Stirrer Device

Abstract

To provide a stirrer device capable of preventing transmission of heat from a drive source to a sample in a container.SOLUTION: The stirrer device comprises: a motor that generates a rotational force for rotating a driving magnet; a drive unit 16 that stores the motor; a plate that has a mounting surface for mounting a sample container; and a one-stage fan 20 having a fin for drifting air and disposed between the plate and the motor to drift the air to the back side of the mounting surface. The one-stage fan 20 is provided with fan magnets 39 and 40. The one-stage fan 20 is rotated by means of a magnetic force between the driving magnet and the fan magnets 39 and 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stirrer device that rotates, for example, a stirrer having a built-in magnet in a container. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in various research fields such as medicine, pharmacology, biochemistry, and chemistry, stirring devices are used as tools for experiments, tests, etc. Stirring devices generally have a stirrer with a built-in magnet and a stirrer (magnetic stirrer) that applies a magnetic force to the stirrer (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

[0003] The stirrer is equipped with a motor as a drive source and a drive magnet that is rotated by the motor. A container containing a solution sample (hereinafter referred to as a "sample") is placed on the stirrer. A stirrer (stirrer bar) with a built-in magnet (stirrer magnet) is submerged in the sample. When the stirrer rotates the drive magnet, the magnetic force of the drive magnet acts on the magnet of the stirrer, causing the stirrer to rotate together with the drive magnet, stirring the sample. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-76788 [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-240038 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional stirrers, the built-in motor generates heat as it continues to rotate the drive magnet. For example, in cell culture, the stirrer may be used in an incubator where temperature is controlled to maintain a constant temperature (e.g., 37±1°C). If stirring is performed for a long period of time (e.g., several hours or more), a technical problem may occur in which the heat of the motor (drive source) is transferred to the sample, causing the sample temperature to rise.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a stirrer device capable of preventing the heat of a driving source from being transferred to a sample in a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A stirrer device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: A drive magnet for driving a stirrer disposed in the sample in the container; A drive source that generates a rotational force for rotating the drive magnet; A drive unit that accommodates the drive source; A plate portion having a mounting surface for mounting the container; a fan having fins for circulating air, the fan being disposed between the plate portion and the drive portion, and for circulating air toward the rear side of the placement surface; 、 The fan has a guide portion that guides the air drawn in from the outside of the fan by the fins so that the air can be discharged to the outside of the fan. . Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a stirrer device capable of preventing the heat of the drive source from being transferred to the sample in the container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stirrer device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a container stand is removed from the stirrer device of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the first stage fan is removed from the state shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the transmission mechanism case is removed from the state shown in FIG. 3. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first stage fan. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the first-stage fan from an obliquely downward position with the third circular plate removed. [Figure 7] 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a second disk has been removed from the state shown in FIG. 6, viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic view of an air flow caused by a single-stage fan. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of an experimental device relating to measures to prevent a temperature rise in a container stand. [Figure 10] Graph (a) shows temperature changes before measures to prevent a temperature rise are taken, and graph (b) shows temperature changes after measures to prevent a temperature rise are taken. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a two-stage fan according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the two-stage fan from diagonally below with the third disk removed. [Figure 13] FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic of the air flow when a two-stage fan is rotated clockwise, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic of the air flow when the two-stage fan is rotated counterclockwise. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic view of the air flow in the stirrer device of the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a stirrer device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a three-stage fan according to a third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the three-stage fan from diagonally below with the fourth disk removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A stirring device 11 according to each embodiment of the present invention and a stirrer device (hereinafter referred to as a "stirrer") 12 constituting this stirring device 11 will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a stirrer 12 according to a first embodiment. For example, a cylindrical container (sample container) 13 is placed on this stirrer 12, and a stirrer 15 submerged in a sample 14 in the container 13, which is shown virtually by a two-dot chain line, can be rotated by magnetic force. The stirrer 15 rotates in a plane parallel to the XY plane of the Cartesian coordinate system shown in the figure. Here, the container 13 is not limited to a cylindrical one, and various types can be used.

[0011] Stirrer 12 has a driving section 16, a torque transmission mechanism 17, and a temperature rise prevention section 18, which are arranged in a stacked state, and is formed into a rectangular box shape as a whole. Figure 2 shows the state in which container stand 19 (fan case), which is the case for temperature rise prevention section 18, has been removed from stirrer 12, exposing single-stage fan 20. Here, the term "single-stage fan" refers to the number of stages of fins it has, and details of the "single-stage fan" will be described later.

[0012] 3 shows a state in which first stage fan 20 has been removed from the state shown in Fig. 2 to expose fan support shaft 21. Furthermore, Fig. 4 shows a state in which transmission mechanism case 22, which is the case of rotational force transmission mechanism 17, has been removed from the state shown in Fig. 3 to expose drive magnet holder 23 of rotational force transmission mechanism 17.

[0013] 4, a motor 26 (drive source) is housed in the drive unit 16, and a drive magnet holder 23 is attached to an output shaft 26a of the motor 26 that extends upward. Here, various general motors such as a stepping motor can be used as the motor 26.

[0014] The drive magnet holder 23 is formed in a rod shape with a rectangular cross section, and is connected to the motor 26 in a state where it is laid down so as to be parallel to the XY plane in Fig. 4. Furthermore, the drive magnet holder 23 is fixed at its longitudinal center to the output shaft 26a of the motor 26. Drive magnets 28, 29 are fixed to both longitudinal ends of the drive magnet holder 23, respectively.

[0015] The drive magnets 28, 29 have a round bar shape with their longitudinal direction facing the up-down direction. The upper ends of the drive magnets 28, 29 protrude somewhat from the surface of the drive magnet holder 23. When the motor 26 is operated, the drive magnet holder 23 rotates while remaining in a horizontal orientation, and the drive magnets 28, 29 are rotationally displaced while being 180 degrees apart on the same circle (concentric circle). Here, reference numeral 27 in FIG. 4 denotes an outlet tube through which electrical wiring for the motor 26 can be passed.

[0016] 3, when the transmission mechanism case 22 is attached to the drive unit 16, the drive magnet holder 23 is covered by the transmission mechanism case 22. The transmission mechanism case 22 is fixed to the drive unit 16 by screwing the transmission mechanism case 22 to the drive unit case 30, which is the case of the drive unit 16.

[0017] A round bar-shaped fan support shaft 21 protrudes upward from the transmission mechanism case 22. The center (axial center) of this fan support shaft 21 approximately coincides with the axial center of the output shaft 26a of the motor 26 and the rotation center of the drive magnet holder 23.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the single-stage fan 20 is concentrically attached to the fan support shaft 21. A bearing (44 in Fig. 7, described later) is interposed between the single-stage fan 20 and the fan support shaft 21, allowing the single-stage fan 20 to smoothly rotate horizontally around the fan support shaft 21. The structure and function of the single-stage fan 20 will be described later.

[0019] When the container stand 19 is attached to the transmission mechanism case 22, the first-stage fan 20 is covered by the container stand 19. As shown in Fig. 1, gas passing holes 31, 32 are provided on the side surface of the container stand 19. These gas passing holes 31, 32 open in a horizontally long rectangle and penetrate the side wall of the container stand 19. In addition, the gas passing holes 31, 32 are each formed on a side surface of the container stand 19 that forms an angle of 90 degrees.

[0020] The gas passing holes 31, 32 are formed at different heights (at different positions in the Z direction). In this embodiment, the gas passing hole 32 depicted on the right side in the drawing opens at a higher position than the other gas passing hole 31. Here, the gas passing hole 31 located at the lower stage can be formed with a rectangular opening by combining a rectangular cutout provided in the container stand 19 with the transmission mechanism case 22.

[0021] 1, gas passing holes (not shown) having approximately the same shape and size are formed at positions (the same height in the Z direction) facing and spaced 180 degrees from each of the gas passing holes 31, 32. These gas passing holes 31, 32 become passages for the air circulated by the single-stage fan 20, as described later.

[0022] The container stand 19 has a plate 33 (plate portion) on which the sample container 13 is placed. A placement mark 34 is engraved on an upper surface (placement surface) 33a of the plate 33. The placement mark 34 has a cross mark and two circular marks of different diameters centered on the intersection of the cross mark. The center of the placement mark 34 is located almost directly above the rotation center of the drive magnet holder 23 and the center (axial center) of the fan support shaft 21.

[0023] Here, metals such as iron, aluminum, and stainless steel, and synthetic resins may be used as the material for the container stand 19. Similarly, metals and synthetic resins may be used as the materials for the transmission mechanism case 22 and the drive case 30.

[0024] 5 shows an enlarged view of the single-stage fan 20. The single-stage fan 20 has three disks, a first disk 36 to a third disk 38. The first disk 36 to the third disk 38 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction and are arranged concentrically and parallel to one another. Of the first disk 36 to the third disk 38, the second disk 37 in the middle row and the third disk 38 in the lower row have approximately the same thickness, but the first disk 36 in the upper row is somewhat thicker than the second disk 37 and the third disk 38.

[0025] Furthermore, rod-shaped fan magnets 39, 40 are attached to the first stage fan 20. These fan magnets 39, 40 are attached with their axes facing the Z direction in which the first to third circular plates 36, 38 are lined up (facing the thickness direction of each of the circular plates 36, 38). The fan magnets 39, 40 penetrate the first and second circular plates 36, 37, and the upper ends (upper ends) of the fan magnets 39, 40 protrude somewhat from the upper surface of the first circular plate 36.

[0026] In this embodiment, the end faces (lower end faces) at the lower ends (lower ends) of the fan magnets 39, 40 are neither protruding nor exposed from the third disk 38. However, this is not limited to the above, and it is also possible for the lower end faces of the fan magnets 39, 40 to be exposed or protruding from the third disk 38. In addition, the fan magnets 39, 40 are not limited to one that penetrates the second disk 37, but may be, for example, divided into two in the Z direction, one between the first disk 36 and the second disk 37, and the other between the second disk 37 and the third disk 38, and arranged coaxially.

[0027] The fan magnets 39, 40 are arranged on a diameter of the first circular plate 36 to the third circular plate 38, sandwiching the rotation axis (axial center) of the first circular plate 36 to the third circular plate 38. Furthermore, the fan magnets 39, 40 are arranged on the same circle centered on the rotation axis (axial center) of the first circular plate 36 to the third circular plate 38.

[0028] The fan magnets 39, 40 are oriented such that their magnetic poles face in opposite directions. Specifically, the fan magnets 39, 40 are oriented such that, for example, if the magnetic pole at the upper end of one fan magnet 39 is an S pole, the magnetic pole at the upper end of the other fan magnet 40 is an N pole. Furthermore, the magnetic poles of the fan magnets 39, 40 are oriented such that an attractive force is generated between the lower ends of the fan magnets 39, 40 and the end faces (upper end faces) at the upper ends of the drive magnets 28, 29 of the drive magnet holder 23 (FIG. 4) described above.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a state in which the third disk 38 is removed from the first stage fan 20, and FIG. 7 shows only the first disk 36 with the second disk 37 removed from the state shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the second disk 37 is formed in an annular shape and has a round hole 41 in the center. A cylindrical boss portion 42 provided on the first disk 36 protrudes concentrically from the round hole 41. Here, the third disk 38 can be positioned by contacting the end faces (lower end faces) of the lower ends of the fan magnets 39 and 40 with the third disk 38. Also, instead of the round hole 41, a hole of another shape (such as a polygon such as a square or an ellipse) may be formed.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 7, the boss portion 42 protrudes downward from the center of the lower surface 43 of the first circular plate 36. The bearing 44 described above is attached to the inner peripheral surface at the lower end of the boss portion 42, and this bearing 44 is adapted to be attached to the outer peripheral surface of the fan support shaft 21 in the transmission mechanism case 22 (Fig. 3) described above. Two bearings 44 are provided inside the boss portion 42, spaced apart from each other above and below, but only one is shown in Fig. 7 (and Fig. 6).

[0031] Furthermore, a plurality of (eight in this example) long, plate-like fins 45 having a rectangular cross section are formed on the underside 43 of the first circular plate 36. The fins 45 are arranged radially from the center of the first circular plate 36, but the longitudinal direction of each fin 45 is inclined obliquely with respect to the radial direction (centrifugal direction) of the first circular plate 36. The orientation and arrangement of each fin 45 can also be called, for example, spiral-shaped. The interval between adjacent fins 45 gradually increases from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the first circular plate 36.

[0032] In the single stage fan 20 having such fins 45, the distance between the first disk 36 and the third disk 38 is kept constant via the boss portion 42 of the first disk 36. The distance between the first disk 36 and the second disk 37 is kept constant by the fins 45. A first space 46 is formed between the first disk 36 and the second disk 37, and a second space 47 is formed between the second disk 37 and the third disk 38. The first space 46 is divided in the circumferential direction by the fins 45.

[0033] In this single-stage fan 20, of the two-stage spaces, the first space 46 and the second space 47, the fins 45 are provided only in the first space (the first space 46). As the material for the first to third disks 36 to 38 in the single-stage fan 20, a synthetic resin may be used.

[0034] 5, two auxiliary fan magnets 48, 49 are incorporated into the first stage fan 20. These auxiliary fan magnets 48, 49 are disposed so as to be located between the fan magnets 39, 40 on the straight line (on one diameter) connecting the fan magnets 39, 40 described above. The auxiliary fan magnets 48, 49 are disposed at positions that are approximately equidistant from the center of the circle of the first circular plate 36.

[0035] Such a single-stage fan 20 is attached to the fan support shaft 21 of the transmission mechanism case 22 (Fig. 3) and, as described above, can smoothly rotate horizontally around the fan support shaft 21. When the motor 26 is operated and the drive magnets 28, 29 of the drive magnet holder 23 (Fig. 4) are rotationally displaced, the single-stage fan 20 rotates horizontally via the attractive force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 39, 40.

[0036] Fig. 8 shows the airflow generated by the rotation of the single-stage fan 20, as indicated by arrow A. Fig. 8 shows the single-stage fan 20 as viewed from the side (from the outer periphery). As the single-stage fan 20 rotates, the fins 45 are rotated and displaced, generating an airflow. In Fig. 8, the air in the second space 47 described above is sucked up from around the boss portion 42 into the first space 46 by the action of the fins 45.

[0037] Furthermore, the air sucked up into the first space 46 is guided from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the first space 46 by the fins 45. Then, the air inside the single-stage fan 20 flows in the centrifugal direction according to the orientation of the fins 45, and is continuously discharged from the single-stage fan 20.

[0038] By continuously generating the air flow as described above, an air flow is generated in which one of the gas passing holes 31, 32 (only one pair is shown in FIG. 1) of the container stand 19 (here, the lower gas passing hole 31) serves as an intake port and an air flow is generated which flows out of the container stand 19 through the other (here, the upper gas passing hole 32) serves as an exhaust port. By forming an air flow inside the container stand 19 in this manner, the air flow can be brought into contact with the underside of the plate 33 described above.

[0039] In addition, the first-stage fan 20 is provided with fan magnets 39 and 40, and when the first-stage fan 20 rotates, the fan magnets 39 and 40 rotate and displace 180 degrees apart on the same circle. As shown in Fig. 1, a sample container 13 is placed on a plate 33 of a container stand 19, and a stirrer 15 is placed on the bottom of the container 13.

[0040] Stirrer 15 has two stirrer magnets (not shown) built into main body 50 made of synthetic resin (here, Teflon (registered trademark)) molded into a round bar shape, for example. The stirrer magnets (not shown) are disposed at both ends of main body 50 in the axial direction (longitudinal direction). Stirrer 15 is disposed at the bottom of container 13 so that the magnetic poles of the stirrer magnets (not shown) are oriented to generate an attractive force between the stirrer magnets (not shown) and fan magnets 39, 40.

[0041] As described above, when the single-stage fan 20 rotates, the fan magnets 39, 40 are rotated and displaced, and accordingly, the stirrer 15 rotates horizontally. The rotation of the stirrer 15 stirs the sample 14 in the container 13. Here, in this embodiment, the stirrer 15 and the stirrer 12 are combined to form the stirrer 11.

[0042] When the agitator 11 is used, for example, for cell culture, the agitator 11 may be installed in an incubator, which serves as a thermostatic device. In the incubator, the internal temperature and humidity (temperature and humidity) are controlled. Inside the incubator, the temperature is kept at, for example, 37±1° C., and the humidity is kept at about 100%. By keeping the humidity at about 100%, evaporation of the sample being agitated is prevented.

[0043] In an environment where temperature is strictly controlled, such as an incubator, the addition of heat other than that of the controlled air may make temperature control difficult or may raise the temperature of the sample 14. Furthermore, since the stirrer 12 is equipped with a motor 26, the heat of the motor 26 may be transferred to the sample 14 in the container 13 via the plate 33, which may affect the results of the experiment.

[0044] Therefore, by introducing and flowing air to the underside of the plate 33 on which the container 13 is placed, as in the stirrer 12 of this embodiment, the heat generated by the motor 26 can be released to the outside by blowing air, and it becomes possible to prevent the temperature of the plate 33 from rising.

[0045] Fig. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the experimental setup used to verify the effectiveness of such measures to prevent temperature rises caused by airflow. The experimental setup consisted of a conventional stirrer 57 and fan unit 58 installed inside 63 of an incubator 56, and a hollow container installation stand 59 with gas passage holes on the side placed on top of the stirrer 57.

[0046] A container 61 containing a sample 60 is placed on the container setting stand 59, and a stirrer 62 is submerged in the container 61. Although not shown, temperature sensors are attached to the interior 63 of the incubator 56, the upper surface 64 of the stirrer 57, and the plate 65 which is the upper surface of the container setting stand 59.

[0047] Stirrer 57 has a built-in motor 66 and drive magnet holder 67, and when drive magnet holder 67 rotates horizontally, stirrer 62 also rotates to stir sample 60. In addition, fan device 58 blows air toward container setting table 59, forming an air flow inside container setting table 59 as shown by arrow B.

[0048] Figure 10 shows the temperature change of each part with and without air blowing in the experimental apparatus of Figure 9. Figure 10(a) shows the temperature change of each part when air blowing was not performed, and Figure 10(b) shows the temperature change of each part when air blowing was performed. The horizontal axis of Figures 10(a) and (b) shows time (elapsed time), and the vertical axis shows temperature.

[0049] Moreover, the solid curve indicates the temperature change of plate 65, and the dashed-dotted curve indicates the temperature change on upper surface 64 (above the stirrer) of stirrer 57. Furthermore, the dashed-two-dotted curve indicates the temperature change in interior 63 of incubator 56.

[0050] As shown by the dashed line in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the temperature on the stirrer (upper surface 64 of stirrer 57) starts to rise after the stirrer 57 starts to operate, and after a few hours, it remains at around 45°C. The temperature inside the chamber 63, shown by the two-dot dashed line, is kept constant at around 37°C under temperature control. In contrast, the temperature of plate 65, shown by the solid line, reaches about 43°C several hours after the stirrer 57 starts to operate when no air is blown as shown in Figure 10(a), and remains at about 43°C thereafter. However, when air is blown as shown in Figure 10(b), the temperature of plate 65 remains constant after reaching around 38°C several hours after the stirrer 57 starts to operate.

[0051] In this way, by forming a space above stirrer 57 and continuously blowing air into this space, it was possible to maintain the temperature of plate 65, which serves as the mounting surface for the container, at approximately the same temperature as inside chamber 63. Furthermore, in the experiment, the temperature of plate 65 was within the range of 36°C or higher and lower than 38°C, and therefore, when the allowable temperature range of inside chamber 63 is 37±1°C, the result was obtained that it falls within this allowable temperature range.

[0052] The result was that the temperature on the stirrer (upper surface 64 of stirrer 57) does not change depending on whether air flows or not, but the temperature of plate 65, which directly affects the temperature of sample 60, becomes approximately the same temperature as inside 63 of incubator 56. In the stirrer 12 of the above-mentioned embodiment, the container stand 19 is also provided on the transmission mechanism case 22, and air is blown against the inside of this container stand 19, so that temperature characteristics similar to those of the experimental apparatus can be obtained.

[0053] According to the stirrer 12 of the present embodiment as described above, air is blown toward the inside of the container stand 19 on which the container is placed, and the heat generated by the motor 26 is released to the outside by the air blowing, so that the heat is not transferred to the plate 33, and the temperature of the container placement surface is kept appropriate. Therefore, when the sample is stirred, the heat generated by the motor 26 can be prevented from being transferred to the sample. This can prevent the sample 14 from rising in temperature or from evaporating to dryness.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the stirrer 12 of this embodiment, the single-stage fan 20 is rotationally driven by utilizing the magnetic force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 39, 40, so the motor 26 can be used as the drive source for the single-stage fan 20. And, since there is no need to provide a separate drive source for the single-stage fan 20, the stirrer 12 can be made accordingly smaller.

[0055] That is, for example, it is possible to install the fan device 58 separately from the stirrer 57 and the container installation stand 59 as in the experimental apparatus shown in Fig. 9. However, in this case, a power source and control (control device, control program, etc.) for the fan device 58 are required in addition to the motor 66. The fan device 58 is also provided with a motor.

[0056] However, as in the stirrer 12 of this embodiment, by using the motor 26 to drive both the single-stage fan 20 and the stirring bar 15, it is possible to omit the power supply, the motor, and the configuration related to their control, and to simplify the overall configuration. For example, such a simplified configuration can be one in which the stirring force is used to blow air.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the stirrer 12 of this embodiment, the single-stage fan 20 is built into the container stand 19, so it is possible to reduce the size of the stirrer 12 in the lateral direction. This also makes it possible to reduce the size of the stirrer 12.

[0058] Furthermore, the single-stage fan 20 is rotated by utilizing the magnetic force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 39, 40, and the fan magnets 39, 40 are used to rotate the stirrer 15. This makes it possible to blow air while using the single-stage fan 20 as a rotational force transmission mechanism. This also makes it possible to reduce the vertical size of the stirrer 12 and make it smaller.

[0059] Furthermore, since the gas passing holes 31, 32 are formed at different heights, it is easy to arrange the gas passing holes 31, 32 to match the positions (heights) of the first space 46 and the second space 47 arranged in two rows, one above the other.

[0060] An airtight sealed structure may be adopted for the drive unit case 30. An example of a sealed structure is one in which the drive unit case 30 is sealed using a sealant or packing to eliminate gaps. By adopting such a sealed structure, it is possible to prevent the highly humid air in the incubator from entering the inside of the drive unit case 30 and coming into contact with the motor 26 and the electric and electronic devices related to the motor 26. This makes it possible to prevent breakdowns in the devices in the drive unit case 30.

[0061] In addition, in the stirrer 12 of this embodiment, the rotational force is transmitted by utilizing the magnetic force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 39, 40, but this is not limited to this. For example, pulleys may be attached to the single-stage fan 20 and the motor 26, and the two pulleys may be connected by a belt (endless belt) to transmit the rotational force.

[0062] Next, a stirrer 81 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 14. Note that in the stirrer 81 of the second embodiment, the configuration other than the built-in fan (two-stage fan 82) is similar to that of the stirrer 12 of the first embodiment. For this reason, the second embodiment will mainly be described with respect to the two-stage fan 82, and descriptions of other configurations will be omitted as appropriate. Also, in the two-stage fan 82, configurations similar to those of the single-stage fan 20 (Fig. 5) according to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0063] 11 shows a two-stage fan 82. This two-stage fan 82 has three disks, a first disk 36, a second disk 83, and a third disk 38. The first disk 36 and the third disk 38 are similar to the one-stage fan 20 according to the first embodiment. In this two-stage fan 82, the second disk 83 is also provided with fins 84. Therefore, not only the first space 46 between the first disk 36 and the second disk 83, but also the second space 85 formed between the second disk 83 and the third disk 38 is partitioned in the circumferential direction by the fins 84.

[0064] 12 shows a state in which the third disk 38 is removed from the two-stage fan 82 to expose the fins 84 of the second disk 83. A plurality of (eight in this example) plate-shaped fins 84 having a rectangular cross section are formed on the lower surface 86 of the second disk 83.

[0065] The fins 84 are arranged radially around the center of the second circular plate 83, similar to the fins 45 of the single stage fan 20 of the first embodiment. The distance between adjacent fins 84 gradually increases from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the second circular plate 83. Furthermore, the direction of each fin 84 is inclined with respect to the radial direction (centrifugal direction) of the second circular plate 83. However, the inclination direction is opposite to that of the fins 45 of the first circular plate 36.

[0066] In other words, when the first disc 36 and the second disc 83 are viewed from the same direction (diagonally downward in this case), the fins 45 of the first disc 36 are formed so that the frontmost fin (shown here with the reference symbol 45a) appears to be inclined rightward from the inner circumference side to the outer circumference side, as shown with reference to Figure 7.

[0067] In contrast, the fins 84 of the second disk 83 are formed so that the fin closest to the first disk 36 (here, indicated by reference numeral 84a) appears to be inclined leftward from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, as shown in FIG. 12. The relationship between the orientation of the fins 45 of the first disk 36 and the fins 84 of the second disk 83 can be understood as being formed in a spiral shape in the opposite directions. In this way, in the case of a fan having two stages of fins 45, 84 such as the two-stage fan 82, or in the case of a fan having three or more stages of fins as described later, it can be said that the fins of at least some stages among the multiple stages are formed in the opposite direction to the fins of the other stages. And. An example of the "opposite direction" mentioned here is one in which the odd-numbered stages and the even-numbered stages are opposite in direction.

[0068] The above-described two-stage fan 82 is mounted on the fan support shaft 21 of the transmission mechanism case 22 (FIG. 3) in the same manner as in the first embodiment. When the drive magnets 28, 29 of the drive magnet holder 23 (FIG. 4) undergo rotational displacement, the two-stage fan 82 rotates horizontally via the attractive force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 39, 40.

[0069] 13(a) and (b) show, with arrows C and D, a schematic representation of the airflow generated by the rotation of the two-stage fan 82. 13(a) and (b) show the stopped two-stage fan 82 as viewed from the side (from the outer periphery). As the two-stage fan 82 rotates, the fins 84 undergo rotational displacement, generating an airflow whose direction corresponds to the direction of rotation.

[0070] 13(a) shows a schematic diagram of the airflow when the rotation direction of the two-stage fan 82 is set to be clockwise (CW) when viewed from above. When the two-stage fan 82 is rotated clockwise in this manner, as shown by arrow C, air sucked from the outer periphery into the second space 85 flows toward the inner periphery, passes around the boss portion 42, and rises toward the first space 46.

[0071] Furthermore, the air that has flowed into the first space 46 is guided from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the first space 46 by the fins 45 of the first circular plate 36. Then, the air inside the two-stage fan 82 flows in a centripetal direction in the second space 85 according to the orientation of the fins 84, and flows in a centrifugal direction in the first space 46 according to the orientation of the fins 45.

[0072] 13(b) shows a schematic diagram of the airflow when the rotation direction of the two-stage fan 82 is counterclockwise (CCW) as viewed from above. When the two-stage fan 82 is rotated counterclockwise in this manner, the air sucked into the first space 46 from the outer periphery moves toward the inner periphery, as shown by the arrow D which is in the opposite direction to the clockwise rotation. This air then passes around the boss 42 and descends toward the second space 85.

[0073] Furthermore, the air that has flowed into the second space 85 is guided from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the second space 85 by the fins 84 of the second circular plate 83. Then, the air inside the two-stage fan 82 flows in a centripetal direction in the first space 46 according to the orientation of the fins 45, and flows in a centrifugal direction in the second space 85 according to the orientation of the fins 84.

[0074] 10(a) or 10(b) is continuously generated, and similarly to the stirrer 12 of the first embodiment, an air flow is generated that flows into the inside of the container stand 19 (FIG. 1) and flows out from the inside of the container stand 19. By directing and flowing the air to the underside of the plate 33 on which the container 13 is placed, the heat generated by the motor 26 can be released to the outside by blowing air, and it becomes possible to prevent the temperature of the plate 33 from rising.

[0075] Furthermore, whether the two-stage fan 82 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, outside air can be caused to flow through the gas passing holes 31, 32 as shown by the two-way white arrows E and F in Fig. 14. As described in the first embodiment, the gas passing holes 31, 32 are formed at different heights (at different positions in the Z direction), and therefore can be easily arranged to match the positions (heights) of the first space 46 and the second space 85 arranged in two stages, one above the other. Therefore, air flow resistance is reduced as much as possible, and efficient air blowing is performed.

[0076] Stirrer 81 of the second embodiment as described above not only provides the same effects as the first embodiment, but also increases the amount of air blown by using two-stage fan 82 having two stages of fins 45, 84, making it possible to efficiently prevent the temperature of plate 33 from rising.

[0077] Furthermore, in the two-stage fan 82, the fins 45 in the first space and the fins 84 in the second space 85 are formed with opposite inclinations and spreads, so that the two stages of fins 45, 84 can efficiently prevent the temperature of the sample from rising, whether the rotation direction of the stirrer 15 is clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW).

[0078] Next, a stirrer 91 (FIG. 15) according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17. The configuration of the stirrer 91 of the third embodiment is similar to that of the stirrer 12 of the first embodiment and the stirrer 81 of the second embodiment, except for the built-in fan (three-stage fan 92, FIG. 16) and the container stand 93 (fan case). For this reason, the third embodiment will mainly be described with respect to the three-stage fan 92 and the container stand 93, and the description of the other configurations will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, in the three-stage fan 92, the same reference numerals are used for the configurations similar to those of the one-stage fan 20 (FIG. 5) according to the first embodiment and the two-stage fan 82 according to the second embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0079] 16 shows a three-stage fan 92. The three-stage fan 92 has four disks, namely, a first disk 36, a second disk 83, a third disk 94, and a fourth disk 96. The first disk 36 is similar to the one-stage fan 20 according to the first embodiment and the two-stage fan 82 according to the second embodiment. The second disk 83 is similar to the two-stage fan 82 according to the second embodiment. Furthermore, the fourth disk 96 can be similar to the third disk 38 according to the first and second embodiments.

[0080] In this three-stage fan 92, fins 97 are also provided on the third disk 94. Therefore, not only the first space 46 between the first disk 36 and the second disk 83 and the second space 85 between the second disk 83 and the third disk 94, but also the third space 98 formed between the third disk 94 and the fourth disk 96 are defined in the circumferential direction by the fins 97.

[0081] Here, the three-stage fan 92 is provided with fan magnets 101, 102, the axial lengths of which are longer than those of the fan magnets 39, 40 in the first and second embodiments. The fan magnets 101, 102 protrude from the upper surface of the first circular plate 36 through the third space 98, the second space 85 and the first space 46. Here, the fan magnets 101, 102 may have a structure in which they are divided into a plurality of pieces in the length direction.

[0082] 17 shows a state in which the fourth disk 96 is removed from the three-stage fan 92 to expose the fins 97 of the third disk 94. A plurality of (eight in this example) plate-shaped fins 97 having a rectangular cross section are formed on the lower surface 95 of the third disk 94.

[0083] The fins 97 are arranged radially from the central portion of the third disk 94, similar to the fins 45 of the first disk 36 and the fins 84 of the second disk 83. The distance between adjacent fins 97 gradually increases from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the third disk 94. The direction of each fin 97 is inclined obliquely with respect to the radial direction (centrifugal direction) of the third disk 94. The inclination direction of each fin 97 on the third disk 94 is the same as that of the fins 45 of the first disk 36, and is opposite to that of the fins 84 of the second disk 83.

[0084] As in the first and second embodiments, the three-stage fan 92 is mounted on the fan support shaft 21 of the transmission mechanism case 22 (FIG. 3). When the drive magnets 28, 29 of the drive magnet holder 23 (FIG. 4) undergo rotational displacement, the three-stage fan 92 rotates horizontally via the attractive force between the drive magnets 28, 29 and the fan magnets 101, 102.

[0085] Here, with regard to the fan support shaft 21 of the transmission mechanism case 22 (FIG. 3), because the thickness (size in the axial direction) of the three-stage fan 92 is greater than the thicknesses of the one-stage fan 20 and the two-stage fan 82, the length (amount of protrusion from the transmission mechanism case 22) is changed as necessary to match the thickness of the three-stage fan 92. However, if the thickness of the three-stage fan 92 is changed to be approximately the same as the thicknesses of the one-stage fan 20 and the two-stage fan 82, there is no need to change the length of the fan support shaft 21.

[0086] 15, gas passing holes 105-107 are provided on the side surface of the container stand 93. These gas passing holes 105-107 open in a horizontally long rectangle and penetrate the side wall of the container stand 93. The gas passing holes 105-107 are formed at different heights (at different positions in the Z direction) from one another.

[0087] 15, a set of the uppermost gas passing hole 105 and the lowermost gas passing hole 107 is drawn on the left side surface in the figure, and a middle gas passing hole 106 is drawn on the right side surface in the figure. The set of the uppermost gas passing hole 105 and the lowermost gas passing hole 107 and the middle gas passing hole 106 are formed on side surfaces that form an angle of 90 degrees with the container stand 93. Here, for the gas passing hole 107 located at the lowermost stage, a rectangular cutout provided in the container stand 93 is combined with the transmission mechanism case 22 to form the gas passing hole 107 that opens in a rectangular shape.

[0088] 15, a gas passing hole (not shown) having approximately the same shape and size is formed at a position (same height in the Z direction) facing and spaced 180 degrees from the pair of gas passing holes 105 in the top stage and 107 in the bottom stage, although it is hidden behind them. Furthermore, a gas passing hole (not shown) having approximately the same shape and size is formed at a position facing and spaced 180 degrees from the gas passing hole 106 in the middle stage.

[0089] These gas passing holes 105-107 become passages for air generated by the horizontal rotation of three-stage fan 92. As described above, in three-stage fan 92, fins 45 of first disc 36 and fins 97 of third disc are inclined in the same direction, and fins 84 of second disc 83 are inclined in the opposite direction to fins 45 of first disc 36 and fins 97 of third disc.

[0090] Therefore, regarding the direction of air flow, when air is sucked into the first space 46 and the third space 98, the air is expelled from the second space 85, depending on the rotation direction of the three-stage fan 92. On the other hand, when air is sucked into the second space 85, the air is expelled from the first space 46 and the third space 98.

[0091] Of the gas passing holes 105-107, the top gas passing hole 105 and the bottom gas passing hole 107 are gas passing holes corresponding to the first space 46 and the third space 98, and the middle gas passing hole 106 is a gas passing hole corresponding to the second space 85.

[0092] In addition, in order to form the gas passing holes 105-107 without increasing the height of the container stand 93, it is desirable to determine the relationship between the opening areas of the gas passing holes 105-107 in consideration of the balance between the intake and exhaust volumes through the gas passing holes 105-107.

[0093] The stirrer 91 of the third embodiment as described above not only provides the same effects as the first and second embodiments, but also uses a three-stage fan 92, which further increases the amount of air blown in or out, making it possible to more efficiently prevent the temperature of the plate 33 from rising.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the stirrers 12, 81, and 91 according to the embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, a multi-stage fan (multiple-stage fan) having three or more stages of spaces with some spaces not provided with fins can also be used.

[0095] (Embodiments of the invention) A first embodiment of the present invention includes a drive source (such as a motor) that generates a rotational force for rotating a drive magnet, A drive unit that accommodates the drive source; A plate portion (such as a plate) having a mounting surface for mounting a sample container thereon; The stirrer device has fins for circulating air, and is equipped with a fan (one-stage fan, two-stage fan, three-stage fan, etc.) that is disposed between the plate portion and the drive portion and circulates air on the rear side of the placement surface. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature of the plate portion from increasing, and prevents the heat generated by the drive source from being transmitted to the sample.

[0096] A second embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment, wherein the fan is provided with a fan magnet, and the fan is rotated via magnetic force between the drive magnet and the fan magnet. This allows the drive source to also be used as a drive source for the fan, which has the effect of eliminating the need for a drive source dedicated to the fan.

[0097] A third embodiment of the present invention is the first or second embodiment, wherein the plate portion is formed in a fan case (such as a container base) in which the fan is housed, The fan can rotate horizontally to move air in a centrifugal direction, The fan case is formed with a gas passage hole for passing air that flows with the rotation of the fan. This provides the effect of allowing air to flow through the gas passage holes, thereby efficiently preventing the temperature of the plate portion from increasing.

[0098] A fourth embodiment of the present invention is the third embodiment, in which a plurality of the gas passing holes are provided, and the plurality of gas passing holes are arranged at different heights from each other. This has the effect of making it easier to arrange the gas passage holes in accordance with the positions of the fins in the fan.

[0099] A fifth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the fins are formed in one stage, The fan causes air to flow through the one stage of fins. This brings about an effect that it is possible to efficiently prevent the temperature rise of the plate portion with a simple configuration.

[0100] A sixth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the fins are formed in multiple stages, The fan causes air to flow by means of the multiple stages of fins. This makes it possible to increase the amount of air blown, and thus makes it possible to efficiently prevent the temperature of the plate portion from increasing.

[0101] A seventh embodiment of the present invention is the sixth embodiment, wherein the fins in at least some of the multiple stages are formed in an opposite direction to the fins in the other stages. This allows the air to flow in the opposite direction depending on the orientation of the fins. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 11... Stirring device, 12, 81, 91... Stirrer, 13... Container, 14... Sample, 16... Driving part, 19, 93... Container stand (fan case), 20... 1st stage fan (fan), 28, 29... Driving magnet, 26... Motor (driving source), 31, 32, 105 to 107... Gas passage hole, 33... Plate (plate part), 33a... Placement surface, 39, 40, 101, 102... Fan magnet, 45, 84, 97... Fin, 82... 2nd stage fan (fan), 92... 3rd stage fan (fan)

Claims

1. A drive magnet for driving a stirrer disposed in the sample in the container; A drive source that generates a rotational force for rotating the drive magnet; A drive unit that accommodates the drive source; A plate portion having a mounting surface for mounting the container; a fan having fins for moving air, the fan being disposed between the plate portion and the drive portion, and moving air toward a rear side of the placement surface; The fan has a stirrer device having a guide portion that guides the air drawn in from outside the fan by the fins so that the air can be discharged outside the fan.

2. The fan, an intake side space through which air drawn in from the outside of the fan flows; a discharge side space for allowing the intake air to flow in order to discharge the intake air to the outside of the fan; 2. The stirrer device of claim 1, comprising:

3. 3. The stirrer device according to claim 1, wherein the fan includes a fan magnet, and the fan is rotated via a magnetic force between the driving magnet and the fan magnet.

4. A stirrer device as described in claim 3, wherein the guide portion rotates together with the fan.

5. A stirrer device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fin is located between the placement surface and the guide portion.

6. The plate portion is formed on a fan case in which the fan is housed, The fan can rotate horizontally to move air in a centrifugal direction, 6. The stirrer device according to claim 1, wherein said fan case is formed with a gas passage hole for passing air flowing with the rotation of said fan.

7. 7. The stirrer device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the gas passing holes are provided, and the plurality of gas passing holes are arranged at different heights from each other.

8. The fin is formed in one step, 8. The stirrer device according to claim 1, wherein the fan moves air through the fins of the one stage.

9. The fins are formed in multiple stages, 8. The stirrer device according to claim 1, wherein the fan causes air to flow through the multiple stages of fins.

10. The stirrer device according to claim 9, wherein the fins in at least some of the multiple stages are formed in an opposite direction to the fins in the other stages.

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