Automatic chromatographic column

Abstract

The utility model relates to an automatic chromatographic column, which comprises: a chromatographic column mechanism, which comprises a column casing assembly, a piston assembly, an end cover assembly and a base assembly, the end cover assembly is arranged on the base assembly, the column casing assembly is arranged between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly, and the piston assembly can be moved in or out of the column casing assembly; and the driving mechanism is connected with the column casing assembly, and the driving mechanism can drive the column casing assembly to move in the horizontal direction so that the column casing assembly can move into or out of the position between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly. Thus, movement of the column casing assembly can be easily achieved through the driving mechanism, moving-in and moving-out of the column casing assembly are facilitated, cleaning and maintenance are facilitated, meanwhile, movement of the column casing assembly only needs less manual intervention, manpower consumption is reduced, operation is simple, and losses caused by misoperation can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of industrial chromatography, and in particular to an automatic chromatography column. Background Art

[0002] Chromatographic technology can be used to effectively separate target products from complex mixtures, remove impurities in target products, purify final products or replace product solutions. It has the characteristics of high separation efficiency and can separate heat-sensitive or easily inactivated products such as proteins, polysaccharides and peptides under relatively mild conditions. Chromatographic columns are the key to achieving chromatographic separation.

[0003] Chromatographic columns are important equipment for purifying process liquids and separating required substances from process liquids in the chromatography industry. They are typically used for large-scale preparative purification of biological products by major extract manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, cosmetics, and food companies. With the development of industry, automatic chromatography columns have gradually become the mainstream equipment in the chromatography industry due to their high degree of automation, process controllability, and high chromatography efficiency.

[0004] For a chromatography column, after a period of use, the column assembly, piston assembly and end cap assembly in the chromatography column need to be cleaned and maintained to facilitate the next use of the chromatography column. Currently, during maintenance and cleaning, the column assembly needs to be lifted and then moved horizontally. When the column assembly is light, the column assembly can be pushed out by manpower. However, if the column assembly is heavy, it is difficult to push it by manpower, which is not convenient for cleaning and maintenance. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an automatic chromatography column that can easily push out the column barrel assembly in a horizontal direction for easy cleaning and maintenance, and is simple to operate, and can also avoid losses caused by misoperation.

[0006] An automatic chromatography column, comprising:

[0007] A chromatography column mechanism, comprising a column barrel assembly, a piston assembly, an end cap assembly and a base assembly, wherein the end cap assembly is arranged on the base assembly, the column barrel assembly is arranged between the piston assembly and the end cap assembly, and the piston assembly can be moved into or out of the column barrel assembly; and

[0008] A driving mechanism is connected to the column assembly, and the driving mechanism can drive the column assembly to move in a horizontal direction so that the column assembly moves into or out of between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, the column assembly is provided with a plurality of supporting parts, wherein at least one of the supporting parts is the driving mechanism to drive the column assembly to move in or out between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism is disposed on a side of the column assembly and connected to the column assembly, and the driving mechanism is supported by abutting against a reference surface;

[0011] The driving mechanism can move relative to the base assembly along the reference plane to drive the column assembly to move relative to the base assembly.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism includes a first driving member, a transmission assembly and a driving wheel, wherein the first driving member is disposed on the column assembly, and the transmission assembly is drivingly connected to the first driving member and the driving wheel;

[0013] The first driving member drives the transmission assembly to drive the driving wheel to move along the reference plane, and when the driving wheel moves, the column assembly is driven to move relative to the base assembly through the transmission assembly and the first driving member;

[0014] The transmission assembly includes a transmission shaft and a bevel gear set, wherein the transmission shaft is arranged at the output end of the first driving member, and the bevel gear set is arranged on the transmission shaft and connected to the driving wheel;

[0015] The first driving member drives the transmission shaft to rotate the driving wheel through the bevel gear set.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism further includes a fixing assembly, the fixing assembly includes a sleeve, a fixing plate and a fastener, the sleeve is sleeved on the transmission shaft, the fixing plate covers the sleeve, and the fastener passes through the fixing plate and is installed on the column assembly;

[0017] and / or, the first driving member is an electric motor, a pneumatic motor or a manual driving member;

[0018] And / or, the number of the driving mechanisms is at least one.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism is disposed on the base assembly and is located below the column assembly;

[0020] The column barrel assembly includes a column barrel body, a support column and a support wheel, wherein the support column is arranged on the side of the column barrel body, and the support wheel is rotatably arranged on the support column and abuts against the reference surface;

[0021] The driving mechanism can drive the column barrel assembly to move relative to the base assembly, and drive the support wheel to move along the reference plane through the support column.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism includes a second driving member and a connecting member, the second driving member is provided on the base assembly, the connecting member is provided at the output end of the second driving member and connected to the support column;

[0023] The second driving member drives the support column to drive the column body to move relative to the base assembly;

[0024] The second driving member is a linear motor, a cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism includes a third driving member, a screw shaft and a screw nut, the third driving member is arranged on the base assembly, the screw shaft is connected to the third driving member and rotates with the third driving member, and the screw nut is movably arranged on the screw shaft and connected to the column body;

[0026] The third driving member drives the screw shaft to drive the screw nut to move, so that the screw nut drives the column body to move relative to the base assembly.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present application, the number of the driving mechanisms is at least two;

[0028] The structures of at least two of the driving mechanisms are the same and / or different;

[0029] And / or, at least two of the driving mechanisms are arranged in a horizontal direction and are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the column assembly with the central axis of the column assembly as the center.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present application, the automatic chromatography column further comprises a guide mechanism, and the guide mechanism guides and connects the column barrel assembly and the base assembly;

[0031] The guide mechanism comprises a guide rail and a guide fitting, wherein the guide rail is arranged on the base assembly along the moving direction of the column assembly, and the guide fitting is arranged on the column assembly and can be movably arranged on the guide rail;

[0032] The guide matching piece is a guide sliding block or a guide wheel.

[0033] After adopting the above technical solution, this application has at least the following technical effects:

[0034] In the automatic chromatography column of the present application, the end cap assembly is arranged above the base assembly, the column assembly is arranged above the end cap assembly, the piston assembly is arranged above the column assembly, and the piston assembly can be moved into or out of the column assembly, and the column assembly can also be moved into or out of the piston assembly and the end cap assembly in the horizontal direction. The driving mechanism can be connected to the column assembly to drive the column assembly to move in the horizontal direction, so that the column assembly is driven by the driving mechanism to move into or out of the piston assembly and the end cap assembly.

[0035] The automatic chromatography column adopts a driving mechanism to drive the column barrel assembly to move relative to the base assembly, so that the column barrel assembly can be moved into or out between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly in the horizontal direction. When the automatic chromatography column is cleaned and maintained, the driving mechanism drives the column barrel assembly to move out of the piston assembly and the end cover assembly in the horizontal direction. At this time, the column barrel assembly, the end cover assembly and the piston assembly can be cleaned and maintained. After the cleaning and maintenance are completed, the driving mechanism drives the column barrel assembly to move into the piston assembly and the end cover assembly in the horizontal direction, which is convenient for the next use. In this way, the movement of the column barrel assembly can be easily achieved through the driving mechanism, which is convenient for the movement of the column barrel assembly in and out. At the same time, the movement of the column barrel assembly only requires less manual intervention, which reduces manpower consumption, and is simple to operate, and can also avoid losses caused by misoperation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of an automatic chromatography column in one embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of the automated chromatography column shown.

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a driving mechanism in an automatic chromatography column.

[0039] Figure 4 for Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a driving mechanism in an automatic chromatography column.

[0040] Figure 5 for Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of a driving mechanism in an automatic chromatography column.

[0041] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a driving mechanism is shown.

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the drive mechanism is shown.

[0043] Figure 8 for Figure 5 A top view of the automated chromatography column is shown.

[0044] Among them: 10, automatic chromatography column; 100, chromatography column mechanism; 110, column assembly; 111, column body; 112, support column; 113, support wheel; 120, piston assembly; 121, piston member; 122, piston rod; 123, top plate; 130, end cover assembly; 140, base assembly; 141, support seat; 142, support foot; 143, caster; 150, column; 160, drive assembly; 161, screw motor; 162, installation Mounting plate; 163, support rod; 200, driving mechanism; 210, first driving member; 211, driving hand wheel; 212, reduction member; 220, transmission shaft; 230, driving wheel; 240, fixing assembly; 241, sleeve; 242, fixing plate; 250, second driving member; 260, connecting member; 270, third driving member; 280, screw shaft; 290, screw nut; 400, guiding mechanism; 410, guiding rail; 420, guiding fitting. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0046] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0047] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like appear, these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there is a description that a first feature is "on" or "below" a second feature, etc., or the like, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0050] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0051] See also Figures 1 to 5 , the present application provides an automatic chromatography column 10. Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional diagram of an automatic chromatography column 10 in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A side view of the automated chromatography column 10 is shown, Figure 3 for Figure 1The schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the driving mechanism 200 in the automatic chromatography column 10 is shown, Figure 4 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the driving mechanism 200 in the automatic chromatography column 10 is shown, Figure 5 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the driving mechanism 200 in the automatic chromatography column 10 is shown. The automatic chromatography column 10 can purify process liquid and separate desired substances from the process liquid.

[0052] It is understandable that after the chromatography column has been used for a period of time, the column barrel assembly, the end cover assembly and the piston assembly in the chromatography column need to be cleaned and maintained to facilitate the next use of the chromatography column. At present, during maintenance and cleaning, the column barrel assembly needs to be lifted and then moved horizontally. When the column barrel assembly is light, the column barrel assembly can be pushed out by manpower. However, if the column barrel assembly is heavy, it is difficult to push it by manpower, which is not convenient for cleaning and maintenance. To this end, the present application provides a new type of automatic chromatography column 10, which can easily push the column barrel assembly 110 in the horizontal direction for easy cleaning and maintenance, and is simple to operate, and can also avoid losses caused by misoperation. The specific structure of the automatic chromatography column 10 in one embodiment is introduced below.

[0053] See also Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment, the automatic chromatography column 10 includes a chromatography column mechanism 100 and a driving mechanism 200. The chromatography column mechanism 100 includes a cartridge assembly 110, a piston assembly 120, an end cap assembly 130, and a base assembly 140. The end cap assembly 130 is disposed at the base assembly 140. The cartridge assembly 110 is disposed between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130, and the piston assembly 120 can be moved into or out of the cartridge assembly 110. The driving mechanism 200 is connected to the cartridge assembly 110, and the driving mechanism 200 can drive the cartridge assembly 110 to move in a horizontal direction so that the cartridge assembly 110 moves into or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130.

[0054] The base assembly 140 is the base of the entire automatic chromatography column 10. The base assembly 140 is disposed on a reference surface such as the ground or an operating table, and the base assembly 140 can carry other structures of the chromatography column mechanism 100 and the driving mechanism 200. In the chromatography column mechanism 100, the end cap assembly 130 is disposed on the base assembly 140, the column assembly 110 is disposed on the end cap assembly 130, the piston assembly 120 is disposed on the column assembly 110, and the piston assembly 120 can perform lifting motion (up and down movement) relative to the column assembly 110 to move in or out of the column assembly 110.

[0055] The column assembly 110 is detachably connected to the end cap assembly 130, the end cap assembly 130 is detachably connected to the base assembly 140, and the piston assembly 120 is detachably connected to the column assembly 110. Optionally, the detachable connection is a bolt connection or the like. When the automatic chromatography column 10 is working, the column assembly 110 is fixed to the end cap assembly 130, and the piston assembly 120 is fixed to the column assembly 110. When the column assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130 need to be cleaned and maintained, the connection between the column assembly 110 and the end cap assembly 130 is disassembled, and the connection between the column assembly 110 and the end cap assembly 130 is disassembled.

[0056] At this time, the cartridge assembly 110 can be moved out from between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130 in the horizontal direction. In this way, the cartridge assembly 110 is exposed to the outside of the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130, so that there is enough space to clean and maintain the cartridge assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130. When the cleaning and maintenance are completed, the cartridge assembly 110 is pushed in the horizontal direction and moved between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130. The cartridge assembly 110 is connected to the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130, and the automatic chromatography column 10 can be used next time.

[0057] In the present application, the driving mechanism 200 is used to connect the column assembly 110. When the column assembly 110 is disassembled from the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130, the driving mechanism 200 can push the column assembly 110 out in the horizontal direction: that is, the driving mechanism 200 can drive the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction, so that the column assembly 110 is moved out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130, so as to facilitate the cleaning and maintenance of the column assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130. The driving mechanism 200 can also pull the column assembly 110 back in the horizontal direction: that is, when the cleaning and maintenance are completed, the driving mechanism 200 can drive the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction, so that the column assembly 110 is moved between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0058] It can be understood that the weight of the end cap assembly 130 is generally light. After the end cap assembly 130 and the base assembly 140 are disassembled, the end cap assembly 130 can be pushed out alone in the horizontal direction, or the end cap assembly 130 and the column assembly 110 can be pushed out horizontally by the driving mechanism 200. It is worth noting that the present application only takes the driving mechanism 200 driving the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction as an example for description, and the principle of the driving mechanism 200 pushing out the column assembly 110 is substantially the same as the principle of pulling back the column assembly 110, and the following only describes the principle of the driving mechanism 200 pushing out the column assembly 110.

[0059] The automatic chromatography column 10 of the above embodiment uses a driving mechanism 200 to drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140, so that the column assembly 110 can be moved into or out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction. When the automatic chromatography column 10 is cleaned and maintained, the driving mechanism 200 drives the column assembly 110 to move out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction. At this time, the column assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 can be cleaned and maintained. After the cleaning and maintenance are completed, the driving mechanism 200 drives the column assembly 110 to move into the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction for the next use. In this way, the movement of the column assembly 110 can be easily realized through the driving mechanism 200, which is convenient for the movement of the column assembly 110. At the same time, the movement of the column assembly 110 only requires less manual intervention, reduces manpower consumption, and is simple to operate, and can also avoid losses caused by misoperation.

[0060] It can be understood that when cleaning and maintaining the cylinder assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130, the cylinder assembly 110 needs to be moved out from between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130. At this time, there is enough space to clean and maintain the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130, and there is also enough space to clean and maintain the cylinder assembly 110. Moreover, if necessary, the end cap assembly 130 can also be moved together with the cylinder assembly 110. The specific cleaning and maintenance process will not be described in detail below, and only how the cylinder assembly 110 is moved in and out from between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130 is described.

[0061] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the base assembly 140 includes a support base 141, a plurality of support legs 142, and a plurality of casters 143. The plurality of support legs 142 are spaced apart on the bottom surface of the support base 141, and the plurality of casters 143 are also spaced apart on the bottom surface of the support base 141. At least one of the support legs 142 and the casters 143 abuts against the reference surface.

[0062] The support seat 141 is stably supported on the reference plane by the support legs 142 to prevent the position of the automatic chromatography column 10 from shifting and ensure the stability of the automatic chromatography column 10 during operation. Moreover, when the position of the automatic chromatography column 10 needs to be adjusted, the support seat 141 is supported on the reference plane by the casters 143, and the position of the automatic chromatography column 10 on the reference plane is adjusted by sliding along the reference plane by the casters 143. When the automatic chromatography column 10 is adjusted to the desired position, the support legs 142 are used to support the support seat 141.

[0063] See also Figures 1 to 5In one embodiment, the chromatography column mechanism 100 further includes a column 150 and a driving assembly 160. The column 150 is located on the side of the column barrel assembly 110 and extends to the piston assembly 120. The driving assembly 160 is disposed on the top of the column 150 and connected to the piston assembly 120. The column 150 can support the driving assembly 160 and the piston assembly 120. When the column barrel assembly 110 is moved out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130, the column 150 can support the piston assembly 120 through the driving assembly 160.

[0064] The driving assembly 160 is a power source for the movement of the piston assembly 120. The driving assembly 160 is disposed on the column 150 and connected to the piston assembly 120. The driving assembly 160 can drive the piston assembly 120 to perform piston movement in the cylinder assembly 110, so that the liquid in the piston assembly 120 can enter the cylinder assembly 110. Moreover, after the driving assembly 160 drives the cylinder assembly 110 to move out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130, the column 150 can support the piston assembly 120 through the driving assembly 160, ensuring that the piston assembly 120 is always in an upper position, so that the cylinder assembly 110 can be moved between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 after cleaning and maintenance.

[0065] Optionally, there are multiple columns 150, and the multiple columns 150 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the cylinder assembly 110. In this way, the multiple columns 150 can stably support the drive assembly 160 and the piston assembly 120, and there is a moving space between two adjacent columns 150, so that the cylinder assembly 110 can move into or out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130. Exemplarily, the number of the columns 150 is two, and the two columns 150 are symmetrically arranged.

[0066] In one embodiment, the driving assembly 160 includes a screw motor 161, a mounting plate 162, and a plurality of support rods 163. The mounting plate 162 is disposed on the column 150, and the plurality of support rods 163 are disposed on the mounting plate 162 and are detachably connected to the column assembly 110. The screw motor 161 is disposed on the mounting plate 162 and is connected to the piston assembly 120. The screw motor 161 drives the piston assembly 120 to move up and down relative to the column assembly 110.

[0067] The screw motor 161 includes a motor part and a screw part, the screw part is arranged on the motor part, and the motor part can drive the screw part to rotate. The motor part is fixed to the mounting plate 162, and the screw part is fixedly connected to the piston assembly 120. When the screw motor 161 is working, the screw part can drive the piston assembly 120 to move up and down.

[0068] In one embodiment, the piston assembly 120 includes a piston member 121, a plurality of piston rods 122, and a top plate 123. The upper end of the piston rod 122 is fixed to the top plate 123, the lower end of the piston rod 122 passes through the mounting plate 162 and is fixed to the piston member 121, and the top of the screw part is connected to the top plate 123. Due to the limitation of the mounting plate 162, the top plate 123 cannot rotate. When the screw motor 161 is working, the screw part can drive the top plate 123 to move up and down, and the top plate 123 drives the piston member 121 to move up and down through the piston rod 122.

[0069] In one embodiment, the piston member 121 includes an upper distributor back plate, an upper distributor, an upper screen and other structures, and the end cover assembly includes a lower distributor back plate, a lower distributor, a lower screen and other structures. The liquid will enter through the liquid through hole of the piston member 121, then pass through the column assembly 110 and then flow out from the through hole on the end cover assembly 130. It is worth noting that the structure of the piston member 121 and the end cover assembly 130 and the principle of liquid flow are prior art and will not be repeated here.

[0070] See also Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment, the column assembly 110 includes a column body 111, which is disposed on the end cover assembly 130. The top of the column body 111 is connected to the mounting plate 162 via a support rod 163. The piston member 121 is located above the column body 111 and can move up and down to move in or out of the column body 111.

[0071] It is worth noting that the structures of the base assembly 140, the end cover assembly 130, the piston assembly 120, the cylinder assembly 110 and the driving assembly 160 are briefly described above, and the following text only describes the feasible methods of the driving mechanism 200 and the principle of driving the cylinder assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0072] In one embodiment, the guide mechanism 400 includes a guide rail 410 and a guide fitting 420. The guide rail 410 is provided on the base assembly 140 along the moving direction of the column assembly 110. The guide fitting 420 is provided on the column assembly 110 and can be movably provided on the guide rail 410. The guide rail 410 is arranged along the moving direction of the column body 111. When the driving mechanism 200 drives the column body 111 to move in the horizontal direction, the column body 111 can drive the guide fitting 420 to move along the guide rail 410 to guide the movement of the column body 111 in the horizontal direction, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the moving trajectory of the column body 111.

[0073] Optionally, the guide fitting 420 is a guide slider or a guide wheel. Exemplarily, the guide fitting 420 is a guide wheel, which can slide along the guide rail 410 to facilitate the column body 111 to move in the horizontal direction. Optionally, the number of guide mechanisms 400 is multiple, and multiple guide mechanisms 400 are arranged in parallel to stabilize the support column 112 cylinder assembly and guide the column assembly 110. Exemplarily, the number of guide mechanisms 400 is two, and the two guide mechanisms 400 are arranged in parallel on both sides of the column body 111.

[0074] See also Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment, the column assembly 110 is provided with a plurality of supporting parts, wherein at least one supporting part is a driving mechanism 200 to drive the column assembly 110 to move in or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130. In other words, the column assembly 110 is supported by a plurality of supporting parts, wherein one or more supporting parts can drive the column assembly 110 to move in a horizontal direction.

[0075] It can be understood that one of the supporting parts can be the driving mechanism 200, or at least two supporting parts can be the driving mechanism 200. Moreover, at least one supporting part can also be the guide mechanism 400 mentioned above. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the supporting part can also be other structural forms, as long as the supporting part can stably support the column assembly 110 after the column assembly 110 moves into or out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130, and at least one supporting part can drive the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0076] See also Figure 3 In the first embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism 200 is disposed on the side of the column assembly 110 and connected to the column assembly 110. The driving mechanism 200 is supported against the reference plane. The driving mechanism 200 can move relative to the base assembly 140 along the reference plane to drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140. The bottom of the driving mechanism 200 is supported against the reference plane and can move along the reference plane. The driving mechanism 200 is also connected to the column body 111 of the column assembly 110 and is located on the side of the column body 111. The driving mechanism 200 is a power source for the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0077] When it is necessary to clean and maintain the cylinder assembly 110, the piston assembly 120, and the end cap assembly 130, the driving mechanism 200 can move along the reference plane in a direction away from the base assembly 140, and the driving assembly 160 can pull the cylinder assembly 110 when moving, so that the cylinder assembly 110 moves out from between the piston assembly 120 and the end cap assembly 130. At this time, the cylinder assembly 110 moves to the outside of the end cap assembly 130 and the piston assembly 120, and the cylinder assembly 110, the piston assembly 120, and the end cap assembly 130 can be cleaned and maintained.

[0078] Moreover, the driving mechanism 200 is supported against the reference surface, and the column assembly 110 is also in contact with the end cover assembly 130. The column assembly 110 can be supported by the driving mechanism 200 and the end cover assembly 130 to ensure the stability of the column assembly 110 during the cleaning and maintenance process. After the cleaning and maintenance is completed, the driving mechanism 200 can move toward the base assembly 140 along the reference surface, and the driving assembly 160 can push the column assembly 110 when moving, so that the column assembly 110 moves between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0079] See also Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In one embodiment, the driving mechanism 200 includes a first driving member 210, a transmission assembly and a driving wheel 230. The first driving member 210 is disposed on the column assembly 110, and the transmission assembly is connected to the first driving member 210 and the driving wheel 230. The first driving member 210 drives the transmission assembly to drive the driving wheel 230 to move along the reference plane. When the driving wheel 230 moves, the column assembly 110 is driven to move relative to the base assembly 140 through the transmission assembly and the first driving member 210. Figure 6 for Figure 3 The schematic diagram of an embodiment of a driving mechanism 200 is shown in FIG. Figure 7 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the drive mechanism is shown.

[0080] The first driving member 210 is fixedly mounted on the side of the column body 111, and a transmission assembly is mounted on the output end of the first driving member 210, and a driving wheel 230 is mounted on the output end of the transmission assembly, and the driving wheel 230 is rotatably arranged on the reference plane. In this way, when the first driving member 210 is working, the first driving assembly 160 can drive the transmission assembly to move, and then the transmission assembly can drive the driving wheel 230 to move along the reference plane. In the process of the driving wheel 230 moving along the reference plane, the driving wheel 230 can drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140 in the horizontal direction through the transmission assembly and the first driving member 210, so that the column assembly 110 can move in or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0081] Optionally, the transmission assembly is arranged in the vertical direction to support and connect the driving wheel 230 and the first driving member 210. In other words, the transmission assembly supports the column body 111 on the ground in the vertical direction to ensure the stability of the column assembly 110 after it is moved out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0082] See also Figure 6In one embodiment, the first driving member 210 is a motor or a pneumatic motor. The first driving member 210 provides power for the movement of the driving mechanism 200, so that the driving wheel 230 can move along the reference plane and drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140. It is worth noting that the type of the first driving member 210 is not limited in principle, as long as the driving wheel 230 can be controlled to rotate through the transmission assembly.

[0083] Exemplarily, the first driving member 210 is a motor, and power is provided by the motor. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the first driving member 210 can also be a pneumatic motor, and power is provided by the pneumatic motor. Optionally, the driving mechanism 200 also includes a reducer, which is arranged at the end of the first driving member 210 and connected to the transmission assembly. The power output by the first driving member 210 is decelerated by the reducer and transmitted to the transmission assembly.

[0084] See also Figure 7 In another embodiment, the first driving member 210 may also be a manual driving member. That is, the operator may manually drive the transmission assembly to move, thereby causing the transmission assembly to control the driving wheel 230 to move along the reference plane. Exemplarily, the first driving member 210 is a driving hand wheel 211.

[0085] Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the manual drive member may also be other manually driven components. Optionally, the first drive member 210 further includes a speed reducer 212, which speeds up and connects the driving hand wheel 211 and the transmission assembly. Optionally, the speed reducer 212 includes but is not limited to a right-angle reducer.

[0086] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly includes a transmission shaft 220 and a bevel gear set, wherein the transmission shaft 220 is disposed at the output end of the first driving member 210, and the bevel gear set is disposed on the transmission shaft 220 and connected to the driving wheel 230. The first driving member 210 drives the transmission shaft 220 to rotate the driving wheel 230 through the bevel gear set. The transmission shaft 220 is rotatably arranged and extends in a vertical direction, the bevel gear set is installed at the bottom of the transmission shaft 220, and the driving wheel 230 is installed at the output end of the bevel gear set.

[0087] When the first driving member 210 is working, the first driving member 210 drives the transmission shaft 220 to rotate, and then the transmission shaft 220 drives the bevel gear group to rotate, and the vertical rotation is converted into horizontal rotation through the bevel gear group. In this way, the bevel gear group can drive the driving wheel 230 to rotate synchronously, so that the driving wheel 230 can move on the reference plane to realize the driving of the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0088] See also Figure 6In one embodiment, the driving mechanism 200 further includes a fixing assembly 240, which is used to fix the first driving member 210 to the column assembly 110 and provide stable support for the column assembly 110. The fixing assembly 240 is sleeved on the transmission shaft 220 and connected to the first driving member 210, and the fixing assembly 240 is also fixed to the column body 111 to support the first driving member 210 and the transmission assembly to the column assembly 110. It is worth noting that the type of the fixing assembly 240 is not limited in principle, as long as the fixing assembly 240 can fix the first driving member 210 to the column assembly 110 and play a supporting role.

[0089] In one embodiment, the fixing assembly 240 includes a sleeve 241, a fixing plate 242 and a fastener. The sleeve 241 is sleeved on the transmission shaft 220, the fixing plate 242 covers the sleeve 241, and the fastener passes through the fixing plate 242 and is installed on the column assembly 110. The sleeve 241 is sleeved on the transmission shaft 220, and the transmission shaft 220 can be rotatably arranged in the sleeve 241 without interfering with the sleeve 241. The top of the sleeve 241 is connected to the first driving member 210. The sleeve 241 is also fixed to the column body 111 through the cooperation of the fixing plate 242 and the fastener, so that the first driving member 210 is fixed to the transmission assembly and can also play a supporting role. Optionally, the fastener is a screw or the like.

[0090] See also Figure 3 In the first embodiment, the number of the driving mechanism 200 can be one, and the column assembly 110 is driven by the driving mechanism 200 to move into or out of between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 along the horizontal direction.

[0091] Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the number of the driving mechanisms 200 may be at least two, and the at least two driving mechanisms 200 are symmetrical and arranged along the moving direction of the column assembly 110 to drive the column assembly 110 to move in or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction. In addition, one of the at least two driving mechanisms 200 may be an active driving member, and the others may be passive driving members. Of course, the at least two driving mechanisms 200 may also be active driving members.

[0092] See also Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment, the column assembly 110 further includes a support column 112 and a support wheel 113. The support column 112 is disposed on the side of the column body 111. The support wheel 113 is rotatably disposed on the support column 112 and abuts against the reference surface. The top of the support column 112 is mounted on the column body 111, and the support wheel 113 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the support column 112. The support wheel 113 can move and abut against the reference surface.

[0093] In this way, the column body 111 can be supported to the reference surface by the support column 112 and the support wheel 113. When the driving mechanism 200 drives the column body 111 to move out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction, the end cover assembly 130 and the support column 112 and the support wheel 113 can support the column body 111 to ensure the stability of the column body 111 after the movement, which is convenient for later cleaning and maintenance operations.

[0094] In one embodiment, there are multiple support columns 112 and multiple support wheels 113, and a support wheel 113 is correspondingly arranged at the bottom of each support column 112. Multiple support columns 112 are arranged on the peripheral side of the column barrel body 111. The column barrel body 111 can be stably supported by the cooperation of multiple support columns 112 and multiple support wheels 113. Exemplarily, there are two support columns 112 and two support wheels 113, and the two support columns 112 are symmetrically arranged, and each support column 112 is equipped with a support wheel 113.

[0095] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the driving mechanism 200 is disposed on the base assembly 140 and is located below the column assembly 110. The driving mechanism 200 can drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140, and drive the support wheel 113 to move along the reference plane through the support column 112. In other words, the driving mechanism 200 is disposed on the base assembly 140 and is connected to the column body 111 or the support column 112. When the driving mechanism 200 is working, the driving mechanism 200 can directly drive the column body 111 to move relative to the base assembly 140, and then the column body 111 can drive the support column 112 and the support wheel 113 to move along the reference plane, so that the column body 111 moves in or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0096] See also Figure 4 In the second embodiment of the present application, the driving mechanism 200 includes a second driving member 250 and a connecting member 260. The second driving member 250 is disposed on the base assembly 140. The connecting member 260 is disposed at the output end of the second driving member 250 and is connected to the support column 112. The second driving member 250 drives the support column 112 to drive the column body 111 to move relative to the base assembly 140.

[0097] The second driving member 250 can output linear motion, and a connecting member 260 is installed at the output end of the second driving member 250, and the connecting member 260 is connected to the support column 112, that is, the second driving member 250 is connected to the support column 112 through the connecting member 260. When the second driving member 250 is working, the second driving member 250 outputs linear motion and drives the connecting member 260 to move, and then the connecting member 260 can drive the support column 112 to move along the reference plane through the support wheel 113, and the support column 112 can drive the column body 111 to move relative to the base assembly 140, so that the column body 111 moves in or out between the end cover assembly 130 and the piston assembly 120.

[0098] Exemplarily, the second driving member 250 is a cylinder. The cylinder provides power for the movement of the column body 111. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the second driving member 250 can also be a linear motor, a hydraulic cylinder or other components capable of outputting linear motion. Optionally, the second driving member 250 is disposed on the base assembly 140, or can also be disposed in the base assembly 140.

[0099] See also Figure 5 and Figure 8 In the third embodiment, the driving mechanism 200 includes a third driving member 270, a screw shaft 280 and a screw nut 290. The third driving member 270 is disposed on the base assembly 140. The screw shaft 280 is connected to the third driving member 270 and rotates with the third driving member 270. The screw nut 290 is movably disposed on the screw shaft 280 and is connected to the column body 111. The third driving member 270 drives the screw shaft 280 to drive the screw nut 290 to move, so that the screw nut 290 drives the column body 111 to move relative to the base assembly 140. Figure 8 for Figure 5 A top view of the automated chromatography column 10 is shown.

[0100] The third driving member 270 is disposed on the base assembly 140. The output end of the third driving member 270 is installed with a screw shaft 280. The third driving member 270 can drive the screw shaft 280 to rotate. The screw shaft 280 is provided with a screw nut 290. When the screw shaft 280 rotates, the screw nut 290 can be driven to move along the screw shaft 280, so that the screw nut 290 outputs a linear motion. The screw nut 290 is connected to the bottom of the column body 111. Optionally, the third driving member 270 is a motor or a pneumatic motor.

[0101] In this way, when the third driving member 270 drives the screw shaft 280 to rotate, the screw shaft 280 can drive the screw nut 290 to move, thereby driving the column body 111 to move in the horizontal direction to move in or out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130. When the third driving member 270 drives the column assembly 110 to move out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 through the cooperation of the screw shaft 280 and the screw nut 290, the column body 111 is in Figure 8 The dotted line positions shown are for the convenience of cleaning and maintenance of the column body 111, the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0102] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the automatic chromatography column 10 further includes a guide mechanism 400, which guides and connects the column assembly 110 and the base assembly 140. The guide mechanism 400 is provided on the column assembly 110 and the base assembly 140, and guides and connects the column assembly 110 and the base assembly 140 to ensure the accuracy of the horizontal movement of the column assembly 110, and can also stably support the column assembly 110.

[0103] See also Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, the number of the driving mechanisms 200 is at least two. At least two driving mechanisms 200 are arranged along the moving direction of the column assembly 110 to drive the column assembly 110 to move in the horizontal direction. That is, in the second embodiment and the third embodiment, at least two driving mechanisms 200 are used to drive the column assembly 110 to move, so that the stability of the column assembly 110 moving in the horizontal direction can be ensured, and the column assembly 110 is convenient to move in or out between the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130.

[0104] In one embodiment, the structures of at least two driving mechanisms 200 are the same and / or different. That is, the structures of at least two driving mechanisms 200 can be the same or different. Optionally, the automatic chromatography column 10 can use at least two driving mechanisms 200 in the first embodiment to drive the column assembly 110 to move; the automatic chromatography column 10 can also use at least two driving mechanisms 200 in the second embodiment to drive the column assembly 110 to move; the automatic chromatography column 10 can also use at least two driving mechanisms 200 in the third embodiment to drive the column assembly 110 to move.

[0105] Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the automatic chromatography column 10 may also be used in combination with at least two of the driving mechanism 200 in the first embodiment, the driving mechanism 200 in the second embodiment, and the driving mechanism 200 in the third embodiment. In this way, the column assembly 110 can also be moved in the horizontal direction.

[0106] In one embodiment, at least two driving mechanisms 200 are arranged in a horizontal direction and are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the column assembly 110 with the central axis of the column assembly 110 as the center. Figure 8 As shown, there are two driving mechanisms 200, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the column body 111. The column body 111 is driven to move in the horizontal direction by the two driving mechanisms 200 on both sides of the column body 111, thereby ensuring the stability of the movement of the column assembly 110.

[0107] The automatic chromatography column 10 of the present application uses a driving mechanism 200 to drive the column assembly 110 to move relative to the base assembly 140, so that the column assembly 110 can be moved into or out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction. When the automatic chromatography column 10 is cleaned and maintained, the driving mechanism 200 drives the column assembly 110 to move out of the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction, and the column assembly 110, the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 can be cleaned and maintained at this time. After the cleaning and maintenance is completed, the driving mechanism 200 drives the column assembly 110 to move into the piston assembly 120 and the end cover assembly 130 in the horizontal direction for the next use.

[0108] In this way, the movement of the column assembly 110 can be easily realized through the driving mechanism 200, which is convenient for moving the column assembly 110 in and out. At the same time, the movement of the column assembly 110 only requires less manual intervention, reduces manpower consumption, is simple to operate, and can also avoid losses caused by misoperation. In this way, when cleaning and maintaining the automatic chromatography column 10, the column assembly 110 can be easily pushed out, the operation is simple, and the column body 111 can be ensured to be in a stable state.

[0109] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0110] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An automatic chromatography column, characterized in that: include: A chromatography column mechanism, comprising a column barrel assembly, a piston assembly, an end cap assembly and a base assembly, wherein the end cap assembly is arranged on the base assembly, the column barrel assembly is arranged between the piston assembly and the end cap assembly, and the piston assembly can be moved into or out of the column barrel assembly; as well as A driving mechanism is connected to the column assembly, and the driving mechanism can drive the column assembly to move in a horizontal direction so that the column assembly moves into or out of between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly.

2. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 1, characterized in that The column assembly is provided with a plurality of supporting parts, wherein at least one of the supporting parts is the driving mechanism to drive the column assembly to move into or out between the piston assembly and the end cover assembly.

3. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 1, characterized in that The driving mechanism is arranged on the side of the column assembly and connected to the column assembly, and the driving mechanism is supported by abutting against a reference surface; The driving mechanism can move relative to the base assembly along the reference plane to drive the column assembly to move relative to the base assembly.

4. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 3, characterized in that The driving mechanism comprises a first driving member, a transmission assembly and a driving wheel, wherein the first driving member is arranged on the column assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the first driving member and the driving wheel by transmission; The first driving member drives the transmission assembly to drive the driving wheel to move along the reference plane, and when the driving wheel moves, the column assembly is driven to move relative to the base assembly through the transmission assembly and the first driving member; The transmission assembly includes a transmission shaft and a bevel gear set, wherein the transmission shaft is arranged at the output end of the first driving member, and the bevel gear set is arranged on the transmission shaft and connected to the driving wheel; The first driving member drives the transmission shaft to rotate the driving wheel through the bevel gear set.

5. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 4, characterized in that The driving mechanism further comprises a fixing assembly, which comprises a sleeve, a fixing plate and a fastener, wherein the sleeve is sleeved on the transmission shaft, the fixing plate covers the sleeve, and the fastener passes through the fixing plate and is installed on the column assembly; and / or, the first driving member is an electric motor, a pneumatic motor or a manual driving member; And / or, the number of the driving mechanisms is at least one.

6. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 1, characterized in that The driving mechanism is arranged on the base assembly and is located below the column assembly; The column barrel assembly includes a column barrel body, a support column and a support wheel, wherein the support column is arranged on the side of the column barrel body, and the support wheel is rotatably arranged on the support column and abuts against the reference surface; The driving mechanism can drive the column barrel assembly to move relative to the base assembly, and drive the support wheel to move along the reference plane through the support column.

7. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 6, characterized in that The driving mechanism comprises a second driving member and a connecting member, wherein the second driving member is arranged on the base assembly, and the connecting member is arranged on the output end of the second driving member and connected to the supporting column; The second driving member drives the support column to drive the column body to move relative to the base assembly; The second driving member is a linear motor, a cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

8. The automatic chromatography column according to claim 6, characterized in that The driving mechanism includes a third driving member, a screw shaft and a screw nut, wherein the third driving member is arranged on the base assembly, the screw shaft is connected to the third driving member and rotates with the third driving member, and the screw nut is movably arranged on the screw shaft and connected to the column body; The third driving member drives the screw shaft to drive the screw nut to move, so that the screw nut drives the column body to move relative to the base assembly.

9. The automatic chromatography column according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that The number of the driving mechanisms is at least two; The structures of at least two of the driving mechanisms are the same and / or different; And / or, at least two of the driving mechanisms are arranged in a horizontal direction and are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the column assembly with the central axis of the column assembly as the center.

10. The automatic chromatography column according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The automatic chromatography column further comprises a guide mechanism, which guides and connects the column barrel assembly and the base assembly; The guide mechanism comprises a guide rail and a guide fitting, wherein the guide rail is arranged on the base assembly along the moving direction of the column assembly, and the guide fitting is arranged on the column assembly and can be movably arranged on the guide rail; The guide matching piece is a guide sliding block or a guide wheel.

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