A microbial pretreatment system and method

Abstract

The present application relates to mechanical equipment technical field, disclose a kind of microbial pretreatment system and method, comprising: first processing area, with first petri dish processing station;Second processing area;Second processing area is equipped with sample processing station;Third processing area, third processing area is equipped with second petri dish processing station;Carrying mechanism, straddling first processing area, second processing area and third processing area are set;Central control system, with first processing area, second processing area and carrying mechanism communication connection respectively.The present application can record the sample information, dilution, inoculation amount, code data, flow time and other key parameters of each step operation in real time by central control system, realize from sample receiving to the full-process data traceability of inoculated petri dish recovery, satisfy the traceability management requirement of microbiological detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical equipment technology, and more specifically, to a microbial pretreatment system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Microbial pretreatment systems are essentially a product of the integration of biological, automation, and information technologies. They serve as a core component of laboratory automation and intelligent infrastructure, primarily used in the pretreatment stages of microbial testing in fields such as food, environment, and pharmaceuticals. Existing microbial pretreatment systems typically feature standardized structures, basic aseptic protection, stable environmental provision, and modularity. They aim to replace manual processes such as scanning homogenization bags, preparing initial suspensions, gradient dilutions, pouring and inoculating agar medium, coding petri dishes, and recovering the cultured petri dishes.

[0003] Currently, automated microbial pretreatment equipment on the market mainly adopts two typical structural layout schemes: The first is a rotary workstation, such as reference document D1: CN119709388A. Its core structure uses a petri dish rotary module, which uses the rotation of the rotary table to sequentially deliver the petri dishes to the circumferentially distributed workstations such as the upper dish, dispensing, inoculation / spreading, and lower dish, and works in conjunction with a gripping robot and a pipetting robot to complete the sample dilution and inoculation; The second is a planar matrix workstation (such as reference document D2: CN110437976A). Its core structure adopts a planar layout of the operating table. The pipette tip interface is driven by a motion unit that moves along the X, Y, and Z axes, moving between adjacent sample processing areas and inoculation areas to complete the dispensing, pipetting, and inoculation operations. The above structures have the following disadvantages: 1) Plate labeling often uses pre-printed codes or manual labeling, which cannot achieve dynamic coding before inoculation and real-time binding with sample information; 2) During gradient dilution, pipette tip replacement lacks a mandatory mechanism and traceable event records; moreover, data traceability is mostly partial steps, failing to achieve a complete record from sample scanning to plate output. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address at least one of the aforementioned problems, the present invention first provides a microbial pretreatment system, comprising: a first processing zone, equipped with a first plate processing station for automatic loading, dispensing, and information coding of empty plates; a second processing zone, equipped with a sample processing station for sample preparation, sample gradient dilution, and plate inoculation; a third processing zone, equipped with a second plate processing station for temporary storage of inoculated plates after inoculation; and a transport mechanism, arranged across the first, second, and third processing zones, for at least transporting empty plates between the three processing zones. The system includes a plate and inoculated plates; a central control system, which is communicatively connected to the first processing area, the second processing area, and the transport mechanism; the central control system is configured to: control the first plate processing station to assign a unique identification code to the empty plate after it is received and before sample inoculation; control the sample processing station to perform sample gradient dilution; control the transport mechanism to transfer the coded empty plate to the second processing area for plate inoculation, and transfer the inoculated plate to the third processing area for temporary storage, while recording the transfer time and operating parameters.

[0005] Optionally, the microbial pretreatment system further includes: an identification unit for reading the identification information of homogenized bag samples; the central control system is communicatively connected to the identification unit for receiving and storing the identification information.

[0006] Optionally, the first processing area includes, in sequence along the flow direction of the empty plate, a feeding buffer device, a dispensing component, and a coding component.

[0007] Optionally, the feeding and buffering device includes a first stacking component and a first stacking rack, wherein the first stacking component is used to stack and temporarily store multiple empty plates in the first stacking rack.

[0008] Optionally, the coding component is communicatively connected to the central control system for printing sample information onto the empty plate; the sample information includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time.

[0009] Optionally, the first processing area and the third processing area are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the main body of the equipment; the second processing area is located in the middle area of ​​the main body of the equipment, or in the front middle area, or in the rear middle area.

[0010] Optionally, the second processing area includes a bottled sample station and / or a bagged sample station. The bottled sample station and / or bagged sample station are equipped with temperature control components to maintain a constant sample temperature.

[0011] Optionally, the second processing area is equipped with a gradient dilution device for aspirating samples and injecting diluent into them for gradient dilution. The gradient dilution device includes: a test tube rack for holding test tubes; a diluent injection unit for injecting diluent into the test tubes; and a pipette, communicatively connected to the central control system, for performing liquid aspiration and dispensing actions; the pipette is mounted on a transport mechanism.

[0012] Optionally, the gradient dilution device further includes a test tube mixing mechanism for mixing the test tubes after the diluent has been injected.

[0013] Optionally, the second processing area is further provided with a TIP head storage component; the central control system controls the gradient dilution device to load a new TIP head from the TIP head storage component before each sample is drawn; the central control system records the node time of each loading of the new TIP head as a traceability parameter to prevent cross-contamination; the TIP head storage component is provided in two sets.

[0014] Optionally, the second processing area is provided with a TIP head removal station; the central control system controls the gradient dilution device to move to the TIP head removal station to remove the old TIP head after the liquid is absorbed; the central control system records the node time of each removal of the old TIP head.

[0015] Optionally, the second plate processing station includes a feeding buffer device, which has at least one feeding channel for connecting to downstream equipment; the central control system synchronizes the traceability data of the inoculated plates to the downstream equipment through an external communication interface.

[0016] Optionally, the feeding buffer device includes a second stacking component and a second stacking rack, wherein the second stacking component is used to stack and temporarily store multiple inoculated plates in the second stacking rack.

[0017] Optionally, the downstream equipment includes at least one of a constant temperature incubator and a colony counter; the central control system is communicatively connected to the constant temperature incubator and / or the colony counter.

[0018] Optionally, the microbial pretreatment system further includes a test tube storage structure and a test tube recovery assembly located in the second treatment area.

[0019] Optionally, the conveying mechanism is a conveying gantry that spans above the main body of the equipment; the conveying gantry is equipped with grippers for clamping.

[0020] Optionally, the microbial pretreatment system further includes a culture medium addition component and a shaking station; the central control system controls the inoculated petri dishes to receive the constant temperature culture medium injected by the culture medium addition component in the second treatment area, and controls the shaking station to shake the medium to remove air bubbles.

[0021] Optionally, the mixing station includes a vortex mixer for mixing the petri dish after inoculation and culture medium injection.

[0022] The present invention also provides a microbial pretreatment method, applied to the above-mentioned microbial pretreatment system, comprising the following steps: S1: Sample suspension preparation: The system receives the weighed homogenized bag sample, scans the code by the identification unit, and sends the sample into the test tube by the transport mechanism. A quantitative amount of diluent is injected by the diluent injection unit, and the sample in the test tube is mixed by tapping by the test tube mixing mechanism to prepare the initial suspension. S2: Gradient Dilution: The transport mechanism transfers the initial suspension test tube to the dilution station; after the pipette replaces the TIP tip, a certain amount of the initial suspension is drawn and added to another test tube, and then the diluent is injected into the test tube through the diluent injection unit. After mixing, a dilution of one dilution gradient is obtained; the above actions are repeated to obtain the dilution of the next dilution gradient; a new TIP tip is replaced each time dilution is performed; S3: Transfer and coding of empty petri dishes: Before the empty petri dishes come into contact with the samples, in the first processing area, the transport mechanism transfers the empty petri dishes from the feeding buffer device to the coding component to complete the coding of the empty petri dishes and the binding of sample information; the coding content includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time. S4: Cross-regional inoculation and injection of culture medium: The transport mechanism transfers the empty petri dishes with complete inkjet binding from the first processing area to the second processing area. The gradient dilution device injects sample diluents of different dilution gradients into the petri dishes with complete inkjet binding according to the preset inoculation amount. After inoculation, the culture medium addition component injects constant temperature culture medium into the inoculated petri dishes. The constant temperature culture medium and the sample are evenly mixed by the shaking station to avoid the generation of air bubbles. S5: Recovery and Report Generation: The transport mechanism transfers the inoculated petri dishes containing constant temperature culture medium one by one to the feeding buffer device for temporary storage, awaiting their transfer to the downstream equipment; the test tubes and discarded TIP heads after gradient dilution are transferred by the transport mechanism to the test tube recovery assembly and the TIP head removal station, respectively; the central control system automatically records one or more of the following for each step of the operation: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time, and binds them with a unique identification code to generate a traceable pretreatment report.

[0023] 1. Compared with existing technologies, the system is divided into a first processing area, a second processing area and a third processing area, and cross-area transfer is carried out by a conveying mechanism that spans across the top, which facilitates operation.

[0024] 2. Compared with the prior art, the present invention communicates with the identification unit through a central control system, and transmits the identification information of the sample to the central control system as the initial data source for subsequent inkjet printing, ensuring that the unique identification code printed on the empty plate corresponds accurately to the original sample.

[0025] 3. Compared with the existing technology, the present invention can record key parameters such as sample information, dilution, inoculation amount, inkjet data, and transfer time of each step of the operation in real time through a central control system, so as to realize full-process data traceability from sample reception to inoculated plate recovery, and meet the traceability management requirements of microbial detection. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a general schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The front view; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view; Figure 4 for Figure 1 Perspective view.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Feeding buffer device; 2-Dispensing component; 3-Coding component; 4-Bottled sample station; 5-Bagged sample station; 6-Gradual dilution device; 7-TIP head storage component; 8-Feeding buffer device; 9-Test tube storage structure; 10-Test tube recovery component; 11-Transfer gantry; 12-Cultivation medium addition component; 13-Shaking station; 601-Dilution solution injection unit; 602-Test tube rack; 603-Pipette; 604-Test tube mixing mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper" and "lower" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship when the product is in normal use.

[0030] The terms "first" and "second" 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. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0031] Please see Figure 1-4 As shown, this invention provides a microbial pretreatment system, comprising: a first processing area, equipped with a first plate processing station for automatic loading, dispensing, and information coding of empty plates; a second processing area, equipped with a sample processing station for sample preparation, sample gradient dilution, and plate inoculation; a third processing area, equipped with a second plate processing station for temporary storage of inoculated plates after inoculation; a transport mechanism, spanning the first, second, and third processing areas, for at least transporting empty and inoculated plates between the three processing areas; and a central control system, communicatively connected to the first, second, and transport mechanisms; the central control system is configured to: control the first plate processing station to complete the identification information coding of empty plates after they are received and before sample inoculation, generating a unique identification code; control the sample processing station to complete sample gradient dilution; control the transport mechanism to transport the coded empty plates to the second processing area for plate inoculation, and to transport the inoculated plates to the third processing area for temporary storage, while recording the transfer time and operating parameters.

[0032] Specifically, this system separates the first processing area for empty petri dishes, the second processing area for processed samples, and the third processing area for temporarily storing inoculated petri dishes. A transport mechanism spanning these three areas serves as the central hub, executing inter-area transport under the control of a central control system. Furthermore, compared to traditional pre-manual labeling, this system performs real-time inkjet coding before the empty petri dishes enter the second processing area for inoculation, establishing the identity of the empty petri dishes and binding this identity to subsequent operating parameters and transfer time. This pre-processing real-time coding establishes a binding between the physical entity and the digital file before inoculation, minimizing matching errors that may occur with subsequent labeling. In addition, the closed-loop inter-area transport and data binding enable unattended operation and data traceability.

[0033] In one embodiment, the microbial pretreatment system further includes: an identification unit for reading the identification information of the homogenized bag sample; and a central control system communicatively connected to the identification unit for receiving and storing the identification information and transmitting it to the central control system as the initial data source for subsequent inkjet printing. This achieves automatic digital acquisition of sample source information; the identification information serves as the data anchor point for inkjet printing, ensuring that the unique identification code subsequently printed on the empty petri dish accurately corresponds to the original sample, thus constructing the starting loop of a complete traceability chain.

[0034] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the first processing area includes, sequentially along the flow direction of the empty petri dishes, a feeding buffer device 1, a dispensing component 2, and a coding component 3. The feeding, dispensing, and coding actions in the first processing area are arranged in series according to the process flow. Empty petri dishes are first stacked by the feeding buffer device 1, forming a buffer area for the stacked dishes. Then, the dispensing component 2 separates and peels them off one by one for easy coding. Finally, each dish is individually identified by the coding component 3. This ensures that every empty petri dish entering the second processing area has been identified, improving flow efficiency and coding reliability.

[0035] In one embodiment, the feeding and buffering device 1 includes a first stacking assembly and a first stacking rack. The first stacking assembly is used to stack and temporarily store multiple empty petri dishes in the first stacking rack for temporary storage of the empty petri dishes; as shown Figure 1 As shown, the feeding buffer device 1 is an entire turntable module.

[0036] In one embodiment, the coding component 3 is communicatively connected to the central control system and is used to print sample information onto empty petri dishes. The sample information includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculum size, and processing time. The coding component 3 receives instructions from the central control system and directly prints sample information containing key process parameters, such as QR codes or barcodes, onto the outer wall or bottom of the empty petri dish. Printing multiple key parameters on the surface of the empty petri dish ensures that its properties can still be clearly identified visually or using conventional equipment when the dish leaves the system for artificial cultivation or subsequent testing, reducing confusion.

[0037] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first and third processing zones are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the main body of the equipment; the second processing zone is located in the middle area of ​​the main body of the equipment, or in the front or rear area of ​​the middle. The first and third processing zones are placed on the left and right sides of the equipment, respectively, with the second processing zone sandwiched in the middle. The transport mechanism spans the top, connecting the two ends and the middle, which facilitates transport. The double-sided distribution also makes it convenient for the operator to replenish empty petri dishes on one side and collect inoculated petri dishes on the other side. In addition, the initial suspension of the sample and the gradient dilution of the sample can be carried out from the middle or the middle edge of the equipment, and the three routes do not interfere with each other.

[0038] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the second processing area includes a bottled sample station 4 and / or a bagged sample station 5; two sets of bottled sample stations 4 and two sets of bagged sample stations 5 are provided respectively; the bottled sample station 4 adopts a cylindrical groove structure that mates with the periphery of the bottle, including but not limited to; the bagged sample station 5 adopts a deep groove structure that mates with the periphery of the bag, including but not limited to. Dedicated positioning stations are designed for sample containers of different shapes to ensure that the sample containers remain absolutely stable and do not shake during transport or aspiration operations by the handling mechanism. In one embodiment, the bottled sample station 4 and / or the bagged sample station 5 are equipped with temperature control components to maintain a constant sample temperature. Integrating temperature control components in the bottled sample station 4 and / or the bagged sample station 5 continuously regulates the ambient temperature of the sample. This maintains the stability of sample activity during the processing waiting period, reduces the risk of microbial community mutation or death caused by environmental temperature fluctuations, and ensures the authenticity and reliability of pretreatment results, especially suitable for temperature-sensitive samples.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the second processing area is equipped with a gradient dilution device 6, used for aspirating samples and injecting diluent to perform gradient dilution. An independent gradient dilution device 6 is located at the core of the second processing area. The gradient dilution device 6 includes: a diluent injection unit 601 for injecting diluent into test tubes; a test tube rack 602 for holding test tubes; and a pipette 603, which is communicatively connected to the central control system and used to perform liquid aspiration and dispensing actions; the pipette 603 is mounted on a transport mechanism. The diluent injection unit 601 is responsible for adding large volumes or quantitative amounts of diluent, while the pipette 603 moves with the transport mechanism to transfer small amounts of sample across containers; the three work together to complete the dilution process.

[0040] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the gradient dilution device 6 also includes a test tube mixing mechanism 604 for mixing the test tubes after the diluent has been injected. After the gradient dilution device 6 injects the diluent into the test tubes through the diluent injection unit 601, the sample and diluent in the test tubes are in an incompletely mixed state. The test tube mixing mechanism 604 applies mechanical vibration or vortex action to the test tubes, forcing the liquid to convect. The test tube mixing mechanism 604 ensures that the bacterial concentration is uniform after each gradient dilution, minimizing sampling errors caused by uneven mixing and ensuring the accuracy of subsequent multi-stage dilution ratios.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the second processing area is also equipped with a TIP head storage component 7. The central control system controls the gradient dilution device 6 to load a new TIP head from the TIP head storage component 7 before each sample aspiration. The central control system records the time of loading a new TIP head each time as a traceability parameter to prevent cross-contamination. The TIP head storage component 7 has two sets. The TIP head storage component 7 provides unused new TIP heads. The central control system forces the gradient dilution device 6 to obtain a new TIP head from the TIP head storage component 7 before performing the aspiration action, replacing the old TIP head used in the previous round, and records the time of TIP head replacement for easy traceability. Replacing the TIP head with a new one cuts off the contact path between samples of different concentrations, reducing cross-contamination. The TIP head storage component 7 is set up with two sets to support parallel supply.

[0042] In one embodiment, the second processing area is equipped with a TIP head removal station. The central control system controls the gradient dilution device 6 to move to the TIP head removal station after completing liquid addition and remove the old TIP head. The central control system records the time of each old TIP head removal. A dedicated TIP head removal station is designated within the second processing area. After the gradient dilution device 6 completes liquid addition, it moves the old TIP head carrying contaminants to this station for removal. The central control system simultaneously records the time of the removal action. By restricting the removal of discarded TIP heads to a fixed station within the second processing area, the aerosol or dripping contamination generated during cross-area transport of contaminated tips is reduced.

[0043] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the second petri dish processing station includes a feeding buffer device 8, which has at least one feeding channel for connecting to downstream equipment. The central control system synchronizes the traceability data of the inoculated petri dishes to the downstream equipment via an external communication interface. The feeding buffer device 8 acts as a bridge between the system and external equipment, connecting to a constant temperature incubator or colony counter. Simultaneously, the central control system sends the petri dish's identity and process data to the downstream equipment via the external communication interface. This achieves seamless integration from sample preparation to constant temperature incubation, eliminating the need for manual transfer of inoculated petri dishes or manual data entry.

[0044] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the feeding buffer device 8 includes a second stacking assembly and a second stacking rack. The second stacking assembly is used to stack multiple inoculated petri dishes and temporarily store them in the second stacking rack, such as... Figure 1 The feeding buffer device 8 shown is essentially a turntable module. The second stacking component inside the feeding buffer device 8 can stack the flat plates one by one via a lifting or layering mechanism, increasing the temporary storage capacity of the flat plates within a limited planar space. Manual stacking can also be used. This improves the temporary storage capacity of the feeding buffer device 8.

[0045] In one embodiment, the downstream device includes at least one of a constant temperature incubator and a colony counter; the central control system is communicatively connected to the constant temperature incubator and / or the colony counter. The feeding channel of the feeding buffer device 8 provides a transfer path for inoculated plates, and the central control system establishes communication with the constant temperature incubator and / or the colony counter.

[0046] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the microbial pretreatment system also includes a test tube storage structure 9 and a test tube recycling component 10. This enables zoned management of consumables, completely isolating new and discarded test tubes; discarded test tubes are collected centrally in the test tube recycling component 10 for subsequent unified high-pressure sterilization.

[0047] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the handling mechanism is a handling gantry 11 that spans the top of the main body of the equipment; the handling gantry 11 is equipped with grippers for clamping. The top of the handling gantry 11 spans across to enable cross-area transfer.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the microbial pretreatment system also includes a culture medium addition component 12 and a shaking station 13. The central control system controls the inoculated petri dishes to receive the constant-temperature culture medium injected by the culture medium addition component 12 in the second treatment zone, and controls the shaking station 13 to shake the medium to remove air bubbles. The culture medium addition component 12 includes a culture medium container, a peristaltic pump, a dispensing line, and a dispensing head. The culture medium container is equipped with a constant-temperature heating element to maintain the culture medium at a preset temperature. The peristaltic pump is connected to the central control system and is used to quantitatively inject culture medium into the inoculated petri dishes according to a preset volume. The pouring and shaking are completed in the second treatment zone, reducing the risk of spillage caused by removing petri dishes containing biological samples before solidification. The air bubble removal function of the shaking station 13 ensures that the surface of the culture medium is smooth after solidification, which does not affect subsequent colony counting.

[0049] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the mixing station 13 includes a vortex mixer for mixing the petri dishes after inoculation and culture medium injection. The vortex mixing method has high mixing efficiency and gentle force, ensuring uniform distribution of the sample in the culture medium.

[0050] The present invention also provides a microbial pretreatment method, applied to the above-mentioned microbial pretreatment system, comprising the following steps: S1: Sample suspension preparation: The system receives the weighed homogenized bag sample, scans the code by the identification unit, and then sends the sample into the test tube by the transport mechanism. A quantitative amount of diluent is injected through the diluent injection unit 601, and the sample in the test tube is tapped and mixed by the test tube mixing mechanism 604 to prepare the initial suspension. The mechanical automatic tapping and mixing by the test tube mixing mechanism 604 replaces the traditional manual shaking, providing a uniform sample for subsequent processing.

[0051] S2: Gradient Dilution: The transport mechanism transfers the initial suspension test tube to the dilution station; after replacing the tip on the pipette 603, a measured amount of the initial suspension is added to another test tube, and then the diluent is injected into the test tube through the diluent injection unit 601. After mixing, a dilution of one dilution gradient is obtained; the above steps are repeated to obtain the dilution of the next dilution gradient; a new tip is used for each dilution. For example, the system receives a manually weighed 10g food homogenization bag sample, scans the code, and automatically sends the sample into the test tube mixing mechanism 604, injects 90mL of diluent, and prepares a 1:10 initial suspension by tapping. Subsequently, the gradient dilution device 6 operates, and the transport gantry transfers the test tube with the initial suspension to the dilution station. After replacing the TIP head with a new one, a 1:100 dilution is prepared according to the ratio of "1mL + 9mL diluent". After mixing, the same process is continued to prepare a 1:1000 dilution. A new TIP head is replaced for each dilution to avoid cross-contamination. The vortex mixer ensures that the dilution is mixed evenly, providing a standardized diluted sample for subsequent pour inoculation. S3: Transfer and coding of empty petri dishes: Before the empty petri dishes come into contact with the samples, in the first processing area, the transport mechanism transfers the empty petri dishes from the feeding buffer device 1 to the coding component 3. Based on the initial traceability identifier obtained in step S1, the coding of the empty petri dishes is completed and the sample information is bound together. The coding content includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time. S4: Cross-zone inoculation and injection of culture medium: The transport mechanism transfers the blank petri dishes with complete inkjet binding from the first processing area to the inoculation station in the second processing area. The gradient dilution device 6 injects sample diluents of different dilution gradients into the blank petri dishes with complete inkjet binding according to the preset inoculation amount. For example, the gradient dilution device 6 injects sample diluents of different dilutions into the blank petri dishes according to the preset inoculation amount, such as 1 mL / well. The double parallel 2×2 or triple parallel 2×3 inoculation mode can be selected according to the detection requirements. After inoculation, the culture medium addition component 12 injects constant temperature culture medium into the inoculated petri dishes. The constant temperature culture medium and the sample are evenly mixed by the shaking station 13 to avoid the generation of air bubbles. S5: Recovery and Report Generation: The transport mechanism transfers the inoculated petri dishes containing constant temperature culture medium one by one to the feeding buffer device 8 for temporary storage, waiting for them to be transferred to downstream equipment; the test tubes and discarded TIP heads after gradient dilution are transferred by the transport mechanism to the test tube recovery assembly 10 and the TIP head removal station, respectively; the central control system automatically records one or more of the following for each step of the operation: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time, and binds them with a unique identification code to generate a traceable pretreatment report.

[0052] While the disclosure is as stated above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A microbial pretreatment system, characterized in that, include: The first processing area is equipped with a first plate processing station for automatic feeding, sorting and information coding of empty plates; The second processing area is equipped with sample processing stations for sample preparation, sample gradient dilution, and plate inoculation. The third processing area is provided with a second plate processing station for temporary storage of inoculated plates after plate inoculation. A transport mechanism is provided across the first processing zone, the second processing zone and the third processing zone, and is used at least for transporting empty petri dishes and inoculated petri dishes between the three processing zones. The central control system is communicatively connected to the first processing area, the second processing area, and the conveying mechanism, respectively. The central control system is configured to: control the first plate processing station to assign a unique identification code to the empty plate after it is received and before sample inoculation; control the sample processing station to perform sample gradient dilution; control the transport mechanism to transfer the empty plate with the assigned identification code to the second processing area for plate inoculation, and transfer the inoculated plate to the third processing area for temporary storage, while recording the transfer time and operation parameters.

2. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microbial pretreatment system further includes: an identification unit for reading the identification information of homogenized bag samples; and a central control system that is communicatively connected to the identification unit for receiving and storing the identification information.

3. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first processing area includes, in sequence along the flow direction of the empty plate, a feeding buffer device (1), a dispensing component (2), and a coding component (3); And / or, the feeding buffer device (1) includes a first stacking component and a first stacking rack, wherein the first stacking component is used to stack and temporarily store a plurality of the empty plates into the first stacking rack; And / or, the inkjet printing component (3) is communicatively connected to the central control system for printing sample information onto the empty plate; the sample information includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time; And / or, the first processing area and the third processing area are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the main body of the equipment; the second processing area is located in the middle area of ​​the main body of the equipment, or in the front middle area, or in the rear middle area.

4. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second processing area includes a bottled sample station (4) and / or a bagged sample station (5); the bottled sample station (4) and / or the bagged sample station (5) are equipped with temperature control components to maintain a constant temperature for the samples; And / or, the second processing area is provided with a gradient dilution device (6) for aspirating samples and injecting diluent into the samples for gradient dilution; The gradient dilution device (6) includes: a test tube rack (602) for holding test tubes; a diluent injection unit (601) for injecting diluent into the test tubes; and a pipette (603) for communicating with the central control system and for performing liquid aspiration and dispensing actions. And / or, the gradient dilution device (6) further includes a test tube mixing mechanism (604) for mixing the test tubes after the diluent has been injected.

5. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second processing area is also provided with a TIP head storage component (7); the central control system controls the gradient dilution device (6) to load a new TIP head from the TIP head storage component (7) before each sample is drawn; the central control system records the node time of each loading of the new TIP head as a traceability parameter to prevent cross-contamination; And / or, the second processing area is provided with a TIP head removal station; the central control system controls the gradient dilution device (6) to move to the TIP head removal station to remove the old TIP head after the liquid is absorbed; the central control system records the node time of each removal of the old TIP head.

6. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second plate processing station includes a feeding buffer device (8), which is provided with at least one feeding channel for connecting to downstream equipment; the central control system synchronizes the traceability data of the inoculated plates to the downstream equipment through an external communication interface; And / or, the feeding buffer device (8) includes a second stacking assembly and a second stacking rack, the second stacking assembly being used to stack and temporarily store a plurality of the inoculated plates into the second stacking rack; And / or, the downstream equipment includes at least one of a constant temperature incubator and a colony counter; the central control system is communicatively connected to the constant temperature incubator and / or the colony counter.

7. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microbial pretreatment system also includes a test tube storage structure (9) and a test tube recovery assembly (10) located in the second treatment area. And / or, the transport mechanism is a transport gantry (11) that spans above the main body of the equipment; the transport gantry (11) is provided with grippers for clamping.

8. The microbial pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microbial pretreatment system also includes a culture medium addition component (12) and a shaking station (13); the central control system controls the inoculated petri dishes to receive the constant temperature culture medium injected by the culture medium addition component (12) in the second treatment area, and controls the shaking station (13) to shake it to remove air bubbles.

9. A microbial pretreatment system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The mixing station (13) includes a vortex mixer for mixing the petri dish after inoculation and injection of culture medium.

10. A microbial pretreatment method, applied to the microbial pretreatment system as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Sample suspension preparation: The system receives the weighed homogenized bag sample, scans the code by the identification unit, and sends the sample into the test tube by the transport mechanism. A quantitative amount of diluent is injected by the diluent injection unit (601), and the sample in the test tube is mixed by tapping by the test tube mixing mechanism (604) to prepare the initial suspension. S2: Gradient dilution: The transport mechanism transfers the initial suspension test tube to the dilution station; after the pipette (603) replaces the TIP tip, it draws a quantitative amount of the initial suspension into another test tube, and then injects the diluent into the test tube through the diluent injection unit (601). After mixing, a dilution of one dilution gradient is obtained; the above actions are repeated to obtain the dilution of the next dilution gradient; a new TIP tip is replaced each time dilution is performed; S3: Transfer and coding of empty petri dishes: Before the empty petri dish comes into contact with the sample, in the first processing area, the transport mechanism transfers the empty petri dish from the feeding buffer device (1) to the coding component (3) to complete the coding of the empty petri dish and the binding of the sample information. The inkjet printing content includes one or more of the following: sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and treatment time; S4: Cross-regional inoculation and injection of culture medium: The transport mechanism transfers the empty petri dishes with complete inkjet binding from the first processing area to the second processing area. The gradient dilution device (6) injects sample diluents of different dilution gradients into the petri dishes with complete inkjet binding according to the preset inoculation amount. After inoculation, the culture medium addition component (12) injects constant temperature culture medium into the inoculated petri dishes. The constant temperature culture medium and the sample are evenly mixed by the shaking station (13) to avoid the generation of air bubbles. S5: Recovery and Report Generation: The transport mechanism transfers the inoculated petri dishes containing constant temperature culture medium one by one to the feeding buffer device (8) for temporary storage, waiting for them to be transferred to the downstream equipment; the test tubes and discarded TIP heads after gradient dilution are transferred by the transport mechanism to the test tube recovery assembly (10) and the TIP head removal station respectively; the central control system automatically records one or more of the sample number, dilution, inoculation amount, and processing time of each step of the operation, and binds them with a unique identification code to generate a traceable pretreatment report.

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