Collection container racks, liquid transfer equipment and control methods

Abstract

This specification relates to one or more embodiments of a liquid transfer device and a control method based on the liquid transfer device. The liquid transfer device includes: a transfer container carrier for holding transfer containers; a collection container carrier for holding collection containers; and a tilting assembly, wherein the transfer container carrier and the tilting assembly are fixed relative to each other, and the tilting assembly includes a rotating shaft, which can drive the transfer container carrier to rotate around the rotating shaft.

Description

[0001] Priority Information

[0002] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202210410392.3, filed on April 19, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present specification relates to the field of liquid transfer, and in particular to a collection container carrier, a liquid transfer device and a control method. BACKGROUND

[0004] After the end of the shake flask culture, the culture solution in the shake flask is usually subjected to centrifugal treatment. Before the centrifugal treatment, the culture solution needs to be transferred to a designated centrifugal container (for example, a centrifugal cup, a centrifugal tube). How to quickly and conveniently transfer the culture solution to the centrifugal container on a large scale is a problem to be solved.

[0005] In view of the above problems, a collection container carrier, a liquid transfer device and a control method are provided, which can quickly and conveniently transfer the culture solution to the designated centrifugal container, and effectively improve the overall production efficiency. SUMMARY

[0006] One of the purposes of the present specification is to provide a liquid transfer device, which comprises: a transfer container carrier for arranging a transfer container; a collection container carrier for arranging a collection container; a pouring assembly, the transfer container carrier and the pouring assembly are fixed oppositely, the pouring assembly comprises a rotation shaft, and the pouring assembly can drive the transfer container carrier to rotate around the rotation shaft.

[0007] One of the purposes of the present specification is to provide a collection container carrier, which comprises: a plurality of sub-container carriers, the plurality of sub-container carriers are distributed along the width direction thereof; a rotation assembly for driving at least one of the plurality of sub-container carriers to rotate, and the axis around which the sub-container carrier rotates is parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier.

[0008] One of the purposes of the present specification is to provide a control method based on a liquid transfer device, which comprises: controlling a transfer container carrier and / or a collection container carrier to move to a target position; and controlling a pouring assembly to drive the transfer container carrier to rotate around a rotation shaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] The present specification will be further described in the manner of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail through the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting, and in these embodiments, the same numbers represent the same structures, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a collection container carrier module according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sub-container carrier and the collection container mating according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sub-container carrier and the collection container mating according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0013] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the collection container carrier shown according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0014] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the collection container carrier according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second track according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0016] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a first driving component shown according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0017] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0018] Figure 9 This is a simplified structural schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0019] Figure 10 This is a simplified structural schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0020] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid transfer device according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0021] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the transfer container carrier and the tipping assembly according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0022] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the barcode reader and the inkjet printer and the fourth track, according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0023] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a motion track module according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0024] Figure 15This is an exemplary flowchart of a control method according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0025] Reference numerals: Liquid transfer device 10; Transfer container carrier 11; Transfer container 111; Module clamp 112; Collection container carrier 12; Collection container 121; Sub-container carrier 122; Fixing hole 123; Extension 124; Tilting assembly 13; Rotating shaft 131; Support frame 132; Drive shaft 133; Turntable 134; Code reader 14; Inkjet printer 15; Motion track 16; First track 161; First guide rail 1611; Sliding seat 1612; Second track 162; Second guide rail 1621; Lifting seat 1622; Connecting part 1 623; Support part 1624; Third track 163; Fourth track 164; Reader track 165; Inkjet track 166; Drive assembly 17; First drive assembly 171; First sub-drive assembly 1711; Second sub-drive assembly 1712; Third sub-drive assembly 1713; Second drive assembly 172; Rotating assembly 18; Rotating component 181; Control assembly 19; Operation panel 191; Ultraviolet lamp 20; Illumination lamp 21; Waste liquid tank 22; Base 23; Fixing groove 231; Baffle 232; Housing 24; Movable base 25. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments in this specification, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0027] Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., in this specification are only used to distinguish different devices, modules, or parameters, and do not represent any specific technical meaning, nor do they indicate a necessary logical order between them.

[0028] As indicated in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0029] This specification covers any alternatives, modifications, equivalent methods, and solutions made within the spirit and scope of this specification as defined in the claims. Furthermore, to provide a better understanding of this specification, certain specific details are described in detail below. However, this specification will be fully understood by those skilled in the art even without these detailed descriptions.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a collection container carrier module according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the sub-container carrier and the collection container according to some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the collection container carrier 12 may include a plurality of sub-container carriers 122 and a rotating assembly 18. The plurality of sub-container carriers 122 are distributed along their width direction, and the sub-container carriers 122 can be used to hold collection containers 121. The rotating assembly 18 can be used to drive at least one of the plurality of sub-container carriers 122 to rotate, the axis around which the sub-container carrier 122 rotates being parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122. The length direction of the sub-container carrier 122 can refer to the arrangement direction of the collection containers 121 disposed on the sub-container carrier 122, which can be determined by... Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The arrow Y in the diagram represents the width direction of the sub-container carrier 122. The width direction of the sub-container carrier 122 can refer to the overall width direction of the collection container carrier 122. The width direction of the sub-container carrier 122 is perpendicular to its length direction, and can be indicated by... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The arrow X in the diagram represents this.

[0031] In some embodiments, the collection container rack 12 can be applied to any application scenario requiring liquid collection and transfer. For example, when transferring liquid from one container to another, the collection container 121 can be placed on the sub-container rack 122 to hold the liquid. In some specific embodiments, the collection container rack 12 can be used in the centrifugation step after shake flask culture. Shake flask culture refers to adding culture medium to a shake flask for cultivation. Shake flask culture is a commonly used microbial fermentation method and can be used to produce antibodies, proteins, and small molecule compounds. In some embodiments, the first step after shake flask culture is usually to centrifuge the culture medium in the shake flask. Shake flasks cannot be centrifuged directly; the culture medium in the shake flask needs to be transferred to a centrifuge container (e.g., a centrifuge cup or centrifuge bottle) before centrifugation. The centrifuge container can be placed on the sub-container rack 122 as the collection container 121 in this specification to hold the culture medium from the shake flask. Therefore, whether the collection container 121 is convenient for collecting the culture medium directly affects the overall production efficiency.

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the sub-container carrier 122 can be an elongated rod-like member. The top of the elongated rod-like member is provided with a plurality of fixing holes 123, which can be spaced apart along the length direction of the elongated rod-like member. The length direction of the elongated rod-like member is also the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122, and is indicated by the arrow Y. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the connection between the sub-container carrier and the collection container according to some embodiments of this specification. The fixing hole 123 can be used to mount the collection container 121, such as... Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the inner contour of the fixing hole 123 can be adapted to the outer contour of the collection container 121. For example, the inner diameter of the fixing hole 123 can be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the collection container 121 so that the collection container 121 can be accommodated in the fixing hole 123 without radial wobbling.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the collection container carrier shown according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a collection container carrier according to other embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the collection container carrier 12 may further include a base 23, on which a plurality of fixing slots 231 may be provided. The fixing slots 231 can be used to set the sub-container carrier 122, and the fixing slots 231 are rotatable relative to the base 23. In this embodiment, the sub-container carrier 122 may be set in the fixing slots 231. Since the fixing slots 231 are rotatable relative to the base 23, the rotating component 18 can drive the fixing slots 231 to rotate, thereby driving the sub-container carrier 122 to rotate.

[0034] In some embodiments, the fixing groove 231 can be an elongated groove, the length direction of which can be parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122, and the rotation axis of which can be parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122. Thus, when the fixing groove 231 rotates, it can drive the sub-container carrier 122 to rotate along an axis parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122.

[0035] In some embodiments, a plurality of fixing slots 231 may be distributed on the base 23 along the width direction of the collection container carrier 12, for example, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, each base 23 is provided with four fixing slots 231, which are distributed along the width direction of the collection container carrier 12, so that when the sub-container carrier 122 is placed in the fixing slot 231, it can also be arranged along the width direction of the collection container carrier 12.

[0036] In some embodiments, each fixing slot 231 may be provided with one or more sub-container carriers 122. For example, in... Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, each fixing slot 231 is provided with a sub-container carrier 122. In another example, each fixing slot 231 may be provided with multiple sub-container carriers 122. For example, a plurality of fasteners for fixing the sub-container carriers 122 may be provided on the fixing slot 231. The plurality of fasteners may be provided along the width direction of the fixing slot 231, thereby fixing the multiple sub-container carriers 122 to the fixing slot 231 and making the width direction of the sub-container carriers 122 parallel to the width direction of the fixing slot 231.

[0037] In some embodiments, the number of bases 23 can be multiple, and the multiple bases 23 can be distributed along their width direction. The width direction of the bases 23 can be parallel to the width direction of the fixing groove 231 and the width direction of the sub-container carrier 122. For example, in... Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, there are two bases 23, distributed along their width, and both bases 23 are connected to the first track 161. In some embodiments, each base 23 is provided with an equal number of sub-container racks 122. For example, in... Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, four fixing slots 231 are respectively provided on the two bases, and a sub-container carrier 122 is provided in each fixing slot 231.

[0038] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the rotating assembly 18 may include a plurality of rotating members 181, which may be connected to the sub-container carrier 122 to drive the sub-container carrier 122 to rotate. In some specific embodiments, the rotating member 181 may be a knob, which may be connected to the end of the sub-container carrier 122. The rotation axis of the knob is parallel to the length direction of the sub-container carrier 122, and when the knob is rotated, it can drive the sub-container carrier 122 to rotate around the rotation axis of the knob.

[0039] In some embodiments, the rotating element 181 (such as a knob) can be directly connected to the sub-container carrier 122. In other embodiments, the rotating element 181 can be connected to the base 23 or the fixing slot 231. For example, when the sub-container carrier 122 is disposed within the fixing slot 231, the sub-container carrier 122 and the fixing slot 231 can be considered relatively fixed (the sub-container carrier 122 can disengage from the fixing slot 231 through the opening of the fixing slot 231). Therefore, the rotating element 181 can be connected to the fixing slot 231, and by rotating the fixing slot 231, the sub-container carrier 122 within the fixing slot 231 can be rotated. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some specific embodiments, each base 23 is provided with four fixing slots 231, each fixing slot 231 is connected to a sub-container carrier 122, and each fixing slot 231 is provided with a rotating member 181 at its end.

[0040] like Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, a baffle 232 is provided on the periphery of the base 23, defining a rectangular accommodating space with the base 23. A plurality of fixing slots 231 are disposed in this accommodating space. The length direction of the accommodating space is parallel to the length direction of the fixing slots 231. A plurality of rotating members 181 (knobs) are provided on the baffle 232 corresponding to the length direction of the accommodating space, distributed along the width direction of the accommodating space. The rotating members 181 are rotatably connected to the baffle 232, and one end of the rotating member 181 passes through the baffle 232 and connects to the end of the fixing slot 231. In this embodiment, when it is necessary to adjust the angle of the sub-container carrier 122, the rotating member 181 disposed on the baffle 232 can be directly rotated, thereby driving the fixing slot 231 and the sub-container carrier 122 disposed in the fixing slot 231 to rotate.

[0041] In other embodiments, the knob does not necessarily have to be located on the baffle 232; it can also be directly located at the end of the fixing groove 231. For example, in Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, no baffle 232 is provided at one end of the corresponding accommodating space along its length, and the knob can be directly connected to the fixing groove 231.

[0042] In some embodiments, each rotating member 181 can independently control the rotation of a sub-container carrier 122. For example, in... Figure 5 and Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, a sub-container carrier 122 is provided in each fixed slot 231, and a rotating member 181 is connected to the end of each fixed slot 231. Each rotating member 181 can operably drive the corresponding fixed slot 231 and sub-container carrier 122 to rotate. In this embodiment, since each sub-container carrier 122 rotates through a rotating member 181, the rotation of the sub-container carriers 122 is independent of each other. The rotation of one sub-container carrier 122 will not affect the other sub-container carriers 122, making it easier for operators to control the sub-container carriers 122.

[0043] In some embodiments, a single rotating member 181 can simultaneously control the rotation of multiple sub-container carriers 122. For example, several sub-container carriers 122 can be connected to the same rotating member 181, which controls the synchronous rotation of these sub-container carriers 122. Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the base 23 is connected to the first guide rail 1611 via a sliding seat 1612. Furthermore, a rotating member 181 can be used to hinge the sliding seat 1612 to the base 23, allowing the base 23 to rotate relative to the sliding seat 1612. Controlling the rotation of just one rotating member 181 is sufficient to rotate the base 23 relative to the sliding seat 1612, thereby causing the several sub-container carriers 122 mounted on the base 23 to rotate synchronously. For example, in… Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, there are two bases 23. Each base 23 is hinged to the sliding seat 1612 via a rotating member 181, and each base 23 can rotate relative to the sliding seat 1612. Therefore, by controlling the rotation of the rotating member 181, the corresponding base 23 can be rotated, thereby causing the several sub-container carriers 122 mounted on the base 23 to rotate synchronously.

[0044] In some embodiments, the container carrier 12 may also include one or more motion tracks 16, along which one or more components of the container carrier 12 may move to regulate the movement path of the components.

[0045] like Figure 5 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the motion track 16 may include a first track 161, which may be arranged along the width direction of the sub-container carrier 122, and several sub-container carriers 122 may move along the first track 161. In this embodiment, since several sub-container carriers 122 are all arranged along the width direction of the sub-container carrier 122, the first track 161 allows the sub-container carriers 122 to move along their width direction, facilitating batch operations. For example, during liquid transfer, several sub-container carriers 122 can be controlled to move synchronously along the first track 161, sequentially moving each sub-container carrier 122 to a specific position to collect liquid. In another example, each sub-container carrier 122 can be individually controlled to move sequentially along the first track 161 to a specific position, with the movements of each sub-container carrier 122 being independent of each other. By using the first track 161 to regulate the movement path of the sub-container carrier 122, it is not necessary to adjust the movement path of each sub-container carrier 122 individually. When there are multiple sub-container carriers 122, the operation efficiency can be effectively improved.

[0046] In some embodiments, the first track 161 may include a first guide rail 1611, and the container carrier 12 may further include a sliding seat 1612 movable along the first guide rail 1611. The sliding seat 1612 is engaged with a plurality of sub-container carriers 122 to drive the sub-container carriers 122 to move along the first guide rail 1611. Figure 4As shown, in some specific embodiments, several sub-container carriers 122 are disposed on a base 23, and one end of a sliding seat 1612 is connected to the base 23, and the other end is connected to a first guide rail 1611. When the sliding seat 1612 moves along the first guide rail 1611, it can drive the base 23 and the several sub-container carriers 122 on the base 23 to move along the width direction of the sub-container carriers 122. Figure 5 As shown, in some specific embodiments, there are two first guide rails 1611 and two sliding seats 1612. The two first guide rails 1611 are respectively arranged at both ends of the length direction corresponding to the base 23, and the two sliding seats 1612 are connected to both ends of the base 23.

[0047] In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may further include a second track 162. The second track 162 may be arranged along the height direction of the sub-container carrier 122, and the sub-container carrier 122 may move along the second track 162. The height direction of the sub-container carrier is perpendicular to the length and width directions of the sub-container carrier 122, and can be moved along the second track 162. Figure 6 and Figure 6 The arrow Z in the diagram represents this. In this embodiment, by providing a second track 162 extending along the height direction of the sub-container carrier 122, the height of the sub-container carrier 122 and the collection container 121 mounted on the sub-container carrier 122 can be adjusted more conveniently to facilitate smooth liquid transfer. For example, when using the liquid delivery assembly to deliver liquid to the collection container 121, the height of the sub-container carrier 122 can be increased, shortening the distance between the liquid delivery assembly and the collection container 121, and preventing liquid from splashing during the transfer process.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second track according to some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the second track 162 may include a second guide rail 1621, and the collection container carrier 12 may also include a lifting seat 1622 movable along the second guide rail 1621. The lifting seat 1622 is engaged with a plurality of sub-container carriers 122, and when the lifting seat 1622 moves along the second guide rail 1621, it can drive the sub-container carriers 122 to move.

[0049] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the end of the sub-container carrier 122 may be provided with an extension 124; the lifting seat 1622 may include a connecting portion 1623 and a supporting portion 1624, the connecting portion 1623 being connected to the second guide rail 1621, and the supporting portion 1624 being able to cooperate with the extension 124 to restrict the movement of the sub-container carrier 122 relative to the lifting seat 1622. For example, in combination with... Figure 6 , Figure 2 andFigure 6 In one embodiment, an extension 124 is provided at each end of the sub-container carrier 122. The connecting part 1623 of the lifting seat 1622 is connected to the second guide rail 1621, and the supporting part 1624 of the lifting seat 1622 is engaged with the extension 124 to support the sub-container carrier 122 on the lifting seat 1622.

[0050] like Figure 2 and Figure 2 As shown, in some specific embodiments, the support portion 1624 can be a U-shaped groove, and the extension portion 124 can be a protrusion adapted to the U-shaped groove (such as...). Figure 6 (As shown). The height direction of the U-shaped groove can be parallel to the height direction of the protrusion. One end of the protrusion (i.e., the extension 124) is connected to the end of the sub-container carrier 122, and the other end of the protrusion extends along the length of the sub-container carrier 122 towards the ion container carrier 122. The height direction of the protrusion can be parallel to the height direction of the sub-container carrier 122, through... Figure 2 Arrow Z in the diagram indicates that the height direction of the U-shaped groove is the same as the depth direction of the groove. This can be determined by... Figure 6 The arrow Z in the diagram represents... Figure 6 The arrow Z in the middle can be compared with... Figure 6 Arrow Z is parallel. In this embodiment, when mates with the sub-container carrier 122 and the lifting seat 1622, the protrusion can be accommodated in the U-shaped groove. Through the cooperation of the protrusion and the U-shaped groove, the sub-container carrier 122 is supported on the lifting seat 1622. At the same time, the U-shaped groove can restrict the movement of the protrusion to a certain extent, thereby preventing the sub-container carrier 122 from detaching from the lifting seat 1622. In some embodiments, the opening direction of the U-shaped groove can be along its height direction (e.g., Figure 7 The direction indicated by the middle arrow Z is set upwards, such as... Figure 1 As shown, when it is necessary to disassemble or install the sub-container carrier 122, it is only necessary to move the protrusion along the height direction of the U-shaped groove.

[0051] In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may also include other tracks. For example, a track arranged along the length of the sub-container carrier 122, along which the sub-container carrier 122 can move. In this embodiment, by providing a track extending along the length of the sub-container carrier 122, the sub-container carrier 122 can move along its length, allowing operators to more flexibly adjust the position of the sub-container carrier 122.

[0052] In some embodiments, one or more components of the collection container carrier 12 may be moved in a manner other than along the motion track 16. For example, the collection container carrier 12 may also include a robotic arm that may be connected to the sub-container carrier 122, the fixing slot 231, or the base 23, and the movement of the robotic arm drives the sub-container carrier 122 to move.

[0053] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a first driving component according to some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, one or more components or devices of the collection container carrier 12 can perform corresponding functions manually. For example, an operator can manually rotate the rotating element 181 to control the rotation of the sub-container carrier 122. As another example, the sub-container carrier 122 or the base 23 can be manually moved along the first track 161. In some embodiments, one or more components of the collection container carrier 12 can be controlled by other components to perform corresponding functions. Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the collection container carrier 12 may further include a first drive component 171, which may be used to drive one or more components or devices in the foregoing embodiments to perform corresponding functions.

[0054] In some embodiments, the container carrier 12 may include a first sub-drive assembly 1711, which can be used to drive the rotating assembly 18 to operate, for example, driving the rotating member 181 to rotate, thereby causing at least one of the plurality of sub-container carriers 122 to rotate. Exemplarily, the first sub-drive assembly 1711 may include a first drive motor and a first controller. The first drive motor communicates / is connected to the first controller, which can be used to receive instructions from the operator and issue corresponding operation instructions to the first drive motor. The first drive motor can operate according to the operation instructions issued by the first controller. The output shaft of the first drive motor can be connected to the rotating member 181 (e.g., a knob) to drive its rotation. In some embodiments, the number of first drive motors can be one or more. Exemplarily, the number of first drive motors is one, and the number of rotating members 181 is multiple, with the drive motor driving different rotating members 181 respectively. In another example, the number of first drive motors can be multiple; for example, each rotating member 181 is connected to a drive motor, allowing each rotating member 181 to be driven independently.

[0055] In some embodiments, the container carrier 12 may further include a second sub-drive assembly 1712, which can be used to drive a plurality of sub-container carriers 122 to move along the first track 161. Exemplarily, the second sub-drive assembly 1712 may include a second drive motor and a second controller. The connection method and working principle of the second drive motor and the second controller can be found in the relevant content of the first sub-drive assembly 1711, and will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, the second drive motor may be connected to the sliding seat 1612, and the sub-container carriers 122 connected to the sliding seat 1612 are moved by driving the sliding seat 1612 to move along the first guide rail 1611.

[0056] In some embodiments, the container carrier 12 may include a third sub-drive assembly 1713, which can be used to drive several sub-container carriers 122 to move along the second track 162. Exemplarily, the third sub-drive assembly 1713 may include a third drive motor and a third controller. The connection method and working principle of the third drive motor and the third controller can be found in the relevant content of the first sub-drive assembly 1711, and will not be repeated here. The third drive motor can be connected to the lifting seat 1622, and drives the lifting seat 1622 to move along the second guide rail 1621, thereby moving the sub-container carriers 122 connected to the lifting seat 1622. In other embodiments, the same drive assembly can be used to drive the rotating member 181 to rotate, drive several sub-container carriers 122 to move along the first track 161, and drive several sub-container carriers 122 to move along the second track 162.

[0057] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 8 to Figure 10 This is a simplified structural schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 10 This is a simplified structural schematic diagram of a liquid transfer device according to other embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 10As shown in the diagram, this specification also provides a liquid transfer device 10. The liquid transfer device 10 may include a transfer container carrier 11, a collection container carrier 12, and a pouring assembly 13. The transfer container carrier 11 is used to hold a transfer container 111. The pouring assembly 13 is fixed relative to the transfer container carrier 11. The pouring assembly 13 includes a rotating shaft 131. When the rotating shaft 131 rotates, it can drive the transfer container carrier 11 to rotate around the rotating shaft 131, thereby driving the transfer container 111 to rotate, thus achieving the purpose of pouring liquid. The collection container carrier 12 is used to hold a collection container 121, which can be used to hold the liquid poured out of the transfer container 111. The statement that the pouring assembly 13 is fixed relative to the transfer container carrier 11 means that the rotating shaft 131 of the pouring assembly 13 is fixedly connected to the transfer container carrier 11, so that when the rotating shaft 131 rotates, it can drive the transfer container carrier 11 to rotate around the rotating shaft 131.

[0058] In some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 can be applied to any liquid transfer application scenario, such as transferring liquid from one container to another. In some specific embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 can be applied to the centrifugation step after shake flask culture. In some embodiments, the first step after shake flask culture is usually to centrifuge the culture medium in the shake flask. Shake flasks cannot be centrifuged directly; the culture medium in the shake flask needs to be transferred to a centrifuge container (e.g., centrifuge tube, centrifuge cup, or centrifuge bottle) before centrifugation. Therefore, the ability to quickly and easily transfer the culture medium in the shake flask directly affects the overall production efficiency. In addition, for large-scale industrial production, repetitive labor can easily cause operator fatigue and increase the error rate. In some cases, when using the liquid transfer device 10 provided in this specification to perform this liquid transfer step, the shake flask can be placed as a transfer container 111 on the transfer container carrier 11, and centrifuge cups or other centrifuge containers can be placed as collection containers 121 on the collection container carrier 12. By controlling the tilting assembly 13 to rotate the transfer container carrier 11, the culture medium in the shake flask is poured into a centrifuge cup or centrifuge tube, making it more convenient and faster. In some cases, when using this liquid transfer device 10 for liquid transfer, multiple corresponding containers can be placed on the transfer container carrier 11 and the collection container carrier 12 respectively to achieve large-scale liquid transfer. This not only further improves production efficiency but also reduces fatigue caused by repetitive operations and reduces the error rate.

[0059] In some embodiments, the transfer container carrier 11 is provided with a plurality of first stations, which are arranged along the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11, and each station can be provided with one transfer container 111. Therefore, in the embodiments of this specification, the arrangement direction of the transfer container 111 and the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 can refer to the same direction, and the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 can be determined by... Figure 10 The arrow X is used to represent this. In some specific embodiments, such as... Figure 10 As shown, each transfer container carrier 11 includes twelve first stations. In some embodiments, each first station is provided with a container clamp, and the transfer container 111 can be fixed to the first station by the container clamp.

[0060] In some embodiments, a specific number of first workstations can be integrated into a module, and several modules can be placed on each transfer container carrier 11. Each module can be installed and removed from the transfer container carrier 11 relatively independently (e.g., via module clamps 112) to facilitate batch operations. For example, in... Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, the arrangement of four transfer container carriers 11 is simply shown, with the four transfer container carriers 11 arranged in four rows. Each transfer container carrier 11 holds two modules. Taking the topmost transfer container carrier 11 as an example, this transfer container carrier 11 has twelve first stations along its length. The six first stations to the left of the dotted line constitute one module, and the six first stations to the right of the dotted line constitute another module.

[0061] In some embodiments, the transfer container carrier 11 may further include a module clamp 112. Modules can be secured to the transfer container carrier 11 via the module clamp 112. In some specific embodiments, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the module located to the left of the dashed line and another module located to the right of the dashed line are both secured to the transfer container carrier 11 by module clamps 112. In some embodiments, module clamps 112 may include, but are not limited to, snap-fit ​​and key structures.

[0062] In some embodiments, the number of transfer container carriers 11 can be multiple, and the number of rotating shafts 131 can be equal to the number of transfer container carriers 11. For example, combined with Figure 10 and Figure 10 In the embodiment shown, there are four transfer container carriers 11 and four rotating shafts 131, with each transfer container carrier 11 fixedly connected to one rotating shaft 131.

[0063] In some embodiments, the collection container carrier 12 is provided with a plurality of second stations, which are arranged along the length of the collection container carrier 12, and each second station can be provided with one collection container 121. Therefore, in the embodiments of this specification, the arrangement direction of the collection container 121 and the length direction of the collection container carrier 12 can refer to the same direction, such as... Figure 1 to Figure 7 As indicated by arrow X' in some embodiments, the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 can be parallel to the length direction of the collection container carrier 12, so that the setting direction of the transfer container 111 is parallel to the setting direction of the collection container 121, which makes it easier to adjust the transfer container 111 and the collection container 121 to a suitable position for liquid transfer.

[0064] In some embodiments, the number of first workstations may be equal to the number of second workstations, for example, in Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, there are twelve stations in both the first and second stations, so that the transfer container 111 and the collection container 121 can correspond one-to-one when liquid is poured.

[0065] In some embodiments, the container carrier 12 may include a plurality of sub-container carriers 122. Further details regarding the container carrier 12 and the sub-container carriers 122 can be found in [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 12 The description of the embodiments is omitted here.

[0066] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid transfer device according to other embodiments of this specification; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the transfer container carrier and the tipping assembly according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 12 and Figure 9 to Figure 12 As shown, in some embodiments, the central axis of the rotating shaft 131 can be parallel to the orientation of the transfer container 111, which is the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11. In this embodiment, when the rotating shaft 131 rotates, it drives the transfer container carrier 11 to rotate around its central axis. Since the orientation of several transfer containers 111 is parallel to the central axis of the rotating shaft 131, the several transfer containers 111 can rotate synchronously around the central axis of the rotating shaft 131, achieving batch pouring of liquid. For example, as... Figure 11 As shown, each of the twelve stations on the transfer container carrier 11 has a transfer container 111. The twelve transfer containers 111 can rotate counterclockwise synchronously around an axis parallel to the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11. Therefore, the twelve transfer containers 111 can pour liquid at the same time, effectively improving the liquid transfer efficiency.

[0067] likeFigure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, the tipping assembly 13 may include a support frame 132, a drive shaft 133, and a turntable 134. The drive shaft 133 may be rotatably connected to the support frame 132. The turntable 134 may be fixedly connected to the drive shaft 133 and rotatably connected to the rotation shaft 131. The drive shaft 133 can drive the rotation shaft 131 to rotate around the drive shaft 133. The rotatable connection between the rotation shaft 131 and the turntable 134 may mean that the rotation shaft 131 is mounted on the turntable 134, and the rotation shaft 131 can rotate relative to the turntable 134.

[0068] In this embodiment, the support frame 132 can be used to support other components of the pouring assembly 13 and the transfer container carrier 11 connected to the pouring assembly 13. The turntable 134 can be used to connect the drive shaft 133 and the rotating shaft 131. Since the drive shaft 133 is fixedly connected to the turntable 134, when the drive shaft 133 rotates relative to the support frame 132, it can drive the turntable 134 to rotate around the drive shaft 133. Furthermore, since the rotating shaft 131 is rotatably connected to the turntable 134, when the rotating shaft 131 itself rotates relative to the turntable 134, the turntable 134 can drive the rotating shaft 131 to rotate around the drive shaft 133. In addition, the transfer container carrier 11, which is fixed relative to the rotating shaft 131, will also move along with the rotating shaft 131 (i.e., rotate around the drive shaft 133). In some cases, the overall position of the transfer container carrier 11 can be adjusted by controlling the rotation of the drive shaft 133, moving it to a suitable position for liquid pouring. Furthermore, once the transfer container carrier 11 has moved to the appropriate position, the transfer container carrier 11 can be rotated by controlling the rotation of the rotating shaft 131 itself, thereby realizing the pouring of liquid.

[0069] In some specific embodiments, the drive shaft 133 can rotate relative to the support frame 132 along its central axis, and the rotating shaft 131 can rotate relative to the drive shaft 133 along its central axis. For example, in Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, rotation of the drive shaft 133 can cause the transfer container carrier 11 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust its height. When the height of the transfer container carrier 11 is lowered to its lowest position (i.e., Figure 11 When the transfer container 11 is in the position of the lowest transfer container carrier 11, the second drive assembly 172 can control the rotating shaft 131 to rotate counterclockwise around its central axis, so that the transfer container 111 tilts and pours out the liquid.

[0070] In some embodiments, the central axis of the drive shaft 133 may be parallel or approximately parallel to the central axis of the rotation shaft 131, so that when the drive shaft 133 drives the turntable 134 to rotate, and in turn drives the rotation shaft 131 to rotate with the turntable 134, the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 and the length direction of the collection container carrier 12 can always remain parallel, without the need to adjust the position of the transfer container carrier 11 and the collection container carrier 12 in their length directions separately, which can effectively improve the efficiency of liquid transfer.

[0071] In some embodiments, the turntable 134 can be fixed to the drive shaft 133 by welding, screw connection, bonding, or other methods. Alternatively, the turntable 134 can be rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 131 by pin connection, hinge connection, bearing connection, or other methods.

[0072] In some embodiments, the turntable 134 can be a disc, the rotation shaft 131 can be located at the edge of the disc, and the drive shaft 133 can be located at the center of the disc. The drive shaft 133 being located at the center of the disc means that the central axis of the drive shaft 133 coincides with the central axis of the disc. In this embodiment, when the drive shaft 133 rotates, the disc rotates precisely along its central axis. When multiple rotation shafts 131 exist, each rotation shaft 131 follows the drive shaft 133 in a circular motion.

[0073] In some embodiments, a plurality of rotating shafts 131 may be provided on the disk, and the distance between any two adjacent rotating shafts 131 may be equal. The distance between two adjacent rotating shafts 131 may refer to the distance between the central axes of the two rotating shafts 131. For example, in... Figure 9 to Figure 11 and Figure 13 In the illustrated embodiment, four rotating shafts 131 are arranged on the disk. These four rotating shafts 131 are positioned along the edge of the disk, with equal distances between adjacent rotating shafts 131. In this embodiment, because the distances between adjacent rotating shafts 131 are equal, each rotating shaft 131 follows the same trajectory when rotating with the drive shaft 133. Before each liquid transfer, it is only necessary to move the rotating shafts 131, which are fixed to the transfer container carrier 11, to the same position, eliminating the tedious step of individually adjusting the position of each transfer container carrier 11.

[0074] In some embodiments, the function of adjusting the position of the transfer container carrier 11 can be achieved by other structures or devices. For example, the tilting assembly 13 may include a robotic arm connected to the rotation shaft 131, which can directly control the movement of the rotation shaft 131 to adjust the position of the transfer container carrier 11. As another example, a motion track (e.g., a third track 163) can be provided for the movement of the transfer container carrier; further details regarding this can be found in other embodiments of this specification and will not be repeated here.

[0075] like Figure 11 as well as Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a barcode reader 14 and an inkjet printer 15. The barcode reader 14 can be used to read the markings on the transfer container 111. The inkjet printer 15 can be used to spray the markings read by the barcode reader 14 onto the collection container 121. In some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 further includes a marking processor. The marking processor can be used to generate scanning information based on the markings read by the barcode reader 14, and send the inkjet information generated based on the scanning information to the inkjet printer 15. In some embodiments, the barcode reader 14 reads the markings on each transfer container 111, and the inkjet printer 15 can spray the corresponding content onto the corresponding collection container 121 according to the inkjet information. In some embodiments, the marking processor can communicate / connect with other components of the liquid transfer device 10. For example, the marking processor can be connected to a control component and perform barcode reading and inkjet printing under the instruction of the control component.

[0076] In some embodiments, before liquid transfer, a label for the transfer container 111 can be sprayed onto its corresponding collection container 121. During liquid transfer, the liquid in the transfer container 111 is poured into the collection container 121, which is sprayed with the same label. For example, in... Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the barcode reader 14 can read the markings on the transfer container 111 located on the leftmost transfer container carrier 11 (the position of which can be referred to as the barcode reading position). The inkjet printer 15 can spray paint onto the collection container 121 located on the collection container carrier 12 located below it (the position of which can be referred to as the inkjet printing position).

[0077] like Figure 1 to Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a rotating assembly 18. The collection container carrier 12 is fixed relative to the rotating assembly 18, and the rotating assembly 18 can drive the collection container carrier 12 to rotate along an axis parallel to the length direction of the collection container carrier 12, thereby tilting the collection container 121. The fixed relative relationship between the collection container carrier 12 and the rotating assembly 18 can mean that the collection container carrier 12 and the rotating assembly 18 are fixedly connected; for example, as described in the previous embodiments, the collection container carrier 12 can be fixedly connected to the rotating component 181. In some cases, the angle between the outer wall of the collection container 121 and the central axis of the nozzle of the inkjet printer 15 can be adjusted by the rotating assembly 18, so that the inkjet printer 15 can accurately and completely spray the markings onto the outer wall of the collection container 121. For example, in... Figure 9In the illustrated embodiment, before the inkjet printer 15 sprays ink, the collection container carrier 12 located at the inkjet printing position can be rotated so that the angle between the outer wall of the collection container 121 and the central axis of the nozzle of the inkjet printer 15 is 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the rotating assembly 18 may include a rotating member 181, which is disposed at the end of the collection container carrier 12 and fixedly connected to the collection container carrier 12. Rotation of the rotating member 181 can drive the collection container carrier 12 to rotate. More details about the rotating assembly 18 and the rotating member 181 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 The description will not be repeated here.

[0078] In some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include one or more motion tracks 16, along which one or more components of the liquid transfer device 10 may move, regulating the movement path of the components.

[0079] In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may further include a first track 161. The first track 161 may be arranged along the width direction of the collection container carrier 12, and the collection container carrier 12 may move along the first track 161. The width direction of the collection container carrier 12 can be determined by... Figure 11 The arrow Y' in the diagram represents this. In this embodiment, the first track 161 extending along the width direction of the collection container carrier 12 allows the collection container carrier 12 to move along its width direction. In some specific embodiments, when there are multiple collection container carriers 12 (e.g., ...), Figure 11 When the collection container carrier 12 includes several sub-container carriers 122, the sub-container carriers 122 can be arranged along its width. By controlling the movement of the several sub-container carriers 122 along the first track 161, the collection container 121 can be adjusted to a suitable position to collect the liquid poured from the transfer container 111. For example, in Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the sub-container carrier 122 can move along the first track 161 to below the transfer container carrier 11. Furthermore, as... Figure 10 As shown, before the liquid transfer, the collection container carrier 12 can be moved outside the outer shell 24 (which may be called the exit chamber) using the first track 161 so that the collection container 121 can be placed on the collection container carrier 12.

[0080] like Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a base 23, on which the collection container carrier 12 may be mounted. The base 23 may move along the first track 161, thereby driving the collection container carrier 12 to move.

[0081] In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may further include a second track 162. The second track 162 may be arranged along the height direction of the collection container carrier 12, and the collection container carrier 12 may move along the second track 162. The height direction of the collection container carrier 12 can be determined by... Figure 11 The arrow Z in the diagram represents this. In this embodiment, by providing a second track 162 extending along the height direction of the collection container carrier 12, the height of the collection container carrier 12 can be adjusted more conveniently to facilitate smooth liquid transfer. For example, when the transfer container carrier 11 moves to a designated position (e.g., a first target position), it can be rotated using the tilting assembly 13, such as... Figure 1 to Figure 7 As shown, the lowermost transfer container carrier 11 rotates, causing the opening direction of the transfer container 111 disposed on the transfer container carrier 11 to change, allowing liquid to flow out from the opening. When one of the sub-container carriers 122 of the collection container carrier 12 (e.g., Figure 9 When the third sub-container carrier 122 (from left to right) moves to below the transfer container carrier 11 at the first target position (which can be referred to as the second target position), the transfer container 111 corresponds to the collection container 121. The liquid poured from the transfer container 111 can flow into the collection container 121 located on the sub-container carrier 122. At this time, the height of the sub-container carrier 122 located below the transfer container carrier 11 can be raised, so that the sub-container carrier 122 moves to a specific position (which can be referred to as the third target position) to shorten the distance between the collection container 121 and the transfer container 111, preventing liquid from splashing during the pouring process. More details about the first track 161 and the second track 162 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 14 The description will not be repeated here.

[0082] like Figure 9 and Figure 13 As shown, in some embodiments, the motion track 16 may include a third track 163. The third track 163 may be arranged along the width direction of the transfer container carrier 11, and the transfer container carrier 11 may move along the third track 163. The width direction of the transfer container carrier 11 can be determined by… Figure 8The arrow Y represents this. In this embodiment, when there are multiple transfer container carriers 11, the multiple transfer container carriers 11 can be arranged along the width direction of the transfer container carriers 11. Due to the provision of a third track 163 extending along the width direction of the transfer container carriers 11, the transfer container carriers 11 can move along their width direction to facilitate batch operation. In some embodiments, the number of third tracks 163 can be one, and multiple transfer container carriers 11 can move along the third track 163. In some embodiments, the number of third tracks 163 can be the same as the number of transfer container carriers 11, with each third track 163 corresponding to one transfer container carrier 11, and each transfer container carrier 11 can move along its corresponding third track 163. For example, during liquid transfer, one of the transfer container carriers 11 can be moved along the third track 163 to a suitable position for tilting, so that the position of the transfer container 111 on the transfer container carrier 11 corresponds to the position of the collection container 121 on one of the collection container carriers 12. After the transfer container 111 on the transfer container carrier 11 has finished tilting, the transfer container carrier 11 is controlled to continue moving along the third track 163 to a suitable tilting position, so that the position of the transfer container 111 on the other transfer container carrier 11 corresponds to the position of the collection container 121 on the other collection container carrier 12, and the liquid tilting continues.

[0083] In some embodiments, the width direction of the collection container carrier 12 can be parallel to the width direction of the transfer container carrier 11, so that the transfer container 111 and the collection container 121 can be adjusted to a suitable position by controlling the transfer container carrier 11 to move along the third track 163 and / or by controlling the collection container carrier 12 to move along the first track 161.

[0084] In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may further include a track for the movement of the barcode reader 14 and the inkjet printer 15. In some embodiments, the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14 may move along the same motion track. In some embodiments, the motion track 16 may further include a fourth track 164, which is arranged along the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11, and the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 is parallel to the length direction of the collection container carrier 12. The barcode reader 14 and the inkjet printer 15 may move along the fourth track 164. In this embodiment, by setting the fourth track 164, the barcode reader 14 can move along the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11. Since the length direction of the transfer container carrier 11 is parallel to the setting direction of the transfer containers 111, the barcode reader 14 can move along the fourth track 164 to sequentially read the labels of a plurality of transfer containers 111 set on the transfer container carrier 11. Since the length direction of the collection container carrier 12 is parallel to the setting direction of the collection container 121, the inkjet printer 15 can move along the fourth track 164 to sequentially spray the code onto several collection containers 121 set on the collection container carrier 12.

[0085] In some embodiments, the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14 can move along different tracks. In some embodiments, the movement track 16 may further include a barcode reader track 165 and an inkjet printer track 166. The barcode reader track 165 may be arranged along the length of the transfer container carrier 11, and the barcode reader 14 may move along the barcode reader track 165 to read the markings on the transfer container 111. The inkjet printer track 166 may be arranged along the length of the collection container carrier 12, and the inkjet printer 15 may move along the inkjet printer track 166 to spray paint onto the collection container 121.

[0086] In some embodiments, the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14 can move independently of each other. For example, they can move independently along the same track or different tracks; for instance, the inkjet printer 15 can move along inkjet printer track 166, and the barcode reader 14 can move along barcode reader track 165, with the movement of the barcode reader 14 and the inkjet printer 15 being independent of each other. In other embodiments, the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14 can move synchronously. For example, the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14 can move synchronously along the same track or different tracks, for instance... Figure 10 The inkjet printer 15 and the reader 14 shown can move synchronously along the fourth track 164.

[0087] like Figure 12 , Figure 7 and Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a drive assembly 17. The drive assembly 17 can be used to drive one or more components or devices of the liquid transfer device 10 to move. In some embodiments, the drive assembly 17 may include a first drive assembly 171. The first drive assembly 171 can be used to drive the rotation assembly 18 to rotate the collection container carrier 12. For example, the first drive assembly 171 may include a drive motor, the output shaft of which may be drivenly connected to the rotating member 181 of the rotation assembly 18, thereby rotating the collection container carrier 12. In some embodiments, the first drive assembly 171 may include a robotic arm, which may be directly connected to the collection container carrier 12, thereby rotating the collection container carrier 12. In some embodiments, the first drive assembly 171 may also be used to drive the collection container carrier 12 to move along a first track 161. In some embodiments, the first drive assembly 171 may also be used to drive the collection container carrier 12 to move along a second track 162. In some embodiments, the rotating assembly 18, the collection container carrier 12, and the collection container carrier 12 can be driven by the same drive assembly to move along the first track 161 and along the second track 162. In other embodiments, different drive assemblies can be used for driving. For example... Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the first drive assembly 171 may include a first sub-drive assembly 1711, a second sub-drive assembly 1712, and a third sub-drive assembly 1713. The first sub-drive assembly 1711 can be used to drive the rotation assembly 18 to move. The second sub-drive assembly 1712 can be used to drive the collection container carrier 12 to move along the first track 161. The third sub-drive assembly 1713 can be used to drive the collection container carrier 12 to move along the second track 162. Further details regarding the first drive assembly 171 can be found in [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 9 The specific implementation examples are not described here.

[0088] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 17 may further include a second drive assembly 172. The second drive assembly 172 can be used to drive the tilting assembly 13 to move. For example, the second drive assembly 172 can be connected to the drive shaft 133 and the rotating shaft 131 to drive the rotating shaft 131 and the drive shaft 133 to rotate. An exemplary second drive assembly 172 may include a drive motor, the output shaft of which can be connected to the drive shaft 133 and the rotating shaft 131. In some embodiments, the number of second drive assemblies 172 can be one or more. Taking a drive motor as an example, when there is one second drive assembly 172, the drive motor can first drive the drive shaft 133 to a certain position according to the movement command of the drive shaft 133, and then drive the rotating shaft 131 to rotate according to the movement command of the rotating shaft 131; when there are two second drive assemblies 172, the two drive motors can respectively drive the drive shaft 133 and the rotating shaft 131 to rotate. In some embodiments, the second drive assembly 172 can also be used to drive the transfer container carrier 11 to move along the third track 163. In some embodiments, the second drive assembly 172 may control the movement of the transfer container carrier 11 in other ways. For example, the second drive assembly 172 may include a robotic arm fixed to the transfer container carrier 11, which drives the transfer container carrier 11 to move.

[0089] In some embodiments, the driving component 17 may further include a third driving component, which can be used to drive the barcode reader 14 to move in order to read the markings on different transfer containers 111, for example, driving the barcode reader 14 to move along the fourth track 164. The third driving component can also be used to drive the inkjet printer 15 to move in order to spray different collection containers 121, for example, driving the barcode reader 14 to move along the fourth track 164. In some embodiments, the third driving component may include a robotic arm, which may be fixedly connected to the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14, and the movement of the robotic arm drives the movement of the inkjet printer 15 and the barcode reader 14.

[0090] like Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a sterilization component to prevent contamination of the liquid during the transfer process. In some embodiments, the sterilization component may include an ultraviolet lamp 20 and an illumination lamp 21, both of which may be disposed on top of the liquid transfer device 10.

[0091] like Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may also include a waste liquid tank 22 disposed below (e.g., directly below or diagonally below) the transfer container carrier 11 to facilitate the collection of waste liquid dripping during the pouring process.

[0092] In some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a position sensing component, which can be used to detect the position of various components of the liquid transfer device (e.g., transfer container carrier 11, collection container carrier 12, etc.), so as to facilitate precise control of the components, achieve smooth transfer of liquid, and prevent collisions during movement. In some embodiments, the position sensing component may include an infrared sensing device.

[0093] like Figure 10 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a movable base 25 and a housing 24. The movable base 25 may be coupled with the housing 24 to form a receiving space. Other components or devices of the liquid transfer device 10 may be disposed on the movable base 25 and located within the receiving space. When the liquid transfer device 10 is in operation, the housing 24 may be in a closed state to prevent liquid from splashing during pouring. Before liquid transfer, the housing 24 may be opened to place the transfer container 111 containing liquid on the transfer container carrier 11 and the collection container 121 on the collection container carrier 12.

[0094] In some embodiments, one or more components or devices of the liquid transfer device 10 can perform their respective functions manually. In some embodiments, one or more components of the liquid transfer device 10 can be controlled by other components to perform their respective functions. Figure 15 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include a control component 19, which can be used to control one or more components or devices in the foregoing embodiments to perform corresponding functions. For example, the control component 19 can control the rotation of the drive shaft 133 and the rotation shaft 131 of the pouring component 13. In another example, the control component 19 can control the first drive component 171 to drive the collection container carrier 12 to move along the first track 161.

[0095] like Figure 15 As shown, in some embodiments, the liquid transfer device 10 may further include an operation panel 191, which can be used to send operation signals to the control component 19, and the control component 19 can be used to generate control signals based on the operation signals. An operator can perform corresponding operations on the operation panel 191, causing the control component 19 to control the corresponding components or devices to perform corresponding operations.

[0096] Figure 11 This is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a control method according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 11 As shown, this specification also provides a control method for transferring liquid from a transfer container to a collection container using the liquid transfer device 10 described in one or more of the foregoing embodiments. This control method 1500 may include the following steps:

[0097] Step 1510: Control the movement of the transfer container carrier and / or collection container carrier to the target location.

[0098] Step 1520: Control the tilting assembly to drive the transfer container carrier to rotate around the rotation axis, thereby realizing the transfer of liquid between the transfer container carrier and / or the collection container carrier.

[0099] The target position can refer to the location of the transfer container and the collection container during liquid transfer. In some embodiments, the target position may include a first target position, which corresponds to the position of the transfer container carrier when the liquid is being poured. In some embodiments, the first target position may refer to the position where the transfer container carrier is at its lowest point during rotation about the rotation axis. Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the position of the lowermost transfer container carrier is the first target position. In some embodiments, the transfer container carrier can be moved to the first target position by controlling the rotation of the drive shaft.

[0100] In some embodiments, the target location may further include a second target location and a third target location, which may correspond to the positions of the collection container carrier when collecting the poured liquid. The second target location may represent the position of the collection container carrier in its width direction, and the third target location may correspond to the position of the collection container carrier in its height direction. Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, one transfer container carrier is located at a first target position, and a collection container carrier is located directly below it; the position of the collection container carrier is the second target position. In some embodiments, the collection container carrier can be controlled to move along a first track to the second target position. In some embodiments, after the collection container carrier moves to the second target position, it can be controlled to move along a second track to a third target position.

[0101] In some embodiments, before liquid transfer, the transfer container carrier can be controlled to move to the code reading position; the code reader can be controlled to read the code on the transfer container; the collection container carrier can be controlled to move to the coding position; and the coding inkjet can be controlled to spray the code onto the collection container. The code reading position can refer to the position of the transfer container carrier when the code reader can read the code on the transfer container completely and accurately, for example, in... ​ In the illustrated embodiment, the position of the leftmost transfer container carrier is the code reading position. The coding position can refer to the position of the collection container carrier when the inkjet printer can accurately and completely print the code onto the collection container; for example, in... ​In the illustrated embodiment, one of the collection container carriers moves to a position below the inkjet printer and rotates; the position of this collection container carrier is the inkjet printing position. In some embodiments, the reader and inkjet printer can be controlled to move along a fourth track to the reading position and the inkjet printing position, respectively.

[0102] The beneficial effects that the liquid transfer device in the embodiments of this specification may bring include, but are not limited to: (1) by setting a tilting component, the transfer container carrier is rotated by a rotating shaft, thereby tilting the transfer container around the rotating shaft, which can more quickly pour the liquid into the collection container and effectively improve the overall production efficiency; (2) by setting a first track, a second track, a third track, a fourth track and other motion tracks, the position of each component of the liquid transfer device can be flexibly adjusted; (3) by setting a rotating component, the collection container carrier is rotated by the rotating component, which can flexibly adjust the tilt angle of the collection container so that the inkjet printer can accurately spray the code on the carrier of the collection container.

[0103] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit this specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this specification.

Claims

1. A liquid transfer device, characterized by, The liquid transfer device comprises: a transfer container carrier for arranging transfer containers; a collection container carrier for arranging collection containers; a pouring assembly, the transfer container carrier is fixed opposite to the pouring assembly, the pouring assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a support frame, a driving shaft and a rotating disc, the driving shaft is rotatably connected with the support frame, the rotating disc is fixedly connected with the driving shaft, and the rotating disc is rotatably connected with the rotating shaft; the driving shaft can drive the rotating shaft to rotate around the driving shaft, and the pouring assembly can drive the transfer container carrier to rotate around the rotating shaft to tilt the transfer container to pour liquid.

2. The fluid transfer device of claim 1, wherein, The central axis direction of the rotating shaft is parallel to the arrangement direction of the transfer container, and the arrangement direction of the transfer container is the length direction of the transfer container carrier.

3. The fluid transfer device of claim 1, wherein, The rotating disc is a disc, the rotating shaft is arranged at the edge of the disc, and the driving shaft is arranged at the center of the disc.

4. The fluid transfer device of claim 1, wherein, The number of the transfer container carriers is multiple, and the number of the rotating shafts is equal to the number of the transfer container carriers.

5. The fluid transfer device of claim 4, wherein, The number of the transfer container carriers is four, and the number of the rotating shafts is four.

6. The fluid transfer device of claim 3, wherein, The number of the rotating shafts is multiple, and the distance between adjacent two rotating shafts is equal.

7. The liquid transfer device according to claim 1, wherein The liquid transfer device further comprises a rotating assembly, the collection container carrier is fixed opposite to the rotating assembly, and the rotating assembly can drive the collection container carrier to rotate.

8. The fluid transfer device of claim 7, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a first driving assembly, the first driving assembly is used for driving the rotating assembly to move to drive the collection container carrier to rotate.

9. The fluid transfer device of claim 8, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a first track, the first track is arranged along the width direction of the collection container carrier, and the collection container carrier can move along the first track.

10. The fluid transfer device of claim 9, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a second track, the second track is arranged along the height direction of the collection container carrier, and the collection container carrier can move along the second track.

11. The fluid transfer device of any one of claims 4-6, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a second driving assembly, the second driving assembly is used for driving the rotating shaft and the driving shaft to rotate.

12. The fluid transfer device of claim 2, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a third track, the third track is arranged along the width direction of the transfer container carrier, and the transfer container carrier can move along the third track.

13. The fluid transfer device of claim 2 or 9, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises: a code reader for reading a code on the transfer container; a code sprayer for spraying the code read by the code reader on the collection container.

14. The fluid transfer device of claim 13, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises a fourth track, the fourth track is arranged along the length direction of the transfer container carrier, the length direction of the transfer container carrier is parallel to the length direction of the collection container carrier, and the code reader and the code sprayer can move along the fourth track.

15. The fluid transfer device of claim 13, wherein, The liquid transfer device further comprises: a code reader track, the code reader track is arranged along the length direction of the transfer container carrier, and the code reader can move along the code reader track; a code sprayer track, the code sprayer track is arranged along the length direction of the collection container carrier, and the code sprayer can move along the code sprayer track.

16. The fluid transfer device of claim 13, wherein, The liquid transfer device comprises a code processor configured to generate scan code information based on the code read by the code reader and to send print code information generated based on the scan code information to the print coder.

17. A control method for a liquid transfer apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized by, The control method comprises: controlling movement of the transfer container carrier and / or the collection container carrier to a target position; controlling the pour assembly to rotate the transfer container carrier about an axis of rotation to effect liquid transfer.

18. The control method according to claim 17, characterized by, The control method comprises: controlling movement of the transfer container carrier and / or the collection container carrier to a target position; 19. The control method according to claim 18, characterized by, controlling the drive shaft to rotate to move the transfer container carrier to a first target position. The liquid transfer device further comprises a first track, and the control method further comprises:

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein controlling movement of the collection container carrier along the first track to a second target position. The liquid transfer device further comprises a second track, and the control method further comprises:

21. The control method according to claim 17, wherein controlling movement of the collection container carrier along the second track to a third target position. The liquid transfer device further comprises a code reader and a print coder, and the control method further comprises, prior to controlling movement of the transfer container carrier and / or the collection container carrier to a target position: controlling movement of the transfer container carrier to a code reading position; controlling the code reader to read a code on a transfer container; controlling movement of the collection container carrier to a code printing position; 22. The control method according to claim 21, characterized by, controlling the print coder to print the code on a collection container. The liquid transfer device further comprises a fourth track, The control method further comprises: controlling the code reader to move along the fourth track and read the code on the transfer container; The control method further comprises: controlling the print coder to move along the fourth track and print the code on the collection container.

Images