Assembly apparatus and method for screw-piston set of liquid injection pump for micro-fluidic system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an assembling device for screw rod piston assembly of liquid injection pump for micro-fluidic system, comprising a rotating assembly, a rotating disc, a guide sleeve providing assembly, a screw rod providing assembly, a screw rod pressing assembly, a piston rod providing assembly, a piston rod fastening assembly and a control system, wherein the guide sleeve providing assembly is used to provide a guide sleeve and place it in the fixed clamp of the rotating disc, the screw rod providing assembly is used to provide a screw rod and insert it into the guide sleeve, the piston rod fastening assembly is used to assemble the screw rod and the guide sleeve together, the piston rod providing assembly is used to insert a piston rod into the guide sleeve, and the piston rod fastening assembly is used to rotate the screw rod relative to the piston rod so that the screw rod is screwed with the piston rod, thereby realizing automatic assembly and accurate final position of the piston rod. In addition, an assembling method for screw rod piston assembly is also proposed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of biochemical analysis equipment, and more particularly to an assembly apparatus and method for a screw piston assembly of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system. Background Technology

[0002] Microfluidics is a system that uses microchannels to process or manipulate tiny fluids. It enables a range of microfabrication and micromanipulation processes that are difficult to achieve using conventional methods. Currently, microfluidic chips are widely used in technologies such as digital PCR and gene sequencing. The injection pump (syringe pump) in a microfluidic system is a crucial device for pushing or drawing in liquid samples. The pump's drive mechanism is a key factor directly affecting the pushing / drawing pressure and the accuracy of fluid delivery.

[0003] Chinese patent application 202010097159.5 discloses a liquid injection pump drive device for a microfluidic system, which, together with a matching device, forms a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system. The matching device includes a piston rod 502, an internally threaded nut 503 (also known as a screw rod), and a guide sleeve 504. The internally threaded nut 503 is installed in the guide sleeve 504, and the piston rod 502, having external threads, is movably connected to the nut 503. The piston rod 502, internally threaded nut 503, and guide sleeve 504 are assembled into a screw-rod-piston assembly and then placed inside a housing 505.

[0004] In existing technologies, the assembly of the screw rod piston assembly is done manually. The process requires first placing the screw rod and guide sleeve into a special fixture and pressing them together with a press. Then, the piston rod 502 is manually screwed into the screw rod. Manual installation is inefficient, and the final position of the piston rod 502 cannot be accurately positioned. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, to address the problems of low assembly efficiency and inaccurate piston rod positioning in screw rod piston assemblies, it is necessary to propose an assembly device for screw rod piston assemblies in injection pumps for microfluidic systems. A method for assembling screw rod piston assemblies is also proposed.

[0006] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an assembly apparatus for a helical piston assembly of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system is provided. The helical piston assembly includes a guide sleeve, a helical rod, and a piston rod, comprising: a rotating assembly; a turntable connected to the rotating assembly and capable of rotating about its own central axis under the drive of the rotating assembly, wherein a plurality of fixing clamps are evenly spaced along the circumference of the upper surface of the turntable for positioning the guide sleeve; and a guide sleeve providing assembly, a helical rod providing assembly, a helical rod pressing assembly, a piston rod providing assembly, and a piston rod fastening assembly, arranged sequentially and spaced along the circumference of the turntable; wherein the guide sleeve providing assembly includes a guide sleeve conveying mechanism and a guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism, the guide sleeve conveying mechanism being configured to convey the guide sleeve radially toward the turntable, and the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism being configured to pick up the guide sleeve conveyed by the guide sleeve conveying mechanism and place it in the fixing clamps; the helical rod providing assembly includes a helical rod conveying mechanism and a helical rod picking and placing mechanism, the helical rod conveying mechanism being configured to convey the guide sleeve radially toward the turntable. The system includes a rotating assembly, a guide sleeve assembly, a screw rod pick-up and place mechanism for picking up the screw rod conveyed by the screw rod conveying mechanism and inserting the screw rod into the guide sleeve from top to bottom; a screw rod pressing assembly for pressing the screw rod downwards to mate the screw rod with the guide sleeve; a piston rod providing assembly including a piston rod conveying mechanism and a piston rod pick-up and place mechanism, the piston rod conveying mechanism being configured to convey the piston rod radially toward the turntable, and the piston rod pick-up and place mechanism being used to pick up the piston rod conveyed by the piston rod conveying mechanism and insert the piston rod into the guide sleeve from bottom to top; a piston rod fastening assembly located above the turntable and configured to engage with the screw rod to drive the screw rod to rotate relative to the piston rod, so that the screw rod and piston rod are screwed together to obtain the screw rod piston assembly; and a control system for controlling the operation of the rotating assembly, guide sleeve providing assembly, screw rod providing assembly, screw rod pressing assembly, piston rod providing assembly, and piston rod fastening assembly.

[0007] In some embodiments, the guide sleeve conveying mechanism includes: a first vibratory plate, a first conveying track docked with the first vibratory plate, a first buffer position, and a first lateral drive cylinder, wherein the first buffer position is opposite to the end of the first conveying track, and the first lateral drive cylinder is used to push the guide sleeve on the first conveying track to the first buffer position; the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism includes: a first picking cylinder, a first gripper controlled by the first picking cylinder, a first lifting cylinder, a first radial adjustment member, and a first support structure, wherein the first gripper grips or releases the guide sleeve under the control of the first picking cylinder, the first lifting cylinder is disposed on the first support structure to drive the first picking cylinder and the first gripper to lift and lower, and the first radial adjustment member is movably disposed on the first support structure to drive the first picking cylinder and the first gripper to move radially along the turntable.

[0008] In some embodiments, the screw conveying mechanism includes: a second vibratory plate, a second conveying track docked with the second vibratory plate, a second buffer position, and a second lateral drive cylinder, wherein the second buffer position is opposite to the end of the second conveying track, and the second lateral drive cylinder is used to push the screw on the second conveying track to the second buffer position; the screw picking and placing mechanism includes: a second picking cylinder, a second gripper controlled by the second picking cylinder, a second lifting cylinder, a second radial adjustment member, and a second support structure, wherein the second gripper grips or releases the screw under the control of the second picking cylinder, the second lifting cylinder is disposed on the second support structure to drive the second picking cylinder and the second gripper to lift and lower, and the second radial adjustment member is movably disposed on the second support structure to drive the second picking cylinder and the second gripper to move radially along the turntable.

[0009] In some embodiments, the screw rod pressing assembly includes a pressing cylinder located above the turntable, the pressing cylinder having a retractable output end.

[0010] In some embodiments, the piston rod conveying mechanism includes: a third vibratory plate and a third conveying track connected to the third vibratory plate; the piston rod picking and placing mechanism includes: a lifting cylinder and a receiving part, the receiving part being located below the turntable and docking with the end of the third conveying track, the receiving part being used to receive piston rods from the third conveying track, and the lifting cylinder being used to drive the receiving part to rise and fall.

[0011] In some embodiments, the piston rod fastening assembly includes a first lifting assembly and a tightening motor connected to the output end of the first lifting assembly, wherein the output end of the tightening motor is used to drive the helical rod to rotate relative to the piston rod.

[0012] In some embodiments, a torque testing assembly is also included, located between the piston rod fastening assembly and the guide sleeve providing assembly; the torque testing assembly includes a second lifting assembly and a torque testing machine connected to the output end of the second lifting assembly, the second lifting assembly being used to drive the torque testing machine to move up and down along the axial direction of the turntable, and the torque testing machine being used to test the engagement torque between the helical rod and the piston rod.

[0013] In some embodiments, a discharge assembly is also included, which is located between the guide sleeve providing assembly and the piston rod fastening assembly. The discharge assembly includes a discharge track and a finished product picking and placing mechanism. The discharge track is located on one side of the turntable, and the finished product picking and placing mechanism is used to transfer the spiral rod piston assembly on the turntable to the discharge track.

[0014] In some embodiments, the discharge track is inclined relative to the axial direction of the turntable.

[0015] A method for assembling a screw piston assembly for a liquid injection pump in a microfluidic system, applied to the assembly equipment, the method comprising the steps of: controlling the guide sleeve conveying mechanism to deliver a guide sleeve, and using the guide sleeve pick-and-place mechanism to place the guide sleeve in the fixing fixture; controlling the turntable to rotate until the guide sleeve corresponds to the screw conveying mechanism; controlling the screw conveying mechanism to deliver a screw rod, and controlling the screw pick-and-place mechanism to pick up the screw rod and place it inside the guide sleeve; controlling the screw pressing assembly to press the screw rod downwards to mate the screw rod with the guide sleeve; controlling the turntable to rotate until the guide sleeve corresponds to the piston rod conveying mechanism; controlling the piston rod conveying mechanism to deliver a piston rod, and controlling the piston rod pick-and-place mechanism to insert the piston rod into the guide sleeve from below the turntable; controlling the piston rod fastening assembly to drive the screw rod to rotate relative to the piston rod, so that the screw rod and the piston rod are tightened to obtain the screw piston assembly.

[0016] In this disclosure, when assembling the screw rod piston assembly, a guide sleeve providing assembly is used to place the guide sleeve onto a fixed fixture. Then, a screw rod providing assembly is used to pre-assemble the screw rod and guide sleeve together. Next, a screw rod pressing assembly is used to engage the screw rod with the guide sleeve. Finally, a piston rod providing assembly is used to insert the piston rod from bottom to top into the guide sleeve. Then, a piston rod fastening assembly is used to rotate the screw rod, causing the screw rod and piston rod to engage threadedly, thus obtaining the screw rod piston assembly. This achieves automated assembly, and the final position of the screw rod is controllable, ensuring the accuracy of the final position. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1This is an exploded view of the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the assembly of the screw piston assembly.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for the microfluidic system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are schematic diagrams of the assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for the microfluidic system according to embodiments of this disclosure, showing the hidden protective cover.

[0021] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the guide sleeve provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the screw rod provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the piston rod assembly and piston rod fastening assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure label:

[0025] 100. Screw piston assembly; 110. Guide sleeve; 120. Screw; 130. Piston rod; 1. Machine base; 11. Table surface; 12. Protective cover; 2. Rotating assembly; 3. Turntable; 31. Center hole; 32. Fixing clamp; 321. Positioning hole; 4. Guide sleeve providing assembly; 41. Guide sleeve conveying mechanism; 411. First vibratory feeder; 412. First conveying track; 413. First buffer position; 4131. Positioning groove; 4132. Stop block; 414. First transverse drive cylinder; 42. Guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism; 421. First picking cylinder; 422. First gripper; 423. First lifting cylinder; 424. First radial adjustment component; 425. First support structure; 5. Screw rod providing assembly; 51. Screw rod conveying mechanism; 511. Second vibratory feeder; 512. Second conveying track 513. Second buffer position; 5131. Groove; 5132. Limiting block; 514. Second transverse drive cylinder; 52. Spiral rod pick-and-place mechanism; 521. Second pickup cylinder; 522. Second gripper; 523. Second lifting cylinder; 524. Second radial adjustment component; 525. Second support structure; 6. Spiral rod pressing assembly; 61. Pressing cylinder; 7. Piston rod providing assembly; 71. Piston rod conveying mechanism; 711. Third vibratory plate; 712. Third conveying track; 72. Piston rod pick-and-place mechanism; 721. Lifting cylinder; 722. Receiving part; 8. Piston rod fastening assembly; 81. First lifting assembly; 82. Tightening motor; 9. Torque testing assembly; 91. Second lifting assembly; 92. Torque testing machine; 10. Discharge assembly; 101. Discharge track; 102. Finished product pick-and-place mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-described objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0028] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0029] One aspect of this disclosure provides an assembly apparatus for a screw piston assembly 100 of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system, wherein... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The diagrams illustrate the disassembled and assembled states of the screw piston assembly 100.

[0030] The screw piston assembly 100 includes a guide sleeve 110, a screw rod 120, and a piston rod 130. In the assembled state, the guide sleeve 110 is fitted and fixed to the outside of the screw rod 120, and one end of the piston rod 130 extends into the guide sleeve 110 and is threadedly connected to the screw rod 120. Specific application scenarios for the screw piston assembly 100 can be found in the background section, and will not be repeated here.

[0031] The embodiments of the assembly equipment and assembly method of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] refer to Figures 3 to 8 An assembly apparatus for a microfluidic system injection pump screw piston assembly 100 according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a machine base 1, a rotating assembly 2, a turntable 3, a guide sleeve providing assembly 4, a screw rod providing assembly 5, a screw rod pressing assembly 6, a piston rod providing assembly 7, a piston rod fastening assembly 8, and a control system. In this disclosure, the control system is located inside the machine base 1, and all other components are wholly or partially located on the table surface 11 of the machine base 1. The components of the assembly apparatus can be mounted on other supporting foundations, such as a workshop floor.

[0033] Rotating component 2 is mounted on the platform 11 of machine base 1. Rotating component 2 has a rotating shaft (not labeled). The power source of rotating component 2 can be a motor.

[0034] Turntable 3 is connected to the rotation axis of rotating component 2 and can rotate around its own central axis under the drive of rotating component 2. Specifically, turntable 3 is located above rotating component 2, and a central hole 31 is provided at the center of turntable 3, which is coaxially connected to the rotation axis of rotating component 2. (Reference) Figure 3 The rotating component 2 can drive the turntable 3 to rotate clockwise.

[0035] The upper surface of the turntable 3 is provided with a plurality of fixing clamps 32 evenly spaced along the circumference. The fixing clamps 32 are used to position the guide sleeve 110. For example, the fixing clamps 32 are provided with positioning holes 321 that penetrate the fixing block. The positioning holes 321 are used to place and position the guide sleeve 110. It is easy to understand that the radial cross-sectional profile of the positioning hole 321 is adapted to the radial cross-sectional profile of the guide sleeve 110. The turntable 3 is also provided with a through hole (not shown) that corresponds axially to the positioning hole 321 of the fixing block. The turntable 3 passes through the fixing clamps 32 axially.

[0036] Further, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The assembly equipment also includes a torque testing assembly 9 and a discharge assembly 10. A guide sleeve providing assembly 4, a screw rod providing assembly 5, a screw rod pressing assembly 6, a piston rod providing assembly 7, and a piston rod fastening assembly 8 are provided. The torque testing assembly 9 and the discharge assembly 10 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumference of the turntable 3. In embodiments of this disclosure, reference is made to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 When the turntable 3 rotates clockwise, it can drive the fixed fixture 32 to rotate sequentially to correspond with the guide sleeve providing assembly 4, the screw rod providing assembly 5, the screw rod pressing assembly 6, the piston rod providing assembly 7, the piston rod fastening assembly 8, the torque testing assembly 9, and the discharge assembly 10. In other words, each fixed fixture 32 can rotate sequentially to the processing position defined by the above-mentioned components.

[0037] refer to Figures 4 to 6 The guide sleeve providing assembly 4 includes a guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 and a guide sleeve pick-and-place mechanism 42. The guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 is configured to convey the guide sleeve 110 radially toward the turntable 3, and the guide sleeve pick-and-place mechanism 42 is used to pick up the guide sleeve 110 conveyed by the guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 and place it in the fixing fixture 32.

[0038] In a specific configuration, the end of the guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 is located above the turntable 3, so that after the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism 42 picks up the guide sleeve 110, it can quickly place the guide sleeve 110 into the fixed fixture 32.

[0039] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 The screw conveying assembly 5 includes a screw conveying mechanism 51 and a screw pick-and-place mechanism 52. The screw conveying mechanism 51 is configured to convey the screw 120 radially toward the turntable 3. The screw pick-and-place mechanism 52 picks up the screw 120 conveyed by the screw conveying mechanism 51 and inserts the screw 120 into the guide sleeve 110 from top to bottom. After picking up the screw 120, the screw pick-and-place mechanism 52 inserts the screw 120 into the guide sleeve 110, at which point the screw 120 and the guide sleeve 110 are loosely fitted.

[0040] The screw rod pressing assembly 6 is used to press the screw rod 120 downwards so that the screw rod 120 is assembled with the guide sleeve 110. The screw rod pressing assembly 6 is used to engage the screw rod 120 with the guide sleeve 110.

[0041] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 8 The piston rod supply assembly 7 includes a piston rod delivery mechanism 71 and a piston rod pick-and-place mechanism 72. The piston rod delivery mechanism 71 is configured to deliver the piston rod 130 radially toward the turntable 3, and the piston rod pick-and-place mechanism 72 is configured to pick up the piston rod 130 delivered by the piston rod delivery mechanism 71 and insert the piston rod 130 into the guide sleeve 110 from bottom to top.

[0042] The piston rod fastening assembly 8 is located above the turntable 3 and is configured to move downward to engage with the helical rod 120 to drive the helical rod 120 to rotate relative to the piston rod 130, so that the helical rod 120 and the piston rod 130 are tightened to obtain the helical rod piston assembly 100.

[0043] The control system is used to control the operation of the rotating assembly 2, the guide sleeve providing assembly 4, the screw rod providing assembly 5, the screw rod pressing assembly 6, the piston rod providing assembly 7, and the piston rod fastening assembly 8. The specific type of the control system is not limited; it has a built-in control program that allows each component to operate as needed, enabling the continuous assembly of multiple screw rod piston assemblies 100.

[0044] The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly 100 of the injection pump used in the microfluidic system described above can realize the automatic assembly of the screw piston assembly 100, thereby improving assembly efficiency and assembly accuracy. Specifically, the guide sleeve 110 is placed on the fixing fixture 32 using the guide sleeve providing assembly 4, and then the screw rod 120 and the guide sleeve 110 are pre-assembled together using the screw rod providing assembly 5. Then, the screw rod pressing assembly 6 is used to mate the screw rod 120 with the guide sleeve 110. Finally, the piston rod 130 is inserted into the guide sleeve 110 from bottom to top using the piston rod providing assembly 7, and the screw rod 120 is rotated by the piston rod fastening assembly 8, so that the screw rod 120 and the piston rod 130 are threadedly engaged, thereby obtaining the screw piston assembly 100. The final position of the screw rod 120 is controllable, which can ensure the accuracy of the final position.

[0045] Further reference Figure 4 The assembly equipment also includes a torque testing component 9 and a discharge component 10. The torque testing component 9 can be used to test the engagement torque and smoothness of the screw rod 120 and piston rod 130 in the screw rod piston assembly 100. If a defective product is found, the machine can be stopped and the defective product removed. The discharge component 10 can be used to promptly transfer qualified screw rod piston assemblies 100.

[0046] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 includes: a first vibratory plate 411, a first conveying track 412 connected to the first vibratory plate 411, a first buffer position 413, and a first transverse drive cylinder 414, wherein the first buffer position 413 is connected to the end of the first conveying track 412, and the first transverse drive cylinder 414 is used to push the guide sleeve 110 on the first conveying track 412 to the first buffer position 413.

[0047] Optionally, the first vibratory feeder 411 is located on one side of the machine base 1, and one end of the first conveying track 412 is connected to the output port of the first vibratory feeder 411, while the other end (i.e., the end point) is located above the turntable 3. The first vibratory feeder 411 conveys multiple guide sleeves 110 sequentially toward the turntable 3 via the first conveying track 412. The first buffer position 413 specifically includes a positioning groove 4131 and a stop block 4132 communicating with the first conveying track 412. The positioning groove 4131 is used to accommodate the guide sleeves 110, and the stop block 4132 is used to limit the guide sleeves 110. The first transverse drive cylinder 414 is used to push the guide sleeves 110 at the end of the first conveying track 412 to move, thereby moving the guide sleeves 110 into the positioning groove for the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism 42 to pick up. The guide sleeves 110 are first transferred from the first conveying track 412 to the first buffer position 413 to bring the guide sleeves 110 into a stable state, thereby ensuring that the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism 42 can quickly grasp the guide sleeves 110.

[0048] In some embodiments, the guide sleeve pick-and-place mechanism 42 includes: a first pick-up cylinder 421, a first gripper 422 controlled by the first pick-up cylinder 421, a first lifting cylinder 423, a first radial adjustment member 424, and a first support structure 425. The first gripper 422 grips or releases the guide sleeve 110 under the control of the first pick-up cylinder 421, and the first lifting cylinder 423 drives the first pick-up cylinder 421 and the first gripper 422 to move up and down. The first radial adjustment member 424 is movably disposed on the first support structure 425 and is used to drive the first pick-up cylinder 421 and the first gripper 422 to move radially along the turntable 3. For example, the first radial adjustment member 424 is helically engaged with the first support structure 425, and both the first pick-up cylinder 421 and the first gripper 422 are movably mounted on the first support structure 425 and connected to the first radial adjustment member 424 via an intermediary element.

[0049] The first radial adjustment member 424 drives the first pickup cylinder 421 and the first gripper 422 to move together along the radial direction of the turntable 3, so that the first gripper 422 can move to a position where it can pick up the guide sleeve 110, and then move to a position corresponding to the fixed clamp 32.

[0050] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 and Figure 7 The screw conveying mechanism 51 includes: a second vibratory plate 511, a second conveying track 512 docked with the second vibratory plate 511, a second buffer position 513, and a second lateral drive cylinder 514. The second buffer position 513 is connected to the end of the second conveying track 512, and the second lateral drive cylinder 514 is used to push the screw 120 on the second conveying track 512 to the second buffer position 513. The screw 120 is first transferred from the second conveying track 512 to the second buffer position 513 to bring the screw 120 into a stable state, thereby ensuring that the screw pick-and-place mechanism 52 can quickly grasp the screw 120.

[0051] Optionally, the second vibratory feeder 511 is located on one side of the machine base 1. One end of the second conveying track 512 is connected to the output port of the second vibratory feeder 511, and the other end (i.e., the end point) is located above the turntable 3. The second vibratory feeder 511 conveys multiple screw rods 120 sequentially toward the turntable 3 via the second conveying track 512. The second buffer position 513 specifically includes a groove 5131 communicating with the second conveying track 512 and a limiting block 5132. The groove 5131 is used to accommodate the screw rods 120, and the limiting block 5132 is used to limit the screw rods 120. The second transverse drive cylinder 514 is used to push the screw rods 120 at the end of the second conveying track 512 to move, thereby moving the screw rods 120 into the groove 5131 for the screw rod picking and placing mechanism 52 to pick up. In this way, the screw rod picking and placing mechanism 52 does not need to adjust its position left and right, thereby improving the picking efficiency.

[0052] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 and Figure 7 The screw rod pick-and-place mechanism 52 includes: a second pick-up cylinder 521, a second gripper 522 controlled by the second pick-up cylinder 521, a second lifting cylinder 523, a second radial adjustment member 524, and a second support structure 525. The second gripper 522 grips or releases the screw rod 120 under the control of the second pick-up cylinder 521. The second lifting cylinder 523 drives the second pick-up cylinder 521 and the second gripper 522 to rise and fall. The second radial adjustment member 524 drives the second pick-up cylinder 521 and the second gripper 522 to move radially along the turntable 3. For example, the second radial adjustment member 524 is helically engaged with the second support structure 525, and both the second pick-up cylinder 521 and the second gripper 522 are movably mounted on the second support structure 525 and connected to the second radial adjustment member 524 via an intermediary element.

[0053] The second radial adjustment member 524 drives the second pickup cylinder 521 and the second gripper 522 to move together along the radial direction of the turntable 3, so that the second gripper 522 can move to a position that can pick up the screw rod 120, and then move to a position corresponding to the fixed fixture 32, and then place the screw rod 120 into the guide sleeve 110 on the fixed fixture 32.

[0054] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 The screw rod pressing assembly 6 includes a pressing cylinder 61 located above the turntable 3, the pressing cylinder 61 having a retractable output end. When the output end of the pressing cylinder 61 extends toward the turntable 3, it can press the screw rod 120 downward, so that the inserted screw rod 120 is pressed into the guide sleeve 110 and engaged with the guide sleeve 110.

[0055] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5 , Figure 8 The piston rod conveying mechanism 71 includes: a third vibrating plate 711 and a third conveying track 712 connected to the third vibrating plate.

[0056] Optionally, the third vibratory feeder 711 is disposed on one side of the machine base 1. One end of the third conveying track 712 is connected to the output port of the third vibratory feeder 711, and the other end (i.e., the end point) is located above the turntable 3. The third vibratory feeder 711 conveys multiple screw rods 120 sequentially toward the turntable 3 via the third conveying track 712. In this disclosure, the first vibratory feeder 411, the second vibratory feeder 511, and the third vibratory feeder are located on different sides of the machine base 1.

[0057] In some embodiments, the piston rod pick-up and drop mechanism 72 includes: a lifting cylinder 721 and a receiving part 722. The receiving part 722 is located below the turntable 3 and docks with the end of the third conveying track 712. The receiving part 722 is used to receive the piston rod 130 from the third conveying track 712. The lifting cylinder 721 is used to drive the receiving part 722 to rise and fall.

[0058] Optionally, in the radial direction of the turntable 3, the piston rod pick-up and drop mechanism 72 is located in front of the end of the third conveying track 712, and the piston rod 130 maintains its direction of movement when transitioning from the third conveying track 712 to the receiving part 722; the cross-sectional shape of the receiving part 722 is set to be consistent with the cross-sectional shape of the third conveying track 712. In this way, the piston rod 130 can smoothly transition to the receiving part 722.

[0059] When the lifting cylinder 721 drives the receiving part 722 to rise, the piston rod 130 on the receiving part 722 passes through the through hole on the turntable 3 and is inserted into the guide sleeve 110. Then, with the cooperation of the piston rod fastening assembly 8, the piston rod 130 is tightened with the screw rod 120.

[0060] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 8 The piston rod fastening assembly 8 includes a first lifting assembly 81 and a tightening motor 82 connected to the output end of the first lifting assembly 81. The output end of the tightening motor 82 is used to drive the screw rod 120 to rotate relative to the piston rod 130.

[0061] The first lifting assembly 81 is mounted on the platform 11 of the machine base 1 and is used to drive the tightening motor 82 to lift. The output end of the tightening motor 82 is configured to engage with the screw rod 120 to transmit torque. In this way, the piston rod 130 and the screw rod 120 can be tightened.

[0062] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The assembly equipment for the helical piston assembly 100 of the injection pump for the microfluidic system also includes a torque testing assembly 9, which is located between the piston rod fastening assembly 8 and the guide sleeve providing assembly 4.

[0063] The torque testing assembly 9 includes a second lifting assembly 91 and a torque testing machine 92 connected to the output end of the second lifting assembly 91. The second lifting assembly 91 is used to drive the torque testing machine 92 to move up and down along the axial direction of the turntable 3. The torque testing machine 92 is used to test the engagement torque between the screw rod 120 and the piston rod 130.

[0064] After the piston rod 130 helical assembly is completed, the torque testing component 9 is used to check the engagement torque between the piston rod 130 and the helical rod 120 and the smoothness of their relative rotation, thereby screening out qualified assemblies. If they fail, the control system can issue an alarm and stop the machine, and then reject the unqualified products.

[0065] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly 100 of the injection pump for the microfluidic system also includes a discharge assembly 10, which is located between the guide sleeve providing assembly 4 and the piston rod fastening assembly 8. When a torque testing assembly 9 is provided, the discharge assembly 10 is more specifically located between the torque testing assembly 9 and the guide sleeve providing assembly 4.

[0066] The discharge assembly 10 includes a discharge track 101 and a finished product pick-and-place mechanism 102. The discharge track 101 is located on one side of the turntable 3, and the finished product pick-and-place mechanism 102 is used to transfer the screw piston assembly 100 on the turntable 3 to the discharge track 101. The finished product pick-and-place mechanism 102 is used to pick up qualified screw piston assemblies 100 on the turntable 3 and then place them on the discharge track 101, thereby releasing the fixing clamp 32 so that it can receive the next guide sleeve 110.

[0067] Optionally, the discharge track 101 is inclined relative to the axial direction of the turntable 3. The inclined discharge track 101 allows the screw piston assembly 100 to slide down under the influence of gravity, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0068] Optionally, the finished product picking and placing mechanism 102 includes a cylinder and a gripper driven by the cylinder, the gripper being used to pick up the helical piston assembly 100.

[0069] In some embodiments, a protective cover 12 is provided on the table 11 of the machine tool 1. The protective cover 12 covers the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism 42, the screw rod picking and placing mechanism 52, the screw rod pressing assembly 6, the piston rod fastening assembly 8, the torque testing assembly 9, etc., and also covers the parts of each conveying track.

[0070] Another aspect of this application proposes a method for assembling a screw piston assembly 100 of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system, applied to the aforementioned assembly equipment. The method includes the following steps:

[0071] S100, control the guide sleeve conveying mechanism 41 to convey the guide sleeve 110, and use the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism 42 to place the guide sleeve 110 on the fixing fixture 32.

[0072] As described above, the guide sleeve pick-up and place mechanism 42 picks up the guide sleeve 110 conveyed by the guide sleeve pick-up and place mechanism 42 and places it on the empty fixed clamp 32. It can be understood that when the guide sleeve pick-up and place mechanism 42 releases the guide sleeve 110, the turntable 3 has already driven the empty fixed clamp 32 to rotate to below the guide sleeve 110 release clamp.

[0073] S200, control the turntable 3 to rotate until the guide sleeve 110 corresponds to the screw conveyor mechanism 51.

[0074] In this step, after the guide sleeve 110 is placed in the fixed fixture 32, the turntable 3 is controlled to rotate, so that the guide sleeve 110 rotates to the position where the screw rod 120 is placed.

[0075] S300: Control the screw conveying mechanism 51 to convey the screw 120, and control the screw 120 pick-up and place mechanism to pick up the screw 120 and place it in the guide sleeve 110.

[0076] In this step, after the screw rod 120 pick-up and drop machine picks up the screw rod 120, it inserts the screw rod 120 into the guide sleeve 110 from top to bottom, and finally releases the screw rod 120; at this time, the screw rod 120 and the guide sleeve 110 are pre-assembled together but the two are tightly secured in the upper position.

[0077] S400: Control the screw rod pressing assembly 6 to press the screw rod 120 downwards so that the screw rod 120 is assembled with the guide sleeve 110.

[0078] In this step, the screw rod pressing assembly 6 assembles the screw rod 120 with the guide sleeve 110.

[0079] S500, control the turntable 3 to rotate until the guide sleeve 110 corresponds to the piston rod conveying mechanism 71.

[0080] In this step, the turntable 3 is controlled to rotate, so that the assembled screw rod 120 and guide sleeve 110 move to above the piston rod pick-up and drop mechanism 72.

[0081] S600: Control the piston rod conveying mechanism 71 to convey the piston rod 130, and control the piston rod picking and placing mechanism 72 to insert the piston rod 130 into the guide sleeve 110 from the lower direction of the turntable 3.

[0082] S700: Control the piston rod fastening assembly 8 to drive the helical rod 120 to rotate relative to the piston rod 130, so that the helical rod 120 and the piston rod 130 are screwed together to obtain the helical rod piston assembly 100.

[0083] Steps S600 and S700 can be executed simultaneously. That is, while the piston rod 130 is inserted into the guide sleeve 110, the combination of the helical rod 120 and the guide sleeve 110 is also rotating.

[0084] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0085] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0086] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0087] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0088] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosed patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An assembly apparatus for a helical rod piston assembly of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system, the helical rod piston assembly comprising a guide sleeve, a helical rod, and a piston rod, characterized in that, include: Rotating components; A turntable, connected to the rotating assembly, and capable of rotating around its own central axis under the drive of the rotating assembly, has multiple fixing clamps evenly spaced circumferentially on its upper surface, the fixing clamps being used to position the guide sleeve; and A guide sleeve supply assembly, a screw rod supply assembly, a screw rod pressing assembly, a piston rod supply assembly, and a piston rod fastening assembly are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumference of the turntable; wherein... The guide sleeve providing assembly includes a guide sleeve conveying mechanism and a guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism. The guide sleeve conveying mechanism is configured to convey the guide sleeve radially toward the turntable, and the guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism is configured to pick up the guide sleeve conveyed by the guide sleeve conveying mechanism and place it in the fixing fixture. The screw rod providing assembly includes a screw rod conveying mechanism and a screw rod pick-and-place mechanism. The screw rod conveying mechanism is configured to convey the screw rod radially toward the turntable, and the screw rod pick-and-place mechanism is configured to pick up the screw rod conveyed by the screw rod conveying mechanism and insert the screw rod into the guide sleeve from top to bottom. The screw rod pressing assembly is used to press the screw rod downwards so that the screw rod mates with the guide sleeve; The piston rod providing assembly includes a piston rod conveying mechanism and a piston rod pick-and-place mechanism. The piston rod conveying mechanism is configured to convey the piston rod radially toward the turntable, and the piston rod pick-and-place mechanism is configured to pick up the piston rod conveyed by the piston rod conveying mechanism and insert the piston rod into the guide sleeve from bottom to top. The piston rod conveying mechanism includes: a third vibrating plate and a third conveying track connected to the third vibrating plate; the piston rod picking and placing mechanism includes: a lifting cylinder and a receiving part, the receiving part being located below the turntable and docking with the end of the third conveying track, the receiving part being used to receive piston rods from the third conveying track, and the lifting cylinder being used to drive the receiving part to rise and fall. The piston rod fastening assembly is located above the turntable and is configured to engage with the helical rod to drive the helical rod to rotate relative to the piston rod, so that the helical rod and the piston rod are screwed together to obtain the helical rod piston assembly; it also includes: The control system is used to control the operation of the rotating assembly, the guide sleeve providing assembly, the screw rod providing assembly, the screw rod pressing assembly, the piston rod providing assembly, and the piston rod fastening assembly.

2. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide sleeve conveying mechanism includes: a first vibratory plate, a first conveying track docked with the first vibratory plate, a first buffer position, and a first transverse drive cylinder, wherein the first buffer position is connected to the end of the first conveying track, and the first transverse drive cylinder is used to push the guide sleeve on the first conveying track to the first buffer position. The guide sleeve picking and placing mechanism includes: a first picking cylinder, a first gripper controlled by the first picking cylinder, a first lifting cylinder, a first radial adjustment member, and a first support structure. The first gripper grips or releases the guide sleeve under the control of the first picking cylinder. The first lifting cylinder is disposed on the first support structure to drive the first picking cylinder and the first gripper to lift and lower. The first radial adjustment member is movably disposed on the first support structure to drive the first picking cylinder and the first gripper to move radially along the turntable.

3. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw conveying mechanism includes: a second vibratory plate, a second conveying track connected to the second vibratory plate, a second buffer position, and a second transverse drive cylinder, wherein the second buffer position is connected to the end of the second conveying track, and the second transverse drive cylinder is used to push the screw on the second conveying track to the second buffer position; The screw rod pick-up and drop mechanism includes: a second pick-up cylinder, a second gripper controlled by the second pick-up cylinder, a second lifting cylinder, a second radial adjustment member, and a second support structure. The second gripper clamps or releases the screw rod under the control of the second pick-up cylinder. The second lifting cylinder is disposed on the second support structure to drive the second pick-up cylinder and the second gripper to lift. The second radial adjustment member is movably disposed on the second support structure to drive the second pick-up cylinder and the second gripper to move radially along the turntable.

4. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw rod pressing assembly includes a pressing cylinder located above the turntable, the pressing cylinder having a retractable output end.

5. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston rod fastening assembly includes a first lifting assembly and a tightening motor connected to the output end of the first lifting assembly. The output end of the tightening motor is used to drive the screw rod to rotate relative to the piston rod.

6. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a torque testing assembly, which is located between the piston rod fastening assembly and the guide sleeve providing assembly; the torque testing assembly includes a second lifting assembly and a torque testing machine connected to the output end of the second lifting assembly, the second lifting assembly is used to drive the torque testing machine to move up and down along the axial direction of the turntable, and the torque testing machine is used to test the engagement torque between the helical rod and the piston rod.

7. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a discharge assembly, which is located between the guide sleeve providing assembly and the piston rod fastening assembly. The discharge assembly includes a discharge track and a finished product picking and placing mechanism. The discharge track is located on one side of the turntable, and the finished product picking and placing mechanism is used to transfer the spiral rod piston assembly on the turntable to the discharge track.

8. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The finished product picking and placing mechanism includes a cylinder and a gripper driven by the cylinder, the gripper being used to pick up the helical piston assembly.

9. The assembly equipment for the screw piston assembly of the injection pump for a microfluidic system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The discharge track is inclined relative to the axis of the turntable.

10. A method for assembling a screw piston assembly of a liquid injection pump for a microfluidic system, characterized in that, The method, applied to the assembly equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprises the steps of: The guide sleeve conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the guide sleeve, and the guide sleeve pick-and-place mechanism is used to place the guide sleeve into the fixing fixture; Control the turntable to rotate until the guide sleeve corresponds to the screw conveyor mechanism; The screw conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the screw, and the screw pick-and-place mechanism is controlled to pick up the screw and place it in the guide sleeve; The screw rod pressing assembly is controlled to press the screw rod downwards so that the screw rod mates with the guide sleeve; Control the turntable to rotate until the guide sleeve corresponds to the piston rod conveying mechanism; The piston rod conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the piston rod, and the piston rod pick-and-place mechanism is controlled to insert the piston rod into the guide sleeve from below the turntable. The piston rod fastening assembly is controlled to drive the helical rod to rotate relative to the piston rod, so that the helical rod is screwed tightly to the piston rod to obtain the helical rod piston assembly.

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