Freezing sample protection device and protection method

Abstract

The application discloses a frozen sample protection device and a protection method. The frozen sample protection device comprises a shell and a gas seal assembly. The shell has an inner cavity and a placing opening. The gas seal assembly comprises an air outlet piece. The air outlet piece has an air outlet slit. The air outlet piece is used for forming an air curtain between the placing opening and a workstation, so that the air curtain shields the placing opening. When an article is taken out or placed into the workstation, the air outside the shell cannot enter the workstation through the placing opening due to the air curtain formed by the gas seal assembly, so that moisture cannot be mixed into the preparation space of the sample (such as liquid nitrogen). The generation of ice crystals during the preparation and transmission of the sample can be reduced, and the pollution of the ice crystals to the frozen sample can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of frozen sample preparation, and in particular to a frozen sample protection device and a protection method. Background Art

[0002] Cryo-electron microscopy is a high-resolution electron microscopy technology used to observe biological molecules. The sample carrier is prepared using a special electron microscope grid. After the sample is loaded onto the carrier, it is quickly placed in liquid nitrogen in a workstation for freezing and preservation to ensure that the sample maintains its original structure. The sample needs to be kept below -150°C throughout the subsequent preparation and transportation process to prevent sample crystallization. However, in the existing technology, when the sample is loaded onto the carrier, the opening of the workstation is in an open state, and moisture in the outside air mixes into the liquid nitrogen, resulting in a large number of ice crystals in the sample, which interferes with the observation of the sample's cell tissue. Even if the indoor humidity is reduced by a dehumidifier, a large number of ice crystals can still be observed in the sample, and the contamination of the frozen sample by ice crystals cannot be reduced. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a frozen sample protection device to reduce the generation of ice crystals and reduce the contamination of frozen samples by ice crystals.

[0004] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the frozen sample protection device provided in the embodiment includes:

[0005] The housing has an inner cavity for accommodating the workstation and a storage opening for placing items on the workstation, wherein the inner cavity is in communication with the storage opening;

[0006] An air sealing assembly includes an air outlet member, which is installed on the shell. The air outlet member has an air outlet slit extending along a first direction and discharging air in a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and both are parallel to the plane where the storage port is located. The air outlet member is used to form an air curtain between the storage port and the workstation so that the air curtain covers the storage port.

[0007] The frozen sample protection device according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0008] In the present invention, the gas discharged from the air outlet slit forms an air curtain. When taking and placing items to the workstation, the air curtain formed by the air sealing component blocks the storage port, and the air outside the shell cannot enter the workstation through the storage port, thereby mixing with moisture in the sample preparation space (such as liquid nitrogen), which can reduce the generation of ice crystals during the sample preparation and transportation process and reduce the contamination of frozen samples by ice crystals.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the gas sealing assembly includes a plurality of the gas outlet members, and the gas outlet slits of at least two of the gas outlet members are flush and arranged facing each other.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air outlet piece has an air inlet and an air cavity is provided inside, the air cavity extends along the first direction, the air outlet slit is connected to the air inlet through the air cavity, and the air sealing assembly also includes an air pipe, part of which is located outside the shell and part of which is at the air inlet, and the air cavity is inflated.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the frozen sample protection device also includes a filling and exhausting assembly, which is located below the air sealing assembly. The filling and exhausting assembly includes an inflation member and an exhaust member. The shell has an inflation port and an exhaust port. Part of the inflation member is inserted into the inflation port and is used to inflate the inner cavity. The exhaust member is connected to the exhaust port and is used to exhaust the gas in the inner cavity.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the inflation port and the exhaust port are located on different sides of the housing, and the exhaust port is located above the inflation port;

[0013] Alternatively, the inflation port and the exhaust port are respectively located at diagonal positions of the shell, and the exhaust port is located above the inflation port.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the frozen sample protection device further comprises a top cover, which is detachably connected to the housing and capable of blocking or opening the storage port; wherein the top cover is provided with at least one through hole, and a sealing plug is provided in the through hole;

[0015] And / or, the top cover is provided with a through operating hole, and the top of the top cover is also provided with a boss located on the periphery of the operating hole, and a glove is installed on the boss, the glove blocks the operating hole and can enter and exit the inner cavity.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the frozen sample protection device also includes a partition, which is movably connected to the shell and can be inserted into the inner cavity to isolate the inner cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity, and the first accommodating cavity is connected to the placement port, and the second accommodating cavity is used to accommodate the workstation, or exit the inner cavity to connect the placement port with the inner cavity.

[0017] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the frozen sample protection method provided in the embodiment is performed using the frozen sample protection device in the first aspect of the embodiment, comprising:

[0018] Placing the workstation in the inner cavity of the shell, with the storage opening in a closed state;

[0019] When taking or placing items to or from the workstation, the air sealing assembly is kept in a working state so that the air curtain formed by the air outlet member blocks the storage opening, and then the storage opening is opened to take or place items to or from the workstation.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when taking and placing items to the workstation, a filling and exhausting assembly is set to work simultaneously with the air sealing assembly and introduce nitrogen into the inner cavity. The filling and exhausting assembly is located below the air sealing assembly, and the filling and exhausting assembly is used to inflate the inner cavity and exhaust the gas in the inner cavity at the same time.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a partition is movably connected to the housing and is capable of blocking the placement opening from the inner cavity or connecting the placement opening to the inner cavity by movement;

[0022] When removing items from the workstation, the partition is kept blocking the storage port and the inner cavity, the storage port is opened, and the sampling piece is inserted into the storage port, the sampling piece is kept blocking the storage port, the partition is moved to connect the storage port with the inner cavity, and the sample is moved toward the workstation to remove the items from the workstation using the sampling piece;

[0023] After the sampling piece takes out the item, the sampling piece is controlled to move away from the workstation. When the end of the sampling piece moves to the storage port, the partition is moved to block the storage port and the inner cavity. Then the sampling piece is taken out from the storage port and the storage port is closed.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a frozen sample protection device of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the freezing sample protection device;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a gas seal assembly;

[0030] Figure 5A schematic diagram of the working of an embodiment of the gas sealing component and the filling and exhaust component

[0031] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the process of sampling using partitions.

[0032] Reference numerals:

[0033] Shell 100, inner cavity 110, storage port 120, main body 130, side door 140; air sealing assembly 200, air outlet part 210, air outlet slit 211, air cavity 212, mounting portion 213, air pipe 220; workstation 300; top cover 400, sealing plug 410, operating hole 420, boss 430; filling and exhaust assembly 500, filling part 510, exhaust part 520; partition 600, sealing strip 610. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, "several" means more than one, "plurality" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the exemplary expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, a freezing sample protection device is provided, comprising a shell 100 and an airtight assembly 200. The shell 100 has an inner cavity 110, and the inner cavity 110 can be placed in a workstation 300. The workstation 300 is configured as a device capable of preparing and storing samples. For example, the workstation 300 is provided with a cavity containing liquid nitrogen for immersing the sample in liquid nitrogen for freezing, or the workstation 300 is provided with an installation position for a grid container for carrying the sample, so that the sample has a stable preparation station. The shell 100 also has a placement port 120, which can be connected to the inner cavity 110. After the workstation 300 is placed in the inner cavity 110, the object can enter the inner cavity 110 through the placement port 120 and be placed in the workstation 300, or after the object is taken out of the workstation 300, it can be taken out of the shell 100 through the placement port 120; the object is not limited to the sample to be prepared, the prepared sample, the carrier required in the sample preparation process (such as a grid container), the reagent required in the sample preparation process (such as liquid nitrogen), etc.

[0040] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The air sealing assembly 200 includes an air outlet member 210, which is installed on the shell 100. The air outlet member 210 has an air outlet slit 211 extending along a first direction and discharging air in a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and both are parallel to the plane where the storage port 120 is located. When the air outlet member 210 discharges air, an air curtain can be generated. The air curtain is located between the workstation 300 and the storage port 120 to cover the storage port 120 and isolate the air outside the shell 100 from the inner cavity 110 of the shell 100.

[0041] like Figure 5As shown, when taking and placing items to and from the workstation 300, the storage port 120 is in an open state, and items can be taken and placed into the workstation 300 through the storage port 120, thereby realizing sample preparation and sample transportation in the workstation 300. Since the air curtain formed by the air sealing assembly 200 blocks the storage port 120, air outside the shell 100 cannot enter the workstation 300 through the storage port 120, and further water is mixed into the sample preparation space (such as liquid nitrogen), which can reduce the generation of ice crystals during the sample preparation and transportation process, and reduce the contamination of frozen samples by ice crystals.

[0042] The gas discharged from the gas outlet 210 is chemically stable and dry to avoid affecting the humidity of the inner cavity 110 and the sample preparation environment in the workstation 300, thereby ensuring the quality of sample preparation. Exemplarily, the gas discharged from the gas outlet 210 is set to be an inert gas such as dry nitrogen or argon.

[0043] The above-mentioned "plane where the storage opening 120 is located" refers to a plane parallel to the direction in which the storage opening 120 passes through the shell 100, and the plane is located at the lowest point of the storage opening 120; for example, if the storage opening 120 passes through the shell 100 along the third direction, and the plane where the storage opening 120 is located is perpendicular to the third direction, then the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the third direction.

[0044] It should be noted that because the air outlet member 210 includes the slender, narrow air outlet slit 211, the air discharged through the air outlet slit 211 is high-speed and flat, allowing the airflow to flow rapidly from one side of the housing 100 to the opposite side, forming a planar air curtain. The air curtain formed by the air outlet member 210 is parallel to the first and second directions. Therefore, the air curtain is parallel to the plane of the storage port 120, ensuring an airtight seal around the storage port 120 without affecting the access to and placement of items through the storage port 120 to the workstation 300.

[0045] The gas outlet member 210 can be formed by 3D printing and is made of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG). The pressure at the gas outlet slit 211 is 0.4-0.6 MPa, such as 0.45 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.55 MPa, etc., and the width of the gas outlet slit 211 is 0.07-0.12 mm, such as 0.075 mm, 0.08 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.11 mm, etc., to generate a nearly planar air curtain at the gas outlet slit 211 and to achieve more uniform gas distribution near the workstation 300.

[0046] like Figure 1The shell 100 has a main body 130 and a side door 140. The main body 130 has an inlet and outlet. The workstation 300 can enter and exit the inner cavity 110 through the inlet and outlet. The inlet and outlet are set on one of the side walls of the main body 130. The side door 140 is openably connected to the main body 130 and can close or open the inlet and outlet. When the inlet and outlet are open, the workstation 300 can enter and exit the inner cavity 110 through the inlet and outlet. When the inlet and outlet are closed, the inner cavity 110 of the shell 100 is isolated from the outside, providing a clean and closed working environment for sample preparation and transmission. In one embodiment, one side of the side door 140 is rotatably connected to the main body 130, and the side door 140 opens and closes the inlet and outlet by rotating relative to the main body 130. For example, one side of the side door 140 is connected to the main body 130 by a hinge, allowing the side door 140 to rotate relative to the main body 130, and the other opposite side of the side door 140 is provided with a lock, which is used to secure the side door 140 to the main body 130 when the side door 140 is closed. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the side door 140 is movably connected to the main body 130, and the side door 140 opens and closes the inlet and outlet by moving relative to the main body 130. In addition, when the side door 140 closes the inlet and outlet, a sealing strip 610 is provided between the side door 140 and the housing 100 to strengthen the sealing of the side door 140 at the inlet and outlet, thereby preventing air from the external environment from entering the inner cavity 110.

[0047] The frozen sample protection device also includes a top cover 400, which is detachably connected to the shell 100 and can block or open the storage port 120. For example, the top cover 400 is plugged into the shell 100, and part of the top cover 400 is inserted into the storage port 120 and blocks the storage port 120 to isolate the inner cavity 110 of the shell 100 from the external environment. After the top cover 400 is pulled out, the inner cavity 110 is connected to the outside world through the storage port 120, allowing tools to enter the inner cavity 110 through the storage port 120 to take and place items. The top cover 400 is also provided with at least one through-hole, in which a sealing plug 410 is provided. When the sealing plug 410 is inserted into the through-hole, it seals the through-hole. When the sealing plug 410 is removed from the through-hole, items can be taken in and out of the workstation 300 through the through-hole, and the top cover 400 can still partially block the storage opening 120. Because the through-hole has a smaller open area than the top cover 400, air circulation between the inner cavity 110 and the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of external moisture introduced into the workstation 300 when taking items in and out. Workers can selectively remove the sealing plug 410 or the top cover 400 to take items in and out as needed. It is understood that when multiple through-holes are provided, some through-holes can be used to introduce samples into the workstation 300, some through-holes can be used to introduce liquid nitrogen into the workstation 300, or some through-holes can be used to introduce grid containers into the workstation 300. In addition, different through-holes can be configured to have different inner diameters.

[0048] In addition, the top cover 400 is provided with an operating hole 420 extending therethrough. A boss 430 is provided on the periphery of the operating hole 420. The boss 430 is located at the top of the top cover 400. A glove is wrapped around the boss 430. The glove can block the operating hole 420 and can be worn by an operator to enter the inner cavity 110 through the operating hole 420 to perform operations, thereby reducing the influx of external air into the workstation 300 when the operator operates through the operating hole 420. For example, an operator can wear gloves and reach into the workstation 300 with tools such as tweezers and a screwdriver to perform corresponding operations on items within the workstation 300. It is understood that the operating hole 420 can be pre-blocked with a plug. When gloves are needed for operation, the plug is removed and the gloves are wrapped around the boss 430.

[0049] In one embodiment, at least part of the air outlet piece 210 is located outside the shell 100, the air outlet piece 210 is installed on the outer wall of the shell 100, and the mouth of the air outlet piece 210 is inserted into the side wall of the shell 100, so that the air outlet slit 211 of the air outlet piece 210 is connected with the inner cavity 110, which can reduce the space occupied by the air outlet piece 210 in the inner cavity 110 of the shell 100 and enable the air outlet piece 210 to form an air curtain in the inner cavity 110 through the side wall of the shell 100.

[0050] In another embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, the air outlet member 210 is mounted on the inner wall of the housing 100 and is located within the inner cavity 110. The air outlet slit 211 can directly form an air curtain within the inner cavity 110, shortening the length of the air curtain and providing a high sealing strength to the storage port 120, thereby effectively isolating the interior and exterior spaces of the housing 100. Furthermore, when the air outlet member 210 is mounted within the housing 100, the projection of the air outlet member 210 on the plane where the storage port 120 is located is arranged to avoid the storage port 120. This allows the air outlet member 210 to avoid objects entering and exiting the storage port 120, allowing objects to be smoothly placed and retrieved from the workstation 300 in an airtight environment.

[0051] Illustratively, a mounting portion 220 is connected to a side of the air outlet member 210 facing the inner wall of the housing 100 . The mounting portion 220 is attached to the inner wall of the housing 100 and fixed to the inner wall of the housing 100 by threaded fasteners.

[0052] The air sealing assembly 200 may include multiple air outlet parts 210, and the air outlet slits 211 of at least two of the air outlet parts 210 are arranged facing each other. When the air sealing assembly 200 is working, the air flows discharged from the two air outlet slits 211 flow in opposite directions and can converge to increase the air flow intensity of the air curtain and enhance the air sealing effect of the air curtain on the object port 120.

[0053] For example, taking the storage port 120 as being arranged at the top of the shell 100, the air outlet piece 210 is arranged on the side of the shell 100, and the first direction and the second direction are both parallel to the horizontal plane; two of the air outlet pieces 210 are arranged on opposite sides of the shell 100 along the second direction, and the two air outlet pieces 210 are located at the same height. The two air outlet pieces 210 blow air toward each other along the second direction. Since the two air outlet pieces 210 extend along the first direction, the two air outlet pieces 210 form an air curtain parallel to the horizontal plane and block the storage port 120.

[0054] Furthermore, two of the air outlet members 210 may be installed on opposite sides of the housing 100 along the second direction, with both air outlet members 210 extending along the first direction and located at the same height. Another two air outlet members 210 may be installed on opposite sides of the housing 100 along the first direction, with both air outlet members 210 extending along the second direction and located at the same height. All of the air outlet members 210 may be of the same height, thereby further enhancing the strength of the air curtain and optimizing the airtight seal effect of the air seal assembly 200 relative to the storage port 120. Alternatively, different air outlet members 210 may be located at different heights, forming multiple layers of air curtains along the height direction of the housing 100. These multiple layers of air curtains collectively block the storage port 120, thereby enhancing the airtight seal effect of the air seal assembly 200 relative to the storage port 120.

[0055] In order to improve the consistency of airflow at different positions of the air outlet slit 211 and improve the uniformity of the air curtain at all locations, in one embodiment, the air outlet member 210 is provided with an air inlet and multiple air inlet channels. The air inlet is used to pass an external air source into the interior of the air outlet member. The multiple air inlet channels are arranged at intervals along the first direction and are all connected to the air outlet slit 211. The external air source enters the interior of the air outlet member 210 through the air inlet and then enters different air inlet channels. The different air inlet channels divert the airflow so that the airflow enters the air outlet slit 211 from different positions, and the airflow discharged from different positions of the air outlet slit 211 is more uniform. It is understandable that multiple levels of diversion can also be provided in the air outlet member 210 to further homogenize the airflow at different positions in the air outlet slit 211. For example, multiple groups of flow channels are provided in the air outlet member 210, each group of flow channels includes multiple flow inlet channels arranged along the first direction, each group of flow channels is arranged along the second direction, and the flow inlet channels in adjacent groups of flow channels are staggered along the first direction.

[0056] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the air outlet member 210 is provided with a plurality of air inlets, which are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and each air inlet is connected to the air outlet slit 211; thus, an external air source can introduce airflow into the air outlet member 210 through different air inlets, and the airflow enters the air outlet slit 211 from different positions, so that the airflow intensity at different positions of the air outlet slit 211 tends to be consistent, and the airflow at various locations of the air curtain is more uniform.

[0057] In one embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, an air cavity 212 is provided inside the air outlet member 210, and the air cavity 212 extends along the first direction and is connected to the air outlet slit 211. The air outlet slit 211 and the air cavity 212 are arranged along the first direction, and the air outlet slit 211 is located on the side of the air cavity 212 close to the inner cavity 110. The air inlet is connected to the air cavity 212 and is used to introduce an external air source into the air cavity 212. The air flow in the air cavity 212 flows into the air outlet slit 211 and is discharged through the air outlet slit 211; the air sealing assembly 200 also includes an air pipe 230, which is connected to the air inlet through a joint, and the other end of the air pipe 230 is connected to the air source, and the air source introduces air flow into the air cavity 212 through the air pipe 230. The air cavity 212 in the air outlet member 210 can accommodate airflow, and the airflow in the air cavity 212 tends to have a uniform flow rate and can flow to different positions of the air cavity 212, so that the air curtain formed by the air outlet slit 211 remains uniform everywhere.

[0058] Furthermore, the air inlet may be provided at an end portion of the air outlet member 210 along the first direction, and / or at a side portion of the air outlet member 210 along the second direction.

[0059] In addition, the opening of the air outlet slit 211 gradually decreases in the direction toward the inner cavity 110, giving the air outlet slit 211 a tendency to gradually shrink. The airflow is accelerated as it passes through the air outlet slit 211, and the high-speed airflow discharged from the air outlet slit 211 can quickly flow to the other side of the inner cavity 110, thereby enhancing the air sealing effect of the air curtain. The opening of the air cavity 212 gradually decreases in the direction toward the air outlet slit 211. This not only guides the airflow toward the air outlet slit 211, but also increases the flow rate and pressure of the incoming airflow in the second direction, ensuring that the air outlet slit 211 produces a planar air curtain. Part of the inner wall of the air cavity 212 is arc-shaped, which can increase the volume of the air cavity 212 and guide the airflow toward the air outlet slit 211.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, the frozen sample protection device further includes a filling and exhaust assembly 500, which is located below the air seal assembly 200. The filling and exhaust assembly 500 includes an inflator 510 and an exhaust assembly 520. The housing 100 has an inflator port and an exhaust port. A portion of the inflator 510 is inserted into the inflator port and is used to fill the inner cavity 110 with gas. The exhaust assembly 520 is connected to the exhaust port and is used to exhaust the gas in the inner cavity 110. Before the workstation 300 is placed in the housing 100, or after the workstation 300 is placed in the housing 100, before items are placed in the workstation 300, the filling and exhaust assembly 500 can be used to fill and exhaust the gas in the inner cavity 110, thereby reducing the humidity in the inner cavity 110 and exhausting dust and gas particles in the inner cavity 110 that are not conducive to sample preparation. This improves the sample preparation and transportation environment, reduces the formation of ice crystals, and maintains a balanced air pressure inside and outside the housing 100.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, when the filling and exhaust assembly 500 is working, the inflatable piece 510 fills gas into the inner cavity 110, and the gas filled by the inflatable piece 510 can drive the flow of the original gas in the inner cavity 110. The gas filled by the inflatable piece 510 and the original gas in the inner cavity 110 are discharged outside the shell 100 through the exhaust port to improve the gas environment of the inner cavity 110; since the position of the inflation port is lower than the air sealing assembly 200, the gas at the lower part of the inner cavity 110 is also driven by the airflow introduced into the inner cavity 110 by the inflatable piece 510, so that the discharge of the gas in the inner cavity 110 is more thorough.

[0062] In one embodiment, negative pressure may be provided at the exhaust port, and the exhaust port is connected to a negative pressure generating device through an exhaust member 520 so that the exhaust port has suction, and the airflow entering the inner cavity 110 can be quickly discharged from the exhaust port under the suction.

[0063] In one embodiment, the storage port 120 is located at the top of the housing 100, the air seal assembly 200 is located below the storage port 120, and between the storage port 120 and the workstation 300. The charging and exhaust assembly 500 is located below the air seal assembly 200, and the air inlet is located at the bottom of the housing 100. On the one hand, the air curtain formed by the air seal assembly 200 is positioned close to the storage port 120, improving the air sealing effect of the storage port 120 and isolating the storage port 120 from the workstation 300. On the other hand, the charging and exhaust assembly 500 can maximize the flow of gas in the inner cavity 110 and exhaust it outside the housing 100.

[0064] Both the inflatable member 510 and the exhaust member 520 can be set as pipes, one end of the pipe is installed at the inflation port or exhaust port through a joint, and the other end is connected to the gas source or gas processing device to supply gas to the inflation port, or to collect or further process the gas discharged from the exhaust port.

[0065] The exhaust port is located above the inflation port, and the inflation port and the exhaust port are located on different sides of the shell 100, or the inflation port and the exhaust port are located at diagonal positions of the shell 100, so as to increase the flow path of the airflow from the inflation port to the exhaust port, so that the airflow entering the inflation port can drive more gas flow, and the gas in the inner cavity 110 is discharged more thoroughly.

[0066] It should be noted that for a prismatic housing 100, the inlet and outlet being located at diagonal positions of the housing 100 means that the inlet and outlet are located at different edges of the housing 100 and are opposite each other. For a cylindrical or elliptical housing 100, the inlet and outlet being located at diagonal positions of the housing 100 means that the inlet and outlet are located at opposite ends of the diameter of the housing 100, or at opposite ends of the major or minor axis of the housing 100.

[0067] In addition, the air sealing assembly 200 and the filling and exhaust assembly 500 can be used at the same time. The filling piece 510 and the air outlet piece 210 are both used to fill the inner cavity 110 with nitrogen. Since the density of nitrogen is greater than that of air, the nitrogen filled in the filling piece 510 has a tendency to sink. Under the suction force at the exhaust port, the nitrogen carries the air in the inner cavity 110 to flow toward the exhaust port, so that more gas in the inner cavity 110 can be discharged from the exhaust port; in addition, the air outlet piece 210 can generate a nitrogen air curtain. The nitrogen in the air curtain tends to fall and mix with the nitrogen filled at the filling port, so that more nitrogen is distributed under the air curtain, which is conducive to the discharge of air and moisture in the inner cavity 110.

[0068] To prevent external air from flowing into the inner cavity 110 through the storage port 120 and entering the workstation 300 and coming into contact with liquid nitrogen when the top cover 400 is opened, in one embodiment, referring to Figure 2 The frozen sample protection device also includes a partition 600, which is movably connected to the shell 100 and can be inserted into the inner cavity 110 to isolate the inner cavity 110 into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity, and the first accommodating cavity is connected to the storage port 120. The second accommodating cavity is used to accommodate the workstation 300, so that the area where the workstation 300 is located is isolated from the storage port 120. The partition 600 can also be moved out of the shell 100. At this time, the storage port 120 is connected to the inner cavity 110, and items can be taken to and placed in the workstation 300 through the storage port 120.

[0069] Specifically, with the partition 600 inserted into the housing 100 and the first and second accommodating chambers isolated from each other, the top cover 400 is removed, leaving the storage opening 120 open. Since the first and second accommodating chambers are isolated, air entering the first accommodating chamber through the storage opening 120 will not enter the workstation 300 in the second accommodating chamber. Furthermore, since the first accommodating chamber already contains air, the amount of external air entering the first accommodating chamber is relatively small. This reduces the amount of air and moisture introduced into the workstation 300 when the storage opening 120 is open, thereby reducing the formation of ice crystals. After an external tool is inserted into the storage opening 120, it seals the storage opening 120. At this point, the partition 600 can be removed from the housing 100, connecting the first and second accommodating chambers. The external tool can then enter the workstation 300 to retrieve and place items.

[0070] Furthermore, the partition 600 is positioned between the air seal assembly 200 and the storage opening 120, placing the partition 600 as close to the storage opening 120 as possible, thereby reducing the volume of the first accommodating chamber and the amount of air entering the first accommodating chamber through the storage opening 120. Furthermore, a sealing strip 610 is secured to the inner wall of the housing 100. This sealant strip 610 supports the partition 600 and improves airtightness, effectively isolating the first and second accommodating chambers.

[0071] The present invention also provides a frozen sample protection method, which is performed using the above-mentioned frozen sample protection device and includes the following steps:

[0072] The workstation 300 is placed in the inner cavity 110 of the shell 100, and the storage opening 120 is kept in a closed state. When taking items into or placing items in the workstation 300, the air sealing assembly 200 is kept in a working state so that the air curtain formed by the air outlet part 210 blocks the storage opening 120. Then, the storage opening 120 is opened and items are taken into or placed in the workstation 300 through the storage opening 120.

[0073] When the storage port 120 is opened, the air curtain formed by the air sealing assembly 200 blocks the storage port 120, and the air outside the shell 100 cannot enter the workstation 300 through the storage port 120, and then mix into the sample preparation space with moisture, which can reduce the generation of ice crystals during the sample preparation and transportation process, and reduce the contamination of frozen samples by ice crystals.

[0074] In addition, in one embodiment, the frozen sample protection method also includes that when taking items to and placing items in the workstation 300, the filling and exhaust component 500 and the air sealing component 200 work simultaneously and introduce nitrogen into the inner cavity 110, and the filling and exhaust component 500 is located below the air sealing component 200. The filling and exhaust component 500 is used to inflate the inner cavity 110 while exhausting the gas in the inner cavity 110, thereby reducing the air humidity in the inner cavity 110 and exhausting dust, gas particles, etc. in the inner cavity 110 that are not conducive to sample preparation, thereby improving the sample preparation and transmission environment and reducing the generation of ice crystals; at the same time, the air outlet part 210 can generate a nitrogen air curtain, and the nitrogen in the air curtain tends to fall and mix with the nitrogen filled at the air filling port, so that more nitrogen is distributed below the air curtain, which is conducive to the discharge of air and moisture in the inner cavity 110.

[0075] It should be noted that the working time of the filling and exhaust component 500 and the air sealing component 200 can also be set before the workstation 300 is placed in the inner cavity 110, or after the workstation 300 is placed in the inner cavity 110 and before the items are taken or placed, so as to reduce the humidity of the inner cavity 110 before the items are taken or placed, and provide a dry and clean environment for sample preparation and transmission.

[0076] In one embodiment, the method for protecting frozen samples specifically comprises: opening the side door 140 of the shell 100, placing the workstation 300 into the inner cavity 110 through the inlet and outlet of the side of the shell 100, and then closing the side door 140 so that the inlet and outlet are blocked. The gas sealing assembly 200 is operated, or the gas sealing assembly 200 is operated simultaneously with the charging and discharging assembly 500, the blocking plug 410 in the through hole of the top cover 400 is removed, the grid container loaded with samples is put into the workstation 300 through the through hole, and then the blocking plug 410 is put back; in addition, the blocking plug 410 on the top cover 400 can also be removed, a funnel is inserted into the through hole, liquid nitrogen is injected into the workstation 300 by using the funnel, and then the blocking plug 410 is put back.

[0077] In addition, when the prepared samples are taken out, the partition plate 600 is used to block the storage port 120 and the inner cavity 110. Specifically, referring to Figure 6 , the partition plate 600 is movably connected to the shell 100, and the partition plate 600 can block or communicate the storage port 120 and the inner cavity 110 by moving; when the samples in the workstation 300 are taken out, the partition plate 600 is kept to block the storage port 120 and the inner cavity 110, and the storage port 120 is opened, the sampling member is inserted into the storage port 120, and the sampling member blocks the storage port 120; then the partition plate 600 is moved to communicate the storage port 120 and the inner cavity 110, so that the sampling member moves towards the workstation 300 in the state of blocking the storage port 120, and then the sampling member takes out the samples in the workstation 300; after the sampling member takes out the samples, the sampling member is controlled to move away from the workstation 300, when the end of the sampling member moves to the storage port 120, the partition plate 600 is moved to block the storage port 120 and the inner cavity 110, and then the sampling member is taken out from the storage port 120, and the storage port 120 is closed. By blocking the storage port 120 by the partition plate 600, when the top cover 400 is opened, external air can not flow into the inner cavity 110 through the storage port 120 and enter the workstation 300 to contact with the liquid nitrogen, and ice crystals are not generated.

[0078] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the purpose of the present application. In addition, the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

Claims

1. A frozen sample protection device, characterized in that: include: A housing having an inner cavity for accommodating a workstation and a storage port for placing items in and out of the workstation, wherein the inner cavity is in communication with the storage port, and the workstation is configured to prepare and store samples; An air sealing assembly, comprising an air outlet member, the air outlet member being mounted on the housing, the air outlet member having an air outlet slit extending along a first direction and discharging air in a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction and both being parallel to the plane where the storage port is located, the air outlet member being configured to form an air curtain between the storage port and the workstation, so that the air curtain covers the storage port, thereby isolating air outside the housing from the inner cavity of the housing; The air outlet member has an air inlet and an air cavity inside, the air cavity extends along the first direction, the air outlet slit is connected to the air inlet through the air cavity, the air sealing assembly also includes an air pipe, part of the air pipe is located outside the shell, and part of the air pipe is at the air inlet, and inflates the air cavity; the frozen sample protection device also includes a top cover, the top cover is detachably connected to the shell and can seal or open the storage port; wherein, the top cover is provided with at least one through hole, and a sealing plug is provided in the through hole; the top cover is provided with a penetrating operation hole, and the top of the top cover The housing is also provided with a boss located on the periphery of the operating hole, and a glove is wrapped around the boss, and the glove blocks the operating hole. The glove can be worn by an operator and enter the inner cavity through the operating hole to perform operations; the frozen sample protection device also includes a partition, which is movably connected to the shell and can be inserted into the inner cavity to isolate the inner cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity, and the first accommodating cavity is connected to the storage port, and the second accommodating cavity is used to accommodate the workstation, or exit the inner cavity so that the storage port is connected to the inner cavity.

2. The frozen sample protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas sealing assembly includes a plurality of the gas outlet parts, and the gas outlet slits of at least two of the gas outlet parts are flush and arranged facing each other.

3. The frozen sample protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The frozen sample protection device also includes a filling and exhaust component, which is located below the air sealing component. The filling and exhaust component includes an inflation component and an exhaust component. The shell has an inflation port and an exhaust port. Part of the inflation component is inserted into the inflation port and is used to inflate the inner cavity. The exhaust component is connected to the exhaust port and is used to exhaust the gas in the inner cavity.

4. The frozen sample protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inflation port and the exhaust port are located on different sides of the shell, and the exhaust port is located above the inflation port; Alternatively, the inflation port and the exhaust port are respectively located at diagonal positions of the shell, and the exhaust port is located above the inflation port.

5. A frozen sample protection method, characterized in that: The method is implemented using the frozen sample protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: A partition is provided which is movably connected to the shell and can be moved to block the storage port and the inner cavity, or to connect the storage port and the inner cavity; Placing the workstation in the inner cavity of the shell, with the storage opening in a closed state; When taking out and placing items to the workstation, the air sealing assembly is kept in a working state so that the air curtain formed by the air outlet component blocks the storage port, and then the storage port is opened, and items are taken out and placed to the workstation; when taking out items from the workstation, the partition is kept blocking the storage port and the inner cavity, the storage port is opened, and the sampling component is inserted into the storage port, the sampling component is kept blocking the storage port, the partition is moved to connect the storage port with the inner cavity, and the sample is moved toward the workstation, and the items in the workstation are taken out by using the sampling component; after the sampling component takes out the item, the sampling component is controlled to move away from the workstation, and when the end of the sampling component moves to the storage port, the partition is moved to block the storage port and the inner cavity, and then the sampling component is taken out from the storage port, and the storage port is closed.

6. The frozen sample protection method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The frozen sample protection device also includes a filling and exhaust component, which is located below the air sealing component. The filling and exhaust component includes an inflation part and an exhaust part. The shell has an inflation port and an exhaust port. Part of the inflation part is inserted into the inflation port and is used to inflate the inner cavity. The exhaust part is connected to the exhaust port and is used to exhaust the gas in the inner cavity. When taking items to and placing items in the workstation, the filling and exhaust component and the air sealing component are set to work simultaneously and introduce nitrogen into the inner cavity. The filling and exhaust component is located below the air sealing component, and the filling and exhaust component is used to inflate the inner cavity and exhaust the gas in the inner cavity at the same time.

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