeding port, a sealing and opening lid device, a tube picking gripper 131, a box picking gripper 132 for grabbing the sealing and opening lid device and the material box in the turnover device, and a material picking drive mechanism 133 for driving the tube picking gripper and the box picking gripper to perform XYZ three-axis motion. The turnover feeding port allowing the transfer device to extend into is set on the platform. The sealing and opening lid device is movably connected to the turnover feeding port to seal or open the turnover feeding port, and cooperates with the box picking gripper to lift the sealing and opening lid device and the turnover barrel cover at the same time.

[0044] The tube picking gripper is responsible for picking up tubes, clamping the test tubes from the carrier to the material box to be put in and out of the warehouse, or clamping the test tubes in the material box to the carrier. The gripper adopts a highly flexible design and can grasp test tubes with diameters ranging from φ2mm to φ20mm; the box picking gripper is compatible with the grasping of test tubes and the grasping of the hole covers of turnover barrels.

[0045] The retrieving drive mechanism can independently drive the tube and box retrieval grippers, or a single drive mechanism can simultaneously drive the two. The retrieving drive mechanism includes an X-axis linear module, a Y-axis linear module, and a Z-axis lift module. To further enhance motion accuracy, the Y-axis linear module can be slidably connected to the slide rails on the track frame.

[0046] In addition, multiple visual photography systems can be set up to compensate for the position of the grasped test tubes, making the grasping work safer and more efficient.

[0047] The sealed lid opening device includes a lid opening cover plate 134, a reset spring 135, a fastening groove 136, and a clamping block 137. The fastening groove that allows the box-taking gripper to pass through is arranged on the lid opening cover plate. The clamping block is relatively arranged below the lid opening cover plate and is connected to the bottom of the lid opening cover plate through a reset spring. The box-taking gripper and the clamping block cooperate to clamp or loosen the lid opening cover plate and the turnover barrel cover.

[0048] When the turnover device reaches the material taking position, the box taking gripper first descends and passes through the fastening slot, and then the box taking gripper clamps the fastening slot to fix the lid opening cover plate, and at the same time the lower part of the box taking gripper drives the clamping block to move inward, so that the bottom of the clamping block clamps / fastens the turnover barrel cover, and then the box taking gripper rises upward to synchronously drive the lid opening cover plate and the turnover barrel cover to separate upward and move to the designated storage position, so as to realize the function of opening two covers at the same time with one gripper, simplifying the mechanical structure of the equipment, and greatly saving the rhythm of lifting the cover, optimizing the use efficiency of the equipment; when the box taking gripper releases the lid opening cover plate, the clamping block also moves outward and resets under the action of the reset spring, so that the clamping block is separated from the turnover barrel cover.

[0049] The axial direction of the return spring is arranged transversely, the inner end of the return spring is connected to the cover plate, and the outer end is connected to the clamping block. In order to facilitate the movement of the clamping block, the top of the clamping block can be slidably connected to the bottom of the cover plate through a slide rail or a slide groove.

[0050] (1.3) Liquid nitrogen tank: used for work trays and biological sample tube turnover boxes, providing a low-temperature environment during the sample transfer process.

[0051] The liquid nitrogen tank includes a tray tank body 141 and one or more box tank bodies 142 for placing test tube boxes to be put in and out of the warehouse. The tray tank body is connected to the box tank body to replenish liquid nitrogen at any time, thereby maintaining the stability of the low-temperature environment in the transport and insulation warehouse. The liquid nitrogen can be replenished through a separate channel or share a replenishment channel with the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0052] In addition, the rocker arm 151 can be driven to rotate by the motor shaft, and the cam 152 rotatably arranged on the rocker arm is movably connected to the guide groove 153 on the carrier support block 15 to drive the entire liquid nitrogen tank to move up and down along the lifting slide rail.

[0053] When the carrier moves to the top of the liquid nitrogen tank, the liquid nitrogen tank is lifted up, so that the liquid nitrogen surface contacts the sample tube, to ensure a low temperature environment for the sample after it is taken out of the warehouse, to ensure the activity of the sample, and at the same time to prevent frost on the bottom of the sample tube, so that the QR code scanning can be carried out normally for entry and exit of the warehouse, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0054] (1.4) Carrier plate access mechanism: used to grab the carrier plate 18 and transport it to the sample unit transport circulation system or the support mechanism.

[0055] The tray storage and retrieval mechanism includes a storage and retrieval connecting frame 161, a tray gripper 162 for grabbing the tray, a tray lifting mechanism for supporting the tray, and an access drive mechanism 163. The tray gripper is arranged on the storage and retrieval connecting frame, and the tray lifting mechanism is retractably arranged below the tray gripper. The access drive mechanism is connected to the storage and retrieval connecting frame to drive the tray gripper and the tray lifting mechanism to perform translational and rotational movements, thereby realizing the conversion of the tray position and angle in a small space, making it convenient to grab the tray on the freezing rack.

[0056] The access drive mechanism may adopt a three-axis rotary manipulator, that is, it can perform translation and rotation in the XYR axis directions.

[0057] The carrier lifting mechanism includes a carrier lifting plate 164, a lifting drive motor, a lifting drive gear, and a lifting drive rack. The lifting drive motor is connected to the storage and retrieval drive mechanism, and its output shaft is connected to the lifting drive gear. The carrier lifting plate is provided with a lifting drive rack that engages with the lifting drive gear. The lifting drive motor drives the carrier lifting plate to move back and forth under the carrier gripper through the lifting drive gear and the lifting drive rack to support or release the carrier.

[0058] In addition, in order to further ensure the accuracy of the movement of the tray lifting plate, the tray lifting plate is slidably connected to the sliding groove on the access connection frame.

[0059] (1.5) Support mechanism: used to move the carrier plate closer to or away from the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0060] The supporting mechanism is fixed or liftable on the side of the liquid nitrogen tank, and includes a supporting frame 155 located above the liquid nitrogen tank. The supporting frame can be driven up and down by a supporting drive mechanism, which can be driven by a motor screw, a cylinder, or other devices.

[0061] When the carrier is taken out by the carrier storage and retrieval mechanism, it falls on the support rack, the carrier gripper is released, the carrier lifting mechanism retreats, and the support drive mechanism drives the carrier of the support rack down into the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0062] (1.6) The structure of the carrier includes two upper and lower limiting support plates, and a support block is arranged between the support plates to form a support frame. The two sides of the front end of the support frame are provided with grabbing positioning blocks for easy grabbing of the carrier gripper, which can save height space and maximize the storage capacity within the limited height space (nearly twice the storage capacity of its peers); the rear end of the support frame is provided with a storage positioning block, and the storage positioning block with a certain degree of elasticity is provided with a card slot that is movably connected to the freezing rack in the sample unit transport circulation system. The upper limit support plate is provided with a test tube hole that allows the sample test tube to pass through and be placed. The test tube samples can be tightly arranged according to the size of the test tube and the gap of the carrier (the gap is only 1mm). The test tube positioning is stable and the arrangement is efficient and neat, saving space.

[0063] In addition, the carrier plate is fan-shaped to fully utilize the internal space of the circular liquid nitrogen tank. The support block is made of aluminum alloy, and the upper limit support plate is made of stainless steel, which meets the overall strength requirements while meeting the needs of lightweight.

[0064] (2) Sample unit transport circulation system

[0065] The sample unit transport circulation system includes a liquid nitrogen tank 21, a freezing rack outlet 22, a tray outlet 23, a first opening and closing mechanism, a second opening and closing mechanism, a lifting and insulation warehouse, a freezing rack 25, a storage bracket rotation mechanism, and a lifting and discharging mechanism.

[0066] The freezing rack outlet is arranged on the top surface of the liquid nitrogen tank, and the carrier plate outlet is arranged on the side of the freezing rack outlet, which can reduce the height of the carrier plate grabbing, thereby maximizing the carrier plate storage within a limited height.

[0067] The lifting and insulation warehouse is arranged on the top of the liquid nitrogen tank, the lifting and discharging mechanism and the first opening and closing mechanism connected to the freezing rack discharge port are arranged on the table 24 of the lifting and insulation warehouse, the second opening and closing mechanism is arranged on the outside of the carrier discharge port, and the storage bracket rotating mechanism is connected to the liquid nitrogen tank and drives the freezing rack to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0068] (2.1) Storage rack rotation mechanism: used to store the cryo rack and drive the cryo rack to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank.

[0069] The storage bracket rotation mechanism includes a rotation drive mechanism 270, a cantilever shaft 271, a positioning frame, a partition plate 273, a hollow connecting groove 274, and a central liquid storage tank 275 connected to an external liquid nitrogen input valve.

[0070] The cantilever shaft is rotatably mounted on the top of the liquid nitrogen tank via bearings, etc., and its lower portion is connected to the top of the landing frame to suspend the landing frame within the liquid nitrogen tank, so that the bottom of the landing frame does not contact the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank. Its upper end is connected to the rotary drive mechanism to drive the landing frame to rotate within the liquid nitrogen tank. That is, rather than abandoning the prior art method of directly connecting the top and bottom of the landing frame to the liquid nitrogen tank via bearings, a top suspension structure is adopted, in which the rotary drive mechanism and the landing frame in the tank are connected separately via cantilever shafts. This allows the key components of the storage bracket rotation mechanism to be located at the top, away from the low-temperature storage area at the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank. This optimizes the external environment of the key components, effectively reduces the failure rate of parts, and increases the service life of the equipment. Furthermore, installation and maintenance are simple, which can reduce hardware costs.

[0071] The central axis of the storage disk is made of a large-section aluminum alloy pipe; the rotary drive mechanism includes a rotary drive motor and a harmonic reducer.

[0072] The positioning frame includes a storage disk central axis 272 and a support disk 276 arranged around the outer periphery of the bottom of the storage disk central axis. The support disk is provided with a support guide groove movably connected to the freezing rack. A hollow connecting groove with an opening facing downward is provided in the storage disk central axis. The pressurized central liquid storage tank is set in the hollow connecting groove, and the lower part of the central liquid storage tank is directly or through a liquid conduit 277 and is connected to the liquid nitrogen tank and / or the hollow cooling interlayer 278 at the bottom and side of the liquid nitrogen tank to replenish or transport the liquid nitrogen in the central liquid storage tank to the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank and / or the hollow cooling interlayer. In addition, the central liquid storage tank can also be connected to the liquid nitrogen tank at the same time to replenish and recycle liquid nitrogen to the tank body.

[0073] By setting up a central liquid storage tank, the liquid nitrogen storage capacity can be increased to replenish the loss of liquid nitrogen in the liquid nitrogen tank and extend the liquid filling cycle. At the same time, due to the cold radiation of the central liquid nitrogen tank, the temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the liquid nitrogen tank is more uniform, so as to further optimize the internal temperature zone of the liquid nitrogen tank, so that the temperature at the top of the liquid nitrogen tank is closer to that at the bottom, thereby achieving a more balanced and stable low-temperature environment, optimizing the sample environment, and facilitating the effective storage of samples.

[0074] The partition plates are arranged in an array on the landing frame with the cantilever axis (or the central axis of the storage disk) as the center of the circle to form multiple fan-shaped freezing spaces for placing freezing racks. That is, a unique fan-shaped structure is used to divide the storage space in the liquid nitrogen barrel, maximizing the storage capacity within the available effective space and greatly improving storage efficiency.

[0075] (2.2) Freezing rack: used to position and store multiple trays.

[0076] The freezing rack adopts a tower structure that can stack multiple carriers up and down, and its cross-section is a fan-shaped structure. In this way, the freezing rack can be arranged in a circular shape inside a circular storage tank, which can efficiently utilize the space inside the storage tank, thereby increasing the number of storage units.

[0077] The structure of the freezing rack includes: a main frame, a top plate, a bottom plate, guide pins 251, support blocks, and locking columns (such as round steel, etc.).

[0078] The top plate and the bottom plate are respectively arranged on the top surface and the bottom surface of the main frame, and the locking column is arranged in the main frame, so that the storage positioning block on the carrier is engaged with the locking column to lock and position the carrier, and the main frame is divided into a plurality of carrier storage spaces for placing the carriers by using stainless steel thin layer plates. The bottom plate is provided with support positioning pins and support brackets movably connected to the support guide grooves in the storage bracket rotating mechanism to accurately and efficiently place the freezing rack, and the top plate is provided with a guide buckling structure movably connected to the lifting and discharging mechanism so that the lifting and discharging mechanism can drive the freezing rack to move up and down.

[0079] The guide and fastening structure includes a lifting guide device and a lifting fastening device, the lifting guide device includes a lifting guide groove or a lifting guide pin, and the lifting fastening device includes a lifting fastening block or a lifting fastening groove with a convex cross-section.

[0080] The top and bottom can be aluminum alloy plates, and the layer plates can be bolted, integrally formed or welded into the main frame.

[0081] (2.3) Lifting and discharging mechanism: used to grab the freezing rack in the liquid nitrogen tank and drive the freezing rack to move up and down in the freezing rack discharge port so that the tray gripper can grab or store the tray.

[0082] The lifting and discharging mechanism includes a freezing rack gripper 260, a gripper mounting frame 261, a lifting drive motor 262, a first-level lifting module 263, and a second-level lifting module 264. The freezing rack gripper for grabbing the freezing rack and the gripper drive motor for driving the freezing rack gripper to open and close are arranged on the gripper mounting frame. The first-level lifting module is fixedly mounted on the table of the lifting and insulation warehouse, or is mounted on the table of the lifting and insulation warehouse via a horizontal X-axis sliding motion. The output end of the first-level lifting module is connected to the second-level lifting module to drive the second-level lifting module to move up and down. The output end of the second-level lifting module is connected to the gripper mounting frame to drive the freezing rack gripper to move up and down. The gripper mounting frame may also be provided with a positioning pin 265 that is connected to the lifting guide groove on the freezing rack.

[0083] The freezer rack gripper is connected to the guide fastening structure to grasp the freezer rack. The freezer rack gripper may include two opposing grabbing hooks with hook portions facing outward. When in use, the gripper drive motor first drives the two grabbing hooks toward each other. The lifting module then drives the grabbing hooks into the lifting and fastening slots at the top of the freezer rack. The gripper drive motor then drives the two grabbing hooks outward, causing the hook portions of the grabbing hooks to engage with the lower portion of the lifting and fastening slots, preventing the freezer rack from becoming loose from the freezer rack gripper. At this point, the lifting module can lift the freezer rack upward via the freezer rack gripper so that it passes through the freezer rack outlet.

[0084] In addition, the first-stage lifting module and the second-stage lifting module can adopt screw modules.

[0085] The first-level lifting module and the second-level lifting module can each be connected to a lifting drive motor for independent driving.

[0086] Alternatively, a single motor can be used to drive the simultaneous movement of multiple modules. Its structure includes a sliding block 266 and a ball spline 267. The sliding block is connected to the nuts in the secondary and primary lifting modules, respectively, allowing the primary lifting module to drive the secondary lifting module up and down via the sliding block. Furthermore, the sliding block can be connected to the lifting rails via a slider to further enhance the precision of lifting control.

[0087] The lower part of the spline shaft of the ball spline can be connected to the lifting drive motor 262 through a set of synchronous wheels and synchronous belts to drive the spline shaft of the ball spline to rotate on the fixed frame of the first-level lifting module.

[0088] The flange outer ring of the ball spline is connected to the sliding block. The spline nut, which can rotate with the rotation of the spline shaft and slide up and down along the spline shaft, is connected to the screw rods in the first-level lifting module and the second-level lifting module through two sets of synchronous wheels and synchronous belts to synchronously drive the two sets of lifting modules.

[0089] That is, the spline nut first drives the screw in the first-level lifting module to rotate through a set of synchronous wheels and synchronous belts (the synchronous wheels are set on the spline nut and the first-level screw 268), so that the first-level lifting module can drive the second-level lifting module to rise and fall, and then the spline nut drives the screw in the second-level lifting module to rotate through another set of synchronous wheels and synchronous belts (the synchronous wheels are set on the spline nut and the second-level screw), so that the second-level lifting module drives the freezing rack gripper to rise and fall. In this way, one motor can be used to drive the two-stage linear modules to move simultaneously, realizing the function of the freezing rack gripper to penetrate into the liquid nitrogen tank to extract the freezing rack, which can save motor settings, compress the equipment size, simplify the structure and reduce costs.

[0090] (2.4) The first opening and closing mechanism: used to seal or open the outlet of the freezing rack.

[0091] The first opening and closing mechanism includes an opening cover 280 movably connected to the discharge port of the freezing rack and a first driving mechanism 281 that drives the opening cover to rise and fall and rotate.

[0092] The first drive mechanism includes a first drive mounting frame, a first drive motor, an opening cover drive screw, and an opening cover connecting frame 282. The first drive mounting frame is disposed on a tabletop for lifting the heat preservation bin. The opening cover drive screw is rotatably connected to the first drive mounting frame. The first drive motor is connected to the opening cover drive screw to drive the opening cover drive screw to rotate. One end of the opening cover connecting frame is threadedly connected to the opening cover drive screw, and the other end is connected to the opening cover. When the first drive motor is operating, the opening cover drive screw drives the opening cover to move up and down through the opening cover connecting frame, while causing the opening cover to rotate around the opening cover drive screw, thereby causing the opening cover to rise and fall and rotate downward to seal the freezing rack outlet, or rise and fall and rotate upward to open the freezing rack outlet.

[0093] (2.5) Second opening and closing mechanism: used to open or close the tray discharge port.

[0094] The second opening and closing mechanism includes a sealing cover 290 and a second driving mechanism for driving the sealing cover to move up and down and back and forth, so that the sealing cover opens or seals the tray discharge port.

[0095] The second driving mechanism includes a second driving fixed frame 291, a second driving motor 292, a second synchronous wheel 293, a second synchronous belt 294, a transmission connecting frame 295, a transmission connecting rod, a transmission guide wheel (or transmission guide pin) 297, a lifting transmission guide groove 298, and a telescopic transmission guide groove 299.

[0096] The second driving fixed frame is arranged on both sides of the carrier plate discharge port, and a pair of second synchronous wheels rotatably connected by a second synchronous belt are provided on one side or both sides of the second driving fixed frame. A group of the lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove are provided on one side or both sides of the second driving fixed frame, and the telescopic transmission guide groove is provided on the inner side of the lifting transmission guide groove, the transmission connecting rod is respectively connected with the second synchronous belt and the sealing cover, and the transmission connecting rod is respectively connected with the lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove through the transmission guide wheel for lifting and telescopic guiding, thereby driving the sealing cover to descend and move inward to seal the carrier plate discharge port, or to rise and move outward to open the carrier plate discharge port, that is, only one structure is used to complete the continuous action of making the sealing cover smooth first and then cover the lid.

[0097] The lifting transmission guide groove may adopt a linear structure arranged along the vertical direction, and the telescopic transmission guide groove may adopt an arc-shaped or L-shaped structure with the lower end extending toward the direction close to the carrier plate discharge port.

[0098] The transmission connecting rod includes a lifting transmission part 2961 and a telescopic transmission part 2962. One end of the transmission connecting frame is connected to the second synchronous belt, and the other end is connected to the lifting transmission part in the transmission connecting rod. One end of the telescopic transmission part is rotatably connected to the lifting transmission part, and the other end is rotatably connected to the sealing cover. The lifting transmission part or the end of the telescopic transmission part connected to the lifting transmission part is slidably connected to the lifting transmission guide groove through a transmission guide wheel for lifting and guiding, so that the sealing cover moves up and down. The end of the telescopic transmission part connected to the sealing cover is slidably connected to the telescopic transmission guide groove through a transmission guide wheel for telescopic guiding, so that the sealing cover is close to or away from the carrier plate discharge port.

[0099] A second drive motor can be connected to each side of the sealing cover, or two sets of transmission devices can be connected through a synchronous shaft 2910 to achieve bilateral synchronization, that is, the two ends of the synchronous shaft are connected to the second synchronous wheel through a set of synchronous wheels and synchronous belts, so that only one second drive motor can synchronously drive the two sets of transmission devices, simplifying the structure and reducing costs.

[0100] There are four main temperature zones in the entire biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system:

[0101] Partition 1, 30, is formed by a liquid nitrogen tank with an internal temperature of -198°C;

[0102] Partition 2 31 is formed by a lifting and insulation chamber, and is separated from partition 1 and partition 2 by an opening cover. When the cryo rack needs to be retrieved, the opening cover automatically opens. Since the lifting and insulation chamber is a closed space, it can ensure that the cold air inside the liquid nitrogen tank is leaked into the lifting and insulation chamber, so that the samples in the lifted cryo rack are always in a low-temperature environment.

[0103] Partition No. 3 32 is formed by a transport insulation warehouse and a liquid nitrogen tank, and is separated from Partition No. 2 and Partition No. 3 by a sealing cover. During non-working period, there is a sealing cover to block it, and during working period, there is a liquid nitrogen rack with nitrogen injected at the bottom to maintain a low temperature environment.

[0104] Partition 4 33, that is, the rest of the area in the rack excluding the above three partitions, has a normal temperature.

[0105] The beneficial effects of the biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system of the present invention are:

[0106] 1. The traditional liquid nitrogen tank structure design is optimized. The cantilever shaft makes the liquid nitrogen tank have a lower failure rate. The internal central liquid storage tank makes the internal temperature of the liquid nitrogen tank more uniform, ensuring the activity of the sample. At the same time, it also increases the liquid nitrogen storage capacity and extends the liquid nitrogen replacement cycle.

[0107] 2. The modular test tube tray with independent sector divisions maximizes the utilization of the internal space of the circular liquid nitrogen tank, and the standard module tray design can meet the automation needs of sample test tubes of any shape and size.

[0108] 3. The height of the freezing rack entrance and exit is cleverly designed to reduce design costs, greatly increase sample storage capacity, and significantly reduce unit sample storage costs.

[0109] 4. The lifting liquid nitrogen tank not only ensures the low temperature environment of the test tube in the third space, preventing the repeated freezing and thawing of the samples during storage and retrieval operations, but also avoids the camera from being unable to recognize the QR code at the bottom due to frost, thereby greatly reducing equipment fault alarms.

[0110] 5. The entire system is highly intelligent and can realize fully automatic biological sample transport, docking, storage and retrieval operations, with high security, high flexibility and high efficiency.

[0111] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present invention specification, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system, characterized in that: include: Sample storage system, sample unit handling circulation system, The sample storage system is used to connect to the external turnover device of the equipment and store and retrieve samples in a low-temperature environment, thereby realizing the storage and call of samples; The sample unit handling circulation system: for low-temperature storage of the tray containing the sample tubes and the sample tube box, and for transporting and lifting the freezing rack to achieve loading and unloading of the freezing rack; The sample storage system includes a retrieval mechanism for grabbing and transporting sample tubes and sample tube boxes, a supporting mechanism for supporting the carrier and maintaining the carrier at a low temperature, and a carrier storage and retrieval mechanism for transporting the carrier to the sample unit transport circulation system or the supporting mechanism, wherein the retrieval mechanism, the supporting mechanism, and the carrier storage and retrieval mechanism are arranged in the transport and insulation compartment; The material picking mechanism includes a tube picking gripper, a box picking gripper, and a material picking drive mechanism that drives the tube picking gripper and the box picking gripper to move; a sealing cover opening device is movably connected to the turnover loading port of the transport insulation bin to seal or open the turnover loading port, and the box picking gripper is movably connected to the sealing cover opening device to synchronously open and close the turnover loading port and the turnover device through the sealing cover opening device, wherein the sealing cover opening device includes a cover opening cover plate, a fastening groove, and a clamping block, the fastening groove allowing the box picking gripper to pass through is provided on the cover opening cover plate, the clamping block movably connected to the turnover device cover is elastically provided at the lower part of the cover opening cover plate, and the box picking gripper drives the clamping block to translate to synchronously clamp or release the cover opening cover plate and the turnover device cover; The supporting mechanism includes a liquid nitrogen tank for storing liquid nitrogen and a supporting rack movably connected to the carrier plate. The supporting rack and / or the liquid nitrogen tank can be raised and lowered, and the supporting rack and the liquid nitrogen tank cooperate to drive the carrier plate to move closer to or away from the liquid nitrogen tank. The liquid nitrogen tank is provided with a carrier plate tank body for placing the carrier plate and a magazine tank body for placing test tube magazines to be put in and out of the warehouse. The carrier plate tank body is communicated with the magazine tank body to maintain a low-temperature environment.

2. The biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The turnover loading port of the transport insulation warehouse is connected to a docking mechanism for transporting the turnover device loaded with samples to the target material collection position. The docking mechanism includes a docking platform for receiving the turnover device and a docking drive device for driving the docking platform to lift and / or translate to the turnover loading port.

3. The biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray storage and retrieval mechanism includes a storage and retrieval connecting frame, a tray gripper for grabbing the tray, a tray lifting mechanism for supporting the tray, and an access drive mechanism. The tray gripper is arranged on the storage and retrieval connecting frame, and the tray lifting mechanism is retractably arranged below the tray gripper. The access drive mechanism drives the tray gripper and the tray lifting mechanism to perform translational and rotational movements through the storage and retrieval connecting frame.

4. The biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sample unit transport circulation system includes a liquid nitrogen tank storing liquid nitrogen, a freezing rack for placing a carrier plate, a freezing rack discharge port for the freezing rack to enter and exit, a carrier plate discharge port for the carrier plate to enter and exit, a first opening and closing mechanism for opening or sealing the freezing rack discharge port, a second opening and closing mechanism for opening or sealing the carrier plate discharge port, a storage bracket rotating mechanism, and a lifting and discharging mechanism for driving the freezing rack to move up and down, wherein the freezing rack discharge port is arranged on the top surface of the liquid nitrogen tank, the carrier plate discharge port is arranged on the side of the freezing rack discharge port, the storage bracket rotating mechanism suspends the freezing rack in the liquid nitrogen tank and drives the freezing rack to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank, wherein the lifting and insulation warehouse cover is arranged on the freezing rack discharge port, the carrier plate discharge port, the first opening and closing mechanism, the second opening and closing mechanism, and the lifting and discharging mechanism.

5. The biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The storage bracket rotation mechanism includes a rotation drive mechanism, a cantilever shaft, a landing frame, a partition plate, a hollow connecting groove, and a central liquid storage tank for replenishing liquid nitrogen. The lower part of the cantilever shaft is connected to the top of the landing frame to suspend the landing frame in the liquid nitrogen tank, and its upper end is connected to the rotation drive mechanism to drive the landing frame to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank. The partition plate array is arranged on the landing frame to form a plurality of freezing spaces for placing freezing racks. A hollow connecting groove is provided in the central axis of the storage disk in the landing frame. The central liquid storage tank is arranged in the hollow connecting groove, and the liquid nitrogen in the central liquid storage tank is transported to the hollow cooling interlayer at the bottom and side of the liquid nitrogen tank.

6. The biological sample low-temperature intelligent storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second opening and closing mechanism includes a sealing cover and a second driving mechanism that synchronously drives the sealing cover to lift and move back and forth, so that the sealing cover opens or seals the carrier plate outlet. The second driving mechanism includes a second driving fixed frame, a lifting transmission guide groove, a telescopic transmission guide groove, a transmission guide wheel, a transmission connecting rod, and a power device. The lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove are provided on the second driving fixed frame. The end of the transmission connecting rod is connected to the sealing cover, and the transmission connecting rod is movably connected to the lifting transmission guide groove and the telescopic transmission guide groove respectively through the transmission guide wheel to lift and telescopically guide the transmission connecting rod and the sealing cover. The power device drives the transmission connecting rod to move along the guide groove, so that the sealing cover descends and approaches the sealed carrier plate outlet inward, or rises and moves away from the open carrier plate outlet.

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