A sampler for probiotic production

Abstract

The application discloses a sampler for probiotic production and relates to the technical field of probiotic sampling, which comprises a sampler main body, the sampler main body is provided with a connecting end which is screw-mounted on the outer wall of a fermentation tank, the inside of the sampler main body is provided with a piston cavity, the middle of the bottom wall of the sampler main body is provided with a liquid outlet end, and the inside of the sampler main body is rotatably provided with an adjusting assembly for sealing or connecting the piston cavity and the liquid outlet cavity. The sampler main body is screw-mounted on the fermentation tank, thereby forming a stable and reliable connection. When the pull rod is pulled to drive the piston disc to move, the probiotic liquid in the fermentation tank is drawn into the piston cavity, then the ball body part is driven to rotate by rotating the adjusting rod, the liquid outlet on the ball body part is connected with the liquid outlet cavity to carry out sampling, the problem that the fermentation tank is directly connected with the outside air in the traditional pipe insertion sampling process is avoided, the risk of bacterial contamination is greatly reduced, and the stability of pure probiotic fermentation is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of probiotic sampling technology, and more specifically, to a sampler for probiotic production. Background Technology

[0002] In the industrial fermentation production of probiotics, the stability of the fermentation system directly determines the core quality indicators of the product, such as the number of viable bacteria, purity, and content of metabolites. Regularly extracting samples from the fermenter for physicochemical and microbiological testing is crucial for real-time monitoring of the fermentation process, timely adjustment of fermentation parameters, and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency. In this process, the sampler, as a core tool, is essential for the continuity of fermentation production and product quality control due to its sealing performance, sampling accuracy, ease of operation, and anti-contamination capabilities.

[0003] Currently, the sampling equipment used in probiotic production is quite diverse. Traditional sampling methods often use direct insertion tube samplers. Although direct insertion tube samplers are simple in structure and low in cost, the fermentation tank is directly connected to the external environment during the sampling process, which can easily introduce external bacteria, leading to contamination of the fermentation system. This can damage the growth environment of probiotics, causing fermentation failure and resulting in production losses. At the same time, it is difficult to quickly and effectively seal the sampling channel after sampling, and some probiotic liquid can easily leak from the sampling port, which not only wastes raw materials but also affects the hygiene and safety of the production site. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a sampler for probiotic production.

[0005] The technical solution is as follows: A sampler for probiotic production includes a sampler body with a threaded connection end that is threaded onto the outer wall of a fermenter. The sampler body has a piston chamber inside and a liquid outlet end in the middle of the bottom wall of the sampler body. The liquid outlet end has a liquid outlet chamber that communicates with the piston chamber. The sampler body has an installation chamber in the middle of the top wall that communicates with the piston chamber. The installation chamber, piston chamber, and liquid outlet chamber together form a rotating chamber. An adjustment component for sealing or connecting the piston chamber and the liquid outlet chamber is rotatably installed in the rotating chamber. A sampling tube is detachably installed at one end of the piston chamber near the connection end, extending into the fermenter. A sampling component for drawing probiotics from the fermenter into the piston chamber is slidably installed inside the piston chamber. The adjustment assembly includes a spherical part that is rotatably disposed in the rotating cavity. The end of the spherical part near the sampling tube is provided with an inlet that communicates with the piston cavity. The bottom wall of the spherical part is provided with an outlet that communicates with the outlet cavity and the inlet. An adjustment rod is rotatably installed at the end of the piston cavity away from the sampling tube.

[0006] Furthermore, a recessed hole is formed at the end of the sampler body away from the connecting end, and a slot communicating with the recessed hole is formed on the wall of the recessed hole. A rotating component is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the adjusting rod, and a locking block that cooperates with the slot is formed on the rotating component. A stop block is detachably installed at the end of the adjusting rod away from the sampling tube.

[0007] Furthermore, the outer wall of the adjusting rod is formed with a spline groove, and the interior of the rotating part is formed with a spline that mates with the spline groove.

[0008] Furthermore, a spring is provided between the concave hole and the rotating component, with one end of the spring fixedly connected to the inner wall of the concave hole and the other end fixedly connected to the rotating component.

[0009] Furthermore, the sampling assembly includes a piston disc slidably disposed within the piston chamber, an adjustment rod having a through groove inside, a pull rod slidably installed within the through groove, one end of the pull rod passing through a stop block and having a protrusion thereon, and the other end of the pull rod being detachably connected to the side wall of the piston disc.

[0010] Furthermore, the sidewall of the stop has a locking block seat, which is L-shaped, and the protrusion can be embedded into the locking block seat.

[0011] Furthermore, the liquid outlet end is detachably equipped with a collection assembly, which includes an installation end installed on the liquid outlet end, a hose connected to the bottom of the installation end, a collection bag connected to the bottom of the hose, a fusible part in the middle of the hose, and a liquid stop clamp installed on the hose below the fusible part.

[0012] Furthermore, a sealing block is detachably installed inside the mounting cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the sampling fitting includes a connector that is threaded onto the piston cavity opening, and the connector is provided with multiple sampling tubes communicating with the piston cavity.

[0014] Furthermore, the end of the sphere away from the sampling tube has a threaded portion, and the end of the adjusting rod near the threaded portion is also threaded.

[0015] Based on the above, the beneficial effects of the sampler for probiotic production in this invention are as follows: By threading the sampler body onto the fermenter, a stable and reliable connection is formed. The piston chamber, liquid outlet chamber, and mounting chamber inside the sampler body constitute a continuous fluid channel and operating space. This allows the probiotic liquid inside the fermenter to be drawn into the piston chamber when the pull rod moves the piston disc. Then, by rotating the adjusting rod, the spherical part rotates, connecting the liquid outlet on the spherical part with the liquid outlet chamber for sampling. This integrates the sampling and sealing functions, avoiding the problem of direct communication between the fermenter and the outside air in traditional tube-type sampling. This greatly reduces the risk of contamination by other microorganisms and ensures the stability of pure probiotic fermentation.

[0016] The piston disc can both draw probiotics from inside the fermenter into the piston cavity and seal the piston cavity. Combined with the design of the spherical part, it achieves a double seal, which improves the sealing performance of the piston cavity. During the sampling process, the inside of the fermenter does not need to be connected to the external environment, avoiding the entry of external bacteria that could contaminate the fermentation system, damage the growth environment of probiotics, and cause fermentation failure.

[0017] The combination of the slot, rotating part, and locking block ensures that after the ball part is rotated and adjusted, the slot can limit the circumferential movement of the adjusting rod and the ball part, thus preventing accidental rotation of the adjusting rod and the ball part.

[0018] The piston disc and adjusting rod allow the user to pull the rod outward, causing the piston disc to move outward and creating negative pressure in the sampling tube and piston chamber. This draws the probiotic liquid from the fermenter into the piston chamber through the sampling tube, completing the sampling. After sampling, the user pushes the rod back to its original position, and the piston disc squeezes any remaining probiotic liquid in the piston chamber into the fermenter, reducing the amount of probiotic liquid remaining in the piston chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall components of the present invention from a first perspective; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall components of the present invention from a second perspective; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when the spherical part is connected to the liquid outlet cavity and the pull rod is not pulled; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention after the spherical part and the liquid outlet cavity are not connected and the pull rod is pulled; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the sampling component and the adjustment component of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main body of the sampler of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional perspective view of the spherical part of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adjusting rod of the present invention; Figure 9 Photograph 1 shows the actual product of the present invention.

[0020] The reference numerals in the appendix of this invention are as follows: 110. Sampler body; 111. Connecting end; 112. Liquid outlet end; 120. Piston chamber; 121. Recessed hole; 130. Liquid outlet chamber; 140. Mounting chamber; 150. Sealing block; 160. Slot; 210. Spherical part; 211. Liquid inlet; 213. Threaded part; 214. Liquid outlet; 220. Adjusting rod; 221. Spline groove; 222. Through groove; 230. Rotating part; 231. Spline; 240. Stop block; 241. Locking block seat; 250. Spring; 310. Piston disc; 320. Tie rod; 321. Protrusion; 410. Connector; 420. Sampling tube; 510. Installation end; 520. Hoses; 521. Fusible link; 530. Collection bag; 600. Stop clamp. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] The embodiments provided by the present invention will be described in detail below: like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, a sampler for probiotic production includes a sampler body 110. The sampler body 110 has a connecting end 111 with an external thread. The connecting end 111 is threadedly connected to a fermenter, enabling a detachable connection between the sampler and the fermenter. The sampler body 110 has a horizontally positioned cylindrical piston chamber 120 inside. The bottom wall of the sampler body 110 has a liquid outlet end 112 in the middle, with a liquid outlet chamber 130 communicating with the piston chamber 120. The top wall of the sampler body 110 has a mounting cavity 140 in the middle, communicating with the piston chamber 120, located directly above the liquid outlet chamber 130. The mounting cavity 140, piston chamber 120, and liquid outlet chamber 130 together form a rotating cavity. An adjusting assembly for sealing or connecting the piston chamber 120 and the liquid outlet chamber 130 is rotatably mounted within the rotating cavity.

[0023] A sampling tube is threadedly installed at one end of the piston chamber 120 near the connecting end 111, extending into the fermenter. A sampling component for drawing probiotics from the fermenter into the piston chamber 120 is slidably installed inside the piston chamber 120.

[0024] like Figures 3 to 8As shown, the adjustment assembly includes a spherical part 210 rotatably disposed within a rotating cavity. A liquid inlet 211 is provided on the side wall of the spherical part 210 near the sampling tube, penetrating the spherical part 210 and communicating with the piston cavity 120. The diameter of the liquid inlet 211 is the same as the diameter of the piston cavity 120. A liquid outlet 214 is provided on the bottom wall of the spherical part 210, communicating with the liquid outlet cavity 130 and the liquid inlet 211. A threaded part 213 is provided at the end of the spherical part 210 away from the sampling tube, with an internal thread. An adjustment rod 220 is rotatably mounted at the end of the piston cavity 120 away from the sampling tube. One end of the adjustment rod 220 has an external thread that matches the internal thread of the threaded part 213. The adjustment rod 220 and the threaded part 213 are fixedly connected by the thread. The other end of the adjustment rod 220 extends outside the piston cavity 120.

[0025] It should be noted that by threading the sampler body 110 onto the fermenter, a stable and reliable connection is formed. The piston chamber 120, liquid outlet chamber 130, and mounting chamber 140 inside the sampler body 110 constitute a continuous fluid channel and operating space. This allows the probiotic liquid inside the fermenter to be drawn into the piston chamber 120 when the sampling component is pulled. Then, by rotating the adjusting rod 220, the sphere 210 is rotated, connecting the liquid outlet 214 on the sphere 210 with the liquid outlet chamber 130 for sampling. This integrates the functions of sampling and sealing, avoiding the problem of direct communication between the fermenter and the outside air in the traditional tube sampling process. This greatly reduces the risk of contamination by other microorganisms and ensures the stability of pure probiotic fermentation.

[0026] It should be noted that the built-in rotatable ball part 210 is used, and the rotation of the ball part 210 is controlled by the adjusting rod 220 to make the liquid inlet 211 and the liquid outlet 214 aligned for opening or misaligned for closing. The sealing and opening of the sampling channel can be achieved simply by rotating the adjusting rod 220, and the operation is quick and stable.

[0027] Understandably, by adjusting the rotation angle of the ball part 210, the size of the connection between the liquid outlet 214 and the liquid outlet chamber 130 can be adjusted according to the sampling requirements, thereby making it easier for operators to better control the amount of liquid sampled.

[0028] like Figures 3 to 8As shown, a recessed hole 121 is formed at the end of the sampler body 110 away from the connecting end 111. Two slots 160 communicating with the recessed hole 121 are formed on the wall of the recessed hole 121. A rotating component 230 is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the adjusting rod 220. Two locking blocks are formed on the rotating component 230 that cooperate with the slots 160. The locking blocks can be embedded into the slots 160, which limit the circumferential rotation of the locking blocks and prevent the rotating component 230 from rotating arbitrarily. A stop block 240 is detachably installed at the end of the adjusting rod 220 away from the sampling tube. The stop block 240 blocks the axial movement of the rotating component 230.

[0029] It should be noted that the combination of the slot 160, the rotating part 230 and the locking block enables the slot 160 to limit the circumferential movement of the adjusting rod 220 and the ball part 210 after the ball part 210 is rotated and adjusted, thus preventing accidental rotation of the adjusting rod 220 and the ball part 210.

[0030] The outer wall of the adjusting rod 220 is formed with a spline groove 221, and the interior of the rotating part 230 is formed with a spline 231 that mates with the spline groove 221. The spline 231 is used to limit the circumferential rotation of the adjusting rod 220.

[0031] It should be noted that the spline groove 221 and spline 231 are used to achieve circumferential rigidity limiting of the rotating part 230 and the adjusting rod 220. This ensures that when the rotating part 230 rotates, it can synchronously drive the adjusting rod 220 and the ball part 210 to rotate, avoiding slippage between the rotating part 230 and the adjusting rod 220. This improves the transmission accuracy and stability of the adjusting component, allowing the operator to accurately control the rotation angle of the ball part 210 and ensuring the reliability of the opening and closing of the liquid outlet chamber 130.

[0032] A spring 250 is provided between the recess 121 and the rotating member 230. The spring 250 is used to provide elastic force to keep the rotating member 230 pulled towards the connecting end 111. One end of the spring 250 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the recess 121, and the other end is fixedly connected to the rotating member 230.

[0033] It should be noted that a spring 250 is provided between the recess 121 and the rotating part 230. The elastic force of the spring 250 keeps the rotating part 230 pulled towards the connecting end 111, ensuring that the locking block of the rotating part 230 is always locked in the slot 160, preventing the rotating part 230 from rotating and causing the ball part 210 to shift, thereby avoiding seal failure.

[0034] Specifically, when it is necessary to rotate the adjusting rod 220 and the ball part 210, the user pulls the rotating part 230 outward, so that the locking block on the rotating part 230 disengages from the inside of the locking slot 160. Then, rotating the rotating part 230 can complete the rotation of the adjusting rod 220 and the ball part 210, that is, realize the opening and closing of the liquid outlet chamber 130.

[0035] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the sampling assembly includes a piston disc 310 that is slidably disposed in the piston chamber 120, an adjustment rod 220 with a through groove 222 inside, a pull rod 320 that is slidably installed in the through groove 222, one end of the pull rod 320 passing through the stop block 240 and having a protrusion 321, and the other end of the pull rod 320 being detachably connected to the side wall of the piston disc 310.

[0036] Understandably, the piston disc 310 can both draw the probiotics inside the fermenter into the piston cavity 120 and seal the piston cavity 120. Combined with the setting of the spherical part 210, a double seal is achieved, which improves the sealing performance of the piston cavity 120. During the sampling process, the inside of the fermenter does not need to be connected to the external environment, thus avoiding the entry of external bacteria, which could lead to contamination of the fermentation system, damage to the growth environment of probiotics, and fermentation failure.

[0037] It should be noted that the piston disc 310 and the adjusting rod 220 allow the user to pull the adjusting rod 220 outward, which in turn moves the piston disc 310 outward, creating a negative pressure in the sampling tube and piston chamber 120. This draws the probiotic liquid from the fermenter into the piston chamber 120 for sampling. After sampling, the user pushes the rod 320 back to its original position, and the piston disc 310 squeezes any remaining probiotic liquid in the piston chamber 120 into the fermenter, reducing the amount of probiotic liquid remaining in the piston chamber 120.

[0038] The side wall of the stop 240 has a locking seat 241, which is L-shaped. When the protrusion 321 is located in the locking seat 241, it can limit the axial movement of the protrusion 321 and prevent the protrusion 321 from shifting axially.

[0039] It should be noted that, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the combination of the locking block 241 and the protrusion 321 allows the locking block 241 to axially limit the protrusion 321 on the pull rod 320 when the sampling component is not in use, thus preventing the pull rod 320 from moving.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, a collection assembly is detachably mounted on the liquid outlet 112. The collection assembly includes a mounting end 510 detachably mounted on the liquid outlet 112. The mounting end 510 can be detachably mounted to the liquid outlet 112 via threads. A hose 520 is connected to the bottom of the mounting end 510, and a collection bag 530 for collecting probiotics is connected to the bottom of the hose 520. The hose 520 has a fusible section 521 in the middle, and a stop clamp 600 is installed on the hose 520 below the fusible section 521.

[0041] It should be noted that the installation end 510 can be detachably installed at the liquid outlet end 112, and the probiotic liquid is collected in a closed manner through the hose 520 and the collection bag 530. This facilitates the replacement of the collection components, adapts to the needs of multiple batch sampling, and avoids cross-contamination. At the same time, the fusible part 521 cooperates with the liquid stop clamp 600 to achieve rapid sealing and separation of the sample after sampling. This not only prevents the sample in the collection bag 530 from leaking and being contaminated by the outside, but also prevents the leakage of residual probiotic liquid in the hose 520. This further reduces raw material waste and on-site hygiene hazards. The closed collection throughout the process ensures the integrity of the sample and guarantees the authenticity of the test data. At the same time, it simplifies the sample transfer steps, improves the efficiency of post-sampling processing, and avoids the problem that existing direct insertion tube samplers are difficult to seal effectively and quickly after sampling, which can cause some probiotic liquid to leak from the sampling port, resulting in raw material waste and affecting the hygiene and safety of the production site.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a sealing block 150 is detachably installed in the mounting cavity 140, and the sealing block 150 is used to seal the mounting cavity 140.

[0043] It should be noted that the sealing block 150 and the mounting cavity 140 facilitate the maintenance and cleaning of the piston cavity 120, the ball part 210 and the liquid outlet cavity 130, while also facilitating the installation of the ball part 210 into the rotating cavity.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the sampling fitting includes a connector 410 that is threadedly installed at the opening of the piston chamber 120. The connector 410 is provided with a plurality of sampling tubes 420 that communicate with the piston chamber 120, wherein each sampling tube 420 has a different length.

[0045] It should be noted that by extending multiple sampling tubes 420 to different locations or depths inside the fermenter, more representative mixed samples can be obtained, avoiding sampling deviations caused by probiotic liquid stratification or local unevenness, thus more accurately reflecting the overall fermentation state inside the tank.

[0046] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: The user installs the sampler body 110 onto the outer wall of the fermenter and connects the collection component to the outlet end 112. When sampling is required, the user rotates the pull rod 320 to move the protrusion 321 on the pull rod 320 away from the locking block seat 241, and then pulls the pull rod 320 to move the piston disc 310 backward in the piston chamber 120 until the piston disc 310 moves into the inlet 211 on the spherical part 210 and passes the outlet 214, creating a negative pressure in the sampling tube 420 and the piston chamber 120, drawing the probiotic liquid from the sampling tube into the piston chamber 120. Then, the user closes the stop clamp 6 on the tubing 520. Remove the 00, and then rotate the adjusting rod 220 to drive the ball part 210 to rotate, connecting the liquid outlet 214 on the ball part 210 with the liquid outlet chamber 130. At this time, the probiotic liquid in the piston chamber 120 can be collected into the collection bag 530. Then, rotate the adjusting rod 220 in the opposite direction to drive the ball part 210 to rotate, reset the ball part 210 to form a seal for the liquid outlet chamber 130, and then push the pull rod 320 back to the reset position. Finally, reinstall the stop clamp 600 onto the tubing 520 to form a seal for the collection bag 530, and then use a sealing machine to perform heat fusion sealing at the fusion section 521 to complete the aseptic sampling.

[0047] It is readily understood that those skilled in the art can combine, split, or reorganize the embodiments provided in this application to obtain other embodiments, all of which do not exceed the protection scope of this application.

[0048] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above illustratively. This description is not restrictive, and the embodiments shown are only part of the embodiments of the present invention. The actual structure is not limited thereto. Therefore, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention, they should all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sampler for probiotic production, characterized in that, The sampler body (110) has a connecting end (111) threaded onto the outer wall of the fermenter. The sampler body (110) has a piston chamber (120) inside. The sampler body (110) has a liquid outlet end (112) in the middle of the bottom wall. The liquid outlet end (112) has a liquid outlet chamber (130) communicating with the piston chamber (120). The sampler body (110) has an installation chamber (140) in the middle of the top wall communicating with the piston chamber (120). The installation chamber (140), piston chamber (120) and liquid outlet chamber (130) together form a rotating chamber. An adjustment component for sealing or connecting the piston chamber (120) and liquid outlet chamber (130) is rotatably installed in the rotating chamber. A sampling tube is detachably installed at one end of the piston chamber (120) near the connecting end (111) and extends into the fermenter. A sampling component for drawing probiotics from the fermenter into the piston chamber (120) is slidably installed inside the piston chamber (120). The adjustment assembly includes a spherical part (210) rotatably disposed in the rotating cavity. The end of the spherical part (210) near the sampling tube is provided with an inlet (211) communicating with the piston cavity (120). The bottom wall of the spherical part (210) is provided with an outlet (214) communicating with the outlet cavity (130) and the inlet (211). An adjustment rod (220) is rotatably installed at the end of the piston cavity (120) away from the sampling tube. The sampler body (110) has a recessed hole (121) at one end away from the connecting end (111). The wall of the recessed hole (121) has a slot (160) that communicates with the recessed hole (121). A rotating part (230) is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the adjusting rod (220). A locking block that cooperates with the slot (160) is formed on the rotating part (230). A stop block (240) is detachably installed at one end of the adjusting rod (220) away from the sampling tube. The outer wall of the adjusting rod (220) is formed with a spline groove (221), and the interior of the rotating part (230) is formed with a spline (231) that mates with the spline groove (221). A spring (250) is provided between the recess (121) and the rotating part (230). One end of the spring (250) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the recess (121), and the other end is fixedly connected to the rotating part (230). The sampling assembly includes a piston disc (310) slidably disposed in the piston chamber (120), an adjusting rod (220) having a through groove (222) inside, a pull rod (320) slidably installed in the through groove (222), one end of the pull rod (320) passing through the stop block (240) and having a protrusion (321), and the other end of the pull rod (320) being detachably connected to the side wall of the piston disc (310); The side wall of the stop (240) has a locking seat (241), which is L-shaped, and the protrusion (321) can be embedded into the locking seat (241); The liquid outlet end (112) is detachably equipped with a collection assembly, which includes an installation end (510) installed on the liquid outlet end (112), a hose (520) connected to the bottom of the installation end (510), a collection bag (530) connected to the bottom of the hose (520), a fuse part (521) in the middle of the hose (520), and a stop clamp (600) installed on the hose (520) below the fuse part (521). A sealing block (150) is detachably installed in the mounting cavity (140); The sampling fitting includes a connector (410) that is threadedly installed at the opening of the piston chamber (120), and the connector (410) is provided with a plurality of sampling tubes (420) that communicate with the piston chamber (120). The spherical part (210) has a threaded part (213) at the end away from the sampling tube, and the adjusting rod (220) has a thread at the end near the threaded part (213).

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