Automated cryogenic sample library

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated cryogenic sample library, comprising a liquid nitrogen tank, a heat preservation chamber, a shovel module, a transfer box transfer module, a sample box transfer module and a tube picking module, wherein the liquid nitrogen tank comprises a tank body and a heat preservation plug arranged at the opening of the tank body, the lower end of the shovel module passes through the heat preservation plug, and is provided with a shovel that can rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank, the lower end of the shovel module can move up and down to drive the heat preservation plug to open or close the opening of the tank body, the shovel is used to extract the sample box stored in the liquid nitrogen tank, and is used to transfer the sample box back and forth between the tank body and the heat preservation chamber when the heat preservation plug opens the opening of the tank body. The sample box can be extracted from the liquid nitrogen tank without installing a motion mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank, so that most of the mechanical and electrical components can adopt conventional products working at room temperature, which not only reduces the risk of failure of the automated cryogenic sample library, but also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the automated cryogenic sample library.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of biological sample storage, and in particular to an automated deep-cryogenic sample library. Background Art

[0002] A biobank is a standardized device for collecting, processing, and storing samples of biological macromolecules, cells, tissues, and organs of healthy and diseased organisms. Most biological samples need to be stored in a deep cryogenic environment, especially some biobanks used to store cells for re-infusion into the human body. The storage environment needs to be in a deep cryogenic environment with a temperature close to that of liquid nitrogen. Taking the biobank that stores human embryos as an example, the embryos need to go through a complex cooling process first, and then be stored in liquid nitrogen. They need to be protected in a deep cryogenic environment throughout the process to prevent repeated freezing and thawing of the embryos and damage their activity. After the embryos are cooled, they are placed in a transfer container filled with liquid nitrogen, and then manually sent to a larger liquid nitrogen tank. When the embryos need to be extracted, they are taken out of the liquid nitrogen tank, placed in a transfer container, and transported to the target location.

[0003] In the structure of a traditional cryogenic sample library, a turntable mechanism is usually provided in a liquid nitrogen tank, and the turntable on the turntable mechanism is driven to rotate by an external driving mechanism, so that the sector where the sample is located rotates to the outlet of the liquid nitrogen tank, and then the sample is extracted from the liquid nitrogen tank by the external driving mechanism. However, since the turntable needs to rotate in the liquid nitrogen tank, a motion mechanism that can rotate the turntable must be provided in the turntable mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank. However, the temperature in the liquid nitrogen tank needs to be maintained below -150°C for a long time. In such a deep low temperature environment, the provision of a motion mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank increases the risk of failure of the motion mechanism. In addition, due to the deep depth of the liquid nitrogen tank and the deep low temperature environment in the liquid nitrogen tank, higher requirements are also placed on the motion mechanism. Once the motion mechanism fails, it is not convenient to repair and maintain the motion mechanism. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an automated cryogenic sample library that can extract sample boxes from a liquid nitrogen tank without having to install a motion mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank, in order to address the problem that the existing cryogenic sample library has a built-in motion mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank, which easily increases the risk of failure of the motion mechanism and is inconvenient for repair and maintenance.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, an automated deep cryogenic sample library is provided, comprising:

[0006] A liquid nitrogen tank, comprising a tank body and a thermal insulation plug, wherein the thermal insulation plug is movably arranged at an opening of the tank body;

[0007] A heat preservation chamber is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank, the heat preservation chamber has a heat preservation cavity which can be connected to the inside of the tank body, and the heat preservation chamber also has a sample inlet and outlet which connects the heat preservation cavity and the external environment;

[0008] A shovel plate module, comprising a shovel plate mechanism, a driving mechanism and a lifting mechanism, wherein the shovel plate mechanism has a shovel plate that can rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank, and the shovel plate is used to extract a sample box stored in the liquid nitrogen tank; the lower end of the driving mechanism passes through the insulation plug and is connected to the shovel plate mechanism, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the shovel plate to rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank; the lifting mechanism is arranged in the insulation cabin, and is used to drive the driving mechanism and the shovel plate mechanism to move up and down relative to the insulation plug, so as to drive the insulation plug to open or close the opening of the tank body, so that the shovel plate transfers the sample box back and forth between the tank body and the insulation chamber when the insulation plug opens the opening of the tank body;

[0009] A transfer box transfer module is provided at the bottom of the thermal insulation chamber, and is used to transfer the transfer box between the external environment and the sample inlet and outlet of the thermal insulation chamber;

[0010] A sample box transfer module, comprising a sample box transfer mechanism at least partially inserted into the heat preservation chamber, wherein the sample box transfer mechanism can move within the heat preservation chamber to transfer the sample box back and forth between the shovel tray module and the transfer box;

[0011] The tube picking module comprises a tube picking mechanism at least partly located in the heat preservation chamber, and the tube picking mechanism is used to perform a tube picking operation on the sample box placed in the transfer box.

[0012] In one embodiment, the driving mechanism comprises:

[0013] A connecting component, one side of which is connected to the shovel plate;

[0014] A rotating drive shaft, one end of which is fixedly connected to a side of the connecting assembly away from the shovel plate, and the other end of which is connected to the lifting mechanism, wherein the rotating drive shaft is used to controllably rotate around its own axis to drive the shovel plate to rotate synchronously;

[0015] A telescopic drive shaft is coaxially arranged in the rotating drive shaft, one end of the telescopic drive shaft passes through the connecting assembly and is movably connected to the shovel disc, and the other end of the telescopic drive shaft is connected to the lifting mechanism. The telescopic drive shaft is used to controllably rotate around its own axis to drive the shovel disc to move horizontally relative to the connecting assembly.

[0016] In one embodiment, a driving wheel is provided on the insulation plug, and a limiting groove extending along the axial direction of the rotating drive shaft is formed on the outer wall of the rotating drive shaft. The driving wheel is limited in the limiting groove, and when the driving mechanism moves up and down relative to the insulation plug, the driving wheel can roll along the limiting groove.

[0017] In one embodiment, the shovel mechanism further includes a shovel box movably connected to the drive mechanism, the shovel is movably mounted in the shovel box, and the shovel box can be driven by the drive mechanism to move horizontally relative to the drive mechanism in conjunction with the shovel.

[0018] When the shovel plate box moves horizontally relative to the driving mechanism, the shovel plate moves horizontally relative to the shovel plate box to extend out of the shovel plate box or retract into the shovel plate box.

[0019] In one of the embodiments, the shovel mechanism further includes a liquid nitrogen box disposed on the outer periphery of the shovel box, and the liquid nitrogen box is used to contain liquid nitrogen.

[0020] In one embodiment, the insulation chamber includes a first insulation chamber, a second insulation chamber and a connecting pipe, the connecting pipe is arranged above the first insulation chamber, the second insulation chamber is connected to one side of the first insulation chamber along the horizontal direction, the first insulation chamber has a first insulation cavity, the second insulation chamber has a second insulation cavity, the first insulation cavity and the second insulation cavity are connected to each other through a connecting port, the first insulation cavity and the second insulation cavity together form the insulation cavity, the sample inlet and outlet are opened on the bottom wall of the second insulation cavity; the tube body of the connecting pipe forms a narrow and long channel connected to the first insulation cavity, and the lifting mechanism is at least partially accommodated in the narrow and long channel.

[0021] In one embodiment, the automated cryogenic sample library further comprises an inner sealing plug and an outer sealing plug, the inner sealing plug is used to seal the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet, the outer sealing plug is used to seal the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet and to carry the transfer box, the inner sealing plug is driven by an inner sealing drive switch to open or close the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the outer sealing plug is driven by the transfer box transfer module to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet;

[0022] When the outer sealing plug carries the transfer box to move to the sample inlet and outlet, the transfer box can close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the inner sealing plug opens the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet; when the outer sealing plug carries the transfer box from the sample inlet and outlet to the outside of the automated deep cryogenic sample library, the outer sealing plug opens the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the inner sealing plug closes the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sample box transfer module includes:

[0024] A transfer box transfer mechanism is provided below the sample inlet and outlet, and includes a guide rail and a tray movably mounted on the guide rail, wherein the tray can be controllably moved relative to the guide rail so as to transfer the transfer box from outside the automated deep cryogenic sample library to below the sample inlet and outlet, or to transfer the transfer box from below the sample inlet and outlet to outside the automated deep cryogenic sample library;

[0025] The lifting mechanism includes a lifting rod and a lifting block arranged on the top of the lifting rod. The lifting rod can controllably drive the lifting block to move up and down and pass through the tray. The lifting block is used to carry the outer sealing plug to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet.

[0026] In one embodiment, the sample box transfer mechanism has a liquid nitrogen spray channel, and the liquid nitrogen spray channel is used to pass liquid nitrogen to spray the sample box with liquid nitrogen when the sample box transfer mechanism transfers the sample box.

[0027] In one of the embodiments, the automated cryogenic sample library further includes a liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism disposed at the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank and connected to the liquid nitrogen tank, wherein the liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism is used to drive the liquid nitrogen tank to connect to or disconnect from the thermal insulation chamber.

[0028] The above-mentioned automated deep-cryogenic sample library has an insulation plug movably arranged at the opening of the tank body of the liquid nitrogen tank, and an insulation cabin is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank, the insulation cabin has an insulation cavity communicated with the inside of the tank body, and the shovel plate module includes a shovel plate mechanism, a driving mechanism and a lifting mechanism, the shovel plate mechanism has a shovel plate that can rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank, and the shovel plate is used to extract the sample box stored in the liquid nitrogen tank; the lower end of the driving mechanism passes through the insulation plug and is connected to the shovel plate mechanism, the driving mechanism is used to drive the shovel plate to rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank, so that the shovel plate can be rotated or moved to a suitable position when it is inserted into the liquid nitrogen tank to extract the sample box onto the shovel plate; the lifting mechanism is arranged at the top of the insulation cabin, and is used to drive the driving mechanism and the shovel plate mechanism to move up and down relative to the insulation plug. When the movable end moves up and down, it can drive the insulation plug to open or close the opening of the tank body, so that the shovel plate can transfer the sample box back and forth between the tank body and the insulation cavity. Therefore, there is no need to install a motion mechanism in the liquid nitrogen tank, and the sample box can be transferred from the liquid nitrogen tank to the shovel plate and extracted from the liquid nitrogen tank, which ensures that there is no motion mechanism in the tank body of the liquid nitrogen tank. All motion mechanisms or driving components are arranged outside the tank body (i.e., the normal temperature zone), so that most mechanical and electrical components can adopt conventional products that work at normal temperature, which not only reduces the failure risk of the automated deep cryogenic sample library, but also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the automated deep cryogenic sample library. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only one embodiment of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, drawings of other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of an automated deep cryogenic sample library provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal structure of an automated deep cryogenic sample library provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 A front view of the internal structure of the automated deep cryogenic sample library provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a driving mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention when inserted into a liquid nitrogen tank;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified schematic diagram of the middle A area;

[0035] Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a partial structure of a shovel disc module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A magnified schematic diagram of the middle B area;

[0037] Figure 8 A front view of the automated cryogenic sample library provided by an embodiment of the present invention when transferring a sample box.

[0038] Description of reference numerals:

[0039] 10. Sample library; 100. Frame; 200. Sealed cabin; 210. Transparent window; 220. Manual intervention port; 300. Liquid nitrogen tank; 310. Tank body; 320. Insulation plug; 330. Basket; 334. Driving wheel; 400. Insulation cabin; 410. First insulation cabin; 420. Second insulation cabin; 430. Connecting pipe; 440. Neck sealing ring; 401. First insulation chamber; 402. Second insulation chamber; 403, connecting port; 404, sample inlet and outlet; 405, narrow channel; 500, shovel module; 510, shovel mechanism; 511, shovel box; 512, shovel; 513, liquid nitrogen box; 520, drive mechanism; 521, connecting assembly; 522, rotating drive shaft; 5221, limiting groove; 523, telescopic drive shaft; 524, rotating drive element; 525, telescopic drive moving element; 530, lifting mechanism; 600, sample box transfer module; 610, sample box transfer drive mechanism; 620, sample box transfer mechanism; 621, connecting shaft; 6211, liquid nitrogen spray channel; 622, grabbing element; 700, tube picking module; 710, tube picking drive mechanism; 720, tube picking mechanism; 800, transfer box transfer module; 810, transfer box transfer mechanism; 811, slide rail; 812, tray; 820, lifting mechanism; 821, lifting rod; 822, lifting block; 900, top sealing cover; 901, air outlet; 1000, lifting guide mechanism; 1100, guide rail; 1200, guide seat; 2000, liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism; 3000, inner sealing plug; 4000, inner sealing drive switch; 5000, outer sealing plug; 20, sample box; 30, transfer box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present invention, so the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0041] In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “liquid level”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0042] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0043] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0044] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature has a higher liquid level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature has a lower liquid level than the second feature.

[0045] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "liquid horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0046] An embodiment of the present invention provides an automated cryogenic sample library, which is used to form a cryogenic environment for storing liquid nitrogen inside the library and store biological samples in the cryogenic environment. When the biological samples need to be extracted, the automated cryogenic sample library can extract the biological samples from the cryogenic environment into a transfer container and transport them to a target location.

[0047] Below is taken as an example the biological sample library storing human embryos, the structure of the automated deep cryogenic sample library in the present application is described. The present embodiment is only used as an example to illustrate, and does not limit the technical scope of the present application. It is to be understood that in other embodiments, the automated deep cryogenic sample library of the present application is not limited to storing human embryos, and can also be used to store other any type of biological samples, which is not limited here.

[0048] The following combination Figures 1 to 8 , introduces the preferred implementation of the automated biological sample library provided by this application.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an automated deep cryogenic sample library 10 (hereinafter referred to as sample library) includes a frame 100, a sealed cabin 200, a liquid nitrogen tank 300, a heat preservation cabin 400 and a plurality of action modules for transferring sample boxes 20. The sealed cabin 200 is provided at the upper half of the frame 100, and a closed sealed space is formed at the upper part of the frame 100. The liquid nitrogen tank 300, the heat preservation cabin 400 and a plurality of action modules for transferring sample boxes 20 are provided in the frame 100, the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is located at the lower part of the frame 100, and the heat preservation cabin 400 and a plurality of action modules for transferring sample boxes 20 are located in the sealed space formed by the sealed cabin 200. The plurality of action modules for transferring samples include a shovel tray module 500, a sample box transfer module 600, a tube picking module 700 and a transfer box transfer module 800.

[0050] The frame 100 is used to provide support and bearing capacity for the entire device, and is also used to bring together multiple mechanisms of the entire device to improve the degree of integration. The sealed cabin 200 is used to establish a sealed space in the sample library 10 that is isolated from the external environment, so that the sample library 10 maintains a low-temperature environment inside and prevents the entry of moisture. Preferably, the sealed cabin 200 is provided with a transparent window 210 and a manual intervention port 220, so that the operator can observe the working status in the sealed cabin 200, and in the event of an emergency, the operator can extend his hand into the sealed cabin 200 through the manual intervention port 220 for manual intervention. The liquid nitrogen tank 300 contains liquid nitrogen to form a deep low temperature environment for storing biological samples. The insulation chamber 400 is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank 300, and is used to further form an insulation chamber in the sealed chamber 200 that can be communicated with the interior of the liquid nitrogen tank 300, so that the sample box 20 in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is still in a smaller space (i.e., the insulation chamber) after being transferred out of the liquid nitrogen tank 300, so as to maintain the activity of the sample and reduce the loss caused by the evaporation of liquid nitrogen. The shovel module 500 is used to extract the sample box 20 in the liquid nitrogen tank 300, and to transfer the sample box 20 back and forth between the tank body 310 and the insulation chamber. The sample box transfer module 600 is used to transfer the sample box 20 back and forth between the shovel module 500 and the transfer box 30. The tube picking module 700 is used to perform a tube picking operation on the test tube in the transfer box 30, so as to pick the test tube from one test tube position of the sample box 20 to another test tube position, or to pick the test tube from one sample box 20 to another sample box 20. The transfer box transfer module 800 is used to transfer the transfer box 30 between the external environment and the sample library 10 .

[0051] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the liquid nitrogen tank 300 includes a tank body 310, a plurality of baskets 330 and an insulation plug 320. The plurality of baskets 330 are arranged on the inner wall of the tank body 310 along the circumference of the tank body 310. Each basket 330 is a multi-layer structure arranged in sequence up and down, and each layer is provided with a frame. Each frame is used to store a sample box 20. The insulation plug 320 can be movably arranged at the opening of the tank body 310 to open or close the tank body 310.

[0052] The insulation chamber 400 is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank 300, and includes a first insulation chamber 410, a second insulation chamber 420 and a connecting pipe 430. The connecting pipe 430 is connected to the top of the first insulation chamber 410, and the second insulation chamber 420 is connected to one side of the first insulation chamber 410 in the horizontal direction. The first insulation chamber 410 has a first insulation chamber 401, and the second insulation chamber 420 has a second insulation chamber 402. The first insulation chamber 401 and the second insulation chamber 402 are connected to each other through a connecting port 403. The bottom wall of the second insulation chamber 402 is provided with a sample inlet and outlet 404 connecting the external environment and the insulation chamber. The first insulation chamber 401 and the second insulation chamber 402 together form an insulation chamber. The connecting pipe 430 is a narrow and long tubular structure extending in the vertical direction. The tube body of the connecting pipe 430 forms a narrow and long channel connected to the first insulation chamber 401, and the shovel module 500 is partially installed in the narrow and long channel.

[0053] Preferably, at the connection between the thermal insulation chamber 400 and the liquid nitrogen tank 300 , a neck sealing ring 440 is further provided on the outer circumference of the first thermal insulation chamber 410 to ensure the sealing of the connection between the thermal insulation chamber 400 and the liquid nitrogen tank 300 .

[0054] In addition, a top sealing cover 900 is provided above the frame 100, the interior of the top sealing cover 900 is connected to the above-mentioned narrow and long passage, and one end of the top sealing cover 900 has an air outlet 901, and the air outlet 901 is used to discharge the nitrogen that continues to evaporate in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 and the nitrogen that evaporates when the liquid nitrogen is sprayed in the insulation chamber, so as to prevent the internal pressure of the equipment from being too high and avoid safety accidents.

[0055] In some embodiments, the shovel module 500 extends downward in the vertical direction to the first insulation chamber 401, and can further extend into the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300. The shovel module 500 has a fixed end and a movable end that are relatively spaced apart in the vertical direction. The fixed end is fixedly arranged on the top of the frame 100, and the movable end is penetrated through the insulation plug 320 and can move up and down in a controllable manner so as to move up and down in the tank body 310, and can also drive the insulation plug 320 to open or close the opening of the tank body 310 during the up and down movement.

[0056] Specifically, combined Figures 3 to 6As shown, the shovel module 500 includes a shovel mechanism 510, a driving mechanism 520 and a lifting mechanism 530 connected in sequence from bottom to top. The upper end of the lifting mechanism 530 is located at the fixed end of the shovel module 500 and is arranged at the top of the frame 100 (i.e., the top of the insulation chamber 400), and the lower end of the lifting mechanism 530 is connected to the driving mechanism 520. The end of the driving mechanism 520 away from the lifting mechanism 530 (i.e., the lower end of the driving mechanism 520) passes through the insulation plug 320 and is connected to the shovel mechanism 510. The lifting mechanism 530 can be fully or partially accommodated in the narrow passage formed by the connecting pipe 430 of the insulation chamber 400. The lifting mechanism 530 is used to lift the driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 upward as a whole, so that the driving mechanism 520 drives the shovel mechanism 510 to be lifted from the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to the first insulation chamber 410, or the shovel mechanism 510 is lowered from the first insulation chamber 410 to the tank body 310. The lifting mechanism 530 can be a chain, a wire rope, a synchronous belt, a ball screw, a gear rack structure, etc., which is not specifically limited. The driving mechanism 520 is used to drive the movement of the shovel mechanism 510. The shovel mechanism 510 is used to extract the sample box 20 in the liquid nitrogen tank 300, and make the sample box 20 go back and forth between the insulation chamber 400 and the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300.

[0057] like Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the driving mechanism 520 includes a connecting assembly 521, a rotating driving shaft 522, a telescopic driving shaft 523, a rotating driving element 524 and a telescopic driving element 525. The upper end of the rotating driving shaft 522 is connected to the rotating driving element 524 through a pair of gears, the lower end of the rotating driving shaft 522 is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting assembly 521, the other side of the connecting assembly 521 away from the rotating driving shaft 522 is movably connected to the shovel mechanism 510, and the rotating driving shaft 522 has a hollow cavity that passes through both ends of its own axial direction, and the telescopic driving shaft 523 is coaxially accommodated in the hollow cavity of the rotating driving shaft 522. The upper end of the telescopic driving shaft 523 is connected to the telescopic driving element 525 through a pair of gears, and the lower end of the telescopic driving shaft 523 passes through the connecting assembly 521 and is connected to the shovel mechanism 510 through a transmission. The rotating drive element 524 is used to drive the rotating drive shaft 522 to rotate around its own axis, thereby driving the connecting assembly 521 and the shovel mechanism 510 to rotate along with the rotating drive shaft 522 around the axis of the rotating drive shaft 522, so as to rotate the shovel mechanism 510 to an angle corresponding to a basket 330 in the liquid nitrogen tank 300; the telescopic driving element 525 is used to drive the telescopic driving shaft 523 to rotate around its own axis, so that the telescopic driving shaft 523 drives the shovel mechanism 510 to perform a telescopic action, thereby extracting the sample box 20 into the shovel mechanism 510. At the same time, the ends of the rotating drive shaft 522 and the telescopic driving shaft 523 away from the connecting assembly 521 are both connected to the lifting mechanism 530 through the telescopic driving element 525, so that when the lifting mechanism 530 is in motion, the entire driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 can rise or fall together. The rotating drive element 524 and the telescopic driving element 525 can be motors, hydraulic cylinders, etc., without limitation.

[0058] like Figure 6 As shown, the shovel mechanism 510 includes a shovel box 511 and a shovel plate 512. The shovel box 511 is movably connected to the connecting assembly 521 of the driving mechanism 520, and is also transmission-connected to the telescopic driving shaft 523. The shovel plate 512 is movably installed in the shovel box 511. When the telescopic driving shaft 523 rotates around its own axis, the shovel box 511 and the shovel plate 512 can be driven to move horizontally relative to the driving mechanism 520 through a gear rack structure or a guide rail and a driving wheel structure. When the shovel box 511 moves horizontally relative to the driving mechanism 520, the shovel plate 512 also moves horizontally relative to the shovel box 511 at the same time, so as to extend out of the shovel box 511 or retract into the shovel box 511.

[0059] Preferably, the shovel mechanism 510 also includes a liquid nitrogen box 513, which is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the shovel box 511. The liquid nitrogen box 513 is used to contain liquid nitrogen. When the shovel mechanism 510 is immersed below the liquid level of the liquid nitrogen in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 and is lifted by the lifting mechanism 530, the liquid nitrogen box 513 is filled with liquid nitrogen, so that when the shovel 512 extracts the sample box 20 from the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to the insulation cabin 400, the sample box 20 can still be in a deep low temperature environment close to the temperature in the liquid nitrogen tank 300, thereby maintaining the activity of the biological sample.

[0060] Through the design of the above structure, the lifting mechanism 530 can drive the driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 to move up and down together, so that the driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 move up and down relative to the insulation plug 320, and when the driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 rise to a certain position, the driving mechanism 520 can be supported by the insulation plug 320 through the step set on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating driving shaft 522, and drive the insulation plug 320 to move upward to open the opening of the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300, so that the shovel 512 can move back and forth between the tank body 310 and the insulation cavity outside the tank body 310. And because the shovel plate 512 is matched with the connecting component 521 and the telescopic driving shaft 523 of the driving mechanism 520, and the connecting component 521 is fixedly connected to the rotating driving shaft 522, under the drive of the rotating driving element 524 and the telescopic driving element 525, the shovel plate 512 can realize rotation around the axis of the rotating driving shaft 522 and horizontal movement relative to the driving mechanism 520. Under the joint action of the lifting mechanism 530, the shovel plate 512 can extract the sample box 20 in any frame of any basket 330 in the tank body 310, and transfer it to the first insulation chamber 401 outside the tank body 310, and then transfer it from the first insulation chamber 401 to the second insulation chamber 402, so as to be subsequently transferred to the target position by the sample box transfer module 600.

[0061] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the sample library 10 further includes a liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism 2000, which is disposed at the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank 300 and connected to the liquid nitrogen tank 300. The liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism 2000 is used to lift the liquid nitrogen tank 300 upward when installing the liquid nitrogen tank 300 into the frame 100, so that the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is connected to the insulation chamber 400 and the insulation chamber 400 is sealed; when the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is disassembled, the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is separated from the insulation chamber 400. Preferably, a roller is provided at the bottom of the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to facilitate the transfer of the liquid nitrogen tank 300.

[0062] In this way, it is achieved that no motion mechanism is set in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 in a deep low temperature storage environment, and the shovel module 500 is inserted into the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to extract the sample box 20, and the sample box 20 is transferred to the outside of the liquid nitrogen tank 300, so that most of the mechanical and electrical components can use conventional products that work at room temperature, which not only reduces the risk of failure of the sample library 10, but also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the sample library 10. In addition, when an irreversible failure occurs in the sample library 10, by setting the liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism 2000 and setting rollers at the bottom of the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300, the liquid nitrogen tank 300 can be easily and quickly transferred as a whole, so that the liquid nitrogen tank 300 is completely separated from the equipment, ensuring the safety of the sample.

[0063] Please continue reading Figure 5 and Figure 6 In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of driving wheels 334 are provided at opposite ends of the insulation plug 320 along its axial direction, and the plurality of driving wheels 334 located at either end are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the insulation plug 320. Correspondingly, a plurality of limiting grooves 5221 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotational driving shaft 522 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotational driving shaft 522, and each limiting groove 5221 extends along the axial direction (i.e., the vertical direction) of the rotational driving shaft 522, and each driving wheel 334 is limited in a corresponding limiting groove 5221.

[0064] In this way, when the lifting mechanism 530 lifts the driving mechanism 520 and the shovel mechanism 510 up or down, and the driving mechanism 520 moves up and down relative to the insulation plug 320, the driving wheel 334 can roll along the limiting groove 5221, so that the driving mechanism 520 can move up and down more smoothly relative to the insulation plug 320. At the same time, because the driving wheel 334 is limited in the limiting groove 5221, and the driving wheel 334 is fixedly installed on the insulation plug 320, when the driving mechanism 520 moves up and down relative to the insulation plug 320, the driving mechanism 520 will not drive the shovel mechanism 510 and the insulation plug 320 to rotate relative to each other, so as to ensure that when the rotation drive element 524 stops running, the shovel mechanism 510 will not rotate at will, so as to ensure that the shovel 512 can accurately extract the sample box 20 in the tank body 310. When the rotating drive shaft 522 rotates around its own axis direction, the driving wheel 334 can also play a role in assisting the rotation of the rotating drive shaft 522. It is worth noting that the number of the limiting grooves 5221 and the number of the driving wheels 334 corresponding to the limiting grooves 5221 are not limited and can be set as needed.

[0065] More preferably, if Figure 4As shown, the sample library 10 provided by the present application further includes a lifting guide mechanism 1000, which includes a guide rail 1100 provided on the inner wall of the first heat preservation chamber 410 and a guide seat 1200 provided on the heat preservation plug 320. When the driving mechanism 520 abuts against the heat preservation plug 320 to drive the heat preservation plug 320 to rise or fall together, the heat preservation plug 320 can rise or fall more smoothly under the action of the lifting guide mechanism 1000. At the same time, because of the existence of the lifting guide mechanism 1000, it can also ensure that the heat preservation plug 320 will not rotate at any time, so that when the rotating drive shaft 522 is driven by the rotating drive element 524 to rotate around its own axis, it will not be affected by the heat preservation plug 320 and get stuck, thereby not affecting the extraction of the sample box 20 by the shovel plate 512.

[0066] In some embodiments, Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the sample box transfer module 600 includes a sample box transfer drive mechanism 610 and a sample box transfer mechanism 620. The sample box transfer drive mechanism 610 is arranged on the frame 100, and the sample box transfer mechanism 620 is connected to the sample box transfer drive mechanism 610 by transmission. The sample box 20 transfer drive structure can be a synchronous belt structure, a crawler structure, a motor, etc., which is not specifically limited. The sample box transfer drive mechanism 610 can drive the sample box transfer mechanism 620 to move horizontally forward, backward, left, and right, and to move up and down. The sample box transfer mechanism 620 includes a connecting shaft 621 and a grasping element 622. One end of the connecting shaft 621 is connected to the sample box transfer drive mechanism 610, and the other end is inserted into the second heat preservation cabin 420 and connected to the grasping element 622. The grasping element 622 can be a grasping box or a gripper, etc. Preferably, a narrow passage 405 is provided on the top of the second insulation chamber 420, and one end of the connecting shaft 621 passes through the narrow passage 405 and is inserted into the second insulation chamber 420, so that heat convection inside and outside the insulation chamber 400 can be reduced and the insulation performance of the insulation chamber 400 can be improved. In other embodiments, the connecting shaft 621 can also be accommodated in the insulation chamber 400 as a whole, which is not limited here.

[0067] In this way, driven by the sample box transfer drive mechanism 610 , the grabbing element 622 can move above the shovel tray 512 , grab the sample box 20 on the shovel tray 512 and transfer it to the transfer box 30 , or transfer the sample box 20 from the transfer box 30 to the shovel tray 512 .

[0068] Preferably, a liquid nitrogen spray channel 6211 is provided on the connecting shaft 621 and passes through the upper and lower ends of the connecting shaft 621. The liquid nitrogen spray channel 6211 is connected to the liquid nitrogen pipeline. The liquid nitrogen spray channel 6211 is used to allow the liquid nitrogen output by the liquid nitrogen pipeline to pass through, so as to spray the sample box 20 with liquid nitrogen when the sample box transfer mechanism 620 transfers the sample box 20. In this way, during the whole process from when the sample box 20 is stored in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to when the sample box 20 is transferred from the liquid nitrogen tank 300 to the insulation chamber 400 outside the liquid nitrogen tank 300, and from the insulation chamber 400 to the transfer box 30, because the liquid nitrogen box 513 is arranged on the shovel mechanism 510, and liquid nitrogen is sprayed during the process of being transferred from the insulation chamber 400 to the transfer box 30, it is ensured that the sample box 20 is in a deep low temperature environment close to the temperature in the liquid nitrogen tank 300 during the whole transfer process, thereby maintaining the activity of the biological sample, eliminating the need to pre-cool the insulation chamber 400, and realizing full cold chain protection of the biological sample, thereby saving a lot of time consumed by the traditional sample library 10 that needs to be cooled in advance, and improving operating efficiency.

[0069] Furthermore, the tube picking module 700 is arranged downstream of the sample box transfer module 600. The structure of the tube picking module 700 is similar to that of the sample box transfer module 600, including a tube picking driving mechanism 710 and a tube picking mechanism 720 connected to the tube picking driving mechanism 710. The tube picking driving mechanism 710 can drive the tube picking mechanism 720 to move horizontally forward, backward, left and right, and can also drive the tube picking mechanism 720 to move up and down, so that the tube picking mechanism 720 can perform tube picking operations on the test tubes on the sample box 20 (even if the test tubes are transferred individually), so that the test tubes can be picked from one test tube position in the sample box 20 to another test tube position, or the test tubes can be picked from one sample box 20 to another sample box 20.

[0070] Thus, the sample library 10 provided in the present application can achieve access to the entire sample box 20 by means of the sample box transfer module 600, and can also achieve access to a single test tube in the sample box 20 by means of the tube picking module 700, making the access method more flexible and efficient.

[0071] Please continue reading Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the sample library 10 further includes an inner sealing plug 3000 and an outer sealing plug 5000, wherein the inner sealing plug 3000 is used to seal the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404 (i.e., the side close to the heat preservation chamber), and the outer sealing plug 5000 is used to seal the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404 (i.e., the side close to the outside of the sealed cabin 200), and the outer sealing plug 5000 is provided with a transfer box positioning structure for fixing the transfer box 30, so that the outer sealing plug 5000 can also be used to carry the transfer box 30. The inner sealing plug 3000 is driven by the inner sealing driving switch 4000 disposed on the frame 100 to open or close the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, and the outer sealing plug 5000 is driven by the transfer box transfer module 800 disposed at the bottom of the heat preservation cabin 400 to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404.

[0072] Specifically, the transfer box transfer module 800 includes a transfer box transfer mechanism 810 and a lifting mechanism 820. The transfer box transfer mechanism 810 is disposed below the sample inlet and outlet 404, and the lifting mechanism 820 is disposed below the transfer box transfer mechanism 810. The lifting mechanism 820 is used to drive the outer sealing plug 5000 to move up and down, so that the outer sealing plug 5000 carries the transfer box 30 to and from the insulation chamber 400 and the insulation chamber 400, and is also used to drive the outer sealing plug 5000 to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404. The transfer box transfer mechanism 810 is used to move the transfer box 30 placed on the lifting mechanism 820 back and forth between the sample library 10 and the external environment.

[0073] The transfer box transfer mechanism 810 includes a slide rail 811 and a tray 812 movably mounted on the slide rail 811. The tray 812 can be controllably moved relative to the slide rail 811, and a pre-positioning structure for fixing the outer sealing plug 5000 is provided on the tray 812, so that the outer sealing plug 5000 and the transfer box 30 can be moved back and forth between the sample library 10 and the external environment. The lifting mechanism 820 includes a lifting rod 821 and a lifting block 822 provided on the top of the lifting rod 821. The lifting block 822 is provided with a pre-positioning structure for fixing the outer sealing plug 5000. The lifting rod 821 can controllably drive the lifting block 822 to move up and down together and pass through the tray 812 to carry the outer sealing plug 5000 or carry the outer sealing plug 5000 and the lower side of the transfer box 30 to open or close the sample inlet and outlet 404.

[0074] So, like Figure 3As shown, when the sample library 10 is in a non-working state, the inner sealing plug 3000 covers the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, the outer sealing plug 5000 is fixed on the lifting block 822 by a pre-positioning structure, and the lifting mechanism 820 is supported on the outer sealing plug 5000, and finally the outer sealing plug 5000 covers the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, so that the inner sealing plug 3000 and the outer sealing plug 5000 both close the sample inlet and outlet 404, ensuring the double sealing of the sample inlet and outlet 404.

[0075] When the sample library 10 is in working state, Figure 8 As shown, the lifting mechanism 820 carries the transfer box 30 so that the transfer box 30 is pressed against the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404 and closes the sample inlet and outlet 404. When the inner seal driving switch 4000 drives the inner seal plug 3000 to open the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, the sample box 20 can be placed on the transfer box 30 by the sample box transfer module 600, and then the lifting mechanism 820 descends, driving the outer seal plug 5000 and the transfer box 30 to descend onto the tray 812 together. At this time, the inner seal plug 3000 is driven by the inner seal driving switch 4000 to close the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, and the tray 812 moves relative to the slide rail 811 to transfer the outer seal plug 5000 and the transfer box 30 out of the sample library 10 together, or the transfer box transfer mechanism 810 and the lifting mechanism 820 perform reverse movement to transfer the outer seal plug 5000 and the transfer box 30 from outside the sample library 10 to inside the sample library 10 together. When the outer sealing plug 5000 and the transfer box 30 are transferred into the sample library 10 together and are located at the sample inlet and outlet 404, the transfer box 30 closes the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, and the inner sealing plug 3000 opens the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404 again, thereby ensuring that at least one side of the upper and lower sides of the sample inlet and outlet 404 is sealed at any time, and the sealed cabin 200 will not be connected to the external environment, ensuring that moisture will not enter the cabin of the sealed cabin 200.

[0076] Combination Figures 1 to 8 Based on the structure of the sample library 10, the process of accessing biological samples using the sample library 10 is described below:

[0077] First, the transfer box 30 is placed outside the sample library 10 , and liquid nitrogen is filled into the transfer box 30 . The sample box 20 containing the biological sample is placed into the corresponding position in the transfer box 30 , and the transfer box 30 is covered with a lid.

[0078] Then, the sample library 10 is started to start the sample storage operation. At this time, the lifting rod 821 drives the lifting block 822 to descend, and drives the outer sealing plug 5000 to fall onto the tray 812 of the transfer box transfer mechanism 810, and the transfer box transfer mechanism 810 drives the tray 812 and the outer sealing plug 5000 to automatically extend; the operator places the transfer box 30 on the outer sealing plug 5000, and after the operator opens the cover of the transfer box 30, the tray 812 automatically retracts, and the lifting rod 821 drives the lifting block 822 to rise, lift the transfer box 30 to the bottom of the sample inlet and outlet 404, and abut against the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, so that the transfer box 30 seals the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet 404, and at this time, the inner sealing plug 3000 opens the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet 404 under the drive of the inner sealing drive switch 4000.

[0079] At the same time, synchronously with the above actions, the lifting mechanism 530 drives the shovel plate 512 to descend below the liquid nitrogen level in the tank body 310, so that the liquid nitrogen box 513 is filled with liquid nitrogen, and then drives the shovel plate 512 to rise to a certain height where the target sample box 20 to be extracted is located, and the rotating drive element 524 drives the rotating drive shaft 522 to rotate together with the shovel plate 512 to an angle corresponding to a certain basket 330 in the tank body 310, and the telescopic drive element 525 drives the telescopic drive shaft 523 to rotate, so that the shovel plate 512 is located below the sample box 20, and then rises slightly to hold up the sample box 20, and then retracts, so that the sample box 20 enters the shovel plate box 511 to extract the sample box 20.

[0080] Next, the lifting mechanism 530 drives the shovel plate 512 to rise. When it rises to a certain height, the driving mechanism 520 abuts against the insulation plug 320 to lift and rise the insulation plug 320, so that the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300 opens. When it rises to the highest point, the shovel plate 512 is connected to the sample box 20 and is located above the opening of the tank body 310 and in the first insulation chamber 410.

[0081] Afterwards, the telescopic driving element 525 drives the telescopic driving shaft 523 to rotate again, so that the shovel plate 512 and the sample box 20 extend from the shovel plate box 511 together, and the sample box 20 is sent into the second insulation chamber 420 through the connecting port 403 between the first insulation chamber 410 and the second insulation chamber 420.

[0082] Furthermore, the sample box transfer module 600 drives the sample box transfer mechanism 620 to transfer the sample box 20 from the shovel plate mechanism 510 to the corresponding position of the transfer box 30. During the transfer process, liquid nitrogen continuously sprays liquid nitrogen to the sample box 20 through the liquid nitrogen spray channel 6211 of the sample box transfer mechanism 620 to create a deep low temperature environment. At this time, the shovel plate mechanism 510 is reset and enters the liquid nitrogen tank 300, the shovel plate 512 descends, and the insulation plug 320 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300 closes the tank body 310 of the liquid nitrogen tank 300.

[0083] Then, the tube picking mechanism 720 performs a tube picking operation on the two sample boxes 20 in the transfer box 30 , and stores the samples in the external sample box 20 into the sample box 20 in the tank.

[0084] Finally, after the tube selection is completed, the sample library 10 performs a reverse action and returns to the standby state.

[0085] It is worth noting that, in another embodiment, an isolation door with good heat preservation performance that can be automatically opened and closed can be added between the first heat preservation chamber 410 and the second heat preservation chamber 420, so that the interior of the second heat preservation chamber 420 can be partially cooled, replacing the operation of continuously spraying liquid nitrogen on the sample box 20 during the transfer process of the sample box 20. Since the space of the second heat preservation chamber 420 is small, the cooling efficiency is high, the liquid nitrogen consumption is also small, and at the same time, a low-temperature environment with more uniform temperature can be created, which is more conducive to protecting the sample.

[0086] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0087] The above-mentioned embodiment only expresses one implementation mode of the present invention, and its description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, which all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the attached claims.

Claims

1. An automated deep cryogenic sample library, characterized in that: include: A liquid nitrogen tank, comprising a tank body and a thermal insulation plug, wherein the thermal insulation plug is movably arranged at an opening of the tank body; A heat preservation chamber is arranged above the liquid nitrogen tank, the heat preservation chamber has a heat preservation cavity which can be connected to the inside of the tank body, and the heat preservation chamber also has a sample inlet and outlet which connects the heat preservation cavity and the external environment; The shovel plate module comprises a shovel plate mechanism, a driving mechanism and a lifting mechanism, wherein the shovel plate mechanism has a shovel plate that can rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank, and the shovel plate is used to extract the sample box stored in the liquid nitrogen tank; the lower end of the driving mechanism passes through the insulation plug and is connected to the shovel plate mechanism, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the shovel plate to rotate or move horizontally relative to the liquid nitrogen tank; the lifting mechanism is arranged in the insulation cabin, and is used to drive the driving mechanism and the shovel plate mechanism to move up and down relative to the insulation plug, so as to drive the insulation plug to open or close the opening of the tank body, so that the shovel plate transfers the sample box back and forth between the tank body and the insulation chamber when the insulation plug opens the opening of the tank body; the outer peripheral surface of the driving mechanism is provided with a step, when the driving mechanism and the shovel plate mechanism rise to a certain position relative to the insulation plug, the step abuts against the insulation plug, and drives the insulation plug to move upward together to open the opening of the tank body; when the shovel plate mechanism is reset and enters the liquid nitrogen tank, the shovel plate descends, and the insulation plug closes the tank body; A transfer box transfer module is provided at the bottom of the thermal insulation chamber, and is used to transfer the transfer box between the external environment and the sample inlet and outlet of the thermal insulation chamber; A sample box transfer module, comprising a sample box transfer mechanism at least partially inserted into the heat preservation chamber, wherein the sample box transfer mechanism can move within the heat preservation chamber to transfer the sample box back and forth between the shovel tray module and the transfer box; The tube picking module comprises a tube picking mechanism at least partly located in the heat preservation chamber, and the tube picking mechanism is used to perform a tube picking operation on the sample box placed in the transfer box.

2. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism comprises: A connecting component, one side of which is connected to the shovel plate; A rotating drive shaft, one end of which is fixedly connected to a side of the connecting assembly away from the shovel plate, and the other end of which is connected to the lifting mechanism. The rotating drive shaft can be controlled to rotate around its own axis to drive the shovel plate to rotate synchronously, and the step is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drive shaft; A telescopic drive shaft is coaxially arranged in the rotating drive shaft, one end of the telescopic drive shaft passes through the connecting assembly and is movably connected to the shovel disc, and the other end of the telescopic drive shaft is connected to the lifting mechanism. The telescopic drive shaft can be controlled to rotate around its own axis to drive the shovel disc to move horizontally relative to the connecting assembly.

3. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 2, characterized in that: The insulation plug is provided with a driving wheel, and the outer wall of the rotating drive shaft is provided with a limiting groove extending along the axial direction of the rotating drive shaft. The driving wheel is limited in the limiting groove. When the driving mechanism moves up and down relative to the insulation plug, the driving wheel can roll along the limiting groove.

4. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shovel mechanism further includes a shovel box movably connected to the drive mechanism, the shovel can be movably installed in the shovel box, and the shovel box can be linked with the shovel under the drive of the drive mechanism to move horizontally relative to the drive mechanism; When the shovel plate box moves horizontally relative to the driving mechanism, the shovel plate moves horizontally relative to the shovel plate box to extend out of the shovel plate box or retract into the shovel plate box.

5. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 4, characterized in that: The shovel mechanism also includes a liquid nitrogen box arranged on the outer periphery of the shovel box, and the liquid nitrogen box is used to contain liquid nitrogen.

6. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insulation chamber includes a first insulation chamber, a second insulation chamber and a connecting pipe, the connecting pipe is arranged above the first insulation chamber, the second insulation chamber is connected to one side of the first insulation chamber along the horizontal direction, the first insulation chamber has a first insulation cavity, the second insulation chamber has a second insulation cavity, the first insulation cavity and the second insulation cavity are connected to each other through a connecting port, the first insulation cavity and the second insulation cavity together form the insulation cavity, the sample inlet and outlet are opened on the bottom wall of the second insulation cavity; the tube body of the connecting pipe forms a narrow and long channel connected to the first insulation cavity, and the lifting mechanism is at least partially accommodated in the narrow and long channel.

7. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automated deep cryogenic sample library further comprises an inner sealing plug and an outer sealing plug, wherein the inner sealing plug is used to seal the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the outer sealing plug is used to seal the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet and to carry the transfer box, wherein the inner sealing plug is driven by an inner sealing drive switch to open or close the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the outer sealing plug is driven by the transfer box transfer module to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet; When the outer sealing plug carries the transfer box to move to the sample inlet and outlet, the transfer box closes the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the inner sealing plug opens the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet; when the outer sealing plug carries the transfer box from the sample inlet and outlet to the outside of the automated deep cryogenic sample library, the outer sealing plug opens the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet, and the inner sealing plug closes the upper side of the sample inlet and outlet.

8. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sample box transfer module comprises: A transfer box transfer mechanism is provided below the sample inlet and outlet, and includes a guide rail and a tray movably mounted on the guide rail, wherein the tray can be controllably moved relative to the guide rail so as to transfer the transfer box from outside the automated deep cryogenic sample library to below the sample inlet and outlet, or to transfer the transfer box from below the sample inlet and outlet to outside the automated deep cryogenic sample library; The lifting mechanism includes a lifting rod and a lifting block arranged on the top of the lifting rod. The lifting rod can controllably drive the lifting block to move up and down and pass through the tray. The lifting block is used to carry the outer sealing plug to open or close the lower side of the sample inlet and outlet.

9. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sample box transfer mechanism has a liquid nitrogen spray channel, and the liquid nitrogen spray channel is used to allow liquid nitrogen to pass through, so as to spray the sample box with liquid nitrogen when the sample box transfer mechanism transfers the sample box.

10. The automated cryogenic sample library according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automated deep cryogenic sample library further comprises a liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism disposed at the bottom of the liquid nitrogen tank and connected to the liquid nitrogen tank, wherein the liquid nitrogen tank transfer mechanism is used to drive the liquid nitrogen tank to connect to or disconnect from the thermal insulation chamber.

Images