Stirrer and stirring method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a stirring device and a stirring method capable of performing stirring and the like by applying a shock to a container using a set condition. [Solution] This stirring device is provided with a support part (2) for supporting a container (10), a striking part (3) for striking the container, and a driving part (4) for driving the striking part (3). The substance (11) to be mixed is introduced into a container (10) supported by a support (2). The striking unit (3) is driven by the drive unit (4) so as to continuously strike the container (10) at predetermined intervals. As a result, the substance (11) to be mixed contained in the container (10) is stirred.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stirrer and a stirring method. Background Art

[0002] A method of forcibly mixing and stirring two different types of contents without using stirring blades provided in a container is known for liquid mixing and stirring (Patent Document 1). In a mixing and stirring device, a container having a cylindrical shape is placed on a rotating base and rotated around the axial direction of the cylindrical shape to generate a forced vortex in the container. Then, due to the Coriolis action generated by the rotation of the container around a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, the forced vortex collapses, and the contents are uniformly mixed together. By using the collapsing action of the forced vortex to stir the container, the liquid can be mixed without using a stirrer blade.

[0003] In other stirring devices, a stirrer composed of permanent magnets is placed in a test tube, and a motor rotates the permanent magnets close to the test tube so that the stirrer synchronizes with the rotating magnetic field of the permanent magnets, thereby stirring the liquid in the test tube (Patent Document 2). In addition, a guide shaft is inserted into the test tube to guide the stirrer made of permanent magnets in the axial direction, and a stator coil around the test tube moves in the axial direction to move the stirrer and stir the liquid.

[0004] This stirring device is used for preparing lipid monolamellar vesicles, lipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids, and droplets in the fields of drugs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foods, cell cultures, chemical systems, and molecular robots. To produce these materials, the preparer holds one end 12 of the container 10 with one hand and taps the other end 13 of the container 10 with another finger, as Figure 29 shown. Citation List Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3190993 Patent Document 2: Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. S60-100026 Summary of the Invention Technical Problem

[0006] However, the stirring device described in Patent Document 1 that causes the forced vortex to collapse based on the Coriolis effect cannot provide sufficient mixing effect when preparing lipid monolayer membrane vesicles, lipid bilayer membrane vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids, and droplets. The stirring device described in Patent Document 2 is difficult to apply in the fields of drugs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. because the stirrer is inserted into the liquid to be stirred. Although stirrers generally available on the market, such as vortex mixers, stir by applying vibration to the container, they are not suitable for stirring fine particles (bubbles) in the liquid, or for generating oil droplets or vesicles.

[0007] Although the preparer provides an impact to the container with his / her hand or finger to stir during the tapping process, there are individual differences in the vibration or the applied impact, resulting in a low yield due to the size variation of lipid monolayer membrane vesicles, lipid bilayer membrane vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids, and droplets. Therefore, there is a strong demand for improvement in the art. The preparer manually vibrates or impacts the suspension immediately before cell seeding in the field of cell culture (especially in regenerative medicine) to make the cells in the suspension evenly distributed, but this results in variability based on the preparer. Since iPS cells may be damaged by the impact applied to them, it is necessary to develop a new device to regulate the degree of impact and vibration and set certain conditions. If the cells (whether iPS cells or not) are not effectively suspended and stirred, cell aggregates may occur when inoculating the cells on the culture surface. In addition, the above problems occur when the preparer impacts the container by moving it back and forth multiple times on the mesh.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a stirrer and a stirring method capable of stirring, etc. by striking the container under certain conditions. Solution to the problem

[0009] To solve the above problems, the first invention provides a stirrer, which includes: a support unit that supports a container with a mixture; a striking unit that continuously strikes the container; and a driving unit that drives the striking unit.

[0010] The second invention is the stirrer according to the first invention, wherein the container has one end and another end opposite to the one end, wherein the support unit supports the one end of the container, and wherein the striking unit strikes the other end of the container.

[0011] The third invention is a stirrer according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the support unit supports the container in a movable and detachable manner, and wherein the stirrer further includes: an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the support unit; and a restoring unit that is disposed at a position between the support unit and the adjustment unit, and when the container is moved by the impact of the impact unit, the restoring unit applies a restoring force to the container to return the container to its original position.

[0012] The fourth invention is a stirrer according to the fifth invention, wherein the restoring unit has a magnet, and wherein when the container is struck by the impact unit, at least a part of the magnets are separated from each other, and the magnetic force of the magnets acts on the container as the restoring force that returns the container to the original position.

[0013] The fifth invention is characterized in that the container has a lid for inserting the mixture, and one of the magnets is disposed on the support unit, and the other magnet is disposed on the lid.

[0014] The sixth invention is characterized in that the restoring unit has a polygonal cross-section, and wherein when the container is struck by the impact unit and at least a part of the magnets are separated, one of the polygonal sides of the restoring unit comes into contact with each other.

[0015] The seventh invention is a stirrer according to the second invention, wherein the support unit includes: a pressing unit that pushes the container in a pressing direction; a contact surface that receives the container pushed by the pressing unit; and a wall that is disposed to extend from the contact surface to the opposite side of the pressing direction, wherein the support unit defines a receiving space for accommodating the one end, and the support unit has an insertion opening for accommodating the one end in the receiving space, and wherein the wall forms a part of the insertion opening.

[0016] The eighth invention is a stirrer described in any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the impact unit is driven by the drive unit to swing around a swing axis, and wherein the container is struck by the impact unit from a first direction and then alternately struck by the swinging impact unit from a second direction different from the first direction.

[0017] The ninth invention provides a stirrer, the stirrer comprising: a housing that holds a container with a mixture; a support unit that supports the housing; a striking unit that continuously strikes the housing; and a drive unit that drives the striking unit.

[0018] The tenth invention provides a stirring method, the stirring method comprising: supporting a container with a mixture; and continuously striking the container by a striking unit driven by a drive unit. Effects of the invention

[0019] According to the first invention, the striking unit strikes the container to efficiently stir the mixture in the container. In addition, since the striking unit continuously strikes the container through the drive unit, stirring can be performed under certain conditions. By optimally setting the striking interval of the striking unit according to the mixture, various types of mixtures can be stirred under desired conditions.

[0020] According to the second invention, the striking unit strikes the other end opposite to one end supported by the support unit, which increases the swing range of the other end. Therefore, impact and vibration can be efficiently applied to the mixture. In addition, since the support unit supports the one end, the container can be efficiently stirred without falling off.

[0021] According to the third invention, since the restoring unit applies a restoring force to the one end to return the container to the original position, when the container is displaced due to the strike of the striking unit, the mixture vibrates in the container by returning to the original position. Therefore, the mixture can be simultaneously struck by the striking unit and vibrated based on the displacement caused by the strike and the restoration of the restoring unit, thus achieving efficient stirring and the like. In particular, compared with the Figure 29 tapping shown, in the preparation of lipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids and droplets, uniform dispersion and increased yield can be achieved and a significant improvement in operability can be realized. Since the restoring unit is provided between the adjusting unit and the support unit, even if the support unit is displaced due to the strike, the influence on the adjusting unit can be minimized by the restoring force acting on the adjusting unit. This allows the restoring unit to return the container to the appropriate position adjusted by the adjusting unit. In addition, since the adjusting unit is provided, the other end of the container can be adjusted to the optimal position to be struck by the striking unit.

[0022] According to the fourth invention, since the restoring unit is composed of magnets, the restoring unit can be implemented with a simple structure. The magnetic force of the pair of magnets becomes stronger as they get closer. Therefore, even if a part of the magnet separates, a strong restoring force is generated to immediately return it to its original position. This allows a faster vibration speed to be given to the container, enabling efficient stirring of the mixture.

[0023] According to the fifth invention, since a magnet is provided on the lid of the container, the work of attaching the container to the support unit and detaching the container from the support unit can be eliminated. When automating the stirrer or incorporating the stirrer into automated equipment, this allows the construction of an efficient mass production system.

[0024] According to the sixth invention, since the magnet has a polygonal cross-section and even if at least a part of the magnet separates, a part of the sides of the magnet contact each other, the occurrence of misalignment between the adjustment unit and the support unit of the container caused by impact is reduced. This stabilizes the positional relationship between the support unit and the adjustment unit, thereby reducing the missed impact of the striking unit on the container.

[0025] According to the seventh invention, since the wall extending on the opposite side of the pressing direction forms a part of the insertion opening, the wall prevents the one end from detaching from the accommodation space through the insertion opening. This prevents the container from falling due to the impact of the other end struck by the striking unit. In addition, since the container is pushed by the pressing unit, the container can be held in the support unit by a simple method.

[0026] According to the eighth invention, the container is struck by the striking unit alternately from a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, so that the mixture can be efficiently stirred. In addition, since the striking unit strikes the container in different directions by swinging around the swing axis, efficient stirring can be achieved with a simple structure.

[0027] According to the ninth invention, since the container containing the mixed liquid is held by the outer shell, the outer shell protects the container and prevents the mixed liquid from leaking to the outside due to the impact of the striking unit. In addition, since the striking unit strikes the container or the outer shell, the mixed liquid can be efficiently stirred.

[0028] According to the tenth invention, the striking unit strikes the other end of the container, thereby efficiently stirring the mixture in the container. In addition, since the striking unit continuously strikes the other end of the container, stirring can be carried out under certain conditions. Additionally, by optimally setting the striking interval of the striking unit according to the mixture, various types of mixtures can be stirred under desired conditions.

[0029] The present invention can provide a stirrer and a stirring method capable of stirring, etc. by striking a container under certain conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 A perspective view of the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 A front view of the vicinity of the container in the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 An oblique view of the housing unit of the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 A side view of the vicinity of the container in the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 5 A block diagram of the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 A flowchart of the stirring operation of the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of the vicinity of the container in the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown, Figure 7 (a) shows that the container is struck by the impactor and swings downward, Figure 7 (b) shows that the container is struck and displaced downward, Figure 7 (c) shows that the container returns to the original position by magnetic force, Figure 7 (d) shows that the container is struck by the impactor and swings upward, and Figure 7 (e) shows that the container returns to the original position by magnetic force. Figure 8 A graph of the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown, which shows the displacement of the other end of the container and the impactor in the vertical and horizontal directions. Figure 9 An external view of the container that has been agitated by the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 10 An enlarged view of the mixture that has been agitated by the agitator according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 11 A front view of the vicinity of the container in the agitator according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 12 A graph of the agitator according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown, which shows the displacement of the other end of the container and the impactor in the horizontal and vertical directions. Figure 13 A front view of the vicinity of the container in the agitator according to the third embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 14Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 Shows a front view near the container in the stirrer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 Shows a plan view near the container in the stirrer according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 21 Shows a front view near the container in the stirrer according to the eleventh embodiment of the present invention. Figure 22 Shows a front view near the container in the stirrer according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 23 Shows a front view near the container in the stirrer according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 24 Shows a front view near the container in the stirrer according to the fourteenth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 25 Shows a schematic view near the magnet in the stirrer according to the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 26 Shows a conceptual diagram of the magnet in the stirrer according to the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 27 Shows a plan view of the container according to a variant of the present invention. Figure 28 Shows a plan view near the container of the stirrer according to a variant of the present invention. Figure 29 Shows a conventional stirring method. Detailed Description

[0031] Based on Figures 1 to 10Describe the stirrer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the description herein, "stirring, etc." is a concept including at least one of the following: agitating; shaking; suspending; emulsifying; dispersing; mixing; separating; disrupting the membranes of cells or microparticles having membranes; and disrupting cells or microparticles themselves or their aggregates. The stirrer 1 can be used for preparing lipid monolayer cell vesicles, lipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids, and droplets for the medical, pharmaceutical fields, cosmetics, food, cell culture, chemical systems, and molecular robot fields. In particular, the present invention can be used in the field of cell culture for preparing cell suspensions in regenerative medicine and biological experiments, and in the pharmaceutical field for precisely transporting drugs to any position in the body through a drug delivery system using lipid monolayer and bilayer vesicles, and for vaccines and gene delivery reagents. The application of the stirrer 1 is not limited to these, but can be used for stirring or otherwise mixing two or more different substances under desired conditions with reproducibility.

[0032] The stirrer 1 performs stirring, etc. by continuously striking the container 10 at a predetermined interval, and a mixture 11 composed of two or more different kinds of liquids is enclosed in the container 10. The mixture 11 is not limited to liquids, but can be at least two different types of powders or granules, or at least two different types of gel-like materials, or at least two different types of viscous liquids. It can also be a mixture of at least two substances in liquids, powder particles, gel-like materials, or viscous liquids. The stirrer 1 includes: a support unit 2 that supports one end 12 of the container 10; a striking unit 3 that is configured to provide a strike to the other end 13 opposite to the one end 12 of the container 10 by striking; a driving unit 4 that is configured to drive the striking unit 3; a control unit 5 that is configured to control the driving unit 4; and a three-axis workbench 6 that movably supports the support unit 2. In this embodiment, a microtube with a capacity of 0.2 ml to 2 ml is used as the container 10, but it is not limited thereto, and any desired shape can be used. In the following description, one end 12 of the container 10 is defined as a portion approximately 1 / 2 from the rear end of the container 10 in the front-rear direction, and the other end 13 is defined as a portion approximately 1 / 2 from the front end. As shown in the figure, the directions are defined as up, down, front, rear, left, and right. In the following description, when indicating a direction such as forward, abbreviated directions such as an abbreviated forward direction are included.

[0033] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the support unit 2 includes: a housing unit 21 that removably holds one end 12 by means of the lid 14 of the container 10; a pair of magnets 22; and an arm unit 23 that is movably fixed to the 3-axis worktable 6. The housing unit 21 has a spring 24 that biases the container 10 forward, a contact surface 21A that contacts the lid 14, and a wall 21B that prevents the container 10 from falling. The housing unit 21 defines a housing space 21a for receiving the lid 14, a spring housing space 21b for receiving the spring 24, and is formed with an insertion opening 21c for inserting the lid 14 of the container 10 into the housing space 21a, and an opening 21d through which the container 10 is exposed from the housing unit 21. The housing unit 21 has a rear end, and one of the pair of magnets 22 is fixed in the rear end. The housing unit 21 is an example of the support unit of the present invention.

[0034] When the container 10 is received in the housing unit 21, the lid 14 contacts the contact surface 21A through the spring 24 inserted into the spring housing space 21b. At this time, one end 12 of the container 10 is exposed through the opening 21d. The wall 21B extends rearward from the contact surface 21A, opposite to the pressing direction of the spring 24, and forms a part of the insertion opening 21c. The wall 21B is spaced apart in the vertical direction so as to sandwich the opening 21d therebetween. The insertion opening 21c is generally rectangular in shape, formed on the right side of the housing unit 21, and has a length that is longer than the lid 14 in the vertical direction. The opening 21d is a reduced semi-circular shape formed on the front side of the housing unit 21 and partially continues to the insertion opening 21c. When assembling the housing unit 21, the spring 24 is inserted into the spring housing space 21b from the Figure 3 state shown, and the cover 25 is installed as Figure 2 shown. The spring 24 is an example of the pressing unit of the present invention. A leaf spring, a magnet, or other elastic materials such as rubber can be used to bias the lid 14 instead of the spring 24.

[0035] The magnet 22 is cylindrical, and one of the pair of magnets is fixed to the housing unit 21, and the other magnet is fixed to the arm unit 23. The magnet 22 makes the housing unit 21 removable and movable relative to the arm unit 23. Here, movable means that even if at least a part of the magnet 22 has become separated, the magnetic force causes the magnet 22 to return to its original position. The shape of the magnet 22 is not limited to cylindrical, but may be rectangular. The magnet 22 having a rectangular shape makes it difficult for the housing unit 21 to rotate relative to the arm unit 23 because the magnets contact at their sides even when the container 10 is struck. The magnet 22 is a neodymium magnet in the present embodiment, but is not limited thereto. A ferrite magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, an alnico magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, or an electromagnet may be used, and a magnetic yoke may also be used. A holding material may be provided around the magnet 22 to hold the magnet 22. In this case, the magnet 22 is ideally placed at the center of the holding material. The magnet 22 is an example of the restoring unit of the present invention.

[0036] The arm unit 23 has a predetermined length in the front-rear direction and is provided with a reduced rectangular long hole 23a passing through the central portion in the left-right direction. The arm unit 23 is rotatably fixed to the 3-axis worktable 6 by a bolt 26. By loosening the bolt 26 and sliding the arm unit 23 back and forth, the front-rear position of the housing unit 21 can be adjusted, and by rotating the arm unit 23 around the bolt 26, the angle of the housing unit 21 can be adjusted. The front end of the arm unit 23 is provided with the other magnet of the pair of magnets 22. The arm unit 23 is an example of the support unit and the adjustment unit of the present invention.

[0037] As Figure 1 shown, the striking unit 3 has a reduced rod-shaped striker 31 and a rotating unit 32. The end of the striker 31 has a small-diameter portion 33 and a large-diameter portion 34, and the diameter of the large-diameter portion 34 is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter portion 33. In this embodiment, the small-diameter portion 33 has a diameter of 3 mm and a length of 3 mm, while the large-diameter portion 34 has a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 16.5 mm. The shape of the striker 31 is not limited thereto, and a desired shape can be selected according to the shape and size of the container 10.

[0038] When viewed from the rear, the rotating unit 32 is a thumbnail octagonal shape, and a total of four impactors 31 radially extend outwardly at every other side. The rotating unit 32 is driven by the driving unit 4 to swing (reciprocate) clockwise, counterclockwise, or alternately about the swing axis C shown by the single dotted line. The shape of the rotating unit 32 and the number of the impactors 31 are not limited thereto. The number of strikes on the container 10 can be increased by increasing the number of the impactors 31, and the number of strikes can be decreased by decreasing the number of the impactors 31. In this embodiment, the distance from the rotation center of the rotating unit 32 to the base of the impactor 31 is 15.5 mm, but any length can be set according to the striking force on the container 10. The end of the impactor 31 is thinned by the small-diameter portion 33, so as to prevent the small-diameter portion 33 from getting stuck on the other end 13 during striking, and to prevent the driving unit 4 from stopping due to overload. In this embodiment, since the impactor 31 strikes the container 10 in a reciprocating manner from two directions under the drive of the driving unit 4, the number of the impactors 31 only needs to be at least one. If the impactor 31 strikes the container 10 from one direction because the impactor 31 only rotates in one direction by the rotating unit 32, then a plurality of impactors 31 are required, and ideally at least four impactors 31.

[0039] As Figure 2 and Figure 4 shown, the impactor 31 strikes the container 10 such that the other end 13 and the small-diameter portion 33 are in contact with each other. Specifically, the impactor 31 contacts the other end 13 such that the impactor 31 swings upward or downward in the thumbnail up-and-down direction with respect to the horizontally extending container 10, and continuously strikes and impacts the mixture 11 in the container 10 at a predetermined interval. If the rotating unit 32 rotates in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, after the impactor 31 strikes the other end 13, the next impactor 31 strikes the other end 13 from the same direction. As Figure 4 shown, when the rotating unit 32 swings at an angle θ so as to rotate clockwise and then counterclockwise, after the impactor 31 strikes the other end 13 in a downward-swinging manner, the same impactor 31 strikes the other end 13 in an upward-swinging manner. In this embodiment, the driving unit 4 drives the impactor 31 to perform a swinging motion.

[0040] The driving unit 4 is a bipolar stepper motor driven by an external power source. The motor for the driving unit 4 is not limited thereto, and any motor can be selected according to the application, such as a DC motor, a brushless DC motor, an AC motor, an induction motor, or a servo motor. When using a DC motor, a brushless DC motor, or an AC motor, it is desirable to provide a mechanism for converting the rotational motion into a swinging motion, because such a motor only rotates in one direction. The stepper motor in the driving unit 4 can be single-pole wired. In addition, there is no limit to the number of phases of the stepper motor.

[0041] The control unit 5 is a microcomputer configured to control the drive unit 4. As Figure 5 shown, the control unit 5 includes a controller 51, a memory unit 52, and a communication unit 53, and the driving conditions for the drive unit 4 are input by an external terminal 54. The control unit 5 is electrically connected to the drive unit 4 through a motor driver 55. The controller 51 controls the entire control unit 5 and communicates with the drive unit 4 and the external terminal 54. The memory unit 52 stores the driving conditions of the drive unit 4 input by the external terminal 54. Various parameters can be input for each stirring operation without the memory unit 52. The communication unit 53 is connected to the external terminal 54 and the drive unit 4 through serial communication. The communication unit 53 outputs a motor control signal to the motor driver 55, and the motor driver 55 outputs a pulse signal to the drive unit 4. The communication method with the control unit 5 is not limited to this, and can be wired, wireless, or parallel communication. The desired communication method can also be selected from USB, SUCI, Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-fi, IrDA, IDE, IEEE1394 (registered trademark), or Ethernet, etc. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 uses Arduino nano, and the software uses Arduino IDE. The preparer uses the software from the external terminal 54 to set the swing speed, swing angle, swing frequency, rotation speed, rotation direction, rotation frequency, and whether the rotation is in one direction or swinging (reciprocating motion) of the drive unit 4 for the control unit 5. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 is operated by the external terminal 54, but various conditions can be set only by the control unit 5 without connecting the external terminal 54. Specifically, the control unit 5 can be directly connected to an LCD screen, a switch, or a knob, and the parameters can be selected and determined using the switch or the knob while viewing the LCD screen.

[0042] The 3-axis workbench 6 is a workbench that can be finely adjusted on the XYZ axes, and the arm unit 23 is fixed by bolts 26. The position of the arm unit 23 can be finely adjusted by adjusting the 3-axis workbench 6. The 3-axis workbench 6 is an example of the adjustment unit of the present invention.

[0043] Next, reference will be made to Figure 6 and Figure 7A method of stirring a container 10 using a stirrer 1 etc. is described. The preparer removes the housing unit 21 from the arm unit 23 by separating a pair of magnets 22, and houses the container 10 in the housing space 21a (S1). Specifically, the lid 14 of the container 10 pushes the spring 24 backward while inserting one end 12 into the housing space 21a. At this time, the one end 12 is inserted along the major axis direction of the elliptical lid 14, and the container 10 rotates and presses the spring 24 backward to house the lid 14 in the housing space 21a, such that the major axis direction of the lid 14 extends in the vertical direction. Thus, the spring 24 presses the lid 14 against the contact surface 21A, and the side surface of the lid 14 contacts or closely approaches the wall 21B, which prevents the container 10 from falling out of the housing space 21.

[0044] The housing unit 21 attached with the container 10 is fixed to the arm unit 23 by the magnets 22 (S2). At this time, the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23 are fixed such that the approximate centers of the magnets 22 are aligned with each other. The container 10 is positioned by loosening the bolt 26, adjusting the angles and the front - rear positions of the arm unit 23 and the 3 - axis workbench 6, and setting the small - diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 to contact the other end 13 (S3). At this time, the other end 13 is set to be struck near the approximate center of the small - diameter portion 33, thereby suppressing a missed strike of the impactor 31.

[0045] The drive unit 4 is driven for a predetermined time to cause an oscillating motion of the rotating unit 32, and the impactor 31 continuously strikes the other end 13 at fixed intervals multiple times to impact the mixture 11. The movement of the container 10 and the impactor 31 will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 7 the movement of the container 10 and the impactor 31 will be described in detail.

[0046] As Figure 7 (a) shows, when the small - diameter portion 33 strikes the other end 13 from above downward, the impact from the strike is applied to the mixture 11. At the same time, the magnets 22 are partially separated, and the other end 13 is displaced downward along the strike direction, as Figure 7 (b) shows. The striking force of the impactor 31 is determined by the angular velocity of the rotating unit 32, the length and material of the impactor 31, etc. In this embodiment, the magnets 22 are set to be partially but not completely separated from each other. The magnetic force of the magnets 22 becomes stronger as they get closer to each other. Therefore, if the magnets 22 are partially separated when they are in partial contact, the strong magnetic force immediately returns the magnets 22 to the state as Figure 7(c) The original position shown. At this time, due to the rotation of the housing unit 21 relative to the arm unit 23, the central portion of the magnet 22 may be slightly misaligned, but the restoring force of the magnet 22 returns it to the original position, thereby eliminating significant misalignment and reducing missed strikes. The misalignment of the central portion of the magnet 22 can be alleviated or eliminated by changing the shape of the magnet 22 (such as a rectangle or other polygon) or by changing the shape of the housing unit 21.

[0047] Since the impactor 31 swings at an angle θ, the small-diameter portion 22 strikes the other end 13 from below upward, as Figure 7 (d) shown. In this way, the mixture object 11 is subjected to the impact from the strike, and at the same time, the magnets 22 are separated and the other end 13 is displaced upward in the strike direction. The magnetic force of the magnets 22 becomes stronger as they get closer. If the magnets 22 are partially separated while in partial contact with each other, the strong magnetic force immediately returns the magnets 22 to the original state, as Figure 7 (e) shown. In other words, by continuously striking the other end 13 from above and below at a certain high speed and regular intervals, the mixture object 11 can be simultaneously subjected to the vibration from the displacement of the other end 13 and the impact from the strike.

[0048] Figure 8 The displacement of the container 10 when struck by the impactor 31 is shown. Each point is plotted every 0.01 / 6 [s]. The vertical axis indicating the displacement amount indicates the position [mm] of the other end 13 relative to the arm unit 23, where the original position is set to 0, and the horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time [s]. The graph g1 represented by square points shows the position of the end of the impactor 31, and the graph g2 represented by circular points shows the position of the end of the other end 13. When a frequency of approximately 777.8 Hz is set in the program, an electrical signal of approximately 728.3 Hz is sent from the control unit 5 to the motor driver 55, and the electrical signal for driving is sent from the motor driver 55 to the drive unit 4. The swing frequency of the impactor 31 is set to 8.9 Hz, the reciprocating angle is set to 60°, and the number of reciprocations is set to 200. The other end 13 strikes from above downward in the first half of the time period T1 (from 0 second to approximately 0.02 seconds), causing the magnets 22 to separate, as Figure 7 (b) shown. Just before the small-diameter portion 33 (end) of the impactor 31 reaches the maximum negative displacement, the other end 13 is released from the hooking action of the impactor 31 (approximately 0.02 seconds) and returns to as Figure 7(c) The original position shown. At this time, the magnets 22 are in contact with each other and the movement of the container 10 suddenly stops (the second half of T1: from about 0.03 seconds to 0.04 seconds, the movement of the tube end temporarily stops). Then, the other end 13 is struck upward from below by the impactor 31 in the first half of T2 (from the start of T2 to about 0.06 seconds), as shown in Figure 7 (d). Just before the small-diameter portion 33 (the end) of the impactor 31 reaches the maximum positive displacement (about 0.06 seconds), the other end 13 is released from the hooking action of the impactor 31. The other end 13 temporarily returns to the original position shown in Figure 7 (e) without staying at this original position, and under the influence of the restoring force of the magnets 22, swings from the original position to the state shown in Figure 7 (b) (about 0.09 seconds). Each curve graph has an interval that starts to become wider from about 0.07 seconds to 0.08 seconds of the time period T2, because the distance between the magnets 22 becomes narrower and the acceleration increases inversely with the square of the distance, resulting in an increase in speed. Even after the other end 13 returns to the original position, due to the inertia and gravity of the container 10, the interval between each curve continues to widen (about 0.08 seconds). Eventually, due to the restoring force, the speed of the other end 13 decreases, the interval between each curve narrows, the speed becomes zero, and then the restoring force moves the other end 13 upward from below (from about 0.09 seconds to 0.10 seconds). The absolute value of the slope of g2 is greater than the absolute value of the slope of g1, which indicates that the other end 13 moves at a higher speed than the small-diameter portion 33 (the end) of the impactor 31. Although the container 10 is temporarily held at the original position due to the contact of the magnets 22 when the container 10 swings upward, the container 10 does not stay at the original position when the container 10 swings downward because the influence of gravity may come into play. The mixture 11 can be efficiently stirred by the high-speed displacement from Figure 7 (b) to Figure 7 (e). The magnets 22 are in contact with each other again, and the movement of the container 10 suddenly stops at the end of the time period T3 (about 0.13 seconds). After that, the magnets 22 are struck upward from below again, causing the magnets 22 to separate and the container 10 to suddenly shift. The interval between the curves of the curve graph g1 is almost the same for all the time periods T1 to T3, and the swing occurs with almost the same acceleration. The curve graph g2 has two peaks from about 0.08 seconds of the time period T2 to about 0.12 seconds of the time period T3, which indicates that the impactor 31 with a delayed descent strikes the container 10 downward again.

[0049] After the impactor 31 is driven for a predetermined time, the housing unit 21 is separated from the arm unit 23, and the container 10 is removed from the housing unit 21 (S5).

[0050] Next, the test using the stirrer 1 will be described. The tests described below were conducted under conditions different from those Figure 8 shown for the stirring conditions above. The container 10 used was a 1.5 ml Violamo microtube with a flat bottom, and 500 μL of water and 500 μL of olive oil were used as the mixture 11. The container 10 was stirred, etc. by the stirrer 1. The oscillation frequency of the stirrer 1 was set to 12.9 Hz, the oscillation angle was set to 60°, and 200 strikes were performed. The results are shown in Figure 9 . Compared with the driving conditions in Figure 8 , this condition is more suitable for the striker 31 to strike downward and upward from above, and the striker 31 can strike the other end 13 more effectively. The mixture 11 was mixed so as to be dispersed in a substantially uniform manner, as shown in Figure 9 . Figure 10 Liposomes prepared by stirring other materials in the stirrer 1 are shown. As shown in the figure, it was confirmed that the stirrer 1 can produce fine lipid bilayer vesicles.

[0051] According to this configuration, the striking unit 3 strikes the other end 13 of the container 10 to efficiently stir (etc.) the mixture 11 in the container 10. In addition, since the striking unit 3 continuously strikes the other end 13 of the container 10 at a predetermined interval by the driving unit 4, stirring, etc. can be performed under certain conditions. By optimally setting the striking interval of the striking unit 3 according to the mixture 11, various types of mixtures 11 can be stirred under desired conditions. The striking unit 3 strikes the other end 13 on the opposite side of the one end 12 supported by the support unit 2, which increases the oscillation range of the other end 13. This allows a greater impact and vibration to be applied to the mixture 11. In addition, since the support unit 2 supports the one end 12, the container 10 can be efficiently stirred, etc. without falling off.

[0052] According to this configuration, since the magnet 22 applies a magnetic force to the one end 12 to return the movement of the one end 12 to the original position, when the one end 12 is displaced by the strike from the striking unit 3, the mixture 11 vibrates in the container 10. Therefore, the mixture 11 can be given both the strike of the striking unit 3 and the vibration caused by the displacement due to the strike and the restoration caused by the magnet 22 at the same time, thereby achieving efficient stirring, etc. In particular, compared with Figure 29Compared with the tapping shown, in the preparation of lipid monolayer membrane vesicles, lipid bilayer membrane vesicles (liposomes, vesicles), colloids, and droplets, uniform dispersion, increased yield, and a significant improvement in operability can be achieved. Since the magnet 22 is disposed between the arm unit 23 and the housing unit 21, even if the housing unit 21 is displaced due to a strike, the influence on the arm unit 23 can be minimized by the magnetic force acting thereon. This allows the magnet 22 to return the container 10 to the appropriate position adjusted by the arm unit 23. In addition, due to the provision of the arm unit 23 and the 3-axis workbench 6, the other end 13 of the container 10 can be adjusted to the optimal position struck by the striking unit 3.

[0053] According to this configuration, the magnet 22 is disposed between the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23, and the magnetic force of the pair of magnets becomes stronger as they get closer, and the magnets immediately return to their original positions when separated. This allows a strong restoring force to be applied to one end 12 against the displacement of the container 10. In addition, the vibration speed imparted to the container 10 can be increased, resulting in the mixture 11 being effectively stirred, etc.

[0054] According to this configuration, since the wall 21B extends on the opposite side of the pressing direction in which the spring 24 presses the container 10 and forms a part of the insertion opening 21c, the wall 21B prevents one end 12 from detaching from the accommodation space 21a through the insertion opening 21c. This prevents the container 10 from falling due to the impact caused by the other end 13 being struck by the striking unit 3. In addition, since the container 10 is pushed forward by the spring 24, the container 10 can be held in the accommodation space 21 by a simple method.

[0055] According to this configuration, the container 10 is alternately struck by the striking unit 3 in the directions of swinging downward from above and swinging upward from below, so that the mixture 11 can be efficiently stirred, etc. In addition, since the striking unit 3 strikes the container 10 in different directions by swinging around the swinging axis C, efficient stirring, etc. can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0056] Next, reference will be made to Figure 11 and Figure 12 to describe the second embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals are used to denote the same configurations as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0057] The support unit 2 of the stirrer 101 includes a housing unit 21, a spring 122, and an arm unit 23. In the second embodiment, a spring 122 made of metal is used instead of the magnet 22 in the first embodiment. The spring 122 is an example of the restoring unit of the present invention disposed between the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23.

[0058] Figure 12Shows the displacement of the container 10 when struck by the impactor 31. As in the first embodiment, each point is plotted every 0.01 / 6 [s]. The vertical axis indicating the amount of displacement represents the angle of the other end 13 relative to the arm unit 23, and the horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time. The graph g1 represented by square dots shows the position of the end of the impactor 31, and the graph g2 represented by circular dots shows the position of the end of the other end 13. The frequency is set at approximately 1000 Hz in the program, and the electrical signal for driving is sent from the motor driver 55 to the drive unit 4. The swing frequency of the impactor 31 is set at 12.9 Hz, the reciprocating angle is set at 60°, and the number of reciprocations is set at 200. As Figure 12 shown, the displacement of the spring is small during the period T4, so the restoring force is small and the moving speed becomes slow, and thus the interval between each curve becomes narrow. In other words, the container 10 remains in the original position, although temporarily. The other end 13 strikes downward from above from one end of T4 (about 0.02 seconds) to the first half of T5 (about 0.03 seconds), deforming the spring 122 and shifting the container 10 downward. After the strike, the other end 13 of the container 10 is released from the hooking action (end) of the small-diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 in the middle of T5 (about 0.04 seconds), and the container 10 returns to the original position during the second half of the period T5 (about 0.04 seconds to 0.05 seconds) by the restoring force of the spring 122. Thereafter, the other end 13 swings upward due to the inertial force and does not stay in the original position (about 0.05 to 0.06 seconds), and starts to descend from above (about 0.06 to 0.07 seconds) due to the restoring force of the spring 122. Immediately thereafter, the impactor 31 with a delayed rise strikes upward from below again in the middle of the period T6 (about 0.07 seconds), shifting upward. However, since the restoring force of the spring does not match the cycle of the strike, a missed strike occurs after 0.20 seconds in the figure. The missed strike can be suppressed by setting the conditions of the drive unit 4 and selecting an appropriate spring constant. The interval between the curves of the container 10 becomes wide between about 0.05 seconds and from about 0.08 to 0.09 seconds because the center of the vibration amplitude is the fastest due to the restoring force of the spring 122. Specifically, this is because the potential energy of the spring 122 is at its minimum value and the kinetic energy is at its maximum value. In other words, the displacement corresponding to Figure 7 (b) to Figure 7 (e) occurs at high speed, thereby efficiently stirring (etc.) the mixture 11.

[0059] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 13 the same. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0060] The support unit 2 of the stirrer 201 includes a housing unit 21, a leaf spring 222, and an arm unit 23. In other words, the second embodiment uses a spring 122 made of metal instead of the magnet 22 of the first embodiment. The leaf spring 222 is an example of the restoring unit of the present invention provided between the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23. In the stirrer 201, desired stirring conditions can be set by selecting the material and shape of the leaf spring 222.

[0061] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 14 The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0062] The support unit 2 of the stirrer 301 includes a housing unit 321, a spring 122, and an arm unit 23. The housing unit 321 has a lid 25 extending in the left-right direction and a pair of holding bands 324 for holding the container 10 on the lid 25.

[0063] In the fourth embodiment, the container 10 has a left end and a right end held by the housing unit 21, and the impactor 31 strikes a substantially central portion of the container 10 in the left-right direction. This allows the container 10 to vibrate completely. The spring 122 can be replaced with a magnet 22, a leaf spring 222, resin, or other elastic members.

[0064] Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 15 The same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0065] The support unit 2 of the stirrer 401 includes a housing unit 421 provided with a spring 422, a movable unit 423, and a fixed unit 424 connected to the movable unit 423 via the spring 422 and connected to the support unit 2 via the spring 122. The movable unit 423 can rotate in the arrow direction via the spring 422, as shown by the dashed line in the figure, and holds the upper end of the lid 14. The fixed unit 424 is connected to the arm unit 23 via the spring 122 and holds the lower end of the lid 14. When the container 10 is installed in the housing unit 421, the movable unit 423 rotates in the arrow direction to fix the lower end of the lid 14 to the fixed unit 424, and the upper end of the lid 14 is fixed by returning the movable unit 423 to its original position. This allows the container 10 to be attached to and removed from the housing unit 421 with a simple structure. The spring 422 can be replaced with a magnet 22, a leaf spring 222, resin, or other elastic members.

[0066] Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 16 The same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0067] The support unit 2 of the agitator 501 includes a housing unit 521 provided with a spring 522, a movable unit 523, and a fixed unit 524 that is connected to the movable unit 523 via the spring 522 and to the support unit 2 via the spring 122. The movable unit 523 can rotate in the arrow direction via the spring 522, as shown by the dashed line in the figure, and holds the other end 13 side of the container 10. The fixed unit 524 is connected to the arm unit 23 via the spring 122 and holds the one end 12 side. When the container 10 is installed in the housing unit 521, the movable unit 523 rotates in the arrow direction to fix one end 12 of the container 10 to the fixed unit 524, and the movable unit 523 returns to its original position to fix the other end 13. This allows the container 10 to be attached to and detached from the housing unit 521 with a simple structure.

[0068] Next, reference will be made to Figure 17 describe the seventh embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0069] The support unit 2 of the agitator 601 includes a housing unit 621 provided with a spring 622, a movable unit 623, and a fixed unit 624 that is connected to the movable unit 623 via the spring 622 and to the support unit 2 via the spring 122. The spring 622 biases the movable unit 623 to the right. The movable unit 623 can move in the arrow direction via the spring 622, as shown by the dashed line in the figure, and holds the one end 12 side of the container 10. The fixed unit 624 is connected to the arm unit 23 via the spring 122 and holds the other end 13 side. When the container 10 is installed in the housing unit 621, the movable unit 623 translates in the arrow direction, the other end 13 of the container 10 is fixed to the fixed unit 624, and then the movable unit 623 returns to its original position. This allows the container 10 to be attached to and detached from the housing unit 621 with a simple structure.

[0070] Next, reference will be made to Figure 18 describe the eighth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0071] The support unit 2 of the agitator 701 includes a receiving unit 721 provided with a housing 722 that houses the container 10. The housing 722 has a front end portion formed with an opening 722a, and the container 10 passes through the opening 722a when being attached or detached. The housing 722 has an internal space 722b represented by the gray area. When the container 10 is attached to the receiving unit 721, one end portion 12 is clamped by the right end portion of the housing 722, and the other end portion 13 is clamped by the left end portion of the housing 722.

[0072] Next, the agitation method of the agitator 701 will be described. The small-diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 continuously strikes the right end of the housing 722, causing the container 10 to swing from the front side to the rear side of the paper surface, and vibrations and impacts are transmitted through the housing 722 to the container 10 to agitate the mixture 11. The striking point of the small-diameter portion 33 is not limited to this, and can be any desired position on the housing 722 or the container 10. For example, the container 10 can be directly struck through the opening 722a.

[0073] According to this configuration, the impactor 31 strikes the housing 722 instead of the container 10, thereby suppressing deterioration of the container 10 due to the container 10 being directly struck, and the mixture 11 can be effectively agitated. In addition, since the container 10 is covered by the housing 722, the container 10 can be prevented from falling.

[0074] Next, reference will be made to Figure 19 Describe the ninth embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals are used to indicate the same configurations as in the above embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0075] The support unit 2 of the agitator 801 includes a receiving unit 821 having a housing 822 that houses the container 10. The housing 822 has: a striking unit 823 that protrudes rightward and has a truncated cylindrical shape; and a front portion that is formed with an opening 822a when the container 10 is attached or detached. The housing 822 has an internal space 822b represented by the gray area. When the container 10 is attached to the receiving unit 821, one end portion 12 is clamped by the right end portion of the housing 822, and the other end portion 13 is clamped by the left end portion of the housing 822 to fix the container 10 to the internal space 822b.

[0076] Next, the agitation method of the agitator 801 will be described. The small-diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 strikes the striking unit 823, causing vibrations and impacts to be transmitted through the striking unit 823 and the housing 822 to the container 10, thereby agitating the mixture 11.

[0077] According to this configuration, the impactor 31 strikes the striking unit 823 protruding from the outer shell 822, thereby reducing the missed strikes of the impactor 31 and suppressing the deterioration of the container 10 caused by the container 10 being directly struck. In addition, since the container 10 is covered by the outer shell 822, the container 10 can be prevented from falling.

[0078] Next, the tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 20 The same configurations as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0079] The support unit 2 of the stirrer 901 includes a housing unit 921 provided with an outer shell 922 that houses the container 10. The outer shell 922 has: a receiving unit 923 formed with an opening 923a; and a lid portion 924 that closes the opening 923a. The lid portion 924 includes a striking unit 925 having a cylindrical shape and protruding forward. The outer shell 922 has an enclosed inner space 922b representing a gray area. When the container 10 is installed in the housing unit 921, the lid portion 924 is removed from the receiving unit 923, one end 12 is joined to the right end of the outer shell 822, and the other end 13 is joined to the left end of the outer shell 822 to place the container 10 in the inner space 922b, and the opening 923a is closed with the lid portion 924.

[0080] Next, the stirring method of the stirrer 901 will be described. The small-diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 strikes the striking unit 925, which causes vibration and impact to be transmitted to the container 10 through the striking unit 925 and the outer shell 922, thereby stirring the mixture 11.

[0081] According to this configuration, since the impactor 31 strikes the striking unit 925 protruding from the outer shell 922, the missed strikes of the impactor 31 are reduced and the deterioration of the container 10 caused by the container 10 being directly struck is suppressed. In addition, since the container 10 is completely and peripherally covered by the outer shell 922, the container 10 can be prevented from falling.

[0082] Next, the eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 21 The same configurations as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0083] The housing unit 21 of the support unit 2 of the agitator 1001 is connected to the support unit 2 via a wire 1022. The housing unit 21 supports the container 10 such that the other end 13 is directed downward, and gravity stabilizes the container 10 in the position shown in the figure. The housing unit 21 is connected to the support unit 2 via the wire 1022, but elastic materials such as resin and springs can be used. The impactor 31 swings in an arc in the front - rear direction indicated by the arrow.

[0084] Next, the agitation method of the agitator 1001 will be described. The small - diameter portion 33 of the impactor 31 strikes the other end 13 of the container 10 so as to swing back and forth about the central axis C to either side as shown by the dotted line in the figure, but the gravitational force is applied to return the container 10 to the position shown by the solid line. That is, in the present embodiment, gravity is used as the restoring force. By using other elastic materials instead of the wire 1022, gravity and elasticity can be used as the restoring force. After returning to the original position, when the small - diameter portion 33 strikes the other end 13 again, the container 10 swings about the central axis C. The impactor 31 reciprocates and strikes the container 10, thereby agitating the mixture 11.

[0085] According to this configuration, by using gravity as the restoring force, the container 10 can return to the original position with a simple structure. In addition, by using an elastic material instead of the wire 1022, the elastic force can be used as the restoring force in addition to gravity, thereby achieving efficient agitation.

[0086] Next, reference will be made to Figure 22 Describe the twelfth embodiment of the present invention. The same structures as those in the above - described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. Note that Figure 22 is a schematic diagram, and the detailed structures of the housing and other components are omitted.

[0087] The agitator 1101 has a spring 122 detachably connected to the container 10. The spring 122 supports the container 10 such that the other end 13 is directed downward, and gravity stabilizes the container 10 in the position shown in the figure. The striking unit 1103 has: a striking track 1132 having an impactor 1131; and a driving unit 1104 configured to drive the striking track 1132 in a reciprocating manner in the front - rear direction. The impactors 1131 are equidistantly spaced in the front - rear direction, and the striking track 1132 has a reduced - scale stepped shape and reciprocates in the direction of the arrow by the driving unit 1104. The interval at which the impactor 1131 strikes the other end 13 can be arbitrarily set according to the distance of the impactor 1131 in the front - rear direction and the driving conditions of the driver 1104.

[0088] Next, the stirring method of the stirrer 1101 will be described. When the drive unit 1104 drives the striking track 1132 in a reciprocating manner, the impactor 1131 continuously strikes the other end 13 at a predetermined interval. When the impactor 1131 strikes the other end 13, the other end 13 swings in the striking direction. The spring 122 and gravity act as restoring forces on the container 10, and the container 10 tends to return to its original position. The impactor 1131 adjacent to the impactor 1131 that has just been struck strikes the other end 13 again in the same direction. After the striking track 1132 moves a predetermined distance, the striking track 1132 moves in the opposite direction. At this time, the impactor 1131 continuously strikes the other end 13 in the same manner. The movement of the striking track 1132 is not limited to the reciprocating manner, and the same effect can be achieved as long as the movement is closed, such as circular motion, figure-eight motion, or other planar motion or other starting. Specifically, the container 10 can be configured to strike from a predetermined direction through circular motion, figure-eight motion, etc., and then strike from a direction different from the predetermined direction. The spring 122 is an example of the restoring unit and the supporting unit of the present invention, and the striking track is an example of the striking unit of the present invention.

[0089] According to this configuration, the mixture 11 can be efficiently stirred with a simple configuration in which the striking track 1132 strikes the container 10 in a reciprocating manner. Although the container 10 is held by the housing unit 21 in this embodiment, the housing unit shown in the above embodiment can be applied.

[0090] Next, reference will be made to Figure 23 the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Figure 23 is a schematic diagram, and the detailed structures of the housing and other components are omitted.

[0091] The spring 122 is detachably connected to the container 10 in the stirrer 1201. The spring 122 supports the container 10 such that the other end 13 is directed downward, and gravity stabilizes the container 10 at the position shown in the figure. The striking unit 1203 includes: an impactor 1231 having a rigid body and a reduced rectangular shape; and a drive unit 1104 that reciprocally drives the impactor 1231 in the front-rear direction shown by the arrow. The interval at which the impactor 1231 strikes the other end 13 can be arbitrarily set according to the driving conditions of the drive unit 1104.

[0092] Next, the stirring method of the stirrer 1201 will be described. When the drive unit 1104 drives the impactor 1231 back and forth, the impactor 1231 strikes the other end 13 backward. When the impactor 1231 strikes the other end 13, the other end 13 swings backward. The spring 122 and gravity act as restoring forces on the container 10, causing the container 10 to return to its original position. The impactor 1231 reciprocates again and strikes the other end 13 from the front.

[0093] According to this configuration, the container 10 can be struck by a simple configuration in which the impactor 1231 reciprocates, and the mixture 11 can be efficiently stirred. Although the container 10 is held by the housing unit 21 in this embodiment, the housing unit of the above embodiment can be applied.

[0094] Next, reference will be made to Figure 24 Describe the fourteenth embodiment of the present invention. The same configurations as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Figure 24 is a schematic diagram, and the detailed configurations of the housing unit and other components are omitted.

[0095] The spring 122 is detachably connected to the container 10 in the stirrer 1301. The spring 122 supports the container 10 such that the other end 13 is directed downward, and gravity stabilizes the container 10 in the position shown in the figure. When the impactor 31 swings in an arc as indicated by the arrow, the impactor 31 strikes the other end 13 such that the other end 13 swings upward. The spring 122 and gravity act as restoring forces on the container 10 such that the container 10 moves downward to tend to return to its original position. Then, the impactor 31 swings in the direction of the arrow and strikes the other end 13 again from downward to upward. The spring 122 is an example of the restoring unit and the supporting unit of the present invention.

[0096] Next, reference will be made to Figure 25 and Figure 26 Describe the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. The same configurations as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Figure 26 is a schematic diagram, and the detailed configurations of the housing and other components are omitted. In the fifteenth embodiment, the stirrer 1401 has a magnet unit 1421, which has a reduced rectangular cross-section instead of the magnet 22.

[0097] The magnet unit 1421 in the shape of a reduced rectangle has a pair of magnets 1422 and a magnet holder 1423 for holding the magnets 1422. The magnet 1422 has a contact surface 1422A with a rectangular cross-section. The magnet holder 1423 has a rectangular cross-section and surrounds the magnet 1422. As Figure 25As shown, when the container 10 has been struck by the striker 31, the magnet 1422 separates and the container 10 is displaced diagonally downward. At this time, the magnet unit 1421 partially contacts at the contact edge 1423A of the magnet retainer 1423, and the contact edge 1423A is in the striking direction of the magnet 1422. Specifically, when the striker 31 strikes the container 10 from top to bottom, the magnet unit 1421 and the magnet 1422 only contact each other at the contact edge 1423A, which is the lower edge of the magnet unit 1421, and the magnet unit 1421 and the magnet 1422 are separated in other parts. Then, the contact surfaces 1422A contact each other, and the container 10 returns to its original position due to the magnetic force of the magnet 1422.

[0098] As Figure 26 shown, the contact surface 1422A has a long side L1 and a short side L2. The long side L1 is perpendicular to the striking direction D, and the short side L2 is parallel to the striking direction D. This allows the contact side 1422B to be the long side L1, thereby suppressing the rotation of the housing unit 21 relative to the arm unit 23 during the strike. In other words, compared with the case where the contact edge 1423A is the short edge L2, when the contact edge 1423A is the long edge L1, the contact portion is larger, so the rotation of the housing unit 21 relative to the arm unit 23 can be suppressed during the strike. In the first embodiment, the container 10 tends to rotate because the magnet 22 has a cylindrical shape and contacts at a single point when the magnet 22 separates. In contrast, the magnet unit 1421 according to the fifteenth embodiment can suppress the rotation of the container 10 relative to the arm unit 23, thereby reducing the missed strike of the striker 31 due to the misalignment of the container 10. The magnet unit 1421 is an example of the recovery unit of the present invention.

[0099] According to this configuration, the magnet 1422 has a rectangular cross-section, and the contact edges 1423A of the magnet unit 1421 contact each other while at least a part of the magnet 1422 separates, thereby reducing the occurrence of misalignment between the housing unit 21 of the container 10 and the arm unit 23 due to being struck by the striker 31. The positional relationship between the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23 can be stabilized, thereby reducing the missed strike of the striker 31 on the container 10.

[0100] The agitator and the agitation method according to the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0101] In the above-described embodiment, the arm unit 23 holds the container 10 in the abbreviated horizontal direction, but is not limited thereto. For example, the arm unit 23 may hold the container 10 in the abbreviated vertical direction, and the impactor 31 may be in a horizontal position to strike the other end 13. This allows for more efficient stirring of the precipitable mixture 11, etc., because the other end 13 is struck while the precipitate of the mixture 11 is collected below.

[0102] In the above-described embodiment, the magnet 22, the spring 122, and the leaf spring 222 are provided as a restoring unit disposed between the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23, but are not limited thereto. For example, the restoring unit may be an elastic material such as rubber, silicon, or resin. Even if the housing unit 21 and the arm unit 23 are directly connected and the restoring unit is omitted, certain stirring or other effects can be obtained by the striking of the striking unit 3.

[0103] The housing unit and the restoring unit that hold the container 10 in the first to eleventh embodiments can be applied to the striking unit of the twelfth and thirteenth embodiments. That is, any embodiments can be selectively combined in terms of the shape of the housing unit, the structure of the restoring unit, and the shape and structure of the striking unit.

[0104] In the above-described embodiment, the mixture 11 of two different liquids is stirred, but is not limited thereto. For example, the stirrer can be used during gene transfer (lipofection), can be used during plasmid purification to extract the gene contained in Escherichia coli, and can be used during the disruption of the cell membrane of Escherichia coli. The stirrer can also be used to decompose proteins that have been pressed and hardened at the bottom of the microtube by centrifugation, and can also be used to separate different powders and particles when different powders and particles are mixed together, and vice versa.

[0105] In the first embodiment, the rotating unit 32 swings and the impactor 31 reciprocates to strike the container 10 from two directions, but is not limited thereto. For example, the rotating unit 32 can rotate in one direction, and the impactor 31 can strike the container 10 from one direction.

[0106] In the first embodiment, the swinging frequency of the impactor 31 is set to 8.9 Hz, but is not limited thereto. For example, during gene transfer, when stirring DNA and reagents in a microtube, the swinging frequency can be set to about 2.0 Hz or lower. This allows the DNA and reagents to be gently stirred as if they are being tapped by a finger, as Figure 29 shown.

[0107] In the first embodiment, the housing unit 21 supports the lid 14 of the container 10 by accommodating the lid 14 of the container 10 therein, but is not limited thereto. For example, the lid of the container 10 may contain a magnet therein. Specifically, asFigure 27 As shown, the container magnet 1522 is integrated into the lid 1514 of the stirrer 1501. The container magnet 1522 is in close contact with the magnet 1521 on the arm unit 23. This eliminates the work of accommodating the lid in the receiving unit 21, thus achieving an efficient batch production system when automating the stirrer 1501 or integrating the stirrer 1501 into an automated device.

[0108] In the sixth embodiment, the container 10 can be attached and detached by rotation of the movable unit 523 via the spring 522 provided in the receiving unit 521, but this is not limited thereto. For example, as Figure 28 shown, the container 10 of the stirrer 1601 can be sealed by a rubber sheet 1623 between the movable unit 523 and the container 10 instead of the lid 14 to prevent liquid leakage. This eliminates the work of attaching the container 10 to the receiving unit 21 and detaching the container 10 from the receiving unit 21, thus preventing liquid leakage during transportation of the container 10 by a robot or the like, and facilitating handling of the container 10 when automating the stirrer device 1601 or integrating it into an automated device. When automating the stirrer 1601, the opening and closing of the movable unit 523 can be performed by a robot or an actuator can be incorporated.

[0109] In the fifteenth embodiment, the magnet unit 1421 has a magnet 1422 and a magnet holder 1423, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the magnet unit 1421 can consist only of a magnet 1422 having a reduced rectangular cross-section. When the impactor 31 strikes the container 10 and the magnet 1422 separates, one side of the magnet 1422 comes into contact. This stabilizes the positional relationship between the receiving unit 21 and the arm unit 23. The shape of the yoke can produce the same effect regardless of the shape of the magnet unit 1421 composed of the magnet unit 1421 and the yoke.

[0110] In the fifteenth embodiment, the cross-section of the magnet unit 1421 is a reduced rectangle, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the cross-section of the magnet can be polygonal. When the magnets separate from each other, they come into contact with each other on one side, thus stabilizing the positional relationship between the receiving unit 21 and the arm unit 23.

[0111] Description of symbols

[0112] 1, 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1201, 1301, 1401, 1501, 1601 Stirrers

[0113] 2 Support unit

[0114] 3 Impact unit

[0115] 4 Drive Unit

[0116] 5 Control Unit

[0117] 6 3-Axis Workbench

[0118] 10 Container

[0119] 11 Mixture

[0120] 12 One End

[0121] 13 The Other End

[0122] 14 Lid

[0123] 21, 321, 421, 521, 621, 721, 821, 921 Receiving Unit

[0124] 21A Contact Surface

[0125] 21B Wall

[0126] 21a Receiving Space

[0127] 21c Insertion Opening

[0128] 22 Magnet

[0129] 23 Arm Unit

[0130] 24 Spring

[0131] 31, 1131, 1231 Impactor

[0132] 32 Rotation Unit

[0133] 122 Spring

[0134] 222 Leaf Spring

Claims

1. A stirrer, comprising: A support unit that supports a container with a mixture; A striking unit that continuously strikes the container; And A driving unit that drives the striking unit.

2. The stirrer according to claim 1, Among them, The container has one end and another end opposite to the one end, Wherein, the support unit supports the one end of the container, and Wherein, the striking unit strikes the other end of the container.

3. The stirrer according to claim 1 or 2, Among them, The support unit supports the container in a movable and detachable manner, Wherein, the stirrer further comprises: An adjusting unit that adjusts the position of the support unit; and A restoring unit that is disposed at a position between the support unit and the adjusting unit, and when the container moves due to the strike of the striking unit, the restoring unit applies a restoring force to the container to return the container to its original position.

4. The stirrer according to claim 3, Among them, The restoring unit has a magnet, and Wherein, when the container is struck by the striking unit, at least a part of the magnets are separated from each other, and the magnetic force of the magnets acts on the container as the restoring force to return the container to the original position.

5. The stirrer according to claim 4, Among them, The container has a lid for inserting the mixture, and Wherein, one of the magnets is disposed on the support unit, and the other magnet is disposed on the lid.

6. The stirrer according to claim 5, Among them, The restoring unit has a polygonal cross-section, and Wherein, when the container is struck by the striking unit and at least a part of the magnets are separated, one of the polygonal sides of the restoring unit comes into contact with each other.

7. The stirrer according to claim 2, Among them, The support unit comprises: A pressing unit that pushes the container in a pressing direction; A contact surface that receives the container pushed by the pressing unit; and A wall that is arranged to extend from the contact surface to the opposite side of the pressing direction, Wherein, the support unit defines a receiving space for accommodating the one end, and the support unit has an insertion opening for accommodating the one end in the receiving space, and Wherein, the wall forms a part of the insertion opening.

8. The stirrer according to claim 1, Among them, The striking unit is driven by the driving unit to swing around a swing axis, Wherein, the container is struck by the striking unit from a first direction, and then is alternately struck by the swinging striking unit from a second direction different from the first direction.

9. A stirrer, comprising: A housing that holds a container with a mixture; A support unit that supports the housing; A striking unit that continuously strikes the housing; And A driving unit that drives the striking unit.

10. A stirring method, comprising: Supporting a container with a mixture; And Continuously striking the container by a striking unit driven by a driving unit.

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