An automated petri dish rinsing production line and automatic rinsing method

Abstract

This invention discloses an automated petri dish rinsing production line and automatic rinsing method, mainly relating to the field of automated plate culture processing technology. It includes a workbench with adjacent workstations 1 and 2 on its periphery. Each workstation 1 and 2 has a circular opening that penetrates the workbench. A graduated plate is centrally mounted on the workbench, and at least four arc-shaped grooves on its periphery limit the movement of the petri dishes. When the graduated plate is stopped, the arc-shaped grooves correspond to the positions of the circular openings. An upper suction cup is mounted above the circular opening, and a lower suction cup is located inside the circular opening. A rinsing assembly is located beside the circular opening, comprising a connected connector, a serpentine tube, and a nozzle. The connector has a vertically oriented swing stroke. The beneficial effects of this invention are: overcoming current bottlenecks and achieving a fully automated, simplified, consistent, and scalable plate rinsing method, making the acquisition of microbial strains easier to control and quantify.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated processing technology for plate culture, specifically an automated rinsing production line and an automated rinsing method for culture dishes. Background Technology

[0002] Typical bacterial cellulose membrane production strains (such as *Komagataeibacter xylinus* and *Enterobacter* p. FY-07) require initial cultivation on agar plates to form a biofilm, followed by washing with sterile water to serve as a seed culture for bacterial cellulose fermentation. Currently, the plating, culturing, biofilm formation, and elution steps in the agar plate cultivation process are all performed manually. With the increasing application of visual recognition and automated control technologies across various fields, conceptual automated production lines have emerged in clinical testing and large-scale pharmaceutical / food microbiological testing scenarios. However, these new technologies are not suitable for bacterial cellulose cultivation.

[0003] The initial culture stage of bacterial cellulose involves procedures similar to those for other bacterial strains. However, the subsequent "elution" step is crucial and indispensable. After 24-72 hours of bacterial film culture, each petri dish needs to be individually opened and repeatedly rinsed with buffer or sterile water to collect the seed culture. This step is complex and lacks a mature protocol. If done manually, the rinsing angle and duration are difficult to quantify, resulting in a CV value of 15-25% for the same batch of bacterial film activity, directly impacting the yield and quality of subsequent bacterial cellulose fermentation. Furthermore, a 10L fermenter requires 200-300 90mm petri dishes, necessitating 3-4 people working continuously for 6-8 hours, leading to high labor intensity and a high risk of error. As the volume increases, contamination from other microorganisms rises exponentially. Therefore, manual operation suffers from low efficiency, significant batch-to-batch variations, and susceptibility to contamination. Moreover, when the fermentation scale increases from 10L to over 100L, the number of petri dishes needs to increase exponentially, making the existing operating methods a bottleneck restricting the scale of the process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated petri dish rinsing production line and an automated rinsing method. It breaks through the current bottleneck and realizes a fully automated, simplified, consistent, and scalable plate rinsing method, which makes it easier to control and quantify the acquisition of microbial strains.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0006] An automated petri dish rinsing production line includes a workbench with two adjacent workstations (station 1 and station 2) on its periphery. Each workstation has a circular opening that passes through the workbench. A dividing plate is centrally mounted on the workbench, and at least four arc-shaped grooves for limiting the petri dishes are provided around its periphery. When the dividing plate stops, the arc-shaped grooves correspond to the circular openings. An upper suction cup is mounted above the circular opening, and a lower suction cup is located inside the circular opening. A rinsing assembly is located beside the circular opening, and the rinsing assembly includes a connected connector, a serpentine tube, and a nozzle. The connector has a vertical swing stroke.

[0007] A mounting bracket supporting upwards is fixed to the corner of the workbench next to the round opening. A lifting module is mounted on the mounting bracket. The lifting module includes a lifting plate with a Z-axis reciprocating stroke. A vertically extending shaft is rotatably mounted on the lifting plate. The shaft is driven by a stepper motor, and the bottom end of the shaft is connected to a connector so that the connector has a swing stroke.

[0008] The lifting module also includes a vertical plate fixed relative to the mounting frame. A slide rail and a lead screw are installed on the inner side of the lifting plate along the Z direction. A slider that cooperates with the slide rail is provided on the slide rail, and a lead screw that cooperates with the lead screw is provided on the lead screw. Both the lead screw and the slider are fixed on the vertical plate.

[0009] The mounting bracket also has a cover-opening cylinder body fixed on it. The bottom end of the cover-opening cylinder body is fitted with a cover-opening cylinder rod that extends and retracts vertically. The bottom end of the cover-opening cylinder rod is fixed to the upper suction cup.

[0010] Below the circular opening is a hanging bracket fixed relative to the worktable. A sliding seat is fixed at one end of the hanging bracket near the side of the worktable. An arc-shaped frame is slidably fitted on the sliding seat. The arc-shaped frame has an arc structure of not less than 120 degrees. The top of the arc-shaped frame is installed at the bottom of the lower suction cup. An arc-shaped gear ring is provided on the arc-shaped frame. A lower gear driven by a motor is rotatably installed on the hanging bracket. The lower gear meshes with the arc-shaped gear ring.

[0011] The lower suction cup has two stop travel positions based on the arc-shaped sliding of the arc frame: a horizontal position and an inclined position. The suction cup opening of the lower suction cup is in the horizontal position when it is coplanar with the bracket, and in the inclined position when the arc frame slides outward to the point where the suction cup opening of the lower suction cup is inclined downward relative to the vertical surface.

[0012] The arc-shaped frame, based on its arc-shaped sliding, has at least two modes of motion:

[0013] Shaking mode: When executed at station 1, the lower suction cup is in a horizontal position and the arc frame swings within 1-3 degrees;

[0014] Tilting mode: Performed at station 1 and station 2, causing the lower suction cup to switch between horizontal and tilt positions.

[0015] The workbench is also provided with a feeding port on its side. The feeding port corresponds to a certain arc-shaped groove when the indexing plate stops. A feeding trough is connected to the bottom of the feeding port. One end of the top side of the feeding trough is connected to the feeding port. The bottom of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding notch corresponding to the feeding port. A feeding plate is installed between the feeding notch and the feeding port. A semi-circular arc-shaped baffle is provided on the side of the feeding plate away from the feeding port. The feeding plate has a feeding stroke that rises at intervals in cooperation with the indexing plate. The outer end of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding pusher plate with a horizontal stroke along its length.

[0016] The workbench is also provided with a feeding port on its side. The feeding port corresponds to a certain arc-shaped groove when the indexing plate stops. A feeding trough is provided below the feeding port. The middle part of the top side of the feeding trough is connected to the feeding port. The bottom of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding notch corresponding to the feeding port. A feeding plate is installed between the feeding notch and the feeding port. The feeding plate cooperates with the indexing plate to have a feeding stroke with interval descent. One or both ends of the feeding trough are provided with a shifting push plate with a horizontal stroke along its length.

[0017] The shifting pusher is configured as one, and the material trough is provided with a material basket that cooperates with it. The material basket includes several material cylinders arranged and fixed in the same direction. The material cylinders are vertically connected and adopt a straight cylindrical structure. The material cylinders are provided with hollow mesh holes in the height direction. The inner diameter of the material cylinders is adapted to the size of the culture dish.

[0018] The outer side of the circular opening is provided with a hanging groove fixed below the workbench. A liquid collection box is placed in the hanging groove. The top of the liquid collection box is an open structure. A liquid collection pipe extending downward is provided on the side of the liquid collection box away from the workbench. A tank is connected to the bottom of the liquid collection pipe.

[0019] An automated petri dish rinsing method, using an automated petri dish rinsing production line, includes the following steps:

[0020] The culture dish is fed onto the worktable and its flow is constrained by the arc groove of the indexing plate;

[0021] The culture dish enters station 1, the upper suction cup opens the cover of the culture dish, the lower suction cup fixes the culture dish, and the rinsing component injects 5-15mL of sterile water into the culture dish to obtain a first rinsing solution.

[0022] The culture dish enters station 2, the upper suction cup opens the cover of the culture dish, the lower suction cup fixes the culture dish, and the rinsing component injects 10-30mL of sterile water into the culture dish to obtain the secondary rinsing solution, i.e. bacterial suspension.

[0023] The petri dish follows the rotation of the scale plate and leaves the worktable.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0025] The system employs two separate rinsing stations (Station 1 and Station 2) to perform secondary rinsing of the culture dishes. Station 1 performs a primary rinse, removing dead bacteria, free bacteria, extracellular polysaccharide debris, and metabolic inhibitors from the surface of the culture medium. This leaves behind highly active, firmly embedded live bacteria within the cellulose network, thereby increasing the purity and live bacteria ratio of the second bacterial suspension and reducing the risk of contamination of the subsequent fermentation tank by other microorganisms or metabolic inhibitors. The mycelia rinsed off at Station 2 are used for subsequent production and cultivation. This dual-station continuous, segmented operation rapidly removes impurities and collects highly active bacterial solutions, achieving automated operation. The sterile water volume and time can be precisely standardized, ensuring consistent operation for each culture dish, improving operational precision, and guaranteeing manageable and controllable bacterial solution production. This provides a reliable foundation for achieving refined parameter control. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall invention (relative). Figure 1 (The opposite side view).

[0028] Figure 3 This is a bottom schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing channel split state of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a top view of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 This is the present invention. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the AA cross-sectional structure.

[0032] Figure 7 This is the present invention. Figure 6 A partial schematic diagram of the upper half of the image.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the rinsing path for a tilted culture dish according to the present invention.

[0034] The labels shown in the attached diagram:

[0035] 1. Workbench; 2. Indexing plate; 3. Workstation slot; 4. Bracket; 5. Round opening; 6. Lower suction cup; 7. Hanger; 8. Sliding seat; 9. Arc frame; 10. Sliding bar; 11. Arc gear ring; 12. Lower gear; 13. Mounting bracket; 14. Opening cylinder; 15. Upper suction cup; 16. Vertical plate; 17. Slide rail; 18. Slider; 19. Lifting plate; 20. Vertical shaft; 21. Connector; 2. Serpentine tube; 23. Hanging groove; 24. Liquid collection box; 25. Liquid collection pipe; 26. Feeding trough; 27. Feeding notch; 28. Feeding plate; 29. ​​Feeding cylinder body; 30. Arc-shaped baffle; 31. Material replenishing push plate; 32. Material replenishing cylinder body; 33. Discharge trough; 34. Discharge notch; 35. Discharge cylinder body; 36. Discharge plate; 37. Material basket; 38. Positioning push plate; 39. Side oil cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined in this application.

[0037] Example 1:

[0038] This example demonstrates a production line designed for fully automated, closed-loop, large-scale processing of bacterial strains in culture dishes. Its main structure includes:

[0039] Operation module, loading module, unloading module.

[0040] This device operates in a sterile environment, either in a sealed laboratory, a negative pressure sterile workshop, or by installing a chassis externally to achieve a sterile environment within the casing. It can be flexibly configured according to scale.

[0041] (1) Operation module

[0042] The operation module includes a workbench 1, which is fixedly installed in a sterile enclosure or other enclosed space that meets sterile conditions.

[0043] The workbench 1 adopts a square metal tabletop, which facilitates the symmetrical arrangement of processing positions. The indexing plate 2 is centrally located above the workbench 1. The indexing plate 2 adopts existing indexing plate 2 equipment (only the plate surface of the indexing plate 2 is shown in the figure to facilitate the display of other structures). Based on motor drive, it realizes intermittent pauses at a set angle. Each rotation accurately stops at a preset position so as to complete a fixed action at each preset position.

[0044] The indexing plate 2 has four arc-shaped grooves on its periphery. The arc of each groove is greater than 180 degrees, and the diameter of the groove is adapted to the size of the culture dish, thus confining the culture dish within the groove and allowing it to rotate with the indexing plate 2. Because of the four arc-shaped grooves, the indexing plate 2 stops every 90 degrees, with the stopping position located in the center of one side of the workbench 1, achieving precise production cycle.

[0045] Based on the above structure, this production line adopts a dual-station loading and unloading structure and a dual-station operation structure, that is, the two rinsing processes are completed independently at two stations in sequence to achieve the design of production cycle.

[0046] The sides of the arc-shaped groove are thickened to adapt to the height of the culture dish and increase the contact area with the culture dish. A padding layer is provided on the inner side of the arc-shaped groove to prevent scratching the culture dish.

[0047] The workbench 1 has four side edges with a centrally located workstation slot 3 that coincides with the arc-shaped groove. The workstation slot 3 is used for loading and unloading materials and provides an installation position for the operation. The workstation slot 3 adopts a universal shape for easy processing. The workstation slot 3 includes a semi-circular bottom, the size of which is adapted to the size of the arc-shaped groove. The width of the edge of the workstation slot 3 on the side of the workbench 1 is adapted to the diameter of the bottom of the groove.

[0048] Each time the indexing plate 2 stops, the arc-shaped groove corresponds vertically to the work station slot 3, and the work station slot 3 exposes the culture dish inside the arc-shaped groove, which facilitates operation and loading / unloading.

[0049] The two adjacent workstation slots 3 are the loading port and the unloading port, respectively. The area below the loading port is used to cooperate with the loading module, and the area below the unloading module is used to cooperate with the unloading module.

[0050] Two adjacent workstation slots 3 are used for rinsing operations, and brackets 4 are fixed within these two workstation slots 3. The top surface of the bracket 4 is coplanar with the worktable 1, and the bracket 4 can support the culture dishes that reach the workstation slot 3. The bracket 4 has a circular opening 5 in the middle, which is coaxially arranged with the bottom of the corresponding workstation slot 3, facilitating operation in the center of the bottom. The bracket 4 has ear plates on both sides, and fasteners that mate with the bottom surface of the worktable 1 are passed through the ear plates. The fasteners include common fasteners such as screws, which are used to fix the bracket 4 at the workstation slot 3, realizing a detachable independent component. The above structure can support the culture dishes located in the workstation slot 3 through the bracket 4, and expose an operable space in the center of the bottom. By installing an independent component—the bracket 4—within the workstation slot 3, the bracket 4 can be assembled and disassembled, and the size of the central circular opening 5 can be adjusted as needed.

[0051] The standardized workstation slots 3 facilitate processing and allow for flexible configuration of multiple functions, enabling modular assembly. Brackets 4 are installed at locations requiring processing, supporting the culture dishes and providing space for other components at the bottom to accommodate potential operations.

[0052] Below the bracket 4, a hanging bracket 7 is fixedly installed relative to the worktable 1. The top side of the hanging bracket 7 is fixed to the bottom surface of the worktable 1 by fasteners. A sliding seat 8 is fixed to one end of the hanging bracket 7 near the side of the worktable 1. A U-shaped groove is provided on the side of the sliding seat 8 near the side of the worktable 1. Opposite sliding grooves are provided on both sides of the U-shaped groove. An arc-shaped frame 9 that slides and engages with the sliding seat 8 passes through the U-shaped groove. Sliding strips 10 that slide and connect with the sliding grooves are provided on both sides of the arc-shaped frame 9. The sliding grooves, sliding strips 10 and arc-shaped frame 9 are all coaxial arcs. The arc-shaped frame 9 and sliding strips 10 are arc structures with an arc degree of not less than 120 degrees.

[0053] A lower gear 12 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 7. A lower motor for driving the lower gear 12 is also fixed on the bracket 7. An arc-shaped gear ring 11 that meshes with the lower gear 12 is provided on the side of the arc frame 9 near the axis of the indexing plate 2. The lower gear 12 is used to drive the arc frame 9.

[0054] The top of the arc-shaped frame 9 is fixed with a lower suction cup 6. The suction cup body is a conventional multi-zone annular soft-lip circular suction cup made of nitrile rubber or silicone rubber. A negative pressure system is connected to the lower suction cup 6 to switch between adsorption and release of the culture dish. Depending on the site conditions, if it is a production workshop, it can be directly connected to the workshop's gas source system, and the vacuum and atmospheric pressure conversion can be controlled by valves. If it is a small-scale operation, a diaphragm vacuum pump, vacuum tank, and solenoid valve can be used to form a negative pressure system, which is connected to the gas path of the lower suction cup 6 to achieve the switching between adsorption and release states.

[0055] Driven by the lower gear 12, the arc-shaped frame 9 can move through the circular opening 5 along an arc-shaped trajectory. When the arc-shaped frame 9 is at the bottom of its stroke, the suction cup opening is coplanar with the top surface of the bracket 4 and the top surface of the worktable 1, and can adsorb the bottom of the culture dish located at that position to achieve the gripping of the culture dish. When the arc-shaped frame 9 slides along the arc, it can drive the culture dish to move synchronously with the lower suction cup 6 at the top of the arc-shaped frame 9.

[0056] For ease of description, the following two travel bits are defined:

[0057] Horizontal position: When the suction cup opening of the current suction cup 6 is coplanar with the bracket 4, the position of the suction cup is defined as horizontal.

[0058] Tilt position: When the curved frame 9 slides outward to the point where the suction cup opening (of the lower suction cup 6) is tilted downward at a 30-degree angle relative to the vertical surface, it is defined as the tilt position. In this position, the culture dish gripped by the lower suction cup 6 is also tilted downward at a 15-30 degree angle. This facilitates rinsing and / or pouring out liquids.

[0059] The arc-shaped frame 9 has at least two modes of motion based on its arc-shaped sliding:

[0060] Shaking mode: When the suction cup 6 is in a horizontal position, the arc-shaped frame 9 swings within 1-3 degrees, causing the culture dish to shake slightly;

[0061] Tilting mode: The arc-shaped frame 9 slides along its arc-shaped sliding stroke within a 120-degree arc range, allowing the lower suction cup 6 to switch between horizontal and tilted positions, completing the process of moving the culture dish from a horizontal position on the workbench 1 to a position outside the workbench 1 and tilted outward at 15-30 degrees.

[0062] The workbench 1 and the bracket 4 are adjacent to each other and are fixed with an upward support mounting bracket 13. The mounting bracket 13 includes an upright side and a horizontal side. The bottom of the upright side is connected to the workbench 1 and is located at the corner of the workbench 1. The top of the upright side is connected to one end of the horizontal side, so that the mounting bracket 13 forms a semi-door-shaped structure on one side of the workbench 1.

[0063] A cap-opening cylinder 14 is fixedly installed on the mounting bracket 13 (horizontal side). The cap-opening cylinder 14 is a hydraulic cylinder. The bottom end of the cap-opening cylinder 14 is equipped with a cap-opening cylinder rod that extends and retracts vertically. An upper suction cup 15 is installed at the bottom end of the cap-opening cylinder rod. The upper suction cup 15 is coaxially corresponding to the circular opening 5 of the bracket 4. Based on the drive of the cap-opening hydraulic cylinder, the upper suction cup 15 can have a lifting stroke. The movement from bottom to top is the cap-opening stroke, and the movement from top to bottom is the cap-closing stroke. The suction and release of the upper suction cup 15 respectively realize the action of grasping and lifting the petri dish cap upwards, and releasing it after being lowered.

[0064] For specific selection of the upper suction cup 15 and the lower suction cup 6, please refer to the following:

[0065] Suction cup part:

[0066] Using a Φ60mm food-grade silicone rubber annular soft-lip chuck, with a -50kPa vacuum + 3N floating pre-pressure + 0.2s fast exhaust solenoid valve, Φ90mm petri dishes can be safely, quickly, and repeatedly adsorbed.

[0067] The bottom can utilize the lifting and lowering of the arc frame 9 to adapt to the position of the bottom of the workpiece, or a suction cup with a spring-loaded floating mechanism can be used. The spring is preloaded with 3N and a linear bearing guide sleeve to ensure that the suction cup floats within ±3mm in the Z direction and fits the undulations of the bottom of the dish.

[0068] Negative pressure system:

[0069] Vacuum pump: -65kPa, peak flow rate 5L / min - ¹

[0070] Vacuum container: 0.5L, stabilizes pressure and prevents instantaneous pressure loss.

[0071] Solenoid valve: 3 / 2-way, normally closed, 24VDC power supply, with quick discharge function, releases vacuum within 0.2s, facilitating rapid placement of the dish.

[0072] Sensor: Vacuum switch setpoint -45kPa (±3kPa hysteresis), output PNP; alarm "not sucked" when the value is below the setpoint.

[0073] A lifting module is installed on the upright side of the mounting frame 13. The lifting module includes a vertical plate 16, a slider 18, a slide rail 17, a lifting plate 19, and a lead screw.

[0074] The upright plate 16 is fixed to the upright side of the mounting frame 13 by fasteners on the side near the mounting frame 13. A lead screw is rotatably installed in the center of the inner side of the lifting plate 19. A lead screw motor for driving the lead screw is installed at the top of the lifting plate 19. Slide rails 17 are arranged vertically and side by side on both sides of the lead screw motor. A slider 18 is fitted on the slide rail 17. A lead screw nut is fitted on the lead screw. The lead screw nut and the slider 18 are both fixed on the upright plate 16. The sliders 18 are arranged in two rows, making the stroke of the lifting plate 19 more stable.

[0075] A vertical shaft 20 is rotatably mounted on the front side of the lifting plate 19 via bearing components. A stepper motor is fixed on the lifting plate 19 above the vertical shaft 20. The stepper motor is connected to the vertical shaft 20 via a reducer to achieve precise control of the rotation of the vertical shaft 20. A connector 21 is installed at the bottom end of the vertical shaft 20. The connector 21 is equipped with a flow regulating valve (needle valve or precision ball valve). A serpentine tube 22 is connected to the connector 21. The serpentine tube 22 is a bamboo-joint tube with an inner tube, which can be quickly adjusted to the required shape and angle to set the rinsing angle and position. Based on its free bending ability, it can easily avoid obstacles.

[0076] The end of the serpentine tube 22 is equipped with a nozzle for spraying water streams.

[0077] The connector 21 is connected to an inlet pipe, which is used to connect to a sterile water tank to provide sterile water for rinsing. It can also be connected to a return pipe.

[0078] The above-mentioned connector 21, serpentine tube 22, and nozzle constitute the flushing assembly.

[0079] like Figure 8As shown, when the vertical shaft 20 swings back and forth slightly, it can drive the spray direction of the nozzle to change. When the vertical shaft 20 rotates clockwise toward the workbench 1, the spray direction of the nozzle shifts to the right. When the vertical shaft 20 rotates counterclockwise away from the workbench 1, the spray direction of the nozzle shifts to the left. Thus, when combined with the lifting and lowering of the lifting plate 19 and the reciprocating rotation of the vertical shaft 20, the spray direction of the nozzle can achieve a Z-shaped movement within the range of the upright and inclined culture dish, fully taking care of the area of ​​the culture medium and rinsing off the bacterial film.

[0080] Therefore, the following can be summarized: (1) By raising and lowering the lifting plate 19, the position of the nozzle of the rinsing component can be adjusted up and down, changing the height of the entire component. (2) By rotating the vertical shaft 20, the rinsing component can swing inward or outward. The swing amplitude can be flexibly set according to the action requirements. When it swings to the top of the bracket 4, it can inject water into the petri dish located in the bracket 4. When it swings to the outside of the work station slot 3, it can rinse the upright and tilted petri dish. It can also move to the side of the lifting plate 19 when the machine is stopped or when necessary, away from the worktable 1.

[0081] The bracket 4 has a hanging groove 23 on its outer side that connects with the corresponding work station slot 3. A liquid collection box 24 is placed in the hanging groove 23. The top of the liquid collection box 24 is an open structure, which is used to collect the liquid poured from the petri dish.

[0082] The hanging groove 23 is fixed to both sides of the edge of the work station slot 3 by bolts on the side near the workbench 1, thereby fixing the hanging groove 23. The structure of the hanging groove 23 facilitates the support of the liquid collection box 24, and makes it convenient to quickly pick up and put down the liquid collection box 24.

[0083] The liquid collection box 24 has a downward-extending liquid collection pipe 25 on the side away from the workbench 1. The bottom of the liquid collection pipe 25 is connected to a tank, through which the bacterial liquid is collected. Depending on the work station, the tank can be equipped with a stirring element inside to slowly mix the collected liquid.

[0084] This module uses the rotation of the indexing plate 2 to transfer the culture dish to two different trays 4 in a rhythmic manner, thereby realizing the operation of the culture dish.

[0085] For ease of description, we define the slot 3 closest to the loading port as slot 1, and the slot 3 closest to the unloading port as slot 2.

[0086] Tank No. 1 is configured at station 1, and Tank No. 2 is configured at station 2. A stirring element is installed in Tank No. 2 to slowly stir, collect and uniformly collect the bacterial liquid, and obtain a milky white bacterial suspension.

[0087] Depending on the workstation, this module performs the following processing methods on the petri dishes:

[0088] After the culture dish enters the arc-shaped groove on the indexing plate 2 through the feeding port, the rotation of the indexing plate 2 drives the culture dish to flow sequentially between station 1 → station 2 → feeding port.

[0089] When the petri dish is in station 1, station 1 performs the following operations:

[0090] When the lower suction cup 6 is in a horizontal position, it activates negative pressure to adsorb the center of the bottom surface of the culture dish, thereby gripping the culture dish.

[0091] The upper suction cup 15 descends to contact the culture dish lid, and after the negative pressure adsorption of the culture dish lid is activated, the upper suction cup 15 grabs the culture dish lid and rises to complete the opening of the lid;

[0092] (The lifting plate 19 descends and drives) the rinsing assembly to fall, (the vertical shaft 20 rotates clockwise and drives) the serpentine tube 22 to rotate towards the workbench 1 until the nozzle is above the culture dish, injecting sterile water into the culture dish, and then the rinsing assembly reverses and resets (waiting for the next action cycle).

[0093] Start the arc frame 9 to swing up and down, with an amplitude of 1-2 degrees. The suction cup will follow and cause the culture dish to shake slightly up and down within 5mm for 5-8 seconds. The arc frame 9 will rise until the suction cup is in the tilted position, causing the mouth of the culture dish to tilt outward at a 30° angle and pour out, taking away the free bacteria, metabolic waste and soluble pigments that are not firmly attached, so as to prevent them from being mixed into the target bacterial suspension during the second rinse.

[0094] The collection box 24 at station 1 collects the poured-out primary flushing liquid, which eventually enters tank 1 for temporary storage. A sensor can be installed at the tank inlet or inside the collection box to detect that OD600 should be ≤0.05. Otherwise, if the shaking time or water volume is insufficient, the shaking time or water volume should be increased.

[0095] The arc-shaped frame 9 is reset until the suction cup is in its horizontal position. The upper suction cup 15 falls down until the culture dish lid falls on the culture dish. The suction cup releases the culture dish lid and lifts it back to its original position. At the same time, the lower suction cup 6 releases its adsorption on the culture dish, completing the operation of station 1.

[0096] When the petri dish is in position 2, position 2 performs the following operations:

[0097] When the lower suction cup 6 is in a horizontal position, it activates negative pressure to adsorb the center of the bottom surface of the culture dish, thereby gripping the culture dish.

[0098] The upper suction cup 15 descends to contact the culture dish lid, and after the negative pressure adsorption of the culture dish lid is activated, the upper suction cup 15 grabs the culture dish lid and rises to complete the opening of the lid;

[0099] Start the arc-shaped frame 9 to extend upwards and outwards (to the workbench 1) until the suction cup is in an inclined position, and the culture dish it grasps has its opening facing downwards and is tilted at a 30-degree angle relative to the vertical plane;

[0100] The rinsing assembly is positioned so that the nozzle is close to and located on top of the petri dish;

[0101] The nozzle sprays water to rinse the surface of the culture medium. While rinsing, the nozzle descends, and at the same time, the vertical shaft 20 is activated to swing back and forth with a small amplitude. The serpentine tube 22 and the nozzle follow the swing, so that the nozzle swings laterally within the range of the petri dish. This makes the rinsing path cover the surface of the culture medium in a Z-shape from top to bottom. The swing amplitude increases from small to large (maximum when reaching the middle of the culture medium) and then decreases again, adapting to the circular surface of the culture medium. The secondary rinsing liquid that falls off is collected by the collection box 24 and collected into the No. 2 tank. A milky white suspension of bacteria is obtained by slow stirring.

[0102] The arc-shaped frame 9 is reset until the suction cup is in its horizontal position. The upper suction cup 15 falls down until the culture dish lid falls on the culture dish. The suction cup releases the culture dish lid and lifts it back to its original position. At the same time, the lower suction cup 6 releases its adsorption on the culture dish, completing the operation at station 2.

[0103] By processing the culture dishes sequentially at two consecutive stations, the culture medium is rinsed twice. The first rinse involves a slow, flat flow of water with gentle agitation to remove dead bacteria, free bacteria, extracellular polysaccharide debris, and metabolic inhibitors from the surface of the medium, leaving behind highly active, firmly embedded viable bacteria within the cellulose network. This improves the purity and viable bacteria ratio of the second bacterial suspension, reducing the risk of contamination of subsequent fermenters by other microorganisms or metabolic inhibitors. Simultaneously, the first rinse solution collected in tank 1 can be used for microscopic examination / plate validation, viable bacteria count reference, temporary low-temperature storage, or direct disposal. Microscopic examination helps quickly determine the presence of other microorganisms or bacteriophage contamination. For viable bacteria count reference, serial dilution followed by pour counting yields the "free bacteria concentration," which is compared with the second "membrane-bound bacteria" count to help assess the bacterial distribution.

[0104] The second rinsing solution yields the target bacterial culture, which can be used for subsequent cultivation and production.

[0105] Based on continuous operation at dual workstations, it can quickly remove contaminants and impurities, collect highly active bacterial solutions, and achieve automated operation. The amount, path, and time of sterile water used for rinsing can be precisely unified, ensuring consistent operation for each culture medium, improving operational accuracy, and guaranteeing manageable and controllable bacterial solution production, thus providing a reliable prerequisite for achieving refined parameter control.

[0106] (2) Feeding module

[0107] The feeding module includes a linearly extending feeding trough 26, the width of which is adapted to the width of a petri dish, and can accommodate a single row of petri dishes. One end of the top side of the feeding trough 26 is fixedly connected to the edge of the feeding port. The bottom end of the feeding trough 26 near the worktable 1 is provided with a feeding notch 27 corresponding to the feeding port. Above the feeding notch 27 is a feeding plate 28 that moves up and down relative to it. Below the feeding notch 27 is a feeding cylinder 29 that is fixedly installed relative to the feeding trough 26. The top of the feeding cylinder 29 is fitted with a feeding cylinder rod, the top of which is fixed to the bottom surface of the feeding plate 28. The feeding plate 28 is a circular plate, and it has a rising and falling stroke based on the fixing of the feeding cylinder rod.

[0108] The feeding plate 28 is provided with a semi-circular arc-shaped baffle 30 on the side away from the feeding port, which is used to cover the stack of culture dishes at that position.

[0109] The feeding plate 28 is configured with an equally spaced upward stroke corresponding to the cycle interval of the indexing plate 2. Each upward stroke corresponds to the thickness of one culture dish, and the time interval between adjacent upward strokes corresponds to the time interval of the rotation of the indexing plate 2. The bottom end of the feeding plate 28 is coplanar with the bottom of the feeding trough 26, and the top end of the feeding plate 28 is a tray coplanar with the worktable 1, which facilitates the movement of the culture dishes on the feeding plate 28 to the worktable 1 via the rotation of the indexing plate 2, and to their transfer to other workstations.

[0110] The outer end of the feeding trough 26 is provided with a feeding cylinder 32 fixedly installed thereto. The feeding cylinder 32 is provided with a feeding cylinder rod that telescopically cooperates with it at one end near the feeding port. The inner end of the feeding cylinder rod is fixed with a feeding push plate 31. The size of the feeding push plate 31 is adapted to the cross-section of the feeding trough 26, and pushes the stacked culture dishes to feed towards the feeding port.

[0111] Through the feeding module, multiple stacks of culture dishes are placed in a row on the feeding trough 26. The innermost stack of culture dishes is pushed onto the feeding plate 28 by the feeding pusher plate 31. The feeding plate 28 pushes the culture dishes one by one upwards, so that the culture dish at the top of the tray is located at the feeding port and can be rotated by the arc groove of the indexing plate 2, realizing the flow between the two workstations.

[0112] This module automates the feeding process, enabling continuous feeding and ensuring continuous material delivery for automated processing.

[0113] (3) Material feeding module

[0114] The feeding module includes a feeding trough 33 located below the feeding port. The feeding trough 33 extends in a straight line, and the middle of the top edge of the feeding trough is fixed below the feeding port. The bottom of the feeding trough 33 is provided with a feeding notch 34 corresponding to the feeding port. Below the feeding notch 34 is a feeding cylinder 35 fixedly installed relative to the feeding trough 33. The top of the feeding cylinder 35 is provided with a feeding cylinder rod that telescopically cooperates with it. The top of the feeding cylinder rod is fixed with a feeding plate 36, so that the feeding plate 36 can move up and down between the feeding port and the feeding notch 34 to support the culture dish falling into the feeding trough 33.

[0115] The feeding plate 36 descends in sequence with the rotation of the indexing plate 2 during its descent stroke, with each interval corresponding to the thickness of a culture dish. When it reaches the bottom of its stroke, the feeding plate 36 is coplanar with the bottom of the feeding trough 33. It then rises back to its original position, coplanar with the worktable 1, before resuming the next stage of interval descent. Through this evenly spaced descent, the culture dishes transferred to the feeding port are gradually collected.

[0116] The feeding trough 33 is equipped with a matching material basket 37. The material basket 37 includes several material cylinders arranged and fixed in the same direction. The material cylinders are vertically connected and have a straight cylindrical structure. The material cylinders are provided with perforated mesh in the height direction to reduce weight and prevent the risk of the culture dishes from leaking out. The inner diameter of the material cylinder is adapted to the size of the culture dishes. The material basket 37 can constrain the culture dishes into a stack in height, and ensure that each stack of culture dishes is located in the material cylinder and moves with the material basket 37, preventing the smooth glassware such as culture dishes from slipping and breaking due to movement.

[0117] One end of the feeding trough 33 is provided with a side cylinder 39 fixed thereto. The inner end of the side cylinder 39 is horizontally telescopically connected with a side cylinder rod. The end of the side cylinder rod is fixed with a shifting push plate 38. The shape of the shifting push plate 38 is adapted to the cross-section of the feeding trough 33. The shifting push plate 38 pushes the material basket 37 along the length of the feeding trough 33 as a whole. Each push makes one material cylinder located below the feeding port, so that the empty material cylinder is located outside the feeding plate 36, constraining the falling culture dishes, thereby enabling the continuous collection of multiple rows of culture dishes.

[0118] In the specific operation, first align one of the material cylinders in the material basket 37 with the discharge port, and the discharge plate 36 rises from below the material cylinder until the initial height is coplanar with the worktable 1; the culture dishes moved to the discharge port by the indexing plate 2 fall onto the discharge plate 36 (or fall onto the top layer of a stack of culture dishes supported on the discharge plate 36). As the discharge plate 36 descends, it continuously makes way for the next culture dish and stacks them on the tray; when the discharge plate 36 descends to the bottom height of the discharge trough 33, the shifting push plate 38 pushes inward to align the next empty material cylinder with the discharge port, and the next feeding and receiving cycle begins.

[0119] When the basket 37 moves, the tray is located below it and is coplanar with the bottom of the feed trough 33, which helps to support the movement of the petri dish.

[0120] This module automates the feeding process, efficiently and efficiently feeding and collecting petri dishes, thus completing the entire petri dish processing workflow.

[0121] This system automates the rinsing process in bacterial cellulose production, including automatic loading and unloading, and automatic opening, rinsing, and closing of the lid. The combined primary and secondary rinsing processes yield high-purity, high-quality bacterial suspensions. Beyond bacterial cellulose fermentation, solid-plate seed preparation is also suitable for strains requiring strict genetic control, spore-dependent reproduction, or functional phenotypic selection, such as filamentous fungi (Penicillium, Rhizopus), lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus), and actinomycetes. In large-scale industrial fermentation, this method significantly improves strain quality and fermentation stability.

Claims

1. An automated petri dish rinsing production line, characterized in that, The system includes a workbench with two adjacent workstations (station 1 and station 2) on its periphery. Each workstation has a circular opening that passes through the workbench. A centrally mounted indexing plate is installed on the workbench. The indexing plate has at least four arc-shaped grooves on its periphery for positioning the culture dishes. When the indexing plate is stopped, the arc-shaped grooves correspond to the circular openings. An upper suction cup is mounted above the circular opening, and a lower suction cup is located inside the circular opening. A rinsing assembly is located beside the circular opening, comprising a connecting connector, a serpentine tube, and a nozzle. The connector has a vertically oriented swing stroke. A hanging device is fixed relative to the workbench below the circular opening. The bracket has a sliding seat fixed at one end near the edge of the workbench. An arc-shaped frame is slidably fitted onto the sliding seat. The arc-shaped frame has an arc shape of not less than 120 degrees. The top of the arc-shaped frame is installed at the bottom of the lower suction cup. An arc-shaped gear ring is provided on the arc-shaped frame. A lower gear driven by a motor is rotatably installed on the bracket. The lower gear meshes with the arc-shaped gear ring. The lower suction cup has two stop travel positions based on the arc-shaped sliding of the arc-shaped frame: a horizontal position and an inclined position. The lower suction cup is in the horizontal position when the suction cup opening is coplanar with the bracket. The lower suction cup is in the inclined position when the arc-shaped frame slides outward until the suction cup opening of the lower suction cup is inclined downward relative to the vertical surface. The arc-shaped frame, based on its arc-shaped sliding, has at least two modes of motion: Shaking mode: When executed at station 1, the lower suction cup is in a horizontal position and the arc frame swings within 1-3 degrees; Tilting mode: Performed at station 1 and station 2, causing the lower suction cup to switch between horizontal and tilt positions.

2. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, A mounting bracket supporting upwards is fixed to the corner of the workbench next to the round opening. A lifting module is mounted on the mounting bracket. The lifting module includes a lifting plate with a Z-axis reciprocating stroke. A vertically extending shaft is rotatably mounted on the lifting plate. The shaft is driven by a stepper motor, and the bottom end of the shaft is connected to a connector so that the connector has a swing stroke.

3. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting module also includes a vertical plate fixed relative to the mounting frame. A slide rail and a lead screw are installed on the inner side of the lifting plate along the Z direction. A slider that cooperates with the slide rail is provided on the slide rail, and a lead screw that cooperates with the lead screw is provided on the lead screw. Both the lead screw and the slider are fixed on the vertical plate.

4. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting bracket also has a cover-opening cylinder body fixed on it. The bottom end of the cover-opening cylinder body is fitted with a cover-opening cylinder rod that extends and retracts vertically. The bottom end of the cover-opening cylinder rod is fixed to the upper suction cup.

5. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The workbench is also provided with a feeding port on its side. The feeding port corresponds to a certain arc-shaped groove when the indexing plate stops. A feeding trough is connected to the bottom of the feeding port. One end of the top side of the feeding trough is connected to the feeding port. The bottom of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding notch corresponding to the feeding port. A feeding plate is installed between the feeding notch and the feeding port. A semi-circular arc-shaped baffle is provided on the side of the feeding plate away from the feeding port. The feeding plate has a feeding stroke that rises at intervals in cooperation with the indexing plate. The outer end of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding pusher plate with a horizontal stroke along its length. and / or; The workbench is also provided with a feeding port on its side. The feeding port corresponds to a certain arc-shaped groove when the indexing plate stops. A feeding trough is provided below the feeding port. The middle part of the top side of the feeding trough is connected to the feeding port. The bottom of the feeding trough is provided with a feeding notch corresponding to the feeding port. A feeding plate is installed between the feeding notch and the feeding port. The feeding plate cooperates with the indexing plate to have a feeding stroke with interval descent. One or both ends of the feeding trough are provided with a shifting push plate with a horizontal stroke along its length.

6. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 5, characterized in that, The shifting pusher is configured as one, and the material trough is provided with a material basket that cooperates with it. The material basket includes several material cylinders arranged and fixed in the same direction. The material cylinders are vertically connected and adopt a straight cylindrical structure. The material cylinders are provided with hollow mesh holes in the height direction. The inner diameter of the material cylinders is adapted to the size of the culture dish.

7. The automated petri dish rinsing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer side of the circular opening is provided with a hanging groove fixed below the workbench. A liquid collection box is placed in the hanging groove. The top of the liquid collection box is an open structure. A liquid collection pipe extending downward is provided on the side of the liquid collection box away from the workbench. A tank is connected to the bottom of the liquid collection pipe.

8. An automatic rinsing method for petri dishes, characterized in that, Using an automated petri dish rinsing production line as described in any one of claims 1-7, and comprising the following steps: The culture dish is fed onto the worktable and its flow is constrained by the arc groove of the indexing plate; The culture dish enters station 1, the upper suction cup opens the cover of the culture dish, the lower suction cup fixes the culture dish, and the rinsing component injects 5-15mL of sterile water into the culture dish to obtain a first rinsing solution. The culture dish enters station 2, the upper suction cup opens the cover of the culture dish, the lower suction cup fixes the culture dish, and the rinsing component injects 10-30mL of sterile water into the culture dish to obtain the secondary rinsing solution, i.e. bacterial suspension. The petri dish follows the rotation of the scale plate and leaves the worktable.

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