Nematode picking and transfer device

Abstract

The application relates to a nematode picking and transferring device. The device comprises a shell, a buffer cavity, a suction tube, an air bag and a vacuum pump. The shell is a cylindrical hollow structure, the bottom of the shell is provided with a groove, the buffer cavity is fixedly connected at the groove, the buffer cavity is in a funnel-shaped structure, the bottom of the buffer cavity is provided with a release port, the release port is provided with a detachable cover, one end of the suction tube extends into the buffer cavity from the side top, the other end of the suction tube is connected with a detachable suction head, the tip of the suction head is in a curved shape, and the air bag and the vacuum pump are connected with the buffer cavity through a three-way electromagnetic valve. The scheme provided by the application can realize accurate and non-destructive picking and transferring of nematodes, improve operation efficiency and reduce the dependence on the technical proficiency of operators.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of laboratory auxiliary equipment technology, and in particular to a nematode picking and transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] As a complete multicellular organism, nematodes have a high degree of genetic homology with humans, and are therefore widely used in research fields such as genetics, developmental biology and neuroscience. In experiments, it is often necessary to transfer nematodes from the culture medium to a glass slide or other culture environment.

[0003] Traditionally, nematodes are picked manually. Their physical characteristics are observed under a microscope, and platinum wire needles are used to pick out nematodes of specific body shapes one by one under the microscope. This method requires a high degree of hand stability and patience from the operator, is prone to fatigue, and is inefficient. Prolonged operation can easily lead to misjudgment and omissions, making it difficult to meet experimental requirements. In addition, the use of platinum wire needles can easily cause mechanical damage to the nematodes, affecting the accuracy of subsequent experimental results. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address or partially address the problems existing in the related technologies, this application provides a nematode picking and transfer device. This device can achieve precise and non-destructive picking and transfer of nematodes, improve operational efficiency, and reduce reliance on the operator's technical skill.

[0005] This application provides a nematode picking and transferring device, including a housing, the housing being a cylindrical hollow structure with a groove at its bottom, and further comprising: The buffer cavity is fixed to the groove and has a funnel-shaped structure. The bottom of the buffer cavity is provided with a release port and a removable cover is installed at the release port. A straw, one end of which extends into the buffer cavity from the top side, and the other end is connected to a detachable suction head, the tip of which is curved. The airbag is connected to the buffer chamber via a three-way solenoid valve; A vacuum pump, which is connected to a buffer chamber via a three-way solenoid valve.

[0006] Optionally, in some embodiments, the buffer cavity is made of a transparent material and is marked with scale lines.

[0007] Optionally, in some embodiments, the straw extends radially into the buffer cavity, and the end of the straw is located at the center of the buffer cavity.

[0008] Optionally, in some embodiments, the straw is connected to the suction head via a Luer connector.

[0009] Optionally, in some embodiments, the bending angle of the suction tip is between 20° and 40°.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments, the tip of the suction head is rounded.

[0011] Optionally, in some embodiments, the three-way solenoid valve is connected to the buffer chamber via pipe number one, to the vacuum pump via pipe number two, and to the airbag via pipe number three.

[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments, a filter is provided on the first tube.

[0013] Optionally, in some embodiments, the second tube is connected to the vacuum pump via a flexible hose.

[0014] The technical solution provided in this application may include the following beneficial effects: This application achieves flexible adjustment of the air pressure in the buffer chamber through the coordinated control of the airbag and vacuum pump, and the switching of the three-way solenoid valve, thereby completing the adsorption, temporary storage and release of nematodes; by designing the tip of the suction head to be curved and with a smooth finish, damage to the nematode surface during the selection process can be minimized, ensuring the nematode activity and guaranteeing the normal progress of the experiment.

[0015] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application; Figure 2 This is a partial structural front view of this application; Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of this application; Figure 4 This is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the structure of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the suction head of this application.

[0018] Figure label: 1-Outer shell, 11-Groove, 2-Buffer chamber, 21-Cap, 22-Connecting block, 23-Release port, 24-Connecting port, 3-Suction tube, 4-Suction head, 41-Luer connector, 5-Filter, 6-Three-way solenoid valve, 61-Tube 1, 62-Tube 2, 63-Tube 3, 7-Airbag, 8-Hose, 9-Vacuum pump. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0020] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0022] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] There are many different types of nematodes. This device is mainly used to select small nematodes with a length between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, such as Caenorhabditis elegans.

[0024] See Figure 1 , Figure 3 A nematode-picking and transferring device includes a housing 1, which is a cylindrical hollow structure with anti-slip textures on its outer wall to enhance friction during gripping and prevent slippage during operation. A groove 11 is provided at the bottom of the housing 1. The device also includes: Buffer cavity 2 has a funnel-shaped structure, with its larger end as the top and its smaller end as the bottom. Buffer cavity 2 is bonded and fixed to groove 11 at its larger end and remains coaxial with the outer shell 1. To ensure a firm bond, see [reference needed]. Figure 4 The larger end of the buffer chamber 2 is thickened, and the outer wall of the thickened part fits tightly against the inner wall of the groove 11 to ensure a stable connection. The smaller end of the buffer chamber 2 has a release port 23, and a removable cap 21 is installed at the release port 23. The cap 21 fits onto the outer edge of the release port 23, achieving a seal through friction. Disassembly is achieved by simply removing the cap 21 to open the release port 23, facilitating the release of nematodes. Furthermore, a threaded connection or a snap-fit ​​connection can be used to replace the fixing structure of the cap 21 and the release port 23, depending on the requirements, to adapt to the need for quick assembly and disassembly in different usage scenarios and improve operational convenience. Even further, a sealing gasket can be added to the inside of the cap 21 to further enhance the sealing effect, preventing nematodes from accidentally escaping during storage or external contamination from entering the buffer chamber 2, ensuring sample purity and safety. The buffer chamber 2 is made of transparent material. The outer wall of the buffer chamber 2 is marked with scale lines for visually reading the number and distribution of the nematode samples inside. In addition, the inner wall of the buffer chamber 2 is polished to reduce the probability of nematode or culture medium adhesion, ensuring a smooth and efficient transfer process, while reducing residue and improving cleaning convenience.

[0025] The straw 3 extends into the buffer chamber 2 from the top side, with one end positioned at the center. This design ensures that the nematode falls from the center after entering the buffer chamber 2, mitigating the problem of nematodes adhering to the inner wall and having difficulty sliding off. The other end of the straw 3 is connected to a detachable suction head 4 via a Luer connector 41. To ensure the stability of the straw 3, a connecting block 22 is provided on the outside of the buffer chamber 2. The end of the straw 3 near the suction head 4 is fixed by embedding into the connecting block 22, preventing shaking or displacement during operation. See also... Figure 4 The Luer connector 41 consists of two parts: a male and a female. The male part is fixed to the bottom of the pipette 3, while the female part is fixed to the top of the pipette head 4. A tight connection is achieved through the cooperation of the male and female parts. Furthermore, when it is necessary to replace the pipette head 4 with a different size, the Luer connector 41 allows for easy removal of the original pipette head and replacement with a new one of the appropriate size, thus meeting the needs of picking up different nematode samples. It should be noted that the Luer connector 41 is existing technology, and its structure and installation method will not be described in detail here.

[0026] Further, see Figure 5The tip of pipette tip 4 is curved. This curved design allows the tip to be parallel to the surface of the culture dish during use. Compared to straight pipette tips, the curved tip, with its gentler approach, makes the aspiration action more delicate and allows for more precise control, aspirating only the target nematode and a small amount of surrounding fluid, avoiding puncturing the culture dish or disturbing other non-target samples. Furthermore, when using a straight pipette tip, the operator's wrist needs to be twisted at an unnatural angle to keep the tip parallel to the culture dish surface, leading to fatigue. The curved pipette tip 4 effectively improves this problem, allowing for a natural hand grip, thus improving operational comfort and reducing hand fatigue during prolonged experiments. Generally, the optimal bending angle for pipette tip 4 is between 20° and 40°. If the bending angle is too small, a large wrist twist is still required during operation, failing to effectively alleviate fatigue; if the bending angle is too large, it can affect the smooth aspiration of the nematode, impacting the normal use of pipette tip 4.

[0027] Furthermore, the suction tip 4 is made of highly transparent medical-grade polypropylene, and its tip is rounded to avoid damaging nematodes or scratching the surface of the culture dish.

[0028] Airbag 7 and vacuum pump 9, see Figure 2 Inside the outer casing 1, a three-way solenoid valve 6 is also fixedly installed. The three-way solenoid valve 6 is connected to the connection port 24 of the buffer chamber 2 via pipe 61, to the vacuum pump 9 via pipe 62, and to the airbag 7 via pipe 63. The three-way solenoid valve 6 is a three-position three-way solenoid valve, and three corresponding switch buttons are provided on the outer casing 1 to control the three working states of the three-way solenoid valve: connecting the buffer chamber 2 to the vacuum pump 9, connecting the buffer chamber 2 to the airbag 7, and closing all passages.

[0029] In use, switch the three-way solenoid valve to the "buffer chamber and vacuum pump 9 connected" state, start the vacuum pump 9, and create negative pressure inside the buffer chamber 2. The operator holds the device and moves the suction head 4 above the target nematode, slowly lowering the height. When the tip of the suction head 4 is close to the liquid surface, the negative pressure will draw the nematode along with a small amount of liquid into the buffer chamber 2. Because the inner diameter of the buffer chamber 2 is much larger than the inner diameter of the suction tube 3, the suction force on the nematode weakens rapidly after entering the buffer chamber 2, and it falls naturally to the bottom of the buffer chamber under the action of gravity. Repeating this operation can draw multiple nematodes into the buffer chamber 2 in sequence. It should be noted that when the amount of nematodes and liquid drawn into the buffer chamber 2 is close to the height of the suction tube 3, the suction operation should be stopped, and the nematodes should be transferred. Align the release port 23 with the receiving container and switch the three-way solenoid valve to the "buffer chamber and airbag 7 connected" position. After removing the cap 21, squeeze the airbag 7 to use positive pressure to smoothly push the nematodes and liquid in the buffer chamber 2 into the receiving container. After the transfer is complete, reinstall the cap 21. After use, switch the three-way solenoid valve to the closed position to ensure the pipeline is sealed and prevent contamination.

[0030] In some embodiments, the vacuum pump 9 is a miniature vacuum pump controlled by a foot switch, allowing the operator to focus both hands on positioning the suction tip and capturing nematodes under the microscope, thus improving operational accuracy. Furthermore, the vacuum pump 9 is connected to the second tube 62 via the flexible hose 8, facilitating flexible movement of the device by the operator. It should be noted that the structure and control method of the vacuum pump 9 are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0031] In some embodiments, a filter 5 is also provided on the first tube 61. The filter 5 can prevent nematodes or impurities from entering the vacuum pump 9, ensuring the normal operation of the vacuum pump 9. It should be noted that the structure of the filter 5 is prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relationships such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "include," "contain," or any other variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0033] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A nematode-picking and transferring device, comprising a shell, the shell being a cylindrical hollow structure with a groove at its bottom, characterized in that: Also includes The buffer cavity is fixed to the groove and has a funnel-shaped structure. The bottom of the buffer cavity is provided with a release port and a removable cover is installed at the release port. A straw, one end of which extends into the buffer cavity from the top side, and the other end is connected to a detachable suction head, the tip of which is curved. The airbag is connected to the buffer chamber via a three-way solenoid valve; A vacuum pump, which is connected to a buffer chamber via a three-way solenoid valve.

2. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer cavity is made of transparent material, and its outer wall is marked with scale lines.

3. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The straw extends radially into the buffer cavity, with the end of the straw located at the center of the buffer cavity.

4. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The straw is connected to the suction head via a Luer connector.

5. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The tip of the suction head has a bending angle between 20° and 40°.

6. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The tip of the suction head is rounded.

7. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three-way solenoid valve is connected to the buffer chamber through pipe number one, to the vacuum pump through pipe number two, and to the airbag through pipe number three.

8. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 7, characterized in that: A filter is installed on the No. 1 pipe.

9. The nematode picking and transferring device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second tube is connected to the vacuum pump via a flexible hose.

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