Automatic sample dissolving treatment equipment and automatic sample treatment system

Abstract

The utility model provides automatic dissolving treatment equipment for a sample and an automatic treatment system for the sample. The automatic dissolution processing equipment for the sample comprises a sample workbench; the processing module is arranged on the sample workbench and is used for dissolving the sample; the ground rail module is arranged on the sample workbench; and the robot is arranged on the ground rail module, and the robot can move along the ground rail module. The ground rail module is arranged on the sample workbench, the robot is arranged on the ground rail module, and the robot can move along the ground rail module, so that the whole process of sample dissolving treatment is automatic and unmanned, the working efficiency is improved, and the labor cost is reduced; through the arrangement of the ground rail module, the possibility of interference and collision between the manipulator and the processing module is reduced, then the degree of freedom of the arrangement position of the processing module is widened, and the material conveying efficiency can be further improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of automation equipment, in particular to the technical field of medicine and chemical automation equipment, and more particularly to an automatic sample dissolving and processing device and an automatic sample processing system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the application scenarios of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine extraction, samples need to be dissolved after freeze-drying for subsequent operations. Currently, experimenters manually add liquid and then put the samples into a shaking device for dissolving, which consumes a lot of time and effort of experimenters, has high labor cost, and is low in operation efficiency.

[0003] In addition, some workstations are provided with a mechanical hand for material transmission. Generally, a high module is arranged far away from the mechanical hand to prevent the mechanical hand from interfering with and colliding with the module. This limits the layout of the module, and thus unnecessarily increases the transmission distance of some materials and reduces the transmission efficiency of the materials.

[0004] In addition, the sample dissolving and sample diluting of some workstations are independently operated, or the sample dissolving and sample diluting are grabbed and transferred by the mechanical hand, which cannot realize the direct change of traditional Chinese medicine from a solid sample into a liquid sample with different concentrations. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides an automatic sample dissolving and processing device, which is mainly applied to sample diluting and resolubilizing scenes and realizes full-process automation and unmanned operation to reduce labor cost.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an automatic sample dissolving and processing device, which comprises a sample workbench, a processing module arranged on the sample workbench and used for dissolving and processing a sample, and a ground rail module arranged on the sample workbench, and a robot arranged on the ground rail module, wherein the robot can move along the ground rail module.

[0007] In some embodiments, the automatic sample dissolving and processing device further comprises at least one of the following modules: an exchange warehouse used for exchanging materials with the outside, a transfer temporary storage site used for temporarily storing materials in the automatic sample dissolving and processing device, a material handling tool connected to the robot in a detachable manner to handle materials, and a material shelf used for storing materials.

[0008] In some embodiments, the material handling tool comprises at least one of a test tube handling tool, a tray handling tool, and a concentrated bottle handling tool.

[0009] In some embodiments, the material rack comprises a first material rack and a second material rack, the length of the first material rack is greater than the length of the second material rack, and the first material rack can be used to place the material handling tool.

[0010] In some embodiments, the transfer temporary storage is adjacent to the exchange warehouse.

[0011] In some embodiments, the exchange warehouse is located at the edge of one side of the automated sample dissolution processing device.

[0012] In some embodiments, the processing module comprises at least one of the following modules: a container opening and closing module for opening and closing the container; a liquid adding module for adding liquid; a liquid transferring module for transferring liquid; a centrifugal module for centrifuging liquid; a pouring and merging station for pouring and merging liquid; an ultrasonic cleaning pool for ultrasonic dissolution of the sample; a shaking module for accelerating the dissolution of the sample; and a visual detection module for detecting the dissolution degree of the sample.

[0013] In some embodiments, the container opening and closing module comprises a shake flask opening and closing module and a concentrate bottle opening and closing module.

[0014] In some embodiments, the visual detection module is adjacent to the ultrasonic cleaning pool and / or the shaking module. In some embodiments, the ground rail module extends along the length direction of the sample workbench and is located at the middle position in the width direction of the sample workbench.

[0015] In some embodiments, the ground rail module is provided with a positioning sensor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the robot is provided with an image recognition module to facilitate the positioning and operation of the robot.

[0017] The present disclosure also provides an automated sample processing system, which comprises a moving module and the above-mentioned automated sample dissolution processing device, and the moving module is used to take and place materials in the exchange warehouse of the automated sample dissolution processing device.

[0018] The present disclosure sets the ground rail module on the sample workbench and sets the robot on the ground rail module, so that the robot can move along the ground rail module. In this way, the work efficiency is improved and the labor cost is reduced, and the possibility of interference and collision between the robot and the processing module is reduced by setting the ground rail module, thereby widening the degree of freedom of the setting position of the processing module and further improving the material transmission efficiency. The present disclosure realizes the full-process automation and unmanned operation of the dilution and resolubilization of the sample, and reduces the labor cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1A top view of an automated dissolution processing apparatus of a sample is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 A perspective view of an automated dissolution processing apparatus of a sample is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A perspective view of a liquid addition module is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 5 A perspective view of a partial assembly of a liquid addition module is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 6a and Figure 6b A perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a waste tank of a liquid addition module are shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 7 A perspective view of a rotating base of a liquid addition module is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 8 A perspective view of an ultrasonic cleaning bath is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 9 A perspective view of a gripper assembly of an ultrasonic cleaning bath is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 10a and Figure 10b A perspective view of a shaking module is shown, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to enable a person skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the technical solutions of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0029] In the following, example embodiments will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments can be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0030] In the case of no conflict, each embodiment of the present disclosure and each feature in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0031] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0033] Embodiments described herein can be described with reference to plan views and / or cross-sectional views by virtue of the ideal schematic nature of the drawings. Thus, the example illustrations are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain aspects can be shown exaggerated in the drawings in order to illustrate certain aspects of some embodiments. Thus, the embodiments are not limited to the examples illustrated in the drawings.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an overly literal or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0035] The following examples can make the disclosure more fully understood, but in no way limit the disclosure.

[0036] In some embodiments, the sample is a biological sample, a pharmaceutical sample, or a chemical sample. When the sample is a pharmaceutical sample, it can be a western medicine sample, a traditional Chinese medicine sample, or other medicine sample with pharmaceutical effect, etc. For example, the traditional Chinese medicine sample includes Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese herbal pieces, Chinese patent medicine, semi-finished traditional Chinese medicine, medicinal plants, etc.

[0037] Figure 1 A top view of an automated dissolution processing equipment of a sample is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 2 A perspective view of an automated dissolution processing equipment of a sample is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, the automated sample dissolution processing device of the present disclosure comprises a sample workbench 19, a processing module, a ground rail module 9 and a robot 15. In some embodiments, the sample workbench 19 can be formed of suitable materials such as stainless steel and resin materials. In some embodiments, a top cover can be formed on the sample workbench 19, so that the sample workbench 19 and the top cover form a relatively independent accommodation space, which is conducive to the maintenance of the operating environment. In some embodiments, the shape and size of the sample workbench 19 can be designed according to actual needs, and is generally rectangular, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0038] In some embodiments, the processing module is arranged on the sample workbench 19 for sample dissolution processing. In some embodiments, any suitable number of processing modules can be arranged on the sample workbench 19 according to the processing design. In some embodiments, the ground rail module 9 is arranged on the sample workbench 19. In some embodiments, the ground rail module 9 can adopt a single rail design, a double rail design or any other suitable design. In some embodiments, the robot 15 is arranged on the ground rail module 9, wherein the robot 15 can move along the ground rail module 9. In some embodiments, the ground rail module 9 only comprises a straight rail, or comprises a straight rail and a curved rail for changing the running direction of the rail, for example, when the ground rail module 9 is in the shape of L or other shapes requiring turning. In some embodiments, the robot 15 has a component matched with the rail on the ground rail module 9, so that the robot 15 can move on the ground rail module 9, and can brake and fix when reaching the designated position of the ground rail module 9, which is conducive to the improvement of the operation stability of the robot 15. In some embodiments, the robot 15 can be used for material transfer between various modules on the automated sample dissolution processing device. In some embodiments, the robot 15 can comprise a three-axis robot, a four-axis robot or a six-axis robot in the prior art, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0039] Generally, the robot is fixed at a certain position of the sample workbench 19, and various modules are arranged around the robot. In this case, generally, the modules with higher height are arranged farther away from the robot to prevent the mechanical arm of the robot from interfering with the modules. This can limit the layout of the modules, for example, two modules with frequent material transportation are arranged far away from each other due to the height, which in turn unnecessarily increases the transportation distance of some materials and reduces the material transportation efficiency. The present disclosure sets the ground rail module 9, and the robot 15 is arranged to move along the ground rail module 9, which reduces the problem of interference and collision between the fixed robot and the modules during operation without reducing the compactness of the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment, because the robot 15 moves to the appropriate position on the ground rail module 9 before operation. In addition, this also reduces the operation complexity of the robot 15, because it can interact with various processing modules at a closer distance. Therefore, the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment of the present disclosure improves work efficiency and reduces labor costs, and by setting the ground rail module 9, the possibility of interference and collision between the robot 15 and the processing modules is reduced, thereby widening the degree of freedom of the setting position of the processing modules, and the material transportation efficiency can be further improved.

[0040] In some embodiments, the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment of the present disclosure can further include at least one of an exchange bin 1, a transfer temporary storage site 2, a material handling tool, and a material shelf. In some embodiments, the exchange bin 1 is used to exchange materials with the outside. For example, the exchange bin 1 can be used to place materials such as trays, shake flasks, consumables, etc. delivered by an external automated guided vehicle (AGV). In addition, the materials (e.g., samples reconstituted in shake flasks) processed by the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment can be placed in the exchange bin 1, and then an external AGV can transport the processed materials to other suitable processing equipment for further processing. In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the placement of materials by the external AGV, a positioning sensor can be arranged in the exchange bin 1 to facilitate the AGV to identify the position of the exchange bin 1 for correct placement of materials.

[0041] In some embodiments, the transfer temporary storage site 2 is used to temporarily store materials in the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment. For example, the space of the exchange bin 1 is generally limited, in order not to affect the exchange of materials between the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment and the outside, after the external AGV places the materials in the exchange bin 1, the robot 15 can transfer the materials in the exchange bin 1 to the transfer temporary storage site 2 for temporary storage, in this way, the space in the exchange bin 1 is released to normally exchange and transport materials with the external AGV.

[0042] In some embodiments, the material handling tool is detachably connected to the robot 15 for material handling. In some embodiments, the material handling tool can be quickly connected to the end effector of the robot 15, for example, by magnetic connection, snap-fit, etc. When the robot 15 is handling materials, it can be connected to the corresponding material handling tool to handle the corresponding materials. In some embodiments, the material handling tool may include at least one of a test tube handling tool 10, a tray handling tool 12, and a concentration bottle handling tool 13. In some embodiments, the test tube handling tool 10 can be quickly connected to the end effector of the robot 15 and used when the robot 15 performs the task of handling test tubes. In some embodiments, the tray handling tool 12 can be quickly connected to the end effector of the robot 15 and used when the robot 15 performs the task of handling trays (such as test tube trays, concentration bottle trays, tip head trays, etc.). In some embodiments, the concentration bottle handling tool 13 can be quickly connected to the end effector of the robot 15 and used when the robot 15 performs the task of handling concentration bottles and shake flasks. Therefore, the robot 15 can cooperate with the test tube handling tool 10, the tray handling tool 12, the concentration bottle handling tool 13, etc., to complete the handling tasks of various containers and consumables.

[0043] In some embodiments, the material rack is used for storing materials. In some embodiments, the material rack includes a long material rack 11 and a short material rack 14, wherein the length of the long material rack is greater than the length of the short material rack. In some embodiments, both the long material rack 11 and the short material rack 14 can be used to store various containers, consumables, etc. Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the top of the long material shelf 11 can be used to place material handling tools, such as test tube handling tool 10, pallet handling tool 12, and concentration bottle handling tool 13. In some embodiments, the material shelf can also serve as a temporary storage shelf for materials in the exchange compartment 1. For example, after an external AGV places materials in the exchange compartment 1, a robot 15 can transfer the materials in the exchange compartment 1 to the material shelf for temporary storage. In some embodiments, the material shelf serves as a storage shelf for materials to be processed or intermediate materials in various processing modules.

[0044] In some embodiments, the transfer storage location 2 is located adjacent to the exchange chamber 1. Thus, after an external AGV places materials in the exchange chamber 1, the robot 15 can efficiently and quickly transfer the materials from the exchange chamber 1 to the transfer storage location 2 for temporary storage. In some embodiments, the transfer storage location 2 may be equipped with positioning elements, such as stepped pins, connecting posts, or elastic clips, to cooperate with and secure shaking flasks, concentration bottles, or test tube trays, preventing these materials from slipping or falling.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments, the exchange bin 1 is located at the edge of one side of the automated dissolution processing equipment of the sample. In this way, the external AGV can conveniently exchange materials with the exchange bin 1. In some embodiments, the exchange bin 1 can include at least two bin positions (a first bin position and a second bin position), wherein the first bin position is used to receive the materials sent by the external AGV, and the second bin position is used to place the materials of the automated dissolution processing equipment of the sample to be sent out. In some embodiments, an induction sensor is arranged in each of the first bin position and the second bin position, and once the first bin position is placed with the materials sent by the external AGV, a notification is sent to the robot 15, informing that the first bin position has materials to be carried or transferred; once the second bin position is placed with the materials to be taken by the external AGV, a notification is sent to the external AGV, informing that the second bin position of the external AGV has materials to be taken. In some embodiments, a positioning member, such as a stepped pin, a connecting column or an elastic clamping member, etc., can be arranged in each of the first bin position and the second bin position, to cooperate with and fix the shake flask, the concentrate flask or the test tube tray, etc., to prevent these materials from slipping or falling.

[0046] In some embodiments, the processing module includes at least one of a container opening and closing cap module, a liquid adding module, a pipetting module, a centrifugation module, a pouring and merging position, an ultrasonic cleaning pool, a shaking module and a visual detection module. In some embodiments, the container opening and closing cap module is used for opening and closing the cap of the container. In some embodiments, the container opening and closing cap module includes a shake flask opening and closing cap module 3 and a concentrate flask opening and closing cap module 6. In some embodiments, the shake flask opening and closing cap module 3 is used for opening and closing the cap of the shake flask, and also supports opening and closing the cap of the test tube. In some embodiments, the concentrate flask opening and closing cap module 6 is used for opening and closing the cap of the concentrate flask, and also supports opening and closing the cap of the test tube. In some embodiments, the difference between the shake flask opening and closing cap module 3 and the concentrate flask opening and closing cap module 6 is only that the base for placing the shake flask and the concentrate flask is different, and the other structures are the same.

[0047] In some embodiments, the material carrying tool includes a container transfer gripper connected with the robot 15, the container transfer gripper clamps the cap of the container for containing the sample, the container opening and closing cap module clamps the body of the container, and the container transfer gripper cooperates with the container opening and closing cap module to perform the opening and closing cap operation of the container. During the opening and closing cap operation, the container transfer gripper 2 clamps the cap fixedly, and the container opening and closing cap module clamps the body and rotates to separate or tighten the body and the cap. The container transfer gripper can clamp the container, which is mainly used for opening and closing the cap and transferring the container, and the robot 15 can transfer the container to different processing modules or material shelves or between different processing modules / material shelves by using the container transfer gripper.

[0048] In some embodiments, the liquid adding module 4 is used for liquid addition. In some embodiments, the liquid adding module 4 uses a liquid adding needle to add liquid to the test tube / concentrated bottle / shaking bottle. As shown in Figures 3 to 4 In some embodiments, the liquid adding module mainly includes a liquid adding pump valve assembly 31, a liquid adding X-axis assembly 32, a liquid adding Y-axis assembly 33, a liquid adding Z-axis assembly 34, a liquid adding needle 35, a rotating base 36, a waste liquid tank 37, and a liquid adding module base 38. In some embodiments, the liquid adding pump valve assembly 31 mainly includes a pump valve assembly fixing plate 311, a 2-position 3-way electromagnetic valve 312, a plunger pump 313, and a multi-channel switching valve 314. In some embodiments, the pump valve assembly fixing plate 311 is fixed on the liquid adding module stand 384, and the 2-position 3-way electromagnetic valve 312, the plunger pump 313, and the multi-channel switching valve 314 are all fixed on the pump valve assembly fixing plate 311.

[0049] In some embodiments, the liquid adding X-axis assembly 32 is fixed on the liquid adding module base 38, the liquid adding Y-axis assembly 33 is fixed on the liquid adding X-axis assembly 32, the liquid adding Z-axis assembly 34 is fixed on the liquid adding Y-axis assembly 33, and the liquid adding needle 35 is fixed on the liquid adding Z-axis assembly 34. Through the movement of the liquid adding X-axis assembly 32, the liquid adding Y-axis assembly 33, and the liquid adding Z-axis assembly 34, the movement of the liquid adding needle 35 in the X / Y / Z three directions can be realized. In some embodiments, the liquid adding needle 35 can be provided in two forms of a liquid adding curved needle 351 and a liquid adding straight needle 352 according to different liquid adding functions. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5 The liquid adding curved needle 351 mainly includes a curved needle liquid path connector 3511 and a bent needle tip 3512, and the liquid adding straight needle 352 mainly includes a straight needle liquid path connector 3521 and a straight needle tip 3522. The liquid adding curved needle 351 is mainly used in cooperation with the rotating base 36, so that the liquid from the liquid adding curved needle 351 can wash off the material adhered to the inside of the liquid adding container 365 (test tube, concentrated bottle, volumetric flask, etc.). In some embodiments, the liquid adding straight needle 352 is mainly used for conventional liquid adding and small-aperture liquid adding containers, such as the liquid adding scene of the 96-position micro-hole plate 382.

[0050] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 7 The rotating base 36 includes a rotating motor 361, a synchronous belt 362, a synchronous wheel 363, a container support seat 364, and a liquid adding container 365. When the rotating motor 361 rotates, it drives the synchronous belt 362 and the synchronous wheel 363 to move, so that the container support seat 364 rotates together. The liquid adding container 365 is placed on the container support seat 364, and the container support seat 364 rotates together with the liquid adding container 365. The liquid adding container 365 can be a test tube, a concentrated bottle, a volumetric flask, etc. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6a and Figure 6bAs shown, the waste liquid tank 37 includes a waste liquid slope 371, a circular cleaning tank 372, and a waste liquid pipeline 373. When the liquid filling needle 35 needs to be cleaned, or when waste liquid needs to be discharged, the liquid filling needle 35 is inserted into the corresponding circular cleaning tank 372 and performs liquid discharge. The waste liquid flows into the waste liquid pipeline 373 through the waste liquid slope 371. In some embodiments, the liquid filling module base 38, including a standard tray base 381, a 96-site micro-hole plate 382, and a shake flask 383, can be used for liquid filling of various liquid filling containers.

[0051] In some embodiments, the specific pipeline connection of the liquid filling module 4 is as follows: the middle interface of the lower multi-channel switching valve 314 is connected to the middle interface of the upper multi-channel switching valve 314, the interfaces around the lower multi-channel switching valve 314 are connected to solvent bottles, the interfaces around the upper multi-channel switching valve 314 are connected to the normally open interfaces of the 2-position 3-way electromagnetic valve 312, the common interface of the 2-position 3-way electromagnetic valve 312 is connected to the plunger pump 313, the normally closed interface of the 2-position 3-way electromagnetic valve 312 is connected to the liquid filling needle, and the pipelines connecting the above components can be PTFE pipelines. In some embodiments, when the liquid filling module 4 is used for liquid filling, the lower multi-channel switching valve 314 is connected to the corresponding solvent, the upper multi-channel switching valve is connected to the corresponding liquid filling needle 35, the liquid filling needle 35 is moved to the set liquid filling position under the driving of the liquid filling X-axis assembly 32, the liquid filling Y-axis assembly 33, and the liquid filling Z-axis assembly 34, the plunger pump 313 is started, and the liquid is transported from the solvent bottle to the liquid outlet of the liquid filling needle 35 through the corresponding liquid pipeline, and the liquid filling is completed.

[0052] In some embodiments, the pipetting module 5 is used for the transfer of liquids. In some embodiments, the pipetting module 5 employs tip head pipetting to transfer liquids in and out of multiple tubes / concentrators. In some embodiments, the pipetting module 5 can include a pipetting head (e.g., a tip head), a drive mechanism, a displacement sensor, a pressure sensor, and a controller. The pipetting head is the part that directly contacts the liquid, typically designed to be replaceable and disposable or reusable, and its size and shape vary depending on the volume of liquid to be processed. The drive mechanism is responsible for controlling the up-and-down movement of the pipetting head to perform liquid aspiration and dispensing actions, and can be a stepper motor, a servo motor, or a pneumatic system, depending on the required precision and speed. The displacement sensor is used to accurately measure the position of the pipetting head to ensure that each aspiration and dispensing action achieves the desired volume. The pressure sensor is responsible for detecting pressure changes during pipetting, which helps to identify problems such as air bubbles or blockages. The controller includes a microprocessor and related software to interpret user instructions, control the entire pipetting process, and process data from the sensors to ensure the accuracy of the operation. In some embodiments, the centrifugation module 7 is used for the centrifugation of liquids. In some embodiments, the centrifugation module 7 is used for centrifuging tubes. In some embodiments, the centrifugation module 7 can include a centrifuge body, a safety mechanism, and a cooling mechanism. In some embodiments, the centrifuge body can include a motor, a rotor, and a housing. The motor provides rotational power, typically using a brushless DC motor, which has high efficiency and low noise. The rotor is mounted on the motor shaft and is used to load sample tubes. The type and design of the rotor vary depending on the characteristics of the sample and the requirements of the separation, and common types include horizontal rotors, angle rotors, etc. The housing protects the internal mechanical components and also serves as a soundproofing and cooling mechanism.

[0053] In some embodiments, the pour and merge station 8 is used for pouring and merging of liquids. In some embodiments, the pour and merge station 8 is used for pouring the liquid in multiple concentrate bottles into a designated concentrate bottle. In some embodiments, the pour and merge station 8 can include a support frame, a pouring mechanism, a receiving container fixation mechanism, a driving mechanism, etc. In some embodiments, the support frame can include a frame and a height adjustment mechanism, the frame is used to fix and support other components to ensure the stability of the module; the height adjustment mechanism allows the height of the support frame to be adjusted as needed in order to adapt to containers of different heights. In some embodiments, the pouring mechanism can include a pouring arm, a gripper, a sensor, etc., the pouring arm is used to hold and tilt the container so that the liquid or material in it flows out smoothly, the pouring arm is usually designed to be telescopic and rotatable to adapt to containers of different sizes and shapes; the gripper is used to fix the container to prevent it from slipping during pouring, the gripper can have different gripping forces and ranges; the sensor is responsible for detecting the position and angle of the container to ensure the accuracy and safety of the pouring process. In some embodiments, the receiving container fixation mechanism is used to fix the receiving container, for example, the container can be clamped on the base. In some embodiments, the driving mechanism is usually driven by an electric motor or a pneumatic system to control the movement of the pouring arm.

[0054] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 is used for ultrasonic dissolution of samples. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 is used for ultrasonic dissolution of samples in test tubes / concentrate bottles. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 can include a cleaning tank, an ultrasonic generator, a temperature sensor, etc. In some embodiments, the cleaning tank can include a tank body, a heating element, and a drain, the tank body is used to hold cleaning liquid, usually made of stainless steel or corrosion-resistant materials to prevent chemical corrosion; the heating element can improve the cleaning effect by heating the cleaning liquid, especially when cleaning grease stains; the drain is used to drain the waste liquid after cleaning, usually equipped with a filter screen to prevent solid particles from entering the drainage system. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic generator can include a transducer and a control unit, the transducer converts electrical energy into mechanical energy (ultrasonic waves), usually installed at the bottom or side wall of the cleaning tank; the control unit adjusts the frequency and power of the ultrasonic waves to ensure the cleaning effect while protecting the cleaning object from damage. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the cleaning liquid to ensure it is within the set range.

[0055] In some embodiments, the shaking module 17 is used to accelerate the dissolution of the sample. In some embodiments, the shaking module 17 is used to shake the sample tube / concentrated bottle after adding liquid, in combination with the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16, to accelerate the dissolution of the sample. In some embodiments, the shaking module 17 can include a fixing mechanism, a driving mechanism, and a safety mechanism. In some embodiments, the fixing mechanism is used to fix the sample container to prevent sliding or overturning during shaking, and the fixing mechanism can be an elastic clamp, a magnetic base, or a special adapter. In some embodiments, the driving mechanism can include a motor and a transmission mechanism, the motor provides the driving force required for shaking, and usually adopts an alternating current motor or a direct current motor, which has high efficiency and long service life; the transmission mechanism converts the rotary motion of the motor into the reciprocating motion or the circular motion of the platform, and the common transmission mechanisms include eccentric wheels, crank linkages, and cams, etc. In some embodiments, the safety mechanism can include overload protection and balance detection, when the load of the motor is too large, the overload protection automatically cuts off the power supply to prevent damage to the motor; the balance detection detects whether the load is balanced to prevent module damage or safety accidents caused by imbalance.

[0056] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 and the shaking module 17 can be formed into one body to form an ultrasonic shaking module. As shown in Figure 8 , the ultrasonic shaking module mainly includes an ultrasonic cleaning tank 16, a jaw assembly 82, a shaking module 17, and a mounting base 84. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 needs to add a sufficient amount of water in its inner cavity. In some embodiments, the jaw assembly 82 mainly includes a clamping electric jaw 821, a clamping finger 822, and a jaw lifting assembly 823. The clamping finger 822 is fixed on the clamping electric jaw 821, and multiple clamping electric jaws 821 are fixed on the jaw lifting assembly 823 and can be lifted simultaneously. Multiple clamping electric jaws 821 can clamp multiple test tubes 85 or concentrated bottles 86 as needed. In some embodiments, the jaw assembly 82 is installed on the shaking module 17. As shown in Figure 9 , the jaw assembly 82 can also be composed of a clamping air jaw 824, a clamping finger 825, and a jaw lifting assembly 826, the clamping finger 825 is fixed on the clamping air jaw 824, and multiple clamping air jaws 824 are fixed on the jaw lifting assembly 826 and can be lifted simultaneously; multiple clamping air jaws 824 can clamp multiple volumetric flasks 27 as needed.

[0057] As shown in Figure 10a and Figure 10bAs shown, in some embodiments, the oscillation module 17 mainly includes an oscillation base plate 171, an oscillation rotary motor 172, an upper layer guide rail 173, an upper layer connecting plate 174, a lower layer guide rail 175, an eccentric shaft 176, a bearing seat 177, a damping base 178, a driving synchronous wheel 179, a synchronous belt 1710, and a driven synchronous wheel 1711. In some embodiments, the oscillation rotary motor 172, the lower layer guide rail 175, and the bearing seat 177 are fixed on the oscillation base plate 171, the driving synchronous wheel 179 is connected to the main shaft of the oscillation rotary motor 172, and the driven synchronous wheel 1711 is connected to the eccentric shaft 176. When the oscillation rotary motor 172 rotates, the driving synchronous wheel 179 below the oscillation base plate 171 drives the driven synchronous wheel 1711 to rotate through the synchronous belt 1710, thereby driving the eccentric shaft 176 to rotate. In some embodiments, the eccentric shaft 176 is connected to the upper layer connecting plate 174, which drives the upper layer connecting plate 174 to perform a circular translational motion, thereby driving the jaw assembly 82 to perform a circular oscillation.

[0058] In some embodiments, when the ultrasonic oscillation module is working, a sufficient amount of water is added in advance in the inner cavity of the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16, and the test tube or the concentrate bottle that needs to be ultrasonically oscillated is clamped on the clamping finger 822. The test tube or the concentrate bottle is lowered by the jaw lifting assembly 823, so that the test tube or the concentrate bottle is immersed in the water in the inner cavity of the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16. The ultrasonic generator of the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 is started to accelerate the dissolution of the substances in the test tube or the concentrate bottle. When oscillation is needed, the oscillation rotary motor 172 is started to make the test tube or the concentrate bottle perform a circular oscillation. The ultrasonic oscillation and the oscillation can be set according to the experimental requirements.

[0059] In some embodiments, the visual detection module 18 is used to detect the dissolution degree of the sample. In some embodiments, the visual detection module 18 is used to detect whether the sample in the test tube / concentrate bottle is completely dissolved. Generally, the visual detection module 18 mainly checks whether there are undissolved solid particles at the bottom of the container; in addition, the transparency of the solution in the container can also be detected. The completely dissolved solution is usually transparent and has no turbidity or suspended particles. For example, the visual detection module 18 can take a photo of the bottom, middle or top of the container, and analyze the image to obtain the clarity of the sample solution. The visual detection module 18 can monitor the dissolution of the sample in real time to ensure that each step can achieve the expected effect and avoid experimental failure caused by insufficient dissolution of the sample. It should be understood that the visual detection module using other suitable detection methods can also be used in the present disclosure.

[0060] In some embodiments, the visual detection module 18 is adjacent to the ultrasonic cleaning tank 16 and / or the oscillation module 17. In this way, after the sample is subjected to ultrasonic and / or oscillation, it can be conveniently transferred to the visual detection module 18 for detection of whether the sample is completely dissolved.

[0061] In some embodiments, a recycling mechanism can be provided in the base of the lower part of the sample workbench 19, which penetrates the sample workbench 19 to recycle waste solutions, containers, tip heads, filter heads, etc. In some embodiments, the base of the lower part of the sample workbench 19 is a hollow shell, and the internal space can accommodate the robot 15 and the control module and electrical module of the processing module, such as an electrical box, a computer host, a mechanical hand control box, etc. In addition, a plurality of cooling fans can also be provided in the base to cool the electrical control modules in the base, and the controller of the cooling fans can also be located in the base.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the ground rail module 9 extends along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the sample workbench 19 and is located at the middle position in the width direction (up-down direction) of the sample workbench 19. In this way, the material shelves and various processing modules can be arranged on both sides of the ground rail module 9 in the width direction of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment, which facilitates the material transfer of the robot 15 between the material shelves and the various processing modules, and improves the material transmission efficiency. In addition, this also facilitates the compact arrangement of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment. Figure 1 Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the ground rail module 9 extends along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the sample workbench 19 and is located at the middle position in the width direction (up-down direction) of the sample workbench 19. In this way, the material shelves and various processing modules can be arranged on both sides of the ground rail module 9 in the width direction of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment, which facilitates the material transfer of the robot 15 between the material shelves and the various processing modules, and improves the material transmission efficiency. In addition, this also facilitates the compact arrangement of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment. Figure 1 In some embodiments, a positioning sensor is provided on the ground rail module 9. For example, for each material shelf and processing module, there is a corresponding positioning sensor on the ground rail module 9. When the robot 15 needs to exchange materials with the corresponding processing module, the robot 15 can quickly position to the corresponding position, thereby improving the material transmission efficiency.

[0063] In some embodiments, the robot 15 is provided with an image recognition module to facilitate the positioning and operation of the robot. For example, in some embodiments, the robot 15 can be provided with a camera to obtain surrounding images for image analysis, which can help to position to the corresponding processing module for material exchange, or can be used to improve the operation accuracy, for example, based on the obtained images, the pose of the robot 15 is adjusted in real time to exchange materials with the corresponding processing module.

[0064] In some embodiments, the present disclosure also provides a sample automated processing system, which comprises a moving module and the above-mentioned sample automated dissolution processing equipment, and the moving module is used to take and place materials in the exchange warehouse of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment. In some embodiments, the moving module can comprise an AGV, which can perform material transmission between the sample automated dissolution processing equipment and other external equipment.

[0065] In some embodiments, the present disclosure also provides a sample automated processing system, which comprises a moving module and the above-mentioned sample automated dissolution processing equipment, and the moving module is used to take and place materials in the exchange warehouse of the sample automated dissolution processing equipment. In some embodiments, the moving module can comprise an AGV, which can perform material transmission between the sample automated dissolution processing equipment and other external equipment.

[0066] ​The workflow of the automatic sample dissolution processing equipment of the present disclosure is briefly introduced below to better understand the present disclosure. It should be understood that this is only exemplary and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In addition, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The arrangement of various modules in the above is also exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0067] In the preparation stage before the experiment, the external AGV trolley transfers the tray / flask to the exchange warehouse 1, and the robot 15 selects the corresponding handling tool (for example, the tray handling tool 12 or the concentrate bottle handling tool 13) to transfer the tray / flask on the exchange warehouse 1 to the transfer temporary storage position 2, the long material shelf 11 or the short material shelf 14.

[0068] When the required materials are all sent to the long material shelf 11 or the short material shelf 14, the robot 15 selects the corresponding handling tool (for example, the test tube handling tool 10 or the concentrate bottle handling tool 13) to transfer the test tube / concentrate bottle / flask to the flask uncapping module 3 or the concentrate bottle uncapping module 6 for uncapping, and then the robot 15 transfers the uncapped container to the liquid adding module 4 for liquid adding. After the liquid adding is completed, the robot 15 transfers the container to the shaking module 17, and according to the experimental requirements, one side can be ultrasonic and shaking, or ultrasonic and shaking can be selected first. After a certain time of ultrasonic shaking, the robot 15 carries the container to the visual detection module 18, and the visual detection module 18 detects whether the sample in the container is completely dissolved.

[0069] If the used container is a flask, no subsequent operation is required and it can be directly outbound; if the used container is a test tube, the robot 15 first carries the test tube to the centrifugal module 7 for centrifugation, because the liquid volume in the test tube is relatively small, it is necessary to ensure that the liquid can be sucked as clean as possible during pipetting, and the purpose of centrifugation is to make the liquid on the test tube wall spin to the bottom of the test tube to ensure that the liquid can be sucked as clean as possible during pipetting. After the test tube is centrifuged for a certain time and speed, it is transferred to the pipetting module 5, which transfers the liquid in the test tube to the designated test tube / concentrate bottle; if the used container is a concentrate bottle, no centrifugation is required (because the liquid volume in the concentrate bottle is relatively large, and the residual liquid on the bottle wall is relatively acceptable), and it is directly transferred to the pipetting module 5, which transfers the liquid in the concentrate bottle to the designated test tube / concentrate bottle. According to the experimental requirements, when the liquid volume in the concentrate bottle is relatively large, the pipetting method needs to be operated many times (the maximum range of the pipette is usually only 5ml), so the concentrate bottle can be first transferred to the pouring and merging position 8, and the robot 15 uses the concentrate bottle handling tool 13 to pour the concentrate bottles that need to be merged into another designated concentrate bottle by pouring, thereby improving the efficiency of liquid merging.

[0070] When the test tube / concentrated bottle completes the corresponding liquid adding, shaking, and merging operations, the robot 15 transfers the test tube / concentrated bottle to the corresponding shake flask capping module 3 or concentrated bottle capping module 6 for capping. The capped test tube / concentrated bottle is sent back to the corresponding tray and stored in the long material shelf 11 or short material shelf 14.

[0071] When the dissolution treatment of all samples is completed, the robot 15 sequentially transfers all samples to the exchange bin 1, and the external AGV sends the samples on the exchange bin 1 to the designated destination.

[0072] The automatic dissolution treatment equipment for samples of the present disclosure includes a series of functions such as liquid adding, liquid transferring, ultrasonic dissolution, and visual detection, and is mainly applied to the field of medicine extraction, the scene of dilution and reconstitution of freeze-dried samples. The liquid adding module is used to add liquid to the freeze-dried samples, and the ultrasonic shaking module is used to accelerate the dissolution of the samples. Finally, the reconstituted samples are merged by liquid transferring / pouring. The whole process is automated to reduce labor costs. The present disclosure cooperates the liquid adding module and the liquid transferring module. Different amounts of solvent are added by the liquid adding module, and different liquid concentrations of samples are obtained by transferring the liquid by the liquid transferring module and then adding the solvent, so as to realize the direct conversion of medicine from solid samples to liquid samples with different concentrations.

[0073] The automatic dissolution treatment equipment for samples of the present disclosure can open and cap a plurality of containers (test tubes / concentrated bottles / shake flasks) and add liquid, and can ultrasonically shake the samples to improve the dissolution efficiency of the freeze-dried samples. Meanwhile, the visual detection module can detect the dissolution of the samples. The module has high throughput and high flexibility, and can realize automation throughout the process to reduce labor costs.

[0074] Through the combination of the robot and the ground rail module, a large number of samples can be quickly and accurately handled and processed, greatly improving the processing capacity and efficiency of the experiment. In addition, by setting the ground rail module and setting the robot to move along the ground rail module, the problem of interference and collision between the fixed robot and the module during operation is reduced without reducing the compactness of the automatic dissolution treatment equipment for samples. Because the robot moves to the appropriate position on the ground rail module before operation. In addition, this also reduces the operation complexity of the robot, because it can interact with various processing modules at a closer distance. Therefore, while improving the work efficiency and reducing the labor cost of the automatic dissolution treatment equipment for samples of the present disclosure, the possibility of interference and collision between the robot and the processing module is reduced by setting the ground rail module, thereby widening the degree of freedom of the setting position of the processing module and further improving the material transmission efficiency.

[0075] In addition, the automated dissolution processing apparatus of the sample of the present disclosure is designed with future scalability in mind, and can adapt to changing experimental needs by adding new modules or adjusting the functionality of existing modules.

[0076] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are only exemplary embodiments, and various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0077] Example embodiments have been disclosed herein and, although the specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, unless otherwise explicitly stated. In some instances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that features, characteristics or / and elements described in connection with a particular embodiment can be used, individually or in combination, with other embodiments unless otherwise explicitly stated. Accordingly, it will be understood that various changes in form and details can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated dissolution processing apparatus for a sample, characterized by, The sample workbench comprises: a processing module arranged on the sample workbench and configured to perform dissolution treatment on a sample; a ground rail module arranged on the sample workbench; a robot arranged on the ground rail module, wherein the robot is capable of moving along the ground rail module; wherein the automated dissolution treatment device further comprises at least one of the following modules: an exchange warehouse configured to exchange materials with the outside; a temporary storage site configured to temporarily store materials in the automated dissolution treatment device of the sample; a material handling tool configured to be detachably connected to the robot for material handling; a material shelf configured to store materials. The material handling tool comprises at least one of a test tube handling tool, a tray handling tool, and a concentrate bottle handling tool.

2. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material shelf comprises a first material shelf and a second material shelf, wherein the length of the first material shelf is greater than the length of the second material shelf, and the first material shelf is capable of being used to place the material handling tool.

3. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temporary storage site is arranged adjacent to the exchange warehouse.

4. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exchange warehouse is located at an edge position on one side of the automated dissolution treatment device of the sample.

5. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing module comprises at least one of the following modules:

6. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, a container opening and closing module configured to open and close a container; a liquid adding module configured to add a liquid; a liquid transferring module configured to transfer a liquid; a centrifugation module configured to centrifuge a liquid; a pouring and merging site configured to pour and merge liquids; an ultrasonic cleaning pool configured to ultrasonically dissolve a sample; a shaking module configured to accelerate the dissolution of a sample; a visual detection module configured to detect the degree of dissolution of a sample. The container opening and closing module comprises a shake flask opening and closing module and a concentrate bottle opening and closing module.

7. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 6, characterized in that, The visual detection module is arranged adjacent to the ultrasonic cleaning pool and / or the shaking module.

8. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 6, characterized in that, The ground rail module extends along the longitudinal direction of the sample workbench and is located at a middle position in the width direction of the sample workbench.

9. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The ground rail module is provided with a positioning sensor.

10. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to claim 9, characterized in that, The robot is provided with an image recognition module to facilitate the positioning and operation of the robot.

11. The automated dissolution processing apparatus of samples according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The automated sample processing system comprises a moving module configured to take and place materials in the exchange warehouse of the automated dissolution treatment device of the sample and the automated dissolution treatment device of the sample according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

12. An automated processing system of samples, characterized in that, ​

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