A fully automated particle size determination device and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of testing technology for power oil, and discloses a fully automatic particle size determination device and method. The device includes multiple fixed functional stations set on a frame, including a sample station, a cover opening and closing unit, an ultrasonic treatment device, an outer wall cleaning unit, and a particle size analyzer. Each functional station is arranged in a loop-shaped flow path, and a robotic arm 3 is set on one side of the loop-shaped flow path area. The system completes the fully automated operation of a sample from pretreatment to detection and posttreatment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of testing technology for oil used in power generation, and in particular to a fully automatic particle size determination device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing automatic particle counters typically employ optical obscuration or resistance pulse methods, enabling them to automatically complete sampling, detection, and pipeline cleaning. However, their automation process is only partially or semi-automated, requiring operators to manually perform pre-treatment tasks such as opening sample vials, ultrasonic dispersion, wiping vial walls, and loading the sample.

[0003] The existing equipment, while capable of achieving full automation, still suffers from the following shortcomings: First, the system lacks an actuator for gripping and manipulating sealed sample vials, making it unable to automatically open caps and transfer samples. Manual replacement and placement of sample vials are required before and after testing, resulting in instrument downtime and hindering continuous batch testing. Second, critical pretreatment steps such as opening and closing sample vials, necessary ultrasonic dispersion, and external wall cleaning cannot be integrated online with the testing process. These steps must be performed manually on external equipment, leading to process interruptions, cumbersome operations, and the introduction of errors. Furthermore, the system lacks automatic feeding and sample changing capabilities. After each test, manual replacement of sample vials is required, resulting in significant idle time during batch testing and preventing continuous high-throughput operations. The manual pretreatment, testing operations, and post-test data processing and reporting (such as data entry into a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)) are independent processes, failing to form a fully automated end-to-end workflow, impacting overall efficiency and data traceability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a fully automated particle size determination device and method, which integrates sample bottle scheduling, automatic pretreatment, automatic detection, and data reporting into a fully automated, unmanned particle size detection system.

[0005] This invention is achieved through the following scheme: A fully automated particle size measuring device, comprising: Multiple fixed functional workstations, including at least a sample station, a cover opening and closing unit, an ultrasonic processing device, an outer wall cleaning unit, and a particle size analyzer, are arranged sequentially along a loop-shaped path, with a robotic arm positioned on one side of the loop-shaped path area. The robotic arm has a gripper at its end for grasping sample vials; the capping unit includes a capping head driven by a servo motor; the outer wall cleaning unit has a cavity for inserting sample vials and a gas nozzle disposed within the cavity; the particle size analyzer includes a lifting mechanism and a pressure chamber mounted on the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move between a detection position and a clearance position, and in the detection position, the pressure chamber seals against the mouth of the sample vial placed in the lower detection position. The controller is electrically connected to the robotic arm, cover opening and closing unit, ultrasonic processing device, outer wall cleaning unit, particle size analyzer and lifting mechanism, and is used to control the coordinated operation and process sequence of each module.

[0006] Furthermore, an ultrasonic treatment device is installed next to the switch cover unit, an outer wall cleaning unit is fixed behind the ultrasonic treatment device, a sample position is in front of the ultrasonic treatment device, a particle size analyzer is next to the sample position, and the switch cover unit is behind the particle size analyzer.

[0007] Furthermore, the capping head has a built-in torque sensor; the capping head is driven to rotate by a motor, and automatically stops rotating after the torque sensor detects that the set torque value has been reached.

[0008] Furthermore, the ultrasonic processing device has an upward-facing cleaning tank containing a coupling liquid washing machine. A robotic arm picks up a sample vial and immerses it in the cleaning tank. The controller controls the ultrasonic processing device to start according to a preset power and frequency.

[0009] Furthermore, the outer wall cleaning unit includes multiple sets of gas nozzles arranged around the inner wall, with the spray direction all pointing towards the central area of ​​the chamber; before the sample vial enters the pressure chamber, the outer wall is purged from multiple angles.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer wall cleaning unit is also equipped with a wiping mechanism, which moves up and down controlled by a limiting mechanism and works in conjunction with high-pressure airflow to wipe the outer wall of the sample bottle.

[0011] Furthermore, the particle size analyzer also includes a positioning seat, with a lifting mechanism installed directly above the positioning seat; the pressure chamber is a sealed chamber structure with an opening at the bottom, and a through hole is provided on the bottom surface of the pressure chamber for the sample bottle mouth to extend into, with an annular seal fixed to the edge of the through hole. The lifting mechanism moves the pressure chamber vertically downwards, pressing the annular seal against the outer edge of the sample bottle's opening, forming a sealed testing space. After testing, the lifting mechanism moves the pressure chamber vertically upwards to reset, separating the pressure chamber from the sample bottle.

[0012] Furthermore, the sample position includes a test area and a test area, which are arranged side by side to store untested sample bottles and tested sample bottles, respectively.

[0013] Furthermore, the system also includes a data interface. After the detection is completed, the controller packages the obtained granularity data, the corresponding sample identifier and process timestamp, and uploads them to an external information system through the data interface.

[0014] A particle size detection method, employing a fully automated particle size measuring device, includes the following steps: S1: The robotic arm picks up the sealed sample bottle from the inspection area of ​​the sample position and transfers it to the switch cap placement position of the switch cap unit; the capping head of the switch cap unit moves downward to engage with the bottle cap, unscrews the bottle cap with controlled torque, moves upward to reset, and transfers the bottle cap to the bottle cap temporary storage area. S2: The robotic arm grips the opened sample bottle and moves it to the ultrasonic processor. The sample bottle is then placed in the coupling liquid immersed in the cleaning tank for ultrasonic dispersion. After completion, the robotic arm controls the sample bottle to move upward out of the cleaning tank. S4: The robotic arm transfers the ultrasonically dispersed sample bottle to the chamber of the outer wall cleaning unit, where the outer wall of the sample bottle is wiped and dried by the wiping mechanism and high-pressure gas nozzle. S5: The robotic arm places the dried sample bottle on the positioning seat of the particle size analyzer and moves outward. The pressure chamber of the particle size analyzer moves downward under the drive of the lifting mechanism, so that the annular seal at the bottom of the particle size analyzer presses against the mouth of the sample bottle to form a sealed detection space, and the detection is started. S6: The pressure chamber has a built-in particle size sensor to collect sample information and generate analysis results; after the test is completed, the lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move upward and reset to separate from the sample bottle; the robotic arm grabs the sample bottle and moves it to the tested area of ​​the sample position.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a data transmission step: after step S6, the particle size data obtained from the detection, the corresponding sample identifier and process timestamp are packaged and uploaded to an external information system through a data interface.

[0016] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: By using a robotic arm as a scheduling unit to replace traditional manual labor, the system enables the seamless flow of sample vials between various functional stations, improving throughput and efficiency. The system employs a torque-controlled cap-opening unit, ultrasonic cleaning with preset parameters, and a lifting pressure chamber to ensure consistent sample pretreatment and sealing during testing. Furthermore, an automatic external wall drying and wiping mechanism eliminates residual moisture, and a data interface enables the uploading of test data to optimize the experimental process. This system is suitable for automated, unmanned detection of micron-sized particles in liquids or suspensions. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fully automatic particle size measuring device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a rear view of the fully automatic particle size measuring device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm unit structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the switch cover unit structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the outer wall cleaning unit and ultrasonic treatment device of the present invention; Figure label: 1-Particle size analyzer; 11-Pressure chamber; 12-Lifting mechanism; 13-Positioning seat; 2-Sample position; 3-Robotic arm; 31-Clamp; 4-External wall cleaning unit; 5-Ultrasonic treatment device; 51-Washing tank; 6-Capping unit; 61-Capping head; 62-Capping drive; 63-Placement position; 7-Sample bottle. Detailed Implementation

[0018] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0019] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims and abstract) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0022] Example 1: like Figures 1-5 As shown, a fully automated particle size determination device is provided, including a frame, a controller, a robotic arm, and multiple fixed functional stations mounted on the frame. The fixed functional stations include a sample station, a cover opening / closing unit, an ultrasonic treatment device, an outer wall cleaning unit, and a particle size analyzer.

[0023] A sample position 2 is located at the front of the ultrasonic processing device 5, a particle size analyzer 1 is located beside the sample position 2, a cover switch unit 6 is located behind the particle size analyzer 1, the ultrasonic processing device 5 is located beside the cover switch unit 6, and an outer wall cleaning unit 4 is located behind the ultrasonic processing device 5. A robotic arm 3 is located beside the loop-shaped flow path area. The robotic arm 3 is a multi-axis articulated robot with a gripper 31 at its end, which can be a pneumatic suction cup or a gripper. The controller is connected to the robotic arm 3, sample position 2, cover switch unit 6, ultrasonic processing device 5, outer wall cleaning unit 4, and particle size analyzer 1. By arranging the functional workstations into a loop-shaped flow path and placing the robotic arm on one side of the path, compared to the conventional layout where the robotic arm is placed in the middle, the advantages are twofold. First, it leaves open the internal space of the loop-shaped enclosure, making it convenient for operators to directly replenish samples in batches and perform equipment maintenance from this side, avoiding potential dead angles in the movement of the robotic arm when it rotates in the center, as well as interference with the internal structure or personnel. Second, the robotic arm extends into each workstation from the side, resulting in a smoother movement trajectory, and each process flows unidirectionally on the loop-shaped path without conflict.

[0024] Sample station 2 is an area within the system used to centrally store sample bottles to be tested and those already tested, serving as the start and end point of the automated process. Sample station 2 is located in front of the ultrasonic processing device 5 and includes a test area and a tested area arranged side-by-side. The test area stores sealed sample bottles that have not yet been tested, while the tested area stores sample bottles that have undergone the entire testing process. Both the test area and the tested area are positioned along the gripping path of the end effector 31 of the robotic arm 3.

[0025] The cap-screwing unit 6 is located at the rear of the particle size analyzer 1. The cap-screwing unit 6 includes a capping head 61 and a capping drive component 62 that drives the capping head 61 to rise, fall, and rotate. A torque sensor is integrated within the capping head 61. At the bottom of the cap-screwing unit 6 is a cap placement position 63 for placing sample vials, and to the side of the cap placement position 63 is a temporary cap storage area for temporarily storing unscrewed caps.

[0026] After the robotic arm 3 places the sealed sample vial on the cap placement position 63, the capping drive 62 is activated, driving the capping head 61 to move vertically downwards until the gripper at the bottom of the capping head 61 engages with the cap on top of the sample vial. At this point, the torque sensor starts working, and the capping drive 62 drives the capping head 61 to rotate, stopping when the torque reaches a preset opening threshold, thus automatically opening the cap. Subsequently, the capping drive 62 drives the capping head 61 to move vertically upwards to reset, transferring the unscrewed cap to the temporary cap storage area on the side and placing it down, thereby freeing up space below for the robotic arm 3 to grab the opened sample vial again.

[0027] The ultrasonic treatment device 5 is located beside the switch cover unit 6. The ultrasonic treatment device 5 includes an upward-opening cleaning tank 51, which is used to hold the coupling liquid. An ultrasonic transducer is installed on the cleaning tank 51 and is electrically connected to the controller.

[0028] The cleaning tank 51 is located below the movement trajectory of the robotic arm 3. After the robotic arm 3, holding the opened sample vial, moves it directly above the cleaning tank 51, it controls the sample vial to move downwards vertically, ensuring the sample section of the vial is completely immersed in the coupling liquid within the cleaning tank 51. Once the preset depth is reached, the controller activates the ultrasonic transducer at a preset power and time to cavitation disperse the sample inside the vial. After processing, the robotic arm 3 controls the sample vial to move upwards vertically, completely removing it from the liquid surface and transferring it to the next station.

[0029] The outer wall cleaning unit 4 is located behind the ultrasonic treatment device 5. The outer wall cleaning unit 4 includes a chamber. Multiple sets of high-pressure gas nozzles are arranged around the central area on the inner wall of the sealed chamber, with the jet direction of the nozzles all pointing towards the center of the sealed chamber to remove residual liquid adhering to the outer wall of the sample vials after ultrasonic cleaning. A wiping mechanism is also installed next to the sealed chamber. This mechanism includes a wiping drive and a sponge wiping block, with the wiping surface of the wiping block facing the chamber.

[0030] The particle size analyzer 1 is located beside the sample station 2 and is the detection unit of this device. The particle size analyzer 1 includes a positioning seat 13, a pressure chamber 11, and a lifting mechanism 12. The positioning seat 13 is fixedly mounted on the frame, and its top has a groove that matches the shape of the bottom of the sample bottle, used to support and fix the sample bottle during detection. The lifting mechanism 12 is mounted on the frame and located directly above the positioning seat 13, and the pressure chamber 11 is connected to the lifting mechanism 12. The pressure chamber 11 is a sealed chamber structure with an opening at the bottom. The bottom surface of the pressure chamber 11 has a through hole for the mouth of the sample bottle to extend into, and the edge of the through hole is fixed with an annular seal made of elastic material.

[0031] Initially, the pressure chamber 11 is positioned higher by the lifting mechanism 12, with sufficient safety clearance between it and the positioning seat 13 below. After the robotic arm 3 places the sample vial, whose outer wall has been dried, into the groove of the positioning seat 13 and moves it outwards, the lifting mechanism 12 activates, causing the pressure chamber 11 to move smoothly downwards vertically. The pressure chamber is connected to the pressure control subsystem, vacuum pump, proportional valve, and pressure sensor. When the pressure chamber 11 descends to its limit position, the annular seal at the bottom of the pressure chamber 11 tightly presses against the outer edge of the sample vial's opening on the positioning seat 13, forming a temporary sealed detection space, and the sensors inside the measuring instrument begin to operate.

[0032] After a single test is completed, the pressure control subsystem inside the instrument controls the pressure inside the chamber to return to normal pressure. Then, the lifting mechanism 12 drives the pressure chamber 11 to move upward in the vertical direction to reset, so that the pressure chamber 11 is completely separated from the sample bottle below. The robotic arm 3 then enters again to grab the tested sample bottle.

[0033] Workflow: This device uses a robotic arm as its central control unit, along with multiple fixed functional stations arranged in a circular layout. These stations include at least automatic cap opening and closing, ultrasonic cleaning, external wall cleaning, and a liftable pressure chamber. A controller enables automated sample vial transfer and end-to-end testing. After testing, the results are automatically packaged and sent to an external data interface.

[0034] First, the robotic arm grasps a sealed sample vial from the sample compartment's inspection area, transfers it, and precisely positions it in the cap-opening unit. The unit's servo-operated capping head operates with controlled torque to open the cap and temporarily store it in a designated location. After opening, the robotic arm immediately grasps the opened sample vial and transfers it to the ultrasonic treatment station. The robotic arm controls the sample vial to descend, immersing the outer sample section into the cleaning tank of the fixed ultrasonic treatment device. The ultrasonic unit automatically starts according to preset power and time to disperse the sample. After treatment, the robotic arm lifts the sample vial from the liquid and transfers it to the outer wall cleaning unit. The unit's high-pressure gas nozzles blow across the outer wall from multiple angles, and in conjunction with the wiping blocks, remove adhering droplets, providing a dry sample vial for subsequent testing. The cleaned sample vials are placed on a positioning seat below the pressure chamber by a robotic arm. The sealed chamber of the pressure chamber descends as a whole, driven by a lifting mechanism, and its bottom annular seal presses against the sample vial opening, forming a temporary sealed detection space. After a single test, the pressure control subsystem controls the pressure inside the chamber to smoothly return to atmospheric pressure, after which the pressure chamber rises back to its original position, separating from the sample vial. The robotic arm picks up the tested sample vial and transfers it to the sample position. Simultaneously, the controller automatically packages the particle size data obtained from this test, the corresponding sample identifier, and the process timestamp, and uploads it to an external information system via a data interface for data archiving. At this point, the system completes the fully automated operation of a sample from pretreatment to testing and post-processing, and is immediately ready to begin the next work cycle. This system is suitable for scenarios with stringent requirements for cleanliness, repeatability, and efficiency, such as online or laboratory particle size analysis of lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, injection solutions, or precision chemical products.

[0035] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A full-automatic particle size measuring device, characterized by comprising: include: Multiple fixed functional workstations, including at least a sample station, a cover opening and closing unit, an ultrasonic processing device, an outer wall cleaning unit, and a particle size analyzer, are arranged sequentially along a loop-shaped path, with a robotic arm positioned on one side of the loop-shaped path area. The robotic arm has a gripper at its end for grasping sample vials; the capping unit includes a capping head driven by a servo motor; the outer wall cleaning unit has a cavity for inserting sample vials and a gas nozzle disposed within the cavity; the particle size analyzer includes a lifting mechanism and a pressure chamber mounted on the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move between a detection position and an avoidance position, wherein in the detection position, the pressure chamber is sealed to the mouth of the sample vial placed in the lower detection position; The controller is electrically connected to the robotic arm, the cover opening and closing unit, the ultrasonic processing device, the outer wall cleaning unit, the particle size analyzer, and the lifting mechanism, and is used to control the coordinated operation and process sequence of each module.

2. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The particle size analyzer also includes a positioning base, and a lifting mechanism is installed directly above the positioning base; the pressure chamber is a closed chamber structure with an opening at the bottom, and the bottom surface of the pressure chamber has a through hole for the mouth of the sample bottle to extend into, and an annular seal is fixed to the edge of the through hole. The lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move downward in the vertical direction, so that the annular seal is pressed against the outer periphery of the sample bottle mouth placed on the positioning seat to form a sealed detection space; after the detection is completed, the lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move upward in the vertical direction to reset, so that the pressure chamber and the sample bottle are separated from each other.

3. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, An ultrasonic treatment device is provided next to the switch cover unit. An outer wall cleaning unit is fixed behind the ultrasonic treatment device. The sample position is in front of the ultrasonic treatment device. A particle size analyzer is next to the sample position. The switch cover unit is behind the particle size analyzer.

4. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The ultrasonic processing device has an upward-facing cleaning tank containing a coupling liquid washing machine. The robotic arm picks up a sample bottle and immerses it in the cleaning tank. The controller controls the ultrasonic processing device to start according to a preset power and frequency.

5. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The outer wall cleaning unit includes multiple sets of gas nozzles arranged around the inner wall, with the spray direction all pointing towards the center area of ​​the chamber; before the sample vial enters the pressure chamber, the outer wall is purged from multiple angles. The outer wall cleaning unit is also equipped with a wiping mechanism, which moves up and down controlled by a limiting mechanism and works in conjunction with high-pressure airflow to wipe the outer wall of the sample bottle.

6. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The capping head has a built-in torque sensor; the capping head is driven to rotate by a motor, and automatically stops rotating after the torque sensor detects that a set torque value has been reached.

7. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sample position includes a test area and a test area, which are arranged side by side and are used to store untested sample bottles and tested sample bottles, respectively.

8. The fully automatic particle size measuring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a data interface. After the detection is completed, the controller packages the obtained particle size data, the corresponding sample identifier and the process timestamp, and uploads them to an external information system through the data interface.

9. A particle size detection method using the fully-automatic particle size measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by, Includes the following steps: S1: The robotic arm picks up the sealed sample bottle from the inspection area of ​​the sample position and transfers it to the switch cap placement position of the switch cap unit; the capping head of the switch cap unit moves downward to engage with the bottle cap, unscrews the bottle cap with controlled torque, moves upward to reset, and transfers the bottle cap to the bottle cap temporary storage area. S2: The robotic arm grips the opened sample bottle and moves it to the ultrasonic processor. The sample bottle is then immersed in the coupling liquid in the cleaning tank for ultrasonic dispersion. After completion, the robotic arm controls the sample bottle to move upward out of the cleaning tank. S4: The robotic arm transfers the ultrasonically dispersed sample bottle to the chamber of the outer wall cleaning unit, and wipes and blows dry the outer wall of the sample bottle through the wiping mechanism and high-pressure gas nozzle; S5: The robotic arm places the dried sample bottle on the positioning seat of the particle size analyzer and moves outward. The pressure chamber of the particle size analyzer moves downward under the drive of the lifting mechanism, so that the annular seal at the bottom of the instrument presses against the mouth of the sample bottle to form a sealed detection space, and the detection is started. S6: The pressure chamber has a built-in particle size sensor to collect sample information and generate analysis results; after the test is completed, the lifting mechanism drives the pressure chamber to move upward and reset to separate from the sample bottle; the robotic arm grabs the sample bottle and moves it to the tested area of ​​the sample position.

10. The particle size detection method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a data transmission step: after step S6, the particle size data obtained from the detection, the corresponding sample identifier and process timestamp are packaged and uploaded to an external information system through a data interface.

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