A docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture and its usage method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of cell culture equipment technology, specifically a docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture and its usage method. The docking mechanism includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a dragging device. Several docking modules are provided between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate is fixedly installed, and the upper and lower plates can be detached or slidably docked. The dragging device includes a power component, a telescopic component, and a toggle component. The power component and telescopic component are installed on the lower plate, and the toggle component is installed on the upper plate. The extended end of the telescopic component can engage to drag or detach the toggle component. The usage process of this docking mechanism mainly involves the upper plate entering the lower plate and sliding docking via the dragging device, the dragging device resetting, the dragging device detaching the upper and lower plates, and the upper plate moving out of the lower plate. This docking mechanism can smoothly drag the culture tank into or out of the honeycomb frame, avoiding uneven cell placement caused by cell movement within the culture tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cell culture equipment technology, specifically a docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing honeycomb cell culture systems require a transport cart to move the incubators to the honeycomb system. After aligning the individual incubators with the honeycomb frame, the incubators must be manually pushed into the frame to connect the gas and electrical circuits. Because the incubators are heavy and the gas connection module has elastic seals, significant force is needed to ensure accurate and sealed connection. During this process, the incubator's inertia causes cell movement, especially for adherent cells (such as mesenchymal stem cells), resulting in uneven cell placement and affecting the quality of cell culture.

[0003] Furthermore, during cell culture, gas is introduced into the incubator via the honeycomb system through gas supply lines and connected gas paths. These gas supply lines typically have on / off valves (such as solenoid valves). However, if these valves are damaged or malfunction, the gas supply lines will remain open even after the incubator is removed from the honeycomb system, resulting in gas waste. While gas sensors and gas alarms can be installed, the high humidity and temperature inside the incubator affect the lifespan of these sensors, and the sensors themselves are expensive, increasing costs. Additionally, the use of sensors increases the complexity of controlling the entire honeycomb system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture and its method of use. This docking mechanism is easy to operate and incorporates a dragging device to prevent uneven cell placement caused by cell movement within the culture chamber. The technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0005] A docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a dragging device. Several docking modules are provided between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate is fixedly installed, and the upper and lower plates can be detached or slidably docked. The dragging device includes a power component, a telescopic component, and a toggle component. The power component provides driving force to the telescopic component. The power component and the telescopic component are mounted on the lower plate. The toggle component is mounted on the upper plate. The extended end of the telescopic component can engage with or detach from the toggle component. When the extended end of the telescopic component engages the toggle component, the telescopic component moves, causing the upper plate to slide relative to the lower plate.

[0006] The aforementioned docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture also includes a locking device, which can lock or release the upper and lower plates after the upper plate is docked.

[0007] In the aforementioned docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture, the extended end of the telescopic component is provided with a stop bar and a sliding sleeve. The sliding sleeve is elastically slidably fitted onto the stop bar. The front end of the stop bar is provided with a conical head, and the front end of the sliding sleeve is provided with an inverted conical platform. In the non-working state, the sliding sleeve is held in place by elastic force so that the top of the inverted conical platform fits against the bottom of the conical head of the stop bar. The actuating component can actuate the sliding sleeve to slide on the stop bar.

[0008] The above-mentioned docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture includes a toggle assembly comprising a mounting base, a toggle block, and a limiting plate. The toggle block is elastically and slidably mounted on the mounting base, and the limiting plate is fixedly mounted on the toggle assembly to cooperate with the telescopic assembly.

[0009] The front side of the head end of the lever is set as a plane and the rear side is set as an inclined plane, so as to cooperate with the conical head of the stop rod and the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve.

[0010] The aforementioned docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture includes a gas path docking module, which comprises a gas path docking plug mounted on an upper plate and a gas path docking socket mounted on a lower plate. The gas path docking plug is equipped with a push rod, and a gas path on / off valve is provided on the gas supply pipeline connecting to the gas path docking module. When the gas path docking plug is docked with the gas path docking socket, the push rod opens the valve core of the gas path on / off valve to allow gas to flow.

[0011] The aforementioned honeycomb cell culture docking mechanism has several wheels on one side of the upper plate and several rollers on the opposite side, and a guide rail for sliding cooperation with the wheels on the lower plate.

[0012] In the aforementioned honeycomb cell culture docking mechanism, a switch sensor I is installed between the upper and lower plates. Switch sensor I detects the sliding position of the upper plate relative to the lower plate. When switch sensor I detects a signal, it feeds back to the dragging device to cause the telescopic assembly to drag. A switch sensor III is installed between the extended end of the telescopic assembly and the lower plate. When switch sensor III detects that the extended end of the telescopic assembly is in its initial position, it feeds back to the dragging device to stop the telescopic assembly from moving. A switch sensor II is installed on the gas path docking module to detect the docking of the upper and lower plates. When switch sensor II detects a signal, it feeds back to the dragging device to stop the telescopic assembly from dragging and simultaneously feeds back to the locking device to lock or release it.

[0013] The method of using the above-mentioned docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture includes the following steps:

[0014] Step S1.1) The upper plate slides to the set position of the honeycomb frame under the action of external force.

[0015] Push the upper plate backward to the corresponding lower plate, and after the toggle assembly moves, the toggle block is locked between the cone head of the stop bar and the inverted cone platform of the sliding sleeve. The switch sensor I then feeds back to the dragging device to start the backward dragging action.

[0016] Step S1.2) The upper and lower plates slide and connect together. The dragging device drags the upper and lower plates to connect.

[0017] The dragging device pulls the upper plate backward, and the extended end of the telescopic component moves backward, causing the stop lever drag block to move backward until the upper plate moves backward until it docks with the lower plate. The switch sensor II then feeds back to the dragging device to stop the backward dragging action. After that, the dragging device executes step S1.3) and simultaneously feeds back to the locking device to lock the upper and lower plates.

[0018] Step S1.3) Sliding docking of the upper and lower plates: The dragging device is reset to its initial position.

[0019] The dragging device moves the extended end of the telescopic component forward. The head of the lever gradually "passes" the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve. The head of the lever then presses against the sleeve body of the sliding sleeve until the switch sensor III responds and stops the dragging device, which then returns to its initial position.

[0020] Step S2.1) The upper plate is detached from the lower plate by dragging the upper plate forward with the dragging device to detach it from the lower plate.

[0021] The dragging device pulls the upper plate forward, the locking device unlocks the upper and lower plates, the extension end of the telescopic component moves forward until it hits the limit plate, the extension end of the telescopic component continues to move forward and pushes the limit plate forward, causing the upper and lower plates to separate, the switch sensor II acts as feedback to stop the dragging device from moving forward, and then the dragging device executes step S2.3).

[0022] Step S2.2) The upper plate is pulled out of the honeycomb frame under the action of external force.

[0023] An external force pulls the upper plate forward, causing the toggle assembly to move forward. The head of the toggle block gradually "passes" over the sliding sleeve, and the external force continues to pull the upper plate forward until it is completely separated from the lower plate.

[0024] Step S2.3) The upper and lower plates are separated. The dragging device is then reset to its initial position.

[0025] The dragging device moves the extended end of the telescopic component backward until the switch sensor III activates, causing the dragging device to stop and return to its initial position.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Firstly, the dragging device can smoothly pull the culture box into or out of the honeycomb frame, avoiding uneven cell placement caused by cell shaking inside the culture box, thereby improving cell culture quality. Simultaneously, the inclusion of multiple sets of switch sensors enables a high degree of automation in the docking mechanism, facilitating its use in honeycomb cell culture systems.

[0027] Secondly, the gas connection module works in conjunction with the gas on / off valve, and the state of the connection structure enables the gas supply to be switched on and off, thus avoiding gas waste. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure from another perspective of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the upper plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the upper plate from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lower plate structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the lower plate from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the toggle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the gas path docking module before docking according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the gas path docking module after docking according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of aligning the upper and lower plates using the dragging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of resetting the dragging device to its initial position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process by which the dragging device of this invention detaches the upper plate from the lower plate.

[0040] In the diagram: 1 is the upper plate, 11 is the traveling wheel, 12 is the roller, 13 is the photoelectric switch I, 14 is the circuit docking plug, 15 is the air docking plug, 151 is the sensing plate II, 152 is the top rod, 16 is the communication docking plug, 17 is the slot, 18 is the toggle assembly, 181 is the mounting base, 182 is the toggle block, and 183 is the limit plate;

[0041] 2 is the lower plate, 21 is the guide rail, 23 is the sensor plate I, 24 is the circuit docking socket, 25 is the air docking socket, 251 is the photoelectric switch II, 26 is the communication docking socket, and 27 is the electromagnetic lock.

[0042] 3 is the dragging device, 31 is the nut seat, 32 is the sensing plate III, 33 is the photoelectric switch III, 34 is the slide rail assembly, 35 is the stop bar, and 36 is the sliding sleeve;

[0043] 4 is the gas circuit on / off valve. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical terms used have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. It should be noted that the terms used and directional words such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" are only for describing specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0045] This embodiment is a docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture, used in conjunction with a cell culture box and a honeycomb system. The docking mechanism of this embodiment, the cell culture box, the transport cart and the honeycomb system are all conventional commercially available products, so the culture box, the honeycomb system, etc. will not be described in detail, only the docking mechanism will be introduced.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the docking mechanism includes an upper plate 1, a lower plate 2, and a dragging device 3. Combined with... Figures 3 to 6The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are provided with several docking modules for connection. The upper plate 1 is installed at the bottom of the incubator body, and the lower plate 2 is fixedly set inside the honeycomb frame. The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 can be detached or slidably docked. The upper plate 1 has several wheels 11 on one side and several rollers 12 on the opposite side. The lower plate 2 has guide rails 21 that slide with the wheels. The docking modules are sealed, therefore, the docking accuracy requirement is high. If both sides are configured with wheels 11 + guide rails 21, the installation positions of the guide rails 21 on both sides must have high positional accuracy with the docking modules, which would increase manufacturing costs. In this embodiment, a solution of wheels 11 + guide rails 21 on one side and rollers (without guide rails, rolling directly on the lower plate 2) is adopted. Only the installation positional accuracy of the guide rails 21 on one side needs to be ensured, reducing costs. Combined with the dragging device 3, the incubator can quickly, accurately, and smoothly enter and exit the honeycomb frame.

[0047] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6 The dragging device 3 includes a power component, a telescopic component, and a toggle component 18. The power component provides driving force to the telescopic component. The power component and the telescopic component are installed on the lower plate 2. The toggle component 18 is fixedly installed on the upper plate 1. The extended end of the telescopic component can engage or disengage from the toggle component 18. When the extended end of the telescopic component engages the toggle component 18, the telescopic component moves to drive the upper plate 1 to slide and connect with the lower plate 2.

[0048] Specifically, the telescopic component is a telescopic cylinder or a lead screw and nut assembly. In this embodiment, a lead screw and nut assembly is preferred, and a stepper motor is used as the power component. Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The stepper motor is mounted on the lower plate 2. The nut in the lead screw nut assembly is mounted on the nut seat 31 and cooperates with the lead screw (i.e., the nut + nut seat 31 in the lead screw nut assembly constitutes the "extended end of the telescopic component"). The nut seat 31 is mounted on the slide block of the slide rail assembly 34. The slide rail assembly 34 uses a conventional commercially available product, and its slide rail is mounted on the lower plate 2 for support and guidance of the nut seat 31. Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 10 As shown, a stop bar 35 is installed at the front end of the nut seat 3. The front end of the stop bar 35 has a conical head (mushroom head). A slidable sleeve 36 is elastically fitted on the stop bar 35. The actuating assembly 18 can actuate the sleeve 36 to slide on the stop bar 35, in conjunction with... Figure 10 The sliding sleeve 36 has a spring at its tail end, which is sleeved on the stop lever 35 and is in a compressed state (for ease of showing the positional relationship between the sliding sleeve 36, the stop lever 35 and the actuating assembly 18, the spring is only installed on the end of the sleeve 36). Figure 10As shown in state a (it should be understood that although not shown in the other attached figures, the spring is actually installed in all of them and in a conventional installation manner), the front end of the sliding sleeve 36 has an inverted conical platform. The top diameter of the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36 is slightly larger than the bottom diameter of the conical head of the stop lever 35 to match the actuating assembly 18. The top diameter of the inverted conical platform on the sliding sleeve 36 is larger than the diameter of its sleeve body, and the bottom diameter of the conical head of the stop lever 35 is larger than the diameter of its lever body. In the non-working state, the sliding sleeve 36 is pressed by the spring so that the top of the inverted conical platform is in contact with the bottom of the conical head of the stop lever 35. Reference Figure 10 The stepper motor drives the lead screw and nut to move, which in turn moves the nut seat 31. The stop lever 35 and the sliding sleeve 36 cooperate with the actuating assembly 18 to stably, quickly, and accurately drag the upper plate 1 to the docking position. The incubator on the upper plate 1 will not shake, thus ensuring uniform cell culture. After cell culture is completed, refer to... Figure 12 The dragging device 3 then detaches the upper plate 1 from the lower plate 2, and the upper plate 1 can be pulled out of the honeycomb frame by external force.

[0049] Combination Figure 7 The actuating assembly 18 includes a mounting base 181, a toggle block 182, and a limiting plate 183. The toggle block 182 is elastically slidably mounted on the mounting base 181 (in existing conventional mounting structures, a spring can be placed between the two), and the limiting plate 183 is fixedly mounted on the actuating assembly 18. Figures 10 to 12 In its natural state, the lever 182 is extended to the left by elastic support. When the head of the lever 182 is pressed, it will move to the right. The lever 182 and the limiting plate 183 cooperate with the stop rod 35 and the sliding sleeve 36 to realize the alignment or disengagement of the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2. The front side of the head of the lever 182 is set as a plane and the rear side is set as a slope to cooperate with the conical head of the stop rod 35 and the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36.

[0050] The docking module includes a pneumatic docking module, an electrical docking module (electrical docking plug 14, electrical docking socket 24), and a communication docking module (communication docking plug 16, communication docking socket 26), all of which are commercially available products. The pneumatic docking module has been modified in structure. It includes a pneumatic docking plug 15 mounted on the upper plate 1 and a pneumatic docking socket 25 mounted on the lower plate 2. In addition to the commonly used O-ring seal, a spring-loaded sealing ring is added to the connection point between the pneumatic plug 15 and the pneumatic socket 25 to improve the sealing performance and prevent leakage. In this embodiment, the modification to the pneumatic docking module is that the pneumatic plug 15 has a push rod 152, and a pneumatic on / off valve 4 is installed on the air supply line connecting to the pneumatic docking module. The pneumatic on / off valve 4 has a resiliently extendable valve core, such as… Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, when the gas connection plug 15 is connected to the gas connection socket 25, the push rod 152 opens the valve core of the gas on / off valve 4 to allow air in. That is, when the incubator is installed in the honeycomb frame and the upper plate 1 is connected to the lower plate 2, the gas supply line supplies gas to the incubator. When the incubator is removed, the valve core of the gas on / off valve 4 closes under the spring force to disconnect the gas. If the solenoid valve on the gas supply line is damaged, the gas on / off valve 4 will be in the closed state, thus preventing gas waste. The gas on / off valve 4 is a conventional one-way valve; however, in this embodiment, the conventional one-way valve is installed "reverse" (not opened by gas pressure) to cooperate with the gas connection module as a valve for gas on / off control.

[0051] The honeycomb cell culture docking mechanism of this embodiment also includes a locking device. When the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are docked, the locking device can lock or release the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2. The locking device is an electromagnetic lock 27, combined with... Figures 3 to 6 The electromagnetic lock 27 is telescopic and is installed on the lower plate 2. The upper plate 1 is provided with a slot 17 that matches the electromagnetic lock 27.

[0052] To improve the automation level of the docking mechanism in this embodiment, a switch sensor I is provided between the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2, a switch sensor II is provided on the air path docking module, and a switch sensor III is provided between the extended end of the telescopic component, i.e., the nut seat 31, and the lower plate 2.

[0053] The switch sensor I includes a photoelectric switch I13 mounted on the upper plate 1 and a sensing element I23 mounted on the lower plate 2. It is used to detect the sliding position of the upper plate 1 relative to the lower plate 2 when it enters the lower plate. When the switch sensor I detects that the upper plate 1 has reached a set position, it feeds a signal back to the dragging device 3 to initiate a dragging action. Figure 10 When the power component is activated, the telescopic component moves in conjunction with the toggle component 18, causing the upper plate 1 to slide to the docking position.

[0054] The switch sensor II includes a sensing element II 151 mounted on the pneumatic connection plug 15 and a photoelectric switch II 251 mounted on the pneumatic connection socket 25, used to detect the alignment of the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2. Figure 11 Once the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are aligned, feedback is sent to the dragging device 3 to stop the dragging action, and at the same time, feedback is sent to the locking device to lock the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2.

[0055] The switch sensor III includes a sensing plate III32 mounted on a nut seat and a photoelectric switch III33 mounted on the lower plate 2, used to detect the initial position of the dragging device 3, combined with Figures 10 to 12When the switch sensor III detects that the extended end of the telescopic component has returned to the set initial position, it sends a feedback signal to the dragging device 3 to stop it. In this embodiment, the dragging device 3 uses a stepper motor as its power source, which can easily achieve automatic reset and facilitate control.

[0056] Figures 10 to 12 In the diagram, red single-dotted lines and blue double-dotted lines are used to mark the initial position of the dragging device 3, where, at the initial position (e.g., Figure 10 state a in Figure 11 In the f state, the red single-dot line aligns with the front end of the stop bar 35, and the blue double-dot line aligns with the switch sensor III. In this embodiment, the installation, use, and electrical control principles of the various switch sensors, stepper motors, and other electrical components are all based on conventional technology.

[0057] The docking mechanism in this embodiment enables the incubator to enter and exit the honeycomb frame as follows:

[0058] Step S1.1) The upper plate 1 slides to the set position of the honeycomb frame (i.e., the lower plate 2) under the action of external force.

[0059] The incubator with the upper plate 1 is transported to the honeycomb system using a transfer trolley. The wheels 11 are aligned with the guide rails 21, and the incubator is pushed backward into the corresponding honeycomb frame. This pushing is typically achieved manually by applying external force. Figure 10 In state a, the nut seat 31, stop bar 35 and sliding sleeve 36 of the towing device 3 are all in the initial position, and the toggle block 182 of the toggle assembly 18 is also in the initial position and has not yet cooperated with the towing device 3.

[0060] The external force continues to push the upper plate 1 (i.e., the incubator; for ease of understanding the working process of this docking mechanism in conjunction with the attached drawings, the sliding of the incubator will not be described in the following description, but the upper plate 1 will be described directly) backward, that is, the actuating component 18 continues to move backward until the rear side (sloping surface) of the actuating block 182 reaches the conical head of the stop lever 35. The inclination of the rear side of the actuating block 182 can be set to match the taper of the conical head of the stop lever 35.

[0061] At this point, the external force continues to push the incubator backward. Since the stop lever 35 is in a fixed state, the lever 182 is elastically mounted on the mounting base 181. (Refer to...) Figure 10 In state b, as the lever 182 moves backward, it is also "pushed" to the right by the conical head of the stop lever 35. At the same time, the rear side of the lever 182 contacts the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36 and "pushes" it backward until... Figure 10In state c: the toggle block 182 completely passes over the conical head of the stop lever 35 and is locked between the conical head of the stop lever 35 and the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36, with the head end of the toggle block 182 pressing against the rod body of the stop lever 35 (the rear side of the toggle block 182 still maintains contact with the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36). The upper plate 1 slides to the set position, which activates the switch sensor I. Specifically, the photoelectric switch I13 of the upper plate 1 detects the signal of the sensing plate I of the lower plate 2 and sends feedback through the electrical control system to cause the dragging device 3 to start dragging backward. Since the toggle block 182 is elastically slidably mounted on the mounting base 181, the toggle block assembly 18 reaches... Figure 10 In the middle c state, the lever 182, under the action of the spring, will "pass" over the conical head of the stop lever 35 and move to the left, making a clicking sound. The operator will receive feedback from the movement and sound of the lever 182 and will stop pushing the upper plate 1. Even if the operator does not hear the clicking sound and continues to push the upper plate 1, they will feel obvious resistance from the slide rail 36 to the lever 182 and will not be able to push it. Then the operator will know that the upper plate 1 has slid to the set position.

[0062] Step S1.2) The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 slide and connect. The dragging device 3 smoothly drags the upper plate 1 and connects it with the lower plate 2.

[0063] refer to Figure 10 In state d, the dragging device 3 pulls the upper plate 1 backward. The screw and nut assembly drives the nut seat 31 to move backward, and the stop rod 35, which is fixed on the nut seat 31, also moves backward, thereby dragging the toggle block 182 backward. This achieves the goal of dragging the upper plate 1 backward until it docks with the lower plate 2, and all docking modules complete the docking. At this time, the switch sensor II functions. Specifically, the photoelectric switch II 251 of the gas path docking socket 25 detects the signal of the sensing piece II 151 of the gas path docking plug 15. The electrical control system feeds back the signal to stop the dragging device 3 from dragging backward. Then, the stepper motor of the dragging device 3 will automatically reset (see step S1.3). At the same time, the electrical control system feeds back the signal to lock the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2. After the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are docked, the honeycomb system can be started for cell culture.

[0064] Step S1.3) Sliding docking of upper plate 1 and lower plate 2: The dragging device 3 is reset to its initial position.

[0065] refer to Figure 11The power component of the dragging device 3 is reversed, i.e., the stepper motor reverses, as in state e. This causes the nut seat 3, the stop bar 35, and the sliding sleeve 36 to move forward. Since the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are locked by the locking device after docking, i.e., the position of the mounting base 181 is fixed (in another embodiment, if no locking device is provided, the upper plate 1 can be manually fixed by force, and then released after this step is completed), the top edge of the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36 "squeezes" the lever 182, causing it to move to the right until the head of the lever 182 "passes" the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36. Then, under the action of elasticity, the lever 182 will move to the left so that its head abuts against the sleeve of the sliding sleeve 36. The nut seat 3 continues to move forward until the switch sensor III is activated, i.e., the photoelectric switch III 33 detects the signal of the sensing plate III 32. The electrical control system feeds back the signal to stop the dragging device 3, i.e., in state f, the dragging device 3 resets to its initial position.

[0066] Step S2.1) The dragging device 3 smoothly drags the upper plate 1 away from the lower plate 2.

[0067] When it is necessary to remove the upper plate 1 (i.e., remove the incubator), refer to... Figure 12 The electrical control system causes the dragging device 3 to drag the upper plate 1 forward, and the locking device to unlock the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 (at this time, the docking modules of the two are still in the docking state). Specifically, the nut seat 31, the stop bar 35, and the sliding sleeve 36 all move forward until the nut seat 31 hits the limit plate 183, i.e., state g. At this time, the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are still in the docking state. The nut seat 31 continues to move forward, which pushes the limit plate 183 to move forward as well, so that the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are separated, i.e., the docking modules of the two are separated. At this time, the photoelectric switch II 251 detects the departure signal of the sensing plate II 151, and the electrical control system feeds back to stop the dragging action of the dragging device 3.

[0068] Step S2.2) The upper plate 1 is pulled out of the honeycomb frame (i.e., the lower plate 2) under the action of external force.

[0069] After the upper plate 1 detaches from the lower plate 2, the dragging device 3 also stops and automatically resets to its initial position (see step S2.3 for details). An external force pulls the upper plate 1 forward. Figure 12 In state h, the actuating component 18 moves forward, and the head of the actuating block 182 moves forward along the sleeve of the sliding sleeve 36 until it reaches the bottom of the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36. As the external force continues to pull the upper plate 1 forward, the head of the actuating block 182 continues to move forward and to the right along the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve 36, as in state i, until it "passes" the sliding sleeve 36. As the external force continues to pull the upper plate 1 forward, the actuating block 182 moves forward and to the left. After "passing" the conical head of the stop lever 35, the head of the actuating block 182 extends to the far left, as in state i. Figure 10 In state a; the external force continues to pull the upper plate 1 forward until it is completely separated from the lower plate 2, and the entire incubator is pulled out of the honeycomb frame.

[0070] Step S2.3) The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are disengaged. The dragging device 3 is then reset to its initial position.

[0071] Similar to the reset process in step S1.3), the dragging device 3 drives the nut seat 31 to move backward to the initial position. After the switch sensor III detects the signal, it stops the dragging device 3. Figure 10 The position of the dragging device 3 displayed in state a is the initial position.

[0072] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several changes or improvements can be made to the docking mechanism without departing from the principles of this application, and these changes or improvements should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application. For example, in another embodiment, the installation positions of some components are adaptably adjustable. The electromagnetic lock 27 can be installed on the upper plate 1, and a slot 17 is correspondingly opened on the lower plate 2. Also, the installation positions of each docking plug and its matching docking socket can be interchanged, such as the docking plug being installed on the lower plate 2 and the docking socket being installed on the upper plate 1. Also, the installation positions of the sensing plate and its corresponding matching photoelectric switch can be interchanged, such as the sensing plate I 23 being installed on the upper plate 1 and the corresponding photoelectric switch I being installed on the lower plate 2. Also, the installation positions of the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 relative to the incubator can be changed, such as the upper plate 1 being installed on the top of the incubator and the corresponding lower plate 2 being installed on the top of the honeycomb frame, i.e., the entire docking mechanism is located on the top of the incubator, or the upper plate 1 is fixed and the lower plate 2 is installed on the bottom of the incubator, i.e., the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 are used in reverse. These are all routine variations and should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture, characterized in that: It includes an upper plate (1), a lower plate (2) and a dragging device (3). A number of docking modules are provided between the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2). The lower plate (2) is fixedly installed. The upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) can be detached or slidably docked together. The dragging device (3) includes a power component, a telescopic component and a toggle component (18). The power component is used to provide driving force for the telescopic component. The power component and the telescopic component are installed on the lower plate (2). The toggle component (18) is installed on the upper plate (1). The extended end of the telescopic component can lock and drag the toggle component (18) or can disengage from the toggle component (18). When the extended end of the telescopic component locks the toggle component (18), the telescopic component can move the upper plate (1) relative to the lower plate (2). The extended end of the telescopic component is provided with a stop bar (35) and a sliding sleeve (36). The sliding sleeve (36) is elastically slidably fitted on the stop bar (35). The front end of the stop bar (35) is provided with a conical head, and the front end of the sliding sleeve (36) is provided with an inverted conical platform. In the non-working state, the sliding sleeve (36) is elastically held so that the top of the inverted conical platform is in contact with the bottom of the conical head of the stop bar (35). The actuating component (18) can actuate the sliding sleeve (36) to slide on the stop bar (35). The actuating assembly (18) includes a mounting base (181), a toggle block (182), and a limiting plate (183). The toggle block (182) is elastically slidably mounted on the mounting base (181), and the limiting plate (183) is fixedly mounted on the actuating assembly (18) to cooperate with the telescopic assembly. The front side of the head end of the toggle block (182) is set as a plane, and the rear side is set as an inclined surface to cooperate with the conical head of the stop bar (35) and the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve (36).

2. The docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a locking device, which can lock or release the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) after the upper plate (1) is connected.

3. The docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The docking module includes a gas connection module, which includes a gas connection plug (15) installed on the upper plate (1) and a gas connection socket (25) installed on the lower plate (2). The gas connection plug (15) is provided with a push rod (152). A gas on / off valve (4) is provided on the gas supply pipeline connected to the gas connection module. When the gas connection plug (15) is connected to the gas connection socket (25), the push rod (152) opens the valve core of the gas on / off valve (4) to allow gas to flow.

4. The docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper plate (1) is provided with several walking wheels (11) on one side and several rollers (12) on the opposite side. The lower plate (2) is provided with a guide rail (21) for sliding cooperation with the walking wheels.

5. The docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A switch sensor I is provided between the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2). The switch sensor I is used to detect the sliding position of the upper plate (1) relative to the lower plate (2). When the switch sensor I detects a signal, it feeds back to the dragging device (3) so that the telescopic component can perform a dragging action. The air path docking module is equipped with a switch sensor II, which is used to detect the docking of the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2). When the switch sensor II detects the signal, it feeds back to the dragging device (3) so that the telescopic component stops dragging. A switch sensor III is provided between the extended end of the telescopic component and the lower plate (2). When the switch sensor III detects that the extended end of the telescopic component is in the initial position, it feeds back to the dragging device (3) so that the telescopic component stops moving.

6. A method of using the docking mechanism for honeycomb cell culture as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1.1) The upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) slide and connect. The upper plate (1) slides to the set position of the honeycomb frame under the action of external force: push the upper plate (1) backward to the corresponding lower plate (2), and move the toggle component (18) until the toggle block (182) is stuck between the cone head of the stop bar (35) and the inverted cone platform of the sliding sleeve (36). The switch sensor I feeds back to the dragging device (3) to start the backward dragging action. Step S1.2) The dragging device (3) drags the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) to dock: The dragging device (3) drags the upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) to dock: The dragging device (3) drags the upper plate (1) backward, and the extended end of the telescopic component moves backward, so that the stop bar (35) drags the toggle block (182) backward until the upper plate (1) moves backward until it docks with the lower plate (2). The switch sensor II feeds back to the dragging device (3) to stop the backward dragging action. Then the dragging device (3) executes step S1.3). Step S1.3) Sliding docking of upper plate (1) and lower plate (2) to move forward: dragging device (3) moves the extended end of telescopic component forward. After the head of the lever (182) gradually "passes" the inverted conical platform of the sliding sleeve (36), the head of the lever (182) presses against the sleeve of the sliding sleeve (36) until the switch sensor III feedback causes the dragging device (3) to stop moving and the dragging device (3) to return to the initial position. Step S2.1) The dragging device (3) drags the upper plate (1) forward to separate it from the lower plate (2): The dragging device (3) drags the upper plate (1) forward, and the extended end of the telescopic component moves forward until it hits the limiting plate (183). The extended end of the telescopic component continues to move forward, which pushes the limiting plate (183) forward as well, so that the upper plate (1) separates from the lower plate (2). The feedback of the switch sensor II causes the dragging device (3) to stop the forward dragging action. Then the dragging device (3) executes step S2.3). Step S2.2) The upper plate (1) is pulled out of the honeycomb frame under the action of external force: the external force pulls the upper plate (1) forward, the actuating component (18) moves forward, the head of the actuating block (182) gradually "passes over" the sliding sleeve (36), and the external force continues to pull the upper plate (1) forward until it is completely separated from the lower plate (2); Step S2.3) The upper plate (1) and the lower plate (2) are separated. The dragging device (3) is reset to the initial position: The dragging device (3) moves the extended end of the telescopic component backward until the switch sensor III acts as feedback to stop the dragging device (3) from moving and the dragging device (3) is reset to the initial position.

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