Automatic balancing centrifuge and its control method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatically balancing centrifuge and a control method thereof, and more particularly to an automatically balancing centrifuge equipped with multiple counterweights disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and movable in the circumferential direction. Conventionally, counterweights and motors have been mounted inside the rotating arm, which has limited the number of buckets and made it extremely difficult to adjust the counterweights and motors toward the center due to centrifugal force. To solve this problem, the present invention uses multiple counterweights that can be independently moved in the circumferential direction as imbalance compensation means. By disposing the counterweights on the upper or lower part of the rotating arm, they can move freely and be free from centrifugal force, allowing for compensation. This allows the use of at least three buckets.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-balancing centrifuge and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a self-balancing centrifuge and a control method thereof that detects imbalance in the centrifuge due to vibrations that occur in a dynamic state and thereby automatically corrects the imbalance. [Background technology]

[0002] A centrifuge is a basic piece of equipment widely used in the fields of medicine and medical chemistry. It is a device that separates the constituent components of a sample by attaching a bucket containing the sample to a rotor, spinning it at high speed, and applying a high centrifugal acceleration to the sample, so that high-density sample components are located in the outer radial layer and low-density sample components are located in the inner radial layer.

[0003] When such a centrifuge is operated, differences in weight between the buckets occur due to differences in the number of samples placed in each bucket and the total weight of the samples, and these differences in weight between the buckets cause an imbalance in the centrifugal force applied.

[0004] Conventionally, in the case of centrifuges without an automatic balancing function, in order to maintain balance, the user is forced to manually measure the weight of each sample before centrifugation and then load samples of the same weight symmetrically onto the rotor, which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

[0005] Furthermore, the weight between the unbalanced buckets causes the rotor's center of gravity to become misaligned with the attached motor shaft, causing vibrations when the centrifuge is in operation, which can lead to accidents.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the applicant has proposed a number of self-balancing centrifuges, which have been registered as patents.

[0007] For example, conventional self-balancing centrifuges have incorporated a means for compensating for imbalances in centrifugal force inside each rotating arm. While this may have seemingly solved the problem of compensating for imbalances, the bulk of the compensating means increases the thickness of the rotating arm, resulting in a problem of reduced processing capacity compared to a non-self-balancing rotor of the same diameter.

[0008] Furthermore, the number of rotating arms was limited, and the counterweights moved radially, making it difficult to adjust them even after the centrifuge had been operated. Because the direction of the counterweights' movement was aligned with the direction of centrifugal force, work had to be done to move the counterweights in the opposite direction. During operation, centrifugal forces ranging from several to several thousand times the force of gravity were applied, making the counterweights extremely strong and limiting the ability to move them in the opposite direction.

[0009] The present invention was devised based on this recognition, and the present invention will be described in detail below. This invention was supported by the following Korean research and development projects, and the acknowledgment information is as follows: [Table 1] Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] As described above, a first object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge that corrects and eliminates load imbalances during operation of the centrifuge.

[0011] A second object is to provide a centrifuge that can have at least three buckets without being restricted by the number of rotating arms.

[0012] A third object is to provide a centrifuge that automatically adjusts a counterweight that receives centrifugal force so that readjustment is not required after operation of the centrifuge.

[0013] A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling such a centrifuge.

[0014] However, the present invention is not limited to the above content in any way, and may be considered as one problem based on the entire content of the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] One means for solving the above-mentioned problems may be an automatic balancing centrifuge having a plurality of counterweights disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and moving in the circumferential direction.

[0016] Alternatively, one means may be an automatically balancing centrifuge, which stops the rotor to correct the load imbalance when the vibration is equal to or greater than a predetermined vibration value, and keeps the rotor running when the vibration is less than the predetermined vibration value.

[0017] Alternatively, one means may be an automatic balancing centrifuge, characterized in that the plurality of counterweights are arranged on a circumferential guide rail and move independently on the guide rail.

[0018] Alternatively, one means may be an automatic balancing centrifuge, characterized in that the plurality of balancing weights include a motor, a first gear, a second gear, a pinion shaft, and a pinion, and the pinion rotates while meshing with the racks arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0019] Alternatively, one means may be an automatic balancing centrifuge, characterized in that the plurality of counterweights include rail fixing portions that engage with the guide rail to fix the plurality of counterweights on the guide rail.

[0020] Alternatively, one means may be an automatically balancing centrifuge, characterized in that the rail fixing portion includes a caster and a caster shaft, and the caster engages with the shape of the guide rail and rotates by friction with the guide rail.

[0021] Alternatively, one means may be an automatic balancing centrifuge, characterized in that the rail fixing portion transmits the load of the plurality of balancing weights while contacting the guide rail.

[0022] JPEG2026500557000003.jpg33170

[0023] Alternatively, one means may be an automatically balancing centrifuge, in which the plurality of counterweights are arranged on disks having different radii, the number of which is equal to the number of the counterweights, and the disks rotate independently.

[0024] Alternatively, one means may be a self-balancing centrifuge that corrects the imbalance by a first moment sum of a plurality of counterweights at a first time.

[0025] Alternatively, one means may be an automatically balancing centrifuge, characterized in that when a second moment sum is required to correct the imbalance at a second time, each of the plurality of balancing weights is moved to an arbitrary position to form the second moment sum.

[0026] Alternatively, one possible method for controlling an automatically balancing centrifuge may include a step of correcting an unbalanced state using a first sum of moments formed by the plurality of counterweights at a first point in time, the counterweights being disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and moving in the circumferential direction, and a step of moving the plurality of counterweights to any position to form a second sum of moments for correcting the unbalanced state at a second point in time.

[0027] Alternatively, one method for controlling a self-balancing centrifuge may include a step of stopping the rotor to correct the load imbalance when the vibration is equal to or greater than a predetermined vibration value, and maintaining the rotor in a running state when the vibration is less than the predetermined vibration value.

[0028] Specific details of other embodiments are incorporated in the "Description of Embodiments" section and the attached "Drawings" section.

[0029] The advantages and / or features of the present invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become more apparent with reference to the various embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of each embodiment disclosed below, but can be embodied in various different forms. It should be noted that each embodiment disclosed in this specification is provided solely to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and that the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a centrifuge that corrects and eliminates load imbalances during operation of the centrifuge.

[0032] Furthermore, it is possible to provide a centrifugal separator that can have at least three buckets without being restricted by the number of rotating arms.

[0033] Since it is possible to automatically adjust the counterweight that receives centrifugal force after the operation of the centrifuge, it is possible to provide a centrifuge that does not require a process that requires the centrifuge to be stopped for adjustment.

[0034] Furthermore, when the centrifuge operates, the direction of the centrifugal force (the direction opposite to the center of the circle) is perpendicular to the direction in which the counterweight is activated, and the work done by the centrifugal force is "zero (0)." This makes it possible to provide a centrifuge that is easier to use as a driving load compared to existing technologies, making it easier to transport the counterweight.

[0035] Furthermore, a method for controlling such a centrifuge can be provided.

[0036] However, the present invention is not limited to this in any way, and all effects achieved by the technical gist throughout the description of the present invention are recognized as effects of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an existing self-balancing centrifuge rotor. [Figure 2] 1 is an example of the present invention showing a circular guide rail and multiple counterweights. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow BB in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3 is a schematic view of the circular rack and pinion of the counterweight and the caster in FIG. 2, viewed from below. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another example according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another example according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state of use according to an example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Before describing the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the terms and words used in this specification should not be interpreted unconditionally as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but rather that the inventors of the present invention may appropriately define and use the concepts of various terms in order to best describe their invention, and further, that these terms and words should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that correspond to the technical ideas of the present invention.

[0039] In other words, it should be understood that the terms used in this specification are merely used to describe preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to specifically limit the content of the present invention, but rather are terms defined in consideration of various possibilities for the present invention.

[0040] It should also be understood that in this specification, singular expressions can include plural terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, and similarly, even if expressed as plural, they can also include the singular meaning.

[0041] Throughout the specification of this application, when a certain component is said to "comprise" another component, this does not mean that any other component is excluded, and may mean that any other component may be further included, unless otherwise specified.

[0042] Furthermore, when a component is described as being "inside or connected to" another component, this component may be directly connected to the other component, may be disposed in contact with the other component, or may be separated by a certain distance. In the case where the component is separated by a certain distance, it is possible that a third component or means for fixing or connecting the component to the other component exists, and it should be noted that a description of this third component or means may be omitted.

[0043] In contrast, when a component is described as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, it should be understood that no third component or means is present.

[0044] Similarly, other expressions or phrases describing the relationship between the component functions, such as "between" and "immediately between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," should be construed in a similar manner.

[0045] Furthermore, in this specification, terms such as "one side," "the other side," "one side," "the other side," "first," and "second," if used, are used to clearly distinguish one component from other components, and it should be understood that such terms are not used to limit the meaning of the component in question.

[0046] Furthermore, in this specification, terms relating to position, such as "top," "bottom," "left," "right," etc., when used, should be understood to indicate relative positions in the drawings for the components, and should not be understood to refer to overall positions unless a specific location is specified for those positions.

[0047] Furthermore, in this specification, when assigning reference numerals to the components in each drawing, the same components have the same reference numerals even if the components are shown on different drawings, i.e., the same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

[0048] In the drawings attached to this specification, the size, position, connection relationship, etc. of each component constituting the present invention may be partially exaggerated, reduced, or omitted in order to fully and clearly convey the idea of ​​the present invention or for ease of explanation, and therefore the proportions and scales may not be exact.

[0049] Furthermore, in the following description of the present invention, detailed descriptions of configurations that are deemed to have the potential to obscure the gist of the present invention, such as conventional technology, may be omitted.

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an existing self-balancing centrifuge rotor.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows an example of the present invention, showing a circular guide rail and multiple counterweights.

[0052] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow BB in FIG.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the circular rack, pinion, and caster of the counterweight of FIG. 2 viewed from below.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of another example according to the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another example according to the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of use according to an example of the present invention.

[0058] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional self-balancing centrifuge is described. In the centrifuge, imbalance compensation means is incorporated. The compensation means allows the components to reciprocate radially relative to each other, and compensates for imbalance using the sum of moments in three directions.

[0060] Specifically, the sum of the moments required to compensate for the imbalance is calculated using three counterweights placed 120° apart, and the positions of the three counterweights are moved to achieve this sum of the moments.

[0061] While this achieves the intended purpose of compensating for imbalance, the bulk of the compensating means makes the rotating arm thicker, which inevitably limits the number of buckets that can be mounted. Also, since the balancing weights are formed in the radial direction, it is difficult to move the balancing weights toward the center using the centrifugal force generated by rotation.

[0062] To solve this problem, one embodiment of the present invention may be an automatically balancing centrifuge, which is provided with a plurality of counterweights 10 disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and which move in the circumferential direction, as will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 1, conventional imbalance compensation is performed using a radially reciprocating counterweight, as seen in an auto-balancing centrifuge. In contrast, in the present invention, imbalance compensation is performed using multiple circumferentially moving counterweights 10, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0064] At this time, since the counterweights 10 move in the circumferential direction, the sum of the moments varies depending on the angle that the counterweights 10 have with respect to the center, and through this, the imbalance is compensated for.

[0065] Furthermore, since the plurality of counterweights 10 are disposed on the upper or lower part of the rotating arm and are transported in the circumferential direction, it is possible to solve the problem of the movement of the counterweights being restricted by the centrifugal force that accompanies the operation of the centrifuge.

[0066] Furthermore, while conventional counterweights have three counterweights arranged at 120° angles, making it difficult to maximize the moment sum, the present invention allows the counterweights to be moved circumferentially to achieve a wide variety of angles, and even when using counterweights of the same weight, it is possible to achieve a larger maximum moment sum. The moment sum represents the amount of correction, making it possible to correct for even larger imbalances.

[0067] In addition, since the multiple counterweights 10 are arranged on the upper or lower part of the rotating arm, the number of buckets was limited in the past due to the bulk of the multiple counterweights arranged on the rotating arm, but in the present invention, at least three or more buckets can be provided.

[0068] On the other hand, one embodiment of the present invention may be a self-balancing centrifuge, characterized in that when the centrifuge is rotating at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, the rotor is stopped or decelerated to a speed lower than the predetermined speed in order to correct the load imbalance, and when the centrifuge is rotating at a speed lower than the predetermined speed, the rotor is kept in a running state.

[0069] In the past, when a load imbalance occurred after the operation of a centrifuge, even if readjustment was necessary, there was a limitation in that it was difficult to adjust the counterweight subjected to centrifugal force. As mentioned above, in the case of a conventional self-balancing centrifuge, if the counterweight is located inside the rotating arm and is subjected to centrifugal force, when readjustment is necessary, the operation of the centrifuge must be stopped, readjusted, and then restarted.

[0070] However, according to one embodiment of the present invention, by adjusting the counterweight 10 while the centrifuge is in operation, it is relatively easy to adjust the load imbalance, reducing the number of times the centrifuge needs to be stopped for readjustment, and as a result, achieving even higher operating efficiency.

[0071] Alternatively, one embodiment of the self-balancing centrifuge may be characterized in that the plurality of counterweights 10 are arranged on a circumferential guide rail 20 and move independently on the guide rail 20.

[0072] The guide rail 20 may be formed as a circular rail, and the plurality of counterweights 10 may be disposed on the guide rail 20 and may move along the guide rail 20. In this case, the plurality of counterweights 10 may be moved independently of each other and positioned at various angles to form a greater variety of included angles and generate a moment sum for compensating for imbalance.

[0073] 3, each of the plurality of balancing weights 10 includes a motor 110, a first gear 120, a second gear 130, a pinion shaft 140, and a pinion 150. The pinion 150 may rotate while meshing with the rack 210 arranged in the circumferential direction, forming an embodiment of a self-balancing centrifuge.

[0074] Regarding the internal components of each of the plurality of counterweights 10 , a motor 110 may be housed therein as a power source that enables the counterweights 10 to move on the guide rails 20 .

[0075] The first gear 120 is connected to the shaft (motor shaft) of the motor 110 and is a gear that meshes with the second gear 130 and is used to transmit the power generated by the motor 110 .

[0076] The second gear 130 is connected to the pinion shaft 140 and meshes with the first gear 120 to transmit the power of the motor 110. The first gear 120 and the second gear 130 can mesh in a variety of shapes, but in this case they may be in the shape of bevel gears that mesh vertically.

[0077] The pinion shaft 140 is a shaft that connects the pinion 150 and the second gear 130 , and can transfer power from the motor 110 and the first and second gears 120 and 130 to the pinion 150 .

[0078] The pinion 150 is rotated by the power from the motor 110 and engages with the rack 210 arranged in the circumferential direction. At this time, since the rack 210 is fixed, the counterweight 10 moves along the rack 210 as the pinion 150 rotates.

[0079] The rack 210 is in contact with the inside or outside of the guide rail 20, and has sawtooth formed on the other side of the guide rail 20, with the pinion 150 meshing with the sawtooth.

[0080] In addition, the plurality of counterweights 10 may further be formed with a cover for protecting the internal components or an internal structure for firmly fixing the internal components.

[0081] Alternatively, referring to FIG. 4, one embodiment of the automatic balancing centrifuge may be characterized in that the plurality of counterweights 10 include rail fixing portions 30 that engage with the guide rail 20 to fix the plurality of counterweights 10 on the guide rail 20.

[0082] The rail fixing portion 30 allows the counterweights 10 to move along the guide rail 20 while maintaining balance without leaving the guide rail 20, separately from the movement of the counterweights 10.

[0083] Specifically, the rail fixing portion 30 includes a caster 310 and a caster shaft 320. The caster 310 may be configured to mesh with the shape of the guide rail 20 and rotate by friction with the guide rail 20, which may be one embodiment of the self-balancing centrifuge.

[0084] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the plurality of counterweights 10 include casters 310 inside the counterweights 10 that engage with the guide rails 20, and caster shafts 320 connected to the casters 310, and the caster shafts 320 are connected to the plurality of counterweights 10.

[0085] In particular, the guide rail 20 may be positioned between the pinion shaft 140 and the caster shaft 320 so that the pinion shaft 140 and the caster shaft 320 are symmetrical with respect to the guide rail 20.

[0086] That is, the shape of the caster 310 surrounding the outside of the caster shaft 320 and the caster 310 (a component of the outer surface of the pinion shaft shown in FIG. 4, which has the same shape as the caster, and is not assigned an identification number) surrounding the outside of the pinion shaft 140 are configured in a shape that allows them to mesh with the guide rail 20, and hold the guide rail 20 on both sides, sandwiching it in the center.

[0087] At this time, the guide rail 20 is placed on the top of the circular rack 210, and an upper protrusion that is larger than the area of ​​the center of the guide rail 20 is formed on the upper surface of the guide rail 20. To correspond to the protrusion, the caster 310 is narrow in the center and wide at the top and bottom, so that the upper protrusion of the guide rail 20 can be connected to the center of the caster 310 in a manner that engages with it.

[0088] Through such coupling, the plurality of counterweights 10 are prevented from coming off in the upward or downward direction, and the guide rails 20 are held on both sides, so that they are prevented from coming off in any one of the horizontal directions.

[0089] 3 and 4, one embodiment of the self-balancing centrifuge may be characterized in that the rail fixing portion 30 contacts the guide rail 20 to transmit the load of the plurality of counterweights 10. That is, the rail fixing portion 30 and the guide rail 20 are in physical contact with each other, and the guide rail 20 receives the load. In this process, the load is transmitted.

[0090] According to the present invention, the multiple counterweights 10 ultimately compensate for the load imbalance that occurs during operation of the centrifuge, and therefore a component that transmits the load to the centrifuge is required.

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the load of the plurality of counterweights 10 is transmitted to the guide rail 20 while the guide rail 20 is in contact with the rail fixing portion.

[0092] Specifically, the plurality of counterweights 10 are placed on the upper surface of the guide rail 20. The guide rail 20, the pinion shaft 140, and the caster shaft 320 are meshed with each other so that their shapes correspond to each other.

[0093] The load of the plurality of counterweights 10 is transmitted to the guide rail 20 through these contact points, and the transmitted load compensates for the load of the centrifuge that has become unbalanced.

[0094] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 6, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a circular guide and a space are formed inside the circular guide, and a plurality of balancing weights 10 are positioned in the internal space. The internal space is provided with a motor 110, a first connecting member (not provided with an identification number), a pinion 150, and a circular rack 210 joined to the guide rail 20. The motor 110 is disposed on the upper part of the first connecting member, and the first connecting member is bent at 90 degrees, so that a load is transmitted to a first contact point where a lower end of a vertical component contacts the bottom plate of the internal space, and to a second contact point below a horizontal component of the first connecting member where the pinion 150 and the circular rack 210 contact.

[0095] As described above, as the pinion 150 and the circular rack 210 mesh, the plurality of counterweights 10 move along the circular rack 210. However, instead of forming the plurality of counterweights 10 separately, a tunnel-like space may be formed inside one circular guide, and the motor 110 may move inside the space to transmit the load and compensate for the imbalance.

[0096] Unlike the previous embodiment, this has the advantage that multiple counterweights 10 are not formed, and the motor 110 and the like are formed inside one circular guide, which further reduces the volume and allows for an increase in the number of buckets.

[0097] 7, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of counterweights 10 may be disposed on disks having different radii, the same number as the number of counterweights 10, and the disks may rotate independently. In this case, because the radii of the disks are different, a moment sum with a different combination can be obtained than that obtained with disks having the same radius, and even if they move at the same angle, the different radii allow them to be placed on the same line.

[0098] At this time, a plurality of counterweights 10 are fixed to each disk, and each disk rotates on the same axis as the rotor, and the loads of the plurality of counterweights 10 are transmitted by the same axis.

[0099] Meanwhile, FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which two counterweights 10 placed on a guide rail 20 are positioned at antipodes, and is a diagram showing the state of use of a centrifuge with four buckets attached to the top of a rotating arm, specifically showing how an embodiment of the present invention can be used.

[0100] Meanwhile, one embodiment of the present invention may be an automatically balancing centrifuge that corrects imbalance by a first moment sum of a plurality of counterweights 10 at a first time point. Alternatively, when a second moment sum for correcting imbalance is determined at a second time point, the automatically balancing centrifuge may be characterized in that each of the plurality of counterweights 10 is moved to an arbitrary position to form the second moment sum.

[0101] When no imbalance occurs during operation of the centrifuge, the multiple counterweights 10 are positioned at the locations where balance should be achieved. However, in a centrifuge that rotates at high speed, if a load imbalance occurs, a moment sum to compensate for the imbalance is calculated, and the multiple counterweights 10 are moved to different positions to form this moment sum. That is, at a first point in time, the imbalance that has already occurred is compensated for by a first moment sum of the multiple counterweights 10. However, even if the imbalance is compensated for at the first point in time, there is a possibility that an imbalance will occur again at a second point in time. In this case, the first moment sum at the first point in time cannot eliminate the imbalance at the second point in time, so each of the multiple counterweights 10 is moved to an arbitrary position to form a second moment sum to compensate for the imbalance at the second point in time.

[0102] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since multiple counterweights 10 move in the circumferential direction, the position and direction of each of the multiple counterweights 10 can be determined by synthesizing and decomposing the moment sum.

[0103] For example, for ease of explanation of the present invention, the description will be made assuming that there are two counterweights 10, but this is merely an example, and there may be three or four, etc., as long as there are at least two or more.

[0104] For example, if two identical counterweights 10 of mass m are located antipodes of each other on a circle of radius r, the sum of the moments due to each counterweight is zero (0) because they are 180° apart.

[0105] However, if the two counterweights 10 are positioned at a predetermined angle other than 180°, that is, if the first counterweight is positioned at an angle of and the second counterweight is positioned at an angle of on a circle with radius r, the moment M1 of the first counterweight and the moment M2 of the second counterweight can be calculated as follows, and the combined effect can also be found.

[0106]

number

[0107] JPEG2026500557000005.jpg14170

[0108]

number

[0109] However, in reality, the positions of the counterweights do not overlap due to their volume. Therefore, when the included angle caused by the volume of each counterweight is Ψ, the weight of the counterweight required to obtain the maximum compensation amount is as follows:

[0110]

number

[0111] JPEG2026500557000008.jpg10170

[0112]

number

[0113]

number

[0114] JPEG2026500557000011.jpg10170

[0115]

number

[0116] JPEG2026500557000013.jpg9170

[0117]

number

[0118] The angle to be shifted from the original position is as follows:

[0119]

number

[0120]

number

[0121] To make this easier to understand, we can convert it into a mathematical formula as follows:

[0122]

number

[0123] This makes it possible to determine the angles that the multiple counterweights 10 should have to form the calculated required moment, i.e., it becomes possible to determine the positions at the first time point (at the original position) and the second time point (at the new position).

[0124] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling an automatically balancing centrifuge is disclosed, in which a plurality of counterweights 10 are disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and move in the circumferential direction, and the method includes the steps of: correcting an unbalance state using a first sum of moments formed by the plurality of counterweights 10 at a first point in time; and moving the plurality of counterweights 10 to any position to form a second sum of moments for correcting the unbalance state at a second point in time. The details of this method have been described above, so they will not be discussed here.

[0125] On the other hand, a control method for an automatically balancing centrifuge is disclosed, which includes a step of stopping the rotor or slowing down the rotor to a rotation speed below a predetermined value in order to correct the load imbalance when the vibration is equal to or greater than a predetermined vibration value, and maintaining the rotor in a running state when the vibration is below the predetermined vibration value.

[0126] As mentioned above, imbalance caused by high speed rotation during operation of a centrifuge is an unavoidable factor. However, when imbalance occurs, the rotor is kept running and continues to operate if the vibration level is below a certain value. However, if the vibration level exceeds the certain value, the rotor is stopped or slowed down to a speed below a certain value, thereby artificially correcting the load imbalance. In this case, imbalance is detected using the influence coefficient method.

[0127] The centrifuge according to the present invention may generally include a key input unit for inputting or setting various items required for the operation of the centrifuge, a vibration sensor for detecting vibrations in the dynamic state of the centrifuge, i.e., in the rotating state, a motor and motor drive unit for rotating the rotor, a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the rotor, an alarm unit for issuing an alarm when a malfunction or excessive vibration of the centrifuge occurs, a display unit for displaying various items that occur during the operation of the centrifuge, an imbalance correction unit for correcting imbalance in the load of the centrifuge, and a microcontroller unit for comprehensively controlling the overall operation of the centrifuge.

[0128] In the above configuration, the centrifugal motor may be realized as, for example, a brushless DC motor. The vibration sensor may be realized as, for example, an acceleration sensor, a speed sensor, or a displacement sensor. Finally, the microcontroller unit may include a microprocessor and an associated memory, and the memory stores programs, functions and proportional constants for converting the conveying distance, and maximum values ​​and various allowable values ​​described below.

[0129] Next, we will explain the method for controlling a centrifuge according to the present invention. As a preliminary step, the vibration proportionality constant must be calculated for each fixed measurement rotation speed and compiled into a database. The maximum value (vibration exceeding or exceeding the correction range) at each measurement rotation speed and the tolerance corresponding to the correction resolution must be set in advance. During this process, the unmeasured rotation speed range can be calculated using linear interpolation.

[0130] More specifically, a driving method using imbalance detection according to the present invention will be described.

[0131] First, the motor is operated to accelerate the rotor to a predetermined rotation speed for the first measurement, for example, 500 rpm. Next, the magnitude, i.e., amplitude and phase, of the vibration detected by the vibration sensor at the first rotation speed for the first measurement is measured, and it is determined whether the measured amplitude is equal to or greater than a predetermined maximum amplitude value, i.e., a predetermined maximum amplitude value that may overwhelm the device or exceed the compensation limit.

[0132] If the measured amplitude is greater than a predetermined maximum amplitude, this corresponds to excessive vibration or exceeding the compensation limit, and so unbalance correction is performed. In this process, there is no need to stop the rotor compared to conventional technology (this means that the rotor is not stopped, but is instead reduced to a desired rotation speed or below), which saves the time required to stop the rotor and makes it possible to correct the unbalance more quickly.

[0133] On the other hand, if the measured amplitude is smaller than the predetermined maximum amplitude, it is determined whether the measured amplitude is equal to or greater than the allowable value for that rotation speed, and this allowable value may be set to gradually increase as the rotation speed decreases. If the result of the determination is that the measured amplitude is equal to or greater than the allowable value for that rotation speed, this corresponds to a case in which imbalance correction is required, and the imbalance is corrected without having to stop the rotor (this means that the rotor is not stopped, but is instead slowed down to below a certain rotation speed).

[0134] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment is that the measured amplitude is even smaller than the allowable value for the rotational speed, it is judged whether there is a request to measure the vibration amount at the rotational speed for the next measurement, i.e., at a rotational speed even higher than the rotational speed for the first measurement.

[0135] The reason for this is that the unbalance of most rotating bodies can change due to their mechanism (structure) or various other causes, or the unbalance state can change before and after a threshold speed (critical speed), so appropriate corrections can be made taking this into consideration.

[0136] Therefore, if there is no threshold speed at which the unbalance of the rotor changes up to the centrifugal separation speed, there is no need to proceed with the next measurement and the accompanying correction of the unbalance.

[0137] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the maximum rotation speed for measurement should also be determined to be a value higher than the centrifugal separation speed. If the determination result indicates that there is no request for the next vibration measurement, this corresponds to a case where the imbalance has been corrected in the current state, and the rotor is accelerated to the centrifugal separation speed to perform the centrifugal separation.

[0138] On the other hand, if there is a request to measure the next vibration amount, the rotation speed is accelerated to the next measurement speed, for example, 1,000 rpm, and the amplitude and phase are measured based on the vibration amount detected by the vibration sensor at this speed.

[0139] Next, it is determined whether the amplitude measured in this way is equal to or greater than the permissible value for that rotation speed, and if the amplitude is equal to or greater than the permissible value for that rotation speed, it corresponds to a case where it is necessary to correct the imbalance, so the imbalance is corrected without stopping the rotor (this means that the rotor is not stopped, but is reduced to a rotation speed below a given value).On the other hand, if the result of the determination is that the amplitude is even smaller than the permissible value for that rotation speed, it corresponds to a case where it is not possible to correct the imbalance, so it is determined again whether there is a request for the next measurement of the vibration amount.

[0140] The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention using some examples, but the descriptions of the various and varied embodiments described in this section [Form for Carrying Out the Invention] are merely illustrative, and a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains should be able to understand from the above description that the present invention can be implemented in various modified forms or in an equivalent manner to the present invention.

[0141] Furthermore, since the present invention can be embodied in many different forms, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above description, and the above description is provided merely to complete the content of the disclosure of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and that the present invention is defined only by the claims.

[0142] The terms used in this application are merely used to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this application, the terms "comprises," "includes," "has," and the like are intended to specify only the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0143] 10: Multiple counterweights 20: Guide rail 30: Rail fixing part 110:Motor 120: First gear 130: Second Gear 140: Pinion shaft 150: Pinion 210: Rack 310: Caster 320: Caster shaft

Claims

1. A self-balancing centrifuge having a plurality of counterweights disposed on the upper or lower part of a rotating arm and moving in a circumferential direction.

2. When the vibration is equal to or greater than a given value, the rotor is stopped or decelerated to a given rotation speed or less to correct the load imbalance, and when the vibration is less than the given value, the rotor is kept in a running state.

2. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of balancing weights are automatically moved in a circumferential direction to correct the imbalance of the loads while keeping the imbalance below a given vibration value.

3. The plurality of counterweights include:

2. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal separators are arranged on circumferential guide rails and move independently of each other on the guide rails.

4. The plurality of counterweights include: a motor, a first gear, a second gear, a pinion shaft, and a pinion; 2. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein said pinion rotates while meshing with said racks arranged in the circumferential direction.

5. The plurality of counterweights include:

4. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 3, further comprising a rail fixing portion that engages with said guide rail to fix said plurality of balancing weights onto said guide rail.

6. The rail fixing portion is Casters and caster shafts are provided, 6. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 5, wherein the casters are adapted to mesh with the shape of the guide rails and rotate by friction with the guide rails.

7. 6. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 5, wherein the rail fixing portion transmits the load of the plurality of counterweights while contacting the guide rail.

8. A circular guide and an internal space are formed inside the circular guide, and a plurality of counterweights are positioned in the internal space, The internal space includes a motor, a first connecting member, a pinion, and a circular rack joined to the guide rail, a motor is disposed on an upper portion of the first connecting member; 2. The self-balancing centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting member is bent at 90 degrees so that a load is transmitted to a first contact point where a lower end of a vertical component contacts the bottom plate of the internal space and to a second contact point where a lower end of a horizontal component of the first connecting member contacts the pinion and the circular rack.

9. The plurality of counterweights are respectively disposed on circular plates having different radii, the number of which is equal to the number of the counterweights, 2. The self-balancing centrifuge of claim 1, wherein each of said disks rotates independently.

10. 2. The self-balancing centrifuge of claim 1, wherein the imbalance is corrected by a first moment sum of the plurality of counterweights at a first time point.

11. 11. The automatically balancing centrifuge according to claim 10, wherein when a second moment sum for correcting the imbalance is determined at a second time point, each of the plurality of balancing weights is moved to an arbitrary position to form the second moment sum.

12. A plurality of counterweights are disposed on the upper or lower part of the rotating arm and move in the circumferential direction, correcting the unbalance condition with a first moment sum generated by the plurality of counterweights at a first time; moving the plurality of counterweights to arbitrary positions to generate a second moment sum for correcting the unbalance condition at a second time; A method for controlling a self-balancing centrifuge, comprising:

13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of stopping the rotor to correct the load imbalance when the vibration is equal to or greater than a predetermined vibration value, and maintaining the rotor in a running state when the vibration is less than the predetermined vibration value.

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