High-throughput multi-point blow filtration device

Abstract

This application provides a high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device, belonging to the field of liquid detection technology. Addressing the inconvenience of using high-throughput air-blowing filtration devices, this application provides a high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device, comprising an air-blowing mechanism, a filtration mechanism, and a collection mechanism arranged sequentially from high to low. The air-blowing mechanism includes an air chamber with several air outlets. Each air outlet is equipped with an elastic element and an air nozzle. The elastic element applies a pushing force to the air nozzle towards the bottom plate of the air chamber. The air outlet of the air nozzle is located at its end away from the elastic element, and the air inlet is located away from the air outlet and circumferentially towards the air nozzle. The filtration mechanism includes a support with several filtration points for accommodating filter adapters. When a filtration point is empty, the air nozzle's air inlet is closed by the bottom plate of the air chamber under the push of the elastic element. When a filter point accommodates a filter adapter, the air nozzle abuts against the filter adapter, and under its push, the air inlet of the air nozzle is exposed inside the air chamber. This application utilizes an elastic element at the air outlet position to push the air nozzle, and a filter adapter at the filter position to push the air nozzle in the opposite direction. This allows the air inlet in the circumferential direction of the air nozzle to automatically open and close depending on the presence or absence of a filter adapter, thereby enabling each position to operate independently and improving the ease of use and flexibility of the device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of liquid detection technology, and in particular to a high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device. Background Technology

[0002] In biopharmaceutical research and development, chemical reactions (such as catalytic reactions and crystallization) often produce complex crude products containing solid catalysts or byproduct crystals. To evaluate reaction efficiency and obtain high-purity compounds, analysis and purification using liquid chromatography (LC / HPLC / Prep-HPLC / UPLC) techniques are necessary.

[0003] To ensure the stable operation of the chromatography system and prevent solid particles from clogging precision tubing, the crude product must be pretreated (e.g., filtered or centrifuged) before entering the analysis system to remove solid particles, eliminate potential instrument damage risks, ensure data integrity, and reduce maintenance costs.

[0004] Meanwhile, in recent years, high-throughput synthesis technology has gained popularity in fields such as drug discovery and materials science due to its ability to rapidly generate large libraries of candidate compounds. This necessitates that downstream processing (including filtration) also be high-throughput and automated to match the synthesis speed and accelerate the research and development cycle.

[0005] Traditional filtration devices filter samples one by one using filter heads. Their small capacity makes them unsuitable for handling large numbers of samples or multiple samples in high-throughput scenarios, and their filtration efficiency is extremely low, making them unsuitable for high-throughput automated workflows. To address this issue, filtration devices adapted to high-throughput equipment have emerged, such as filtration modules for high-throughput automation platforms (e.g., Chemspeed, UnchainedLabs). However, these also have drawbacks: they cannot be used at individual filtration points; the entire filter must be used together, resulting in inconvenience and poor flexibility. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this application is to solve the problem of inconvenience in using high-throughput air-blowing filter devices in the prior art. Therefore, this application provides a high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filter device, in which the air nozzle is pushed by an elastic element at the air outlet and the air nozzle is pushed in the opposite direction by the filter adapter at the filter point. This allows the air inlet in the circumferential direction of the air nozzle to open and close automatically according to the presence or absence of the filter adapter, thereby enabling each point to operate independently and improving the ease of use and flexibility of the device.

[0007] This application provides a high-throughput multi-point blowing filtration device, including a blowing mechanism, a filtration mechanism and a collection mechanism arranged in descending order of height;

[0008] The blowing mechanism includes an air chamber connected to an air supply mechanism. The air chamber has several air outlets, and the bottom of each air outlet penetrates the bottom plate of the air chamber. Each air outlet is provided with an elastic element and an air nozzle. The elastic element applies a thrust to the air nozzle toward the bottom plate of the air chamber. The air outlet of the air nozzle is located at its end away from the elastic element, and the air inlet is located away from the air outlet and is located in the circumferential direction of the air nozzle.

[0009] The filtration mechanism includes a support frame, which is provided with a plurality of filtration points corresponding one-to-one with the air outlet points. The filtration points are used to accommodate a filter adapter, which is used to accommodate the solution to be filtered and to filter the solution under the air pressure of the blowing mechanism.

[0010] The collection mechanism includes a plurality of collection points corresponding one-to-one with the filtration points. These collection points are used to accommodate a collection adapter, which in turn accommodates the filtered solution.

[0011] When the filter point is empty, the air nozzle is pushed by the elastic element, causing the air inlet of the air nozzle to be closed by the bottom plate of the air chamber.

[0012] When the filter point accommodates the filter adapter, the nozzle abuts against the filter adapter, and under its push, the air inlet of the nozzle is exposed in the air chamber to achieve air blowing and pressurization.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, and by setting several corresponding air outlets, filtration points, and collection points, samples can be processed in batches, achieving high-throughput operation. At the same time, the air nozzle is pushed by an elastic element, and the air nozzle can be pushed in the opposite direction by the filter adapter. This allows the air inlet on the circumference of the air nozzle to open automatically during filtration and close automatically when no filtration is being performed. This enables each point to operate independently without the need for full-plate processing, improving the ease of use and flexibility of the device. Furthermore, this method can save gas, thereby reducing processing costs.

[0014] In some embodiments, the filter adapter and the bracket have a height difference, such that when the filter adapter is placed at the filter point of the bracket, its top protrudes from the upper surface of the bracket and abuts against the bottom of the air nozzle.

[0015] The above technical solution uses the height difference between the filter adapter and the bracket to push the air nozzle upward, thus opening the air inlet of the air nozzle. The structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and highly reliable.

[0016] In some embodiments, the filter adapter includes a filter tube that is connected vertically, and a filter sheet is disposed at the bottom of the filter tube;

[0017] The top of the filter tube is provided with an outer edge to install the filter tube at the filter point.

[0018] A protrusion is provided around the outer edge of the filter tube in the circumferential direction of the filter point, and the protrusion is used to contact the bottom plate of the air chamber.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the filter tube can be stably and reliably installed on the bracket through the outer edge of the filter tube, and the structure is simple and easy to manufacture; at the same time, the protrusion set around the outer edge enables the bracket to contact the bottom plate of the air chamber, which can prevent the filter adapter from being crushed during the assembly of the blowing mechanism and the filtering mechanism, thus improving safety.

[0020] In some embodiments, a first sealing ring is disposed above the air inlet of the nozzle, and a second sealing ring and a third sealing ring are disposed sequentially near its air outlet and along its air outlet direction; and...

[0021] The first sealing ring can seal the air outlet position under the push of the elastic element along with the air nozzle;

[0022] The second and third sealing rings can seal the gap between the air outlet and the filter adapter when the air nozzle is pushed by the filter adapter.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the first sealing ring improves the sealing performance of the air inlet when the air nozzle is closed, preventing gas leakage in the air chamber and thus further saving gas; the second and third sealing rings improve the sealing performance of the air outlet to the outside when the air nozzle is open, preventing gas leakage, ensuring the stability of the air pressure in the filter adapter, and also saving gas.

[0024] In some embodiments, the air chamber and the bracket are detachably snap-fitted together.

[0025] The above technical solution improves the ease of assembly of the air blowing mechanism and the filtration mechanism.

[0026] In some embodiments, the bracket includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a support column connecting the two. The upper plate and the lower plate have corresponding openings to form the filter points, and the distance between the upper plate and the lower plate is adjustable.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the adjustable spacing between the upper and lower plates allows for the adaptation of filter adapters of different specifications, further improving the flexibility of the device.

[0028] In some embodiments, the collection adapter is a chromatographic bottle, and the collection mechanism further includes a tray with the collection point provided therein, and the tray is connected to the support column.

[0029] In some embodiments, the upper plate has a cylindrical countersunk hole, the lower plate has a conical countersunk hole, and the filter points are formed corresponding to the cylindrical countersunk hole and the conical countersunk hole.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, the upper end of the filter adapter can be supported by the cylindrical countersunk hole, thus facilitating the installation of the filter adapter. The lower end of the filter adapter can be guided by the inclined surface of the conical countersunk hole, thereby further improving the ease of installation of the filter adapter.

[0031] In some embodiments, the plurality of air outlets are arranged in a matrix.

[0032] Other features and corresponding beneficial effects of this application will be described in the latter part of the specification, and it should be understood that at least some of the beneficial effects will become obvious from the description in this application. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow direction in this application;

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partially enlarged schematic diagram.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 1. Cover plate; 2. First sealing ring; 21. Second sealing ring; 22. Third sealing ring; 3. Base plate; 4. First hook; 5. Filter tube; 6. Top plate; 61. Cylindrical countersunk hole; 7. Bottom plate; 71. Conical countersunk hole; 8. Second hook; 9. Pagoda connector; 10. Elastic element; 11. Chromatography bottle; 12. Tray; 13. Solution to be filtered; 14. Filter plate; 15. Support column; 16. Gas nozzle; 17. Hook spring. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of this application is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the application in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of this application. To provide a thorough understanding of this application, many specific details will be included in the following description. This application may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0039] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0040] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and for simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or a connection within two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0041] Please see Figure 1-3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow direction in this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partially enlarged schematic diagram.

[0042] This application provides a high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device, which includes an air-blowing mechanism, a filtration mechanism and a collection mechanism arranged in descending order of height. The air-blowing mechanism blows air (usually nitrogen) into the solution 13 to be filtered in the filtration mechanism to pressurize it, so that the liquid in the solution 13 to be filtered enters the collection mechanism, while the unfilterable solid particles remain in the filtration mechanism, thereby achieving filtration.

[0043] In one embodiment, the air blowing mechanism includes an air chamber connected to an air supply mechanism. Preferably, the air chamber includes a base plate 3 and a cover plate 1 covering the base plate 3, forming a receiving space between the two, and the receiving space is connected to a connector, such as a pagoda connector 9, to be connected to the air supply mechanism via an air pipe.

[0044] The air chamber is provided with several air outlets, the bottom of which is connected to the bottom plate 3 of the air chamber, and an air nozzle 16 is provided at the air outlet.

[0045] The filtration mechanism includes a support frame with several filtration points corresponding one-to-one with the air outlet points. The filtration points are used to accommodate the filter adapter. The filter adapter is used to hold the solution to be filtered 13 and filters the solution 13 under the pressure of air blowing from the air blowing mechanism.

[0046] The collection mechanism includes several collection points, each corresponding to a filtration point. These collection points house collection adapters, which in turn hold the filtered solution.

[0047] This device can process samples in batches and achieve high-throughput operation by setting up several corresponding gas outlets, filtration points, and collection points.

[0048] Preferably, the multiple air outlets are arranged in a matrix, that is, the filter points and collection points are arranged in a matrix, thereby improving the regularity of the device.

[0049] In one embodiment, the support includes an upper plate 6, a lower plate 7, and a support column 15 connecting the two. The upper plate 6 and the lower plate 7 have corresponding openings to form filter points.

[0050] Preferably, the distance between the upper plate 6 and the lower plate 7 is adjustable, thereby adapting to filter adapters of different specifications and further improving the flexibility of the device.

[0051] In one embodiment, the upper plate 6 has a cylindrical countersunk hole 61, and the lower plate 7 has a tapered countersunk hole 71, with the cylindrical countersunk hole 61 and the tapered countersunk hole 71 forming filter points. This design allows the upper end of the filter adapter to be supported by the stepped surface of the cylindrical countersunk hole 61, facilitating its installation. The inclined surface of the tapered countersunk hole 71 guides the lower end of the filter adapter, further improving the ease of installation.

[0052] In one embodiment, the collection adapter is a chromatographic vial 11, and the collection mechanism also includes a tray 12 with collection points provided therein. Preferably, the tray 12 is connected to the support column 15, so that the filtration mechanism and the collection mechanism can be integrated as a whole, ensuring the correspondence between the filtration points and the collection points.

[0053] In one embodiment, the air chamber and the support are detachably snap-fitted together, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the air blowing mechanism and the filter mechanism.

[0054] In one specific embodiment, the bottom plate 3 of the air chamber is provided with slots on opposite sides, and the upper plate 6 of the bracket is provided with a first hook 4 and a second hook 8 on opposite sides respectively. The first hook 4 is rotatable and is connected with a hook spring 17 to achieve reset, and the second hook 8 is fixed to the upper plate 6.

[0055] When assembling the air blowing mechanism and the filter mechanism, the first hook 4 can be rotated and the air chamber moved to engage with the second hook 8. Then, the first hook 4 is reset and the other side of the air chamber engages with the first hook 4, thus assembling the air blowing mechanism and the filter mechanism.

[0056] It should be noted that most existing conventional high-throughput filtration modules adopt a "full-point sealing" method that applies positive pressure or vacuum to the entire filter plate, that is, overall sealing and overall opening and closing, which inevitably leads to gas waste and pressure drop problems.

[0057] Therefore, in one embodiment, the outlet of this device is provided with an elastic element 10 and an air nozzle 16. The elastic element 10, such as a spring, applies a thrust toward the bottom plate 3 of the air chamber to the air nozzle 16. The outlet of the air nozzle 16 is located at its end away from the elastic element 10, and the inlet is located away from the outlet and in the circumferential direction of the air nozzle 16.

[0058] When the filter point is empty (i.e., no filter adapter is installed and no filtration is performed at the point), the air inlet of the air nozzle 16 is closed by the bottom plate 3 of the air chamber under the push of the elastic element 10.

[0059] When the filter point contains the filter adapter, the nozzle 16 abuts against the filter adapter, and under its push, the air inlet of the nozzle 16 is exposed to the air chamber to achieve air blowing and pressurization.

[0060] This device uses the elastic element 10 to push the air nozzle 16, and the filter adapter can push the air nozzle 16 in the opposite direction. This allows the circumferential air inlet of the air nozzle 16 to automatically open during filtration and automatically close when filtration is not in progress. This enables each point to operate independently without the need for full-plate processing, improving the ease of use and flexibility of the device. Furthermore, this method saves gas and minimizes the pressure drop requirement, thereby reducing filtration costs.

[0061] In one embodiment, the filter adapter and the bracket have a height difference, such that when the filter adapter is placed at the filter point of the bracket, its top protrudes from the upper surface of the bracket and abuts against the bottom of the air nozzle 16. That is, the filter adapter pushes the air nozzle 16 upward by setting the height difference between the filter adapter and the bracket, so that the air inlet of the air nozzle 16 opens. The structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and has high reliability.

[0062] In one embodiment, a first sealing ring 2 is provided above the air inlet of the air nozzle 16. The first sealing ring 2 can seal the air outlet point under the push of the elastic member 10 as the air nozzle 16 is moved, thereby improving the sealing performance of the air inlet of the air nozzle 16 in the closed state, preventing gas leakage in the air chamber, and further saving gas.

[0063] In one embodiment, a second sealing ring 21 and a third sealing ring 22 are sequentially arranged near the air outlet of the nozzle 16 and along its air outlet direction. The second sealing ring 21 and the third sealing ring 22 can seal the gap between the air outlet and the filter adapter when the nozzle 16 is pushed by the filter adapter, thereby improving the sealing between the air outlet and the outside when the air inlet of the nozzle 16 is open, preventing gas leakage, ensuring the stability of the air pressure in the filter adapter, and also saving gas.

[0064] In one specific embodiment, the filter adapter includes a filter tube 5 that is connected vertically, and a filter sheet 14 is disposed at the bottom of the filter tube 5.

[0065] Preferably, the top of the filter tube 5 is provided with an outer edge to install the filter tube 5 at the filter point. This structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and can ensure that the filter tube 5 is stably and reliably installed on the bracket.

[0066] More preferably, a protrusion is provided around the outer edge of the filter tube 5 in the circumferential direction of the filter point. The protrusion is used to contact the bottom plate 3 of the air chamber, which can prevent the filter adapter from being crushed during the assembly of the air blowing mechanism and the filter mechanism, thereby improving safety.

[0067] Preferably, the filter tube 5 is in the mL range. Compared with the existing conventional high-throughput filtration modules designed for standard microporous plates (96 / 384 pores), this device has a large single-pore capacity and can achieve high-capacity filtration.

[0068] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device, characterized in that, It includes an air blowing mechanism, a filtration mechanism, and a collection mechanism arranged from high to low; The blowing mechanism includes an air chamber connected to an air supply mechanism. The air chamber has several air outlets, and the bottom of each air outlet penetrates the bottom plate of the air chamber. Each air outlet is provided with an elastic element and an air nozzle. The elastic element applies a thrust to the air nozzle toward the bottom plate of the air chamber. The air outlet of the air nozzle is located at its end away from the elastic element, and the air inlet is located away from the air outlet and is located in the circumferential direction of the air nozzle. The filtration mechanism includes a support frame, which is provided with a plurality of filtration points corresponding one-to-one with the air outlet points. The filtration points are used to accommodate a filter adapter, which is used to accommodate the solution to be filtered and to filter the solution under the air pressure of the blowing mechanism. The collection mechanism includes a plurality of collection points corresponding one-to-one with the filtration points. These collection points are used to accommodate a collection adapter, which in turn accommodates the filtered solution. When the filter point is empty, the air nozzle is pushed by the elastic element, causing the air inlet of the air nozzle to be closed by the bottom plate of the air chamber. When the filter point accommodates the filter adapter, the nozzle abuts against the filter adapter, and under its push, the air inlet of the nozzle is exposed in the air chamber to achieve air blowing and pressurization.

2. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter adapter and the bracket have a height difference, such that when the filter adapter is placed at the filter point of the bracket, its top protrudes from the upper surface of the bracket and abuts against the bottom of the air nozzle.

3. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The filter adapter includes a filter tube that is connected vertically, and a filter sheet is provided at the bottom of the filter tube. The top of the filter tube is provided with an outer edge to install the filter tube at the filter point. A protrusion is provided around the outer edge of the filter tube in the circumferential direction of the filter point, and the protrusion is used to contact the bottom plate of the air chamber.

4. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air nozzle has a first sealing ring positioned above its air inlet, and a second and third sealing rings are sequentially positioned near its air outlet and along its air outlet direction; furthermore... The first sealing ring can seal the air outlet position under the push of the elastic element along with the air nozzle; The second and third sealing rings can seal the gap between the air outlet and the filter adapter when the air nozzle is pushed by the filter adapter.

5. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air chamber and the bracket are detachably snap-fitted together.

6. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bracket includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and a support column connecting the two. The upper plate and the lower plate have corresponding openings to form the filter points, and the distance between the upper plate and the lower plate is adjustable.

7. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The collection adapter is a chromatographic bottle, and the collection mechanism also includes a tray with the collection point provided inside the tray, and the tray is connected to the support column.

8. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The upper plate has cylindrical countersunk holes, and the lower plate has conical countersunk holes, with the cylindrical countersunk holes and the conical countersunk holes forming the filter points.

9. The high-throughput multi-point air-blowing filtration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The various air outlet locations are arranged in a matrix.

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