Mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and detection analysis system

Abstract

The invention discloses a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and a detection analysis system, and the transfer device comprises a cabin opening control panel which is slidably assembled on a mass spectrometer and is used for being assembled with a cabin door, and the cabin opening control panel is provided with a cabin opening combination position; a lifting movable plate is assembled on the transfer assembly plate in a sliding mode in the vertical direction; the grabbing mechanism is borne on the lifting movable plate; the push rod is elastically connected to the lifting movable plate in the vertical direction and located on the side, close to the cabin opening control plate, of the grabbing mechanism, and the bottom of the push rod is used for being in butt joint with the cabin opening combination position; and the transfer driving mechanism is used for driving the transfer assembly plate to transversely move and driving the lifting movable plate to lift and move. The whole control process is simpler and more convenient, only the transverse sliding motion of the cabin opening control panel needs to be controlled, the probability of deviation is greatly reduced, then the fault rate is reduced, and the precision requirement is lower.

Description

Mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and detection analysis system Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mass spectrometry detection technology, and in particular to a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and detection and analysis system. Background Technology

[0002] Mass spectrometers provide powerful tools for genotyping, gene mutation detection, and methylation analysis. Integrating the spotting device and mass spectrometry analysis module helps to shorten the manual operation process and reduce the risk of sample contamination.

[0003] Agena's second-generation MassARRAY system's chip transfer structure involves a workflow that transfers chips from an atmospheric environment to a vacuum environment. This workflow includes: gripping the cover, lowering the cover, gripping the chip holder, placing the chip holder, gripping the cover again, and closing the cover. There are multiple reciprocating movements within one work cycle, resulting in a complex control strategy. Furthermore, the failure rate during the closing process is high due to positional deviations between the cover and the chamber. Therefore, the motion precision requirements for the transfer structure are high, increasing the difficulty of processing and assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and detection and analysis system, which has the advantages of simple control process, reduced failure rate and low accuracy requirements.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device is provided, comprising: a hatch slidably mounted on the mass spectrometer; an opening control plate for closing or opening the hatch, the opening control plate having a closed position for closing the hatch and an open position for opening the hatch, and an opening engagement position provided on the opening control plate; a transfer assembly plate, the transfer assembly plate having a lifting movable plate slidably mounted on it in a vertical direction; a gripping mechanism supported on the lifting movable plate for gripping or releasing a chip holder, the chip holder carrying a plurality of detection chips; and a push rod elastically connected in a vertical direction to the lifting movable plate and located on the gripping mechanism near the opening control plate, the bottom of the push rod being used to engage with the opening engagement position to push. The opening control panel slides; and a transfer drive mechanism is used to drive the transfer assembly plate to move laterally and drive the lifting movable plate to move up and down; the transfer drive mechanism sequentially performs the following actions: driving the lifting movable plate to move up and down to grab the chip holder, driving the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to correspond to the push rod and the opening engagement position, driving the lifting movable plate to descend to the push rod and the opening engagement position, driving the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to drive the opening control panel to the opening position via the push rod, driving the lifting movable plate to descend to the working position where the grabbing mechanism places the chip holder in the mass spectrometer, driving the transfer assembly plate and the lifting movable plate to reset, and during the reset process, driving the opening control panel to move to the closed position via the push rod.

[0006] To achieve the above technical solution, the sample-applied detection chip is mounted on a chip holder. When the chip holder is moved below the gripping mechanism, the transfer drive mechanism drives the lifting plate to descend, causing the gripping mechanism to descend synchronously to grip the chip holder. After gripping, the lifting plate rises and resets. Subsequently, the transfer drive mechanism drives the transfer assembly plate to move laterally, aligning the push rod with the opening chamber engagement position. The transfer drive mechanism then drives the lifting plate to descend again, aligning the bottom of the push rod with the opening chamber engagement position. At this point, the opening chamber control plate is in the closed chamber position. The transfer drive mechanism then continues to drive the transfer assembly plate to move laterally, which, via the push rod, causes the opening chamber control plate to slide laterally until it reaches the open chamber position, aligning the gripping mechanism with the mass spectrometer's inlet. The transfer drive mechanism then drives the lifting plate to descend again, causing the gripping mechanism to lower the chip holder to the appropriate position. The chip holder is placed inside the mass spectrometer to complete the sample injection process. Since the push rod is elastically connected to the lifting plate, it will not hinder the further descent of the lifting plate. After the sample injection is completed, the transfer drive mechanism drives the lifting plate to rise to the initial docking height between the push rod and the opening position. Then, it drives the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to reset, which in turn moves the opening control plate to the closing position to close the door. Finally, it drives the lifting plate to rise and reset, and the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to reset, so that the next gripping action can be performed. In the whole process, only the gripping action of the gripping mechanism and the sequential lifting and lateral movement of the transfer drive mechanism need to be controlled. The overall control process is simpler, and only the lateral sliding movement of the opening control plate needs to be controlled, which greatly reduces the probability of deviation and thus reduces the failure rate. The accuracy requirements are also lower.

[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, the mass spectrometer is provided with limiting slide rails on both sides of the hatch for limiting the sliding direction of the hatch opening control plate. The hatch opening control plate is provided with a sliding guide groove. Each of the limiting slide rails is provided with a plurality of elastic limiting members. The elastic limiting members press against the sliding guide groove to press the hatch opening control plate tightly against the hatch.

[0008] To achieve the above technical solution, the sliding guide groove and the elastic limiting component work together to enable the hatch opening control plate to slide stably back and forth along the limiting slide rail and press against the hatch to achieve closure.

[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, the bottom of the hatch opening control panel is provided with a stepped slide, and the limiting slide rail is provided with a lifting roller corresponding to the stepped slide. During the process of the hatch opening control panel moving to the hatch opening position, the lifting roller pushes against the limiting slide rail to make the hatch opening control panel move up and detach from the hatch door.

[0010] To achieve the above technical solution, during the hatch opening process, the stepped slide can cause the hatch opening control plate to move upward a certain distance under the pushing force of the lifting roller to disengage from the hatch door, thereby reducing the friction generated in the hatch opening process; after the hatch is closed, the stepped slide will disengage from the lifting roller, which on the one hand prevents the lifting roller from being overloaded and failing due to prolonged pressure, and on the other hand allows the sealing ring on the hatch door to generate the maximum compression, improving the sealing effect.

[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the gripping mechanism includes: a loading frame fixed to the lifting movable plate; clamping plates symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading frame and rotatably connected to the loading frame, the clamping plates having clamping grooves adapted to the chip holder; a clamping drive assembly for pushing the two clamping plates open to perform a gripping action; and a clamping elastic member connected between the two clamping plates for driving the clamping plates to maintain a clamping force.

[0012] To achieve the above technical solution, when gripping the chip holder, the clamping drive component controls the clamping plate to open so that the clamping slot position corresponds to the chip holder. Then, the clamping drive component resets, and the clamping plate resets under the action of the clamping elastic element, thus clamping the chip holder and maintaining a stable clamping state under the action of the clamping slot.

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, the clamping drive assembly includes: a clamping electric cylinder fixed to the loading frame, and a pusher wedge fixed to the power output shaft of the clamping electric cylinder. The clamping plate is provided with an inwardly extending pusher arm, and the pusher wedge can press against the pusher arm to drive the clamping plate to open outward.

[0014] To achieve the above technical solution, when the clamping electric cylinder drives the pushing wedge to extend, the two sides of the pushing wedge will press against the pushing arm, thereby driving the clamping plate to rotate and open outward. When the clamping groove corresponds to the chip holder, the clamping electric cylinder drives the pushing wedge to reset, and the clamping plate can reset and clamp the chip holder under the action of the clamping elastic element.

[0015] In some exemplary embodiments, the gripping mechanism further includes: a detection stop bar slidably mounted on the loading frame in a vertical direction, the detection stop bar having a detection notch at its upper part; a return spring disposed between the detection stop bar and the loading frame; and a photoelectric sensor disposed on the loading frame and corresponding to the detection stop bar; in the initial state, the detection notch is offset from the photoelectric sensor, and the lower end of the detection stop bar is at least below the clamping groove; when gripping the chip holder, the chip holder pushes the detection stop bar upward until the detection notch corresponds to the photoelectric sensor to form a detection signal and causes the return spring to compress and generate an elastic force.

[0016] The above technical solution enables the determination of whether the gripping mechanism has gripped the chip holder.

[0017] In some exemplary embodiments, the chip socket is provided with V-shaped positioning grooves on both sides, and a positioning pin is provided in the middle of the clamping groove on the clamping plate. The positioning pin is used to embed into the V-shaped positioning groove to center and position the chip socket.

[0018] By implementing the above technical solution, when the clamping plate clamps the chip holder under the action of the clamping elastic element, the chip holder can be centered and positioned under the action of the positioning pin, thereby further improving the positioning accuracy and reducing the accuracy requirements of the device.

[0019] In some exemplary embodiments, the lifting movable plate is provided with a sliding guide sleeve, the push rod is slidably assembled on the sliding guide sleeve in the vertical direction, and a compression elastic element is sleeved on the push rod, one end of the compression elastic element abutting against the sliding guide sleeve and the other end abutting against the push rod.

[0020] The above technical solution enables the push rod to slide in the vertical direction and achieves elastic connection between the push rod and the lifting movable plate through the compression elastic element, thus meeting the push rod's reset requirement.

[0021] In some exemplary embodiments, the transfer drive mechanism includes: a first drive mechanism for driving the transfer assembly plate to reciprocate laterally; and a second drive mechanism for driving the lifting movable plate to reciprocate vertically.

[0022] To achieve the above technical solution, the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism work together to realize the lateral and longitudinal sliding of the gripping mechanism and the push rod.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a detection and analysis system is provided, comprising: a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device as described in the first aspect; a feeding and transfer mechanism for transferring a chip holder to the gripping mechanism, the feeding and transfer mechanism having a spotting position corresponding to a spotting instrument and a feeding position corresponding to the gripping mechanism; and a mass spectrometer.

[0024] To achieve the above technical solution, the feeding and transfer mechanism moves back and forth between the spotting instrument and the gripping mechanism, which facilitates the transfer of the spotted detection chip to the gripping mechanism, which then grips the chip holder and transfers it to the mass spectrometer via the transfer device for detection and analysis.

[0025] In summary, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The embodiments of the present invention provide a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device and a detection and analysis system. The detection chip, after sample application, is carried on a chip holder. When the chip holder is moved below the gripping mechanism, the transfer drive mechanism drives the lifting movable plate to descend, causing the gripping mechanism to descend synchronously to grip the chip holder. After gripping, the lifting movable plate rises and resets. Subsequently, the transfer drive mechanism drives the transfer assembly plate to move laterally so that the push rod corresponds to the opening chamber engagement position. The transfer drive mechanism then drives the lifting movable plate to descend again so that the bottom of the push rod aligns with the opening chamber engagement position. At this time, the opening chamber control plate is in the closed chamber position. The transfer drive mechanism then continues to drive the transfer assembly plate to move laterally, which, through the push rod, drives the opening chamber control plate to slide laterally until it reaches the open chamber position. The gripping mechanism corresponds to the mass spectrometer's inlet. The transfer drive mechanism then drives the lifting movable plate again... The moving plate descends, allowing the gripping mechanism to lower the chip holder to the appropriate position and place it inside the mass spectrometer to complete the sample injection process. Because the push rod is elastically connected to the lifting moving plate, it does not obstruct the continued descent of the lifting moving plate. After sample injection, the transfer drive mechanism drives the lifting moving plate to the initial docking height between the push rod and the opening position. Then, it drives the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to reset, moving the opening control plate to the closed position to close the hatch. Finally, it drives the lifting moving plate to reset and the transfer assembly plate to move laterally to reset, allowing for the next gripping action. The entire process only requires controlling the gripping action of the gripping mechanism and the sequential lifting and lateral movements of the transfer drive mechanism. This simplifies the overall control process, as only the lateral sliding movement of the opening control plate needs to be controlled, greatly reducing the probability of deviations and thus the failure rate, while also lowering the accuracy requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly mechanism of the hatch opening control panel and the hatch door in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the gripping mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 is a state diagram of the gripping mechanism controlling the clamping plate to open in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 is a state diagram of the gripping mechanism gripping the chip holder in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the push rod in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the transfer drive mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the detection and analysis system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the positioning carrier and the chip holder in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] The numbers and letters in the diagram represent the following components: 10. Opening control panel; 11. Opening engagement position; 12. Limiting slide rail; 13. Sliding guide groove; 14. Elastic limiting component; 15. Stepped slide; 16. Lifting roller; 20. Transfer assembly plate; 21. Lifting movable plate; 30. Gripping mechanism; 31. Loading frame; 311. Rotating frame; 32. Clamping plate; 321. Clamping groove; 322. Pushing arm; 323. Positioning pin; 324. Rotating pin; 33. Clamping drive assembly; 331. Clamping electric cylinder; 332. Pushing wedge; 34. Clamping 35. Elastic element; 35. Detection stop bar; 351. Detection notch; 36. Return spring; 37. Photoelectric sensor; 40. Push rod; 41. Sliding guide sleeve; 42. Compression elastic element; 43. Snap ring; 44. Limiting protrusion ring; 45. Docking ball head; 46. Connecting plate; 50. Transfer drive mechanism; 51. First drive mechanism; 52. Second drive mechanism; 60. Chip holder; 61. Detection chip; 62. V-shaped positioning groove; 70. Feeding and transfer mechanism; 71. Transfer seat; 72. Positioning seat; 80. Mass spectrometer; 81. Door; 82. Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0036] 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.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 to 9, a first aspect of the present invention provides a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device, comprising: a slidably mounted door 81 on a mass spectrometer 80; an opening control plate 10 for closing or opening the door 81, the opening control plate 10 having a closed position for closing the door 81 and an open position for opening the door 81, and an opening engagement position 11 provided on the opening control plate 10; a transfer assembly plate 20, the transfer assembly plate 20 having a lifting movable plate 21 slidably mounted on it in the vertical direction; and a device supported on the lifting movable plate 21. The system includes a plate 21, a gripping mechanism 30 for gripping or releasing a chip holder 60 on which a plurality of detection chips 61 are mounted, a push rod 40 that is elastically connected vertically to the lifting movable plate 21 and located on the gripping mechanism 30 near the opening control plate 10, the bottom of the push rod 40 being used to engage with the opening engagement position 11 to push the opening control plate 10 to slide, and a transfer drive mechanism 50 for driving the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally and driving the lifting movable plate 21 to move up and down.

[0038] The transfer drive mechanism 50 sequentially performs the following actions: driving the lifting movable plate 21 to move up and down to grab the chip holder 60; driving the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally to correspond with the push rod 40 and the opening engagement position 11; driving the lifting movable plate 21 to descend to align with the push rod 40 and the opening engagement position 11; driving the carrier assembly plate to move laterally to drive the opening control plate 10 to the opening position via the push rod 40; driving the lifting movable plate 21 to descend to the working position where the grabbing mechanism 30 places the chip holder 60 inside the mass spectrometer 80; driving the transfer assembly plate 20 and the lifting movable plate 21 to reset, and during the reset process, driving the opening control plate 10 to the closed position via the push rod 40.

[0039] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the mass spectrometer 80 is provided with limiting slide rails 12 on both sides of the hatch 81 to limit the sliding direction of the hatch opening control plate 10. The hatch opening control plate 10 is provided with a sliding guide groove 13. Each limiting slide rail 12 is provided with several elastic limiting members 14. The elastic limiting members 14 press against the sliding guide groove 13 to press the hatch opening control plate 10 tightly against the hatch 81.

[0040] The limiting slide rail 12 is inverted L-shaped and locked to the hatch 81 with screws, thus forming a limiting slide to restrict the sliding of the hatch opening control plate 10. The two ends of the hatch opening control plate 10 extend outward to provide sufficient sliding distance. The sliding guide groove 13 is V-shaped. The elastic limiting element 14 adopts a spring and glass ball, which specifically includes: a threaded housing, a compression spring, and a glass ball. The threaded housing is threadedly connected and fixed to the limiting slide rail 12. The glass ball is embedded in the threaded housing and protrudes outward. The compression spring is located in the threaded housing. One end of the glass bead abuts against the inner wall of the threaded housing and the other end abuts against the glass bead, thereby driving the glass bead to remain in a convex state. The glass bead is embedded in the sliding guide groove 13 to play the roles of limiting, guiding and pressing. In this embodiment, four sets of elastic limiting members 14 are provided and are respectively set at the positions near both ends of the limiting slide rail 12. Through the cooperation of the sliding guide groove 13 and the elastic limiting members 14, the hatch opening control plate 10 can stably slide back and forth along the limiting slide rail 12 and can be pressed against the hatch 81 to achieve closure.

[0041] The bottom of the hatch opening control plate 10 is provided with a stepped slide 15, and the limiting slide rail 12 is provided with a lifting roller 16 corresponding to the stepped slide 15. During the process of the hatch opening control plate 10 moving to the hatch opening position, the lifting roller 16 pushes against the limiting slide rail 12 to make the hatch opening control plate 10 move upward and disengage from the hatch door 81. The stepped slide 15 is a slide with an inclination slope of 20-40°, preferably 30°. In order to facilitate the sliding of the hatch opening control plate 10 during the hatch opening process, a bearing can usually be provided on the lifting roller 16 to support the rolling movement of the hatch opening control plate 10 when disengaging from the hatch door 81.

[0042] During the hatch opening process, the stepped slide 15 allows the hatch opening control plate 10 to move upward a certain distance under the pushing force of the lifting roller 16, thereby disengaging from the hatch door 81 and reducing the friction generated during the hatch opening process. After the hatch is closed, the stepped slide 15 will disengage from the lifting roller 16, which on the one hand prevents the lifting roller 16 from failing due to prolonged pressure and overload, and on the other hand allows the sealing ring 82 on the hatch door 81 to generate the maximum compression, improving the sealing effect. Furthermore, the design of the lifting roller 16 allows the hatch opening control plate 10 to automatically slide back to the closed position with good position repeatability, which further reduces the positioning accuracy requirements of the transfer drive mechanism 50. In some embodiments, a positioning pin can be set on the hatch door 81 to limit the closed position of the hatch opening control plate 10, or a photoelectric sensor 37 can be set to detect whether it has moved to the closed position.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the gripping mechanism 30 includes: a loading frame 31 fixed to the lifting movable plate 21; clamping plates 32 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading frame 31 and rotatably connected to the loading frame 31, the clamping plates 32 having clamping grooves 321 adapted to the chip holder 60; a clamping drive assembly 33 for pushing the two clamping plates 32 to open to perform a gripping action; and a clamping elastic member 34 connected between the two clamping plates 32 for driving the clamping plates 32 to maintain the clamping force.

[0044] Specifically, the loading frame 31 is bolted to the lifting movable plate 21. The bottom of the loading frame 31 is a rotating frame 311. The clamping plate 32 is rotatably connected to the rotating frame 311 near the top via a rotating pin 324. The two clamping plates 32 are arranged opposite each other and form a clamping space between them to accommodate the chip holder 60. The clamping groove 321 can be a V-shaped groove or a trapezoidal groove, so as to stably clamp and restrict the chip holder 60. The clamping elastic element 34 is a tension spring to tighten the two clamping plates 32 to form a relatively clamped state.

[0045] To improve the accuracy of clamping the chip holder 60, as shown in Figures 3 and 9, V-shaped positioning grooves 62 are provided on both sides of the chip holder 60. A positioning pin 323 is provided on the clamping plate 32 in the middle of the clamping groove 321. The positioning pin 323 is used to embed into the V-shaped positioning groove 62 to center and position the chip holder 60. The outer wall of the positioning pin 323 has external threads that are threadedly connected and fixed to the clamping plate 32. The screw-in amount of the positioning pin 323 can be adjusted to change the position where it engages with the V-shaped positioning groove 62, and one end extending into the clamping groove 321 has a ball-head structure. When the clamping plate 32 clamps the chip holder 60 under the action of the clamping elastic member 34, it can center and position the chip holder 60 under the action of the positioning pin 323. That is, the ball head structure of the positioning pin 323 forms a positioning relationship with the V-shaped positioning groove 62 of the chip holder 60. Even if there is a deviation between the position of the gripping mechanism 30 and the chip holder 60, the chip holder 60 can be pulled back under the action of the tensile force of the clamping elastic member 34 and re-establish the correct positioning relationship with the positioning pin 323, thereby further improving the positioning accuracy and reducing the accuracy requirements of the device.

[0046] The clamping drive assembly 33 includes: a clamping electric cylinder 331 fixed to the loading frame 31, and a pushing wedge 332 fixed to the power output shaft of the clamping electric cylinder 331. A pushing arm 322 extending inwardly is provided on the clamping plate 32. The pushing wedge 332 can press against the pushing arm 322 to drive the clamping plate 32 to open outward. The clamping electric cylinder 331 is fixed to the top of the loading frame 31, and the loading frame 31 has an opening for the power output shaft of the clamping electric cylinder 331 and the pushing wedge 332 to pass through. The two sides of the pushing wedge 332 are inclined to form a wedge shape. The pushing arm 322 extends below the pushing wedge 332, so that the pushing wedge 332 can press against the end position of the pushing arm 322. Furthermore, to facilitate the rotation of the clamping plate 32, the end of the pushing arm 322 is provided with... The transition surface is arc-shaped. When the clamping cylinder 331 drives the pusher wedge 332 to extend, the two sides of the pusher wedge 332 will press against the pusher arm 322, thereby driving the clamping plate 32 to rotate and open outward, as shown in Figure 4. When the clamping groove 321 corresponds to the chip holder 60, the clamping cylinder 331 drives the pusher wedge 332 to reset, and the clamping plate 32 can reset and clamp the chip holder 60 under the action of the clamping elastic member 34, as shown in Figure 5.

[0047] When gripping the chip holder 60, the clamping drive assembly 33 controls the clamping plate 32 to open, so that the position of the clamping groove 321 corresponds to the chip holder 60. Then the clamping drive assembly 33 resets, and the clamping plate 32 resets under the action of the clamping elastic member 34, thus clamping the chip holder 60 and maintaining a stable clamping state under the action of the clamping groove 321.

[0048] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 30 also includes: a detection stop bar 35 slidably mounted on the loading frame 31 in the vertical direction, the upper part of the detection stop bar 35 having a detection notch 351; a reset spring 36 disposed between the detection stop bar 35 and the loading frame 31; and a photoelectric sensor 37 disposed on the loading frame 31 and corresponding to the detection stop bar 35. In the initial state, the detection notch 351 is offset from the photoelectric sensor 37, and the lower end of the detection stop bar 35 is at least below the clamping groove 321. When gripping the chip holder 60, the chip holder 60 pushes the detection stop bar 35 upward to the detection notch 351 to correspond with the photoelectric sensor 37 to form a detection signal and cause the reset spring to spring back and compress to generate an elastic force.

[0049] Typically, the detection stop 35 is positioned at the corner of the rotating frame 311, corresponding to the corner of the chip holder 60. When the gripping mechanism 30 descends to grip the chip holder 60, the detection stop 35 presses against the chip holder 60 and moves upward under the reaction force of the chip holder 60. The detection stop 35 can be slidably connected to the rotating frame 311 via a linear bearing. The return spring 36 is sleeved on the detection stop 35, with one end abutting against the detection stop 35 and the other end abutting against the rotating frame 311. It is understood that the photoelectric sensor 37 includes a light emitter... The light emitter and light receiver are located on opposite sides of the baffle. When the gripping mechanism 30 grips the chip holder 60, the detection baffle 35 is in the extended state under the action of the reset spring 36. At this time, the detection baffle 35 blocks the detection light path between the light emitter and the light receiver. When the chip holder 60 is gripped, the detection notch 351 corresponds to the light emitter and the light receiver. The detection light emitted by the light emitter can be received by the light receiver, generating a detection signal. Based on the detection signal, it can be determined whether the gripping mechanism 30 has gripped the chip holder 60.

[0050] The lifting sliding plate 21 is provided with a sliding guide sleeve 41. The push rod 40 is slidably mounted on the sliding guide sleeve 41 in the vertical direction, and a compression elastic element 42 is sleeved on the push rod 40. One end of the compression elastic element 42 abuts against the sliding guide sleeve 41, and the other end abuts against the push rod 40. Typically, an inverted L-shaped connecting plate 46 can be fixed to the lifting sliding plate, and the sliding guide sleeve 41 is fixed on the connecting plate 46. A retaining ring 43 is fixed at the bottom of the push rod 40 to limit the downward movement limit of the push rod 40. A limiting protrusion 44 is provided near the lower end to limit the upward movement limit of the push rod 40. The compression elastic element 42 is a spring, which is sleeved on the push rod 40, and its bottom end abuts against the limiting protrusion 44. The sliding guide sleeve 41 realizes the sliding connection of the push rod 40 in the vertical direction, and the compression elastic element 42 realizes the elastic connection between the push rod 40 and the lifting sliding plate 21, thus meeting the reset requirement of the push rod 40.

[0051] To facilitate engagement with the hatch opening engagement position 11, a docking ball head 45 is provided at the bottom of the push rod 40. The hatch opening engagement position 11 is usually configured as a square groove, and a certain gap can be formed between the groove and the docking ball head 45. The gap is preferably set to 0.2-0.5mm, and a chamfer structure is provided on the outer side of the square groove. The size of the chamfer structure is preferably 0.5mm, so that the docking ball head 45 can be smoothly embedded into the square groove. By setting the docking ball head 45 to only contact the side of the square groove and not the bottom surface when it engages with the square groove to push the hatch opening control plate 10 to slide, the hatch opening control plate 10 is guaranteed to be only subjected to the thrust in the same direction as the sliding direction when it slides, thereby improving the smoothness of the sliding process of the hatch opening control plate 10.

[0052] The transfer drive mechanism 50 includes: a first drive mechanism 51 for driving the transfer assembly plate 20 to reciprocate laterally; and a second drive mechanism 52 for driving the lifting movable plate 21 to reciprocate vertically. The first drive mechanism 51 can be a lead screw drive mechanism or a belt drive mechanism, preferably a lead screw drive mechanism. It is understood that the first drive mechanism 51 is usually mounted on a main frame, and the transfer assembly plate 20 is slidably connected to the main frame and fixed to the lead screw seat of the lead screw drive mechanism. The second drive mechanism 52 can be an electric cylinder or a lead screw drive mechanism, preferably an electric cylinder, and the second drive mechanism 52 is fixed to the lead screw drive mechanism, and its power output shaft is fixed to the lifting movable plate 21. Through the coordinated operation of the first drive mechanism 51 and the second drive mechanism 52, the lateral and longitudinal sliding of the gripping mechanism 30 and the push rod 40 is realized.

[0053] The sample-applied detection chip 61 is mounted on the chip holder 60. When the chip holder 60 is moved below the gripping mechanism 30, the transfer drive mechanism 50 drives the lifting movable plate 21 to descend, causing the gripping mechanism 30 to descend synchronously and grip the chip holder 60. After gripping, the lifting movable plate 21 rises and resets. Then, the transfer drive mechanism 50 drives the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally, aligning the push rod 40 with the opening engagement position 11. The transfer drive mechanism 50 then drives the lifting movable plate 21 to descend again, aligning the bottom of the push rod 40 with the opening engagement position 11. At this time, the opening control plate 10 is in the closed position. Then, the transfer drive mechanism 50 continues to drive the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally, which, through the push rod 40, drives the opening control plate 10 to slide laterally until it moves to the open position, aligning the gripping mechanism 30 with the sample inlet of the mass spectrometer 80. The transfer drive mechanism 50 then drives the lifting movable plate 21 to descend again, causing the gripping mechanism 30 to carry the chip holder 60 down. Once the sample is lowered to the appropriate position, the chip holder 60 is placed inside the mass spectrometer 80 to complete the sample injection process. Since the push rod 40 is elastically connected to the lifting movable plate 21, it will not hinder the further descent of the lifting movable plate 21. After the sample injection is completed, the transfer drive mechanism 50 drives the lifting movable plate 21 to rise to the initial docking height between the push rod 40 and the opening engagement position 11. Then, it drives the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally to reset, thereby moving the opening control plate 10 to the closed position to close the hatch 81. Finally, it drives the lifting movable plate 21 to rise to reset and the transfer assembly plate 20 to move laterally to reset, so that the next grasping action can be performed. In the whole process, only the grasping action of the grasping mechanism 30 and the sequential lifting and lateral movement of the transfer drive mechanism 50 need to be controlled. The overall control process is simpler, and only the lateral sliding movement of the opening control plate 10 needs to be controlled, which greatly reduces the probability of deviation and thus reduces the failure rate. The accuracy requirements are also lower.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a second aspect of the present invention provides a detection and analysis system, comprising: a mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device as described in the first aspect; a feeding and transfer mechanism 70 for transferring a chip holder 60 to a gripping mechanism 30, the feeding and transfer mechanism 70 having a spotting position corresponding to a spotting instrument and a feeding position corresponding to the gripping mechanism 30; and a mass spectrometer 80.

[0055] The feeding and transfer mechanism 70 includes: a transfer seat 71 that is slidably mounted on the main frame, and a feeding drive mechanism for driving the transfer seat 71 to reciprocate. The transfer seat 71 is provided with a storage groove, and a positioning carrier 72 is provided in the storage groove. The positioning carrier 72 is provided with a positioning groove that is adapted to the chip holder 60. The chip holder 60 is placed in the positioning groove and forms an active space with the positioning carrier 72 for clamping by the clamping plate 32.

[0056] The feeding and transfer mechanism 70 moves back and forth between the spotting instrument and the gripping mechanism 30, which facilitates the transfer of the spotted detection chip 61 to the gripping mechanism 30, so that the gripping mechanism 30 can grip the chip holder 60, and then transfer it to the mass spectrometer 80 through the transfer device for detection and analysis.

[0057] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention. These are all equivalent modifications and improvements made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of the present invention, and all of these fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device, characterized in that, include: A sliding chamber door mounted on the mass spectrometer; a chamber opening control panel for closing or opening the chamber door, the chamber opening control panel having a closed position for closing the chamber door and an open position for opening the chamber door, and the chamber opening control panel having an opening engagement position; a transfer assembly plate, the transfer assembly plate having a lifting movable plate slidably mounted on it in the vertical direction; a gripping mechanism supported on the lifting movable plate for gripping or releasing a chip holder, the chip holder carrying a plurality of detection chips; a push rod elastically connected in the vertical direction to the lifting movable plate and located on the gripping mechanism near the chamber opening control panel, the bottom of the push rod being used to engage with the chamber opening engagement position to push the chamber opening control plate to slide; and a transfer drive mechanism, the transfer drive mechanism... The drive mechanism is used to drive the transfer assembly plate to move laterally and drive the lifting movable plate to move up and down. The transfer drive mechanism performs the following actions in sequence: driving the lifting movable plate to move up and down to grab the chip holder; driving the transfer assembly plate to move laterally until the push rod corresponds to the opening position; driving the lifting movable plate to descend until the push rod is aligned with the opening position; driving the transfer assembly plate to move laterally so that the opening control plate is moved to the opening position via the push rod; driving the lifting movable plate to descend to the working position where the grabbing mechanism places the chip holder inside the mass spectrometer; driving the transfer assembly plate and the lifting movable plate to reset, and during the reset process, driving the opening control plate to move to the closed position via the push rod.

2. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass spectrometer has limiting slide rails on both sides of the hatch to restrict the sliding direction of the hatch opening control plate. The hatch opening control plate has a sliding guide groove. Each limiting slide rail has several elastic limiting members. The elastic limiting members press against the sliding guide groove to press the hatch opening control plate tightly against the hatch.

3. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom of the hatch opening control panel is provided with a stepped slide, and the limiting slide rail is provided with a lifting roller corresponding to the stepped slide. During the process of the hatch opening control panel moving to the hatch opening position, the lifting roller pushes against the limiting slide rail to make the hatch opening control panel move up and detach from the hatch door.

4. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripping mechanism includes: a loading frame fixed to the lifting movable plate; clamping plates symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading frame and rotatably connected to the loading frame, the clamping plates having clamping grooves adapted to the chip holder; a clamping drive assembly for pushing the two clamping plates open to perform a gripping action; and a clamping elastic member connected between the two clamping plates for driving the clamping plates to maintain a clamping force.

5. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping drive assembly includes: a clamping electric cylinder fixed to the loading frame, and a pushing wedge fixed to the power output shaft of the clamping electric cylinder. The clamping plate is provided with an inwardly extending pushing arm, and the pushing wedge can press against the pushing arm to drive the clamping plate to open outward.

6. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The gripping mechanism further includes: a detection stop bar slidably mounted on the loading frame in a vertical direction, the detection stop bar having a detection notch at its upper part; a return spring disposed between the detection stop bar and the loading frame; and a photoelectric sensor disposed on the loading frame and corresponding to the detection stop bar. In the initial state, the detection notch is offset from the photoelectric sensor, and the lower end of the detection stop bar is at least below the clamping groove. When gripping the chip holder, the chip holder pushes the detection stop bar upward until the detection notch corresponds to the photoelectric sensor to form a detection signal and causes the return spring to spring back and compress to generate an elastic force.

7. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The chip holder has V-shaped positioning grooves on both sides, and a positioning pin is provided in the middle of the clamping groove on the clamping plate. The positioning pin is used to embed into the V-shaped positioning groove to center and position the chip holder.

8. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting movable plate is provided with a sliding guide sleeve, and the push rod is slidably assembled on the sliding guide sleeve in the vertical direction. A compression elastic element is sleeved on the push rod, with one end of the compression elastic element abutting against the sliding guide sleeve and the other end abutting against the push rod.

9. The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer drive mechanism includes: a first drive mechanism for driving the transfer assembly plate to reciprocate laterally; and a second drive mechanism for driving the lifting movable plate to reciprocate vertically.

10. A detection and analysis system, characterized in that, include: The mass spectrometer detection chip transfer device as described in any one of claims 1-9; a feeding and transfer mechanism for transferring the chip holder to the gripping mechanism, the feeding and transfer mechanism having a spotting position corresponding to the spotting instrument and a feeding position corresponding to the gripping mechanism; and a mass spectrometer.

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