A high throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor driven by fluid rotation and ultrasonic method

Abstract

The application provides a high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic crusher driven by fluid rotation, which is provided with an annular groove, liquid in the annular groove and a support baffle at the bottom of a disc-shaped support oppositely act on each other, the disc-shaped support is driven by fluid to rotate relative to the annular groove, and ultrasonic waves are generated in the annular groove. Batch samples are rotated in the annular ultrasonic field, the batch samples can be ultrasonically broken under the same condition, the processing condition is homogenized, the consistency of the sample breaking result is improved, and the processing efficiency is greatly improved while meeting the sample processing requirement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasonic processing device technology, specifically to a fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor and a method for performing ultrasonic treatment using the ultrasonic disruptor. Background Technology

[0002] Mechanical drive technology is widely used in ultrasonic homogenizers. When an ultrasonic homogenizer needs to process multiple sample tubes simultaneously, in order to ensure the consistency of the acoustic field of each sample tube, it is necessary to move the position of each sample tube within a certain area. Currently, the traditional mechanical drive method in ultrasonic homogenizers mainly relies on a motor driving gears, which in turn drive the sample tube support and each sample tube to move through a transmission shaft.

[0003] Traditional mechanical drive devices in non-contact ultrasonic rockers suffer from complex drive structures and a certain rate of mechanical failure. Therefore, improvements are still needed to simplify the drive structure, reduce the mechanical failure rate, and meet the demands of practical applications. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor that rotates the sample to be processed at a uniform speed in an annular water tank. This allows a batch of samples to be disrupted in an ultrasonic field of the same intensity while reducing the number of rotating parts, thereby simplifying the drive structure and lowering the mechanical failure rate of the structure.

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor driven by fluid rotation. It features an annular groove, where liquid exiting the groove interacts with a baffle plate at the bottom of a disc-shaped support, thereby driving the disc-shaped support to rotate relative to the annular groove. Ultrasonic processes are then performed within the annular groove.

[0006] A sample container is provided and placed on a disc-shaped support. The sample container extends downward into an annular groove, below the liquid surface.

[0007] The present invention also aims to provide a method for ultrasonication of samples using a high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor driven by fluid rotation, the method specifically comprising the following steps: Step 1: Inject liquid medium into annular groove 1 to fill the entire annular groove with liquid medium; Step 2: Select the sample receiving section and disc-shaped support according to the sample to be processed; Step 3: Place the liquid medium sample into the sample container, seal it, place the sample container on the disc-shaped support, and then place the test tube cap on the sample container. Step 4: Pour water into the inlet tube and open the outlet tube. The water flow drives the disc-shaped support to rotate, carrying the sample container and test tube cap to rotate at a constant speed, thus completing the ultrasonication of the sample.

[0008] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) The fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic crusher of the present invention enables a batch of samples to rotate in an annular ultrasonic field, so that the batch of samples can be ultrasonically crushed under the same conditions, making the processing conditions uniform. While meeting the sample processing volume requirements, it improves the consistency of sample crushing results and greatly improves the processing efficiency.

[0009] (2) The water flow driven disc bracket structure in this invention is ingeniously designed and easy to implement, which simplifies the mechanical drive structure, reduces the mechanical failure rate, is easy to use, and is conducive to its promotion and use in scientific research and production, thus meeting user needs. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This diagram shows the external structure of a fluid-driven, high-throughput, non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to the present invention. Figure 2 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a fluid-driven, high-throughput, non-contact ultrasonic disruptor. Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the angle α between the liquid column from the inlet pipe 3 and the support baffle 7 according to the present invention.

[0011] Explanation of icon numbers 1- Annular groove; 101-Ring tooth; 2- Annular tooth focusing groove; 3-Inlet pipe; 4-Water outlet pipe; 5- Circular chassis; 6-Disc-shaped support; 601 - Positioning; 7- Bracket baffle; 8-Sample container; 9- Rotating shaft; 10-Bearing; 11-Bearing housing; 12-Test tube cap; 1201 - Fixing part; 13-Inner wall of the annular groove; 14 - Outer wall of the annular groove; 17 - Sealing ring; 18 - Vibration isolation pads. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The present invention will now be described in detail through specific embodiments, and the features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more explicit with these descriptions.

[0013] The fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor of this invention features a rationally designed support baffle and water path. Utilizing the impact force of the water flow on the support baffle, the disc-shaped support carrying the sample to be ultrasonicated rotates, allowing the sample to circulate within an annular water tank. This ensures the sample is disrupted under uniform ultrasonic intensity, guaranteeing high-throughput ultrasonic disruption while improving the consistency of sample disruption results and significantly increasing processing efficiency. Furthermore, the mechanical drive structure provided by this invention is simplified, reducing rotating parts and lowering the mechanical failure rate.

[0014] This invention provides a fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor, which features an annular groove 1. Liquid exiting the annular groove 1 interacts with a baffle 7 at the bottom of a disc-shaped support 6, thereby driving the disc-shaped support 6 to rotate relative to the annular groove 1. Ultrasonic processes are performed within the annular groove 1.

[0015] A sample container 8 is provided and placed on a disc-shaped support 6. The sample container 8 extends downward into the annular groove 1, submerged in liquid, to facilitate ultrasonication. Preferably, the bottom two-thirds to three-quarters of the sample container 8 is submerged in liquid to ensure that the sample in the sample container 8 is completely immersed in the ultrasonic environment. The sample container 8 contains the sample to be ultrasonicated; preferably, the sample container 8 contains liquid.

[0016] The disc-shaped bracket 6 is disc-shaped, stepped cylindrical, or stepped frustum-shaped, and is disposed on the top of the annular groove 1, preferably covering the top of the annular groove 1.

[0017] One end of the support baffle 7 is fixed to the bottom of the disc-shaped support 6, and the other end extends into the annular groove 1. The support baffle 7 is a flat baffle or a curved baffle, with its largest surface area facing the liquid outflow direction inside the annular groove 1, so that the liquid impacts the support baffle 7, providing a driving force. Several support baffles 7 are provided. Preferably, the support baffles 7 are arranged in several circles from the outside to the inside at the bottom of the disc-shaped support 6, preferably in two circles, to provide sufficient driving force for the rotation of the disc-shaped support 6. Preferably, the geometric center points of the support baffles 7 are arranged to form several circles, and the center of the circle is coaxial with the disc-shaped support 6.

[0018] On the disc-shaped support 6, several holes are provided at the bottom corresponding to the annular groove 1, and the sample receiving part 8 is placed in the holes. Various disc-shaped supports 6 can be provided according to the characteristics of the sample to be processed, and the size and shape of the holes can be adjusted. The disc-shaped support 6 is preferably made of 3D printing material, such as white resin or nylon.

[0019] The sample holding section 8 is a sample container, such as a glass test tube, centrifuge tube (e.g., PCR centrifuge tube), or sample holder.

[0020] The disc-shaped bracket 6 is fixedly or detachably connected to a rotating shaft 9 at its center. A bearing 10 is connected to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 9, and the bearing 10 is housed within a bearing seat 11, allowing for relative rotation. The bearing 10 and the rotating shaft 9 are either interference-fitted or clearance-fitted. The bearing seat 11 and the bearing 10 are clearance-fitted. The bearing 10 is preferably an angular contact ball bearing, more preferably a back-to-back angular contact ball bearing. The bearing seat 11 is fixed at the center of the circular base 5 containing the annular groove 1. The center of the bearing seat 11 coincides with the center of the circular base 5. Preferably, a vibration damping plate 18 is provided at the contact point between the bearing 10 and the bearing seat 11 to ensure proper fit and reduce impact between them. Specifically... Figure 2 As shown.

[0021] The rotating shaft 9 is preferably made of metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The bearing housing 11 is preferably made of metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy.

[0022] Preferably, a test tube cap 12 is provided near the upper part of the disc-shaped support 6 to cover the opening. After the sample receiving part 8 is placed in, the test tube cap 12 can cover the top of the sample receiving part 8 to prevent the sample receiving part 8 from detaching from the disc-shaped support 6. Preferably, the lower surface of the test tube cap 12 is in contact with the sample receiving part 8. The test tube cap 12 is preferably made of a lightweight 3D printed material, such as white resin, nylon, etc.

[0023] The disc-shaped support 6 is provided with a locking position 601 for fixing the test tube cap 12. The locking position is a protrusion, recess, or notch on the disc-shaped support 6, and a fixing part 1201 is provided at a corresponding position on the test tube cap 12, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The protrusion on the disc-shaped support 6 enters the back of the corresponding protrusion of the test tube cap 12 for fixation, the recess of the test tube cap 12 enters the recess of the corresponding position of the disc-shaped support 6 for fixation, and the fixing part 1201 of the test tube cap 12 enters the notch of the corresponding position of the disc-shaped support 6 for fixation.

[0024] Several inlet pipes 3 and several outlet pipes 4 are installed on the inner bottom wall of the annular tank 1. The medium liquid enters from the inlet pipe 3, impacts the support baffle 7, and flows out from the outlet pipe 4 when the liquid level in the annular tank 1 reaches the height of the outlet pipe 4.

[0025] The inlet pipe 3 extends upwards from the bottom wall in a straight line or curve to form an inlet pipe, with the outlet facing the support baffle 7. The angle α between the liquid column from the inlet pipe 3 and the support baffle 7 is not equal to zero degrees, preferably 15°-135°, more preferably 45°-120°. The angle α between the liquid column from the inlet pipe 3 and the support baffle 7 is the angle between the support baffle 7 and the central axis of the liquid column from the inlet pipe 3 below the intersection of the central axis of the liquid column and the side of the support baffle 7 with the largest area, specifically as follows: Figure 3 As shown. The inlet pipe 3 does not contact the support baffle 7.

[0026] The liquid outlet pipe 4 extends upward from the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 in a straight line or curve to form the liquid outlet pipe. The height of the liquid outlet pipe 4 relative to the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 determines the height of the liquid level in the annular groove 1.

[0027] The ratio of the thickness to the outer diameter of the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 4 is 2:(1-20), preferably 2:(3-16), and more preferably 2:(5-12. Within the range of the above-mentioned ratio of the thickness to the outer diameter of the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 4, the working strength and weight of the water pipe are taken into account.

[0028] The liquid outlet direction of the inlet pipe 3 is the same as the liquid inlet direction of the adjacent outlet pipe 4. The liquid outlet direction of the inlet pipe 3 is perpendicular to the liquid inlet direction of the outlet pipe 4, so that the forces exerted by the liquid inlet and outlet on the support baffle 7 are in the same direction, thus better driving the disc-shaped support 6 to rotate.

[0029] Preferably, the inlet pipe 3 or outlet pipe 4 is arranged on the circumference of the circle formed by the arrangement of the geometric center points of the support baffle 7, which is the circumference of the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1.

[0030] Preferably, the circumference of the inlet pipe 3 and the circumference of the outlet pipe 4 are arranged alternately.

[0031] The present invention does not specifically limit the material of the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 4. Any material that can perform the function of the inlet pipe 3 and the outlet pipe 4 is acceptable, such as metal materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, etc.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support baffles 7 are arranged in two circles from the outside to the inside at the bottom of the disc-shaped support 6. Preferably, the inclination direction of the outer ring support baffles 7 is the same as that of the inner ring support baffles 7. The liquid inlet pipe 3 is disposed on the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 corresponding to the outer ring support baffles 7, and the liquid outlet pipe 4 is disposed on the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 corresponding to the inner ring support baffles 7. After the liquid in the annular groove 1 forms a stable flow state, the liquid column exiting from the liquid inlet pipe 3 impacts the outer ring support baffles 7, and the return fluid flows out from the liquid outlet pipe 4, impacting the inner ring support baffles 7, thus increasing the force of the fluid on the support baffles 7. That is, the liquid column exiting from the liquid inlet pipe 3 impacts and drives the outer ring support baffles 7 and the inner ring support baffles 7 to rotate.

[0033] A sealing ring 17 is provided between the inlet pipe 3 or the outlet pipe 4 and the bottom wall of the annular groove 1 to ensure the seal between the inlet pipe 3 or the outlet pipe 4 and the bottom wall of the annular groove 1.

[0034] The inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 is annular disc-shaped. The outer boundary of the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 extends vertically upward to form an outer wall 14. An inner wall 13 is provided on the inner side of the outer wall 14, and the diameter of the inner wall 13 is smaller than the diameter of the outer wall 14. Preferably, the inner wall 13 and the outer wall 14 are coaxially arranged. The outer wall 14, the inner wall 13, and the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 form the annular groove 1. The inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1 is fixedly or detachably connected to the circular base 5.

[0035] The annular groove 1 contains a liquid medium, such as water, which is used to transmit ultrasonic waves and can be circulated for cooling the sample and the ultrasonic environment.

[0036] The present invention does not specifically limit the material of the annular groove 1. Any material that can achieve the function of the present invention is acceptable, such as metal materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, etc.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of annular teeth 101 are arranged radially within the annular groove 1, preferably at equal intervals, and preferably comprising 2-4 annular teeth. Two adjacent annular teeth 101 form an annular tooth groove for accommodating the sample receiving portion 8. Preferably, the annular teeth 101 are coaxially arranged with the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1.

[0038] The bottom of the annular toothed groove may overlap with or maintain a gap from the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1, depending on the application requirements. When the bottom of the annular toothed groove maintains a gap with the inner bottom wall of the annular groove 1, the gap is 0.5 mm or more, preferably 1-10 mm, and more preferably 1-5 mm.

[0039] The sample receiving portion 8 maintains a gap with the annular tooth 101 and the bottom of the annular tooth groove. Preferably, the gap is 1 mm or more, more preferably 1-10 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. The distance between the bottom of all sample receiving portions 8 and the bottom of the annular tooth groove is the same.

[0040] Preferably, the ratio of the height of the annular tooth 101 to the center distance between two adjacent annular teeth is 25:(10-50), more preferably 25:(11-30), and even more preferably 25:(12.5-15). Through numerous experiments, this invention has confirmed that the annular tooth 101 can produce good focused ultrasound intensity under this ratio condition.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two annular teeth 101 are provided inside the annular groove 1 to form an annular tooth focusing groove 2, so that the sample accommodating part 8 is placed inside the annular tooth focusing groove 2.

[0042] An ultrasonic transducer is positioned at the center of the circular base 5, close to its lower part. The ultrasonic transducer and the circular base 5 are coaxially arranged and are either fixedly connected or detachably connected. The ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer are transmitted along the circular base 5 to the interior of the annular groove 1, thus realizing ultrasonic waves.

[0043] The thickness-to-diameter ratio of the circular base 5 is 5:(200-600), preferably 5:(300-580), and more preferably 5:(380-565). Within the above-mentioned thickness-to-diameter ratio range of the circular base 5, the circular base 5 is more likely to generate resonance, which is beneficial to the propagation of ultrasound and increases the ultrasound intensity inside the annular groove 1, especially beneficial to increasing the ultrasound intensity of the annular tooth focusing groove 2.

[0044] The sample receiving part 8 is located radially on the disc-shaped support 6, where the ultrasonic wave is projected vertically upwards onto the bottom wall of the annular groove 1, making the sample receiving part 8 the location of the maximum ultrasonic vibration displacement.

[0045] The present invention also provides a method for ultrasonication of samples using the aforementioned fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor, the method specifically comprising the following steps: Step 1: Inject a liquid medium into the annular groove 1 to fill the entire annular groove 1; the liquid medium is a medium with stable physical and chemical properties during the ultrasonic process, such as water.

[0046] Step 2: Select the sample receiving part 8 and the disc-shaped support 6 according to the sample to be processed; Step 3: Place the liquid medium sample into the sample container 8, seal it, place the sample container 8 on the disc-shaped support 6, and then place the test tube cap 12 on the sample container 8. Step 4: Pass water through the inlet pipe 3 and open the outlet pipe 4. The water flow drives the disc-shaped support 6 to rotate, and carries the sample container 8 and the test tube cap 12 to rotate at a constant speed to complete the sample ultrasound.

[0047] The fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor provided by this invention utilizes liquid inlet to drive a disc-shaped support 6 carrying the sample to rotate at a uniform speed relative to an annular groove 1. This simplifies the mechanical structure, ensures consistent and controllable ultrasonic conditions for the samples, allows for the simultaneous processing of multiple samples, and offers high processing efficiency, meeting various application requirements.

[0048] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. However, these descriptions should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that various equivalent substitutions, modifications, or improvements can be made to the technical solutions and embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonicating a sample using a fluid-driven, high-throughput, non-contact ultrasonic disruptor, characterized in that, The method specifically includes the following steps: Step 1: Inject liquid medium into the annular groove (1) to fill the entire annular groove (1). Step 2: Select the sample receiving part (8) and the disc-shaped support (6) according to the sample to be processed; Step 3: Place the liquid medium sample in the sample container (8), seal it, place the sample container (8) on the disc-shaped support (6), and then place the test tube cap (12) on the sample container (8); Step 4: Pass water through the inlet tube (3) and open the outlet tube (4). The water flow drives the disc-shaped support (6) to rotate, and carries the sample container (8) and the test tube cap (12) to rotate at a constant speed to complete the sample ultrasound.

2. The method for ultrasonicating a sample using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid outlet inside the annular groove (1) interacts with the bottom support baffle (7) of the disc-shaped support (6), thereby driving the disc-shaped support (6) to rotate relative to the annular groove (1). Ultrasonication was performed in the annular groove (1).

3. The method for ultrasonication of samples using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sample receiving part (8) is placed on the disc-shaped support (6), and the sample receiving part (8) extends downward into the annular groove (1) and is below the liquid surface. Preferably, the bottom two-thirds to three-quarters of the sample container (8) is below the liquid surface.

4. The method for ultrasonication of samples using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The disc-shaped bracket (6) is disc-shaped, stepped cylindrical, or stepped frustum-shaped, and is located on the top of the annular groove (1), preferably covering the top of the annular groove (1).

5. The method for ultrasonicating a sample using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 5, characterized in that, One end of the bracket baffle (7) is fixed to the bottom of the disc-shaped bracket (6), and the other end extends into the annular groove (1). The support baffle (7) is a flat baffle or a curved baffle, with its largest surface facing the liquid outlet direction inside the annular groove (1), so that the liquid outlet impacts the support baffle (7). Set up several bracket baffles (7). Preferably, the support baffles (7) are arranged in several circles from the outside to the inside at the bottom of the disc-shaped support (6), preferably in two circles. The inclination direction of the outer ring support baffles (7) is the same as that of the inner ring support baffles (7). Preferably, the geometric center points of the support baffle (7) are arranged to form several circles, and the center of the circle is coaxial with the disc-shaped support (6).

6. The method for ultrasonicating a sample using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, On the disc-shaped support (6), several holes are provided at the bottom corresponding to the annular groove (1), and the sample receiving part (8) is placed in the holes.

7. The method for ultrasonication of samples using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center of the disc-shaped bracket (6) is fixedly or detachably connected to a rotating shaft (9). A bearing (10) is connected to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft (9). The bearing (10) is located inside the bearing seat (11) and can be rotated relative to the bearing. The bearing (10) is either interference-fitted or clearance-fitted with the rotating shaft (9). The bearing housing (11) and the bearing (10) are clearance-fitted. The bearing (10) is an angular contact ball bearing, preferably a back-to-back angular contact ball bearing. The bearing housing (11) is fixed at the center of the circular base (5) where the annular groove (1) is located. The center of the bearing housing (11) coincides with the center of the circular base (5). Vibration damping plates (18) are provided at the contact point between the bearing (10) and the bearing housing (11) to ensure the fit between the bearing (10) and the bearing housing (11).

8. The method for ultrasonication of samples using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, A test tube cap (12) is provided near the upper part of the disc-shaped support (6) to cover the hole. Preferably, the lower surface of the test tube cap (12) is in contact with the sample receiving portion (8). The disc-shaped bracket (6) is provided with a locking position (601) for fixing the test tube cap (12). The locking position is a protrusion, depression or notch on the disc-shaped bracket (6), and a fixing part (1201) with a protrusion, depression or notch is provided at the corresponding position of the test tube cap (12).

9. The method for ultrasonicating a sample using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet pipe (3) extends upward from the bottom wall of the annular groove (1) in a straight line or curve to form the inlet pipe, and the outlet faces the support baffle (7). The angle α between the liquid column exiting the inlet pipe (3) and the support baffle (7) is not equal to zero degrees, preferably 15°-135°, more preferably 45°-120°. The outlet pipe (4) is formed by extending upward in a straight line or curve from the bottom wall inside the annular groove (1). Preferably, the liquid outlet direction of the inlet pipe (3) is the same as the liquid inlet direction of the adjacent outlet pipe (4). The inlet pipe (3) or outlet pipe (4) is arranged on the circumference of the circle formed by the arrangement of the geometric center points of the support baffle (7) and the circle projected vertically onto the bottom wall of the annular groove (1). Preferably, the circumference of the inlet pipe (3) and the circumference of the outlet pipe (4) are arranged alternately.

10. The method for ultrasonication of a sample using the fluid-driven high-throughput non-contact ultrasonic disruptor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet pipe (3) is positioned on the inner bottom wall of the annular groove (1) corresponding to the outer ring support baffle (7), and the outlet pipe (4) is positioned on the inner bottom wall of the annular groove (1) corresponding to the inner ring support baffle (7). The annular groove (1) is provided with a number of annular teeth (101) arranged radially along the annular groove (1), preferably arranged at equal intervals, and preferably containing 2-4 annular teeth. Two adjacent annular teeth (101) form an annular tooth groove for accommodating the sample accommodating part (8). Preferably, the sample receiving part (8) is located radially on the disc-shaped support (6) at the position of the ultrasonic anti-interference circle projected vertically upward on the bottom wall of the annular groove (1) at the radial position of the disc-shaped support (6).

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