Direct lifting type cell incubator sealing door device

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of cell culture, and provides a direct lifting type cell incubator sealing door device which is arranged on an incubator body of an incubator, the sealing door device comprises a sealing unit, a door body and a lifting mechanism, the sealing unit is arranged on the door body, the door body is arranged on the lifting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism is arranged on the door body. The door body is fixedly connected with the lifting mechanism through a connecting piece, the lifting mechanism is used for driving the door body to move up and down, the sealing unit is matched with a contact surface at the edge of an opening of a cell incubator body, and the contact surface comprises an inclined surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cell culture technology, specifically to an automated culture cabinet cell incubator, a sealed door, and a control method and control system thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Cell incubators are commonly used equipment in cell culture. To ensure a stable cell culture environment, strict temperature and humidity control is usually required. In automated culture cabinets, reagent trays need to be removed from the incubator for subsequent operations. Traditional cell incubators and their material removal methods may lead to temperature and humidity fluctuations, affecting the cell culture results. Traditional incubators suffer from drawbacks such as uneven temperature, difficulty in humidity control, poor door sealing, and low automation, impacting cell preservation quality and experimental efficiency. For example, weak air circulation in ordinary incubators leads to large temperature gradients, affecting the consistency of cell metabolism; poor door sealing increases the risk of heat exchange and contamination; and manual or simple controls for door opening and closing and temperature and humidity regulation cannot meet the needs of complex experimental procedures.

[0003] Typically, cell incubators or thermostats use either manual or electric door opening and closing mechanisms. Among manual and electric door opening methods, three common types are: First, push-pull type. The door is connected to the chamber via a sliding rail and is opened and closed by pushing or pulling. This method is simple and intuitive, suitable for cell incubators or thermostats of various sizes. Second, flip-top type. The door is connected to the chamber via hinges and can be flipped open like a door. Flip-top doors are usually equipped with a locking mechanism to ensure a seal when closed. Third, side-opening type: The door is located on the side of the chamber and opens via hinges or other connecting mechanisms. This method facilitates the operator's access to cell samples from the side. Electric lifting doors are also used in automated control systems, such as those found in CN209445790U "A Spring-Closed Insulated Lifting Door" and CN215464485U "A Quick Lifting Door for a Constant Temperature and Humidity Chamber." However, traditional lifting doors use a direct rising or falling lifting method. If the door's sealing strip or locking mechanism is not properly designed during the lifting process, it may lead to a decrease in sealing performance, thereby allowing outside air and contaminants to enter the chamber and affecting the preservation environment of cell samples.

[0004] Therefore, the development of high-performance cell incubators is of great significance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a cell incubator, a sealed door, and a control method and control system for an automated culture cabinet.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a direct lifting cell incubator sealing door device, which is installed on the incubator body. The sealing door device includes a sealing unit, a door body, and a lifting mechanism. The sealing unit is mounted on the door body, and the door body is mounted on the lifting mechanism. The door body and the lifting mechanism are fixedly connected by a connector. The lifting mechanism drives the door body to move up and down. The sealing unit's contact surface matches the edge of the cell incubator body opening, and the side of the sealing unit near the cell incubator body opening includes a first inclined surface. A sealing frame is provided at the edge of the cell incubator body opening, and this sealing frame includes a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface match to achieve a seal on the incubator.

[0007] Preferably, the sealing unit includes a rubber sealing strip, and the side of the rubber sealing strip near the opening of the cell incubator includes an inclined surface.

[0008] Preferably, a sealing frame is provided at the edge of the opening of the cell incubator, and the sealing frame includes an inclined surface.

[0009] Preferably, the angle between the inclined surface and the vertical direction is 5-10 degrees.

[0010] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a drive unit, a transmission unit, a guide unit, and a support unit. The drive unit is located on the top of the cell incubator and is used to drive the lifting and lowering movement of the door. The transmission unit is used to transmit the power of the motor to the door. The guide unit is located on the support unit and is used to guide the lifting and lowering of the door.

[0011] Preferably, the contact surface between the sealing unit and the door body is toothed.

[0012] Preferably, the drive unit includes a servo motor.

[0013] This application also provides a cell incubator, including the aforementioned sealing door device.

[0014] This application also provides a method for controlling the door of the cell incubator described above, used to control the opening and closing of a direct-lift cell incubator sealing door device. The sealing door device includes: a lifting mechanism, a door body disposed on the lifting mechanism, and a sealing unit disposed on the door body. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the door body to move up and down. The sealing unit matches the contact surface of the edge of the opening of the cell incubator body, and the contact surface includes an inclined surface. The control method includes the following steps: the main control module receives a trigger command and calculates the first operating parameters of the door according to a preset motion trajectory; based on the first operating parameters of the door, the main control module generates a first drive signal and sends it to the drive module; after receiving the first drive signal from the main control module, the drive module adjusts the output of the drive module according to the first drive signal and drives the door to run; after the door gradually runs, the drive module dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the door according to the preset motion trajectory in the main control module and the signal fed back in real time by the detection module, and makes the door reach a preset position, wherein the preset motion trajectory includes a vertical lifting mode of the door.

[0015] This application also provides a cell incubator door control system, comprising: a main control module for receiving instructions and sending signals; an experimental process monitoring module for tracking the experimental process; a drive module for driving the incubator door to directly perform lifting and lowering movements according to the signals sent by the main control module; a detection module for monitoring the movement status of the incubator door and feeding it back to the main control module; and a fault monitoring module for monitoring the operating parameters of the drive module and the detection module and sending signals to the main control module.

[0016] This application also provides an automatic control method for a cell incubator door, comprising the following steps: an experimental process monitoring module tracks the experimental process and automatically sends a trigger command to the main control module; the main control module receives the trigger command and calculates the first operating parameters of the door according to a preset motion trajectory; based on the first operating parameters of the door, the main control module generates a first driving signal and sends it to the driving module; after receiving the first driving signal from the main control module, the driving module adjusts its output according to the first driving signal and drives the door to run; after the door gradually runs, the driving module dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the door according to the preset motion trajectory of the main control module and the real-time feedback signal from the detection module, and makes the door reach a preset position, wherein the preset motion trajectory includes a vertical lifting mode or a tilting lifting mode of the door.

[0017] This application also provides a cell incubator door control system, including a main control module for receiving instructions and sending signals; an experimental process monitoring module for tracking the experimental process; a drive module for driving the incubator door to directly perform lifting and lowering movements according to the signals sent by the main control module; a detection module for monitoring the movement status of the incubator door and feeding it back to the main control module; and a fault monitoring module for monitoring the operating parameters of the drive module and the detection module and sending signals to the main control module.

[0018] This application also provides a cell incubator, including a box body comprising an outer shell and an inner cavity; an incubator door device disposed on the outer shell, which realizes the opening and closing of the incubator door through lifting movement; an air circulation device for promoting airflow in the inner cavity, disposed in the inner cavity; a refrigeration device for generating cold air, including a compressor and a condenser disposed on the top of the outer shell; and a control device for controlling the operation of the incubator door device, the air circulation device, and the refrigeration device, wherein the incubator door device includes a lifting mechanism, a material-retrieving lifting door body slidably disposed on the lifting mechanism, and a sealing unit fixedly disposed on the material-retrieving lifting door body.

[0019] This application also provides a cell incubator, comprising: a housing, including an outer shell and an inner cavity; a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the inner cavity, disposed within the inner cavity; an air circulation device for promoting airflow within the inner cavity, disposed within the inner cavity; and a refrigeration device for generating cold air, including a compressor and a condenser disposed on the top of the outer shell; wherein, at least one storage shelf is disposed within the inner cavity, the bottom and sides of the at least one storage shelf are hollowed out, and the temperature detection device includes multiple temperature sensors.

[0020] This application also provides a cell incubator, comprising: a housing, including an outer shell and an inner cavity; a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the inner cavity, disposed within the inner cavity; an air circulation device for promoting airflow within the inner cavity, disposed within the inner cavity, including a fan for driving the gas flow and a flow guiding mechanism for guiding the airflow; and a refrigeration device for generating cold air, including a compressor and a condenser disposed on the top of the outer shell; wherein, at least one storage shelf is disposed within the inner cavity, the bottom and sides of the at least one storage shelf are hollowed out, the fan is disposed on the top of the inner cavity, and the flow guiding mechanism includes an air duct disposed on both sides of the inner cavity and communicating with the fan. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the cell incubator in this application embodiment;

[0023] Figure 2 Front view of the cell incubator in this embodiment;

[0024] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the cell incubator EE in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This embodiment of the application shows a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cell incubator with the air duct visible after removing the cell incubator door;

[0026] Figure 5 Rear view of the cell incubator with its lifting and unloading door in the open state in this embodiment of the application;

[0027] Figure 6 A side view of the cell incubator's lifting and unloading door in the open state in this embodiment of the application;

[0028] Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of the inclined lifting cell incubator sealing door device in one embodiment of this application, showing that the contact surface between the door body and the door body support is an inclined surface;

[0029] Figure 8 A simplified diagram of the contact surface between the sealing strip and the edge of the opening of the cell incubator body in one embodiment of this application is an inclined surface in the direct vertical lifting cell incubator sealing door device.

[0030] Figure 9 Flowchart of the cell incubator door opening control method in this application embodiment;

[0031] Figure 10 A flowchart of step S1 in the cell incubator door opening control method in this application embodiment;

[0032] Figure 11 A flowchart of step S1 in the cell incubator door opening control method in another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 12 A flowchart of step S2 in the cell incubator door opening control method in this application embodiment;

[0034] Figure 13The flowchart of step S3 in the cell incubator door opening control method in this application embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this application clearer and more understandable, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily intended to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be used interchangeably where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "including," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0037] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Additionally, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0038] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0039] This embodiment provides a cell incubator that can accelerate cold air circulation and rapid cooling. By optimizing the air circulation and cooling mechanism, it improves the temperature control efficiency and uniformity during cell culture or storage. Furthermore, the sealed material handling lifting door device of the cell incubator improves the efficiency of opening and closing the door.

[0040] Figure 1A three-dimensional structural diagram of the cell incubator in this application embodiment; Figure 2 Front view of the cell incubator in this embodiment; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the cell incubator in the embodiments of this application.

[0041] The cell incubator 100 of this embodiment includes a body 10, a cooling device 20, an air circulation device 30, an incubator door device 40, a temperature detection device (not shown), a humidity detection device (not shown), a control device (not shown), and a display device (not shown). The body 10 includes an outer shell 11 and an inner cavity 12. An insulation layer is provided between the outer shell 11 and the inner cavity 12 to reduce heat exchange, and both the outer shell 11 and the inner cavity 12 are made of metal. The inner cavity 12 is provided with multiple temperature detection devices for detecting the inner cavity temperature, multiple humidity detection devices for detecting the inner cavity humidity, and at least one storage shelf 50. In this embodiment, two storage shelves 50 are shown in the inner cavity 12; in other embodiments, the number of storage shelves may also be multiple. The bottom and sides of the storage shelves 50 are hollowed out, and sufficient space is left between each layer of storage shelves 50 to ensure air circulation. At least one of the multiple temperature sensors is located at the bottom of at least one storage shelf 50. In some embodiments, temperature sensors are installed at the top, middle, bottom, and near the storage shelf 50 of the inner cavity 12 of the box. In some embodiments, only a temperature sensor placed below the storage shelf 50 is included. A display device (not shown) is mounted on the outer casing 11 for displaying temperature and alarm information. A control device (not shown) controls the operation of the insulated box door device 40, the air circulation device 30, and the refrigeration device 20, and is communicatively connected to each device. A water collection tray 60 is also provided at the bottom of the insulated box 100.

[0042] The refrigeration device 20, comprising a compressor 21 and a condenser 22 located on the top of the outer casing 11, is capable of generating a large amount of cold air in a short time. In some embodiments, the cell incubator 100 also includes an auxiliary refrigeration device to generate additional cold air for the cell incubator. Specifically, the auxiliary refrigeration device can be a semiconductor refrigeration auxiliary device, a compression refrigeration auxiliary device, or / and a liquid nitrogen refrigeration auxiliary device. The semiconductor refrigeration auxiliary device is a semiconductor refrigeration chip installed on the inner wall of the cell incubator. In some embodiments, a rapid cooling medium such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen can also be introduced as an auxiliary cooling method. For example, the cold air from dry ice or liquid nitrogen can be directly introduced into the inner cavity 12 through a jetting device to achieve rapid cooling. The jetting device, combined with the cold air circulation system of the inner cavity 12, ensures that the cold air from dry ice or liquid nitrogen can quickly diffuse and act evenly on the cell incubator 100.

[0043] An air circulation device 30 is disposed within the inner cavity 12 to promote airflow within the cavity. The air circulation device 30 includes a fan 31 for driving gas flow and a flow guiding mechanism 32 for guiding airflow. The fan 31 is disposed at the top of the inner cavity 12. The fan 31 includes an impeller, a motor, and a housing; the motor drives the impeller to rotate, thereby generating airflow. The flow guiding mechanism 32 includes air ducts 321 disposed on both sides of the inner cavity 12 and communicating with the fan 31. (See [reference]) Figure 4 The air duct 321 is made of sheet metal, bent into a square tube channel, and fixed to both sides of the inner wall of the box. Multiple ventilation holes 322 are formed on the sheet metal surface of the air duct 321 using methods such as louvers to facilitate effective airflow. The ventilation holes 322 are evenly distributed, with an interval of 30mm between adjacent holes. The outlet of the air duct 321 is a certain distance from the bottom of the insulation box. The thickness of the air duct is no more than 10mm. In some embodiments, a guide plate can be installed inside the air duct 321 to guide airflow along a predetermined path, reducing turbulence and eddies, and improving air circulation efficiency. In some embodiments, the air circulation device 30 also includes an airflow regulating mechanism for adjusting the fan speed and regulating the airflow.

[0044] See Figure 5-6 The insulated box door device 40 includes a sealing unit 41, a material handling lifting door 42, a lifting mechanism 43, and a replenishment door 44. The replenishment door is mounted on the outer shell and is positioned opposite to the material handling lifting door 42. The sealing unit 41 is a rubber sealing strip, mounted on the material handling lifting door 42, and matches the contact surface of the box opening edge to achieve a seal. This sealing contact surface includes an inclined surface. The compression of the rubber strip is 50%.

[0045] The contact surface between the sealing unit 41 and the material handling lifting door is toothed. This toothed design not only increases the contact area between the sealing unit and the sealing surface at the edge of the box opening, but also effectively prevents the generation of micro-gaps through interlocking, thus improving sealing performance. The rubber sealing strip is U-shaped and is installed on the door near the opening of the cell incubator. The material handling lifting door 42 and the lifting mechanism 43 are securely connected by rigid connectors (such as bolts and pins). The lifting mechanism 43 drives the material handling lifting door 42 to move up and down, thereby opening and closing the box. The lifting mechanism 43 includes a drive unit 431, a transmission unit 432, a guide unit 433, and a support unit 434. The support unit 434 includes a box opening bracket 4341 on both sides of the box opening and a door bracket 4342 on both sides of the material handling lifting door 42. The drive unit 432 uses a servo motor as its power source, is located on the top of the outer casing 11 and fixed to the box opening bracket 4341, and is used to drive the up and down movement of the material handling lifting door 42. The transmission unit 432 transmits power from the drive unit 4341 (servo motor) to the material handling lifting gate 42. In some embodiments, the transmission unit 432 employs a double gear and double rack transmission method, comprising a drive gear 4321, two driven gears 4322, two racks 4323, and a transmission shaft 4324. The drive gear 4321 is directly mounted on the output shaft of the servo motor and rotates synchronously with the output shaft. The driven gears 4322 are mounted on the transmission shaft and interact with the drive gear 4321 through meshing, converting the rotational motion into the lifting motion of the material handling lifting gate 42. The gate support 4342 has an interface for connecting to the racks 4323, with each rack meshing with one of the two driven gears 4322. When the driven gears 4322 rotate, the racks 4323 move in a linear direction, thereby driving the material handling lifting gate 42 to rise and fall. A guide unit 433 is mounted on the support unit 434 to guide the material-retrieving lifting gate 42 in raising and lowering, ensuring that the gate moves smoothly along a predetermined path during the raising and lowering process. The guide unit 433 includes a guide rail 431 and a slider 432. The guide rail 431 is mounted on the box opening bracket 4341 and installed on both sides of the box opening. The gate support 4342 is mounted on the slider 432. The guide rail 431 cooperates with the slider 432 on the gate support 4342 to guide and support the material-retrieving lifting gate 42. The guide unit 433 is also equipped with an anti-derailment component (not shown in the figure) to ensure that the material-retrieving lifting gate 42 does not deviate from the predetermined path during the raising and lowering process. In some embodiments, the material-retrieving lifting gate weighs 8 kg.

[0046] See Figure 7In some embodiments, the door support 4342 includes an inclined surface, and the material-retrieving lifting door 42 is disposed on the inclined surface. The box opening support 4341 includes an inclined surface 4341a, and a guide rail 431 is disposed on the inclined surface 4341a of the box opening support 4341. The inclined surface 4341a and the angle between the inclined surface and the vertical direction are both 3 degrees to 10 degrees. The guide rail 431 is inclinedly disposed on the box opening support 4341, and the material-retrieving lifting door 42 is inclinedly disposed on the door support 4342. In this embodiment, the movement trajectory of the material-retrieving lifting door 42 is an inclined lifting movement with a certain inclination angle.

[0047] See Figure 8 In some embodiments, the side of the rubber sealing strip near the opening of the cell incubator includes an inclined surface 41a. A sealing frame 13 is provided at the edge of the opening of the cell incubator, and the sealing frame includes an inclined surface 13a. The angle between the inclined surface and the vertical direction is 5-10 degrees. In this embodiment, the movement trajectory of the material handling lifting door 42 is a vertical lifting movement.

[0048] In some embodiments, the movement trajectory of the material handling lifting gate 42 is either first translating and then lifting (opening the door) or first lifting and then translating (closing the door). In this embodiment, a cam mechanism is used to realize the translation of the material handling lifting gate 42.

[0049] In some embodiments, the material replenishment gate may also adopt the same technical solution as the material retrieval lifting gate 42.

[0050] This embodiment also provides a cell incubator door control system. The control system includes at least: a main control module, an experimental process monitoring module, a drive module, a detection module, and a fault monitoring module. The main control module is responsible for receiving user commands, processing control logic, sending control signals, and receiving feedback data from various sensors in the detection module. The drive module, as the execution module, is responsible for driving the incubator door to move up and down according to the control signals. The servo motor in the incubator door device serves as the power source, driving the incubator door to move up and down according to the control signals (such as speed and acceleration commands) sent by the main control module. The drive module is responsible for converting the control signals into electrical signals recognizable by the motor and monitoring the motor's operating status in real time to ensure the smoothness and accuracy of the movement. The detection module includes an open door sensor and a close door sensor, responsible for monitoring the status of the incubator door in real time and feeding back to the main control module. In this embodiment, the position detection accuracy of the open door sensor and the close door sensor can be preset to 0.05mm, and both the open door sensor and the close door sensor use photoelectric sensors. The fault monitoring module monitors the motor's current, voltage, speed, and sensor output signals in real time, and sends the signals to the main control module. In this embodiment, the motor current threshold can be set to no more than twice the rated current.

[0051] This embodiment also provides a method 200 for controlling the opening and closing of a cell incubator door, the general process of which includes the generation of trigger commands and the control of door startup and operation.

[0052] Trigger command generation. The experimental process monitoring module works continuously throughout the cell culture experiment. It tracks the experimental process in various ways, such as establishing a communication connection with the experimental equipment to obtain equipment status information, including whether the equipment is operating normally, whether a specific operation has been completed and returned to a ready state, etc., or reading a preset timetable (which can be customized by the user according to the experimental process, or automatically generated according to the experimental type and requirements), comparing the current time with the time points of each experimental step in the timetable (such as the start time, end time and duration of the experimental step) to determine the current experimental step. When the experimental process monitoring module detects that a preset experimental step has been completed and it is necessary to receive or output transported materials or samples from the cell incubator (such as when samples need to be removed for testing or new culture medium needs to be added at a specific stage of cell culture), it generates a trigger command (door opening command or door closing command) according to pre-set rules. The trigger command can be accurately sent to the main control module via wired or wireless communication.

[0053] Door operation control. Upon receiving a trigger command, the main control module calculates the door's initial operating parameters, including initial speed and initial acceleration, based on the currently preset door motion trajectory mode (vertical lifting or tilting lifting mode) and the initial settings. Based on these calculated parameters, the main control module generates a first drive signal and sends it to the drive module. Upon receiving the signal, the drive module quickly adjusts the servo motor's speed and torque, thus driving the door to start operating. At the moment of door startup, the door moves strictly according to the calculated initial speed and initial acceleration. As the door gradually moves, the drive module dynamically adjusts the door's operating parameters based on the preset motion trajectory in the main control module and the real-time feedback signals from the detection module. The detection module (such as a position sensor) continuously monitors the door's position, speed, and acceleration, and feeds this information back to the main control module in real time. The main control module compares and analyzes the feedback information with the preset motion trajectory. For example, if the actual operating speed of the door is lower than the preset speed, the main control module will adjust the drive signal to increase the motor output and improve the door's operating speed. Conversely, if the speed is too high, the motor output will be reduced to decelerate, ensuring that the door's operating speed is always within a safe range (maximum 300mm / s) and the acceleration does not exceed the maximum value of 0.03G, allowing the door to smoothly and accurately reach the preset position (open or closed). When the door reaches the preset position, it triggers the door opening or closing sensor installed at the corresponding location, sending a position signal to the main control module. At this time, the drive module gradually reduces the motor output parameters according to the preset stopping conditions. For example, when the door is a certain distance from the target position (e.g., 50mm), it begins to reduce the motor speed according to a certain deceleration curve, allowing the door to stop smoothly at the target position, avoiding impact caused by sudden stopping, and ensuring the sealing when the door is closed and the safety when it is opened.

[0054] The control methods for turning it on and off are roughly the same; see [link / reference] Figure 9 The specific steps and methods are explained in detail, taking the door opening process as an example.

[0055] S1 automatically sends an opening command to the main control module according to the preset experimental procedure or external signal.

[0056] The preset experimental procedure specifically refers to the main control module monitoring the status of each step in the experimental procedure. When a step is completed, it automatically sends an opening command to receive or output the transported materials or samples. In a specific embodiment, the experimental procedure monitoring module checks whether the experimental step has been completed by checking whether the experimental equipment has returned to the ready state, whether the sample has been processed, and / or whether the preset experimental step time point has been reached. External signals refer to signals sent by the remote control interface or sensor signals. Users can send door opening requests through the remote control interface (such as a touch screen, PC software, or mobile APP). In some embodiments, various sensors (such as infrared sensors, RFID readers, pressure sensors, etc.) can be installed. When the sensor detects a specific event (such as personnel approaching, RFID tags being read, pressure changes, etc.), it sends a signal to the main control module, thereby triggering the door opening action.

[0057] See Figure 10 The main control module receives the door opening command according to the system's preset experimental procedure, which specifically includes the following sub-steps:

[0058] S1-1 Monitoring Experimental Steps: The experimental process monitoring module tracks each preset experimental step based on the status information of the experimental equipment and / or a preset timetable. Specifically, the experimental process monitoring module can read a preset timetable from a storage device, which is either pre-set by the user or automatically generated according to the type and requirements of the experiment.

[0059] S1-2 Status Detection: In each preset experimental step, the main control module checks whether the step has been completed. This may involve checking whether the equipment has returned to a ready state, whether the sample has been processed, or whether a specific time point has been reached, such as the preset experimental step's time point. The preset experimental step's time point includes the start time, end time, and duration of the experimental step. The experimental process monitoring module determines the current experimental step by comparing the current time with the time points in the time schedule.

[0060] S1-3 Automatic Trigger: When the preset experimental steps are detected as completed and it is necessary to receive or output transported materials or samples from the cell incubator, the experimental process monitoring module generates a door opening trigger command and sends it to the main control module. This command typically includes the door opening mode (e.g., fully open, half open, etc.) and possible priority information.

[0061] See Figure 11 The main control module receives the door opening command based on external signals, which specifically includes the following sub-steps:

[0062] S1-1' Remote Control Interface: Users can send door opening requests via a touchscreen, PC software, or mobile app. These interfaces typically offer intuitive button or menu options, allowing users to send commands with simple clicks. In some embodiments, the system also integrates various sensors to detect specific events in the environment. For example, infrared sensors can detect approaching personnel, RFID readers can read RFID tags, and pressure sensors can detect pressure changes. When these sensors detect a preset event, they immediately send a signal to the main control module.

[0063] S1-2' Signal Analysis: After receiving a signal from a sensor or remote control interface, the main control module will analyze it to confirm the type and content of the signal.

[0064] If the signal is a door opening request, the main control module will prepare to send the door opening command.

[0065] S2, the main control module receives the door opening command and calculates parameters such as speed, acceleration, and position of the door at each stage of the opening process according to the preset motion trajectory, and sends drive signals to the servo motor (see continue). Figure 9 ).

[0066] See Figure 12 Step S2 includes the following sub-steps:

[0067] S2-1 Motion Trajectory Planning: Based on factors such as the door's weight, inertia, and friction, the main control module stores a preset motion trajectory for the door's opening to ensure a smooth and efficient opening process. The preset motion trajectory is either a direct door lifting mode or a tilting door lifting mode.

[0068] S2-2 Parameter Calculation: Based on the door opening command and the preset motion trajectory, the main control module calculates the required speed, acceleration, and position parameters for each stage of the door opening process. These parameters may change over time to adapt to different opening stages and conditions. In some embodiments, the door's operating speed is controlled between 50mm / s and 345mm / s, and the stroke is 600mm to 620mm. In some embodiments, the stroke in the tilting and lifting mode is 600mm. The stroke in the direct lifting mode is 620mm.

[0069] S2-3 Drive Signal Generation: Based on the calculated parameters, the main control module generates corresponding drive signals and sends them to the servo motor via the communication interface. These signals contain the specific actions and parameter requirements that the motor needs to perform.

[0070] S3, the servo motor controls the motor output according to the drive signal to ensure the door opens smoothly (see also...). Figure 9In the initial stage, a slower speed and greater acceleration may be used to smoothly initiate the opening action and reduce mechanical shock. As the door gradually opens, the speed and acceleration may be gradually increased to improve opening efficiency.

[0071] See Figure 13 Step S3 includes the following sub-steps:

[0072] S3-1 Motor Control: After receiving the drive signal from the main control module, the servo motor adjusts its output according to the instructions and parameter requirements in the signal. This includes adjusting the motor's speed, torque, and rotation direction. In some embodiments, the motor speed is adjusted to 3000 rpm, and the torque is 0.3-0.4 NM.

[0073] S3-2 Smooth Start-up: In the initial stage of the door opening action, the servo motor uses a slower speed and a larger acceleration to smoothly start the door. This helps reduce mechanical shock and noise, and protects the door and related equipment from damage. In some embodiments, the initial speed of the door is 50-100 mm / s, and the initial acceleration is 0.01-0.025G.

[0074] S3-3 Dynamic Adjustment: As the door gradually opens, the servo motor dynamically adjusts its speed and acceleration based on the preset motion trajectory and real-time feedback signals. This ensures the door remains smooth and efficient during opening. During this phase, the maximum operating speed of the door does not exceed 345 mm / s, and the maximum acceleration does not exceed 0.06G. When closing, the closing speed is controlled between 10-50 mm / s.

[0075] S4, when the cabinet door is fully opened and reaches the preset position, the main control module will stop sending control signals and confirm that the door opening process is complete (see below). Figure 9 When the door approaches the preset position, the main control module automatically adjusts the speed and acceleration to ensure that the door can accurately stop at the designated position.

[0076] S4-1 Position Detection: The system uses position sensors to detect the current position of the door. These sensors can send position information to the control computer in real time.

[0077] S4-2 Stop Control: When the door reaches the preset position, the main control module receives a signal from the position sensor and accordingly stops sending control signals to the servo motor. This ensures that the door can accurately stop at the designated position. When the door reaches the preset position, the drive module gradually reduces the motor's output parameters according to the preset stop condition, causing the door to stop smoothly at the target position. In some embodiments, the preset stop condition can be set to stop the drive when the compression of the sealing strip reaches 50%.

[0078] S4-3 Process Confirmation: After ceasing to send control signals, the main control module performs a series of checks and confirmations to ensure the door opening process has been successfully completed. This may include checking whether the door is fully open and whether there are any obstacles blocking the door. If everything is normal, the main control module records the door opening event and prepares to receive the next instruction. If an abnormality is detected, the main control module will take appropriate measures (such as sending an alarm signal or closing the door) to ensure safety.

[0079] The control method for opening the cell incubator door in this embodiment utilizes feedback components such as sensors to acquire real-time status information of the door, such as position and speed, and compares it with set values. The control module calculates the adjustment amount based on the deviation, thereby achieving precise position and speed control. For example, when a deviation between the actual position of the door and the target position is detected, the control signal of the motor is adjusted in a timely manner.

[0080] The following section will explain the opening and closing control process of the cell incubator door in a specific application scenario.

[0081] When the cell incubator is in operation, and the user sends an opening request via the remote control interface or receives an opening command according to the preset experimental procedure, the main control module receives the opening command and executes the following steps:

[0082] The control host software calls the door opening application programming interface (API) to initiate the door opening program. The door opening API automatically calculates the optimal operating speed and acceleration based on preset opening distance, speed curves, and acceleration parameters, and sends control commands to the AC servo motor via a wired communication protocol (such as TCP / IP, or TCP for short). Upon receiving the commands, the AC servo motor drives the door to open smoothly at the specified speed and acceleration until the door opening sensor installed on the door detects that the door is fully open, i.e., the sensor state changes from OFF to ON. After the door is fully open, the AC servo control system sends an opening completion signal back to the control host software via the TCP protocol to confirm that the opening action has been completed. The closing process is similar to the opening process, but the execution direction is reversed, and will not be described in detail here.

[0083] Furthermore, the operation and running process of the cell incubator in this embodiment in a specific application scenario is as follows:

[0084] Operation of the incubator during the cell culture preparation stage. Users set the experiment type and relevant parameters on the control device according to experimental needs. The control device automatically generates or loads the corresponding experimental schedule based on preset rules. For example, for the culture of a certain type of cell, parameters such as inoculation time, culture temperature range, medium change interval, and sampling time point are set. A robotic arm places the cell samples on the storage rack. Due to the open bottom and sides of the rack, air can circulate well around the samples. At this time, the temperature detection device monitors the internal temperature in real time, and the control device controls the cooling device or auxiliary cooling device (if needed) according to the preset temperature range to quickly reach the initial temperature required for cell culture, such as 37°C. Simultaneously, the air circulation device starts operating according to the preset initial airflow rate to ensure uniform air distribution within the internal cavity and maintain temperature consistency.

[0085] Operation of the incubator during cell culture. During culture, when the medium change time arrives, the experimental process monitoring module generates an opening command based on equipment status (e.g., whether the medium addition equipment is ready) and timetable information, and sends it to the main control module. The main control module controls the door to move vertically up and down, opening the material removal lifting door, allowing the robotic arm to perform the medium change operation. After the medium change is complete, the door is closed, and the door control process is as described above, ensuring a tight seal and unaffected temperature and environmental stability. When sampling is required, the experimental process monitoring module also triggers the opening command, and the robotic arm retrieves the sample for testing. Throughout this process, due to the well-designed door (easy to operate and with good sealing performance) and the synergistic effect of air circulation and temperature control, the cell samples remain in a stable environment, reducing interference from environmental changes on cell growth. Simultaneously, the precise operation of the robotic arm improves the accuracy and repeatability of the experiment.

[0086] Special considerations for the incubator during cell culture. If an abnormal temperature rise occurs during culture (e.g., due to changes in external ambient temperature or equipment malfunction), the temperature detection device sends an abnormal signal to the control unit. The control unit immediately activates the cooling and auxiliary cooling units (if equipped) at full capacity, while simultaneously adjusting the airflow of the air circulation device to accelerate internal air circulation, rapidly dissipating heat and restoring the temperature to the normal range as quickly as possible. If a component malfunctions, such as a drive module failure or a temperature sensor failure, the fault monitoring module will promptly detect the abnormal operating parameters and send a signal to the main control module. The main control module issues an alarm signal (displaying fault information on the display device), alerting operators to perform repairs or take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and smooth progress of the cell culture experiment. After repairs are completed, the equipment can be re-calibrated and initialized for continued use, and the robotic arm can continue to perform subsequent operations according to the program.

[0087] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, variations, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A direct-lift cell incubator sealing door device, installed on the incubator body, the sealing door device comprising: The cell incubator comprises a sealing unit, a door, and a lifting mechanism. The sealing unit is mounted on the door, and the door is mounted on the lifting mechanism. The door and the lifting mechanism are fixedly connected by a connector. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the door to move up and down. The sealing unit matches the contact surface of the edge of the cell incubator opening. The side of the sealing unit near the cell incubator opening includes a first inclined surface. A sealing frame is provided at the edge of the cell incubator opening, and the sealing frame includes a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface matches the second inclined surface to achieve sealing of the incubator.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing unit is a rubber sealing strip.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the inclined surface and the vertical direction is 5-10 degrees.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a drive unit, a transmission unit, a guide unit, and a support unit. The drive unit is located on the top of the cell incubator and is used to drive the lifting and lowering movement of the door. The transmission unit is used to transmit the power of the motor to the door. The guide unit is located on the support unit and is used to guide the lifting and lowering of the door.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contact surface between the sealing unit and the door body is toothed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a servo motor.

7. A cell incubator, comprising the sealing door device as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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