Reagent card automatic loading equipment and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic reagent card strip loading device and method, and belongs to the technical field of automated laboratory equipment. The automatic reagent card strip loading device includes: a storage mechanism, including a storage shell and a drawer, a card pushing mechanism, and a locking mechanism installed in the storage shell; a receiving mechanism, including a lifting mechanism and a receiving assembly; a conveying mechanism, including a conveying seat; a film puncture mechanism, including a puncture assembly and a film puncture drive device; and a frame, on which the storage mechanism, receiving mechanism, conveying mechanism, and film puncture mechanism are all installed. The above-mentioned automatic reagent card strip loading device realizes an overall automation solution by cooperating with the storage mechanism, receiving mechanism, conveying mechanism, and film puncture mechanism, solves the problems of complicated manual loading operations and high labor input costs, has a high degree of automation, and the above-mentioned device has the advantages of compact structure and small size.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automated experimental equipment, and in particular to an automatic reagent card strip loading device and method. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of science and technology, nucleic acid detection technology has been widely used in the biomedical field. As the demand for nucleic acid testing increases, the experimental cycle time is further shortened, and the requirements for the automation of nucleic acid detection instruments are becoming increasingly higher.

[0003] Currently, existing nucleic acid extraction technologies generally require four steps: lysis, binding, washing, and elution. Conventional extraction methods include centrifugal columns or magnetic beads, and extraction routes include microfluidic cartridges (chips) or deep-well plates.

[0004] In testing laboratories, conventional nucleic acid extraction methods require specialized personnel operating a variety of instruments and equipment to complete multiple steps, including sample pretreatment, nucleic acid extraction and purification, test system formulation, amplification, and detection. This entire process is complex, tedious, and labor-intensive. Furthermore, workers experience fatigue and reduced efficiency from prolonged labor in the laboratory environment. Furthermore, they may come into contact with wastewater from discarded consumables, potentially causing contamination. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for highly automated, stable instruments that can reduce manual labor.

[0005] However, conventional automated nucleic acid extraction equipment often requires manual removal of the reagent card packaging and sealing film before manual loading, resulting in a low degree of automation. Alternatively, loading equipment with a high degree of automation has problems such as complex structure and large size. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an automatic reagent card loading device to address the above problems. By using this device, fully automated loading of reagent cards can be achieved, and the device has the advantage of a compact structure.

[0007] A reagent card automatic loading device, comprising:

[0008] The storage mechanism includes a storage shell and a drawer installed in the storage shell, a card pushing mechanism and a locking mechanism, wherein the drawer is provided with a accommodating cavity for accommodating a reagent card strip, the card pushing mechanism includes a card pushing drive device, a card pushing assembly and a card pushing guide rail, and the card pushing assembly is driven by the card pushing drive device to move along the card pushing guide rail to push the reagent card strip placed in the accommodating cavity toward the edge of the drawer; the drawer can be pulled and moved along the slide rail in the storage shell and can be respectively located in a closed state and a withdrawn state; the outer wall of the drawer is provided with a slot member, which is provided with a slot hole; the locking mechanism includes a latch and a latch driving device, and when the drawer is in the closed state, the position of the latch corresponds to the position of the slot hole, and the latch can be inserted into or withdrawn from the slot hole under the drive of the latch driving device;

[0009] The receiving mechanism includes a lifting mechanism and a receiving assembly. The receiving assembly can be lifted and lowered under the drive of the lifting mechanism and has a card-taking state position and a card-delivering state position. The card-taking state position is below the card-delivering state position. When the receiving assembly is in the card-taking state position, the receiving assembly corresponds to the edge position of the drawer. The receiving assembly includes a receiving base plate, a telescopic drive device, a lifting and shrinking assembly and a receiving plate connected in sequence. The receiving assembly is connected to the lifting mechanism through the receiving base plate. The telescopic assembly drives the receiving plate to perform telescopic movement under the drive of the telescopic drive device. The receiving plate is provided with a receiving member that cooperates with the reagent card strip.

[0010] The conveying mechanism includes a conveying seat, on which a placement platform for placing the reagent card strip is provided, and the conveying seat corresponds to the card delivery state position of the receiving assembly; and

[0011] The film puncture mechanism comprises a puncture component and a film puncture drive device. The puncture component is provided with a puncture head. The puncture head can perform downward puncture movement on the reagent card strip on the placement table and reset under the drive of the film puncture drive device.

[0012] The above-mentioned automatic reagent card loading equipment realizes an automated overall solution by cooperating with a storage mechanism, a receiving mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a film-piercing mechanism. It can use the storage mechanism to automatically push the cards, so that the reagent cards are pushed one by one to the card retrieval position of the receiving mechanism. Then, the receiving assembly extends the receiving plate to retrieve the card, and the lifting mechanism lifts the reagent card upward. After reaching the working position of the film-piercing mechanism, it is punctured and then transferred to other workstations by the conveying mechanism. This solves the problems of complicated manual loading operations and high labor input costs, has a high degree of automation, and has the advantage of a compact structure.

[0013] The device also uses a reusable puncture tip for puncture, simplifying the device structure and reducing the time and storage space required to remove and discard disposable puncture tips, thus saving costs. Furthermore, a locking mechanism controls the drawer state, preventing mechanical failures caused by the drawer being pulled out while in operation.

[0014] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism further includes a locking bracket and an elastic member, the latch is slidably mounted on the locking bracket, one end of the elastic member rests against the latch, and the other end is fixed, so that the latch has a tendency to be inserted into the slot hole, and the latch driving device is an electromagnet fixed on the locking bracket, the output end of the electromagnet is connected to the latch, driving the latch to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member and exit the slot.

[0015] In one embodiment, the latch head is provided with an arc-shaped guide surface, and the slot member is provided with a guide slope;

[0016] The output end of the electromagnet is connected to the latch through a power connecting rod;

[0017] The latch is mounted on the locking bracket via a sliding bearing.

[0018] Through the coordination of the above mechanisms, the locking mechanism remains extended when power is off, driven by an elastic member (such as a spring). When the drawer is pushed in, the curved guide surface (such as a cylindrical head) on the latch head is lifted along the guide slope around the slot member until the drawer is pushed into the closed position, with the latch aligned with the slot. Once the latch is inserted into the slot, the drawer is locked. The electromagnet must be activated to pull the drawer out. A spring is attached to the latch to prevent the electromagnet's push-pull rod from returning to its original position due to residual magnetism. The spring provides elastic force to force the electromagnet's push-pull rod back.

[0019] The electromagnet is designed to extend when de-energized, and the latch is driven by the electromagnet via a power connecting rod, preventing the drawer's push-pull force from directly acting on the electromagnet's push-pull rod and causing it to bend, thereby increasing the life of the electromagnet. The latch is mounted on the locking bracket via a sliding bearing, which not only ensures the latch's sliding guidance but also transmits the drawer's push-pull force to the locking frame.

[0020] In one embodiment, the card pushing assembly includes a card pushing screw, a card pushing nut, and a card pushing member. The card pushing drive device is a motor, the output end of the motor is connected to the card pushing screw, the card pushing nut is sleeved on the card pushing screw and connected to the card pushing member, and the card pushing member is slidably connected to the card pushing guide rail.

[0021] A positioning piece for limiting the position of the reagent card strip is also provided in the drawer.

[0022] The mutual cooperation between the positioning piece in the drawer and the positioning piece on the outer wall of the card box can limit the front, back, left and right positions of the card box in the drawer, which is conducive to the accurate and stable card pushing action of the card pushing mechanism.

[0023] In one embodiment, the access member is an access strip extending from the access plate toward the reagent card strip;

[0024] The telescopic drive device is a linear motor, and the telescopic assembly is a linear bearing;

[0025] The access assembly further includes a telescopic optical coupler for identifying the position of the access plate;

[0026] The lifting mechanism includes a lifting optical coupler, a lifting drive device and a lifting transmission belt. The lifting optical coupler is used to identify the position of the access component. The lifting drive device drives the lifting transmission belt to move. The access component is fixed on the lifting transmission belt.

[0027] The access plate and the extended access member together form a U-shaped opening, which can be entered by avoiding the card box packaging shell. When the access plate rises, the reagent card strip can be taken out of the card box.

[0028] In one embodiment, the receiving member is provided with a limiting groove for limiting the position of the reagent card strip. The limiting groove is used to limit the movement of the reagent card strip on the receiving plate to prevent the reagent card strip from falling during transportation.

[0029] In one embodiment, the conveying mechanism further includes a conveying drive device, a conveying member and a conveying guide rail. The conveying member moves along the conveying guide rail under the drive of the conveying drive device, and the conveying seat is fixed on the conveying member.

[0030] In one embodiment, the conveying seat, driven by the conveying member, can move along the conveying guide rail to a puncture position corresponding to the film puncture mechanism, a liquid transfer position corresponding to the liquid transfer device, and a waiting position for the next process;

[0031] The conveying seat also includes a liquid transfer position sensor and a waiting position sensor. When the conveying seat is located at the liquid transfer position, the liquid transfer position sensor is triggered to generate a signal. When the conveying seat is located at the waiting position, the waiting position sensor is triggered to generate a signal.

[0032] In one embodiment, the film puncture mechanism further includes a film puncture fixing frame, a film puncture screw and a film puncture slider, the film puncture drive device is mounted on the film puncture fixing frame, the film puncture screw is connected to the output end of the film puncture drive device, the film puncture slider is sleeved on the film puncture screw, and the puncture assembly is fixed on the film puncture slider;

[0033] The puncture head is a solid triangular prism structure.

[0034] Setting the puncture head to the above structure is conducive to puncturing the packaging film and making it easy to separate from the reagent card strip.

[0035] In one embodiment, the film puncture mechanism also includes a prestressing module, which includes a prestressing block, a prestressing elastic member, a pressure block guide shaft, a prestressing block and a prestressing bracket. The prestressing bracket is provided with a guide hole, and the prestressing guide shaft passes through the guide hole. The end thereof located above the prestressing bracket is the top end, and the end thereof located below the prestressing bracket is the bottom end. The maximum radial distance of the prestressing block is greater than the diameter of the guide hole and is installed at the top end of the prestressing guide shaft. The prestressing block is installed at the bottom end of the prestressing guide shaft. One end of the prestressing elastic member abuts against the prestressing bracket, and the other end abuts against the prestressing block, so that the prestressing block has a tendency to move downward.

[0036] The pre-pressing modules are divided into two groups, one on each end of the reagent card. During puncture, the pre-pressing modules first contact the reagent card and apply pressure to prevent it from moving. The puncture head then punctures the encapsulating film. After puncture, the puncture head rises and completely clears the reagent card before the pre-pressing modules begin to release contact with the reagent card. This prevents the puncture head from lifting the reagent card as it leaves the card.

[0037] In one embodiment, the card pushing assembly, lifting mechanism, receiving assembly, conveying seat and puncture assembly are all provided in two sets to facilitate the simultaneous processing of two reagent card strips;

[0038] and / or

[0039] There are two drawers, which are stacked up and down in the storage housing.

[0040] By increasing the number of card push components, lifting mechanisms, receiving components, conveyor seats, and puncture components, multiple channels can be operated simultaneously, improving the efficiency of automatic loading. In addition, the use of multiple drawers can, on the one hand, utilize the large volume of the drawers to increase the number of reagent cards that can be accommodated, increasing the time interval for manual replenishment of reagent cards. On the other hand, it is also conducive to independent operation and non-interference during the working process. When one of the two drawers is out of material, pulling the drawer out to refill it will not affect the continued operation of the other group, solving the problem of having to stop the equipment and refill it when the material is used up. Or if one of the channels fails, the other group of mechanisms can still continue to work.

[0041] The present invention also discloses a reagent card strip assembly, including a reagent card strip, which is used in conjunction with the above-mentioned automatic loading equipment. The top of the reagent card strip is provided with a packaging film, and both ends of the reagent card strip are provided with clamping parts that cooperate with the receiving part and the placement platform.

[0042] In one embodiment, the reagent card strip further comprises a card box, wherein a plurality of the reagent card strips are arranged and placed in the card box, and the clamping members at both ends of the reagent card strips extend to the outer edge of the top of the card box, and the clamping members are in the shape of a hook with an opening facing downward;

[0043] The hole positions include: pipette tip hole positions and reagent hole positions;

[0044] The outer wall of the card box is further provided with a locking piece, and the locking piece corresponds to and matches a positioning piece provided in the storage shell for limiting the position of the card box.

[0045] The present invention also discloses a method for automatically loading reagent card strips, which uses the above-mentioned automatic loading device for reagent card strips and the above-mentioned reagent card strips, and includes the following steps:

[0046] Pushing the card: placing the reagent card strip assembly in the accommodating cavity of the drawer, and the reagent card strip is pushed to the edge of the drawer under the action of the pushing card assembly;

[0047] Lifting: The lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly down to the predetermined position. The receiving plate extends to the bottom of the reagent card strip under the drive of the telescopic assembly. The receiving piece on the receiving plate cooperates with the connecting piece of the reagent card strip. The lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly up, and the receiving piece lifts the reagent card strip to the predetermined position.

[0048] Puncture: The film puncture drive device drives the puncture head downward to puncture the packaging film of the reagent card strip, and the puncture head resets.

[0049] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0050] The present invention provides an automatic reagent card loading device that realizes an automated overall solution by cooperating with a storage mechanism, a receiving mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a film-piercing mechanism. The storage mechanism can automatically push the cards, allowing the reagent cards to be pushed one by one to the card retrieval position of the receiving mechanism. The receiving assembly then extends the receiving plate to retrieve the card. The lifting mechanism then lifts the reagent card upward, and after reaching the film-piercing mechanism working position, the card is punctured. The conveying mechanism then transfers the reagent card to other workstations. This solves the problems of complicated manual loading operations and high labor costs, achieves a high degree of automation, and has the advantage of a compact structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic loading equipment for reagent cards;

[0052] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded diagrams of various institutions;

[0053] Figure 3Schematic diagram of the reagent card strip assembly;

[0054] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Side view of;

[0055] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the reagent card strip structure;

[0056] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Side view of

[0057] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the storage mechanism structure;

[0058] Figure 8 Close up side perspective view of storage mechanism drawer;

[0059] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of reagent card strips in the drawer;

[0060] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the card pushing mechanism structure;

[0061] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the drawer and locking mechanism;

[0062] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the locking mechanism structure;

[0063] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Exploded diagram;

[0064] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the receiving mechanism structure;

[0065] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the access component structure;

[0066] Figure 16 for Figure 15 Another perspective structural diagram;

[0067] Figure 17 This is a top view of the access plate;

[0068] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the access board structure;

[0069] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the receiving state of the receiving board;

[0070] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the conveying mechanism structure;

[0071] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the membrane puncture mechanism structure;

[0072] Figure 22It is a side perspective view of the puncture membrane mechanism;

[0073] Figure 23 Schematic diagram of the pre-pressing module structure;

[0074] Figure 24 It is a schematic diagram of the lifting position of the lifting mechanism;

[0075] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying position of the conveying mechanism.

[0076] in:

[0077] 100. Storage mechanism; 110. Storage housing; 120. Drawer; 121. Slot member; 1211. Slot hole; 1212. Guide ramp; 123. Positioning member; 130. Card pushing mechanism; 131. Card pushing drive; 132. Card pushing assembly; 1321. Card pushing screw; 1322. Card pushing nut; 1323. Card pushing member; 133. Card pushing guide rail; 140. Locking mechanism; 141. Latch; 1411. Arc-shaped guide surface; 142. Latch drive; 143. Locking bracket; 144. Elastic member; 145. Sliding bearing; 1146. Power connecting rod;

[0078] 200, receiving mechanism; 210, lifting mechanism; 211, lifting optical coupler; 213, lifting transmission belt; 220, receiving assembly; 221, receiving substrate; 222, telescopic drive device; 223, lifting and retracting assembly; 224, receiving plate; 2241, receiving member; 2241a, limiting slot; 225, telescopic optical coupler;

[0079] 300, conveying mechanism; 310, conveying seat; 311, placing platform; 312, liquid transfer level sensor; 313, waiting position sensor; 320, conveying drive device; 330, conveying member; 340, conveying guide rail;

[0080] 400, film puncture mechanism; 410, puncture assembly; 411, puncture head; 420, film puncture drive device; 430, film puncture fixing frame; 440, film puncture screw; 450, film puncture slider; 460, pre-pressing module; 461, pre-pressing block; 462, pre-pressing elastic member; 463, pressing block guide shaft; 464, pre-pressing stop block; 465, pre-pressing bracket;

[0081] 500, rack;

[0082] 600, reagent card strip assembly; 610, reagent card strip; 6111, tip hole; 6112, reagent hole; 612, packaging film; 613, connector; 620, cartridge; 622, retaining member;

[0083] 700. Pipetting mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure.

[0085] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed to” another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element.

[0086] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0087] Example 1

[0088] A reagent card strip automatic feeding device, such as Figure 1-2 As shown, it includes: a storage mechanism 100, a receiving mechanism 200, a conveying mechanism 300, a film-piercing mechanism 400 and a rack 500. The automatic loading device for the reagent card strips of this embodiment is Figure 3 The reagent cartridge assembly 600 is shown for use with the rack for providing mounting support.

[0089] like Figure 3-4 As shown, the reagent card strip assembly 600 includes a reagent card strip 610 and a card box 620. The top of the reagent card strip 610 is provided with a packaging film 612, and both ends of the reagent card strip 610 are provided with a clamping member 613 that cooperates with the receiving member 2241 in the receiving mechanism 200 and the placing platform 311 in the conveying mechanism. The clamping member 613 is a hook-shaped clamp with the opening facing downward, as shown in FIG. Figure 5-6 shown.

[0090] Several reagent card strips 610 are placed side by side in the card box 620, and the clamping parts 613 at both ends of the reagent card strips 610 extend to the top outer edge of the card box 620. During production and storage when they are not needed, the card box 620 is also provided with a packaging cover to ensure that the reagent card strips 610 are clean and not contaminated.

[0091] In this embodiment, the holes include: a pipette tip hole 6111 and a reagent hole 6112. It is understood that the holes can be used to place different reagents and disposable consumables such as magnetic sleeves according to specific experimental requirements. Considering the convenience of subsequent removal of the pipette tip and magnetic sleeve, the packaging film 612 can only seal the reagent hole 6112. The outer wall of the cartridge 620 is also provided with a retaining member 622. The retaining member 622 corresponds to the positioning member 123 used to define the position of the cartridge, for example, by providing corresponding inclined surfaces that fit together.

[0092] The storage mechanism 100 includes a storage housing 110, a drawer 120 installed in the storage housing 110, a card pushing mechanism 130, and a locking mechanism 140. Figure 7-8 shown.

[0093] The drawer 120 is provided with a chamber for accommodating the reagent card strip 610. In this embodiment, the reagent card strip 610 is installed in a card box 620 and then placed in the drawer 120. Figure 9 shown.

[0094] The card pushing mechanism 130 includes a card pushing drive device 131, a card pushing assembly 132 and a card pushing guide rail 133. Driven by the card pushing drive device 131, the card pushing assembly 132 moves along the card pushing guide rail 133 to push the reagent card strip 610 placed in the accommodating cavity toward the edge of the drawer 120 and to a position corresponding to the receiving mechanism.

[0095] like Figure 10 As shown, in this embodiment, the card pushing assembly 132 includes a card pushing screw 1321, a card pushing nut 1322, and a card pushing member 1323. The card pushing drive device 131 is a motor, the output end of which is connected to the card pushing screw 1321. The card pushing nut 1322 is sleeved on the card pushing screw 1321 and connected to the card pushing member 1323. The card pushing member 1323 is slidably connected to the card pushing guide rail 133. Therefore, under the limit guidance of the guide rail 133, the card pushing member 1323 moves along the guide rail 133 to achieve the purpose of card pushing. It can be understood that to prevent the card pushing screw 1321 from swinging, the card pushing screw 1321 is installed and fixed by a bearing.

[0096] Considering the better positioning of the cartridge 620, that is, ensuring that the reagent card strip 610 in the cartridge 620 is in the correct position, it is beneficial for the accurate and stable card pushing action of the card pushing mechanism 130. Figure 9 As shown, the drawer 120 is further provided with a positioning member 123 for limiting the position of the card box 620. Through the mutual cooperation between the positioning member 123 in the drawer 120 (which is provided with a slope) and the positioning member 622 on the outer wall of the card box 620, the front, back, left and right positions of the card box 620 in the drawer 120 can be limited.

[0097] The drawer 120 can be pulled and moved along the slide rail in the storage shell 110 and can be respectively located in a closed state and a pulled-out state. The outer wall of the drawer 120 is provided with a slot member 121, on which a slot hole 1211 is provided. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 140 includes a latch 141, a latch driving device 142, a locking bracket 143 and an elastic member 144. When the drawer 120 is in the closed state, the position of the latch 141 corresponds to the position of the slot hole 1211. The latch 141 can be inserted into or withdrawn from the slot hole 1211 under the drive of the latch driving device 142. Specifically, the head of the latch 141 is provided with an arc-shaped guide surface 1411 (such as a cylindrical head), and the slot member 121 is provided with a guide slope 1212; the latch 141 is mounted on the locking bracket 143 through a sliding bearing 145, and one end of the elastic member 144 abuts against the latch 141 and the other end is fixed, so that the latch 141 has a tendency to be inserted into the slot hole 1211, and the latch driving device 142 is an electromagnet fixed to the locking bracket 143, and the output end of the electromagnet is connected to the latch 141 through a power connecting rod 1146, driving the latch 141 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 144 and exit the slot, as shown in FIG. Figure 11-12 shown.

[0098] The specific process is that when the locking mechanism 140 is powered off, it is always in an extended state under the action of an elastic member 144 (such as a spring). When the drawer 120 is pushed in, the arc-shaped guide surface 1411 of the head of the latch 141 is lifted along the guide slope 1212 on the periphery of the slot member 121 until the drawer 120 is pushed into the closed state. The latch 141 corresponds to the position of the slot hole 1211. After the latch 141 is inserted into the slot hole 1211, the drawer 120 is locked. The electromagnet needs to be activated before the drawer 120 can be pulled out. A spring is installed on the latch 141 to prevent the push-pull rod of the electromagnet from returning to its original position due to residual magnetism. The spring provides elastic force to force the push-pull rod of the electromagnet to return.

[0099] The electromagnet is of the power-off extension type, and the electromagnet drives the latch 141 through the power connecting rod, which prevents the push-pull force of the drawer 120 from directly acting on the push-pull rod of the electromagnet and causing the push-pull rod to bend, thereby increasing the life of the electromagnet. The latch 141 is mounted on the locking bracket 143 through the sliding bearing 145, which not only ensures the sliding guidance of the latch 141, but also transmits the push-pull force of the drawer 120 borne by the latch 141 to the locking frame 500 through the power connecting rod 1146. Figure 12-13 shown.

[0100] The receiving mechanism 200 is located next to the storage mechanism 100, that is, next to the drawer, corresponding to the card pushing assembly. The reagent card strip is pushed by the card pushing assembly to move to the edge of the drawer, just corresponding to the receiving mechanism, and proceeds to the next process.

[0101] like Figure 14 As shown, the receiving mechanism 200 includes a lifting mechanism 210 and a receiving assembly 220. The receiving assembly 220 can perform lifting and lowering movements driven by the lifting mechanism 210, and has a card taking state position and a card feeding state position. The card taking state position is below the card feeding state position. When the receiving assembly is in the card taking state position, the receiving assembly corresponds to the edge position of the drawer.

[0102] like Figure 15-16 As shown, the receiving assembly 220 includes a receiving base plate 221, a telescopic drive device 222, a lifting and shrinking assembly 223 and a receiving plate 224 connected in sequence. The receiving assembly 220 is connected to the lifting mechanism 210 through the receiving base plate 221. The telescopic assembly drives the receiving plate 224 to perform telescopic movement under the drive of the telescopic drive device 222. The receiving plate 224 is provided with a receiving part 2241 that cooperates with the reagent card strip 610.

[0103] like Figure 17-19 As shown, in this embodiment, the access member 2241 is a receiving strip extending from the access plate 224 toward the reagent card strip 610. The access plate 224 and the extended access member together form a U-shaped opening that allows access to the opening without passing through the packaging shell of the cartridge 620. When the access plate 224 is raised, the reagent card strip 610 can be lifted out of the cartridge 620. Furthermore, the access member is provided with a limiting groove 2241a for defining the position of the reagent card strip 610. This limiting groove 2241a is used to restrict the movement of the reagent card strip 610 on the access plate 224, preventing the reagent card strip 610 from falling during transportation.

[0104] Specifically, the telescopic drive device 222 is a linear motor, and the telescopic assembly is a linear bearing. To precisely control the working process of the equipment, the access assembly 220 also includes a telescopic optical coupler 225 for identifying the position of the access plate 224. The lifting mechanism 210 includes a lifting optical coupler, a lifting drive device, and a lifting transmission belt 213. The lifting optical coupler is used to identify the position of the access assembly 220, specifically by a lifting light block 211 provided on the access assembly. The lifting drive device drives the lifting transmission belt 213 to move, and the access assembly 220 is fixed to the lifting transmission belt 213.

[0105] The conveying mechanism 300 includes a conveying seat 310, a conveying driving device 320, a conveying member 330 and a conveying guide rail 340. Figure 20As shown, the transport seat 310 corresponds to the card delivery position of the receiving assembly. The transport member 330 moves along the transport guide rail 340 under the drive of the transport drive device 320. The transport seat 310 is fixed to the transport member 330 and is provided with a placement platform 311 for placing the reagent card strip 610. Driven by the transport member 330, the transport seat 310 can move along the transport guide rail 340 to a puncture position corresponding to the film puncture mechanism 400, a liquid transfer position corresponding to the liquid transfer device, and a waiting position for the next process.

[0106] Similarly, the transport base 310 also includes a transfer position sensor 312 and a waiting position sensor 313. When the transport base 310 is in the transfer position, the transfer position sensor 312 is triggered to generate a signal. When the transport base 310 is in the waiting position, the waiting position sensor 313 is triggered to generate a signal. The transfer position corresponds to the installation position of the pipetting mechanism 700.

[0107] like Figure 21-22 As shown, the film puncture mechanism 400 includes a puncture component 410, a film puncture drive device 420, a film puncture fixing frame 430, a film puncture screw 440 and a film puncture slider 450. The puncture component 410 is provided with a puncture head 411, the film puncture drive device 420 is installed on the film puncture fixing frame 430, the film puncture screw 440 is connected to the output end of the film puncture drive device 420, the film puncture slider 450 is sleeved on the film puncture screw 440, the puncture component 410 is fixed on the film puncture slider 450, and the puncture head 411 can perform a downward puncture movement and reset the reagent card strip 610 on the placement table 311 under the drive of the film puncture drive device 420.

[0108] Specifically, the puncture head 411 is a solid triangular prism structure, which is advantageous for puncturing the packaging film 612 and making it easy to separate from the reagent card strip 610.

[0109] In this embodiment, the film puncturing mechanism 400 further includes a pre-pressing module 460. Figure 23As shown, the prestressing module 460 includes a prestressing block 461, a prestressing elastic member 462 (spring), a pressure block guide shaft 463, a prestressing block 464 and a prestressing bracket 465. The prestressing bracket 465 is provided with a guide hole, and the prestressing guide shaft passes through the guide hole. The end thereof located above the prestressing bracket 465 is the top end, and the end thereof located below the prestressing bracket 465 is the bottom end. The diameter of the prestressing block 464 is larger than the diameter of the guide hole, and is installed at the top end of the prestressing guide shaft to prevent the pressure block guide shaft from slipping out of the guide hole. The prestressing block 461 is installed at the bottom end of the prestressing guide shaft. One end of the prestressing elastic member 462 abuts against the prestressing bracket 465, and the other end abuts against the prestressing block 461, so that the prestressing block 461 has a tendency to move downward.

[0110] The pre-pressing modules 460 are divided into two groups, one on each end of the reagent card strip 610. During puncture, the pre-pressing modules 460 first contact the reagent card strip 610 and apply a certain amount of pressure to prevent it from moving. The puncture head 411 then punctures the packaging film 612. After puncture, the puncture head 411 rises, and only after it is completely out of contact with the reagent card strip 610 does the pre-pressing blocks 461 of the pre-pressing module 460 begin to disengage from the reagent card strip 610. This prevents the puncture head 411 from lifting the reagent card strip 610 when it leaves the reagent card strip 610.

[0111] Moreover, in this embodiment, the card pushing assembly 132, the lifting mechanism 210, the receiving assembly 220, the conveying seat 310 and the puncture assembly 410 are all provided in two sets to facilitate the simultaneous processing of two reagent card strips 610; the drawers 120 are two and are placed in an overlapping manner in the storage shell 110.

[0112] By increasing the number of card pusher assemblies 132, lifting mechanisms 210, access assemblies 220, conveyor bases 310, and puncture assemblies 410, multiple channels can be operated simultaneously, improving the efficiency of automatic loading. Furthermore, by using multiple drawers 120, the large volume of the drawers can be utilized to increase the number of reagent card strips 610 that can be accommodated, thereby reducing the time interval required for manual replenishment of reagent card strips 610. Furthermore, the drawers 120 can operate independently without interfering with each other during operation. When one of the two drawers 120 is out of material, refilling it will not affect the continued operation of the other group, thus solving the problem of having to shut down and refill the equipment when the material is exhausted. Alternatively, if one of the channels malfunctions, the other group can continue to operate.

[0113] The storage mechanism 100, the receiving mechanism 200, the conveying mechanism 300 and the film puncturing mechanism 400 are all installed on the frame 500. The storage mechanism 100 is arranged below the receiving mechanism 200, and the conveying mechanism 300 is arranged between the receiving mechanism 200 and the film puncturing mechanism 400.

[0114] Example 2

[0115] A method for automatically loading reagent card strips, using the automatic reagent card strip loading device and reagent card strip assembly of Example 1, includes the following steps:

[0116] 1. Add ingredients

[0117] The user manually pulls out the drawer, removes the packaging cover of the entire card box, places the card box into the drawer, aligns the card box's positioning piece with the drawer's positioning piece's inclined surface, and finally pushes the drawer into the working position. This completes the manual operation.

[0118] 2. Push Card

[0119] The card pushing mechanism pushes the reagent cards stored in the card box one by one to the edge of the drawer, corresponding to the position of the receiving mechanism (i.e., position A).

[0120] 3. Improvement

[0121] like Figure 24 As shown, the lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly to descend to position A, the telescopic assembly extends the receiving plate to under the outermost reagent card strip of the card box, so that its receiving part is located under the clamping part of the reagent card strip, the lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly to rise a certain distance, so that the two ends of the reagent card strip are separated from the card box packaging, and the reagent card strip is taken, the telescopic assembly drives the receiving plate to retract, and the lifting mechanism continues to lift the receiving assembly to the position corresponding to the film puncture mechanism (position B), the telescopic assembly extends the receiving plate so that the reagent card strip is slightly higher than the conveying seat, the lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly to descend so that the clamping part of the reagent card strip is placed on the placing table of the conveying seat, thereby completing the action of placing the reagent card strip on the conveying seat, the telescopic assembly drives the receiving plate to retract, and the lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly to descend to position A to receive another reagent card strip; and the cycle continues.

[0122] 4. Puncture

[0123] The conveying mechanism transports the reagent card strip to the puncture position. The film puncture drive device in the film puncture mechanism drives the puncture head downward. Before the puncture head contacts the reagent card strip packaging film, the pre-pressing block of the pre-pressing module first contacts the reagent card strip and applies a certain pressure to prevent the reagent card strip from moving; then the puncture head continues to move downward, the pre-pressing module remains stationary relative to the card strip, the spring is compressed, and the pressure block guide shaft moves upward in the guide hole relative to the pre-pressing bracket, and the puncture head continues to move downward to puncture the packaging film. After puncture, the puncture head rises, and the pre-pressing module, under the action of the spring, still contacts and pushes the reagent card strip. The puncture head rises, and only after it completely leaves the reagent card strip and does the pre-pressing module begin to disengage from the reagent card strip and then return to its original position.

[0124] 5. Pipetting

[0125] like Figure 25 As shown, the transport mechanism transports the reagent card strip, which has punctured the encapsulating film (aluminum film), to the pipetting position (position C). Working in conjunction with the pipetting mechanism, the pipette tip is removed from the tip storage well within the reagent card strip. The pipetting mechanism moves to the top of the sample tube (not shown), draws the sample through the tip, and then returns to the top of the reagent card strip to release, pipette, mix, and pipette again. The pipetting mechanism returns the used tip to its original well within the reagent card strip.

[0126] 6. Waiting for your seat

[0127] like Figure 25 As shown, the conveying mechanism conveys the reagent card strip that has completed the pipetting operation to the waiting position (position D) to wait for the mechanism action of the next station. At this point, the fully automatic process of this embodiment is completed.

[0128] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned 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.

[0129] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent for this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A reagent card strip automatic feeding device, characterized in that: include: The storage mechanism comprises a storage shell and a drawer installed in the storage shell, a card pushing mechanism and a locking mechanism, wherein the drawer is provided with a accommodating cavity for accommodating a reagent card strip, the card pushing mechanism comprises a card pushing drive device, a card pushing assembly and a card pushing guide rail, and the card pushing assembly is driven by the card pushing drive device to move along the card pushing guide rail to push the reagent card strip placed in the accommodating cavity toward the edge of the drawer; the drawer can be pulled and moved along the slide rail in the storage shell and respectively positioned in a closed state and a withdrawn state, the outer wall of the drawer is provided with a slot member, which is provided with a slot hole, the locking mechanism comprises a latch and a latch driving device, when the drawer is in the closed state, the position of the latch corresponds to the position of the slot hole, and the latch can be inserted into or withdrawn from the slot hole under the drive of the latch driving device, and a positioning member for limiting the position of the reagent card strip is further provided in the drawer; The receiving mechanism includes a lifting mechanism and a receiving assembly, the receiving assembly can be lifted and lowered under the drive of the lifting mechanism, and has a card taking state position and a card feeding state position, the card taking state position being below the card feeding state position, when the receiving assembly is in the card taking state position, the receiving assembly corresponds to the edge position of the drawer, the receiving assembly includes a receiving base plate, a telescopic drive device, a telescopic assembly and a receiving plate connected in sequence, the receiving assembly is connected to the lifting mechanism through the receiving base plate, the telescopic assembly drives the receiving plate to perform telescopic movement under the drive of the telescopic drive device, the receiving plate is provided with a receiving member that cooperates with the reagent card strip, and the receiving member is a receiving strip extending from the receiving plate toward the reagent card strip; The conveying mechanism includes a conveying seat, on which a placement platform for placing the reagent card strip is provided, and the conveying seat corresponds to the card delivery state position of the receiving assembly; and The membrane puncture mechanism includes a puncture assembly and a membrane puncture drive device. The puncture assembly is provided with a puncture head. The puncture head can perform a downward puncture movement on the reagent card on the placement table and reset under the drive of the membrane puncture drive device. A card box, wherein a plurality of the reagent card strips are arranged and placed in the card box, and the clamping parts at both ends of the reagent card strips extend to the outer edge of the top of the card box, and the clamping parts are in the shape of a hook with the opening facing downward; The outer wall of the card box is further provided with a locking piece, and the locking piece corresponds to and matches a positioning piece provided in the storage shell for limiting the position of the card box.

2. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism also includes a locking bracket and an elastic member. The pin is slidably mounted on the locking bracket. One end of the elastic member abuts against the pin and the other end is fixed, so that the pin has a tendency to be inserted into the slot hole. The pin driving device is an electromagnet fixed to the locking bracket. The output end of the electromagnet is connected to the pin, driving the pin to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member and exit the slot.

3. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The latch head is provided with an arc-shaped guide surface, and the slot member is provided with a guide slope; The output end of the electromagnet is connected to the latch through a power connecting rod; The latch is mounted on the locking bracket via a sliding bearing.

4. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The card pushing assembly includes a card pushing screw, a card pushing nut and a card pushing piece. The card pushing drive device is a motor. The output end of the motor is connected to the card pushing screw. The card pushing nut is sleeved on the card pushing screw and connected to the card pushing piece. The card pushing piece is slidably connected to the card pushing guide rail.

5. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic drive device is a linear motor, and the telescopic assembly is a linear bearing; The access assembly further includes a telescopic optical coupler for identifying the position of the access plate; The lifting mechanism includes a lifting optical coupler, a lifting drive device and a lifting transmission belt. The lifting optical coupler is used to identify the position of the access component. The lifting drive device drives the lifting transmission belt to move. The access component is fixed on the lifting transmission belt.

6. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The receiving member is provided with a limiting groove for limiting the position of the reagent card strip.

7. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism further comprises a conveying drive device, a conveying member and a conveying guide rail. The conveying member moves along the conveying guide rail under the drive of the conveying drive device, and the conveying seat is fixed on the conveying member.

8. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Driven by the conveying member, the conveying seat can move along the conveying guide rail to a puncture position corresponding to the film puncture mechanism, a liquid transfer position corresponding to the liquid transfer device, and a waiting position for the next process; The conveying seat also includes a liquid transfer position sensor and a waiting position sensor. When the conveying seat is located at the liquid transfer position, the liquid transfer position sensor is triggered to generate a signal. When the conveying seat is located at the waiting position, the waiting position sensor is triggered to generate a signal.

9. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The film puncture mechanism further includes a film puncture fixing frame, a film puncture screw and a film puncture slider. The film puncture drive device is mounted on the film puncture fixing frame. The film puncture screw is connected to the output end of the film puncture drive device. The film puncture slider is sleeved on the film puncture screw. The puncture assembly is fixed on the film puncture slider. The puncture head is a solid triangular prism structure.

10. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The film puncture mechanism also includes a pre-stressing module, which includes a pre-stressing block, a pre-stressing elastic member, a pressure block guide shaft, a pre-stressing block and a pre-stressing bracket. The pre-stressing bracket is provided with a guide hole, and the pressure block guide shaft passes through the guide hole. The end thereof located above the pre-stressing bracket is the top end, and the end thereof located below the pre-stressing bracket is the bottom end. The maximum radial distance of the pre-stressing block is greater than the diameter of the guide hole and is installed at the top end of the pressure block guide shaft, and the pre-stressing block is installed at the bottom end of the pressure block guide shaft. One end of the pre-stressing elastic member abuts against the pre-stressing bracket, and the other end abuts against the pre-stressing block, so that the pre-stressing block has a tendency to move downward.

11. The automatic reagent card loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The card pushing assembly, lifting mechanism, receiving assembly, conveying seat and puncture assembly are all in two sets to accommodate the simultaneous processing of two reagent card strips; and / or There are two drawers, which are placed one above the other in the storage housing.

12. A reagent card strip assembly, characterized in that: It comprises a reagent card strip, used in conjunction with the automatic loading equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a packaging film is provided on the top of the reagent card strip, and connecting parts that cooperate with the receiving part and the placing table are provided at both ends of the reagent card strip.

13. A method for automatically loading reagent card strips, characterized in that: The automatic reagent card strip loading device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and the reagent card strip assembly according to claim 12 are used, comprising the following steps: Pushing the card: placing the reagent card strip in the accommodating cavity of the drawer, and the reagent card strip is pushed to the edge of the drawer under the action of the card pushing assembly; Lifting: The lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly down to the predetermined position. The receiving plate extends to the bottom of the reagent card strip under the drive of the telescopic assembly. The receiving piece on the receiving plate cooperates with the connecting piece of the reagent card strip. The lifting mechanism drives the receiving assembly up, and the receiving piece lifts the reagent card strip to the predetermined position. Puncture: The film puncture drive device drives the puncture head downward to puncture the packaging film of the reagent card strip, and the puncture head resets.

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