centrifuge

Abstract

This invention provides a centrifuge that includes a function to notify the periodic inspection period of the cooling system and a function to perform the periodic inspection with simple operation. The operation panel display (100) shows the function to notify the periodic inspection of the cooling system (130) and an operation button (131) to start the inspection. In the simplified inspection, without the rotor (5), the compressor (9a) of the cooling system (9) is started, and it is determined whether the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (12) drops to a specified temperature (e.g., -3°C) within a predetermined time after startup (e.g., within 10 minutes). If the temperature drops, the cooling system is considered normal; if it does not drop, the cooling system is considered abnormal. The determination result is saved in the centrifuge's storage unit, and the next inspection period (132) is displayed on the display (100), allowing reference to past inspection history.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a centrifuge with a simple inspection function for the cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] A centrifuge (centrifuge separator) is a device that separates substances of different densities by inserting a sample (e.g., culture medium or blood) into a rotor via a tube or bottle, causing the rotor to rotate at high speed and applying centrifugal force to the sample. A centrifuge has a rotating chamber that defines the space for the rotor to rotate at high speed, and the opening of the chamber is closed by a door. A motor or other drive device causes the rotor, holding the sample, to rotate at high speed for centrifugal separation, thereby performing sample separation, purification, etc. Here, if the rotor rotates at high speed in the air, the temperature will rise due to frictional heat (air loss) generated between the outer surface of the rotor and the air in the rotating chamber. Since it is necessary to maintain a low temperature depending on the sample to be separated, most centrifuges are equipped with a cooling system. Although some devices use Peltier elements as cooling systems, compressor-based systems consisting of an evaporator, compressor, and condenser are widely used. In a compressor-type cooling system, the rotor is cooled by winding copper tubes around the outer periphery of the rotating drum and allowing refrigerant to flow inside the copper tubes, thereby cooling the rotating chamber.

[0003] In centrifuges equipped with cooling systems using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as refrigerant, refrigerant may sometimes leak to the outside due to leaks in the piping or other reasons (refrigerant leakage). It is crucial to detect refrigerant leaks early and to prevent further leakage. Furthermore, centrifugation operations should be avoided at all costs if refrigerant leakage occurs. If a defect in the cooling system is discovered after centrifugation has begun, the sample may even be damaged. Therefore, frequent inspections of the cooling system are recommended. Additionally, due to legal or standards body regulations, regular periodic inspections of the cooling system are often required.

[0004] As a mechanism for detecting abnormalities in the cooling system, Patent Document 1 is configured to install temperature sensors on the inlet and outlet sides of the evaporator. If a temperature difference between these sensors exceeds a certain temperature, the control mechanism determines that a refrigerant leak has occurred and notifies the user of the leak. Patent Document 2, on the other hand, installs temperature sensors in the cooling system to predict refrigerant leaks by measuring the temperature of various components and uses this measurement for checking the cooling system. Both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 use two or more temperature sensors for cooling system inspection and determine refrigerant leaks based on the detected temperatures.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-90953

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-211292 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] Detecting cooling system anomalies using the technology in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 requires multiple temperature sensors, which increases the manufacturing cost of the centrifuge and makes it difficult to adopt. Furthermore, neither technology demonstrates a method for the user to inspect the cooling system before use.

[0011] The present invention is made in view of the aforementioned background, and its object is to provide a centrifuge that suppresses the increase in manufacturing costs and provides a function for users to detect abnormalities in the cooling system in a simple manner.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge in which the user can easily perform a check of the cooling system before the start of centrifugal separation operation.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge with a notification function that reminds the user to perform regular checks and allows for easy management of check results.

[0014] Technical means to solve the problem

[0015] If representative features of the invention disclosed in this application are to be described, they will be as follows.

[0016] According to one feature of the present invention, a centrifuge includes: a drive unit; a drum for housing a rotor that rotates via the drive unit; a sensor for detecting the temperature inside the drum; a cooling unit (cooling system) for cooling the inside of the drum; a display unit for inputting centrifugal operating conditions and displaying the operating status; and a control unit for controlling the display unit. The centrifuge is equipped with a simple inspection mode for detecting abnormalities in the cooling unit. After selecting the simple inspection mode, the control unit operates the motor of the compressor installed in the cooling unit at a predetermined speed and simultaneously determines whether there is an abnormality in the cooling unit. The simple inspection mode is executed in a state where the rotor is not installed or the installed rotor is not rotated. The determination of whether there is an abnormality in the cooling unit is based on whether the temperature inside the rotating chamber or the drum drops from a predetermined temperature to a specified temperature within a predetermined time after the compressor motor starts operating. The determination result is displayed on the display unit. The control unit pre-stores the normal range of temperature changes after the cooling device (cooling system) is started. If the temperature change deviates from the normal range during a simple inspection, it is judged as "abnormal"; if it is within the normal range, it is simply judged as "no abnormality".

[0017] According to another feature of the invention, after executing the simplified inspection mode, the control unit stores the required time and the temperature reached within the predetermined time, along with the date data indicating the inspection day, in a non-volatile storage unit. Furthermore, after the centrifuge is powered on, the control unit compares the current date and time with the next inspection execution date; if the number of days before the next inspection execution date is less than the predetermined number of days, an alarm is displayed on the display unit. Additionally, the control unit displays a summary of the simplified inspection mode execution results stored in the storage unit on the display unit. Moreover, if the cooling device is determined to be "abnormal" based on the simplified inspection mode execution results, the control unit can disable or restrict the operation of the centrifuge.

[0018] The effects of the invention

[0019] According to the present invention, a simple check of the cooling system can be performed inexpensively and easily by modifying the software of the control unit simply by using an existing temperature sensor (software rewriting). Furthermore, since no new hardware needs to be added to implement the present invention, manufacturing costs can be suppressed. Additionally, since the simple check of the cooling system can be performed before centrifugal separation operation begins, performance degradation or malfunctions of the cooling system can be detected in advance. Moreover, since the scheduled check periods are clearly displayed to the user on the centrifuge's screen, forgetting to perform scheduled checks can be prevented, thereby reducing the burden on the user in managing check periods. Furthermore, after the check is performed, the check results are automatically saved in the storage device and managed by the control unit, allowing the user to easily review past check results. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall structure of centrifuge 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 An example of a display screen 100 shown on the control panel 10 of a centrifuge.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing screen 150 during a simplified check of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0023] Figure 4 This is the first half of a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of a simplified inspection of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 Is following Figure 4 The following flowchart is the latter half of the flowchart showing the procedure for a simple inspection of the cooling system.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing screen 150A during a simplified check of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing screen 150B during a simplified check of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing screen 150C during a simplified check of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing screen 100A after performing a simple check of the cooling system in this embodiment.

[0029] Figure 10 This is a screenshot 160 showing the historical content stored in the storage unit for easy inspection.

[0030] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1: Centrifuge

[0032] 2: Frame

[0033] 3: Rotating drum

[0034] 4: Rotating Chamber

[0035] 4a: Opening

[0036] 4b: Through hole

[0037] 5: Rotor

[0038] 5a: (Rotor) Cover

[0039] 6: Drive unit (motor)

[0040] 6a: (Drive unit) Rotary shaft

[0041] 7: Door

[0042] 8: Control device

[0043] 9: Cooling System

[0044] 9a: Compressor

[0045] 9b: Condenser

[0046] 9c~9e: Copper pipe

[0047] 10: Control Panel

[0048] 11: Door opening / closing detection sensor

[0049] 12: Temperature sensor

[0050] 81: Microcomputer

[0051] 82: Storage Department

[0052] 100, 100A: Display screen

[0053] 101: Rotor rotation speed display bar

[0054] 102: Rotational Speed

[0055] 103: Set the speed

[0056] 104: Running Time Display Bar

[0057] 105: Time has passed

[0058] 106: Set Time

[0059] 107: Rotor Temperature Display Panel

[0060] 108: Rotor temperature

[0061] 109: Set Temperature

[0062] 110: Rotor Name Display Area

[0063] 111: Rotor Name

[0064] 112: Deceleration Mode Display Area

[0065] 113: Accelerating Gradients

[0066] 114: Deceleration Gradient

[0067] 121: Start button

[0068] 122: Power button

[0069] 130: Cooling System Simple Inspection Mode Area

[0070] 131: Operation Button

[0071] 132: Related Information

[0072] 150, 150A, 150B, 150C: Display screen

[0073] 151: Current Temperature Display Panel

[0074] 152: Current temperature

[0075] 153: Check the time display bar

[0076] 154: Time has passed

[0077] 155: Message

[0078] 156: Execute button

[0079] 157: Cancel button

[0080] 158a: Status Information

[0081] 159a: Stop button

[0082] 159b: Run screen button

[0083] 160: Display screen

[0084] 161: Inspection Day

[0085] 162: Rotor

[0086] 163: Check the initial temperature.

[0087] 164: Time Required

[0088] 165: Inspection Results

[0089] 166: Running screen button

[0090] 167: Menu button

[0091] M: Baseline Time

[0092] m: Time required

[0093] T0: Starting temperature

[0094] t: Reference temperature reduction Detailed Implementation

[0095] Example 1

[0096] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following figures, parts with the same function are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Additionally, in this specification, the directions of front-back and up-down are described as those shown in the figures.

[0097] Figure 1 This is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the overall structure of a centrifuge 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the centrifuge 1, a metal rotating drum 3 is disposed inside a frame 2 made of a box-shaped metal plate or the like. The rotating drum 3 is cup-shaped, having a circular or approximately circular shape when viewed from above the rotation axis, and has a circular opening 4a formed on its upper side. The opening 4a is closed by a door 7 of arbitrary shape. Here, the opening 4a is closed by a single-door door 7 that can be opened / closed by a hinge (not shown), and the rotating drum 3 and the door 7 form a rotating chamber 4 that serves as a space for the rotor 5 to rotate.

[0098] The rotor 5 is mounted on the upper end of the rotating shaft 6a of the drive device 6, such as a motor, and rotates at high speed to separate the sample. A cover 5a is provided on the upper part of the rotor 5. The drive device 6 uses an AC motor driven by commercial AC power or a brushless motor controlled by an inverter. On the lower side of the rotating drum 3, the rotating shaft 6a is arranged in the vertical direction (vertical direction) through a through hole 4b in the rotating drum 3. The rotor 5 houses the sample container holding the sample to be separated, and is a so-called angle rotor. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the type of rotor 5 is arbitrary, whether or not the cover 5a is installed is arbitrary, and it may not be an angle rotor, but a oscillating rotor or a rotor of other shapes. In addition, the shape, number, and capacity of the sample container housed inside the rotor 5 are arbitrary.

[0099] An operation panel 10 is disposed on the side of the door 7. The operation panel 10 allows the user to input settings such as rotor rotation speed or separation time and displays various information. The operation panel 10 functions as a display unit to visually show the centrifuge status to the user and as an input unit for the user to input control information required for the operation of the centrifuge. In this embodiment, a touch screen liquid crystal display is included. Furthermore, in this invention, the shape of the operation panel 10 is arbitrary and may include a dot matrix display device other than a liquid crystal display and a number of known input devices such as switches. The control device (control unit) 8 controls the centrifuge 1 as a whole and is composed of a microcomputer (microcontroller unit) 81 and a storage unit 82 consisting of volatile memory (read and write). In addition, the control device 8 performs overall control of the centrifuge 1, including rotation control of the drive unit 6, operation control of the cooling system 9, temperature management in the rotating chamber 4, display control to the operation panel 10, and input control of the operation of the operation panel 10, based on various information input from the operation panel 10 for centrifugal separation operation.

[0100] The rotating chamber 4 is cooled to a set temperature by the cooling system 9. The temperature of the sample inside the rotor 5 is measured by a temperature sensor 12 located within the rotating chamber 4. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 12 is located at the bottom of the rotating drum 3. The temperature sensor 12 is a device that indirectly measures the temperature of the rotor 5 by measuring the temperature inside or on the surface of the rotating drum 3. The output of the temperature sensor 12 is transmitted to the control device 8 via a signal line (not shown). When the door 7 is determined to be closed by the door opening / closing detection sensor 11, the control device 8 activates the cooling system 9 to maintain the sample temperature inside the rotor 5 at the set temperature input by the user. Within the control device 8, the output of the temperature sensor 12 is monitored by a microcomputer 81. If the temperature of the rotating chamber 4 is higher than the set temperature, the cooling system is activated; if the temperature of the rotating chamber 4 is lower than the set temperature, the operation of the cooling system 9 is reduced or stopped, thus providing feedback control.

[0101] The rotating drum 3 is made of a metal alloy such as stainless steel, with copper tubes (not shown) spirally wound around its outer circumference. A known heat-insulating material (not shown) is placed on the outside of the wound copper tubes, ensuring that heat from the rotating drum 3 does not easily leak to the outside. The copper tubes form part of the cooling system 9, and refrigerant is transported from the compressor 9a included in the cooling system 9 to the condenser 9b via copper tube 9c. The cooled refrigerant is liquefied by the condenser 9b and a fan (not shown). The liquefied refrigerant is then supplied to copper tube 9d via a capillary tube (not shown), reaching the inlet of the winding section (evaporator section) on the outer circumference of the rotating drum 3. At the winding section (not shown) on the outer circumference of the rotating drum 3, the interior of the rotating chamber 4 is cooled by rapidly drawing heat from the surface of the rotating drum 3. The refrigerant, vaporized by drawing heat from the rotating drum 3, returns to the compressor 9a from the outlet of the winding section of the copper tube via copper tube 9e. In this manner, the interior of the rotating chamber 4 is constantly maintained at the desired temperature set by the control device 8 through the control of the cooling system 9. One example of controlling the cooling system 9 is to turn the compressor motor (not shown) that drives the compressor 9a on or off to control the temperature, which is performed by the control device 8.

[0102] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 The diagram shows an example of the display screen 100 shown on the control panel 10 of a centrifuge. In this embodiment, the control panel 10 is implemented using a touch screen liquid crystal display (see Figure 10). Figure 1 The following example illustrates the process. Display screen 100 is a basic screen used to display control information or operating status related to centrifugal separation operation. In the upper section (upper part) of the screen, there are three display bars: rotor rotation speed display bar 101, operating time display bar 104, and rotor temperature display bar 107. Rotor rotation speed display bar 101 is used to display the rotation speed (rotations per minute) of rotor 5. At the top, the current rotor speed 102 measured by the rotation sensor (not shown) is displayed in large increments, while at the bottom, the user-set speed 103 is displayed in small increments. Operating time display bar 104 is used to display the centrifugal separation operating time. At the top, the elapsed time 105 from when the rotor reaches a stable state to the present is displayed in large increments, while at the bottom, the user-inputted (operating) time 106 is displayed in small increments. The rotor temperature display bar 107 is the area that displays the temperature of the rotor 5 (or the internal temperature of the rotating chamber 4), and the current rotor temperature 108 measured by the temperature sensor 12 is displayed in a larger value on the upper layer, while the set temperature 109 input by the user is displayed in a smaller value on the lower layer.

[0103] When the user touches any of the rotor speed display bar 101, running time display bar 104, or rotor temperature display bar 107 on the screen, a pop-up screen indicating a numeric keypad input screen (not shown) is displayed. The user enters the set value here and presses the enter key (not shown), thus returning to the display screen 100 while the set value is entered into the display bar (any one of 101, 104, or 107).

[0104] The rotor name display area 110 displays an identification mark corresponding to the type of rotor 5 used, and the model name of rotor 5, "T18A41", is also displayed here. By touching the rotor name display area 110, a pop-up screen displays a list of selectable rotor 5 identification marks. The user selects one, and the identification number of rotor 5 is displayed in rotor name 111 in the rotor name display area 110. Alternatively, the control device 8 can determine the identifier set on the rotor to automatically display rotor name 111.

[0105] In the acceleration / deceleration mode display area 112, the acceleration gradient (acceleration (ACCEL)) 113 of the rotor 5 rotating from a stopped state to reaching the set speed at the start of operation, and the deceleration gradient (deceleration (DECEL)) 114 of the rotor 5 rotating from the set speed to a stopped state at the end of operation are displayed in correspondence with numerical levels. The setting is achieved by the user touching the acceleration / deceleration mode display area 112 to display the acceleration gradient 113 and deceleration gradient 114, which can be selected through a pop-up screen, and then the user makes the selection.

[0106] A start button 121 and an open button 122 are displayed in the lower right corner of the display screen 100. The start button 121 is an icon used to initiate centrifugal separation operation under the operating conditions set on the display screen 100. The open button 122 is an icon used to indicate the release of the door lock to open the door 7. When the user closes the door 7, the door is locked; when the user touches the start button 121, the centrifugal separation operation begins. When the centrifugal separation operation begins, the control device 8 replaces the open button 122 with a stop button (not shown).

[0107] Viewed vertically, a cooling system simple check mode area 130, a feature of this embodiment, is located between the start button 121 and the rotor temperature display bar 107. The cooling system simple check mode area 130 displays: an icon (operation button 131) indicating a specific operation to the user, and associated information 132 related to the user performing a "cooling system simple check". Here, to clearly define the boundary between the cooling system simple check mode area 130 and other parts, it is surrounded by a frame of a rounded rectangle with rounded corners. Figure 3Although a black and white display is used, the operation panel 10 can use either a monochrome display or a color display. When using a color display, the background in the cooling system simple inspection mode area 130 can be colored so that it can be easily identified from other display areas (101, 104, 107, etc.). Alternatively, the background color can be distinguished according to the importance of the content of the associated information 132 to improve recognizability.

[0108] When the user touches operation button 131, control device 8 moves to the next specific operation ( Figure 3 The screen shows a simplified check of the cooling system. Below the operation button 131, as a message to the user, related information 132 is displayed: "Next check date: March 10, 2021". While primarily displayed as text, the related information 132 can also be displayed as an image. The display format, color, and text size of the related information 132 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the text can be displayed in a larger format when the next check date is between 3 months and 2 months in advance. Figure 2 Small, in the period of 2 months to 1 month ago, such as Figure 2 In such a display, if the relationship has lasted less than one month, the text related to the information 132 should be emphasized or highlighted in red or other eye-catching colors. Alternatively, if the importance of the related information 132 is low, no information related to it may be displayed until its importance increases.

[0109] In this embodiment, the scheduled date for the next inspection is displayed as the associated information 132. For example, if a periodic inspection (e.g., every 3 months) is required under specific laws or regulations, the scheduled date for the next inspection is displayed as a date 3 months after the last simplified inspection. Furthermore, the size of the display bar in the cooling system simplified inspection mode area 130 or its position on the display screen 100 can be arbitrarily set according to the size of the operation panel 10 or the configuration of each display area. For example, the display bar for associated information 132 can be increased to 2 to 3 rows to increase the amount of information that can be displayed. Additionally, the space between the top edge of the outer frame of the cooling system simplified inspection mode area 130 and the top edge of the operation button 131 can be ensured for setting the display bar for the second associated information. When the display bar for the second associated information is set, the last inspection date can be displayed as "Last Inspection Date: September 20, 2020," allowing the user to easily identify the last inspection date.

[0110] When the user touches the operation button 131 for the simple check of the cooling system, it switches to... Figure 3 A simple check of the cooling system begins on screen 150. Figure 3The simplified cooling system check start screen 150 shown in the diagram displays the text "Simple Cooling System Check Start Screen" and the screen name at the top, and shows the current date and time on the right. The simplified cooling system check start screen 150 mainly displays two information display bars (151, 153) and two operation instruction icons (156, 157). Here, the so-called "simplified check" of the cooling system 9 in this embodiment refers to operating the cooling system 9 under specific conditions without changing the hardware structure of the centrifuge 1, and determining whether there are any abnormalities in the cooling system 9 based on information obtained from various sensors at this time, through the control device 8. Therefore, without using specialized equipment such as leak testers for detecting refrigerant leaks (which are not prepared), the centrifuge unit can be used to determine whether there are any abnormalities in the cooling system 9.

[0111] The current temperature of the rotating chamber 4, as measured by the temperature sensor 12, is displayed in the current temperature display column 151. The elapsed time from the start of the simplified inspection mode is displayed in the inspection time display column 153, in minutes to seconds. Figure 3 The status before the start of the simplified inspection mode is displayed, and after 154 hours, it is displayed as "00:00".

[0112] Below the two information display bars (151, 153), a message 155 is displayed for the user, along with an execute button 156 and a cancel button 157 for inputting user instructions regarding the message 155, displayed as icons. Here, when the user touches the execute button 156, the microcomputer 81 of the control device 8 begins executing the centrifuge 1's "cooling system simple check mode." At this time, it is not necessary to rotate the shaft 6a (refer to...) Figure 1 Install rotor 5 (refer to) Figure 1 Furthermore, even when the rotor 5 is mounted on the rotating shaft 6a, a simplified inspection mode of the cooling system can be performed. However, since it is not necessary to rotate the rotor 5, the drive unit 6 for the rotor 5 can be kept stationary during the simplified inspection (however, it is also possible to perform the simplified inspection while rotating the rotor 5). Figure 3 When the user touches the cancel button 157, the "Cooling System Simple Check Mode" is not activated; instead, the system returns to the initial screen. Figure 2 The display screen shows the state of 100.

[0113] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing sequence of the control unit in the "simple inspection mode of the cooling system" of the centrifuge 1 in this embodiment. Figure 4 and Figure 5The series of processes shown are performed by a program pre-stored in the storage unit 82 of the control device 8, executed by the microcomputer 81. Furthermore, this program runs in parallel in the background with the main program for centrifugal separation and other similar operations.

[0114] First, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the rotation of the rotor 5 of the centrifuge 1 has stopped (step 41). This is because the simplified cooling system check of this embodiment cannot be performed when the rotor 5 is rotating, i.e., during centrifugal separation. If the rotor 5 of the centrifuge 1 has not stopped rotating in step 41, the microcomputer 81 remains in standby mode until it stops. When the centrifuge 1 is stopped, the microcomputer 81 then checks whether the door 7 is closed based on the output of the door opening / closing detection sensor 11 (step 42). Since the simplified cooling system check cannot be performed when the door 7 is open, the microcomputer 81 remains in standby mode until the door 7 is closed.

[0115] When door 7 is closed in step 42, the microcomputer 81 displays the operation button 131 for the cooling system simple check mode on the display screen 100 (step 43). Figure 2 As shown, the operation button 131 is displayed as an icon in the cooling system simplified inspection mode area 130, and related information 132 is also displayed. After the centrifuge 1 is powered on, the microcomputer 81 compares the current date and time with the next inspection date and displays the next inspection date in the cooling system simplified inspection mode area 130. Alternatively, the next inspection date may not be displayed; instead, if the number of days before the next inspection date is less than a predetermined number, an alarm may be displayed on the display.

[0116] Next, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the operation button 131, used to indicate the start of a simple check of the cooling system, has been pressed (touched) (step 44). If pressed, the display of the operation panel 10 is switched to […]. Figure 3 The display screen 150 shown is step 45. If the operation button 131 is not pressed (touched) in step 44, the microcomputer 81 will remain in standby mode until any button is pressed.

[0117] Next, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the execute button 156 has been pressed (touched) on the display screen 150 shown in step 45 (step 46). If the user presses the execute button 156 in step 46 (refer to...), the microcomputer 81 determines whether the user has pressed (touched) the execute button 156. Figure 3If the microcomputer 81 initiates a simple cooling system check, it displays "Simple cooling system check in progress" on the operation panel 10 (step 47). If the execute button 156 is not pressed in step 46, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the cancel button 157 has been pressed (step 60). If not pressed, it enters standby mode; if the cancel button 157 is pressed (refer to step 60), it enters standby mode. Figure 3 If the condition is met, then return to step 43.

[0118] Next, through Figure 6 For Figure 4 The display screen 150A shown in step 47 will be explained. Figure 6 From Figure 3 The transition screen here shows... Figure 3 The execute button 156 switches to the status message 158a, which means "Executing". Additionally, Figure 3 The cancel button 157 is changed to a stop button 159a for interrupting the ongoing simple cooling system check. The user can identify that the simple cooling system check is in progress by reading message 155 and subsequent status information 158a. At this time, the elapsed time 154 is incremented. The starting point of elapsed time 154 is the start time of the simple cooling system check, specifically when the cooling system being checked starts operating, or more specifically, when compressor 9a starts operating.

[0119] Return to Figure 4 In step 48, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the cooling system (including compressor 9a and condenser 9b) can be turned on (step 48). This is because, immediately after compressor 9a stops operating, a pressure difference exists between the refrigerant suction and discharge sides, with the discharge side being at higher pressure than the suction side. If compressor 9a is started from a stopped state while the discharge side remains at high pressure, a larger load than usual is applied to the motor driving compressor 9a, potentially causing poor starting. Therefore, if the pressure on the discharge side of the cooling system drops to a certain extent, it cannot be restarted. Thus, after prior operation, compressor 9a is restarted after a predetermined time (e.g., 2 minutes) following a stop. In step 48, with compressor 9a in an ON state, the microcomputer 81 turns on compressor 9a, causing the compressor 9a motor to run at a predetermined speed, and reads the current temperature detected by temperature sensor 12, counting the elapsed time. Then, the microcomputer 81 calculates the determination temperature and determination time based on the detected temperature and the elapsed time (step 49).

[0120] If the compressor 9a cannot be immediately turned on in step 48, the microcomputer 81 remains in standby mode until the start-stop time of the compressor 9a has elapsed (step 50). After the start-stop time has elapsed, the compressor 9a is turned on, and the process proceeds to step 49 (step 51). Furthermore, regarding the calculation of the determination temperature and determination time, if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 12 is 20°C when the execution button 156 is pressed, the determination temperature is set to 17°C, and the determination time is calculated to be 10 minutes. If the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 12 is 4°C, the determination temperature is calculated to be 1°C, and the determination time is calculated to be 5 minutes. As a calculation method, a predetermined formula can be used, or a pre-stored table can be consulted.

[0121] In the simplified inspection of this embodiment, the cooling system 9 is operated, and the extent to which the reference temperature drop t (°C) decreases within a reference time M (minutes) from the starting temperature T0 (°C) is measured determines whether the malfunction is caused by refrigerant leakage or other factors in the cooling system 9. Furthermore, the temperature of either the rotating chamber 4 or the rotating drum 3 detected by the temperature sensor 12 when the compressor 9a is turned on is taken as the starting temperature T0, and the reference temperature drop is set to t = 3 (°C). The time m required to reach the temperature drop (T0-3) (°C) is measured. If m < M, it is simply determined that the cooling system 9 has no problem; if m ≥ M, it is simply determined that the cooling system 9 has a problem and requires detailed inspection. The reference time M (minutes), which serves as the threshold for judgment, can be appropriately set according to the type or characteristics of the compressor 9a used. In this embodiment, M is set to 10 (minutes).

[0122] exist Figure 5 In the flowchart, during a simplified check of the cooling system, the microcomputer 81 presses the stop button 159a (see reference). Figure 6 The system monitors whether the simple check is pressed (touched) (step 52). If pressed, the operation panel 10 displays "Can I stop the simple check? Yes?" as a confirmation message urging the check to stop. The "Yes" and "No" options can be represented by separate icons. Here, when the user selects "Yes" and confirms the simple check has stopped, the set temperature for maintaining the cooling system 9's cooling operation is maintained at [temperature value missing]. Figure 2 The temperature control operates as set at the temperature 109 (step 53), and then returns to... Figure 4 Step 46. The display of the operation panel 10 at this time returns to Figure 2 The content.

[0123] When the stop button 159a is pressed in step 52 (see reference) Figure 6 The button was not pressed, or the stop button 159a was pressed based on the temporary press (see reference). Figure 6 If the user selects "No" after confirming the message following the confirmation, in step 54, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the incrementing time has reached a predetermined reference time M (here, 10 minutes). If the reference time M has not elapsed, the microcomputer 81 determines whether the current temperature measured by the temperature sensor 12 has decreased to the determination temperature (=T0-t) due to the operation of the cooling system (step 55). That is, in the simplified inspection of the cooling system according to this embodiment, within the reference time M = 10 minutes, the user determines whether the cooling system is abnormal based on whether the temperature t of the rotating chamber 4 decreases by 3°C. If the temperature does not decrease in step 55, the process returns to step 52 (step 55).

[0124] When it is confirmed in step 55 that within 10 minutes, temperature sensor 12 (refer to...) Figure 1 When the detected temperature of the rotating chamber 4 or the rotating drum 3 decreases by 3°C, the microcomputer 81 displays the results of the simplified inspection on the operation panel 10 (step 56). The displayed content is... Figure 7 The display screen is 150B.

[0125] Figure 7 Display screen 150B indicates that the simple inspection has been completed and passed, meaning the cooling system is functioning normally. Figure 6 The transition screen is shown in display screen 150A. The upper half of display screen 150B is the transition screen. Figure 6 The same display content indicates that the current temperature 152 measured by temperature sensor 12 has reached the value from... Figure 3 The starting temperature T0 = 20℃ is shown as the specified temperature after reducing the reference temperature t = 3℃ (= 17.0℃). Additionally, the time required to reduce the reference temperature t = 3℃ via the cooling system 9 (elapsed time 154) is shown as 5 minutes and 00 seconds. Since the reference temperature t = 3℃ has been achieved, the increment of elapsed time 154 stops, and elapsed time 154 remains at 5 minutes and 00 seconds thereafter. Message 155a displayed to the user shows the result of the simplified inspection, i.e., "Simplified Inspection Result of Cooling System". Below it, the content corresponding to message 155a is displayed, here as simplified inspection result 158a, showing "Pass". To the right of message 155a, a method for returning to... Figure 2 The icon on the display screen 100 is the RUN SCREEN button 159b.

[0126] Return to Figure 5In step 56, the microcomputer 81 saves the execution date of the simplified inspection, the inspection end time, the starting temperature T0 during the simplified inspection (20.0°C in this embodiment), and the time required to lower the reference temperature t = 3°C (required time m) in the storage unit 82 of the control device 8. Then, the microcomputer 81 switches the temperature control of the rotating chamber 4 to a set temperature 109 (refer to...). Figure 2 Control for the target (step 56). Subsequently, when the user... Figure 7 Press the run screen button 159b on the screen (see reference). Figure 7 When (step 57), return to Figure 2 The display screen shows 100, ending the operation of the simple check mode for the cooling system.

[0127] If, in step 54, the temperature of the rotating chamber 4 fails to reach the specified temperature (17.0°C) after decreasing from the starting temperature T0 = 20°C to the reference decrease temperature t = 3°C within the reference time M (10 minutes), the microcomputer 81 determines for some reason that the cooling system 9 has deteriorated, and displays "NG (=No Good)" on the operation panel 10 as a simple inspection result (step 58). The displayed content indicates that... Figure 8 The display screen is 150C.

[0128] Figure 8 The display screen 150C indicates that the simplified inspection has been completed but the inspection has failed; it is a substitute for... Figure 7 And from Figure 6 The display screen 150A transitions to the previous screen. The upper half of the display screen 150C is the area that transitions to the previous screen. Figure 6 The same display content, the current temperature 152 of the rotating chamber 4 measured by temperature sensor 12, indicates the temperature from... Figure 3 The starting temperature T0 = 20°C decreased by 1.0°C to 19.0°C. Additionally, in the check time display column 153, "10:00" was displayed as the elapsed time 154. The results show that although the cooling system was running and 10 minutes had elapsed, the reference temperature reduction of t = 3°C was not achieved during this period. At the point when the reference time M (= 10 minutes) had elapsed, the elapsed time 154 stopped increasing and maintained the display of "10:00".

[0129] In message 155 displayed to the user, information indicating the completion of the simplified inspection, namely "Simplified Inspection Result of Cooling System," is shown. Below it, content corresponding to message 155 is displayed, here showing "NG" as the simplified inspection result 158c. In addition, at this time, not only "NG" can be displayed, but also information related to the factors considered NG (such as "Possible refrigerant deficiency") can be displayed. Figure 8The display screen 150C remains on until the user confirms its content and presses the button to return to... Figure 2 The operation screen button 159b on display screen 100 is displayed. Furthermore, if the simplified check result 158c is "NG", subsequent centrifugal separation operations can be restricted. Such restrictions could include setting a lower limit for the temperature setting of the rotating chamber 4, or limiting the number of operations allowed after an anomaly is detected (e.g., up to 3 times), or the operating time (e.g., up to 1 hour). Alternatively, the centrifugal separation operation can be completely prohibited if the simplified check result 158c is "NG". In the event that centrifugal separation operation is completely prohibited, an alarm display indicating prohibited operation will be shown on display screen 150C, along with a message to the user stating "Please call the manufacturer's support center" (not shown).

[0130] Return to Figure 5 In step 58, a display screen 150C indicating "cooling system malfunction" is shown, and the microcomputer 81 stores the execution date of the simplified inspection, the inspection end time, the starting temperature T0 during the simplified inspection (20.0°C in this embodiment), and "10 minutes and 00 seconds" as the required time m in the storage unit 82 of the control device 8. Then, the microcomputer 81 switches the temperature control of the rotating chamber 4 to the set temperature 109 (see reference). Figure 2 Control is targeted at (step 58). When there is an abnormality in the cooling system (especially deterioration), switch to control at a set temperature of 109 (refer to...). Figure 2 The control objective is to allow users to determine whether to perform centrifugal separation operations even under deteriorated conditions. When the user... Figure 7 Press the run screen button 159b on the screen (see reference). Figure 8 At step 59, the microcomputer 81 terminates the simple check and returns to the previous step. Figure 9 The display screen is 100A.

[0131] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing screen 100A after performing a simple check of the cooling system according to the present invention. Figure 9 and Figure 2 The display screen shown is basically the same as the one before performing a simplified cooling system check, but because the simplified cooling system check was performed and from the screen shown in Figure 100, the display screen is different. Figure 8 After the screen transition shown, the rotor temperature 108 is 19.0°C. Additionally, the displayed content of the associated information 132 in the cooling system simplified inspection mode area 130 has changed. This is because... Figure 8The simplified inspection result 158c shown is "NG". Therefore, to notify the user, "Note that there is an abnormality in the cooling system" is displayed in the associated information 132. At this time, the user is informed of the abnormality in the cooling system by using a display method different from the usual display methods such as coloring, emphasis, inversion, and flashing in the simplified inspection mode area 130. In this embodiment, if the abnormality of the cooling system is minor, it can be indicated that the user is not aware of the abnormality. Figure 9 The start button 121 is displayed, and the centrifugal separation operation that follows it is performed several times. However, if the cooling system is severely abnormal, the microcomputer 81 will display the start button 121 as gray, and it will not respond even if the user touches it, thus preventing the start of the centrifugal separation operation.

[0132] Figure 10 yes Figure 5 The display screen 160 shows the history of the simplified inspection stored in the storage unit 82 during steps 56 and 58. In this embodiment, when a simplified inspection of the cooling system is performed, the inspection date 161, the temperature at the start of the inspection (starting temperature T0) 163, the required time 164, and other data are stored in the storage unit 82. Using a non-volatile storage device in the storage unit 82, the microcomputer 81 can retrieve the recorded data and display it on the operation panel 10 when the centrifuge 1 is powered on (or when a simplified inspection can be performed). In the display screen 160, "Inspection History" is displayed at the top as the screen title, and the current date and time are displayed on the right side.

[0133] The displayed table shows part or all of the information stored in the storage unit 82 in tabular form. Here, the inspection date 161, the starting temperature (starting temperature T0) 163, the time required to lower the reference temperature t (°C) (required time 164), and the inspection result 165 are displayed. In this embodiment, the rotor 5 (see reference 164) is also included as additional information. Figure 1 The identification information (rotor 162). When performing a simple inspection, rotor 5 is installed inside the rotating chamber 4 (refer to...). Figure 1 In the case of ), the model number of rotor 5 is also stored in the storage unit 82. Figure 10 In display screen 160, it is shown in the rotor 162 column. A "-" in the rotor 162 column indicates that rotor 5 is not installed (see reference). Figure 1 The simplified check mode was executed in the state of ).

[0134] exist Figure 10 The system displays five inspection histories, but it can also be configured to display more items by allowing scrolling on the screen. Additionally, in Figure 10In this process, the inspection result 165 is included in one of the display items of the display screen 160, showing whether it is "pass" or "NG". However, it can also be configured so that the inspection result 165 column is not set. During the required time 164, the inspection result is displayed normally in the "pass" column, and the inspection result is displayed in the "NG" column with, for example, a red background and white characters. Thus, the user can indirectly identify the inspection result (whether it is "pass" or "NG") through the numerical display of the inspection result 165.

[0135] In the lower right corner of the display screen (160°), two icon-style buttons are shown to transition to the next screen. One is for returning to... Figure 2 The display screen 100 shown has a running screen button 166 and a menu button 167 for transitioning to a menu screen for various settings.

[0136] This embodiment is not only the example described above, but can also be modified in various ways. For example, it can be configured to... Figure 4 In steps 42-44, after door 7 is closed, the operation button (start button) 131 is first displayed. When operation button 131 is pressed (touched), a simple cooling system check begins. However, in other embodiments, the display screen 100 may also display the cooling system simple check mode area 130 and operation button 131 even when door 7 is open, allowing the user to touch operation button 131 before closing door 7. In this case, the operation button 131 is pressed... Figure 4 A simple check of the cooling system can be performed after the execution button 156 is pressed and the door 7 is closed.

[0137] The starting temperature T0, reference temperature reduction t, and reference time M used in the simplified inspection can be set in various ways according to the required inspection items. For example, the starting temperature T0 is not set as the temperature of the rotating chamber 4 or the rotating drum 3 detected by the temperature sensor 12 shortly after the compressor 9a starts operating, as in the embodiment described above. Instead, it can be configured as a fixed temperature (e.g., T0 = 8°C), and the time required for the temperature of the rotating chamber 4 or the rotating drum 3 to further decrease after reaching T0, i.e., the time required for the temperature to decrease from T0 to T0-t, can be measured. Furthermore, the microcomputer 81 can also be configured to measure the external gas temperature (room temperature) and set the starting temperature T0, or the reference temperature reduction (specified temperature) t, and the reference time M based on the relative relationship with room temperature. The setting range of the reference temperature reduction t is arbitrary; it can be set as large as 5°C or as small as 2°C.

[0138] This embodiment provides a centrifuge that, in addition to a function to notify the user, allows for easy inspection of the cooling system on a regular basis. Therefore, compared with conventional centrifuges, the reliability of the cooling system is improved, and it is easier to meet inspection standards based on laws or standards.

[0139] The present invention has been described above based on embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit. For example, it can also be applied to centrifuges that use a vacuum pump in addition to a cooling system. In this case, if the vacuum pump is kept stopped during a simplified inspection of the cooling system, the simplified inspection mode can be performed according to the same procedure as in the described embodiments.

[0140] In addition, in this embodiment, the microcomputer 81 measures the time until the predetermined temperature is lowered and determines whether there is any abnormality in the cooling system. However, as another method, the microcomputer 81 may also determine whether there is any abnormality in the cooling system by comparing the slope (gradient) of the temperature change calculated based on the measured value with the slope of the pre-stored reference temperature change.

Claims

1. A centrifuge, comprising: Drive unit; The rotating drum houses the rotor that is rotated by the drive device. The sensor detects the temperature inside the rotating drum; A cooling device is used to cool the inside of the rotating drum; The display unit allows you to input the operating conditions for centrifugal separation and displays the operating status. as well as The control unit controls the display unit, and the centrifuge is characterized in that... A simplified inspection mode is set up to detect abnormalities in the cooling device. After selecting the simplified inspection mode, the control unit causes the compressor installed in the cooling device to run at a predetermined speed. At the same time, the control unit determines whether the temperature drops from a predetermined temperature to a specified temperature within a predetermined time, and measures the time required for the temperature to drop from the predetermined temperature to the specified temperature. Based on the required time, the control unit determines whether there is any abnormality in the cooling device and displays the determination result on the display unit.

2. The centrifuge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The required time and the temperature reached within the specified time are stored together with the date data in a non-volatile storage unit.

3. The centrifuge according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the date data stored in the storage unit, the next inspection execution date is calculated and displayed on the display unit.

4. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The simplified inspection mode is performed when the rotor is not installed or when the installed rotor is not rotated.

5. The centrifuge according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the centrifuge is powered on, the control unit compares the current date and time with the next scheduled inspection date. If the number of days before the next scheduled inspection date is less than the predetermined number of days, an alarm will be displayed on the display unit.

6. The centrifuge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit displays a list of the execution results of the check modes stored in the storage unit on the display unit.

7. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, If the cooling device is determined to be malfunctioning based on the results of the simplified inspection mode, the control unit prohibits or restricts the operation of the centrifuge.

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