A cryo-cassette centering device

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of cryopreservation box centering homing device, including the mounting base for bearing cryopreservation box, two driving arms capable of synchronous reverse movement in horizontal direction are oppositely arranged on mounting base;Through the mode of driving two driving arms synchronous reverse movement in horizontal direction, trigger the positioning mechanism, so that positioning mechanism can press and fix the corresponding side of cryopreservation box from the long side direction and the wide side direction of cryopreservation box simultaneously, so that cryopreservation box is centered and kept on mounting base.The utility model can position and fix cryopreservation box from the direction of each side of cryopreservation box simultaneously, realize the centering homing in positioning groove, reduce the moving distance in one-way, reduce homing error, avoid the situation that cryopreservation box is inconvenient to clamp and sample tube is damaged due to unilateral force to produce inclination or attitude deviation, ensure sample storage safety and the stability of subsequent automatic operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ultra-low temperature storage equipment technology, specifically to a cryopreservation box centering and positioning device. Background Technology

[0002] The statements herein provide only background information related to this invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] In the field of cryopreservation of biological samples, -80℃ ultra-low temperature freezers or storage cabinets are the core equipment for long-term sample preservation. As the sample carrying unit, the positional accuracy of the cryopreservation box in the storage rack or transfer mechanism directly affects the accuracy of subsequent automated grasping, barcode scanning and identification, and sample storage and retrieval.

[0004] In existing technologies, the return of cryopreservation boxes often adopts a single-sided clamping structure, that is, the cryopreservation box is pushed towards a fixed reference surface by a clamping element in one direction to achieve return.

[0005] However, this method of repositioning has significant drawbacks: On the one hand, unilateral clamping requires pushing the cryopreservation box to complete a long-distance unidirectional movement from its initial position to the reference plane. In a low-temperature environment of -80℃, the rigidity of the material increases and the coefficient of friction changes, which can easily cause the cryopreservation box to jam or shift during movement, further increasing the positioning error. On the other hand, unilateral force makes the cryopreservation box prone to tilting or posture shift. Especially when multiple rows of sample tubes are loaded in the cryopreservation box, the shift in the center of gravity will aggravate the positional deviation after positioning. The subsequent clamping mechanism is prone to misalignment, or even cause collision damage to the sample tubes, which seriously affects the safety of sample storage and the stability of automated operation. Therefore, it cannot meet the long-term use requirements of high-precision biological sample storage. Utility Model Content

[0006] The main purpose of this utility model is to provide a device for centering and repositioning cryopreservation boxes.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a cryopreservation box centering and positioning device includes a mounting base, the top of the mounting base is provided with a positioning groove adapted to the placement of the cryopreservation box, and two drive arms that can move synchronously in opposite directions are arranged opposite to each other on the mounting base. It also includes a positioning mechanism, which is triggered by driving two drive arms to move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction. This allows the positioning mechanism to press and fix the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box from both the long and wide sides, keeping the cryopreservation box centered in the positioning groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the positioning mechanism includes two first clamping arms, two second clamping arms, and a transmission assembly. The two first clamping arms are respectively vertically arranged on opposite sides of the two drive arms, and the two first clamping arms are staggered relative to each other. The two second clamping arms are respectively parallelly arranged directly below the two first clamping arms. By driving the corresponding first clamping arm to move and press the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box, the transmission component is triggered, enabling the transmission component to drive the corresponding second clamping arm to move and press the corresponding other side of the cryopreservation box.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the two drive arms is fixed with a first connecting arm parallel to the first clamping arm on opposite sides, and the bottom of the first connecting arm is fixed to the top of the corresponding first clamping arm.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the two drive arms is fixed with a second connecting arm parallel to the first connecting arm on opposite sides; on the same drive arm, the second connecting arm is located on the side away from the first connecting arm; each of the two second connecting arms is provided with a rack parallel to the drive arm on opposite sides, a drive motor is mounted on the mounting base, and a gear is provided on the output shaft of the drive motor, with the gear meshing with the two racks on both sides respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the top of the mounting base is provided with a second slide rail, and the bottom of the second clamping arm is provided with a second slide block that cooperates with the second slide rail.

[0012] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes multiple guide sliders disposed on the top of the second clamping arm, and the drive arm is provided with guide grooves that cooperate with the guide sliders, the guide grooves being parallel to one of the diagonals of the cryopreservation box.

[0013] Furthermore, both the first and second clamping arms are provided with elastic cushioning elements on the side facing the cryopreservation box.

[0014] Furthermore, the elastic buffer includes a telescopic rod, a pressure head, and a spring. One end of the telescopic rod is mounted on the corresponding clamping arm, and the other end is fixed with a pressure head that contacts the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box. A spring is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic rod.

[0015] Furthermore, the top of the mounting base is provided with a first slide rail, and the bottom of the drive arm is provided with a first slide block that cooperates with the first slide rail.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are reflected in: This utility model of a cryopreservation box centering and positioning device can simultaneously position and fix the cryopreservation box from each side direction to achieve centering and positioning within the positioning groove. This reduces the movement distance in one direction, lowers the positioning error, and avoids situations where the cryopreservation box tilts or shifts in posture due to force on one side, causing inconvenience in gripping and damage to sample tubes. This ensures the safety of sample storage and the stability of subsequent automated operations. Attached Figure Description

[0017] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cryopreservation box of this utility model in its centered and returned-to-position state on the device. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial structural diagram, with the cryopreservation box removed; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle drive arm and the first clamping arm; Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the second clamping arm; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a medium-elastic buffer component.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Mounting base; 2. Positioning groove; 3. Cryopreservation box; 4. Drive arm; 5. First clamping arm; 6. Second clamping arm; 7. Guide slide; 8. Guide slider; 9. First connecting arm; 10. Second connecting arm; 11. Rack; 12. Gear; 13. Elastic buffer; 14. First slide rail; 15. First slide block; 16. Second slide rail; 17. Second slide block; 18. Telescopic rod; 19. Pressure head; 20. Spring. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the utility model, and not all of them. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0020] Please combine Figures 1 to 5 .

[0021] The cryopreservation box centering and positioning device includes a mounting base 1. The top of the mounting base 1 is provided with a positioning groove 2 adapted to the placement of the cryopreservation box 3. Two drive arms 4 that can move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction are arranged opposite to each other on the mounting base 1. It also includes a positioning mechanism, which is triggered by driving two drive arms 4 to move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction. This allows the positioning mechanism to press and fix the corresponding sides of the cryopreservation box 3 from both the long and wide sides, so that the cryopreservation box 3 is centered in the positioning groove 2.

[0022] In practice, when the cryopreservation box 3 is transported to the positioning slot 2 by the corresponding moving mechanism, the positioning mechanism is triggered by driving the two driving arms 4 to move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction. This triggers the positioning mechanism to press and fix the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3 from both the long and wide sides, so that the cryopreservation box 3 is centered and held in the positioning slot 2, thus completing the centering and repositioning of the cryopreservation box 3.

[0023] The advantage of this design is that it can simultaneously position and fix the cryopreservation box 3 from both the long and wide sides, achieving centering and repositioning of the cryopreservation box 3, reducing the movement distance in one direction, reducing positioning error, and avoiding situations where the cryopreservation box 3 tilts or shifts in posture due to force on one side, causing inconvenience in gripping and damage to sample tubes, thus ensuring sample storage safety and the stability of subsequent automated operations.

[0024] In one embodiment, the positioning mechanism includes two first clamping arms 5, two second clamping arms 6, and a transmission assembly. The two first clamping arms 5 are respectively vertically fixed on opposite sides of the two driving arms 4, and the two first clamping arms 5 are staggered with each other. The two second clamping arms 6 are respectively arranged parallel to each other directly below the two first clamping arms 5. Thus, by driving the corresponding first clamping arm 5 to move and press the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3 (the long side or the wide side of the cryopreservation box 3), the transmission component is triggered, so that the transmission component can drive the corresponding second clamping arm 6 to move and press the corresponding other side of the cryopreservation box 3 (the long side or the wide side of the cryopreservation box 3), so that the cryopreservation box 3 is centered and held on the mounting base 1, thereby completing the centering and repositioning of the cryopreservation box 3.

[0025] In one embodiment, both the first clamping arm 5 and the second clamping arm 6 have arc-shaped clamping surfaces on the side facing the cryopreservation box 3 that are adapted to the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3. A low-temperature wear-resistant pad can be attached to the inner side of the arc-shaped clamping surface. The low-temperature wear-resistant pad can be made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm and a diamond-shaped anti-slip texture on its surface. PTFE maintains good flexibility and wear resistance even at -80℃, preventing rigid friction between the sidewall of the cryopreservation box 3 and the arc-shaped clamping surface. Simultaneously, the diamond-shaped anti-slip texture enhances clamping stability and prevents the cryopreservation box 3 from slipping during repositioning.

[0026] Thus, the first clamping arm 5 and the second clamping arm 6 adopt an arc-shaped clamping surface that makes in-situ contact with the side of the cryopreservation box 3, which can make the clamping and force uniform, protecting the cryopreservation box 3 and the sample tubes. That is, the arc-shaped clamping surface makes large-area surface contact with the side of the cryopreservation box 3 (the contact area between the arc-shaped clamping surface and the side wall of the cryopreservation box 3 is limited to more than one-third of the area of ​​the side wall of the cryopreservation box 3, and the radius of curvature of the arc-shaped clamping surface is consistent with the outer arc radius of the side wall of the cryopreservation box 3. Increasing the contact area can make the clamping force evenly distributed, and the consistent radius of curvature can achieve surface contact clamping, further improving the positioning stability). Combined with the uniform diagonal clamping force, it avoids local deformation or tilting of the cryopreservation box due to force. It is especially suitable for cryopreservation boxes that load multiple rows of sample tubes, effectively preventing sample tubes from colliding or shifting the center of gravity during the repositioning process, and ensuring the safety of sample storage.

[0027] In one embodiment, each of the two drive arms 4 is fixed with a first connecting arm 9 parallel to the first clamping arm 5 on opposite sides, and the bottom of the first connecting arm 9 is fixed to the top of the corresponding first clamping arm 5.

[0028] Thus, when the drive arm 4 moves, it can drive the first clamping arm 5 to move closer to or further away from the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3 (the long side or the wide side of the cryopreservation box 3) through the first connecting arm 9.

[0029] In one embodiment, each of the two drive arms 4 has a second connecting arm 10 fixed on opposite sides, which is parallel to the first connecting arm 9; on the same drive arm 4, the second connecting arm 10 is located on the side away from the first connecting arm 9; each of the two second connecting arms 10 has a rack 11 parallel to the drive arm 4 on opposite sides, a drive motor is mounted on the mounting base 1, and a gear 12 is provided on the output shaft of the drive motor, with the two sides of the gear 12 meshing with the two racks 11 respectively.

[0030] Thus, by driving the output shaft of the drive motor to rotate the gear 12, the two racks 11 can move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction, so that the two drive arms 4 can move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction. This causes the drive arms 4 to move the first clamping arm 5 closer to or away from the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3 via the first connecting arm 9, and to move the second clamping arm 6 closer to or away from the other corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3 via the transmission assembly.

[0031] It should be noted that the drive motor is a bidirectional drive motor capable of rotating in both directions, which is common in the prior art, so this application will not elaborate on it further.

[0032] In one embodiment, the top of the mounting base 1 is provided with a second slide rail 16 (the two ends of the second slide rail 16 extend in a direction parallel to the length direction of the first clamping arm 5), and the bottom of the second clamping arm 6 is fixed with a second slide block 17 that cooperates with the second slide rail 16.

[0033] Thus, the second clamping arm 6 can move relative to the length of the first clamping arm 5 on the mounting base 1.

[0034] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly includes a plurality of guide sliders 8 disposed on the top of the second clamping arm 6, and a guide groove 7 that cooperates with the guide sliders 8 is provided on the drive arm 4. The guide groove 7 is parallel to one of the diagonals of the cryopreservation box 3, and when the first clamping arm 5 moves toward the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3, the guide slider 8 moves in the guide groove 7 from the end closer to the cryopreservation box 3 to the end farther away from the cryopreservation box 3.

[0035] Thus, when the drive arm 4 drives the first clamping arm 5 to approach the cryopreservation box 3, the guide slide 7 wall can rub and squeeze the guide slider 8, forcing the guide slider 8 to move from the end close to the cryopreservation box 3 to the end away from the cryopreservation box 3 in the guide slide 7. Under the limiting action of the second slide rail 16 and the second slide block 17, the second clamping arm 6 moves to the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3.

[0036] It should be noted that the clearance between the guide slider 8 and the guide groove 7 is 0.05-0.1mm, and the sliding contact surface of the guide slider 8 is coated with low-temperature grease. The extremely small clearance ensures that the guide slider 8 slides accurately along the diagonal direction, avoiding lateral deviation, while the low-temperature grease reduces the sliding friction resistance at 80℃, ensuring smooth operation of the positioning mechanism.

[0037] In one embodiment, both the first clamping arm 5 and the second clamping arm 6 are provided with elastic buffers 13 on the side facing the cryopreservation box 3.

[0038] Preferably, the elastic buffer 13 includes a telescopic rod 18, a pressure head 19 and a spring 20. One end of the telescopic rod 18 is mounted on the corresponding clamping arm, and the other end is fixed with a pressure head 19 that contacts the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box 3. The spring 20 is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic rod 18.

[0039] Thus, the elastic buffer 13 on the first clamping arm 5 and the second clamping arm 6 can simultaneously clamp the cryopreservation box 3 to form a centered position. A pressure hole can be reserved on the outer wall of the cryopreservation box 3 to be inserted and clamped with the pressure head 19 to achieve the centered return and fixation of the cryopreservation box 3.

[0040] It should be noted that the spring 20 can be a low-temperature compression spring made of beryllium copper alloy. The pre-compression of the spring 20 can be adjusted by an additional adjusting bolt. Beryllium copper alloy springs have excellent elastic recovery performance in ultra-low temperature environments and are not prone to low-temperature brittle fracture. By adjusting the pre-compression, the clamping force requirements of different sizes of cryopreservation boxes 3 can be adapted to ensure that the clamping force is moderate, which not only avoids deformation of the cryopreservation box 3 but also ensures the accuracy of return to its original position.

[0041] In one embodiment, the mounting base 1 has a first slide rail 14 at its top, and the drive arm 4 has a first slide block 15 fixed at its bottom that cooperates with the first slide rail 14. The two ends of the first slide rail 14 extend in a direction parallel to the length direction of the drive arm 4.

[0042] Thus, the horizontal relative movement of the drive arm 4 on the mounting base 1 can be achieved through the first slide rail 14 and the first slide block 15.

[0043] It should be noted that the mounting base 1 is made of 304 stainless steel in one piece, and the inner wall of the positioning groove 2 is provided with a 0.5mm thick chrome plating layer. 304 stainless steel has good structural stability and corrosion resistance in low-temperature environments, and the chrome plating layer can enhance the wear resistance of the inner wall, extend the service life of the device, and at the same time reduce the coefficient of friction between the cryopreservation box 3 and the inner wall of the positioning groove 2.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there are two positioning slots 2 on the mounting base 1 (two positioning slots 2 can hold two cryogenic boxes 3). Therefore, the working principle of this embodiment is illustrated by these two positioning slots 2: During operation, the two cryopreservation boxes 3 are placed in the two positioning slots 2 respectively by the corresponding transfer mechanism. Then, the two drive arms 4 are driven to move horizontally in opposite directions synchronously, so that the two first clamping arms 5 move toward the corresponding side wall of the two cryopreservation boxes 3 on the opposite side. Each cryopreservation box 3 is clamped and fixed by the first clamping arm 5 and the corresponding slot wall of the positioning slot 2 in the moving direction of the first clamping arm 5. At the same time, the two second clamping arms 6 move toward the corresponding side wall of the two cryopreservation boxes 3 respectively, so that each cryopreservation box 3 is clamped and fixed by the two second clamping arms 6 in the moving direction of the second clamping arm 6, so as to synchronously realize the centering and positioning of the two cryopreservation boxes 3 in their respective positioning slots 2.

[0045] In other embodiments, a position sensor for detecting the real-time position of the cryopreservation box 3 can be installed on the corresponding inner wall of the positioning groove 2 of the mounting base 1. The position sensor is electrically connected to the bidirectional rotatable drive motor through a controller. When the position sensor detects that the cryopreservation box 3 is located in the positioning groove 2, it transmits the position signal to the controller, which then controls the drive motor to start, so as to perform a centering positioning operation on the cryopreservation box 3 located in the positioning groove 2.

[0046] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0047] It should be noted that if the utility model embodiment involves directional indicators (such as up and down), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0048] Furthermore, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Additionally, if the utility model embodiments involve descriptions of "first," "second," etc., these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Furthermore, "multiple" refers to two or more. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the utility model.

Claims

1. A cryo-cassette centering device, comprising: Includes a mounting base (1), the top of which is provided with a positioning groove (2) for placing the cryopreservation box (3), and two drive arms (4) that can move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction are provided on the mounting base (1). It also includes a positioning mechanism, which is triggered by driving two drive arms (4) to move synchronously in opposite directions in the horizontal direction, so that the positioning mechanism can press and fix the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box (3) from the long side and the wide side direction at the same time, so that the cryopreservation box (3) is centered in the positioning groove (2).

2. The cryobox centering device of claim 1, wherein, The positioning mechanism includes two first clamping arms (5), two second clamping arms (6) and a transmission assembly. The two first clamping arms (5) are respectively vertically arranged on opposite sides of the two drive arms (4) and the two first clamping arms (5) are staggered with each other. The two second clamping arms (6) are respectively parallelly arranged directly below the two first clamping arms (5). By driving the corresponding first clamping arm (5) to move and press the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box (3) through the drive arm (4), the transmission component is triggered so that the transmission component can drive the corresponding second clamping arm (6) to move and press the corresponding other side of the cryopreservation box (3).

3. The cryobox centering device of claim 2, wherein, Each of the two drive arms (4) has a first connecting arm (9) that is parallel to the first clamping arm (5) fixed on its opposite side. The bottom of the first connecting arm (9) is fixed to the top of the corresponding first clamping arm (5).

4. The cryo-cassette centering device of claim 3, wherein, Two drive arms (4) are each fixed with a second connecting arm (10) parallel to the first connecting arm (9) on opposite sides; on the same drive arm (4), the second connecting arm (10) is located on the side away from the first connecting arm (9); two second connecting arms (10) are each provided with a rack (11) parallel to the drive arm (4) on opposite sides; a drive motor is installed on the mounting base (1); a gear (12) is provided on the output shaft of the drive motor; the gear (12) meshes with the two racks (11) on both sides respectively.

5. The cryo-cassette centering device of claim 2, wherein, The mounting base (1) is provided with a second slide rail (16) at the top, and the second clamping arm (6) is provided with a second slide block (17) at the bottom that cooperates with the second slide rail (16).

6. The cryobox centering device of claim 5, wherein, The transmission assembly includes multiple guide sliders (8) disposed on the top of the second clamping arm (6), and a guide groove (7) is provided on the drive arm (4) to cooperate with the guide sliders (8). The guide groove (7) is parallel to one of the diagonals of the cryopreservation box (3).

7. The cryo-cassette centering device of claim 2, wherein, Both the first clamping arm (5) and the second clamping arm (6) are provided with elastic buffers (13) on the side facing the cryopreservation box (3).

8. The cryobox centering device of claim 7, wherein, The elastic buffer (13) includes a telescopic rod (18), a pressure head (19) and a spring (20). One end of the telescopic rod (18) is mounted on the corresponding clamping arm, and the other end is fixed with a pressure head (19) that contacts the corresponding side of the cryopreservation box (3). A spring (20) is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic rod (18).

9. A cryo-cassette centering device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The mounting base (1) is provided with a first slide rail (14) at the top, and the drive arm (4) is provided with a first slide block (15) at the bottom that cooperates with the first slide rail (14).

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