Reagent oscillating and mixing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a reagent oscillation uniform mixing device which comprises a rack, a buffer pad, a uniform mixing disc with container limiting holes and a vertical flexible supporting piece, the oscillation motor is fixed in the center of the cushion through a motor frame, and an output shaft of the oscillation motor is connected with an eccentric sleeve which is connected with a driving hole in the center of the blending disc through a bearing; and the elastic deformation of the flexible supporting piece is matched with the rotation of the eccentric sleeve to drive the uniform mixing disc to generate oscillation motion. The design thought of replacing rigid constraint with elastic deformation is adopted, the manufacturing and using cost of the reagent oscillation and uniform mixing device is remarkably reduced while the structure is simplified, the reliability is improved and the function is expanded, and the defects that an existing device is high in complexity, high in precision dependence and prone to clamping stagnation are overcome.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of experimental equipment, and in particular to a reagent oscillation and mixing device. Background Art

[0002] Reagent mixing devices are essential equipment in modern laboratories. Their core function is to achieve rapid, thorough, and uniform mixing of liquid reagents within containers by applying specific mechanical motions (such as vibration, rotation, oscillation, or magnetic stirring). This uniform mixing state is crucial for ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of experimental results in a wide range of fields, including chemical analysis, biological testing, drug development, and environmental monitoring. Therefore, efficient, stable, and cost-effective mixing technologies have long been a persistent goal in scientific research and industrial testing.

[0003] The current mainstream mixing devices mainly adopt the following technical routes: ① Mechanical vibration: A motor drives an eccentric block to generate vibrations, which in turn drives the reagent tray or holder in a reciprocating or vortexing motion. This method is relatively simple in structure, but may have limited mixing effectiveness at the bottom of certain container shapes (such as long, narrow tubes).

[0004] ② Rotary: The tray or fixture is driven in a circular motion, relying on centrifugal force to achieve mixing. This is suitable for mixing larger volumes, but may create a risk of stratification and requires a high degree of container fixation.

[0005] ③ Magnetic stirring: A magnetic stirrer is placed at the bottom of the container, driven by a rotating magnet underneath. This method is suitable for open containers and situations requiring gentle stirring, but it has requirements for the container material (which must be magnetically permeable) and the bottom flatness. It is not suitable for closed containers or high-viscosity liquids.

[0006] ④ Oscillation / shaking type: Combining the characteristics of vibration and rotation, the tray or container swings in a circular or reciprocating manner on the horizontal plane, forming a more complex fluid movement path, which usually provides better mixing effect and is especially suitable for test tubes and microplates of various specifications.

[0007] To enhance mixing performance, particularly in oscillation / shaking modes, some advanced designs employ multi-axis drives or complex transmission mechanisms to produce a more ideal composite motion trajectory. For example, the applicant's previously filed patent application (Application Number: 202423227868.3, Application Date: December 26, 2024) seeks protection for a reagent mixing oscillation and rotation device. This device utilizes a core structure driven by an active / passive dual eccentric shaft. Specifically, the active shaft rotates via a motor, driving the connected eccentric mechanism; the passive shaft is driven by the active shaft through mechanical coupling. This design intends to utilize the synergistic action of the dual eccentric shafts to drive the mixing plate carrying the reagents to perform the desired composite oscillation and rotation motion. To maintain system balance and motion stability, this solution also requires a universal ball bearing support structure.

[0008] However, the prior art solution represented by this prior patent has the following significant defects and limitations: ① This design relies on a driving shaft and at least one driven shaft (usually meaning at least two eccentric shafts), corresponding bearing supports, a transmission mechanism (such as gears or belts), and a complex universal ball balancing system. This multi-axis, multi-support structure inevitably leads to a large number of parts, high structural redundancy, and structural complexity.

[0009] The core issue with this solution lies in the stringency of its kinematic constraints. The motion of the mixing disk is constrained by both the active and passive shafts. Each eccentric shaft, through its bearing, imposes precise geometric positional requirements on the mixing disk. However, due to inevitable errors in the actual manufacturing and assembly processes (such as coaxiality, parallelism, eccentricity consistency, and phase angle deviation), and due to minor deformations during operation caused by factors such as load fluctuations, inertia, and thermal deformation, geometric constraint conflicts are very likely to occur. In other words, at a certain moment, the mixing disk cannot simultaneously and precisely meet the spatial requirements of all eccentric shafts, resulting in the risk of "dead spots" or "stuckness." This conflict becomes particularly severe at specific locations. For example, when the eccentric mass of the passive shaft is in a position where it must overcome maximum static friction or require significant acceleration, the active shaft faces a significant instantaneous torque demand to force the entire system past this conflict point. The direct consequences include the need for extremely high starting torque or transient overload capacity; significant speed fluctuations, abnormal vibration, and even brief pauses during operation; and accelerated wear and aging of the motor and transmission components.

[0010] ③ High machining and maintenance costs: To minimize the risk of jamming caused by the aforementioned geometric constraint conflicts, this solution requires extremely high manufacturing and assembly precision for key components (e.g., coaxiality, parallelism, eccentricity tolerance, phase angle accuracy, etc.). High-precision machining not only increases manufacturing costs but also increases assembly difficulty and time. Furthermore, the complex structure also means increased maintenance costs.

[0011] ④ Key component wear and reliability risks: This design places the eccentric shaft, its supporting bearings, universal ball joints, and other components under constant, complex alternating loads and friction. Especially when geometric constraints conflict or load imbalances occur, localized stresses increase significantly, exacerbating the risk of wear, fatigue, and even failure of these moving parts. This not only shortens the equipment's service life but also increases the failure rate and maintenance frequency, impacting its long-term reliability and stability.

[0012] In summary, while existing dual-eccentric shaft-driven, universal ball-driven mixing and oscillating rotary devices are designed to provide excellent mixing results, their inherent structural complexity, reliance on ultra-high precision, potential "dead spots" / stuck risks, and the resulting high costs and wear characteristics severely restrict their widespread application in laboratories seeking high cost-effectiveness, high reliability, and low maintenance requirements. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a technical solution for a reagent mixing device with a simpler structure, more reasonable motion constraints, greater tolerance to manufacturing and assembly errors, smoother and more reliable operation, and lower maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0013] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior designs, the present invention provides a reagent oscillation and mixing device.

[0014] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A reagent oscillation and mixing device, comprising: a frame; a buffer pad, horizontally installed on the top of the frame; a mixing disk, arranged above the buffer pad, with a plurality of container limiting holes on its upper surface and a drive hole in the center; a flexible support member, vertically supported between the buffer pad and the mixing disk; a motor frame, fixed to the central area of ​​the buffer pad; an oscillation motor, installed on the motor frame; an eccentric sleeve, fixed to the output shaft of the oscillation motor, and connected to the drive hole through a bearing; wherein the elastic deformation of the flexible support member cooperates with the rotational motion of the eccentric sleeve to drive the mixing disk to produce an oscillating motion.

[0015] Preferably, the flexible support member includes a plurality of support rods distributed circumferentially along the edge of the mixing disk.

[0016] Preferably, the plurality of support rods are divided into three groups of support units, the three groups of support units are arranged in a herringbone shape, and each group of support units includes three support rods arranged at equal intervals.

[0017] Preferably, the upper and lower ends of the support rod of each group of the support units are respectively connected to the upper annular gasket and the lower annular gasket, and the support rod, the upper annular gasket and the lower annular gasket are integrally formed; the upper annular gasket is fixed to the bottom surface of the mixing plate, and the lower annular gasket is fixed to the top surface of the buffer pad.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes: an annular heating plate, which is attached to the bottom of the mixing plate and is electrically connected to the temperature control switch; a cover plate, which is fixedly installed on the bottom surface of the mixing plate and covers the heating plate; and a temperature sensor, whose probe extends to the circumferential edge of the mixing plate.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes: a slewing bearing, horizontally fixed on the frame; a driven gear, fixed to the upper surface of the slewing bearing and fixedly connected to the bottom of the buffer pad; an adjustment motor, fixed to the frame; a driving gear, installed on the output shaft of the adjustment motor and meshing with the driven gear.

[0020] Preferably, it also includes: an origin sensing block fixed to the edge of the buffer pad; a photoelectric switch installed on the frame and corresponding to the position of the origin sensing block; wherein the photoelectric switch is configured to detect the position of the origin sensing block and send a reset signal to the adjustment motor.

[0021] Preferably, the eccentric sleeve is provided with an axial step and a retaining ring groove, the bearing is a rolling bearing, and its inner ring is axially fixed by the step and the retaining ring; the eccentric sleeve is radially provided with a bolt hole, which is connected to the plane or keyway on the output shaft of the oscillation motor through a fastener.

[0022] Preferably, the bottom of the frame is provided with height-adjustable legs.

[0023] Preferably, the buffer pad and the flexible support member are both made of polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of HA60-90.

[0024] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Structure and Cost: The core structure adopts a single oscillation motor to drive the eccentric sleeve with a flexible support, completely replacing the complex double eccentric shaft transmission system and universal ball balance structure in the existing technology. This reduces the number of parts, significantly reduces processing costs and assembly complexity, and greatly reduces the difficulty of equipment maintenance and long-term use costs. 2. Risk of motion dead point: The elastic deformation of the flexible support adaptively compensates the rotation trajectory of the eccentric sleeve, fundamentally avoiding the geometric conflict problem caused by multi-axis rigid constraints. The device does not get stuck during start-up, shutdown, or continuous operation, reducing starting torque, improving operational stability, and significantly increasing tolerance for component processing and assembly tolerances. 3. Reliability and lifespan: Containing only a single moving pair of eccentric sleeve and bearing, a streamlined transmission chain design is formed. Combined with the elastic buffer system, the alternating stress on key moving parts such as bearings and motor shafts is reduced, rigid collision wear is eliminated, the continuous operation life of the equipment is extended, and the failure rate is reduced; 4. Integrated temperature control and mixing: The annular heating element integrated at the bottom of the mixing plate is combined with a temperature control circuit to achieve simultaneous oscillation mixing and temperature control, meeting the needs of temperature-sensitive experiments such as biochemical reactions; 5. Intelligent station management: The slewing bearing and the adjustment motor drive the overall rotation of the buffer pad, combined with the photoelectric switch origin positioning, to achieve precise angle adjustment and resetting of the multi-station reagent tray, improving the convenience of operation and the degree of automation; 6. Engineering-Friendliness: The support rod and annular gasket are integrally molded to ensure consistent vibration reduction and easy assembly; the adjustable leg structure is compatible with different work surface heights; the buffer pad and flexible support are made of polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of HA60-90, providing sufficient elastic deformation capacity while taking into account mechanical durability and anti-fatigue properties. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the installation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a flexible support member in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the installation of the oscillating motor, eccentric sleeve and bearing in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] 1- rack; 2- cushion; 3-mixing plate, 3.1-container limiting hole, 3.2-driving hole; 4-flexible support, 4.1-support rod, 4.2-upper annular gasket, 4.3-lower annular gasket; 5-motor frame; 6-Oscillating motor; 7-eccentric sleeve, 7.1-axial step, 7.2-circlip groove, 7.3-bolt hole; 8-bearing; 9-heating sheet; 10-Temperature control switch; 11-cover plate; 12- Temperature sensor; 13-slewing bearing; 14-driven gear; 15- Adjust the motor; 16- driving gear; 17-Origin sensing block; 18-photoelectric switch; 19-circlip; 20- fasteners; 21- Legs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the embodiments and drawings.

[0031] In the embodiment, Figure 1-Figure 4 The figure shows a reagent oscillation and mixing device, comprising: a frame 1; a buffer pad 2, horizontally mounted on the top of the frame 1; a mixing disk 3, arranged above the buffer pad 2, with a plurality of container limit holes 3.1 on its upper surface and a drive hole 3.2 in the center; a flexible support member 4, vertically supported between the buffer pad 2 and the mixing disk 3; a motor frame 5, fixed to the central area of ​​the buffer pad 2; an oscillation motor 6, mounted on the motor frame 5; an eccentric sleeve 7, fixed to the output shaft of the oscillation motor 6, and connected to the drive hole 3.2 through a bearing 8; wherein, the elastic deformation of the flexible support member 4 cooperates with the rotational motion of the eccentric sleeve 7 to drive the mixing disk 3 to generate an oscillating motion. This embodiment absorbs high-frequency vibrations through the elastic contact between the buffer pad 2 and the frame 1; the elastic deformation ability of the flexible support 4 is combined with the rotational movement of the eccentric sleeve 7 to make the mixing disk 3 produce a spatial oscillation trajectory with no dead point; the single oscillation motor 6 drive solution replaces the multi-axis transmission system, greatly reducing the number of moving parts and eliminating the risk of geometric constraint conflict; the direct connection between the bearing 8 and the drive hole 3.2 forms a unique moving pair, reducing the complexity of the transmission chain.

[0032] In the embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, the flexible support member 4 comprises a plurality of support rods 4.1 distributed circumferentially along the edge of the mixing disk 3. These circumferentially distributed support rods 4.1 form an elastic support network, imparting uniform elastic restoring force to the edge of the mixing disk 3. The axial rigidity of the support rods 4.1 constrains the vertical displacement of the mixing disk 3, while the radial flexibility allows for horizontal oscillation. Furthermore, the discrete layout prevents resonance of the overall structure.

[0033] In the embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, the support rods 4.1 are organized into three groups of support units, arranged in a herringbone pattern. Each group contains three equally spaced support rods 4.1. These three herringbone-shaped groups form a stable triangular support area, with each group of three support rods 4.1 forming a locally rigid unit. When subjected to asymmetric loads driven by the eccentric sleeve 7, the herringbone-shaped layout provides an anti-overturning moment, ensuring that the mixing disk 3 maintains an oscillation inclination angle of ≤2°.

[0034] In the embodiment, Figure 3As shown, the upper and lower ends of the support rod 4.1 of each support unit are connected to an upper annular gasket 4.2 and a lower annular gasket 4.3, respectively. The support rod 4.1, upper annular gasket 4.2, and lower annular gasket 4.3 are integrally formed. The upper annular gasket 4.2 is fixed to the bottom surface of the mixing disk 3, and the lower annular gasket 4.3 is fixed to the top surface of the buffer pad 2. The integral formation of the support rod 4.1, upper annular gasket 4.2, and lower annular gasket 4.3 eliminates gaps in the connection and prevents stress concentration. The upper annular gasket 4.2 increases the contact area with the mixing disk 3, reducing local pressure. The lower annular gasket 4.3 prevents excessive compression deformation of the surface of the buffer pad 2.

[0035] In the embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, it also includes: an annular heating plate 9, which is attached to the bottom of the mixing plate 3 and is electrically connected to the temperature control switch 10; a cover plate 11, which is fixedly installed on the bottom surface of the mixing plate 3 and covers the heating plate 9; a temperature sensor 12, whose probe extends to the circumferential edge of the mixing plate 3. The annular heating plate 9 integrated in the bottom of the mixing plate 3 adopts a silicone rubber heating plate, which is matched with a temperature control circuit to achieve simultaneous oscillation mixing and temperature control, meeting the needs of temperature-sensitive experiments such as biochemical reactions. The heating plate 9 is attached to the bottom of the mixing plate 3 to maximize the heat conduction efficiency; the cover plate 11 forms a closed heat chamber to reduce heat loss; the temperature sensor 12 monitors the circumferential edge temperature, and cooperates with the temperature control switch 10 to achieve a temperature control accuracy of ±0.5°C, meeting the constant temperature oscillation requirements.

[0036] In the embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, it also includes: a slewing bearing 13, horizontally fixed on the frame 1; a driven gear 14, fixed to the upper surface of the slewing bearing 13 and fixedly connected to the bottom of the buffer pad 2; an adjustment motor 15, fixed to the frame 1; a driving gear 16, mounted on the output shaft of the adjustment motor 15 and meshing with the driven gear 14; an origin sensing block 17, fixed to the edge of the buffer pad 2; a photoelectric switch 18, mounted on the frame 1 and corresponding to the position of the origin sensing block 17; wherein the photoelectric switch 18 is configured to detect the position of the origin sensing block 17 and send a reset signal to the adjustment motor 15. The slewing bearing 13 carries the buffer pad 2 to rotate as a whole, so that the mixing disk 3 can achieve 360° station switching; the slewing bearing 13 and the adjustment motor 15 drive the buffer pad to rotate as a whole, and cooperate with the photoelectric switch to locate the origin, so as to achieve precise angle adjustment and reset of the multi-station reagent disk, thereby improving the convenience of operation and the degree of automation. On the other hand, when the adjustment motor 15 drives the buffer pad 2 to rotate, the wires of the oscillation motor 6 and the heating plate 9 may be entangled, so it is necessary to supplement the wire management solutions such as slip ring conduction. For details, please refer to the contents recorded in the applicant's prior patent (application number: 202423227868.3, application date: December 26, 2024).

[0037] In the embodiment, Figure 4As shown, the eccentric sleeve 7 also includes an axial step 7.1 and a retaining ring groove 7.2. The bearing 8 is a rolling bearing, and its inner ring is axially fixed by the step 7.1 and retaining ring 19. The eccentric sleeve 7 is radially provided with bolt holes 7.3, which are connected to the flat surface or keyway on the output shaft of the oscillation motor 6 via fasteners 20. The axial step 7.1 and retaining ring 19 form a bidirectional fixed inner ring of the bearing 8 to prevent axial movement under high-speed oscillation. The bolt holes 7.3 and fasteners 20 lock the flat surface of the motor output shaft to ensure stable torque transmission.

[0038] In the embodiment, Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, the bottom of the frame 1 is provided with height-adjustable legs 21. The adjustable legs 21 structure is compatible with the height differences of different work surfaces, compensates for the flatness error of the work surface, and ensures the reliability and safety of the reagent shaking and mixing process.

[0039] In the embodiment, the buffer pad 2 and the flexible support member 4 are both made of polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of HA60-90. 60HA ensures that the deformation recovery rate of the flexible support member 4 is greater than 95%, and 90HA ensures the deformation resistance of the buffer pad 2; the hydrolysis resistance of the material extends the service life in a humid environment.

[0040] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Other obvious changes or modifications derived from the essence of the present invention still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reagent oscillation mixing device, characterized in that: include: Rack (1); A buffer pad (2) is horizontally mounted on the top of the frame (1); A mixing plate (3) is provided above the buffer pad (2), and a plurality of container limiting holes (3.1) are provided on its upper surface, and a driving hole (3.2) is provided in the center; A flexible support member (4) vertically supported between the buffer pad (2) and the mixing plate (3); A motor frame (5) is fixed to the central area of ​​the buffer pad (2); An oscillating motor (6) is mounted on the motor frame (5); An eccentric sleeve (7) is fixed to the output shaft of the oscillating motor (6) and is connected to the driving hole (3.2) via a bearing (8); The elastic deformation of the flexible support member (4) cooperates with the rotational movement of the eccentric sleeve (7) to drive the mixing disk (3) to generate an oscillating movement.

2. The reagent oscillation mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible support member (4) comprises a plurality of support rods (4.1) distributed circumferentially along the edge of the mixing disk (3).

3. The reagent oscillation mixing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plurality of support rods (4.1) are divided into three groups of support units, the three groups of support units are arranged in a herringbone shape, and each group of support units comprises three support rods (4.1) arranged at equal intervals.

4. The reagent oscillation mixing device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The upper and lower ends of the support rods (4.1) of each group of support units are respectively connected to an upper annular gasket (4.2) and a lower annular gasket (4.3); the support rods (4.1), the upper annular gasket (4.2) and the lower annular gasket (4.3) are integrally formed; the upper annular gasket (4.2) is fixed to the bottom surface of the mixing disk (3), and the lower annular gasket (4.3) is fixed to the top surface of the buffer pad (2).

5. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: An annular heating plate (9) is attached to the bottom of the mixing plate (3) and is electrically connected to the temperature control switch (10); A cover plate (11) is fixedly mounted on the bottom surface of the mixing plate (3) and covers the heating plate (9); The temperature sensor (12) has a probe extending to the circumferential edge of the mixing disk (3).

6. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A slewing bearing (13) is horizontally fixed on the frame (1); A driven gear (14) is fixed to the upper surface of the slewing bearing (13) and is fixedly connected to the bottom of the buffer pad (2); An adjustment motor (15) is fixed to the frame (1); A driving gear (16) is mounted on the output shaft of the adjustment motor (15) and meshes with the driven gear (14).

7. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: An origin sensing block (17) is fixed to the edge of the buffer pad (2); A photoelectric switch (18) is mounted on the frame (1) and corresponds to the position of the origin sensing block (17); The photoelectric switch (18) is configured to detect the position of the origin sensing block (17) and send a reset signal to the adjustment motor (15).

8. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The eccentric sleeve (7) is provided with an axial step (7.1) and a retaining ring groove (7.2); the bearing (8) is a rolling bearing, the inner ring of which is axially fixed by the step (7.1) and the retaining ring (19); the eccentric sleeve (7) is radially provided with a bolt hole (7.3), which is connected to the plane or keyway on the output shaft of the oscillation motor (6) through a fastener (20).

9. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the frame (1) is provided with height-adjustable legs (21).

10. The reagent oscillation and mixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer pad (2) and the flexible support member (4) are both made of polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of HA60-90.

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