Small adjustable multi-particle-size microsphere screening device and screening method thereof
By designing a stable screen connection and a multi-stage series screening unit, the problems of easy screen displacement and cumbersome multi-stage screening operation are solved, achieving stable and efficient continuous microsphere screening.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing microsphere sieving devices often have poorly fixed screens that are prone to displacement or leakage, leading to sieving failure or cross-contamination. Furthermore, they cannot easily achieve multi-stage cascade sieving, making operation cumbersome and increasing the risk of sample loss.
A small, adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device was designed, including a sieving unit and a collection unit. The screen is fixed by a limiting component and a sealing ring to achieve a stable connection of the sieving units and allow multiple sieving units to be connected in series from top to bottom to achieve multi-stage sieving using centrifugal force.
It ensures a stable connection of the sieves, avoids leakage and cross-contamination, simplifies the operation process, improves work efficiency, reduces sample loss, and achieves efficient and continuous multi-stage sieving.
Smart Images
Figure CN121732333A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of microsphere screening, in particular to a small adjustable multi-particle-size microsphere screening device and a screening method thereof. BACKGROUND
[0002] Microspheres, as an important functional material, have a wide range of applications in the fields of biological medicine (such as drug carriers, cell culture microcarriers), chromatographic fillers, precision chemical industry and material science, etc. These applications usually have strict requirements for the particle size and its distribution of microspheres. Therefore, efficient and accurate microsphere screening technology is a key link in related research and production.
[0003] At present, laboratory-scale microsphere screening mainly relies on traditional vibration screening or static gravity screening. Although the traditional vibration screening has high efficiency, it has the problems of large equipment size, large loss and poor representativeness for small amount of samples (especially milligram level), and the intense mechanical vibration may cause damage to the structure of some brittle microspheres (such as porous chromatographic fillers, liposomes). The static gravity screening is time-consuming and inefficient, and for particles below microns, due to the influence of Brownian motion and medium viscosity, the screening effect is poor, and the screen mesh is easily blocked.
[0004] In recent years, there are also methods of using centrifugal force to assist screening, but the existing devices mostly fix the screen mesh at the opening of the centrifugal tube by adhesion or simple placement. This simple placement of the screen mesh at the opening of the centrifugal tube makes the screen mesh not firmly fixed, which is easily displaced or leaked under the action of centrifugal force, resulting in screening failure or cross contamination. At the same time, the screening method of the existing device cannot conveniently realize multi-stage series screening, and if multiple narrow particle size distributions are to be obtained, the screen mesh needs to be repeatedly disassembled, replaced and centrifuged multiple times, which is complicated and has a high risk of sample loss.
[0005] Therefore, it is urgent to develop a small microsphere screening device suitable for small amount of samples in the laboratory, which is simple to operate, rapid and accurate in screening, and can flexibly realize single-stage and multi-stage screening. SUMMARY
[0006] (I) Technical problems solved
[0007] 1. The simple placement of the screen mesh at the opening of the centrifugal tube makes the screen mesh not firmly fixed, which is easily displaced or leaked under the action of centrifugal force, resulting in screening failure or cross contamination. 2. Limited to the structure of the existing centrifugal tube, multi-stage series screening cannot be conveniently realized, and if multiple narrow particle size distributions are to be obtained, the screen mesh needs to be repeatedly disassembled, replaced and centrifuged multiple times, which is complicated and has a high risk of sample loss.
[0008] (II) Technical solutions
[0009] To address the above problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device includes at least one sieving unit and a collection unit; The screening unit includes a screening tube body, a porous support plate, a replaceable screen, and a limiting component; the porous support plate is disposed at the bottom of the screening tube body; the replaceable screen is laid on top of the porous support plate; the limiting component is installed on the inner side wall of the screening tube body and presses and fixes the edge of the replaceable screen to the porous support plate. The collection unit includes a collection tube body and a collection tube cover. The screening tube body of the screening unit can be detachably inserted into the collection tube body. The collection tube cover is movably sleeved on the outside of the screening tube body and is detachably connected to the opening of the collection tube body. When the collection tube cover is connected to the collection tube body, it can apply axial constraint to the screening tube body inserted therein.
[0010] As a further aspect of the present invention: the limiting member is a screen sealing ring, and a second sealing groove is provided on the inner side wall of the screening tube. The screen sealing ring is interference-fitted into the second sealing groove and applies a pressing action towards the porous support plate to the replaceable screen.
[0011] As a further aspect of the present invention: the screening unit further includes a screening tube cover that can be opened and closed to cover the top of the screening tube body, and the screening tube cover is connected to the screening tube body by a snap or thread.
[0012] As a further aspect of the present invention: a first sealing groove is provided on the inner side wall of the top of the screening tube body, and a sealing element is installed in the first sealing groove. When one end of the screening tube cover is inserted into the screening tube body, the sealing element elastically abuts against that end of the screening tube cover to achieve a seal.
[0013] As a further aspect of the present invention: there are multiple screening units, which are detachably connected in series in the vertical direction, and the aperture of the replaceable screen in each screening unit decreases sequentially from top to bottom, with the lowest screening unit connected to the collection unit.
[0014] As a further aspect of the present invention: two adjacent screening units are connected by a connecting pipe, and the two ends of the connecting pipe are respectively sleeved or threaded to the ends of the upper and lower screening tubes.
[0015] As a further aspect of the present invention: the center of the collection tube cover is provided with a clearance hole, and the screening tube body passes through the clearance hole to realize the movable sleeve of the collection tube cover to the outside of the screening tube body.
[0016] As a further aspect of the present invention: the material of the replaceable screen is selected from nylon, polyester, polypropylene or stainless steel screen fabric; the materials of the screening tube, the collecting tube and the collecting tube cover are independently selected from polypropylene, polycarbonate and polyetheretherketone.
[0017] The present invention also proposes a screening method using the above-mentioned screening device, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Based on the target microsphere particle size range, select a replaceable screen with the corresponding pore size and install it inside the sieving tube; Step 2: Add the suspension containing the microspheres to be screened into the screening tube through the upper feed port, and seal the screening tube cover; Step 3: Connect and seal the assembled sets of screening tubes to the collection tubes; Step 4: Place the entire device in a centrifuge for centrifugation, so that microspheres smaller than the replaceable sieve mesh size pass through the filter screen with the liquid and enter the collection tube. Step 5: After centrifugation, separate the screening tubes and collection tubes of each group to obtain the microspheres retained on the replaceable screen and the microspheres collected in the collection tubes.
[0018] (III) Beneficial Effects
[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The separable design of the screening and collection units fundamentally solves the problems of unstable screen fixation and easy leakage in traditional devices. The screening tube can be securely inserted into the collection tube, and the collection tube cover provides reliable axial constraint, ensuring the stability of the entire assembly during centrifugation. Furthermore, the number of screening units is not limited, allowing this device to cover basic single-stage screening scenarios while also reserving expansion space for multi-stage series screening. It features a compact structure and flexible operation.
[0020] 2. By using an interference fit between the screen sealing ring and the second sealing groove, the replaceable screen edge is ensured to be evenly and firmly pressed against the porous support plate, eliminating the path for sample leakage from the screen edge. Compared to existing adhesive or simple placement fixing methods, this mechanical seal structure is more reliable.
[0021] 3. By connecting multiple sieving units in series from top to bottom and decreasing the mesh size of the sieves sequentially, multi-stage sieving can be completed continuously in one centrifugation operation. This overcomes the cumbersome process of changing sieves and repeated centrifugation required by traditional methods, greatly improves work efficiency, and reduces sample loss caused by multiple transfers. Attached Figure Description
[0022] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0023] Figure 1This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure before assembly in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the screening tube body in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembled cross-sectional structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0024] In the diagram: 1. Screening tube cover; 2. Screening tube body; 3. Screen sealing ring; 4. Replaceable screen; 5. Collection tube body; 6. Collection tube cover; 7. Seal; 8. Perforated support plate; 801. Through hole; 9. Connecting pipe. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0026] Example 1: Reference Figures 1-3 This embodiment provides a small adjustable microsphere sieving device, which is mainly used for rapid classification of small quantities of microspheres in a laboratory setting. The device includes a sieving unit and a collection unit, as detailed below: (1) The screening unit includes a screening tube cover 1 and a screening tube body 2. The screening tube cover 1 is preferably made of transparent polycarbonate (PC) material, and a breathable filter membrane (not shown in the figure) is provided on the top to allow pressure balance while preventing contamination. The screening tube body 2 is a cylindrical tube with a first sealing groove on the inner side, and a sealing element (such as an elastic sealing ring) 7 is installed in the first sealing groove. When one end of the screening tube cover 1 is inserted into the screening tube body 2, the sealing element 7 is compressed and deformed to achieve sealing. The inner side of the screening tube cover 1 is provided with a corresponding annular buckle (not shown in the figure), which can be quickly locked and connected with the screening tube body 2 by rotation or vertical pressing to form an openable and closable feeding port.
[0027] (2) The screening unit also includes a replaceable screen 4, which is made of nylon, polyester, or stainless steel ultra-thin screen fabric and is circular. The bottom of the aforementioned screening tube 2 is integrally formed with a precision injection molded porous support plate 8, which has through holes 801. The diameter of the through holes 801 is 2-3 mm and they are evenly distributed. The replaceable screen 4 is laid flat on the porous support plate 8. The replaceable screen 4 can be installed by limiting the screen by the screen sealing ring 3. The screen sealing ring 3 is an elastic silicone or rubber sealing ring, and its outer diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the screening tube 2. A second sealing groove is opened on the inner side wall of the screening tube 2, and the second sealing groove is located above the porous support plate 8. The screen sealing ring 3 is pressed into the second sealing groove by interference fit, thereby tightly pressing and fixing the replaceable screen 4 on the porous support plate 8. This state can be achieved by Figure 1 This is indicated to ensure that there is no leakage path at the edge of the replaceable screen 4.
[0028] (3) The collection unit includes a collection tube body 5 and a collection tube cap 6. The collection tube body 5 is a conventional centrifuge tube structure made of polypropylene (PP). The outer diameter of the screening tube body 2 is precisely matched with the inner diameter of the collection tube body 5, allowing for direct insertion. The collection tube cap 6 has internal threads that engage with the external threads at the opening of the collection tube body 5. The collection tube cap 6 has a clearance hole in its center that matches the outer diameter of the screening tube body 2, allowing for movable installation of the collection tube cap 6 outside the screening tube body 2. When the collection tube cap 6 is tightened, both the inner and outer sides of the screening tube body 2 are threadedly connected to the collection tube body 5, enhancing the stability of the entire device during centrifugation. This threaded connection can be controlled by... Figure 3 To represent it.
[0029] The operating procedure of this embodiment is as follows: Unscrew the collection tube cap 6 to detach the sieve tube 2 from the collection tube 5; then open the sieve tube cap 1 on the sieve tube 2 and add the microsphere suspension dispersed in the liquid medium (usually 0.5-5 mL); tighten the sieve tube cap 1, reinsert the sieve tube 2 into the collection tube 5, and tighten the collection tube cap 6; place the entire device in a horizontal rotor centrifuge and centrifuge for 1-5 minutes at 300-2000 rpm, depending on the microsphere density, particle size, and medium viscosity. After centrifugation, microspheres smaller than the target particle size pass through the replaceable sieve 4 and enter the bottom of the collection tube 5, while microspheres larger than the sieve aperture are retained on the replaceable sieve 4. The device can be completely disassembled, cleaned, and sterilized (except for the replaceable sieve 4) for reuse.
[0030] Example 2: Reference Figure 4This embodiment, based on Embodiment 1, provides a screening device capable of simultaneously obtaining multiple narrow particle size distributions. The device comprises multiple sets of screening tubes 2, forming a component library. The replaceable screens 4 in each set of screening tubes 2 have different mesh sizes. The normal assembly configuration is as described in Embodiment 1, where the upper screening tube 2 is connected to the lower collection tube 5. In this configuration, only the replaceable screen 4 in the upper screening tube 2 can be used for single screening operations.
[0031] When multi-stage screening is required, taking two-stage screening as an example, two sets of screening tubes 2 are required. The two sets of screening tubes 2 are installed vertically, and finally the collection tube 5 is installed at the bottom of the lower screening tube 2, so that the two sets of screening tubes 2 and the collection tube 5 are arranged in a vertical straight line.
[0032] For any two adjacent sets of screening tubes 2, a connecting pipe 9 can be added. The diameters of both ends of the connecting pipe 9 are larger than the outer diameter of the screening tube 2, so that the screening tube 2 can be inserted or threaded into the port of the connecting pipe 9. In other words, the connection between the two sets of screening tubes 2 can be achieved by using the connecting pipe 9.
[0033] It should be noted that all tube materials can be selected from autoclaved-resistant polypropylene (PP), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or 316L stainless steel to meet different cleanliness requirements. Meanwhile, the aperture of the replaceable screens 4 in each screening tube 2 decreases sequentially from top to bottom. Taking three sets of screening tubes 2 as an example, the apertures of the replaceable screens 4 in the three sets of screening tubes 2 can be 50μm, 20μm, and 5μm respectively. The device of this embodiment can achieve continuous grading in a single operation.
[0034] Taking the example of setting up three sets of screening tubes 2, with replaceable screens 4 in the three sets of screening tubes 2 having apertures of 50μm, 20μm, and 5μm respectively, the material is added from the top of the uppermost screening tube 2. After centrifugation, particles larger than 50μm are retained on the upper replaceable screen 4, particles between 20-50μm are retained on the middle replaceable screen 4, particles between 5-20μm are retained on the lower replaceable screen 4, and particles smaller than 5μm finally enter the collection tube 5. By disassembling each component, microspheres of different particle size ranges can be recovered separately.
[0035] Example 3: This embodiment optimizes the above-mentioned device as follows: The feeding port of the sieve tube 2 can be improved to a standardized interface, such as a Luer lock connector or a bayonet quick connector, to facilitate docking with the dispensing head of an automated liquid workstation or micro-injection pump for automatic sample addition. The sieve tube cover 1 can integrate an RFID tag or QR code to record information such as the aperture of the replaceable sieve 4 and the batch used.
[0036] The porous support plate 8 at the bottom of the collection tube 5 can be designed with standard well sizes for 96-well or 384-well plates, allowing the entire device to be directly inserted into the corresponding well plate for centrifugation, processing up to 96 or 384 samples at a time, greatly increasing throughput.
[0037] Example 4: This embodiment uses the multi-stage screening method in Embodiment 2 as an example to illustrate the screening method, including the following steps: Step 1: Based on the target microsphere particle size range, select a replaceable screen 4 with the corresponding pore size and install it inside the screening tube 2; Step 2: Add the suspension containing the microspheres to be screened into the screening tube 2 through the above-mentioned feeding port, and seal the screening tube cover 1; Step 3: Connect and seal the assembled multiple sets of screening tubes 2 to the collection tube 5; Step 4: Place the entire device in a centrifuge for centrifugation, so that microspheres smaller than the pore size of the replaceable sieve 4 pass through the filter screen with the liquid and enter the collection tube 5. Step 5: After centrifugation, separate the screening tubes 2 and collection tubes 5 of each group to obtain the microspheres retained on the replaceable screens 4 and the microspheres collected in the collection tubes 5, respectively.
[0038] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, but this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. All equivalent variations and modifications made within the scope of the claims of this invention should still fall within the patent coverage of this invention.
Claims
1. A small, adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device, characterized in that, Includes at least one screening unit and a collection unit; The screening unit includes a screening tube (2), a porous support plate (8), a replaceable screen (4), and a limiting component; the porous support plate (8) is located at the bottom of the screening tube (2); the replaceable screen (4) is laid on top of the porous support plate (8); the limiting component is installed on the inner wall of the screening tube (2) and presses and fixes the edge of the replaceable screen (4) onto the porous support plate (8); The collection unit includes a collection tube (5) and a collection tube cover (6). The screening tube (2) of the screening unit can be detachably inserted into the collection tube (5). The collection tube cover (6) is movably sleeved on the outside of the screening tube (2) and detachably connected to the opening of the collection tube (5). When the collection tube cover (6) is connected to the collection tube (5), it can apply axial constraint to the screening tube (2) inserted therein.
2. The small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting component is a screen sealing ring (3). The inner wall of the screening tube (2) is provided with a second sealing groove. The screen sealing ring (3) is inserted into the second sealing groove with an interference fit and applies a pressing action towards the porous support plate (8) to the replaceable screen (4).
3. A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The screening unit also includes a screening tube cover (1) that can be opened and closed and is fitted onto the top of the screening tube body (2). The screening tube cover (1) is connected to the screening tube body (2) by a snap or thread.
4. The small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner side wall of the top of the screening tube (2) is provided with a first sealing groove, and a sealing element (7) is installed in the first sealing groove. When one end of the screening tube cover (1) is inserted into the screening tube (2), the sealing element (7) elastically abuts against that end of the screening tube cover (1) to achieve sealing.
5. A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The screening unit is a plurality of units, which are detachably connected in series in the vertical direction. The aperture of the replaceable screen (4) in each screening unit decreases sequentially from top to bottom, and the lowest screening unit is connected to the collection unit.
6. A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The two adjacent screening units are connected by a connecting pipe (9), and the two ends of the connecting pipe (9) are respectively sleeved or threaded to the ends of the upper and lower screening pipe bodies (2).
7. A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The center of the collection tube cover (6) is provided with a relief hole, and the screening tube body (2) passes through the relief hole to realize the movable sleeve of the collection tube cover (6) to the outside of the screening tube body (2).
8. A small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The replaceable screen (4) is made of nylon, polyester, polypropylene or stainless steel screen fabric; the screening tube (2), the collection tube (5) and the collection tube cover (6) are made of polypropylene, polycarbonate or polyetheretherketone.
9. A sieving method using a small adjustable multi-size microsphere sieving device according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a replaceable screen (4) with the corresponding pore size according to the target microsphere particle size range and install it in the screening tube (2); Step 2: Add the suspension containing the microspheres to be screened into the screening tube (2) through the upper feed port and seal the screening tube cover (1). Step 3: Connect and seal the assembled multiple sets of screening tubes (2) to the collection tube (5); Step 4: Place the entire device in a centrifuge for centrifugation, so that microspheres smaller than the pore size of the replaceable sieve (4) pass through the filter screen with the liquid and enter the collection tube (5). Step 5: After centrifugation, separate the screening tubes (2) and collection tubes (5) of each group to obtain microspheres retained on the replaceable screen (4) and microspheres collected in the collection tubes (5).