Special portable small-volume filling and sealing all-in-one machine for thin film microfluidics

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of thin film microfluidics, and particularly relates to a thin film microfluidics special portable small-volume filling and sealing all-in-one machine which comprises a rack, a cantilever module is fixed to the right side of the rack, a heating module is fixed to the right end of the interior of the rack, and a vacuum module is fixed to the position, located at the left end of the heating module, of the interior of the rack. The appearance size of the instrument is 300 * 360 * 215 mm, the weight is smaller than 5 kg, the size is small, carrying and transportation are convenient, the cantilever structure can meet various small-size liquid filling requirements needed by thin film microfluidics, a connecting rod pressing device is integrated on one cantilever structure, the cantilever structure has three motion states, the filling and sealing integrated action is dynamically achieved, and the filling and sealing efficiency is improved. The small-volume liquid filling requirement and the multi-volume liquid filling requirement are met; after filling, the micro-fluidic chip can be automatically welded and sealed, use is more convenient, under the action of the control module, the welding device can output stable temperature, pressure and time, the sealing strength can be guaranteed, and the risk of liquid leakage is avoided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thin film microfluidic technology, in particular to a portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine special for thin film microfluidic. BACKGROUND

[0002] The thin film microfluidic filling and sealing machine is an automatic or semi-automatic device specially used for thin film microfluidic chip filling and sealing process, and its core function is to inject or coat specific filling and sealing materials into specific areas of the thin film microfluidic chip through precise control, and complete the solidification or sealing process, so as to finally realize the stable formation of the chip structure, the isolation of the functional area or the sealing of the interface. However, the existing filling and sealing integrated machine still has the following technical problems in use: The existing filling and sealing integrated machine is large and inconvenient to transport and carry, and cannot meet the small-volume filling demand; and cannot automatically weld the microfluidic chip. And the current filling and sealing integrated machine cannot meet the needs of filling of multiple volumes, and has great filling limitations.

[0003] Therefore, the present application provides a portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine special for thin film microfluidic to solve the above-mentioned problems. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to provide a portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine special for thin film microfluidic to solve the problems mentioned in the background.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides the following technical scheme: a portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine special for thin film microfluidic, comprising a rack, a cantilever module fixed to the right side of the rack, a heating module fixed to the right end inside the rack, a vacuum module fixed to the left end of the heating module inside the rack, a control module fixed to the left side of the vacuum module, a positive pressure module fixed to the rear end of the vacuum module and the control module inside the rack, a power module fixed to the left end of the positive pressure module inside the rack, a control button fixed to the right side of the rack, and a protective shell fixed to the upper end of the rack. The cantilever module comprises a chip placing rack, the chip placing rack is fixedly connected with the right side of the protective shell, a recess is formed in the right lower end of the chip placing rack, a rotating shaft is rotatably connected inside the recess, a cantilever push rod is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the rotating shaft, a reset spring is fixed inside the recess, and the right end of the reset spring is fixedly connected with the left side of the cantilever push rod. The right side upper end of the chip rack is fixedly connected with a limiting pull rod, a strip-shaped opening is formed in the side wall of the limiting pull rod, the outer portion of the limiting pull rod is slidably connected with a limiting block, the upper side left end of the limiting block is threadedly connected with a limiting screw, the lower side of the limiting screw is clamped with the upper side of the limiting pull rod, the front side of the cantilever push rod is fixedly connected with a cantilever shaft pin, the cantilever shaft pin is slidably connected with the inner wall of the strip-shaped opening and is in contact with the left side of the limiting block; The right side upper end of the chip rack is fixedly connected with a panel suction disc, the left side upper end of the cantilever push rod is fixedly connected with a cantilever suction disc, and the right end of the chip rack is fixedly connected with a thin film chip through the panel suction disc. The front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod are fixedly connected with welding mechanisms.

[0006] Preferably, the welding mechanism comprises a welding cylinder, the welding cylinder is fixedly connected with the front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod, the telescopic end of the welding cylinder is rotatably connected with a cylinder connecting rod through a shaft pin, the left side of the welding cylinder is fixedly connected with a supporting plate, the upper side of the supporting plate is rotatably connected with a rotating plate through a shaft pin, the left side upper end of the rotating plate is fixedly connected with a welding head, the left end of the cylinder connecting rod is rotatably connected with the front side upper end of the rotating plate through a shaft pin, the inside of the welding head is fixedly connected with a heating wire, and the right side upper end of the chip rack is fixedly connected with a welding pad block opposite to the welding head.

[0007] Preferably, the left side lower end of the chip rack is fixedly connected with a sensor, and the side wall of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected with a sensing sheet, which is located at the lower end of the sensor.

[0008] Preferably, the panel suction disc and the cantilever suction disc are matched, and the left side and the right side of the thin film chip are respectively fixedly connected with the panel suction disc and the cantilever suction disc.

[0009] Preferably, the welding pad block is matched with the welding head.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects: The instrument in the present application has an outer dimension of 300*360*215mm and a weight of less than 5kg, is small in size and convenient to carry and transport, and the cantilever structure can meet the needs of multiple small-volume liquid filling of the thin film microfluidic device; the cantilever structure is integrated with a connecting rod pressing device, has three motion states, and dynamically realizes the integrated action of filling and sealing to meet the needs of small-volume liquid filling and multiple-volume liquid filling; the microfluidic chip can be automatically welded and sealed after filling, and the use is more convenient; under the action of the control module, the welding device can output stable temperature, pressure and time to ensure the strength of the sealing and prevent liquid leakage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present application. Figure 2 is a top view structural schematic diagram of the present application; Figure 1 Figure 3 is a right view structural schematic diagram of the present application; Figure 1 Figure 4 is a front view structural schematic diagram of the present application; Figure 5 is a cantilever module compression state diagram; Figure 6 is a cantilever module self-locking state diagram; Figure 7 is a cantilever module welding sealing state diagram; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the cooperation of the limiting block, limiting screw and limiting pull rod.

[0012] In the figure: 1 rack, 2 cantilever module, 3 heating module, 4 vacuum module, 5 control module, 6 positive pressure module, 7 power module, 8 control button, 9 protective shell, 10 chip placing rack, 11 cantilever push rod, 12 return spring, 13 limiting pull rod, 14 cantilever shaft pin, 15 panel suction cup, 16 cantilever suction cup, 17 thin film chip, 18 welding cylinder, 19 cylinder connecting rod, 20 support plate, 21 rotating plate, 22 welding head, 23 heating wire, 24 welding pad, 25 sensor, 26 inductive sheet, 27 limiting block, 28 limiting screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0014] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application.

[0015] Embodiment one: Please refer to Figures 1-8 The present application provides a technical solution: ​​The application relates to a portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine special for thin-film microfluidics, which comprises a rack 1, a cantilever module 2 fixed to the right side of the rack 1, a heating module 3 fixed to the right end in the interior of the rack 1, a vacuum module 4 fixed to the left end in the interior of the rack 1 and located at the left end of the heating module 3, a control module 5 fixed to the left side of the vacuum module 4, a positive pressure module 6 fixed to the rear end in the interior of the rack 1 and located at the left end of the vacuum module 4 and the control module 5, a power module 7 fixed to the left end in the interior of the rack 1 and located at the left end of the positive pressure module 6, control buttons 8 fixed to the right side of the rack 1, and a protective shell 9 fixed to the upper end of the rack 1. The vacuum module 4 provides negative pressure for panel suction cups 15 and cantilever suction cups 16, so that the suction cups can suck open a thin-film chip 17; an operator can control the opening size of the thin-film chip 17 by controlling the opening and closing of the cantilever module 2, thereby realizing the liquid filling demand of various volumes.

[0016] The cantilever module 2 comprises a chip placing rack 10, the chip placing rack 10 is fixedly connected with the right side of the protective shell 9, a recess is formed in the right lower end of the chip placing rack 10, a rotating shaft is rotatably connected in the recess, a cantilever push rod 11 is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the rotating shaft, a reset spring 12 is fixed in the recess, the right end of the reset spring 12 is fixedly connected with the left side of the cantilever push rod 11, the cantilever push rod 11 can be driven to move to the right end through the reset spring 12, the position of a limiting block 27 on the outer wall of a limiting pull rod 13 is moved according to the volume of the liquid to be filled in the thin-film chip 17, the position of the limiting block 27 is limited through a limiting screw 28, the cantilever shaft pin 14 can be in contact with the corresponding position of the limiting block 27, and the movement range of the cantilever shaft pin 14 in the limiting pull rod 13 is limited. A limiting pull rod 13 is rotatably connected to the right upper end of the chip placing rack 10, a strip-shaped opening is formed in the side wall of the limiting pull rod 13, a limiting block 27 is slidably connected to the outer wall of the limiting pull rod 13, a limiting screw 28 is threadedly connected to the upper left end of the limiting block 27, the lower side of the limiting screw 28 is clamped with the upper side of the limiting pull rod 13, a cantilever shaft pin 14 is fixed to the front side of the cantilever push rod 11, the cantilever shaft pin 14 is slidably connected with the inner wall of the strip-shaped opening and in contact with the left side of the limiting block 27, when the liquid of various volumes needs to be filled, the limiting block 27 on the outer wall of the limiting pull rod 13 is moved, the limiting block 27 is fixedly limited through the limiting screw 28 after the limiting block 27 is moved to the required position, the maximum movement range of the cantilever shaft pin 14 in the limiting pull rod 13 is that the cantilever shaft pin 14 is in contact with the left side of the limiting block 27, and the position of the limiting block 27 can be arbitrarily changed according to the volume to be filled.

[0017] The upper end of the right side of the chip placing rack 10 is fixed with a panel suction cup 15, the upper end of the left side of the cantilever push rod 11 is fixed with a cantilever suction cup 16, the right end of the chip placing rack 10 is fixed with a thin film chip 17 through the panel suction cup, the cantilever push rod 11 rotates to the right end, thereby driving the cantilever suction cup 16 to move to the right end, and through cooperation with the panel suction cup 15, the thin film chip 17 is opened at the liquid filling port. The front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod 11 are fixed with welding mechanisms.

[0018] The welding mechanism comprises a welding cylinder 18, the welding cylinder 18 is fixedly connected with the front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod 11, the telescopic end of the welding cylinder 18 is rotatably connected with a cylinder connecting rod 19 through a shaft pin, the left side of the welding cylinder 18 is fixed with a supporting plate 20, the upper side of the supporting plate 20 is rotatably connected with a rotating plate 21 through a shaft pin, the left upper end of the rotating plate 21 is fixed with a welding head 22, the left end of the cylinder connecting rod 19 is rotatably connected with the front upper end of the rotating plate 21 through a shaft pin, the inside of the welding head 22 is fixed with a heating wire 23, the right upper end of the chip placing rack 10 is fixed with a welding pad 24 opposite to the welding head 22, the heating module 3 is used for controlling the working of the heating wire 23, and the control system is not specifically described in the application, and this part is a conventional technical means in the art.

[0019] When the welding mechanism works, the heating module 3 heats the welding head 22, and the welding cylinder 18 is extended; under the action of a certain temperature and pressure, the welding head 22 can seal the thin film chip 17.

[0020] The left lower end of the chip placing rack 10 is fixed with a sensor 25, and the side wall of the rotating shaft is fixed with a sensing sheet 26, the sensing sheet 26 is located at the lower end of the sensor 25.

[0021] The panel suction cup 15 and the cantilever suction cup 16 are matched, and the left side and the right side of the thin film chip 17 are respectively fixed with the panel suction cup 15 and the cantilever suction cup 16.

[0022] The welding pad 24 is matched with the welding head 22, and when the welding head 22 is used for welding the thin film chip 17, the welding pad 24 needs to be supported on the left side of the welding head 22 and the thin film chip 17.

[0023] Example two: When multiple small-volume liquid filling of the thin film microfluidic device is required, the specific steps are as follows: The moving angle of the cantilever push rod 11 and the cantilever suction cup 16 is adjusted according to the volume of the liquid to be filled in the film chip 17, and the external limiting block 27 of the limiting pull rod 13 is moved to the corresponding position, then the limiting block 27 is fixed by tightening the limiting screw 28, thereby controlling the moving range of the cantilever shaft pin 14 in the limiting pull rod 13, when the cantilever shaft pin 14 moves to contact the limiting block 27, the movement is stopped, thereby limiting the moving angle of the cantilever push rod 11, and the limiting block 27 can be moved to any position outside the limiting pull rod 13, thereby limiting the moving range of the cantilever shaft pin 14 in the strip-shaped opening, and the filling opening of the film chip 17 can be opened to any size, facilitating filling of different volumes of filling liquid.

[0024] Working principle: S1: as Figure 2 The cantilever shaft pin 14 is arranged on the cantilever push rod 11 and slides in the strip-shaped opening of the limiting pull rod 13, under the action of the reset spring 12, the cantilever shaft pin 14 slides to the rightmost side, and this state is the initial state of the cantilever module 2.

[0025] S2: when filling and sealing is needed, the operator aligns and closely attaches the position of the film chip 17 needing liquid filling to the panel suction cup 15, then pushes the cantilever push rod 11, so that the cantilever suction cup 16 closely attaches to the film chip 17, and the sensing sheet 26 rotates with the cantilever push rod 11 and is out of the sensing range of the sensor 25. When the sensor 25 detects the signal change, the vacuum module 4 automatically works, so that the negative pressure is generated between the cantilever suction cup 16 and the panel suction cup 15, thereby sucking the film chip 17.

[0026] S3: after the panel suction cup 15, the cantilever suction cup 16 and the film chip 17 establish vacuum, the cantilever push rod 11 is loosened, under the action of the reset spring 12, the cantilever push rod 11 slides to the right with the cantilever shaft pin 14, after sliding a distance, the cantilever shaft pin 14 is blocked and self-locked by the clamping groove structure of the limiting pull rod 13. At this time, the cantilever module 2 is in a self-locking and stationary state, the film chip 17 is separated by the panel suction cup 15 and the cantilever suction cup 16, and the distance between the cantilever suction cup 16 and the panel suction cup 15 is the distance of the film chip 17 being separated. The position of the limiting block 27 outside the limiting pull rod 13 can be changed, thereby changing the distance of the film chip 17 being separated in the self-locking state, to change the maximum range of liquid filling. The operator performs liquid filling operation in the self-locking state, after the liquid filling is completed, the operator can select whether to perform the bubble exhausting action according to the size of the bubbles in the chamber: slowly pushing the cantilever push rod 11 to compress the volume of the chamber, the operator carefully observes the size of the bubbles in the chamber, and stops pushing the cantilever push rod 11 when the size of the bubbles is appropriate, and keeps it, preparing for the next welding and sealing operation.

[0027] S4: The operator keeps the cantilever push rod 11 still, and presses the control button 8 on the panel, after the control module 5 receives the control button 8 signal, the control positive pressure module 6 drives the welding cylinder 18 to extend, under the action of the cylinder connecting rod 19, the welding head 22 will be pressed to the welding pad 24, at the same time, the control module 5 drives the heating module 3 to work, and the heating wire 23 on the welding head 22 is heated to the set temperature, after the welding cylinder 18 and the heating wire 23 work for a set time, the control module 5 drives the welding cylinder 18 to retract, and the heating module 3 is turned off, and the welding is completed.

[0028] S5: After the welding is completed, the cantilever module 2 is still in the self-locking state, and the operator pushes the limiting pull rod 13 at the end upwards, so that the self-locking state is released. Under the action of the reset spring 12, the cantilever shaft pin 14 will slide to the rightmost side of the limiting pull rod 13, at this time, the cantilever module 2 returns to the initial state again, and the whole filling and sealing process is completed.

[0029] It should be noted that the electrical components mentioned in the present application have been combed according to the actual situation during manufacturing, and will not cause wire harness entanglement or affect work problems; The standard parts used in the present application can be purchased from the market, and the special-shaped parts can be ordered according to the description and drawings. The specific connection mode of each part adopts the conventional means such as bolts, rivets and welding in the prior art. The mechanical parts and equipment adopt conventional models in the prior art, and the circuit connection adopts the conventional connection mode in the prior art. The control mode of the present application is controlled by a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be realized by simple programming by a person skilled in the art. It should be noted that the electrical components mentioned in the present application have been combed according to the actual situation during manufacturing, and will not cause wire harness entanglement or affect work problems. The contents not described in detail in the specification belong to the prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the indicated orientation or positional relationship is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0031] The foregoing illustrates and describes embodiments of the present application. However, it is to be understood that the application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that various changes and modifications can be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present application encompass any and all such changes and modifications without departing from the spirit or scope of the underlying principles of the application. In addition, it should be understood that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, where appropriate, reference numerals have been maintained from one figure to another and from one embodiment to another in order to illustrate similar constructions.

[0032] While the application has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, since the scope of the application is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes and modifications that come within the meaning of the claims are desired to be protected.

Claims

1. A portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine dedicated to thin-film microfluidics, comprising a rack (1), characterized in that, The right side of the rack (1) is fixed with a cantilever module (2), the right end of the inside of the rack (1) is fixed with a heating module (3), the inside of the rack (1) is fixed with a vacuum module (4) at the left end of the heating module (3), the left side of the vacuum module (4) is fixed with a control module (5), the inside of the rack (1) is fixed with a positive pressure module (6) at the rear end of the vacuum module (4) and the control module (5), the inside of the rack (1) is fixed with a power module (7) at the left end of the positive pressure module (6), the right side of the rack (1) is fixed with a control button (8), the upper end of the rack (1) is fixed with a protective shell (9); The cantilever module (2) comprises a chip placing rack (10), the right side of the chip placing rack (10) is fixedly connected with the right side of the protective shell (9), a groove is formed in the lower end of the right side of the chip placing rack (10), a rotating shaft is rotatably connected in the groove, a cantilever push rod (11) is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the rotating shaft, a reset spring (12) is fixed in the groove, and the right end of the reset spring (12) is fixedly connected with the left side of the cantilever push rod (11); The right side of the chip placing rack (10) is rotatably connected with a limiting pull rod (13), a strip-shaped opening is formed in the side wall of the limiting pull rod (13), the outer portion of the limiting pull rod (13) is slidably connected with a limiting block (27), the upper left end of the limiting block (27) is threadedly connected with a limiting screw (28), the lower side of the limiting screw (28) is clamped with the upper side of the limiting pull rod (13), the front side of the cantilever push rod (11) is fixed with a cantilever shaft pin (14), the cantilever shaft pin (14) is slidably connected with the inner wall of the strip-shaped opening and is in contact with the left side of the limiting block (27) on the right side; The upper end of the right side of the chip placing rack (10) is fixed with a panel suction cup (15), the left upper end of the cantilever push rod (11) is fixed with a cantilever suction cup (16), and the right end of the chip placing rack (10) is fixed with a thin film chip (17) by the panel suction cup; The front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod (11) are fixed with a welding mechanism.

2. The thin-film microfluidic special portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The welding mechanism comprises a welding air cylinder (18), the front side and the rear side of the cantilever push rod (11) are fixedly connected with the welding air cylinder (18), the telescopic end of the welding air cylinder (18) is rotatably connected with an air cylinder connecting rod (19) through a shaft pin, the left side of the welding air cylinder (18) is fixed with a supporting plate (20), the upper side of the supporting plate (20) is rotatably connected with a rotating plate (21) through a shaft pin, the left upper end of the rotating plate (21) is fixed with a welding head (22), the left end of the air cylinder connecting rod (19) is rotatably connected with the front upper end of the rotating plate (21) through a shaft pin, the inside of the welding head (22) is fixed with a heating wire (23), and the right upper end of the chip placing rack (10) is fixed with a welding pad block (24) opposite to the welding head (22).

3. The thin-film microfluidic special-purpose portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The left lower end of the chip placing rack (10) is fixed with a sensor (25), and the side wall of the rotating shaft is fixed with a sensing sheet (26), the sensing sheet (26) is located at the lower end of the sensor (25).

4. The thin-film microfluidic special portable small volume filling and sealing integrated machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The panel suction cup (15) and the cantilever suction cup (16) are matched, and the left side and the right side of the thin film chip (17) are respectively fixed by the panel suction cup (15) and the cantilever suction cup (16).

5. The thin-film microfluidic special-purpose portable small-volume filling and sealing integrated machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The welding pad (24) is matched with the welding head (22).

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