Adjustable supporting structure of incubation plate in integrated incubation cleaning module
By adopting an incubation plate with adjustable support structure in the integrated incubation and cleaning module, the large size and high cost of the device caused by the independent incubation and cleaning disk are solved, and the internal transport of the reaction cup is realized, simplifying the structure and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422187126.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-15
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-09-06
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, the incubation plate and the cleaning plate are independent modules, resulting in large size, complex structure and high cost of the immunoassay device, and the reaction cup transport depends on external robots, increasing the device volume.
An adjustable support structure for the incubation disc in an integrated incubation and cleaning module is designed, using at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structures. The rotation of the incubation disc is realized through a transmission connection, and the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup is combined to reduce the arrangement of external components.
The internal transport of the reaction cup is achieved, reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the structure and reducing costs.
Smart Images

Figure CN223229614U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to a mounting structure of an incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module, in particular to an adjustable supporting structure of an incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module in a full-automatic single-molecule immunoassay device, belonging to the technical field of medical testing. Background Art
[0002] Since the first automated chemical analyzer was manufactured, over half a century has passed, and fully automated immunoassay analyzers have reached technological maturity. Today's fully automated immunoassay analyzers feature the following: 1. They utilize a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to coordinate the movements of various modules; 2. They offer exceptional flexibility, enabling them to meet diverse analytical needs; 3. They offer rapid testing speeds and long, unattended, continuous operation times; and 4. Their integration of multiple technologies and fully automated processing yield more accurate and precise test results. Fully automated immunoassay analyzers handle all steps of the experimental testing process, including cuvette removal, sample addition, reaction solution addition, shaking, reaction initiation, measurement, analysis, and cleaning. By replacing manual labor, they not only save labor costs but, more importantly, eliminate human error and ensure data accuracy. With their speed, efficiency, high precision, and repeatability, fully automated immunoassay analyzers are widely used in processing, production, testing, and life support, and are poised to become a trend in medical testing.
[0003] In previous technologies, the main process of the incubation and cleaning device in the immunoassay analyzer is to place the reaction cup with the sample and reagent added in an independent incubation module for heating and incubation. The reaction cup is then removed by a robot and placed in another cleaning module for magnetic separation and cleaning. Since incubation and cleaning are two completely separate modules, the overall volume of the immunoassay device is large, the structure is complex, and the cost is also high. Therefore, improvements have been made in the existing technology to coaxially arrange the incubation disk responsible for incubation and the cleaning disk responsible for cleaning, integrating them into an incubation and cleaning module. This reduces the overall volume of the immunoassay device compared to before.
[0004] During operation, the cuvettes need to be moved back and forth between the wash tray and the incubation tray. In an integrated incubation and wash module, the prior art uses an external robot to perform this transfer, removing the cuvettes from the wash tray and placing them on the incubation tray, or vice versa. However, since the prior art uses a robot external to the incubation and wash module for external transfer, the overall size of the immunoassay device is still relatively large.
[0005] The relevant patent documents retrieved are as follows:
[0006] 1. A Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN207636603U and authorization announcement date of July 20, 2018 discloses an incubation and cleaning device, including an incubation tray, a cleaning tray, a drive assembly and a heating assembly, wherein the incubation tray includes an incubation tray body for incubating samples in a reaction cup; the cleaning tray is coaxial with the incubation tray and is arranged in concentric circles, and the cleaning tray is used to perform multi-stage cleaning of magnetic particles in the reaction cup; the drive assembly is a coaxial drive structure, including two drive motors, which respectively drive the incubation tray and the cleaning tray to move independently; the heating assembly is located below the incubation tray and the cleaning tray, and is used to heat the incubation tray and the cleaning tray.
[0007] In the above patent document, the cleaning tray and the incubation tray are coaxially and integrated in a concentric circle. The document does not disclose how the reaction cup is transferred between the integrated cleaning tray and the incubation tray. However, from the accompanying drawings, it can be seen that the transfer is also performed from the outside using a robot.
[0008] 2. A Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN217688992U and authorization announcement date of October 28, 2022 discloses a sample analysis device, including: a reaction container supply unit for providing a reaction container to be used; a dispensing unit for injecting reagents and / or samples into the reaction container; an incubation disk unit for incubating the liquid in the reaction container; a cleaning disk unit for removing unbound components in the reaction system in the reaction container; a detection unit for detecting the analyte in the reaction container; the cleaning disk unit is sleeved on the outside of the incubation disk unit or inside and coaxially arranged, the cleaning tray unit and the incubation tray unit operate independently of each other; a reaction container transfer mechanism is used to transport the reaction container between the reaction container supply unit, the incubation tray unit and the cleaning tray unit; the reaction container supply unit has a reaction container supply unit cup grabbing position, the incubation tray unit is provided with an incubation tray cup grabbing position, the cleaning tray unit is provided with a cleaning tray cup grabbing position, the reaction container supply unit cup grabbing position, the incubation tray cup grabbing position and the cleaning tray cup grabbing position are all located on the motion trajectory of the reaction container transfer unit.
[0009] In this patent document, the incubation tray unit and the cleaning tray unit are coaxially arranged and integrated together. However, the patent document also uses an external gripper to transfer the reaction cup between the incubation tray unit and the cleaning tray unit.
[0010] Therefore, the applicant designed an internal cuvette transport mechanism that moves radially along the incubation tray and the wash tray, thereby transferring the cuvettes between the two trays. This minimizes external transport and reduces the number of external components. However, to accommodate the internal cuvette transport mechanism, the incubation tray installation method must be improved; otherwise, the internal cuvette transport operation cannot be completed.
[0011] In summary, how to design an installation structure for the incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module so that after the incubation tray is installed, it can adapt to the movement of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup and realize the internal transport operation of the reaction cup is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Utility Model Content
[0012] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the defects existing in the prior art and provide an adjustable support structure for the incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module, which can ensure that after the incubation tray is installed, it can adapt to the action of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup, thereby realizing the internal transport operation of the reaction cup, thereby changing the existing method of transporting the reaction cup from the outside, reducing the setting of external related components, reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the overall structure of the immunoassay device, and reducing the overall cost of the immunoassay device.
[0013] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an adjustable support structure for an incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module, the integrated incubation and cleaning module comprising an outer shell and a cleaning tray and an incubation tray rotatably connected to the inside of the outer shell, the incubation tray is annular, and the cleaning tray is located at the inner circumference of the annular incubation tray; the adjustable support structure comprises at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure arranged inside the outer shell, the at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure are utilized to cooperate with the inner circumference of the annular incubation tray for transmission connection, so that the incubation tray is rotatably connected to the inside of the outer shell.
[0014] Preferably, the fixed-position horizontal guide wheel structure includes a support column 1 and a horizontal guide wheel 1 arranged on the top of the support column 1, and a guide groove that is cooperated with the annular incubation tray is opened on the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 1. The position-adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure includes a support column 2 and a support column 3. A swing arm is hinged on the top of the support column 2, one end of the swing arm is hinged on the top of the support column 2, and a swing arm waist hole is opened on the other end of the swing arm. Screw 1 is passed through the swing arm waist hole and screwed into the top of the support column 3, so that the other end of the swing arm is locked to the top of the support column 3. A horizontal guide wheel 2 is arranged on the swing arm, and a guide groove that is cooperated with the annular incubation tray is also opened on the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 2.
[0015] Preferably, the incubation tray includes an upper ring body and a lower ring body, and the upper ring body and the lower ring body are connected as a whole; by inserting the inner peripheral side of the upper ring body into the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel one and the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel two, the incubation tray is rotatably connected to the inside of the outer shell.
[0016] Preferably, external teeth are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper ring body; a driving mechanism 2 is provided on the outer shell, and a transmission gear is provided on the output shaft of the driving mechanism 2, which is meshed with the external teeth of the upper ring body through the transmission connection, so that the incubation plate can be driven to rotate through the driving mechanism 2.
[0017] Preferably, the cleaning disc includes an upper disc body and a lower disc body, and the upper disc body and the lower disc body are connected as a whole; a driving mechanism 1 is provided on the outer shell, and the output shaft of the driving mechanism 1 is cooperated and connected with the center position of the lower disc body, so that the cleaning disc can be driven to rotate under the drive of the driving mechanism 1.
[0018] Preferably, along the circumference of the washing tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 1 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower disk body, and the U-shaped grooves 1 are arranged radially toward the lower disk body; along the circumference of the incubation tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 2 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower ring body of the incubation tray, and the U-shaped grooves 2 are arranged radially toward the lower ring body;
[0019] The outer shell is also provided with an internal transport mechanism for the reaction cup. When the internal transport mechanism for the reaction cup is transporting, a U-shaped groove 1 of the cleaning tray and a U-shaped groove 2 of the incubation tray are located on the same radial line.
[0020] Preferably, the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup includes a connecting seat arranged on the outer shell, an X-axis moving device arranged on the connecting seat and a Z-axis moving device arranged on the X-axis moving device, and a transport cylinder is arranged on the Z-axis moving device. The X-axis moving device and the Z-axis moving device constitute a two-dimensional moving mechanism, and the X-axis is arranged along the radial direction of the cleaning tray and the incubation tray in the integrated incubation and cleaning module.
[0021] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that the present invention adjusts the installation position of the incubation tray by setting at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure, thereby ensuring that after the incubation tray in the integrated incubation and cleaning module is installed, it can adapt to the action of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup, realize the internal transport operation of the reaction cup, thereby changing the existing method of transporting the reaction cup from the outside, reducing the setting of external related components, reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the overall structure of the immunoassay device, and reducing the overall cost of the immunoassay device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the integrated incubation and cleaning module in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the axial cross-sectional three-dimensional structure of the integrated incubation and cleaning module in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cleaning disk in the embodiment of the present utility model;
[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure located at one part of the U-shaped groove;
[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the incubation tray in the embodiment of the present utility model;
[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the integrated incubation and cleaning module after removing the cleaning tray in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the local three-dimensional structure located at the second U-shaped groove;
[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the present utility model;
[0030] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of a partial top view of the structure of the integrated incubation and cleaning module located at the U-shaped groove 1 of the cleaning tray and the U-shaped groove 2 of the incubation tray in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of the adjustable support method for the incubation tray in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0032] Figure 11 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the middle C part;
[0033] Figure 12 The schematic diagram of the principle structure of the internal transport method of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the utility model Figure 1 ;
[0034] Figure 13 The schematic diagram of the principle structure of the internal transport method of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the utility model Figure 2 ;
[0035] Figure 14 The schematic diagram of the principle structure of the internal transport method of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the utility model Figure 3 ;
[0036] Figure 15 The schematic diagram of the principle structure of the internal transport method of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the utility model Figure 4 ;
[0037] Figure 16 The schematic diagram of the principle structure of the internal transport method of the reaction cup in the embodiment of the utility model Figure 5 ;
[0038] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure when the transfer tube lifts the reaction cup in an embodiment of the present utility model.
[0039] In the figure: 1. Outer shell, 2. Support legs, 3. Cleaning tray, 311. Upper tray, 312. Lower tray, 313. U-shaped groove 1, 3131. Step 1, 4. Incubation tray, 411. Upper ring, 4111. External teeth, 412. Lower ring, 413. U-shaped groove 2, 4131. Step 2, 414. Ring through hole, 5. Driving mechanism 1, 6. Driving mechanism 2, 611. Transmission gear, 7. Reaction cup, 711. Reaction cup body, 712. Flange, 811. Support column 1, 812 .Support column two, 813. Support column three, 814. Swing arm, 815. Swing arm waist hole, 816. Horizontal guide wheel two, 9. Horizontal guide wheel one, 911. Guide groove, 10. Internal transfer mechanism of reaction cup, 101. Connecting seat, 11. Transfer cylinder, 111. Inner cavity of transfer cylinder, 112. Outer frame, 113. Cylinder, 1131. Left half of cylinder, 1132. Right half of cylinder, 12. Stepper motor one, 13. Screw rod one, 14. Nut seat one, 15. Stepper motor two, 16. Screw rod two, 17. Nut seat two. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The technical solution of the present utility model is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Example
[0041] This application first describes the structure of the integrated incubation and cleaning module.
[0042] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an integrated incubation and cleaning module includes a circular outer shell 1. In order to facilitate the support of the entire module, a plurality of legs 2 are further provided at the bottom of the outer shell 1; a cleaning tray 3 and an incubation tray 4 are rotatably arranged inside the outer shell 1, and the incubation tray 4 is arranged in a ring shape. The cleaning tray 3 is located inside the ring-shaped incubation tray 4, and the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4 are arranged with the same central axis; a driving mechanism 1 5 and a driving mechanism 2 6, the driving mechanism 1 5 is a cleaning tray driving motor, which is arranged on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell 1, and its output shaft is connected to the cleaning tray 3 for driving the rotation of the cleaning tray, and the driving mechanism 2 6 is an incubation tray driving motor, which is arranged on the outer shell 1, and a transmission gear 611 is provided on its output shaft, which is connected to the incubation tray 4 through the transmission gear 611 for tooth transmission, for driving the rotation of the incubation tray 4, and the specific tooth transmission structure will be described in the subsequent content.
[0043] The structure of the cleaning plate 3 is described below: Figure 3As shown, the cleaning tray 3 includes an upper tray body 311 and a lower tray body 312. The upper tray body 311 is connected to the lower tray body 312 as a whole by screws and other connecting parts. The output shaft of the cleaning tray drive motor is connected to the center position of the lower tray body 312, so that the cleaning tray 3 can be driven to rotate under the drive of the cleaning tray drive motor. Along the circumference of the cleaning tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 313 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower tray body 312. The U-shaped grooves 313 are arranged radially toward the lower tray body 312. Figure 4 As shown, the cuvette 7 includes a cuvette body 711 and a flange 712 disposed on the cuvette body 711, the flange 712 being located near the opening of the cuvette body 711. When the cuvette 7 is placed in the U-shaped groove 313, the flange 712 of the cuvette 7 rests on the bottom of the U-shaped groove 313, thereby supporting the cuvette. In this embodiment, the bottom of the U-shaped groove 313 is arc-shaped. A step 3131 is provided on the lower plate 312 at the bottom of the U-shaped groove 313. The curvature of the step 3131 matches the curvature of the flange 712 of the cuvette 7. When the cuvette 7 is placed in the U-shaped groove 313, the flange 712 of the cuvette 7 rests on the step 3131 at the bottom of the U-shaped groove 313, thereby supporting the cuvette. The flange 712 of the reaction cup 7 can be limited by the first step portion 3131, so that the position of the reaction cup 7 on the cleaning plate can be positioned.
[0044] The structure of the incubation tray 4 is described below: Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the incubation tray 4 includes an upper ring body 411 and a lower ring body 412, and the upper ring body 411 is connected to the lower ring body 412 into one body through connecting parts such as screws.
[0045] The outer circumference of the upper ring body 411 is provided with external teeth 4111, which are arranged in a full circle along the circumference of the upper ring body 411. The transmission gear 611 on the output shaft of the second driving mechanism 6 is meshed with the external teeth 4111 of the upper ring body 411, thereby driving the incubation tray 4 to rotate through the second driving mechanism.
[0046] The structure of the incubation plate supporting the reaction cup is the same as that of the cleaning plate supporting the reaction cup. Figure 5 and Figure 7As shown, along the circumference of the incubation tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 413 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower ring body 412 of the incubation tray, and the U-shaped grooves 413 are arranged radially toward the lower ring body 412. When the incubation tray and the cleaning tray are assembled, the notches of the U-shaped grooves 413 413 and the notches of the U-shaped grooves 313 are arranged opposite each other, that is, the notches of the U-shaped grooves 413 413 face the notches of the U-shaped grooves 313. By rotating the incubation tray and the cleaning tray, one of the U-shaped grooves 413 and the other U-shaped groove 313 can be positioned on the same radial line.
[0047] When the cuvette 7 is placed in the second U-shaped groove 413, the flange 712 of the cuvette 7 rests on the bottom of the second U-shaped groove 413, thereby supporting the cuvette. In this embodiment, the bottom of the second U-shaped groove 413 is arc-shaped. A second step 4131 is provided on the lower ring body 412 at the bottom of the second U-shaped groove 413. Its curvature matches the curvature of the flange 712 of the cuvette 7. When the cuvette 7 is placed in the second U-shaped groove 413, the flange 712 of the cuvette 7 rests on the second step 4131 at the bottom of the second U-shaped groove 413, thereby supporting the cuvette. The provision of the second step 4131 allows the flange 712 of the cuvette 7 to be limited in position, thereby positioning the cuvette 7 on the incubation tray.
[0048] In addition, it should be noted that before incubation and cleaning, in order to place the reaction cup into the integrated incubation and cleaning module, a ring body through hole 414 is opened on the upper ring body 411 and corresponding to each U-shaped groove 413. Before incubation and cleaning, the reaction cup is placed into the U-shaped groove 413 through the ring body through hole 414, thereby placing the reaction cup into the incubation tray, so that the reaction cup enters the integrated incubation and cleaning module.
[0049] like Figure 6 As shown, the integrated incubation and cleaning module in this embodiment further includes a cuvette internal transport mechanism 10 disposed at the bottom of the outer shell 1, through which the cuvette is transported back and forth between the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4. Figure 8As shown, the internal transport mechanism 10 of the reaction cup includes a connecting seat 101 connected to the bottom of the outer shell 1, an X-axis moving device arranged on the connecting seat 101 and a Z-axis moving device arranged on the X-axis moving device, and a transfer cylinder 11 is arranged on the Z-axis moving device. The X-axis moving device and the Z-axis moving device constitute a two-dimensional moving mechanism, the X-axis is arranged along the radial direction of the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4, and the Z-axis is perpendicular to the X-axis direction. Through the action of the two-dimensional moving mechanism, the transfer cylinder 11 is driven to move in the two-dimensional direction, and finally the transfer cylinder 11 is used to transport the reaction cup back and forth between the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4. In this embodiment, the X-axis moving device includes a stepper motor 12 arranged on the connecting base 101 and a screw rod 13 rotatably connected to the connecting base 101 through a bearing. The output shaft of the stepper motor 12 is connected to the screw rod 13 in a transmission manner. A nut seat 14 is also slidably connected to the connecting base 101. The nut seat 14 is connected to the screw rod 13 to form a screw-nut mechanism 1, so that under the action of the stepper motor 12, the nut seat 14 can be driven to move back and forth along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis moving device includes a stepper motor 2 15 arranged on the nut seat 14 and a screw rod 2 16 rotatably connected to the nut seat 14 through a bearing. The output shaft of the stepper motor 2 15 is connected to the screw rod 2 16 in a transmission manner. A nut seat 2 17 is also slidably connected to the nut seat 14. The nut seat 2 17 is connected to the screw rod 2 16 to form a screw-nut mechanism 2, so that under the action of the stepper motor 2 15, the nut seat 2 17 can be driven to move up and down along the Y-axis. The transfer cylinder 11 is connected to the nut seat 2 17. It should be noted that the X-axis moving device and the Y-axis moving device can also adopt other structures, as long as they can achieve two-dimensional movement in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
[0050] like Figure 9 As shown, the transport method adopted in this embodiment is to use the transport cylinder 11 of the internal transport mechanism 10 of the reaction cup to drive the reaction cup 7 along the radial direction (i.e., the X-axis direction) of the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4, and move from the U-shaped groove 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 to the U-shaped groove 2 413 of the incubation tray 4, or from the U-shaped groove 2 413 of the incubation tray 4 to the U-shaped groove 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3, thereby realizing the transport of the reaction cup between the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4.
[0051] from Figure 9It can be seen that the method described in this application for adapting to the movement of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup is because the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup moves along the radial direction (i.e., the X-axis direction) of the cleaning tray 3 and the incubation tray 4. Therefore, it is required to ensure that when the incubation tray 4 is installed, through the rotation of the incubation tray and the cleaning tray, one of the U-shaped grooves 2 413 on the incubation tray 4 and one of the U-shaped grooves 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 can be located on the same radial line B. In this way, it is ensured that the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup drives the reaction cup 7 to move back and forth between the U-shaped groove 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 and the U-shaped groove 2 413 on the incubation tray 4 to complete the transport work. However, the problem in reality is that after the installation of the middle cleaning tray 3 is completed, due to other reasons such as the manufacturing and processing of the incubation tray 4, the position of the incubation tray 4 after installation cannot meet the above requirements. Therefore, adjustment is required.
[0052] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the incubation tray 4 in this embodiment is arranged in a ring shape and is supported and connected to the inner bottom of the outer shell 1 by three or more horizontal guide wheels 9. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the annular incubation tray 4 can actually be regarded as a circle, and each horizontal guide wheel 9 can be regarded as a point C. Since the three points C can determine the position of a circle, in order to adjust the position of the incubation tray 4, the applicant designs at least two of the horizontal guide wheels 9 as a fixed-position horizontal guide wheel structure (i.e., point C1) so that their positions remain fixed, and designs at least one of the horizontal guide wheels 9 as a horizontal guide wheel structure with adjustable position (i.e., point C2). After the washing tray 3 is installed, the position of the annular incubation tray 4 is adjusted by adjusting the position of the adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure (i.e., point C2), thereby ensuring that during operation, through the rotation of the incubation tray and the washing tray, one of the U-shaped grooves 413 on the incubation tray 4 and one of the U-shaped grooves 313 on the washing tray 3 can be located on the same radial line B to adapt to the movement of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup. Therefore, in this embodiment, at least one horizontal guide wheel structure with adjustable position (i.e., point C2) and at least two horizontal guide wheel structures with fixed position (i.e., point C1) are designed.
[0053] like Figure 7 As shown, the fixed horizontal guide wheel structure includes a support column 811 arranged on the inner bottom of the outer shell 1 and a horizontal guide wheel 9 arranged on the top of the support column 811, and a guide groove 911 is opened on the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 9. The guide groove 911 is arranged in a full circle along the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 9. The inner periphery of the upper ring body 411 is inserted into the guide groove 911 of the horizontal guide wheel 9 and is connected to the guide groove 911 for transmission, so that the incubation tray 4 is rotated and arranged inside the outer shell 1.
[0054] like Figure 11 As shown, the position-adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure includes a second support column 812 and a third support column 813 arranged on the inner bottom of the outer shell 1, and a swing arm 814 is hinged on the top of the second support column 812. One end of the swing arm 814 is hinged on the top of the second support column 812, and a swing arm waist hole 815 is opened on the other end of the swing arm 814. A screw 1 (not shown in the figure) is passed through the swing arm waist hole 815 and screwed into the top of the third support column 813, thereby locking the other end of the swing arm 814 to the top of the third support column 813, and a horizontal guide wheel 2 816 is arranged on the swing arm 814. A guide groove is also provided on the circumferential surface of the horizontal guide wheel 816, and the guide groove is provided along a full circle along the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 816. The inner circumference of the upper ring body 411 is inserted into the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel 816 and is connected to the guide groove for transmission, so that the incubation tray 4 is rotated and arranged inside the outer shell 1.
[0055] The specific steps of the adjustable support method for the incubation tray in this embodiment are as follows: Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the inner periphery of the upper ring body 411 of the incubation tray is inserted into the guide groove 911 of the horizontal guide wheel 1 9 of at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel 2 816 of at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure, and then the position of the swing arm 814 of at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure is adjusted so that one of the U-shaped grooves 2 413 on the incubation tray 4 and one of the U-shaped grooves 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 can be located on the same radial line B, and then the screw 1 is tightened to lock the swing arm 814, so that the incubation tray 4 is rotatably arranged inside the outer shell 1.
[0056] This embodiment sets one of the three connection points as a position-adjustable connection point, and determines the position of the annular incubation tray by the three adjusted connection points, thereby ensuring that after the incubation tray in the integrated incubation and cleaning module is installed, it can adapt to the movement of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup, realizing the internal transport operation of the reaction cup, thereby changing the existing method of transporting the reaction cup from the outside, reducing the setting of external related components, reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the overall structure of the immunoassay device, and reducing the overall cost of the immunoassay device.
[0057] The following describes the specific transport operation of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup:
[0058] like Figure 9As shown, when the cuvette is transferred from the incubation tray 4 to the cleaning tray 3, the incubation tray 4 and the cleaning tray 3 are first controlled to rotate so that the notch of a U-shaped groove 2 413 on the incubation tray 4 and the notch of a U-shaped groove 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 are aligned along the radial direction of the incubation tray 4 and the cleaning tray 3. Then the specific operation steps are as follows:
[0059] 1) If Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the Y-axis moving device is controlled to move upward, causing the transfer tube 11 to contact the cuvette 7 located in the second U-shaped groove 413. As the transfer tube 11 continues to move upward, the cuvette 7 is lifted from the second U-shaped groove 413, so that a vertical distance H1 is left between the flange 712 of the cuvette and the notch plane of the second U-shaped groove 413 to prevent the cuvette from being obstructed during radial movement.
[0060] 2) If Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the X-axis moving device is controlled to move the transfer cylinder 11 radially toward the cleaning tray 3, driving the reaction cup 7 to move out of the notch of the second U-shaped groove 413 and then into the notch of the first U-shaped groove 313 until it moves to a position above the bottom of the first U-shaped groove 313. At this time, a vertical distance H2 is left between the flange 712 of the reaction cup and the notch plane of the first U-shaped groove 313.
[0061] 3) If Figure 16 As shown, the Y-axis moving device is controlled to move so that the transfer cylinder 11 moves downward, so that the flange 712 of the reaction cup is placed in the U-shaped groove 313, thereby placing the reaction cup 7 into the cleaning tray 3; when the transfer cylinder 11 moves down into place, the transfer cylinder 11 is separated from the reaction cup 7, which can ensure that the rotation of the tray will not be hindered during the subsequent detection process.
[0062] Conversely, when transferring the cuvette from the cleaning tray 3 to the incubation tray 4, the specific operation steps are exactly the opposite of the above, namely:
[0063] First, the incubation tray 4 and the cleaning tray 3 are controlled to rotate so that the notch of a U-shaped groove 2 413 on the incubation tray 4 and the notch of a U-shaped groove 1 313 on the cleaning tray 3 are aligned along the radial direction of the incubation tray 4 and the cleaning tray 3. Then the specific operation steps are as follows:
[0064] S1. Control the Y-axis moving device to move the transfer tube 11 upward, so that the transfer tube 11 contacts the cuvette 7 located in the U-shaped groove 1 313. As the transfer tube 11 continues to move upward, the cuvette 7 is lifted from the U-shaped groove 1 313, thereby leaving a vertical distance H2 between the flange 712 of the cuvette and the notch plane of the U-shaped groove 1 313 to prevent the cuvette from being obstructed during radial movement.
[0065] S2. Control the X-axis moving device to move the transfer cylinder 11 radially toward the incubation tray 4, driving the reaction cup 7 to move out of the notch of the U-shaped groove 1 313 and then into the notch of the U-shaped groove 2 413 until it moves to a position above the bottom of the U-shaped groove 2 413. At this time, a vertical distance H1 is left between the flange 712 of the reaction cup and the notch plane of the U-shaped groove 2 413.
[0066] S3. Control the Y-axis moving device to move the transfer cylinder 11 downward, so that the flange 712 of the reaction cup is placed in the U-shaped groove 413, thereby placing the reaction cup 7 into the incubation tray 4; when the transfer cylinder 11 moves down into place, the transfer cylinder 11 is separated from the reaction cup 7, which can ensure that the rotation of the tray will not be hindered during the subsequent detection process.
[0067] Through the above-mentioned specific operating steps, the transfer operation of the reaction cup inside the integrated incubation and cleaning module is realized without the help of an external manipulator. Under the premise of ensuring the normal transfer of the reaction cup, the existing method of transferring the reaction cup from the outside is changed, and the setting of external related components is reduced, thereby reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the overall structure of the immunoassay device, and reducing the overall cost of the immunoassay device.
[0068] like Figure 4 and Figure 17 As shown, the cup body 711 of the reaction cup is a conical cylinder, with its large end located at the upper position (i.e., close to the flange 712), and its lower end located at the lower position (i.e., away from the flange 712). Correspondingly, the transfer tube cavity 111 of the transfer tube 11 is also set to a conical shape with a large upper part and a small lower part, as shown in FIG. Figure 12 As shown, when the transfer tube 11 is used to lift the cuvette, the conical surface of the transfer tube lumen 111 and the conical surface of the cuvette body 711 cooperate and contact to lift the cuvette. When the taper of the conical surface of the transfer tube lumen 111 is designed to be different from the taper of the cuvette body 711, the area where the conical surfaces of the transfer tube lumen 111 and the cuvette body 711 cooperate and contact is defined as the contact portion S. By adjusting the taper of the conical surface of the transfer tube lumen 111 and the taper of the cuvette body 711, the position of the contact portion S can be adjusted up or down. The different positions of the contact portion S actually result in different parameters such as the upward travel of the transfer tube, thereby adapting to various working conditions.
[0069] In summary, the utility model adjusts the installation position of the incubation tray by setting at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure, thereby ensuring that after the incubation tray in the integrated incubation and cleaning module is installed, it can adapt to the action of the internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup, realize the internal transport operation of the reaction cup, thereby changing the existing method of transporting the reaction cup from the outside, reducing the setting of external related components, reducing the overall volume of the immunoassay device, simplifying the overall structure of the immunoassay device, and reducing the overall cost of the immunoassay device.
[0070] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Technicians in the relevant technical field can make various changes or modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions should also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the claims.
Claims
1. An adjustable support structure for an incubation tray in an integrated incubation and cleaning module, the integrated incubation and cleaning module comprising an outer shell and a cleaning tray and an incubation tray rotatably connected to the inner portion of the outer shell, characterized in that: The incubation tray is annular, and the cleaning tray is located on the inner circumference of the annular incubation tray; the adjustable support structure includes at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure arranged inside the outer shell, and the at least two fixed horizontal guide wheel structures and at least one adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure are used to cooperate with the inner circumference of the annular incubation tray for transmission connection, so that the incubation tray is rotatably connected to the inside of the outer shell.
2. The adjustable support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed horizontal guide wheel structure includes a support column 1 and a horizontal guide wheel 1 arranged on the top of the support column 1, and a guide groove that is cooperated with the annular incubation tray is opened on the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 1. The position-adjustable horizontal guide wheel structure includes a support column 2 and a support column 3. A swing arm is hinged on the top of the support column 2, one end of the swing arm is hinged on the top of the support column 2, and a swing arm waist hole is opened on the other end of the swing arm. A screw 1 is passed through the swing arm waist hole and screwed into the top of the support column 3, so that the other end of the swing arm is locked to the top of the support column 3. A horizontal guide wheel 2 is arranged on the swing arm, and a guide groove that is cooperated with the annular incubation tray is also opened on the circumference of the horizontal guide wheel 2.
3. The adjustable support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The incubation tray includes an upper ring body and a lower ring body, and the upper ring body and the lower ring body are connected as a whole; by inserting the inner peripheral side of the upper ring body into the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel one and the guide groove of the horizontal guide wheel two, the incubation tray is rotatably connected to the inside of the outer shell.
4. The adjustable support structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: External teeth are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper ring body; a driving mechanism 2 is provided on the outer shell, and a transmission gear is provided on the output shaft of the driving mechanism 2. The transmission gear is engaged with the external teeth of the upper ring body through transmission connection, so that the incubation tray can be driven to rotate through the driving mechanism 2.
5. The adjustable support structure according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The cleaning disc includes an upper disc body and a lower disc body, and the upper disc body and the lower disc body are connected as a whole; a driving mechanism 1 is provided on the outer shell, and the output shaft of the driving mechanism 1 is cooperated and connected with the center position of the lower disc body, so that the cleaning disc can be driven to rotate under the drive of the driving mechanism 1.
6. The adjustable support structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: Along the circumference of the washing tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 1 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower disk body, and the U-shaped grooves 1 are arranged radially toward the lower disk body; along the circumference of the incubation tray, a plurality of U-shaped grooves 2 for supporting reaction cups are provided on the lower ring body of the incubation tray, and the U-shaped grooves 2 are arranged radially toward the lower ring body; The outer shell is also provided with an internal transport mechanism for the reaction cup. When the internal transport mechanism for the reaction cup is transporting, a U-shaped groove 1 of the cleaning tray and a U-shaped groove 2 of the incubation tray are located on the same radial line.
7. The adjustable support structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The internal transport mechanism of the reaction cup includes a connecting seat arranged on the outer shell, an X-axis moving device arranged on the connecting seat, and a Z-axis moving device arranged on the X-axis moving device. A transport cylinder is arranged on the Z-axis moving device. The X-axis moving device and the Z-axis moving device constitute a two-dimensional moving mechanism, and the X-axis is arranged along the radial direction of the cleaning tray and the incubation tray in the integrated incubation and cleaning module.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Hatch belt cleaning device and immunoassay appearance
CN207636603U
Sample analyzer
CN217688992U