Cover opener for cryopreservation tube

Abstract

The invention discloses a cryopreservation tube cap opener which comprises a base, the upper surface of the base is used for containing a cryopreservation box, the cryopreservation box is used for containing a plurality of cryopreservation tubes arranged in a rectangular array, cap screwing devices in one-to-one correspondence with the positions of the cryopreservation tubes are arranged above the base, and all the cap screwing devices operate independently. The technical scheme provided by the invention has the beneficial effects that each rotating motor is independently connected with the driving device capable of driving the rotating motor to move up and down, and the up and down movement of each bit / clamping jaw assembly can be independent, so that the opening and closing operation of tube covers of different parts of cryopreservation tubes in the same cryopreservation box can be realized; and more diversified use scenes are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of biological sample library storage, and particularly relates to a cryotube cover opener. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the biopharmaceutical industry, large-scale biological sample banks have emerged, and the storage capacity of biological samples has become larger and larger. Generally, biological samples such as tissues and cells in clinical or laboratory settings are placed in cryotubes, which are then placed in cryoboxes for freezing. The cryoboxes have multiple holes for placing cryotubes.

[0003] Specifically, cryovials are specialized containers used for cryopreserving biological samples (such as cells, tissues, DNA, and RNA) at low temperatures. They are typically made of cryoresistant materials such as polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), or polyethylene (PE), capable of withstanding extremely low temperatures, such as -196°C at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Cryovials can be fitted with screw or flip-top caps to prevent leakage and gas exchange, ensuring the safety and stability of biological samples during storage. Some cryovials are also transparent, facilitating observation and labeling of the sample's status. Cryovials can be used to preserve various cell types, including primary cells, cultured cells, and stem cells. Cryopreservation ensures that cells maintain their viability and proliferation capacity even after extended storage. Cryovials can be used to store various tissue samples, such as liver, kidney, and heart. Cryopreservation of tissue samples is crucial for biomedical research, ensuring that tissues maintain their structural and functional integrity at low temperatures. DNA and RNA extracts can be added to cryovials to preserve these important biomolecules at low temperatures for subsequent analysis and processing. Due to its good sealing performance, low temperature resistance, and light weight, cryogenic tubes have become ideal containers for transferring biological samples between laboratories or between laboratories and clinics.

[0004] Cryoboxes are containers used to store and freeze biological samples (such as cells, tissues, DNA, and RNA). They are widely used in laboratories, hospitals, and research institutions. Cryoboxes are typically made of materials such as polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), and waterproof fiberboard. These materials have excellent cryogenic resistance and can withstand extremely low temperatures, such as -196°C at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Cryoboxes can maintain structural stability in low-temperature environments for extended periods, without cracking or deformation. Some cryoboxes are designed with sealing lids to prevent liquid leakage and gas exchange, ensuring the safety and stability of biological samples during storage. Some cryoboxes are transparent, making it easy to observe and label the status of biological samples. Cryoboxes can withstand multiple freeze-thaw cycles without damage. Cryoboxes can be designed with multiple compartments or slots for cryotubes. The size and shape of these compartments or slots match the cryotubes to ensure that the cryotubes are securely held within the box. To facilitate sample management and location, some cryoboxes may feature numerical or color-coded compartments or slots. These identification systems facilitate quick sample identification and location. To save storage space, cryoboxes are usually designed to be stackable, which maximizes the use of storage space in ultra-low temperature freezers or liquid nitrogen tanks.

[0005] To facilitate user operation, related technologies already exist for whole-plate cryotube lid openers. These cryotube lid openers have multiple rotary motors, each connected to a driver. The rotation of the driver drives the driver to open and close the cryotube lids. However, these whole-plate cryotube lid openers have multiple rotary motors that can only move up and down simultaneously. Therefore, they can only open or close all cryotubes in a cryobox simultaneously, failing to meet diverse usage scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a cryotube cover opener to address the deficiencies in the prior art.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0008] A cryotube opener is provided, which includes a base. The upper surface of the base is used to place a cryobox, and the cryobox is used to place a plurality of cryotubes arranged in a rectangular array. A screw-capping device corresponding to the position of the cryotubes is provided above the base, and each screw-capping device operates independently.

[0009] As described in the freezing tube lid opener, wherein the capping device includes a driving device and a rotating motor, the driving device is used to drive the corresponding rotating motor to move up and down, the output shaft of the rotating motor is connected to a screwdriver or a clamping jaw assembly, and the screwdriver or the clamping jaw assembly is used to rotate the tube cap to open and close the tube cap when cooperating with the tube cap of the freezing tube.

[0010] As described in the freezing tube lid opener, wherein a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion are provided above the base, the driving device is mounted on the first mounting portion, the rotating motor is mounted on the second mounting portion, and the second mounting portion is located below the first mounting portion.

[0011] As described in the cryotube opener, it further includes a shell having a accommodating cavity, wherein the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are both arranged in the accommodating cavity, and each of the batch head or the clamping jaw assembly has a first state of being located in the accommodating cavity and a second state of at least partially extending out of the accommodating cavity through the corresponding driving device.

[0012] As described in the freezing tube lid opener, wherein the tube cover of the freezing tube has a top surface groove, the clamping jaw assembly includes an electromagnet, an iron slider and a clamping jaw, three slots are evenly distributed on the circumference of the iron slider, a hinge point is set in the slot through a pin shaft, the upper end of the clamping jaw abuts against the lower surface of the electromagnet, and the lower end obliquely passes through the slot from top to bottom and then abuts against the top surface groove of the tube cover of the freezing tube.

[0013] As described in the cryotube opener, wherein the shell is provided with a display device having a human-computer interaction interface, and the accommodating cavity is provided with an information receiving module, and the information receiving module receives the control signal sent by the display device in a wired or wireless manner.

[0014] As described in the cryotube lid opener, wherein the upper surface of the base is provided with a slidable tray, and the cryobox is placed on the tray.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solution of the present invention are:

[0016] Each rotary motor is individually connected to a drive device that can drive it up and down. The up and down movement of each bit / gripper assembly can be independent, so that the tube lids of different parts of the cryotubes in the same cryobox can be opened and closed, meeting more diverse usage scenarios. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] To further illustrate the above-mentioned objectives, structural features and effects of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 A side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 A side view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the clamping jaw assembly of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a partial detail diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] In the figure: 1. Base; 2. Cryogenic box; 3. Cryogenic tube; 4. Driving device; 5. Rotating motor; 6. Batch head; 7. First mounting part; 8. Second mounting part; 9. Mounting plate; 10. Housing; 11. Display device; 12. Electromagnet; 13. Iron slider; 14. Clamp; 15. Slot; 16. Pin; 17. Rubber strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The terms "invention," "present invention," and "the present invention" as used in this specification are intended to refer broadly to all subject matter of this specification and any patent claims that follow. Statements containing these terms should not be construed to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of any patent claim that follows. Furthermore, this specification does not attempt to describe or limit the subject matter covered by any claim of any particular component, paragraph, statement, or figure of this application. The subject matter should be understood with reference to the entire specification, all drawings, and any claims that follow. The invention may have other embodiments and be practiced or implemented in other ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0024] The details of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the present invention by way of example only. In the accompanying drawings, similar features or components may be marked with the same reference numerals.

[0025] The use of "including," "having," and "comprising" and variations thereof herein is intended to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof and additional items. Although reference may be made to directions such as above, below, upward, downward, rearward, bottom, top, front, and rear in describing the drawings, for convenience, reference is made relative to the drawings. These directions are not intended to literally define or limit the present invention in any manner. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used herein for descriptive purposes and are not intended to indicate or imply importance or significance.

[0026] See Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the cryotube opener of the present invention includes a base 1, the upper surface of the base 1 is used to place a cryobox 2, the cryobox 2 is used to place a plurality of cryotubes 3 arranged in a rectangular array, each cryotube 3 has a corresponding hole position, and a screw capping device corresponding to the position of the cryotube 3 is provided above the base 1, and each screw capping device operates independently.

[0027] The capping device includes a driving device 4 and a rotating motor 5. The driving device 4 is used to drive the corresponding rotating motor 5 to move up and down. The driving device 4 can be a telescopic cylinder, a telescopic / rotating motor, etc. The output shaft of the rotating motor 5 is connected to a screwdriver head 6 or a clamping jaw assembly. The screwdriver head 6 or the clamping jaw assembly is used to rotate the tube cap to open and close the tube cap when cooperating with the tube cap of the freezing tube 3.

[0028] Each rotating motor 5 is individually connected to a driving device 4 that can drive it to move up and down. The up and down movement of each batch head 6 / gripper assembly can be independent, so that the tube lids of some freezing tubes 3 in the same freezing box 2 can be opened and closed, meeting more diverse usage scenarios.

[0029] In some embodiments, each rotary motor 5 can be controlled separately. For example, some motors can rotate forward, while others can rotate reverse, thereby opening and closing the caps of some cryogenic tubes 3. Preferably, the cap opener can be provided with a cap-retracting plate that can move up and down to separate the screwdriver 6 / gripper assembly from the tube cap after closing the cap, thereby preventing the screwdriver 6 from lifting the entire cryogenic tube 3 when moving upward.

[0030] In some embodiments, a groove is provided on the upper surface of the base 1, and the groove is used to limit the freezing box 2, that is, the freezing box 2 is placed in the groove, and the edge of the groove is used to limit the freezing box 2 to avoid the situation where the freezing tube 3 and the batch head 6 / grip assembly are not aligned, resulting in the inability to open and close the tube cover.

[0031] A first mounting portion 7 and a second mounting portion 8 are provided above the base 1 . The driving device 4 is mounted on the first mounting portion 7 , and the rotating motor 5 is mounted on the second mounting portion 8 . The second mounting portion 8 is located below the first mounting portion 7 .

[0032] Continue to read Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, an upwardly extending mounting plate 9 is provided on the rear side of the base 1, and the first mounting portion 7 and the second mounting portion 8 are fixed to the mounting plate 9. The plate-shaped mounting plate 9 can improve the installation support effect and improve the overall stability. In some other embodiments, a mounting rod or other device can also be used, and arranging the mounting plate 9 on the rear side of the base 1 can facilitate user operation.

[0033] It is understandable that the plurality of rotary motors 5 are arranged in a rectangular array to fit a common freezing box 2 , for example, a 9×14 array. In other embodiments, other arrays are also possible.

[0034] In another preferred embodiment, the present cover opener further includes a housing 10 having an accommodating cavity, the first mounting portion 7 and the second mounting portion 8 are both disposed in the accommodating cavity, and each bit 6 or jaw assembly has a first state located in the accommodating cavity through a corresponding driving device 4, and a second state in which the bit at least partially extends out of the accommodating cavity, thereby improving the protection effect of the relevant devices and improving the appearance of the cover opener.

[0035] The housing 10 is provided with a display device 11 having a human-machine interface. An information receiving module is located within the receiving chamber, which receives control signals from the display device 11 via wired or wireless communication. In some embodiments, the user can use the display device 11 to select which cryotubes 3 to open, close, or not operate. For example, the display device 11 displays an array of wells in the cryobox 2 or an image of an array of cryotubes 3. The user can directly click on the image or otherwise select certain locations and choose to perform certain operations on the cryotubes 3 at these locations. The drive device 4 and the rotary motor 5 then operate in a corresponding manner.

[0036] A slidable tray is provided on the upper surface of the base 1, and the freezing box 2 is placed on the tray. The tray is slidably arranged on the upper surface of the base 1 so that the freezing box 2 can be placed on the upper surface of the base 1 through the tray. The user can pull out the tray and then place the freezing box 2, which is convenient to use.

[0037] In some embodiments, one of the tray and the base 1 is provided with a guide rail, and the other is provided with a guide groove, through which the tray and the base 1 slide. The guide rail and the guide groove improve the stability of movement and prevent the bit 6 / jaw assembly from misaligning with the tube cover due to tray misalignment.

[0038] The tray is provided with a limiting structure for limiting the freezing box 2, and the tray is detachable relative to the base 1. Therefore, the user can replace the tray with a limiting structure of different sizes (protrusions or grooves, etc.) so that the lid opener can adapt to freezing boxes 2 of different sizes and specifications, thereby improving the applicability of the lid opener.

[0039] See Figure 3As shown, the cap of the cryopreservation tube 3 has a top groove, and the clamping jaw assembly includes an electromagnet 12, an iron slider 13, and a clamping jaw 14. Three slots 15 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the iron slider 13, and a hinge point is set in the slot 15 through a pin 16. The upper end of the clamping jaw 14 abuts the lower surface of the electromagnet 12, and the lower end passes through the slot 15 obliquely from top to bottom and then abuts in the top groove of the cap of the cryopreservation tube 3. When the electromagnet 12 is energized, it generates suction on the iron slider 13, thereby moving the iron slider 13 upward. The clamping jaw 14 is designed as a seesaw, with the pin 16 as the hinge point, so that the upper part of the clamping jaw 14 is retracted and the lower part is opened. The tip of the clamping jaw 14 is protected by a rubber strip 17 to prevent wear on the cryopreservation tube cap. The opened clamping jaw 14 supports the cryopreservation tube cap to facilitate the subsequent rotation action.

[0040] Continue to read Figure 4 A detailed partial view shows the rotary motor 5 within the housing 10, secured to the motor mount. The force transmission shaft and rotary motor 5 transmit force via a D-shaped structure. The force transmission shaft mount serves as a fixed component, and the force transmission shaft mount and the force transmission shaft are threadedly connected. Rotating the motor shaft drives the force transmission shaft, and the threaded connection of the force transmission shaft mount enables the shaft to rise and fall. Each rotary motor 5 independently corresponds to its own jaw assembly, enabling control of a single motor to achieve the designated opening or closing of the cryotube 3.

[0041] During operation, the motor rotates clockwise, driving the force transmission shaft to descend, and the motor is controlled to the cover opening position; the electromagnet sucks upward, the claws open, and the claws tighten the inner wall of the pipe cap; the motor rotates counterclockwise to open the cover and move up together with the cap. The thread size of the force transmission shaft and the mounting seat is consistent with the thread size of the pipe and cap, so it can retreat and rise at the same time, and the cover closing action is opposite to it.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, there are a total of 9 rows of rotating motors 5. The 8th row of motors is controlled by software to rotate clockwise, so that the force transmission shaft and the clamping jaw assembly rotate clockwise and descend together. When the clamping jaw 14 of the clamping jaw assembly is inserted into the cryogenic tube cap, the clamping jaw 14 is opened to support the cryogenic tube cap, and the motor rotates counterclockwise again. Since the thread size of the cryogenic tube 3 and the cryogenic tube cap is consistent with the thread size of the force transmission shaft and the force transmission shaft mounting seat, the force transmission shaft, the clamping jaw assembly and the cryogenic tube cap rotate counterclockwise and rise synchronously, thereby opening the cover, and vice versa.

[0043] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the implementation mode and protection scope of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, it should be aware that all solutions obtained by equivalent substitutions and obvious changes made using the description and illustrations of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cryotube cover opener, characterized in that: It includes a base, the upper surface of which is used to place a freezing box, and the freezing box is used to place a plurality of freezing tubes arranged in a rectangular array. A screw capping device corresponding to the position of the freezing tubes is provided above the base, and each screw capping device operates independently.

2. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 1, wherein: The capping device includes a driving device and a rotating motor. The driving device is used to drive the corresponding rotating motor to move up and down. The output shaft of the rotating motor is connected to a screwdriver or a clamping jaw assembly. The screwdriver or the clamping jaw assembly is used to rotate the tube cap to open and close the tube cap when cooperating with the tube cap of the freezing tube.

3. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 2, wherein: A first mounting portion and a second mounting portion are provided above the base. The driving device is mounted on the first mounting portion, and the rotating motor is mounted on the second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is located below the first mounting portion.

4. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 3, wherein: It also includes a shell having an accommodating cavity, wherein the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are both arranged in the accommodating cavity, and each of the bit or the clamping jaw assembly has a first state of being located in the accommodating cavity and a second state of at least partially extending out of the accommodating cavity through the corresponding driving device.

5. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that: The tube cover of the freezing tube has a top surface groove, and the clamping jaw assembly includes an electromagnet, an iron slider and a clamping jaw. Three slots are evenly distributed on the circumference of the iron slider. A hinge point is set in the slot through a pin shaft. The upper end of the clamping jaw abuts against the lower surface of the electromagnet, and the lower end obliquely passes through the slot from top to bottom and then abuts against the top surface groove of the tube cover of the freezing tube.

6. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 4, wherein: A display device with a human-machine interaction interface is provided on the housing, and an information receiving module is provided in the accommodating cavity. The information receiving module receives a control signal sent by the display device in a wired or wireless manner.

7. The cryotube cover opener according to claim 1, wherein: The upper surface of the base is provided with a slidable tray, and the freezing box is placed on the tray.

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