Sample introduction disc for saliva detection

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of biological sample analysis and detection equipment, in particular to a sample introduction disc for saliva detection. Comprising at least two modules which can be independently disassembled and assembled, the at least two modules are jointly combined to form a working area used for bearing sample tubes, and each module is provided with at least one sample hole and a module-level waste liquid leading-out connector; the at least two modules are installed on the unified base, the unified base is provided with a guiding and positioning structure used for being matched with each module, and the unified base is further provided with a waste liquid receiving part corresponding to the module-level waste liquid leading-out connector of each module and used for collecting waste liquid discharged from each module; the utility model provides a sample introduction plate for saliva detection, which is modularly designed and is integrated with an enhanced cross contamination prevention and easy-to-clean structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of biological sample analysis and detection equipment, and particularly relates to a sampling tray for saliva detection. Background Art

[0002] In modern chemical analysis and biomedical detection processes, the automatic sampler plays an indispensable role. One of its core components, the sampling tray, directly bears, positions, and transports the samples to be analyzed, and its performance has a decisive impact on the efficiency of the entire analysis process and the accuracy and reliability of the results. Saliva, as a biological sample that can be conveniently collected in a non-invasive manner, due to its unique advantages, the application requirements in multiple fields such as clinical diagnosis, drug metabolism research, and individual health status monitoring are increasing at an unprecedented rate. However, saliva samples themselves usually exhibit relatively high viscosity, their chemical components are complex and diverse, and sometimes they may be mixed with tiny particles or are prone to generating bubbles during the processing. These inherent characteristics pose severe challenges to the sampling trays with traditional designs in practical applications.

[0003] Currently, the commonly used sampling trays on the market or those designed for biological samples in part, especially when dealing with special samples such as saliva, generally have one or more of the following technical problems that urgently need to be solved:

[0004] The risk of cross-contamination is difficult to eradicate: The viscosity of saliva makes it extremely easy for liquid to drip, spill, or overflow from the sample tube mouth during the operations of picking up and placing the sample tubes, the high-speed movement of the robotic arm of the automatic sampler, or when the instrument is accidentally shaken. Traditional sampling trays, especially those with flat surfaces or only simple anti-overflow structures, often cannot effectively block or orderly guide the accidentally overflowed liquid, resulting in the liquid flowing and mixing randomly between different sample holes, thus causing serious cross-contamination between holes. This cross-contamination will directly contaminate subsequent samples and lead to distorted analysis data. For trace analysis that requires high precision and high sensitivity, the consequences are particularly serious.

[0005] The cleaning process is cumbersome and the effect is not good, and residues are easy to accumulate: Saliva samples are rich in biological macromolecules such as proteins and mucopolysaccharides. These substances are extremely easy to form a tough and difficult-to-remove biofilm or stubborn residues on the surface of the sampling tray body and the inner wall of the sample holes after drying. The cleaning work is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also often difficult to ensure the thoroughness of cleaning. After long-term repeated use, these residues that have not been completely removed will continue to accumulate. On the one hand, they may become a breeding ground for bacteria and molds, introducing microbial contamination; on the other hand, these residues may also slowly release interfering substances during subsequent analysis processes, causing continuous interference to the detection background and even leading to incorrect analysis results.

[0006] High maintenance costs and limited service life: Due to the long-standing problems of difficult cleaning and residue accumulation, operators may have to adopt more aggressive cleaning methods, such as using more corrosive chemical cleaners or increasing the frequency and intensity of physical scraping. These powerful cleaning methods will undoubtedly accelerate the aging, wear, and physical damage of the sampling disk material, thus significantly shortening the effective service life of the sampling disk. When severe and irreparable contamination or damage occurs in any local area of the sampling disk, for an integrally designed sampling disk, it often means that the entire disk body must be discarded and replaced with a new one, which undoubtedly greatly increases the operating costs of the laboratory and the pressure of spare parts procurement. In addition, the long and ineffective cleaning and maintenance process itself will also occupy a large amount of effective working time, reducing the turnover rate of expensive analytical equipment and the overall working efficiency of the laboratory. Summary of the Utility Model

[0007] Technical problems to be solved:

[0008] The core objective of the present utility model is to overcome a series of technical defects commonly existing in the sampling disk for saliva detection in the prior art, such as high risk of cross-contamination, difficult cleaning and easy generation of stubborn residues when processing viscous samples such as saliva, inconvenient maintenance and high costs caused by the integral structure, and insufficient sample stability in dynamic operations. Specifically, the present utility model is committed to providing a sampling disk for saliva detection with a modular design and integrated enhanced anti-cross-contamination and easy-cleaning structures. Through its unique modular structure, precise anti-pollution structure design inside each module, efficient waste liquid transfer mechanism between the module and the support base, and optional inter-module collaborative buffering and isolation technologies, this sampling disk aims to significantly reduce the risk of cross-contamination caused by sample splashing or overflow, greatly improve the convenience, thoroughness, and economy of cleaning operations, effectively enhance the physical stability of samples during automated processing, and ultimately achieve the comprehensive goal of extending the service life of the equipment and reducing the operating costs of the laboratory.

[0009] Technical solution:

[0010] To achieve the above complex and multi-faceted technical objectives, the present utility model provides a sampling disk for saliva detection, comprising:

[0011] At least two independently detachable and installable modules, at least two modules are combined together to form a working area for carrying sample tubes, and each module is provided with at least one sample hole and one module-level waste liquid export interface;

[0012] and a unified base, at least two modules are installed on the unified base, the unified base is provided with a guiding and positioning structure for cooperating with each module, and the unified base is also provided with a waste liquid receiving part corresponding to the module-level waste liquid export interface of each module for collecting the waste liquid discharged from each module; Further, each module further includes:

[0013] An independent well platform is arranged at the opening edge of each sample hole on the module and extends upward;

[0014] And a diversion channel system inside the module, the diversion channel system inside the module is opened on the upper surface of the module and communicates with its corresponding module-level waste liquid export interface.

[0015] Further, the independent well platform extends upward from the upper surface of the module, and the top surface of the independent well platform is formed as a slope inclined outward.

[0016] Further, the depth of the diversion channel in the diversion channel system inside the module is 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0017] Further, at least two modules are in a fan shape and are jointly spliced to form an annular working area.

[0018] Further, the module-level waste liquid export interface is an export short pipe or an opening provided at the bottom or side wall of the module.

[0019] Further, the guiding and positioning structure on the unified base is a positioning pin, a positioning groove, a guide rail or a combination thereof.

[0020] Further, a flexible buffer pad is also included and is arranged in the gap between adjacent modules; the flexible buffer pad is made of an elastic material.

[0021] Further, the upper part of the flexible buffer pad is higher than the upper surface of the module to form a physical partition between adjacent modules.

[0022] Further, the module is detachably fixed on the unified base through a fastener or a clamping structure.

[0023] Beneficial effects:

[0024] Compared with the prior art, through the aforementioned innovative design with modularization as the core and integrating various optimized structures, the utility model can produce the following one or more significant and multi-faceted beneficial effects during use:

[0025] Improved the convenience, flexibility, and economy of cleaning and maintenance operations: The sample injection tray of the present utility model is composed of multiple modules that can be independently and quickly disassembled and assembled. When one or several of these modules become severely contaminated due to long-term use or are physically damaged due to an accident, the operator no longer needs to perform a time-consuming and laborious in-depth cleaning, repair, or overall replacement of the entire large and complex sample injection tray. Instead, only the specific module with problems needs to be removed from the unified base separately, and then more flexible and targeted processing can be carried out, such as ultrasonic cleaning, immersion disinfection, small-scale repair, or directly replacing it with a complete spare module when it cannot be repaired or the cleaning cost is too high. This "divide and conquer, maintain as needed" mode not only greatly simplifies the daily cleaning and maintenance work process, significantly shortens the equipment downtime caused by maintenance, but more importantly, it can greatly reduce the spare parts procurement cost and maintenance service cost caused by local problems, thus saving considerable operating expenses for the laboratory in the long term.

[0026] Achieved efficient and reliable cross-contamination control: Although a modular design is adopted, the present utility model ensures that on the level of a single module, it can effectively block and guide the sample splashing or overflowing liquid occurring within the area of this module, just like a traditional high-quality integral sample injection tray, by configuring a perfect anti-pollution structure inside each independent module. More critically and ingeniously, the waste liquid collected inside each module will be directly and independently discharged into the waste liquid collection system specially designed on the unified base through the module-level waste liquid export interface preset on its own structure. This design of the waste liquid treatment path cleverly avoids the physical direct crossing of waste liquid between different modules or its transfer through complex inter-module sealed diversion channels, thus fundamentally simplifying the technical problem of ensuring liquid sealing between modules and preventing leakage in the modular design, making the anti-cross-contamination function of the entire system both efficient and reliable.

[0027] Ensures high precision and structural stability after modular combination: On the unified base, dedicated guiding and positioning structures are precisely set for the installation positions of each module. These structures can ensure that after all modules are assembled onto the unified base, they can reach the preset, precise relative spatial positions and correct installation postures. This is crucial for ensuring the geometric accuracy of the entire working area (for example, for a circular array sample injection tray, ensuring its overall roundness, flatness, and the absolute position accuracy of each sample hole relative to the rotation center and reference point), and is a prerequisite for the robotic arm of the auto-sampler to accurately address and operate on the sample holes. At the same time, the modules are firmly fixed to the base through reliable fasteners or specially designed clamping structures, ensuring that the overall structure of the sample injection tray can still remain stable when bearing various dynamic loads during operation (such as high-speed rotation, acceleration and deceleration, vibration, etc.), without loosening, misalignment, or abnormal deformation.

[0028] Through the design of flexible buffer pads between modules, the physical protection of samples is further enhanced and the running smoothness is optimized: When flexible buffer pads with specific structural and material properties are filled in the reserved gaps between adjacent modules, multiple additional benefits can be brought. First of all, these buffer pads can effectively fill the physical gaps between modules, avoiding the accumulation of saliva, dust, or other small dirt in these gaps that are usually difficult to thoroughly clean, thus further simplifying the cleaning and maintenance work of the entire surface of the sample injection tray and eliminating the risk of potential pollution source accumulation. Secondly, if the height of the buffer pad is designed to be slightly higher than the upper surface of the module, its protruding part can naturally form a soft and continuous physical partition between adjacent modules. This partition can, to a certain extent, block the high-speed splashing liquid caused by violent shaking or unconventional operations from directly crossing to the upper surface of adjacent modules, providing an additional layer of safety protection for existing anti-pollution structures such as independent well platforms. Most importantly, since these buffer pads are made of elastic materials, they can effectively absorb and dissipate a part of the impact energy and high-frequency vibration generated by dynamic operations during the operation of the sample injection tray (especially the rotary auto-sampler that needs to rotate at high speed and start and stop frequently). This significant buffering and shock-absorbing effect can effectively reduce the violent shaking amplitude experienced by the sample tubes installed in the sample holes, thereby indirectly reducing the risk of splashing out of the viscous saliva samples in the tubes or generating excessive bubbles that affect subsequent sample aspiration operations, and playing a positive role in protecting the original state and integrity of the samples.

[0029] Significantly extends the overall effective service life of the equipment and improves the working efficiency of the laboratory: Since the sample injection tray of the present utility model has the ability of convenient local maintenance and on-demand replacement module, it effectively avoids the situation that the entire expensive sample injection tray is forced to be scrapped in advance due to local small-scale, irreparable damage or difficult-to-remove contamination in the past. This will undoubtedly significantly extend the total effective service life of the equipment. At the same time, the greatly simplified and accelerated cleaning and maintenance processes also mean that the downtime of the equipment due to waiting for maintenance can be significantly reduced, thus improving the turnover rate of precision analysis equipment and the overall working efficiency and sample processing throughput of the laboratory.

[0030] Highly meets the special requirements for the automated processing of viscous and easily contaminated biological samples: The innovative designs of the present utility model, including its modular convenient maintenance characteristics, enhanced anti-pollution structure inside the module, efficient independent waste liquid discharge mechanism, and optional sample shock absorption protection measures, etc., are all carefully conceived in full consideration of the special requirements of biological samples with high viscosity, complex chemical composition, easy to generate cross-contamination and extremely high cleanliness requirements, such as saliva, sputum, blood concentrates, etc., during the automated and high-throughput analysis and processing process, providing a solid and reliable hardware platform foundation for realizing a more reliable, economical and efficient automated processing process. Description of the Drawings

[0031] Figure 1 is a top view schematic diagram of the overall structure of a sample injection tray for saliva detection provided by an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0032] Figure 2 is a top view schematic diagram of a single module of a sample injection tray for saliva detection provided by an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0033] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a single module of a sample injection tray for saliva detection provided by an embodiment of the present utility model (with a sample bottle placed);

[0034] Figure 4 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a single module of a sample injection tray for saliva detection provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0035] Reference Signs:

[0036] M - Module;

[0037] B - Unified Base;

[0038] B1 - Guide and Positioning Structure;

[0039] B2a - Waste Liquid Receiving Part;

[0040] P - Flexible Buffer Pad;

[0041] 2 - Sample tube;

[0042] 10 - Sample hole;

[0043] 11 - Independent well platform;

[0044] 12 - Internal module flow channel system;

[0045] 13 - Module - level waste liquid export interface; D1 - Depth of the flow channel. Detailed implementation mode

[0046] In order to make the purpose, the composition of the technical solution and the beneficial effects resulting therefrom of the present utility model be more clearly and completely understood, the following will describe the present utility model in detail with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings. It should be emphasized that the specific embodiments listed here are only used to help understand the core technical idea of the present utility model by way of illustration, and are not intended to constitute any form of limitation to the protection scope of the present utility model. Any equivalent replacement, structural variation or application expansion carried out under the guidance of the basic spirit and principle of the present utility model shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0047] Embodiment 1

[0048] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 . The present utility model provides a sample injection tray for saliva detection. The core feature of this sample injection tray lies in its innovative modular structure, which mainly consists of the following key components: at least two (in this embodiment, in order to form a complete circular working area, 6 are used) independently detachable modules M, and a unified base B for carrying and positioning these modules M.

[0049] After at least two modules M are installed on the unified base B, they are combined together (for example, by tightly splicing) to form a complete working area for carrying and processing the sample tube 2 filled with the saliva sample to be detected. In order to meet the requirements of common rotary automatic sample injectors, each module M is preferably designed to have a fan - shaped (or sector - shaped segment) geometric shape. When all these fan - shaped modules M are arranged and fixed around a common center point, a standard circular - ring - shaped working area can be formed. Of course, the present utility model is not limited to this. According to the specific type of the adapted automatic sample injector (such as linear moving type or matrix type), the module M can also be designed into a rectangular, square or other geometric shapes convenient for combination to splice and form a corresponding - shaped working area.

[0050] On each independent module M, there is at least one sample hole 10 for stably placing the sample tube 2. Usually, multiple sample holes 10 are arranged in an array on one module M. The inner diameter, depth, and spacing of these sample holes 10 are precisely designed according to the specifications of the standard sample tube 2 and the grasping accuracy requirements of the robotic arm of the autosampler.

[0051] In addition, each module M must also be provided with one or more module-level waste liquid export interfaces 13. This interface is the main channel for discharging the accidentally splashed or spilled waste liquid collected inside this module M to the outside of the module. The specific structural form of the module-level waste liquid export interface 13 can be diverse. For example, it can be one or more downward-opening short nozzles or funnel-shaped openings provided at the bottom of the module M, or a lateral export opening or short pipe joint provided on a certain side wall of the module M. Its design goal is to be able to smoothly export the waste liquid collected inside the module and flow to the waste liquid receiving structure.

[0052] The unified base B is the structural foundation and installation platform of the entire modular sampling tray. It is usually made of materials with sufficient structural rigidity, dimensional stability, and good chemical corrosion resistance (such as metal materials like aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or high-strength reinforced engineering plastics). On the upper surface or specific installation positions of the unified base B, for each module M planned to be installed, there is precisely at least one guiding and positioning structure B1 that cooperates with it. The core function of this guiding and positioning structure B1 is to provide accurate guidance and final precise positioning when the operator installs the module M onto the unified base B, ensuring that each module M can be installed in its preset, correct spatial position and posture. This is crucial for ensuring the geometric accuracy (such as flatness, roundness, accuracy of the hole position array, etc.) of the entire working area formed by the combination of all modules M and is a prerequisite for the reliable operation of the autosampling system. The specific implementation form of the guiding and positioning structure B1 can be diverse. For example, a series of raised positioning pins, positioning blocks can be set on the unified base B, or specific positioning grooves, guide rails can be machined, and corresponding positioning holes, positioning surfaces, or sliders and other structures are set at the corresponding positions of each module M.

[0053] More importantly, a waste liquid collection system must also be provided on the unified base B. A key component of this system is the waste liquid receiving part B2a corresponding to the module-level waste liquid export interface 13 of each module M. The function of this waste liquid receiving part B2a is to accurately receive and collect all the waste liquid discharged from the waste liquid export interface 13 of its corresponding module M. For example, if the waste liquid export interface 13 of the module M is a downward short tube at its bottom, the waste liquid receiving part B2a on the unified base B can be a collection groove opened at the corresponding position. Through this design, the waste liquid generated inside each module M can be independently and directly discharged into the central waste liquid treatment system of the unified base B, thus effectively avoiding the complex transfer of waste liquid between different modules or crossing physical joints, greatly simplifying the technical challenges of ensuring liquid sealing and preventing leakage in the modular design, and ensuring the integrity and reliability of the anti-cross-contamination function of the entire sample injection disk.

[0054] To achieve the independent disassembly and assembly characteristics of the module M and ensure its stability after being installed on the unified base B, a reliable fixing and releasing mechanism is required between the module M and the unified base B. This can be achieved by setting threaded holes at the corresponding positions of the module M and the unified base B and using easy-to-operate fasteners (such as wing screws, knurled screws or standard screws) for fixing; or, a more convenient quick-locking structure can also be designed, such as integrating elastic claws at the bottom or side of the module M to achieve the quick locking and release of the module M.

[0055] Next, the specific structure inside the module M for enhancing anti-cross-contamination and easy cleaning will be further described.

[0056] On the upper surface of each module M, around the opening edge of each sample hole 10 formed thereon, an independent well platform 11 is integrally extended upward. This independent well platform 11 forms a continuous and notch-free enclosure structure surrounding the corresponding sample hole 10, and its main function is to serve as the first physical barrier to prevent a small amount of liquid from accidentally spilling out of this sample hole 10 or external liquid from splashing into this sample hole 10. To achieve an effective blocking effect, the height H1 of the independent well platform 11 extending upward from the upper surface of the module M can be designed within the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, and a specific example is 2 mm. The selection of this height needs to comprehensively consider various factors such as the capacity to accommodate potential spilled liquid, the convenience of normal sample tube 2 picking and placing operations without interference, and the feasibility of manufacturing processes. To further enhance its anti-pollution effect, the top surface of the independent well platform 11 is preferably designed as a slope inclined outward (i.e., in the direction away from the center of the sample hole 10 it surrounds). Such an inclined top surface structure helps when liquid accidentally splashes onto the top surface of the well platform, guiding this liquid to flow and drip outward (i.e., in the direction towards the internal flow channel system 12 within the module) under the action of gravity, rather than flowing back into the sample hole 10 or accumulating on the flat top surface of the well platform.

[0057] On the upper surface of each module M, in the area outside each independent well platform 11, a set of internal flow channel systems 12 of the module is formed. The grooves are mainly distributed in the disk area between adjacent independent well platforms 11, and in the disk area between the outermost independent well platform 11 of the module M and the edge of the module M itself. The core function of the internal flow channel system 12 of the module is that when a relatively large amount of liquid crosses the blockage of the independent well platform 11, or liquid directly drips onto the surface of the module M between the well platforms from other sources (such as dripping during the movement of the pipetting needle of an automatic pipetting system above the module M), these grooves can quickly capture this accidentally splashed liquid and confine it within the flow channels. Crucially, this internal flow channel system 12 of the module must ultimately be connected to the module-level waste liquid export interface 13 of the module M where it is located, so as to effectively discharge all the collected waste liquid from inside the module M. And during cleaning, the liquid and dirt can also be more easily washed away from the grooves by water flow or cleaning tools, and it is not easy to form residues in the corners.

[0058] Embodiment 2

[0059] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figures 3 - 4 for understanding. Based on the modular sampling tray described in Embodiment 1, this embodiment further introduces an innovative structure - a flexible buffer pad P aimed at optimizing the gap treatment between modules M, enhancing the overall structural buffering performance, and providing additional physical isolation.

[0060] In this embodiment, when multiple modules M (e.g., modules M with a sector geometry) are installed on a unified base B in a predetermined manner and closely joined together to form a complete working area, although a high fitting accuracy between the modules M can be ensured through a precise guiding and positioning structure B1, there may still be tiny assembly gaps that are difficult to completely eliminate between the physical docking edges of adjacent modules M. To properly handle these gaps and endow them with additional beneficial functions, this embodiment specifically proposes that a flexible buffer pad P is provided in the gaps between these adjacent modules M.

[0061] The flexible buffer pad P is preferably made of a material with good elasticity, excellent chemical corrosion resistance (able to withstand saliva samples themselves as well as possible cleaning agents and disinfectants), low surface adsorption (not easily adhering to biomolecules and easy to clean), and good aging resistance. Typical suitable materials include medical-grade silicone rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or polyurethane elastomer, etc. The flexible buffer pad P can be pre-formed into strip-shaped or sheet-shaped components with a specific cross-sectional shape through processes such as molding, extrusion, or cutting according to the shape and size of the gaps between the modules M. For example, it can be a simple long strip with a rectangular cross-section, or a long strip with a T-shaped, I-shaped, or other special-shaped cross-sections designed for better embedding and fixing.

[0062] A key structural design is that after the flexible buffer pad P is correctly installed in the gap between adjacent modules M, its own height (or thickness) is designed such that its upper surface is slightly higher than the upper surfaces of the adjacent modules M on both sides. For example, the upper surface of the flexible buffer pad P can be 5 mm to 8 mm higher than the upper surface of the module M. Through such a height difference design, when all the modules M and the flexible buffer pads P are installed in place, at the edge of each module M, a soft and continuous physical partition will be formed by the protruding flexible buffer pad P. This partition formed by the flexible buffer pad P can bring the following significant advantages:

[0063] Enhanced physical isolation and splash-proof function: This flexible partition higher than the surface of the module M can, to a certain extent, serve as an additional barrier to block high-speed splashing droplets caused by violent shaking of the liquid in the sample tube or unconventional operations (such as accidental touching of the edge of the sample tube by a pipette needle) from directly crossing over to the upper surface of the adjacent module M. This provides an additional layer of safety for the existing anti-pollution structures such as the independent well platforms 11 inside the module M, further reducing the potential risk of cross-module cross-contamination.

[0064] Effectively fill gaps and simplify cleaning and maintenance: The flexible buffer pad P can effectively fill and seal the physical gaps between adjacent modules M through its own elasticity and volume. This can prevent saliva, dust, residual culture medium, or other fine laboratory contaminants from accumulating and breeding microorganisms in these gaps that are usually difficult to reach and thoroughly clean, thus significantly simplifying the cleaning and maintenance work of the entire surface of the sampling tray working area and eliminating the potential problem of accumulation of potential pollution sources caused by gap contamination.

[0065] Excellent buffer and shock absorption performance to protect sample integrity: Since the flexible buffer pad P is itself made of high-elasticity materials, it can effectively absorb and dissipate part of the impact energy and high-frequency vibration generated by mechanical movement during the dynamic operation of the entire modular sampling tray (especially those rotary automatic samplers that need to rotate at high speed, start and stop frequently with acceleration). This significant buffer and shock absorption effect can effectively reduce the severe shaking amplitude and acceleration impact experienced by the sample tubes 2 installed in the sample holes 10 of each module M. This is crucial for protecting the viscous saliva samples in the tubes, significantly reducing the risk of splashing out from the tube mouth due to severe shaking of the samples or generating excessive bubbles that affect subsequent precise sampling operations due to excessive shear agitation, thus better maintaining the original state and volume integrity of the samples, and having a positive promoting effect on improving the accuracy and repeatability of the analysis results.

[0066] The installation method of the flexible buffer pad P can be flexibly selected according to its specific cross-sectional shape and the design of the side wall of the module M. For example, a groove structure for embedding and limiting the buffer pad P can be pre-opened on the radial docking side wall of the module M, and the buffer pad P is tightly pressed and reliably fixed in these grooves through its own elastic deformation. Or, the flexible buffer pad P can also be fixed by coating a suitable medical-grade pressure-sensitive adhesive on one of its sides and then directly pasting it onto the side wall of one of the modules M. When disassembling a certain module M for cleaning or replacement, the adjacent flexible buffer pad P can be removed together with the module M according to its different fixing methods, or remain in place (if it is fixed on the adjacent module M that is not disassembled). Due to its material properties, the cleaning of the flexible buffer pad P itself is relatively easy and can be carried out by a method similar to that for cleaning the main body of the module M.

[0067] In summary, through its unique modular design concept, the present utility model decomposes the sample injection tray into independently operable modular units and a unified base with integrated functions. By implementing a perfect anti-cross-contamination structure and an independent waste liquid discharge mechanism within each module, and establishing a reliable positioning and waste liquid transfer connection between the module and the base, it successfully solves many problems existing in the prior art's integral saliva sample injection tray in terms of cleaning and maintenance, cost control, and cross-contamination prevention. In addition, by introducing an optional flexible buffer pad structure between modules, the comprehensive performance of the system is further improved, including enhancing physical isolation, simplifying cleaning, and providing crucial shock absorption and buffering to protect samples. The present utility model provides a more efficient, economical, reliable, and easy-to-maintain advanced hardware platform for the automated processing of special biological samples such as saliva.

[0068] The embodiments described above are only the preferred solutions of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present utility model. Any person skilled in the art, under the guidance of the core technical content and spirit disclosed by the present utility model, makes various non-substantive changes, modifications, or combinations for specific application scenarios and manufacturing conditions. As long as these changes do not deviate from the scope of the present utility model's intended technical problems, its core technical solutions, and the ability to achieve its expected technical effects, they should all be understood as being included within the scope of protection claimed by the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A sample injection tray for saliva detection, characterized in that, Comprising: At least two detachably assembled modules (M), at least two of the modules (M) jointly form a working area for carrying the sample tube (2), and each of the modules (M) is provided with at least one sample hole (10) and a module-level waste liquid export interface (13); And a unified base (B), the at least two modules (M) are all mounted on the unified base (B), the unified base (B) is provided with a guiding and positioning structure (B1) for cooperating with each of the modules (M), and the unified base (B) is further provided with a waste liquid receiving part (B2a) corresponding to the module-level waste liquid export interface (13) of each of the modules (M) for collecting the waste liquid discharged from each of the modules (M).

2. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the modules (M) further comprises: An independent well platform (11), the independent well platform (11) is arranged at the opening edge of each of the sample holes (10) on the module (M) and extends upward; And an in-module diversion groove system (12), the in-module diversion groove system (12) is opened on the upper surface of the module (M) and communicates with its corresponding module-level waste liquid export interface (13).

3. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The independent well platform (11) extends upward from the upper surface of the module (M), and the top surface of the independent well platform (11) is formed as a slope inclined outward.

4. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The depth (D1) of the diversion groove in the in-module diversion groove system (12) is 3 mm to 5 mm.

5. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shapes of the at least two modules (M) are fan-shaped and jointly form the circular-ring-shaped working area by splicing.

6. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module-level waste liquid export interface (13) is an export short tube or opening provided at the bottom or side wall of the module (M).

7. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guiding and positioning structure (B1) on the unified base (B) is a positioning pin, a positioning groove, a guide rail or a combination thereof.

8. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further comprises a flexible buffer pad (P) arranged in the gap between adjacent modules (M); the flexible buffer pad (P) is made of an elastic material.

9. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 8, characterized in that, The upper part of the flexible buffer pad (P) is higher than the upper surface of the module (M) to form a physical partition between adjacent modules (M).

10. The sample injection tray for saliva detection according to claim 1, wherein, The module (M) is detachably fixed on the unified base (B) by a fastener or a clamping structure.

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