An automated sample assembly apparatus and method for glass nanochannel fabrication

Abstract

This invention discloses an automated sample assembly device and method for preparing glass nanochannels. The device includes a stage displacement module, a material assembly module, a circuit communication module, and a human-machine interaction module. The stage displacement module includes a stage and a guide rail. Several grooves are arranged side-by-side on the stage for simultaneously mounting multiple metal tube rods. The stage moves along the guide rail. The material assembly module has five working positions along the guide rail path: a clamp position, a nut position, a hole-expanding position, a copper rod or capillary position, and a locking position. Multiple through holes are arranged side-by-side on both sides of the axial direction of the metal tube rods at these working positions. The circuit communication module is used for signal transmission between modules. The human-machine interaction module is used to control the movement of the modules. This invention enables automated, batch, customized, and standardized assembly of metal tube holders for clamping samples, effectively solving problems such as low efficiency of manual assembly, inconsistent assembly results, and easy sample damage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of laboratory instrumentation technology, specifically relating to an automated sample assembly device and method for preparing glass nanochannels. Background Technology

[0002] Glass single-nanochannels are micro / nanostructured materials with significant application value, and one common preparation method is the "Bench-Top" template method. This method involves preparing sharpened platinum wire nanoneedles through electrochemical etching, replicating the morphology of the nanoneedles within glass using glass embedding technology, exposing the tips through mechanical polishing, and then dissolving the template material with aqua regia to obtain glass nanoporous channels. The prepared glass nanochannels have wide applications in biomedicine, nanoscience and technology, materials science, and energy, and possess significant scientific and industrial value in sensing, biomolecular screening, and nanoreactors.

[0003] When researchers use a series of automated experimental devices to process glass nanochannel samples, a metal tube holder serves as a key sample fixation carrier, playing the following important roles: On the one hand, the metal tube holder can effectively protect the extremely fine and easily bent platinum wires and fragile capillary glass tubes awaiting processing during the glass nanochannel fabrication process; on the other hand, as a circuit conducting component, the metal tube holder can conveniently realize the acquisition and transmission of electrical signals during the fabrication process, thereby ensuring communication and signal processing throughout the entire automated process.

[0004] However, the current assembly of samples for processing mainly relies on manual operation, with each sample requiring individual assembly. This method has several drawbacks. Due to the small size of the components of the metal tube holder and the complexity of the assembly steps, manual assembly is not only inefficient and time-consuming, but it can also lead to inconsistent sample lengths after assembly, thus affecting the accuracy of subsequent processing. In addition, manual assembly requires a high level of operator skill; improper operation or uneven force application can easily damage the samples, thereby increasing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an automated sample assembly device and method for the preparation of glass nanochannels, thus solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: to provide an automated sample assembly device for glass nanochannel preparation, including a stage displacement module, a material assembly module, a circuit communication module and a human-computer interaction module;

[0007] The stage displacement module includes a stage and a guide rail. Several grooves are arranged side by side on the stage for simultaneously mounting multiple metal pipe rods. The stage moves along the guide rail.

[0008] The material assembly module is located next to the platform and has five working positions in sequence along the guide rail: chuck position, nut position, enlarged hole position, copper rod or capillary tube position, and locking position. The working positions are located on both sides of the axial direction of the metal tube rod, and multiple through holes are arranged side by side.

[0009] The circuit communication module is used to control the stage displacement module and the material assembly module, and to transmit signals with the human-machine interaction module and the host computer.

[0010] The human-machine interaction module is used to control the movement of the platform displacement module and the material assembly module.

[0011] In this invention, the device can assemble multiple samples to be processed simultaneously or assemble them one by one. The number of grooves in the stage and through holes in the material assembly workstation can be set according to requirements.

[0012] In this invention, the stage module has a hollowed-out stage in the middle of the device housing, and also includes two displacement blocks symmetrically arranged along the y-axis. The displacement blocks are fixedly connected to the stage. The guide rail is arranged along the z-axis, and two synchronous motors are provided on both sides of the guide rail to simultaneously drive the displacement blocks to move up and down along the z-axis guide rail. The stage is also provided with fasteners, including a pressure rod spanning above the groove, and the metal tube rod is fixed to the groove by the fasteners.

[0013] In this invention, the material assembly module is disposed inside the equipment housing and is divided into five layers (ten in total) of working positions from bottom to top. Each working position has a corresponding through hole on the side wall of the equipment housing, and the number of through holes is adapted to the number of grooves of the platform. The working positions on one side of the material assembly module are arranged in the following order from bottom to top: (large diameter) chuck position, nut position, enlarged hole position, capillary position and locking position. The working positions on the other side are arranged in the following order from bottom to top: (small diameter) chuck position, nut position, enlarged hole position, copper rod position and locking position.

[0014] In this invention, each through hole is equipped with a material pusher; the material pushers at the two chuck positions are respectively equipped with chucks of two different hole diameters; the material pushers at the two nut positions and the two locking positions are equipped with sleeves, the internal texture of which fits the nut, and gears are provided at the ends, with each layer of gears connected by a synchronous belt; nuts are placed at the sleeves at the two nut positions; the material pushers at the two enlarged hole positions are equipped with ejector pins, the diameter of which is larger than the initial hole diameter of the chuck; a capillary glass tube is placed at the material pusher at the capillary position, with open ends; a copper rod is placed at the material pusher at the copper rod position, the diameter of which is smaller than that of the capillary glass tube.

[0015] In this invention, the material pusher can be precisely controlled by program settings to determine the depth of the capillary glass tube inserted into the metal tube and the depth of the copper rod inserted into the capillary glass tube. This allows for precise control of the lengths of the capillary glass tube and the copper rod protruding from the metal tube, ensuring that each batch of samples is assembled in the same state, thus providing an important guarantee for the smooth implementation of subsequent automated processing steps.

[0016] In this invention, a fastener is provided on the groove, the fastener including a pressure bar spanning above the groove, and the metal tube rod is fixed to the groove by the fastener.

[0017] In this invention, the circuit communication module includes a controller for controlling and processing various signals and data. The controller controls the lifting and lowering displacement of the platform along the z-axis and the horizontal or rotational displacement of the material push rod along the x-axis via a motor, and communicates with the human-machine interaction module via a serial port. The circuit communication module also includes an ESP8266 module and an HC05 module for wireless communication with the host computer.

[0018] In this invention, the human-computer interaction module is equipped with a control panel, which is located on the surface of the device housing and is used to set assembly parameters.

[0019] Another technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: providing an automated sample assembly method for the preparation of glass nanochannels, which uses the above-mentioned equipment for automated sample assembly and includes the following steps:

[0020] 1) Place the metal tube rod into the groove of the platform and use the pressure rod to press and fix the metal tube rod;

[0021] 2) Set the corresponding parameters through the human-computer interaction module, use the controller to control the platform to the initial position, and start the material assembly module;

[0022] 3) The assembly steps for the material assembly module are as follows:

[0023] ① Under the drive of the motor at the chuck position, the material pusher at the chuck position pushes the small-diameter and large-diameter chucks to insert into both ends of the metal tube rod respectively;

[0024] ②The material pusher at the nut position carries the nut to the chuck. By rotating the sleeve of the material pusher, the nut is installed on the chuck, leaving a certain locking space.

[0025] ③ The ejector pin at the end of the material push rod in the enlarged hole position is inserted into the chuck and retracted to enlarge the diameter of the chuck hole;

[0026] ④ The material pusher at the copper rod position pushes the copper rod into the small-diameter chuck, and the material pusher at the capillary position pushes the capillary glass tube into the large-diameter chuck.

[0027] ⑤ The material push rod in the locking position is locked by the sleeve driving the nut to lock;

[0028] 4) Unloading.

[0029] In this invention, the device allows users to customize assembly steps and related parameters through a human-machine interface. Users can flexibly select assembly steps and adjust related parameters according to specific needs, such as whether to assemble the chuck and nut, and the depth to which the copper rod and capillary glass tube are inserted into the metal tube rod. Upon initial use, the user-defined parameter configuration can be saved as a preset scheme for one-click loading in subsequent uses. Furthermore, users can manage saved parameter scripts, including deleting existing scripts or creating new ones, to meet operational needs in different scenarios.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, this technical solution has the following advantages:

[0031] This invention proposes an automated sample assembly device and method for the preparation of glass nanochannels, automating the assembly of various components of the sample carrier (including but not limited to metal tube rods, clamps, nuts, capillary glass tubes, and copper rods). By simultaneously mounting multiple metal tube rods, multiple samples can be assembled at the same time. Material pushers precisely control the insertion depth of the capillary glass tube into the metal tube rods and the insertion depth of the copper rod into the capillary glass tube, thereby accurately adjusting the length of the capillary glass tube and copper rod protruding from the metal tube rod, providing crucial support for the smooth implementation of subsequent automated processing steps. Human-computer interaction allows users to customize parameters according to their needs, flexibly adapting to the requirements of different preparation processes. By clearly defining an assembly method, efficient, stable, automated, batch, customized, and standardized assembly operations are achieved, solving problems such as low efficiency, inconsistent assembly results, and easy sample damage associated with manual assembly. Furthermore, as a crucial link in the entire automated glass nanochannel preparation process, this invention not only further optimizes the automation level of laboratory research but also lays the technical foundation for the large-scale preparation and industrial application of glass nanochannels, possessing significant engineering application value and broad market prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a front sectional view of the device in Example 1;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of the device in Example 1;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the device in Example 1;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a diagram of the human-computer interaction interface of the device in Example 1;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the automated sample assembly method in Example 2;

[0037] in:

[0038] 1. Stage; 2. Displacement block; 3. (Z-axis) Guide rail; 4. Metal tubular rod; 5. Chuck position; 6. Nut position; 7. Reaming position; 8. Copper rod position / capillary tube position; 9. Locking position; 10. Slide rail; 11. Controller (main control circuit board); 12. DC power interface; 13. Motor; 14. Human-machine interface panel; 15. Power button; 16. (Cushion position) Through hole; 17. (Nut position) Through hole; 18. (Reaming position) Through hole; 19. (Copper rod position or capillary tube position) Through hole; 20. (Locking position) Through hole; 21. Gear; 22. Synchronous belt; Detailed Implementation

[0039] It should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship 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, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0040] Example

[0041] This embodiment describes an automated sample assembly device for the fabrication of glass nanochannels, such as... Figure 1 The equipment is equipped with a platform displacement module, a material assembly module, a circuit communication module, and a human-machine interaction module;

[0042] The stage displacement module includes a stage 1, displacement blocks 2, a guide rail 3, a synchronous motor, and a lead screw. The stage 1 is located outside the equipment housing (in the hollowed-out groove in the middle). Several grooves are arranged side by side on the stage 1 for mounting metal tube rods 4. Fasteners are provided on the grooves, including pressure rods straddling the grooves. The ends of the pressure rods are configured with press-type locking structures. The metal tube rods 4 are fixed to the grooves by the fasteners, facilitating fixing before assembly and releasing the metal tube rods 4 after assembly. The stage 1 moves up and down along the z-axis guide rail 3. Two displacement blocks 2 are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the stage 1 along the y-axis. The displacement blocks 2 are fixedly connected to the stage 1. Two synchronous motors are provided at the bottom of the guide rail 3. The synchronous motors convert the rotational motion into the up and down motion of the displacement blocks 2 along the z-axis guide rail 3 through the lead screw.

[0043] The material assembly module is divided into five layers (ten in total) of working positions from bottom to top, configured with a grooved grid structure. On one side, the working positions are arranged sequentially from bottom to top as follows: (large diameter) chuck position 5, nut position 6, enlarged hole position 7, capillary tube position 8, and locking position 9. On the other side, the working positions are arranged sequentially from bottom to top as follows: (small diameter) chuck position 5, nut position 6, enlarged hole position 7, copper rod position 8, and locking position 9. Each working position has corresponding through holes 16-20 on the side wall of the equipment housing, the number of through holes matching the number of grooves on the platform 1. Material push rods are installed within the through holes 16-20. The material push rods of the same working position are connected to the same motor 13. Driven by the motor 13, they move along the bottom slide rail 10 of the working position in the x-axis direction from both sides of the platform 1 towards the center, pushing the various components to assemble onto the metal tube rod 4.

[0044] The material assembly module described in this embodiment starts with the first layer of chuck positions. The two chuck positions are used to place and assemble chucks with two different hole diameters, respectively. Under the drive of the motor at this position, the material push rod pushes the chuck through the through hole 16 and inserts it into the metal tube rod 4.

[0045] The two nut slots on the second layer are used to place and assemble nuts of the same specification. The material push rods of the two nut slots are specially designed as sleeve structures, with the internal texture of the sleeve fitting snugly against the nut. The end of the sleeve is connected to a gear 21, and the gears 21 in the same working position are connected by a timing belt 22 to achieve synchronous and unidirectional rotation. Each nut slot is equipped with two motors 13. One motor drives the sleeve to move horizontally along the bottom slide rail 10, pushing the nut onto the chuck. The other motor 13 controls the rotation of the timing belt 22 and the gear 21, so that the sleeve rotates the nut a certain number of times, slightly clamping the chuck while leaving some space for the components to be assembled next.

[0046] The two enlarged holes in the third layer are used to enlarge the chuck's orifice diameter. The material pushers at these two enlarged holes are specifically designed as ejector pins with a diameter larger than the initial orifice diameter of the chuck. Driven by their respective motors, the ejector pins are inserted into the chuck through through-holes 18, and upon retraction, they enlarge the chuck's orifice diameter.

[0047] The copper rod position and capillary glass tube position on the fourth layer are used for placing and assembling capillary glass tubes and copper rods, respectively. The material pusher at the copper rod position, driven by a motor at that position, pushes the copper rod through the through hole 19 and inserts it into a small-diameter chuck. Similarly, the material pusher at the capillary glass tube position, driven by a motor at that position, pushes the capillary glass tube into a large-diameter chuck.

[0048] The two locking positions on the fifth layer are used to tighten and loosen the nuts before unloading. The material push rods at these two locking positions are also specially designed as sleeve structures, with internal grooves fitting snugly to the nuts. A gear 21 is connected to the end of the sleeve, and gears 21 at the same working position are connected by a synchronous belt 22 to rotate in the same direction. Each locking position is equipped with two motors 13. One motor drives the sleeve to move horizontally along the bottom slide rail 10, while the other motor 13 controls the synchronous belt 22 and gear 21 to rotate, causing the sleeve to tighten the nut clockwise or loosen it counterclockwise.

[0049] The four feeding positions, namely the chuck position 5, nut position 6, capillary position and copper rod position 8, can be pulled out from both sides of the equipment along the slide rail 10 to replenish the various sub-components to be assembled. The length of the feeding box is the same as the length of the component to be assembled.

[0050] The circuit communication module is used to control the stage displacement module and the material assembly module, and to transmit signals with the human-machine interface module and the host computer. In this embodiment, the circuit communication module includes a controller (main control circuit board) 11 equipped with a microcontroller minimum system, a power control system, a motor drive system, a communication system, and an external interface system. The circuit communication module transmits signals indicating the completion of component filling, locking, and releasing of the metal tube rod 4 on the stage 1 to the controller 11. The controller 11 controls the stage 1 to move along the z-axis and the material push rod to move or rotate along the x-axis via the motor 13, and communicates bidirectionally with the human-machine interface module. Through this module, users can precisely control the equipment and monitor its operating status and data in real time. In this embodiment, the microcontroller minimum system is the main control core, realizing data calculation, information processing, and equipment working logic control; the power system is used to convert the externally input 12-24V voltage to 5V and 3.3V to power the various chips. The motor drive system is used to transmit enable signals, direction signals and speed signals to each motor 13 and control the operation of each motor; the communication system includes an ESP8266 module and an HC05 module, which are used to realize WIFI communication and Bluetooth communication between the automated assembly equipment and remote equipment; the external interface system reserves interfaces for equipment debugging cables, human-machine interaction cables and motor 13 control system cables.

[0051] The human-machine interface module is connected to the host computer via a circuit communication module. Users can control the movement of the stage displacement module and the material assembly module through the human-machine interface module. In this embodiment, the human-machine interface module includes a control panel 14 and a power button 15. The control panel 14 uses a serial port screen (including an LCD display and a touch screen) located on the surface of the device housing for setting assembly parameters. A DC power interface 12 is located on the back of the device housing for connecting to an external power source. Users can control, position, and calibrate the stage 1 through the human-machine interface module, and it displays the current working position number, material shortage indicator, start button indicator, screen brightness indicator, one-click internet access function indicator, and Bluetooth connection indicator. Furthermore, this embodiment also supports user customization of assembly steps and related parameters through the human-machine interface. Users can flexibly select assembly steps and adjust related parameters according to specific needs, such as whether to install chucks and nuts, and the depth to which the copper rod and capillary glass tube are inserted into the metal tube rod 4. Upon initial use, the user-set parameter configuration can be saved as a preset scheme for one-click loading in subsequent uses. In addition, users can manage saved parameter scripts, including deleting existing scripts or creating new scripts, to meet the operational needs of different scenarios.

[0052] Example 2

[0053] An automated sample assembly method for glass nanochannel fabrication using the equipment described in Example 1 includes the following steps:

[0054] 1) Place a batch of metal pipe rods 4 into the groove of the platform 1 and fix them with pressure rods; then pull out the feeding boxes from both sides of the equipment, put in the corresponding sub-parts to be assembled, and then push the feeding boxes into the equipment.

[0055] 2) Turn on the device power and click the "One-Click Zeroing" button on the human-machine interface. The device will automatically return all material pushers, sleeves, and ejector pins at all workstations to their original positions, and the stage 1 will move to the first layer, i.e., the "zeroing state". Set and save the assembly steps and corresponding parameters on the human-machine interface, and click the start button. The serial port screen will send a work enable signal to the microcontroller 11 through the serial port, and the device will start working. The current workstation and work completion status will be displayed in real time through the human-machine interface.

[0056] 3) The assembly steps for the material assembly module are as follows:

[0057] Step 1: Driven by the motor, the material pusher at the chuck position pushes the small-diameter and large-diameter chucks to insert into the metal tube rod 4 respectively;

[0058] Step 2: The stage 1 rises to the second layer, and the sleeve at the nut position pushes the nut into the chuck and pre-tightens it under the drive of the motor;

[0059] Step 3: The stage 1 rises to the third layer, and the pin at the hole enlargement position is inserted into the chuck under the drive of the motor to enlarge the hole diameter;

[0060] Step 4: The stage 1 rises to the fourth layer, and the material pushers at the capillary tube position and the copper rod position respectively push the capillary glass tube and the copper rod into the chuck;

[0061] Step 5: The stage 1 rises to the fifth layer, and the sleeve in the locking position tightens the nut under the drive of the motor.

[0062] The human-machine interface displays the current workstation number in real time; the icon changes from gray to green after assembly is complete. Users can adjust screen brightness and enable one-click internet access and Bluetooth connection via the buttons in the upper right corner of the interface. The automated assembly equipment communicates with the host computer via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling real-time data transmission, remote control, and monitoring.

[0063] The stage displacement module can either pass through the five-layer structure of the material assembly module from bottom to top to complete all assembly steps of the sample to be processed from the beginning, or it can complete the assembly of a new sample to be processed by passing through only the third to fifth layers after unloading, thereby omitting the assembly steps of the chuck and nuts, saving assembly time, and realizing the reuse of parts.

[0064] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated sample assembly apparatus for glass nanochannel fabrication, characterized by: The device comprises a carrier displacement module, a material assembly module, a circuit communication module and a human-computer interaction module. The carrier displacement module comprises a carrier and a guide rail, and the carrier is provided with a plurality of grooves side by side for carrying metal pipe rods, and the carrier moves along the guide rail. The material assembly module is provided with five layers of working positions along the guide rail path, the working positions are located on both sides of the axial direction of the metal pipe rod, and a plurality of through holes are provided side by side; one side of the working positions is provided with a large-aperture chuck position, a nut position, a hole expansion position, a capillary tube position and a locking position in sequence, and the other side is provided with a small-aperture chuck position, a nut position, a hole expansion position, a copper rod position and a locking position in sequence. A material push rod is arranged in the through hole; the material push rod of the large-aperture chuck position and the small-aperture chuck position is respectively provided with a chuck with two different hole diameters; the material push rod of the nut position and the locking position is provided with a sleeve, the sleeve of the nut position is provided with a nut, the internal thread of the sleeve is matched with the nut, the end is provided with a gear, and the gears of each layer are connected through a synchronous belt; the material push rod of the hole expansion position is provided with a thimble, and the diameter of the thimble is greater than the initial hole diameter of the chuck; the material push rod of the capillary tube position is provided with a capillary glass tube, and the capillary glass tube is open at both ends; the material push rod of the copper rod position is provided with a copper rod, and the diameter of the copper rod is smaller than that of the capillary glass tube. The material push rod controls the depth of the capillary glass tube inserted into the metal pipe rod and the depth of the copper rod inserted into the capillary glass tube through program setting; the circuit communication module is used for controlling the carrier displacement module and the material assembly module, and signal transmission between the human-computer interaction module and the upper computer; The human-computer interaction module is used for controlling the movement of the carrier displacement module and the material assembly module.

2. The automated sample assembly apparatus for glass nanochannel fabrication of claim 1, wherein: The number of grooves of the carrier and through holes of each layer of working positions is matched.

3. The automated sample assembly apparatus for glass nanochannel fabrication of claim 1, wherein: The carrier displacement module is provided with the carrier in the hollow part of the middle of the equipment shell, further comprises two displacement blocks symmetrically arranged along the y-axis, the displacement blocks are fixedly connected with the carrier, the guide rail is arranged along the z-axis, two synchronous motors are arranged below the guide rail for simultaneously driving the displacement blocks and the carrier to move up and down along the z-axis guide rail.

4. The automated sample assembly apparatus for glass nanochannel fabrication of claim 1, wherein: The circuit communication module comprises a controller, the controller controls the carrier to move along the z-axis and the material push rod to horizontally displace or rotate displace along the x-axis through the motor, and is electrically connected with the human-computer interaction module; the circuit communication module further comprises an ESP8266 module and an HC05 module.

5. The automated sample assembly apparatus for glass nanochannel fabrication of claim 4, wherein: The human-computer interaction module is provided with a control panel, and the control panel is located on the surface of the equipment shell for setting the parameters of the controller.

6. An automated sample assembly method for glass nanochannel fabrication, characterized by: The device of any one of claims 1-5 is used for automatic sample assembly, wherein the material assembly process comprises the following steps: ①The material push rod of the chuck position is driven by the motor to push the small-aperture and large-aperture chucks into the two ends of the metal pipe rod, respectively; ②The material push rod of the nut position carries the nut to translate to the chuck, drives the nut to be assembled onto the chuck by rotating the sleeve of the material push rod, and reserves a certain locking space; ③The thimble at the end of the material push rod of the hole expansion position is inserted into the chuck and is retracted to expand the hole diameter of the chuck; ④ The material push rod of the copper bar position pushes the copper bar into the small aperture chuck, and the material push rod of the capillary position pushes the capillary glass tube into the large aperture chuck; ⑤ The material push rod of the locking position drives the nut to lock through the sleeve.

7. The automated sample assembly method for glass nanochannel fabrication of claim 6, wherein: Through the man-machine interaction module, the assembly steps and parameters are customized, including: saving the parameter configuration set for the first time as a preset scheme for one-key loading in subsequent use; managing the saved parameter scripts, including deleting existing scripts or creating new scripts.

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