Automated dry sample loading device and method, and automated sample processing system

Abstract

An automated dry sample loading device and method, and an automated sample processing system. The automated dry sample loading device comprises: a workbench, and, provided on the workbench, a powder adding module, a rotary evaporation module, a powder scraping module and a transfer mechanism, wherein the powder adding module is used for adding powder to a sample container containing a sample, the rotary evaporation module is used for performing rotary evaporation on the sample within the sample container to which the powder has been added and drying same to form a powder sample, the powder scraping module is used for performing a powder scraping operation on the sample container to scrape the powder sample off the inner surface of the sample container, and the transfer mechanism is used for interactions among the powder adding module, the rotary evaporation module and the powder scraping module.

Description

Automated dry sample loading equipment and methods, automated sample processing systems

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411751466.5, filed on November 30, 2024, entitled "Automated Dry Sample Loading Equipment and Method, Automated Sample Processing System", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of automation equipment technology, specifically to the field of biomedical and chemical automation equipment technology, and more specifically, to an automated dry sample loading device, an automated dry sample loading method, and an automated sample processing system. Background Technology

[0004] In medium-pressure preparative separation scenarios, dry loading is sometimes required. Dry loading involves dissolving the sample to be separated in a small amount of solvent, adding a small amount of separating material, removing the solvent to form a dry sample, mixing it thoroughly, scraping it off, and finally adding the resulting powdered sample to the top layer of the loading column. Traditional dry loading involves manual processing throughout the entire process. For example, the sample is manually mixed with silica gel and placed in a distillation flask for rotary evaporation, then manually transferred from the distillation flask to a container specifically designed for medium-pressure preparative separation equipment.

[0005] This process is complex and tedious, and the operator's skill can affect the mixing and drying results. In addition, traditional rotary apparatus is prone to powder spraying and sample loss due to high negative pressure, and the powder scraping operation can also result in a large amount of sample residue due to insufficient manual experience, and consumes a lot of manual time and effort. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides an automated dry sample loading device, an automated dry sample loading method, and an automated sample processing system.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an automated dry sample loading device, comprising: a workbench, and a powder adding module, a rotary evaporation module, a powder scraping module, and a conveying mechanism disposed on the workbench. The powder adding module is used to add powder to a sample container containing a sample; the rotary evaporation module is used to rotary evaporate the sample with powder added to the sample container, thereby mixing the sample and powder in the sample container uniformly and drying it to form a powder sample; the powder scraping module is used to scrape powder from the inner surface of the sample container; one end of the conveying mechanism is connected to the workbench, and the other end is connected to an interactive tool, the conveying mechanism being used to interact between the powder adding module, the rotary evaporation module, and the powder scraping module.

[0008] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide an automated dry sample loading method. This automated dry sample loading method is applied to the automated dry sample loading equipment described in the first aspect of this disclosure. The automated dry sample loading method includes: a feeding step, in which a material tray containing materials, including a powder bucket, a sample container, and a funnel, is placed into a feeding rack module; a powder adding step, in which a conveying mechanism places the powder bucket and sample container from the material tray into a powder adding module, adding powder from the powder bucket into the sample container containing the sample; a rotary evaporation step, in which the conveying mechanism transfers the sample container containing the added powder to a rotary evaporation module, and the sample container is rotary evaporated to mix the powder and sample evenly and then rotary dried to form a powder sample; a powder scraping step, in which the conveying mechanism transfers the sample container containing the powder sample to a powder scraping module, and the conveying mechanism changes the powder scraping module to scrape powder from the inner surface of the sample container; and a discharging step, in which the processed sample container is transferred to the next process.

[0009] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides an automated sample processing system, which includes the automated dry sample loading device described in the first aspect of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automated dry sample loading device according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0011] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the powder scraping module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0012] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transport gripper in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the tilting gripper in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the powder adding module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 6a is a schematic diagram of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 6b is a schematic diagram of the rotating component of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6c is a schematic diagram of the sealing assembly of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6d is a schematic diagram of the sealing pressure head of the sealing assembly of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 6e is a schematic diagram of the heating component of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 6f is a schematic diagram of the structure of the baffle of the rotary evaporation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the scraper cleaning module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0022] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the switch cover and the powder scraping rotation module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0023] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the powder leveling module in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 10 is a flowchart of an automated dry sample loading method according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this disclosure, the technical solutions of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, these exemplary embodiments may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of this disclosure.

[0027] Where there is no conflict, the various embodiments of this disclosure and the features thereof in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0028] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more related enumerated entries.

[0029] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “made of” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component is specified, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof is not excluded.

[0030] The embodiments described herein can be described with reference to plan views and / or cross-sectional views using the ideal schematic diagrams of this disclosure. Therefore, the example illustrations can be modified according to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited to those shown in the drawings, but include modifications to configurations formed based on manufacturing processes. Therefore, the areas illustrated in the drawings are schematic in nature, and the shapes of the areas shown in the figures illustrate specific shapes of areas of an element, but are not intended to be limiting.

[0031] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0032] The automated dry sample loading device, method, and system disclosed herein utilize a stainless steel cylindrical rotary evaporator column in the automated process. A robotic arm automates sample transfer, sample addition, sample mixing, and product pouring. A novel drying module is designed for the cylindrical rotary evaporator column, using a controllable infrared heating module to heat the column while an automated vacuum system maintains a certain vacuum within the column. These two methods work together to rapidly and thoroughly mix and dry the sample within the column. After drying, the scraping module of the automated dry sample loading device automatically scrapes off any sticky sample from the inner wall of the cylindrical rotary evaporator column and grinds it into uniform, fine solid particles for further processing. All of the above processes are operated by an automated robotic arm, achieving a fully automated, unmanned process, reducing labor costs, and improving efficiency and accuracy.

[0033] In this embodiment, the automated dry sample loading device includes a worktable and a powder adding module, a rotary evaporation module, a powder scraping module, and a transport mechanism mounted on the worktable. The transport mechanism adds powder to a sample container containing the sample. The transport mechanism then transfers the sample container with added powder to the rotary evaporation module, where the sample and powder in the sample container are rotary evaporated to ensure uniform mixing and form a powder sample. Finally, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container containing the powder sample to the powder scraping module for powder scraping. The entire powder adding, rotary evaporation, and powder scraping process is automated, improving efficiency and accuracy while reducing labor costs.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the automated dry sample loading device of this embodiment includes a workbench 1 and a loading rack module 3, a powder adding module 4, a rotary evaporation module 5, a scraper cleaning module 6, a vision inspection module 7, a cover opening and closing and powder scraping rotation module 8, a powder leveling module 9, and a transport mechanism including a robotic arm 10 and a tool library 2, all mounted on the workbench 1. The tool library 2, loading rack module 3, powder adding module 4, rotary evaporation module 5, scraper cleaning module 6, vision inspection module 7, cover opening and closing and powder scraping rotation module 8, and powder leveling module 9 are arranged around the robotic arm 10; the transport mechanism is used to connect the various modules in series to realize the interaction between the modules.

[0035] Tool library 2 is used to temporarily store interaction tools used when interacting with various modules; one end of robotic arm 10 is connected to workbench 1, and the other end is used to connect to the interaction tools. Robotic arm 10 can automatically change interaction tools according to operational needs.

[0036] The loading rack module 3 includes at least one material tray 31, which is used to carry different materials and enables material interaction with external sources. For example, the interaction tool includes a gripping device. When an external mobile device places the material tray 31 containing materials into the loading rack module 3, the robotic arm 10 uses the gripping device to remove the materials from the material tray and returns it to the workbench 1 for operation.

[0037] This disclosure does not specifically limit the type of external mobile device. For example, in some embodiments, the external mobile device may be an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), a mobile robot, or a manually operated device.

[0038] In some embodiments, materials include sample containers, powder buckets, funnels, etc., and sample containers include rotary evaporation columns, sample loading columns, etc., while material trays include powder bucket trays, funnel trays, rotary evaporation column trays, sample loading column trays, etc. Interactive tools include a powder scraping module 21, a transport gripper 22, and a pouring gripper 23. The transport gripper 22 is used to transport various materials, such as powder buckets, funnels, rotary evaporation columns, sample loading columns, etc. The pouring gripper 23 is used to transport materials and pour out powder or samples from the materials, such as pouring powder from a powder bucket. The powder scraping module 21 is used to scrape samples from the sample containers, for example, scraping samples from the side walls and bottom of the rotary evaporation column. This disclosure does not impose special limitations on the material and shape of the sample containers; for example, the rotary evaporation column may be made of stainless steel and be cylindrical in shape.

[0039] In some embodiments, the sample is a biological sample, a pharmaceutical sample, or a chemical sample. When the sample is a pharmaceutical sample, it can be a Western medicine sample, a traditional Chinese medicine sample, or other drug samples with medicinal effects. For example, traditional Chinese medicine samples include raw medicinal herbs, prepared slices of traditional Chinese medicine, proprietary Chinese medicines, semi-finished traditional Chinese medicines, and medicinal plants.

[0040] In some embodiments, the workbench 1 is also provided with a dilution and reconstitution device connection rail 100, and the sample in the rotary evaporation column can be directly obtained from the dilution and reconstitution device. The sample is first freeze-dried by a freeze-drying device, then diluted and dissolved in the dilution and reconstitution device, and finally, the diluted and dissolved sample is input into the rotary evaporation column of the automated dry sample loading device through the dilution and reconstitution device connection rail 100.

[0041] In some embodiments, the robotic arm in the handling mechanism may be a moving mechanism with at least one degree of freedom in one direction, and this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on it. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the robotic arm is a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm.

[0042] In some embodiments, the robotic arm also includes a vision component. The robotic arm uses the vision component to identify modules, interactive tools, or materials, and then selects the appropriate interactive tool (e.g., a gripping device) to grip the required materials, locates the module to be worked on, and achieves precise operation, meeting diverse needs such as identification, inspection, and gripping of specific items. The robotic arm can grip or place materials, is suitable for gripping and transporting lightly loaded materials, and can reach previously inaccessible areas, making gripping and transport more flexible and convenient, meeting the production needs of flexible production lines.

[0043] In some embodiments, the powder scraping module includes a powder scraping module 21, a switch cover, and a powder scraping rotation module 8. The powder scraping module 21 is used to scrape the powder sample from the inner surface of the sample container. The switch cover and the powder scraping rotation module 8 are used to fix and rotate the sample container. The powder scraping module 21 works in conjunction with the switch cover and the powder scraping rotation module 8 to perform powder scraping operations on the sample container. As shown in FIG2, the powder scraping module 21 includes a transverse pre-compression mechanism 211, a longitudinal pre-compression mechanism 212, and a scraper 213. The scraper 213 is installed on one side of the transverse pre-compression mechanism 211, and the longitudinal pre-compression mechanism 212 is installed on the side of the transverse pre-compression mechanism 211 opposite to the scraper 213. The scraper 213 is used to scrape the powder sample from the inner surface of the sample container. For example, the scraper 213 automatically rotates at a low speed along the inner surface of the sample container to scrape the sample from the inner surface of the sample container, and the sample is in a powder state. By setting up a transverse pre-compression mechanism 211 and a longitudinal pre-compression mechanism 212, the sample in the sample container can be scraped off from different directions, reducing powder residue in the sample container. With the help of a robotic arm, fully automated powder scraping can be achieved. For example, when the sample container is a rotary evaporator column, during the automated rotation of the rotary evaporator column, the robotic arm 10 drives the powder scraping module 21 to move, so that the scraper 213 extends into the rotary evaporator column and performs transverse pre-compression to adhere to the side wall of the rotary evaporator column. In conjunction with the rotation speed of the rotary evaporator column, the scraper 213 moves towards the bottom of the rotary evaporator column at a uniform speed, thereby scraping off the sample attached to the side wall of the rotary evaporator column. When the scraper 213 reaches the bottom of the rotary evaporator column, under the drive of the robotic arm 10, the bottom of the rotary evaporator column is subjected to longitudinal pre-compression, thereby scraping off the sample attached to the bottom of the rotary evaporator column.

[0044] In some embodiments, the longitudinal preload mechanism 212 includes a base 120, a Z-axis guide shaft limiting member 121, a Z-axis guide shaft 122, a linear bearing seat 123, and a Z-axis compression spring 124. The linear bearing seat 123 is fixedly installed at the four corners of the base 120. The Z-axis guide shaft 122 passes through the linear bearing seat 123 and can slide up and down relative to the linear bearing seat 123 along its own axis. The Z-axis guide shaft 122 serves a guiding function. The upper end of the Z-axis guide shaft 122 is connected to the Z-axis guide shaft limiting member. The Z-axis guide shaft 122 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the guide rail slider connecting plate 214. The Z-axis guide shaft limiting member 121 limits the longitudinal movement of the Z-axis guide shaft 122. The Z-axis compression spring 124 is wound around the Z-axis guide shaft 122. One end of the Z-axis compression spring 124 abuts against the side of the base 120 opposite to the Z-axis guide shaft limiting member 121, and the other end of the Z-axis compression spring 124 abuts against the side of the guide rail slider connecting plate 214 opposite to the scraper 213. The Z-axis compression spring 124 provides longitudinal pre-compression, and due to the characteristics of the spring, it can prevent excessive force from scratching and damaging the inside of the sample container. The longitudinal pre-compression provides a downward force to the scraper 213, so that the scraper 213 continuously abuts against the bottom of the sample container, so that the powder at the bottom is scraped clean.

[0045] In some embodiments, the base 120 is square, and four sets of Z-axis guide shaft limiting member 121, Z-axis guide shaft 122, linear bearing seat 123, and Z-axis compression spring 124 are provided and distributed at the four corners of the base 120, thereby ensuring uniform force distribution and a more stable structure.

[0046] In some embodiments, the transverse preload mechanism 211 includes a guide rail slider connecting plate 214, a transverse support 215, an X-axis guide shaft limiting member 216, an X-axis spring limiting shaft 217, an X-axis compression spring 218, a scraper mounting base 219, and a linear guide rail 210. The guide rail slider connecting plate 214 is fixedly connected to the Z-axis guide shaft 122. The linear guide rail 210 is installed on the guide rail slider connecting plate 214 and is used to provide lateral movement. The scraper mounting seat 219 is installed on the linear guide rail 210 and the scraper 213 is installed on the scraper mounting seat 219. One end of the X-axis spring limiting shaft 217 is installed on the scraper mounting seat 219 and the other end is installed with the X-axis guide shaft limiting member 216. The X-axis guide shaft limiting member 216 is used to constrain the lateral movement of the X-axis spring limiting shaft 217. The X-axis compression spring 218, which provides lateral preload, is wound around the X-axis spring limiting shaft 217. The scraper 213 scrapes the sample off the side wall and bottom of the rotary evaporation column through the lateral blade and the bottom blade.

[0047] In some embodiments, a quick-change connector 125 is provided on the side of the base 120 opposite to the scraper 213. The quick-change connector 125 is detachably connected to the robotic arm 10. When a powder scraping operation is required on the sample container, the robotic arm 10 is connected to the powder scraping module 21 through the quick-change connector 125. When the powder scraping operation is completed, the powder scraping module 21 can be easily detached from the robotic arm 10 through the quick-change connector 125. For example, after the sample in the rotary evaporation column is dried, the robotic arm 10 automatically positions itself to the tool magazine 2, locates the powder scraping module 21, connects the robotic arm 10 to the quick-change connector 125 of the powder scraping module 21, and the robotic arm 10 drives the powder scraping module 21 to perform a powder scraping operation on the side wall and bottom of the rotary evaporation column. After the sample in the rotary evaporation column is scraped off, the robotic arm 10 drives the powder scraping module 21 to automatically position itself to the tool magazine 2 and detaches the powder scraping module 21 from the robotic arm 10.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the transport gripper 22 is used to cooperate with the robotic arm 10 to grip and move materials. The transport gripper 22 includes a drive component 220, a transport arm 221, and a quick-change connector 125. The transport arm 221 is connected to the drive component 220, which drives the transport arm 221 to open and close to grip the sample container. The robotic arm 10 is detachably connected to the transport gripper 22 via the quick-change connector 125. During the interaction between the robotic arm 10 and the various modules, the robotic arm 10 connects to the transport gripper 22 via the quick-change connector 125, thereby driving the transport gripper 22 to remove the materials from the material tray 31 and move them to the various modules.

[0049] As shown in Figure 4, the tilting gripper 23 is used in conjunction with the robotic arm 10 to transport materials and tilt powder or samples, for example, tilting powder from a powder container. The tilting gripper 23 includes a pair of clamping jaws 231, which can move closer together to clamp the sample container or move further apart to release the sample container. The clamping jaws 231 include a pair of first clamping portions 232 and a pair of second clamping portions 233, which clamp the sample container in a manner that causes the sample container to extend in different directions.

[0050] In some embodiments, a pair of first clamping portions 232 clamp the sample container in a manner extending along a first direction; a pair of second clamping portions 233 clamp the sample container in a manner extending along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are at a certain angle.

[0051] In some embodiments, the tilting gripper 23 further includes a locking element 234 and an anti-drop element 235. The locking element 234 is used to assist in firmly clamping the sample container, and the anti-drop element 235 is used, for example, to lock the lid protrusion of the sample container to assist in clamping and prevent the sample container from falling.

[0052] This disclosure does not specifically limit the shape of the locking element 234 and the anti-drop element 235. In some embodiments, the locking element 234 is plate-shaped and the anti-drop element 235 is block-shaped. The locking element 234 and the anti-drop element 235 have holes for fasteners to pass through in order to secure them to the clamping jaw 231. The locking element 234 and the anti-drop element 235 can be installed by threaded installation or other methods, and this disclosure does not specifically limit them. For example, the locking element 234 and the anti-drop element 235 can be installed by any suitable method such as welding, screw fixing, or gluing.

[0053] In some embodiments, the tilting gripper 23 further includes a quick-connect coupling 125, through which the robotic arm 10 is detachably connected to the tilting gripper 23. During the interaction between the robotic arm 10 and the various modules, the robotic arm 10 connects to the tilting gripper 23 via the quick-connect coupling 125, thereby driving the tilting gripper 23 to grasp the sample container and tilt the powder in the sample container.

[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the powder adding module 4 includes a support 41, a powder adding mechanism 42, and a weighing mechanism 44. The support 41 includes a powder adding substrate 46 and a powder bucket support 43, with the powder adding substrate 46 connected to the powder bucket support 43. The powder adding mechanism 42 is disposed on the powder adding substrate 46 of the support 41 and can move horizontally and rise vertically along the powder adding substrate 46 to automatically add powder to the sample container. The powder bucket support 43 is used to carry a powder bucket containing the powder to be added to the sample container. The powder adding mechanism 42 is connected to the powder adding substrate 46, and the powder bucket support 43 is disposed below the powder adding mechanism 42. The weighing mechanism 44 is used to carry and weigh the sample container to be powdered and is disposed on the side of the powder bucket support 43 opposite to the powder adding mechanism 42.

[0055] In some embodiments, an adapter 45 is installed on the side of the weighing mechanism 44 facing the powder adding mechanism 42. The adapter 45 is used to place sample containers of different sizes, such as rotary evaporation columns, sample loading columns, etc. The weighing mechanism 44 is used to weigh the sample containers placed on the adapter 45 to achieve quantitative powder addition.

[0056] This disclosure does not impose any special limitations on the shape of the powder-adding substrate and the powder bucket support. In some embodiments, the powder-adding substrate may be a rectangular plate, a U-shaped plate, or an L-shaped plate, and the powder bucket support may be a flat plate structure or a U-shaped structure.

[0057] In this embodiment, both the bracket 41 and the powder bucket support 43 are U-shaped plates. The bracket 41 and the powder bucket support 43 are connected by fasteners such as screws or pins. The powder bucket support 43 is provided with a positioning groove for positioning the powder bucket to prevent the powder bucket from moving during the powder adding process and affecting the powder adding efficiency. The powder bucket support is provided with a powder outlet to facilitate the addition of powder from the powder bucket to the sample container on the adapter 45.

[0058] This disclosure does not impose any special limitations on the weighing mechanism. For example, in some embodiments, the weighing mechanism may be a balance.

[0059] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6a, the rotary evaporation module 5 includes a base 55, a container seat 51, a rotating assembly 52, a heating assembly 53, and a sealing assembly 54. The rotating assembly 52, heating assembly 53, and sealing assembly 54 are disposed on the base 55, and the container seat 51 is disposed on the rotating assembly 52. ​​The container seat 51 is used to support a sample container; the rotating assembly 52 is used to drive the container seat 51 to rotate; the heating assembly 53 is used to heat the sample container; and the sealing assembly 54 is used to seal and unseal the sample container. The sample container is sealed by the sealing assembly 54, and during the heating process of the sample container by the heating assembly 53, the rotating assembly 52 drives the sample container to rotate to ensure uniform heating. This allows the rotary evaporation module to achieve automated drying of samples through the sealing assembly 54, the heating assembly 53, and the rotating assembly 52.

[0060] As shown in Figures 6a and 6b, the rotating assembly 52 includes a mounting frame 521, a first driving member 522, and a first transmission member 523. The mounting frame 521 is disposed on the base 55. The first driving member 522 and the first transmission member 523 are disposed inside the mounting frame 521. The first driving member 522 is connected to the first transmission member 523. The first transmission member 523 is connected to the container seat 51. The first driving member 522 drives the first transmission member 523 to rotate the container seat 51.

[0061] This disclosure does not specifically limit the type of the first driving component; for example, the first driving component may be a rotary motor.

[0062] As shown in Figures 6a, 6c, and 6d, the sealing assembly 54 includes a sealing head 540, a support base 541, and a third driving member 542. The sealing head 540 is connected to the support base 541, and the support base 541 is connected to the third driving member 542. The third driving member 542 is used to drive the sealing head 540 to move up and down, so that the sealing head 540 seals and unseals the sample container. The sealing assembly 54 also has an exhaust channel 544, one end of which is connected to the opening of the sample container. When the heating assembly heats the sample container, the evaporated liquid inside the sample container is discharged from the sample container through the exhaust channel 544, thereby achieving evaporation and drying of the sample in the sample container.

[0063] Referring to Figure 6c, a third guide 543 is connected to the side of the support base 541 opposite to the third drive member 542. The support base 541 and the third guide 543 are slidably connected. The support base 541 is also connected to the sealing head 540. The output end of the third drive member 542 is connected to the support base 541 in a transmission manner. Thus, the third drive member 542 drives the support base 541 and the sealing head 540 to move along the third guide 543.

[0064] In some embodiments, there are multiple third guide members 543, which are spaced apart and parallel to each other, and the support base 541 is slidably connected to each of the multiple third guide members 543. Each third guide member 543 includes a guide rod and a bearing slidably disposed on the guide rod, and the support base 541 is connected to the bearing. The support base 541 can be a block structure or a plate structure; this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0065] In some embodiments, the third driving member 542 has a drive shaft 545 connected to the support base 541. The third driving member 542 can be a motor, hydraulic cylinder, or pneumatic cylinder, etc., and this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on it. For example, the third driving member 542 is a lifting motor, a linear motor, or a lead screw motor, which converts the rotational motion of the drive shaft 545 into linear lifting motion through a structure such as a lead screw and nut pair, thereby driving the support base 541 to perform linear lifting motion.

[0066] In some embodiments, the sealing assembly further includes a buffer mechanism 546 disposed between the support base 541 and the sealing head 540. The buffer mechanism 546 is used to move the sealing head 540 up and down relative to the support base 541. The buffer mechanism 546 also includes a guide post and an elastic element. One end of the guide post is connected to the support base 541, and the other end is connected to the sealing head 540. The elastic element is sleeved on the guide post and provides a preload force to the sealing head, so that the sealing head will not separate from the sample container when the sealing assembly moves up and down, thereby keeping the sample container in a sealed state. The elastic element can be an elastic material such as a compression spring, and this disclosure does not make any special limitations on it.

[0067] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 53 includes a heating element 532 and a baffle 530, wherein the heating element 532 is disposed on the baffle 530 and is used to heat the sample container.

[0068] In some embodiments, the heating assembly 53 includes a heating element 532 and a lifting plate 531. The heating element 532 is disposed on the lifting plate 531, and a second driving element 533 is disposed on the lifting plate 531. The second driving element 533 is used to drive the lifting plate 531 to rise and fall. When the lifting plate 531 rises to a position opposite to the sample container, the heating element 532 heats the sample container.

[0069] In some embodiments, the heating assembly includes a heating element 532, a baffle 530, and a lifting plate 531. The heating element 532 is disposed on the baffle 530 and the lifting plate 531. A second driving element 533 is disposed on the lifting plate 531. The second driving element 533 is used to drive the lifting plate 531 to rise and fall. When the lifting plate 531 rises to a position opposite to the sample container, the heating element 532 heats the sample container.

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6e, the heating assembly 53 includes a heating element 532, a lifting plate 531, and a mounting plate 536. The heating element 532 is disposed on the lifting plate 531. The mounting plate 536 is provided with a second driving element 533, a second transmission element 534, and a second guide element 535 on the side facing the container seat 51. The second driving element 533 is connected to the second transmission element 534, and the second transmission element 534 is slidably connected to the second guide element 535. The second driving element 533 is used to drive the lifting plate 531 to rise and fall. When the lifting plate 531 rises to a position opposite to the sample container, the heating element 532 heats the sample container.

[0071] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6a, 6e, and 6f, a baffle 530 surrounds the outer periphery of the container seat 51 and has a pick-and-place port 537 and a top opening 538. The pick-and-place port 537 is used to pick up and place a sample container from the container seat 51 when the lifting plate 531 descends below the container seat, and the top opening 538 is used for the sealing assembly 54 to enter. In some embodiments, a heating element 532 is disposed on the side surface of the baffle 530 facing the container seat 51. In embodiments of this disclosure, the heating element 532 is an infrared heating tube.

[0072] Referring to Figures 6a and 6f, the rotary evaporation module also includes a controller 56 and a temperature detection element 57. Both the temperature detection element 57 and the heating element 532 are electrically connected to the controller 56. The controller 56 is located on the side of the sealing assembly 54 away from the container seat 51, i.e., at the top of the rotary evaporation module. The temperature detection element 57 is located on the surface of the baffle opposite to the lifting plate 531, away from the container seat 51. The temperature detection element 57 is used to detect the temperature of the sample container. The controller 56 controls the heat output and start / stop of the heating element 532 based on the temperature detection element 57. The controller 56 is also electrically connected to the first drive element, the second drive element, and the third drive element, and can control the operating status of the first drive element, the second drive element, and the third drive element.

[0073] Referring to Figure 6a, the rotary evaporation module also includes a gas collection component 58, which is connected to the sealing component 54 and communicates with the exhaust channel 544. The gas collection component 58 is used to collect the gas volatilized inside the sample container.

[0074] In some embodiments, the gas collection assembly 58 further includes an adapter and an exhaust pipe. The adapter has an adapter channel, one end of the adapter is sealed to a sealing assembly, the other end of the adapter is sealed to an exhaust pipe, and the adapter channel connects the exhaust channel and the exhaust pipe.

[0075] In some embodiments, the rotary evaporation module further includes a condensation mechanism and a vacuum mechanism. The condensation mechanism is sealed and connected to both the exhaust pipe and the vacuum mechanism. The condensation mechanism is used to cool and recover the gases volatilized inside the sample container, and the vacuum mechanism is used to evacuate the sample container. By sealing the condensation mechanism and the vacuum mechanism to the exhaust pipe, the condensation mechanism cools and recovers the gases volatilized inside the sample container, and the vacuum mechanism evacuates the sample container, thereby creating a vacuum environment inside the sample container. The volatilized gases can be quickly discharged through the exhaust pipe, preventing gas condensation and backflow into the container, thus improving the working efficiency of the rotary evaporation module.

[0076] As shown in Figure 7, the scraper cleaning module 6 is used to clean and wipe the scraper 213 of the powder scraping module 21. The scraper cleaning module 6 includes a cleaning tank 61, a diaphragm pump 62, and a wiping assembly 63. The cleaning tank 61 is used to clean the scraper 213. An opening for inserting the scraper 213 is provided on the upper side of the cleaning tank 61. The diaphragm pump 62 is located in the middle of the cleaning tank 61 and the wiping assembly 63. The diaphragm pump 62 is connected to the cleaning tank 61 and the cleaning solution bottle through pipelines. The cleaning solution is pumped into the cleaning tank 61 to rinse the scraper. The wiping assembly 63 is provided with a sponge placement groove 64, which holds a sponge for wiping the scraper 213. The sponge can wipe the scraper after rinsing to dry the cleaning solution on the scraper.

[0077] Referring to Figure 1, the visual inspection module 7 includes a visual inspection component and a visual imaging component. The visual inspection component is used to detect the state of the sample in the sample container and acquire images of the sample in the sample container. The visual imaging component is used to display the sample images acquired by the visual inspection component. This disclosure does not specifically limit the sample container. For example, in some embodiments, the sample container can be a rotary evaporation column, and the visual inspection module is used to detect whether the sample inside the rotary evaporation column has been evaporated or completely scraped off. Detecting the sample inside the rotary evaporation column using the visual inspection module 7 can improve the accuracy of the detection.

[0078] In some embodiments, the visual inspection module 7 includes a first inspection component and a second inspection component. The first inspection component includes a first camera and a first light source spaced apart in the horizontal direction. The first light source is positioned opposite the first camera and is used to illuminate the sample container when taking pictures of its side. The position between the first camera and the first light source is a first shooting position. The robotic arm 10 can place the sample container at the first shooting position, which is used to capture a side image of the sample container. The second inspection component includes a second camera and a second light source spaced apart in the vertical direction. The second light source is used to illuminate the sample container when taking pictures of its bottom. The second light source is located above the second camera. The position of the second light source facing away from the second camera is a second shooting position. The robotic arm 10 can place the sample container at the second shooting position, where the second camera is used to capture a bottom image of the sample container. The first shooting position and the second shooting position are different. The first light source can be a surface light source, and the second light source can be a ring light source. By acquiring and inspecting images of the side and bottom of the sample container through the visual inspection module 7, the inspection accuracy is improved. It is understood that if light source interference is ignored, the first shooting position and the second shooting position can be the same, the second camera can be positioned between the first camera and the first light source, and the second light source may or may not be positioned above the second camera.

[0079] As shown in Figure 8, the opening / closing cap and powder scraping rotation module 8 is used to fix and rotate the sample container. The opening / closing cap and powder scraping rotation module 8 includes a rotation mechanism 81 and a driving rotation mechanism 82. The rotation mechanism 81 is rotatably mounted on the driving rotation mechanism 82. A clamping mechanism 83 is provided on the rotation mechanism 81 to clamp and fix the sample container. The clamping mechanism 83 clamps the sample container, and the driving rotation mechanism 82 drives the rotation mechanism 81 to rotate. The clamping mechanism 83 applies rotational force to the sample container, providing greater torque for opening and closing the sample container. Furthermore, the rotation mechanism itself fixes and rotates the sample container, facilitating automation. For example, when it is necessary to pour the sample from the sample container into the sample loading column, the robotic arm 10 transfers the sample loading column to the clamping mechanism 83 on the rotation mechanism 81. The driving rotation mechanism 82 then drives the rotation mechanism 81 to rotate, thus opening the sample loading column. When it is necessary to scrape the sample in the rotary evaporation column, the robotic arm 10 transfers the rotary evaporation column to the clamping mechanism 83 on the rotating mechanism 81. The driving rotating mechanism 82 does not perform driving operation at this time to fix the rotary evaporation column. The scraping module 21 is replaced on the robotic arm 10 to scrape the side wall and bottom of the rotary evaporation column.

[0080] Figure 9 shows a side view of the powder leveling module 9 at the top and a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the powder leveling module 9 at the bottom. As shown in Figure 9, the powder leveling module 9 is used to level the powder sample in the sample container. The powder leveling module 9 includes a base plate 91, a rotating component 92, a driving device 93, and a support plate 94. The rotating component 92 and the driving device 93 are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the base plate 91. The support plate 94 is provided with at least one container groove. The driving device 93 is connected to the rotating component 92 and drives the rotating component 92 to rotate, thereby causing the rotating component 92 to drive the support plate 94 to vibrate, which in turn causes the sample container in the container groove to vibrate, so that the powder sample in the sample container is fully compacted. By leveling the powder sample in the sample container using the powder leveling module 9, labor costs are reduced, automation is achieved, and the large force of the driving device also enables better compaction of the powder sample in the sample container, improving efficiency and sample accuracy.

[0081] This disclosure does not impose a special limitation on the number of rotating parts and container tanks; there may be one or more.

[0082] In some embodiments, the powder leveling module 9 includes three rotating members 92 located at the three vertices of a virtual triangle. A driving device 93 is connected to the three rotating members 92 and drives them to rotate synchronously to increase the vibration force. In this embodiment, the tray 94 is provided with four container slots, all of which are cylindrical but have different diameters to accommodate sample containers for powder leveling.

[0083] In some embodiments, a counterweight is provided on the lower side of the three rotating parts 92. The counterweight is fixedly connected to the rotating parts 92, making the installation more stable, able to bear a larger oscillation load, and improving the operational stability during oscillation.

[0084] In some embodiments, the automated dry sample loading device further includes an information management system, which is electrically connected to the detection component and is used to receive and manage the information detected by the detection component. The information management system serves as the backend for the automated dry sample loading device and can manage the material operation of the device. The information management system may consist of hardware such as a computer and suitable software, and this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on this. The electrical connection between the information management system and the detection component can be wired or wireless, and this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on this. The information detected by the detection component is input into the information management system, which can process the information and obtain information such as the status and location of the material operation, and this disclosure does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0085] In some embodiments, the material tray is provided with a first information code, and the materials in the material tray are provided with a second information code. The first information code is used to detect and identify the material tray, and the second information code is used to detect and identify the materials in the material tray. The first and second information codes can be barcodes, QR codes, etc., and this embodiment does not specifically limit them. When the detection component detects the material tray and the materials, it can obtain the information of the material tray by scanning the first information code and obtain the information of the materials by scanning the second information code. By setting the first and second information codes, the material tray and the materials can be easily detected and identified, facilitating operation.

[0086] As shown in Figure 10, this embodiment of the present disclosure also provides an automated dry sample loading method, which is applied to the automated dry sample loading equipment in any of the above embodiments. The automated dry sample loading method includes:

[0087] S1. Loading step: Place the material tray containing the material into the loading rack module. The material includes powder buckets, sample containers, and funnels.

[0088] S2, Powder addition step: The conveying mechanism places the powder bucket and sample container on the material tray into the powder addition module, and adds the powder from the powder bucket into the sample container containing the sample.

[0089] S3, Rotary evaporation step: The transport mechanism transfers the sample container with added powder to the rotary evaporation module, and performs rotary evaporation on the sample container to mix the powder and sample in the sample container evenly and then evaporate it to form a powder sample.

[0090] S4. Powder scraping step: The transport mechanism transfers the sample container containing the powder sample to the powder scraping module. The transport mechanism changes the powder scraping module to perform powder scraping operation on the inner surface of the sample container.

[0091] S5. Unloading step: Transfer the processed sample container to the next process.

[0092] In one specific embodiment, the detailed process of achieving full automation of powder addition, rotary evaporation, and powder transfer using this automated dry sample loading method is as follows:

[0093] 1) Feeding: The AGV trolley places powder buckets containing silica gel powder, powder buckets containing quartz sand, funnels, rotary evaporation columns containing samples, sample loading columns, etc. in the feeding rack module.

[0094] 2) Adding silica powder: The robotic arm assembles a transport gripper from the tool library, picks up a powder canister containing silica powder and a rotary evaporation column containing the sample, places the powder canister containing silica powder on the powder canister carrier of the powder addition module, and places the rotary evaporation column containing the sample on the balance of the powder addition module. The robotic arm replaces the tilting gripper from the tool library and pours the silica powder from the powder canister into the rotary evaporation column. The silica powder is added quantitatively to the rotary evaporation column according to the weighing result of the balance.

[0095] 3) Rotary Evaporation: The robotic arm changes the handling gripper from the tool library, and at the same time, the lifting plate in the rotary evaporation module automatically descends, allowing the robotic arm to transfer the rotary evaporation column with added silica powder to the container seat of the rotary evaporation module. Then, the lifting plate automatically rises while the sealing pressure head descends, so that the sealing pressure head is pressed tightly against the opening of the rotary evaporation column. At this time, the vacuum pump evacuates the rotary evaporation column, and the rotary motor drives the container seat to rotate, thereby driving the rotary evaporation column to rotate. After the heating rod heats the rotary evaporation column, the substances volatilized from the rotary evaporation column are condensed in the cold trap and recovered.

[0096] 4) Visual inspection: The robotic arm transfers the rotary evaporation column after rotary evaporation to the visual inspection module. The visual inspection module takes pictures and analyzes the rotary evaporation column and collects images to detect whether the sample in the rotary evaporation column has been dried.

[0097] 5) Powder scraping: After the visual inspection module determines that the sample in the rotary evaporation column has been dried, the robotic arm transfers the rotary evaporation column to the switch cover and powder scraping rotation module. The robotic arm then replaces the powder scraping module to perform powder scraping operations on the side wall and bottom of the rotary evaporation column.

[0098] 6) Cleaning the scraper: The robotic arm moves to the scraper cleaning module and inserts the scraper of the powder scraping module into the upper opening of the cleaning tank of the scraper cleaning module for cleaning. After cleaning, the scraper is dried by the sponge in the wiping component of the scraper cleaning module.

[0099] 7) Visual inspection: The robotic arm puts the powder scraping module back into the tool library, and after changing the transport gripper, it transfers the powder-scraped rotary evaporator column from the opening cover and the powder scraping rotation module to the visual inspection module. The visual inspection module takes pictures and analyzes the rotary evaporator column and collects images to detect whether the state of the sample after rotary drying in the rotary evaporator column meets the requirements. If it does not meet the requirements, manual intervention is required.

[0100] 8) Sample loading column opening: After the sample dried in the rotary evaporation column meets the requirements, the robotic arm transfers the sample loading column to the opening and closing cap and powder scraping rotation module through the transport gripper to open the cap;

[0101] 9) Powder pouring: The robotic arm will pick up the funnel from the tool magazine and place it at the opening of the sample column. The tilting jaws will be changed to pour the dried powder sample from the rotary column into the sample column. The transport jaws will be changed to put the funnel back into the tool magazine.

[0102] 10) Powder Shaking: The robotic arm transfers the sample column to the powder leveling module for powder shaking;

[0103] 11) Powder addition: The robotic arm transfers the powder bucket containing quartz sand and the sample column after shaking to the powder addition module for powder addition;

[0104] 12) Closing the cap: The robotic arm transfers the sample column after adding quartz sand to the opening and closing cap and the powder scraping rotation module to close the cap;

[0105] 13) Unloading: The AGV trolley transfers the sample column to the next process.

[0106] This disclosure also provides an automated sample handling system, which includes a mobile device and at least one automated dry sample loading device as described above. The automated sample handling system implements any of the above-described automated dry sample loading methods, wherein the mobile device is used to pick up and place materials onto the loading rack module of the automated dry sample loading device. The mobile device can be any mobile device capable of performing the above functions, such as a mobile AGV or a mobile robot.

[0107] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the mobile device is a mobile robot, which includes: a mobile chassis; a support base connected to the mobile chassis; a shelf connected to the support base, the shelf including at least one shelf, each shelf having a compartment for storing materials; and a mobile robotic arm connected to the support base, the mobile robotic arm having a mobile gripping device for gripping materials.

[0108] The mobile chassis has navigation and self-guidance functions, and multi-sensor technology can realize intelligent obstacle avoidance and obstacle bypass. It is widely applicable to complex production and manufacturing scenarios. In implementation, standardized mobile robot chassis, such as AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) vehicles, can be selected.

[0109] In some embodiments, a storage rack for storing materials is provided on the mobile chassis. The storage rack can buffer materials and can transfer multiple materials at once, resulting in high transfer efficiency.

[0110] A support base is connected to a mobile chassis. Both the shelving unit and the mobile robotic arm are connected to the support base. The mobile chassis can move the support base, shelving unit, and mobile robotic arm. The shelving unit includes at least one shelf, and each shelf has a storage compartment for materials. The mobile robotic arm is used to access and retrieve materials. In some embodiments, the shelving unit may have individual positioning slots for placing materials.

[0111] In some embodiments, the support base includes a base plate, a vertical support plate, and a top support plate. The base plate is connected to the mobile chassis, and the top support plate is connected to the base plate via the vertical support plate. The top plate, vertical support plate, and base plate enclose a receiving space for housing the mobile robotic arm, the mobile gripping device, and the electrical control equipment of the mobile chassis. This electrical control equipment includes, but is not limited to, a power supply, a PC (Programmable Controller) switch, an inverter, relays, and the control box and teach pendant (a handheld device used for manual operation, programming, parameter configuration, and monitoring of the robotic arm) of the mobile robotic arm. Furthermore, the remaining space in the receiving space can be used as expansion space, for example, to house counterweights or electrical boxes.

[0112] Both the mobile robotic arm and the shelf are connected to the support base. The mobile robotic arm is equipped with a mobile gripping device for picking up materials, and the mobile robotic arm drives the mobile gripping device to pick up materials from the shelf. In some embodiments, both the mobile robotic arm and the shelf are connected to the outer top wall of the support top plate.

[0113] The shelf includes a base plate, two side plates, a shelf, and connecting components. The two side plates are positioned opposite each other, with their first ends connected to the base plate and their second ends being free ends. The shelf is positioned between the two side plates, and both ends of the shelf are connected to the two side plates respectively.

[0114] Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and while specific terminology has been used, it is for illustrative purposes only and should be construed as such, and is not intended to be limiting. In some instances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with particular embodiments may be used alone, or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with other embodiments, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure as set forth by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated dry sample loading device, characterized in that, include: Workbench, and The powder feeding module, rotary evaporation module, powder scraping module, and conveying mechanism are installed on the workbench. The powder adding module is used to add powder to a sample container containing the sample; The rotary evaporation module is used to rotary evaporate the sample with the powder added in the sample container, so that the sample and powder in the sample container are mixed evenly and dried to form a powder sample; The powder scraping module is used to perform a powder scraping operation on the sample container, scraping the powder sample off the inner surface of the sample container; One end of the conveying mechanism is connected to the workbench, and the other end is connected to an interactive tool. The conveying mechanism is used to interact between the powder adding module, the rotary evaporation module, and the powder scraping module.

2. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The powder adding module includes a support, a powder adding mechanism, and a weighing mechanism. The powder adding mechanism is mounted on the support and is used to add powder to the sample container. The weighing mechanism is used to support and weigh the sample container to be powdered. The support includes a powder-adding substrate and a powder bucket support member. The powder-adding substrate is connected to the powder bucket support member, and the powder bucket support member is used to hold a powder bucket containing powder added to the sample container. The powder dispensing mechanism is connected to the powder dispensing substrate, the powder bucket support is disposed below the powder dispensing mechanism, and the weighing mechanism is disposed on the side of the powder bucket support opposite to the powder dispensing mechanism. The weighing mechanism also includes an adapter mounted on the weighing mechanism for carrying sample containers of different sizes.

3. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The rotary evaporation module includes a base, a container seat, a rotating assembly, a heating assembly, and a sealing assembly. The rotating assembly, the heating assembly, and the sealing assembly are disposed on the base, and the container seat is disposed on the rotating assembly. The container seat is used to support the sample container. The container seat is provided with baffles and lifting plates around its perimeter. The lifting plates can move up and down to allow the sample container to be placed or removed from the container seat. The rotating assembly is used to drive the container seat to rotate, the heating assembly is used to heat the sample container, and the sealing assembly is used to seal and unseal the sample container.

4. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating assembly includes a mounting frame, a first driving member, and a first transmission member. The mounting frame is disposed on the base, and the first driving member and the first transmission member are disposed inside the mounting frame. The first driving member is connected to the first transmission member, and the first transmission member is connected to the container seat. The first driving member is used to drive the first transmission member to rotate the container seat.

5. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes a heating element and a baffle, the heating element being disposed on the baffle and used to heat the sample container; and / or The heating assembly includes a heating element and a lifting plate. The heating element is disposed on the lifting plate, and a second driving element is disposed on the lifting plate. The second driving element is used to drive the lifting plate to rise and fall. When the lifting plate rises to a position opposite to the sample container, the heating element heats the sample container.

6. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes a sealing head, a support base, and a third driving component. The sealing head is connected to the support base, and the support base is connected to the third driving component. The third driving component is used to drive the sealing head to move up and down so that the sealing head can seal and unseal the sample container.

7. The automated dry sample loading device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The powder scraping module includes a powder scraping module, a switch cover, and a powder scraping rotation module. The powder scraping module is used to scrape off the powder sample from the inner surface of the sample container, and the switch cover and the powder scraping rotation module are used to fix and rotate the sample container.

8. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The handling mechanism includes a robotic arm, an interactive tool, and a tool library for storing the interactive tool; the robotic arm automatically changes the interactive tool according to operational needs; the materials include sample containers, powder buckets, and funnels. The interactive tools include: Handling grippers are used to handle the material. A tilting gripper, used to handle the material and tilt the powder or sample from the material; The powder scraping module is used to scrape the sample from the sample container.

9. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The automated dry sample loading equipment also includes a scraper cleaning module, which is used to clean and wipe the scraper of the powder scraping module.

10. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The automated dry sample loading equipment also includes a powder leveling module for leveling the powder sample in the sample container, a visual inspection module for acquiring and displaying sample images, and a loading rack module for material interaction with the outside. The feeding rack module, the powder adding module, the rotary steaming module, the powder scraping module, the powder leveling module, the scraper cleaning module, the vision inspection module, and the tool library are respectively arranged around the robotic arm and are located within the operable range of the robotic arm.

11. The automated dry sample loading device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The powder leveling module includes a base plate, a rotating component, and a driving device. The rotating component and the driving device are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the base plate. The driving device is connected to the rotating component for driving the rotating component to rotate. The visual inspection module includes a visual inspection component and a visual imaging component. The visual imaging component is used to display the sample image acquired by the visual inspection component. The loading rack module includes a material tray for carrying different materials.

12. An automated dry sample loading method, characterized in that, The automated dry sample loading method is applied to the automated dry sample loading equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, and the automated dry sample loading method includes: In the feeding step, a material tray containing materials is placed into the feeding rack module. The materials include powder buckets, sample containers, and funnels. In the powder addition step, the conveying mechanism places the powder bucket and sample container on the material tray into the powder addition module, and adds the powder from the powder bucket into the sample container containing the sample. In the rotary evaporation step, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container containing the powder to the rotary evaporation module, and performs rotary evaporation on the sample container to mix the powder and sample in the sample container evenly and then evaporate it to form a powder sample. In the powder scraping step, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container containing the powder sample to the powder scraping module, and the transport mechanism replaces the powder scraping module to perform a powder scraping operation on the inner surface of the sample container. The unloading step involves transferring the processed sample container to the next process.

13. The automated dry sample loading method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The automated dry sample loading method also includes: In the visual inspection step, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container to the visual inspection module. The visual inspection module inspects the sample in the sample container using visual inspection components. The inspection result is displayed through a visual imaging component. Based on the inspection result, it is determined whether the sample meets the requirements. In the powder shaking step, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container to the powder leveling module for powder shaking.

14. The automated dry sample loading method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The automated dry sample loading method also includes: In the sample container opening and closing steps, the transport mechanism transfers the sample container to the opening and closing lid and powder scraping rotation module. The driving rotation mechanism of the opening and closing lid and powder scraping rotation module drives the rotation mechanism of the opening and closing lid and powder scraping rotation module to rotate, thereby realizing the opening and closing operation.

15. An automated sample processing system, characterized in that, The automated sample processing system includes at least one automated dry sample loading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, and the automated sample processing system further includes a mobile device for picking up and placing materials into the loading rack module of the automated dry sample loading device.

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