Sealing device and sealing method

Abstract

A sealing device (100) and a sealing method. The sealing device (100) comprises a main body (10), a driving mechanism (20), and a pressing head (30), wherein the driving mechanism (20) is mounted on the main body (10), and an output end of the driving mechanism (20) is detachably connected to the pressing head (30) and is capable of driving the pressing head (30) to move in a predefined direction, so that the pressing head (30) seals and press-fits a sealing member (70) onto an opening of an apertured container (60), thereby allowing for sealing of a variety of different apertured containers (60), improving utilization rates, and reducing costs.

Description

Sealing equipment and sealing methods

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on January 24, 2025, with application number 202510115331.8, entitled "Sealing Device and Sealing Method", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of container sealing technology, and in particular to a sealing device and sealing method. Background Technology

[0004] Currently, there are many perforated containers on the market. Taking microplates as an example, the size and location of the holes on various microplates vary greatly.

[0005] In related technologies, the process of pressing sealing components such as silicone sheets or pressure-sensitive membranes onto microporous plates is usually done manually, and often only one type of flat plate is used for pressing and sealing. However, this cannot accommodate different sealing components and microporous plate structures, and it is prone to extrusion displacement, reducing sealing reliability. Furthermore, using different tools to perform different operation procedures greatly increases the sealing cost of microporous plates. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a sealing device and sealing method to solve the problem of increased sealing costs caused by the wide variety of existing perforated containers.

[0007] This application provides a sealing device for sealing and pressing a sealing element onto the opening of a perforated container. The sealing device includes a body, a drive mechanism, and a pressure head. The drive mechanism is mounted on the body, and its output end is detachably connected to the pressure head, enabling the pressure head to move along a preset direction so that the pressure head can seal and press the sealing element onto the opening of the perforated container.

[0008] In one embodiment, the output end of the drive mechanism and the pressure head are detachably connected by any one of the following: magnetic engagement, pin hole engagement, threaded engagement, friction engagement, and snap-fit ​​engagement.

[0009] In one embodiment, a first mating member is installed on the output end of the drive mechanism, and a second mating member is installed on the pressure head. The first mating member and the second mating member are magnetically attracted to connect the pressure head and the drive mechanism. The first mating member and the second mating member are both configured as magnets, or one of the first mating member and the second mating member is configured as a magnet and the other is configured as a ferromagnet.

[0010] In one embodiment, one of the output end of the drive mechanism and the pressure head is provided with a first positioning pin, and the other is provided with a first positioning hole. The first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole to position and connect the pressure head and the drive mechanism.

[0011] In one embodiment, the seal includes a sealing plate and a sealing protrusion, the sealing protrusion protruding and connected to one end face of the sealing plate, and a groove penetrating the sealing plate is formed on the side of the sealing protrusion away from the protrusion direction; the pressure head includes a pressure plate and a pressure protrusion, the pressure protrusion protruding and connected to one end face of the pressure plate, and the pressure protrusion is used to insert into the groove; wherein, the height of the pressure protrusion is close to the depth of the groove.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the end of the press-fit protrusion away from the press-fit plate is provided with a guide surface; or, along the axial direction of the press-fit protrusion and from the press-fit plate to the press-fit protrusion, the cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion gradually decreases.

[0014] In one embodiment, the pressing plate and the pressing protrusion are integrally formed or separately configured; and / or, the pressing plate and the pressing protrusion are made of the same or different materials; and / or, the pressing protrusion is a rigid structure.

[0015] In one embodiment, the seal is configured as a sealing film, the pressure head includes a contact layer for adhering to the seal, wherein the side of the contact layer away from the drive mechanism is elastic.

[0016] In one embodiment, the contact layer is configured as a soft layer, or the contact layer is configured as a soft-hard composite layer.

[0017] In one embodiment, the pressure head further includes a deformation layer disposed on the side of the contact layer near the drive mechanism; wherein the hardness of the deformation layer is less than the hardness of the contact layer.

[0018] In one embodiment, the side of the contact layer away from the drive mechanism is provided with an anti-adhesion structure.

[0019] In one embodiment, the sealing device further includes a base detachably mounted on the body and used for positioning the perforated container.

[0020] In one embodiment, one of the base and the body is provided with a second positioning pin, and the other is provided with a second positioning hole. The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole to position and connect the base and the body.

[0021] In one embodiment, the base is provided with a first limiting groove, which is used for the installation of the perforated container.

[0022] In one embodiment, the base includes a pad that is detachably mounted in the first limiting groove for supporting the perforated container.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sealing device further includes a clamping mechanism having a clamping hole and a second limiting groove extending along the height direction. The clamping hole can be fitted onto the outer periphery of the perforated container, and the second limiting groove is used for positioning the seal.

[0024] In one embodiment, the clamping mechanism is provided with an abutment portion, which is located on the side of the clamping mechanism away from the second limiting groove along the height direction.

[0025] In one embodiment, the clamping mechanism includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, wherein the first clamping member and the second clamping member are separately disposed and connected to each other to form the clamping hole and the second limiting groove; or, the clamping mechanism is an integrally formed structure.

[0026] In one embodiment, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are detachably connected by magnetic engagement or pin-hole engagement.

[0027] This application also provides a sealing method for a perforated container, wherein the perforated container is sealed using a sealing device as described in any of the above embodiments, and the sealing method includes the following steps:

[0028] Select a base according to the height of the perforated container, and assemble the base onto the body;

[0029] Select the pressure head according to the type of seal and assemble the pressure head into the drive mechanism;

[0030] Place the perforated container on the base;

[0031] Place the seal on the perforated container;

[0032] The drive mechanism is activated to move the pressure head so that the pressure head can press the seal onto the perforated container.

[0033] In one embodiment, the seal is a sealing film, and the sealing method further includes the following steps: before placing the seal on the perforated container, assembling a clamping mechanism onto the perforated container or the base to position the seal by the clamping mechanism.

[0034] In one embodiment, the clamping mechanism includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, and the sealing method further includes the following steps: after the pressure head presses the sealing member onto the perforated container, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are respectively removed from opposite sides of the perforated container.

[0035] In one embodiment, the seal includes a sealing protrusion, and the sealing method further includes the step of aligning the sealing protrusion with a receiving hole on the perforated container during the placement of the seal on the perforated container.

[0036] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To better describe and illustrate embodiments and / or examples of the inventions disclosed herein, reference may be made to one or more accompanying drawings. Additional details or examples used to describe the drawings should not be considered as limiting the scope of any of the disclosed inventions, the currently described embodiments and / or examples, or the best mode of these inventions as currently understood.

[0038] Figure 1 is a state diagram of the sealing device according to an embodiment of this application during use.

[0039] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a sealing device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing device according to an embodiment of this application from another direction.

[0042] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the assembly of a perforated container according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a sealing element according to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a perforated container according to an embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a perforated container according to an embodiment of this application.

[0046] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure head according to an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure head according to an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the pressure head structure of another embodiment provided in this application.

[0049] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure head shown in Figure 11.

[0050] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of this application.

[0052] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings: 100, sealing device; 10, body; 11, second positioning pin; 20, drive mechanism; 21, first mating part; 22, first positioning pin; 30, pressure head; 301, first positioning hole; 31, second mating part; 32, pressing plate; 33, pressing protrusion; 331, guide surface; 34, contact layer; 35, deformation layer; 40, base; 401, second positioning hole; 4 02. First limiting groove; 41. Gasket; 50. Clamping mechanism; 501. Clamping hole; 502. Second limiting groove; 51. Abutting part; 52. First clamping member; 53. Second clamping member; 60. Perforated container; 601. Receiving hole; 61. Support part; 62. Opening part; 63. Annular boss; 70. Sealing element; 701. Groove; 71. Sealing plate; 72. Sealing protrusion; 73. Sealing film. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0054] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0055] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0056] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0057] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0058] Currently, there are many perforated containers on the market. Taking microplates as an example, the size and location of the holes on various microplates vary greatly.

[0059] In related technologies, the process of pressing sealing components such as silicone sheets or pressure-sensitive membranes onto microporous plates is usually done manually, and often only one type of flat plate is used for pressing and sealing. However, this cannot accommodate different sealing components and microporous plate structures, and it is prone to extrusion displacement, reducing sealing reliability. Furthermore, using different tools to perform different operation procedures greatly increases the sealing cost of microporous plates.

[0060] Please refer to Figures 1-14. To address the problem of increased sealing costs due to the wide variety of existing perforated containers, this application provides a sealing device 100. This sealing device 100 is used to seal and press a sealing element 70 into the opening of a perforated container 60. Here, the sealing element 70 can be a silicone sealing membrane, a pressure-sensitive sealing membrane, a pressure-sensitive breathable membrane, a hot-melt sealing membrane, or a hot-melt breathable membrane, etc. The perforated container 60 can be a perforated plate, a perforated or single-hole liquid tank container, etc., that conforms to SBS / ANSI standards.

[0061] This application uses a perforated container 60 as an example for illustration.

[0062] For example, as shown in Figures 1-4, the sealing device 100 includes a body 10, a drive mechanism 20 and a pressure head 30. The drive mechanism 20 is mounted on the body 10, and the output end of the drive mechanism 20 is detachably connected to the pressure head 30, and can drive the pressure head 30 to move along a preset direction so that the pressure head 30 can seal and press the sealing element 70 onto the opening of the perforated container 60.

[0063] In this application, since the pressure head 30 is detachably connected to the output end of the drive mechanism 20, the corresponding pressure head 30 can be selected for assembly according to the type of the perforated container 60. This allows the pressure head 30 to better adapt to the structure of the seal 70, reducing the phenomenon of seal 70 shifting when the pressure head 30 squeezes the seal 70, thereby improving the sealing effect of the seal 70 on the perforated container 60. Simultaneously, sealing of multiple different perforated containers 60 is achieved on a single machine body 10, improving equipment utilization and significantly reducing costs. Furthermore, the drive mechanism 20 enables the pressure head 30 to move in a single degree of freedom while constraining the movement of other degrees of freedom. This effectively solves the problems of low efficiency, poor positioning accuracy, and poor sealing uniformity inherent in traditional manual operations.

[0064] It should be noted that the direction of movement of the pressure head 30 is the same as the direction of movement of the output end of the drive mechanism 20. It is perpendicular to the contact surface between the pressure head 30 and the seal 70, thus ensuring the uniformity of pressure from the pressure head 30. The drive mechanism 20 can amplify the power source to the pressure application end, i.e., the pressure head 30, through levers, multi-links, screws, racks and pinions, or hydraulic pressure. The power source can be provided manually, by an electric motor, or hydraulically.

[0065] In one embodiment, the output end of the drive mechanism 20 and the pressure head 30 are detachably connected via any one of the following methods: magnetic engagement, pin-hole engagement, threaded engagement, friction engagement, and snap-fit ​​engagement. This simplifies the connection between the drive mechanism 20 and the pressure head 30, enabling quick assembly and disassembly.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG3, a first mating member 21 is installed on the output end of the drive mechanism 20, and a second mating member 31 is installed on the pressure head 30. The first mating member 21 and the second mating member 31 are magnetically attracted to each other to connect the pressure head 30 and the drive mechanism 20. Both the first mating member 21 and the second mating member 31 are configured as magnets, or one of the first mating member 21 and the second mating member 31 is configured as a magnet and the other as a ferromagnetic material. That is, in this embodiment, the installation efficiency of the pressure head 30 can be further improved through the magnetic attraction effect between the first mating member 21 and the second mating member 31.

[0067] In one embodiment, the magnet can be a magnet or other object that can generate its own magnetic field, and the ferromagnetic object can be an object with ferromagnetism such as iron, cobalt, nickel or alloy, so as to achieve the magnetic attraction effect between the first mating part 21 and the second mating part 31 and ensure the reliability of the connection between the drive mechanism 20 and the pressure head 30.

[0068] In other embodiments, the output end of the drive mechanism 20 and the pressure head 30 can also be detachably connected by ball bearings and springs, etc., which can be reasonably set according to actual needs.

[0069] To improve the reliability of the fit between the first mating part 21 and the second mating part 31, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG4, one of the output end of the drive mechanism 20 and the pressure head 30 is provided with a first positioning pin 22, and the other is provided with a first positioning hole 301. The first positioning pin 22 is inserted into the first positioning hole 301 to position and connect the pressure head 30 and the drive mechanism 20. In this way, the positioning accuracy of the position and angle of the pressure head 30 can be guaranteed, thereby ensuring the pressing effect of the pressure head 30 on the sealing element 70. In addition, methods such as external positioning can also be used.

[0070] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 1-7, the sealing device 100 further includes a base 40, which is detachably mounted on the body 10 and is used to position the perforated container 60.

[0071] Currently, various perforated containers 60 vary significantly in height, in addition to the shape of the holes. If the perforated container 60 is relatively short, the stroke of the drive mechanism 20 needs to be increased. In this case, to maintain a constant pressure at the pressure head 30, the force applied to the power source must be increased, requiring more effort. If the force is not increased, the length of the operating arm must be increased, which would significantly increase the size of the sealing device 100. Furthermore, adjusting the height of the pressure head 30 to accommodate perforated containers 60 of different heights would increase the weight of the pressure head 30, hindering its control and resulting in excessively long adjustment times.

[0072] In this embodiment, by providing a detachable base 40, a base 40 of appropriate height can be selected according to the height of different perforated containers 60, making overall adjustment more convenient and greatly shortening the adjustment time. At the same time, it can ensure that the force applied to the drive mechanism 20 remains unchanged or changes only slightly, making it more time-saving and labor-saving.

[0073] For example, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG1, the number of replaceable bases 40 is set to three, and each type of base 40 can be adapted to perforated containers 60 of various heights. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of replaceable bases 40 can also be set to four or five, etc., which can be reasonably set according to actual needs. Here, the height of the base 40 is roughly inversely proportional to the height of the perforated container 60, that is, the higher the height of the perforated container 60, the smaller the height of the base 40 can be selected, and the smaller the height of the perforated container 60, the taller the base 40 can be selected.

[0074] To improve the reliability of the fit between the base 40 and the body 10, in one embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, one of the base 40 and the body 10 is provided with a second positioning pin 11, and the other has a second positioning hole 401. The second positioning pin 11 is inserted into the second positioning hole 401 to position and connect the base 40 and the body 10. Similarly, the base 40 and the body 10 can also be positioned using methods such as external positioning.

[0075] Here, the base 40 can be positioned with the body 10 simply by engaging with a pin hole. In this case, the base 40 can maintain its connection with the body 10 well by its own gravity, making assembly and disassembly more convenient. Of course, magnetic engagement or snap-fit ​​engagement can also be used to further secure the connection and improve its reliability.

[0076] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a first limiting groove 402 is provided on the base 40 for mounting the perforated container 60. Thus, the first limiting groove 402 assists in placement, providing visual guidance for the process of placing the perforated container 60 on the base 40, thereby further improving the installation efficiency of the perforated container 60. Alternatively, other features such as markings can be provided on the base 40 to assist in the installation of the perforated container 60.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the base 40 includes a pad 41, which is detachably installed in the first limiting groove 402 to support the perforated container 60. This ensures that the perforated container 60 is subjected to uniform force.

[0078] For example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the perforated container 60 (microporous plate) typically includes a support portion 61 and an opening portion 62. One end of the support portion 61 is sleeved and connected to the opening portion 62, and the height of the support portion 61 is greater than the height of the opening portion 62. Here, the support portion 61 is used to abut against the base 40 and to limit the engagement with the inner wall of the first limiting groove 402. The receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60 is provided on the opening portion 62, that is, the opening portion 62 is used to cooperate with the sealing element 70 to achieve a seal. Since there is a gap between the end faces of the opening portion 62 and the support portion 61, if the gasket 41 is not provided, during the pressing process of the pressure head 30, the perforated container 60 is only supported by the support portion 61, which can easily lead to deformation or damage at the connection between the support portion 61 and the opening portion 62, causing damage to the perforated container 60. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing a gasket 41 in the first limiting groove 402 and by having the gasket 41 abut against the end of the opening portion 62 away from its own opening, the opening portion 62 can be supported, thereby improving the ability of the opening portion 62 to contact and be pressurized with the pressure head 30, thus improving safety.

[0079] A shim 41 of appropriate thickness can be selected and installed on the base 40 according to the size of the space between the end of the support part 61 and the end of the opening part 62, so as to ensure that the shim 41 can maintain contact with the opening part 62 and improve the force-bearing performance.

[0080] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the sealing member 70 includes a sealing plate 71 and a sealing protrusion 72. The sealing protrusion 72 protrudes and is connected to one end face of the sealing plate 71. A groove 701 penetrating the sealing plate 71 is provided on the side of the sealing protrusion 72 away from the protrusion direction. It is easy to understand that the sealing protrusion 72 is used to insert into the receiving hole 601 of the perforated container 60 to achieve sealing.

[0081] There can be one or more sealing protrusions 72, which are corresponding to the receiving holes 601 of the perforated container 60. For example, in this embodiment, the perforated container 60 is provided with a plurality of receiving holes 601 and arranged in an array. Therefore, the sealing protrusions 72 are also provided in a plurality and arranged in an array to ensure complete sealing of the receiving holes 601 on the perforated container 60.

[0082] Further, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pressure head 30 includes a pressure plate 32 and a pressure protrusion 33. The pressure protrusion 33 protrudes from and is connected to one end face of the pressure plate 32, and is used to insert into the groove 701. The height of the pressure protrusion 33 is close to the depth of the groove 701. That is, the height of the pressure protrusion 33 can be greater than the depth of the groove 701, or it can be equal to or slightly less than the depth of the groove 701.

[0083] In this embodiment, it is preferable to set the height of the press-fit protrusion 33 to be greater than the depth of the groove 701, which is simple to set and convenient and reliable to operate. During the process of sealing the perforated container 60 with the seal 70, the seal 70 is first placed above the perforated container 60, and the sealing protrusion 72 on the seal 70 is initially aligned with the receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60. Then, as the pressure head 30 is pressed down, the press-fit protrusion 33 on the pressure head 30 can first insert into the groove 701 on the back of the sealing protrusion 72, and perform a certain positional correction and guidance on the position of the sealing protrusion 72. Furthermore, since the height of the press-fit protrusion 33 is greater than the depth of the groove 701, as the pressure head 30 continues to press down, the end of the press-fit protrusion 33 will first contact the bottom of the groove 701 and apply force to the groove 701 (sealing protrusion 72), so that the sealing protrusion 72 is pulled downward into the corresponding receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60. Simultaneously, this ensures that the sealing protrusion 72 can be pulled to a sufficient depth and pressed into place. At this time, the flat portion on the pressing plate 32 can act on the sealing plate 71 on the sealing element 70, so that the sealing plate 71 also fits tightly against the end face of the perforated container 60. Ultimately, this achieves accurate and uniform pressing of the sealing protrusion 72 on the sealing element 70 into the corresponding receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60. Due to the pulling effect, the sealing protrusion 72 will slightly increase in length due to its own elasticity, resulting in a decrease in cross-sectional area, thereby reducing the resistance of the sealing protrusion 72 entering the corresponding receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60.

[0084] The press-fit protrusion 33 can be made into a rigid structure to ensure that it can pull the sealing protrusion 72 to deform, thereby reducing the insertion resistance of the sealing protrusion 72. At the same time, during the pressing process, the shape and perpendicularity of the sealing boss can be maintained, preventing deformation and misalignment of the sealing protrusion 72. For example, the press-fit protrusion 33 can be made of non-metallic materials such as polyoxymethylene, nylon, and Teflon, or it can be made of metallic materials such as aluminum alloy.

[0085] For example, the pressing plate 32 and the pressing protrusion 33 can be configured as an integral structure or as separate parts. Furthermore, the materials of the pressing plate 32 and the pressing protrusion 33 can be the same or different. Thus, the pressing head 30 can take various forms, allowing for the selection of appropriate processing methods to reduce processing difficulty or costs.

[0086] For example, in this embodiment, the press-fit plate 32 and the press-fit protrusion 33 are 3D printed from PETG (polyethylene terephthalate-I, 4-cyclohexanedimeth yleneterephthalate). Of course, in other embodiments, the press-fit plate 32 can also be assembled from aluminum alloy and the press-fit protrusion 33 from Teflon. Here, the press-fit plate 32 and the press-fit protrusion 33 can be connected by adhesive bonding, pin hole connection, or screw fixing.

[0087] To reduce the resistance of the press-fit protrusion 33 when it is inserted into the groove 701, a guide surface 331 is provided at the end of the press-fit protrusion 33 away from the press-fit plate 32. The guide surface 331 can be an arc surface or a chamfered conical surface, preferably an arc surface, to avoid excessive local stress and damage.

[0088] In other embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion 33 gradually decreases along the axial direction of the press-fit protrusion 33 and from the press-fit plate 32 to the press-fit protrusion 33. In this way, the press-fit protrusion 33 can also be guided during the insertion process of the press-fit protrusion 33 into the groove 701, and the insertion resistance of the press-fit protrusion 33 can be reduced.

[0089] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion 33 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove 701. This allows the press-fit protrusion 33 to retract parallel without resistance, reducing contact friction with the inner wall of the groove 701. This prevents the press-fit protrusion 33 from dragging the sealing protrusion 72 during retraction, thus completing the press-fitting of the seal 70 and effectively ensuring the reliability of the seal.

[0090] The pressing protrusion 33 can be circular in cross-section, just like the sealing protrusion 72 or the receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60. Of course, the cross-section of the pressing protrusion 33 can also be set as a triangle or a rectangle or other polygon, as long as the cross-sectional area of ​​the pressing protrusion 33 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove 701, so that the pressing protrusion 33 can be pressed in and removed smoothly.

[0091] In summary, the pressing protrusion 33 in this embodiment has an independent guiding and pressing effect on each sealing protrusion 72 or groove 701. Compared with the traditional method of manually pressing with a flat plate, this embodiment can improve the yield and sealing efficiency by at least 50%, and is more time-saving and labor-saving.

[0092] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG5, the seal 70 is configured as a sealing film 73, which contacts the opening end face on the perforated container 60 and achieves a seal.

[0093] To facilitate cooperation with the sealing film 73, as shown in FIG11, the pressure head 30 includes a contact layer 34, which is used to adhere to the seal 70. The side of the contact layer 34 away from the drive mechanism 20 is elastic. That is, in this embodiment, the pressure head 30 adopts a planar structure to better adhere to the sealing film 73 and achieve a seal on the perforated container 60.

[0094] The contact layer 34 can be configured as a soft layer or a soft-hard composite layer. For example, the contact layer 34 can be a single layer or multiple layers of elastic materials such as foamed silicone, rubber, polyurethane, and TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer). If a composite layer design is adopted, adjacent layers can be fixed by adhesive bonding.

[0095] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the pressure head 30 also includes a deformation layer 35, which is disposed on the side of the contact layer 34 near the drive mechanism 20. The hardness of the deformation layer 35 is less than the hardness of the contact layer 34.

[0096] As shown in Figure 8, typically, the perforated container 60 has an annular protrusion 63 formed on the surface at the opening of the receiving hole 601, and the height difference between the annular protrusion 63 and the surface of the perforated container 60 is small. Related technologies often use a common pressure plate structure combined with rollers to press the sealing film 73. While this achieves a sealing effect, the overall efficiency is low, and the perforated container 60 is easily tipped over, leading to problems such as spillage or contamination of the internal sample. Other methods using a single pressure plate often employ a single layer of soft or hard plate for pressing. Therefore, if the pressure plate is too hard, due to the poor flatness of the surface of the perforated container 60, some areas may not be pressed properly. If the pressure plate is too soft, due to the small height difference between the annular protrusion 63 and the surface of the perforated container 60, a significant portion of the force will act on the surface rather than the annular protrusion 63.

[0097] To overcome the above problems, in this embodiment, by setting up multiple layers of pressure heads 30 with varying hardness, during the pressing process, when the pressure head 30 first contacts the surface of the sealing film 73, the contact layer 34 will undergo a small deformation due to the unevenness of the surface of the perforated container 60. Simultaneously, since the deformation layer 35 behind the contact layer 34 has lower hardness and higher flexibility, it will undergo the main deformation, thereby adapting to the unevenness of the surface of the perforated container 60. This not only transmits pressure but also corrects the error between the drive mechanism 20 and the perforated container 60, achieving uniform pressure distribution. Subsequently, as the pressure head 30 continues to press down, the deformation layer 35 expands elastically under pressure, increasing its hardness and transferring the main pressure to the contact layer 34. Because the contact layer 34 is relatively hard, stress concentration occurs around the annular protrusion 63 around the hole in the perforated container 60 under pressure. This causes the main pressure on the sealing film 73 to occur on the annular protrusion 63, rather than being excessively transferred to other surfaces of the perforated container 60. This prevents the sealing film 73 from deforming excessively and adhering too closely to other surfaces of the perforated container 60, which would lead to pressure dispersion and hinder the removal of the sealing film 73. Simultaneously, the elasticity of the contact layer 34 prevents excessive pressure concentration on the annular protrusion 63, effectively distributing the pressure evenly across the entire surface of the annular protrusion 63. This allows the sealing film 73 to have a certain edge covering the annular protrusion 63, thereby expanding the sealing area and effectively sealing the accommodating hole 601 on the perforated container 60.

[0098] The sealing film 73 can be made of adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or hot melt adhesive to seal the receiving hole 601 under pressure and temperature. If a hot melt adhesive sealing film 73 is used, the pressure head 30 can be made of a heatable material to meet the usage requirements.

[0099] To prevent the pressure head 30 from sticking to the sealing film 73 and causing difficulty in detachment, an anti-adhesion structure can be provided on the side of the contact layer 34 away from the drive mechanism 20. For example, the anti-adhesion structure can be a non-stick film, a low-adhesion material coating, or a rough surface formed by sanding or texturing the surface of the contact layer 34 to prevent vacuum adsorption or adhesion between the contact layer 34 and the sealing film 73 after pressing.

[0100] In summary, in this embodiment, by adopting a multi-layer composite pressure head 30 structure, the deformation layer 35 can automatically adjust the angle of the pressure head 30 to accommodate annular bosses 63 of different heights, and the contact layer 34 can apply all the force applied by the drive mechanism 20 to the annular bosses 63. In this way, the pressure head 30 can achieve film sealing in one press, which is highly efficient and avoids the situation of tipping over or not pressing in place, further improving the yield.

[0101] Furthermore, in the process of placing the sealing film 73 on top of the perforated container 60, the relevant technology often places it directly by visual observation. This can easily cause the sealing film 73 to be out of center, resulting in excessive positional deviation. This can not only cause the automatic film tearing process to fail in the next step, but in extreme cases, it can also cause the sealing film 73 to fail to cover the opening on the perforated container 60, resulting in sealing failure.

[0102] Based on this, to improve the reliability of the sealing film 73 position, in one embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the sealing device 100 further includes a clamping mechanism 50, which is disposed between the base 40 and the pressure head 30. The clamping mechanism 50 has a clamping hole 501 extending along the height direction and a second limiting groove 502. The clamping hole 501 can be fitted onto the outer periphery of the perforated container 60, and the second limiting groove 502 is used for positioning the sealing element 70.

[0103] The size of the second limiting groove 502 is adapted to the size of the sealing film 73, thereby ensuring the reliability of the sealing film 73's position. This allows the positional deviation of the sealing film 73 to be controlled within 1mm, facilitating automatic film removal in the next process and preventing sealing failure due to film misalignment. The clamping hole 501 can be designed to conform to the outer periphery of the perforated container 60 for easy fitting.

[0104] In addition, to further improve the reliability of the positioning of the sealing film 73, additional structures such as pins that cooperate with the sealing film 73 can be set on the clamping mechanism 50. The specific configuration can be reasonably set according to actual needs.

[0105] Furthermore, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG13, the clamping mechanism 50 is provided with an abutment portion 51, which is located on the side of the clamping mechanism 50 away from the second limiting groove 502 along the height direction. The clamping mechanism 50 can abut against the perforated container 60 or the base 40 through the abutment portion 51, thereby achieving height-direction limiting of the clamping mechanism 50.

[0106] In one embodiment, the abutment portion 51 can be configured as a stepped structure protruding from the inner wall of the clamping hole 501, or it can be a stepped structure extending in a ring shape; there are no further limitations here. Taking the abutment portion 51 abutting with the perforated container 60 as an example, as shown in FIG8, the side wall of the perforated container 60 is provided with a corresponding step to cooperate with the abutment portion 51 to achieve limiting. Of course, in other embodiments, the base 40 can also be provided with a corresponding step, or the end face of the base 40 can directly abut with the abutment portion 51, which can be reasonably set according to the height of the perforated container 60. Among them, if the end face of the base 40 abuts with the abutment portion 51, the abutment portion 51 can be formed by the end face of the clamping mechanism 50 on the side away from the second limiting groove 502 along the height direction, which makes the structure simpler.

[0107] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG14, the clamping mechanism 50 includes a first clamping member 52 and a second clamping member 53. The first clamping member 52 and the second clamping member 53 are separately arranged and interconnected to form a clamping hole 501 and a limiting groove 502. Thus, by setting the clamping mechanism 50 as a separate first clamping member 52 and second clamping member 53, during the assembly of the clamping mechanism 50, it can be inserted from the side to the center of the perforated container 60, thereby greatly reducing the risk of impurities falling from above and contaminating the biological sample, ensuring the reliability of the sample. After sealing, it can also be split in two and removed from both sides, preventing interference with the sealing film 73, the perforated container 60, or the base 40 when removing it along the height direction. This not only simplifies disassembly but also avoids affecting the already sealed sealing film 73, resulting in higher safety.

[0108] For example, the first clamping member 52 and the second clamping member 53 are detachably connected by magnetic engagement or pin hole engagement to improve the ease of assembly and disassembly between the first clamping member 52 and the second clamping member 53.

[0109] Of course, in other embodiments, the clamping mechanism 50 may also be a one-piece molded structure.

[0110] This application also provides a sealing method for a perforated container 60, wherein the perforated container 60 is sealed using a sealing device 100 as described in any of the above embodiments, and the sealing method includes the following steps:

[0111] Select the base 40 according to the height of the perforated container 60, and assemble the base 40 onto the body 10;

[0112] Select the pressure head 30 according to the type of seal 70, and assemble the pressure head 30 into the drive mechanism 20;

[0113] Place the perforated container 60 on the base 40;

[0114] Place the seal 70 on the perforated container 60;

[0115] Start the drive mechanism 20 to move the pressure head 30 so that the pressure head 30 can press the seal 70 into the perforated container 60 to achieve a seal.

[0116] Thus, by quickly replacing the pressure head 30 and the base 40 on the sealing device 100, the sealing between different types of sealing components 70 and perforated containers 60 can be satisfied, achieving multiple uses in one machine and making operation more convenient and faster.

[0117] It should be noted that there is no restriction on the assembly order of the base 40 and the pressure head 30. For example, the pressure head 30 can be assembled first and then the base 40 can be assembled, or the base 40 can be assembled first and then the pressure head 30 can be assembled.

[0118] When the seal 70 is a sealing film 73, the sealing method further includes the following step: before placing the seal 70 on the perforated container 60, assembling the clamping mechanism 50 onto the perforated container 60 or the base 40 to position the seal 70 by means of the clamping mechanism 50. This ensures the reliability of the position of the seal 70.

[0119] Furthermore, the sealing method also includes the following steps: after the pressure head 30 presses the sealing member 70 into the perforated container 60, the first clamping member 52 and the second clamping member 53 are respectively removed from the opposite sides of the perforated container 60 to facilitate disassembly and prevent adverse effects on the sealed sealing member 70.

[0120] When the seal 70 adopts the structure of the sealing protrusion 72, the sealing method further includes the following steps: during the process of placing the seal 70 on the perforated container 60, aligning the sealing protrusion 72 with the receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60. Thus, during the pressing of the pressure head 30, the sealing protrusion 72 can directly seal the receiving hole 601. At this time, since the seal 70 has a certain thickness and the sealing protrusion 72 and the receiving hole 601 on the perforated container 60 can achieve a certain degree of fit, it is only necessary to roughly align the sealing protrusion 72 and the receiving hole 601 to achieve positioning, eliminating the need for the clamping mechanism 50.

[0121] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0122] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sealing device for sealing and pressing a sealing element against the opening of a perforated container, characterized in that, The sealing device includes a body, a drive mechanism, and a pressure head; The drive mechanism is mounted on the machine body, and the output end of the drive mechanism is detachably connected to the pressure head, and can drive the pressure head to move along a preset direction so that the pressure head can seal and press the sealing element onto the opening of the perforated container.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein, The output end of the drive mechanism and the pressure head are detachably connected by any one of the following: magnetic fit, pin hole fit, threaded fit, friction fit, and snap-fit ​​fit.

3. The sealing device according to claim 2, wherein, A first mating component is installed on the output end of the drive mechanism, and a second mating component is installed on the pressure head. The first mating component and the second mating component are magnetically attracted to connect the pressure head and the drive mechanism. Wherein, both the first mating component and the second mating component are configured as magnets, or one of the first mating component and the second mating component is configured as a magnet and the other is configured as a ferromagnet.

4. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein, One of the output end of the drive mechanism and the pressure head is provided with a first positioning pin, and the other is provided with a first positioning hole. The first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole to position and connect the pressure head and the drive mechanism.

5. The sealing device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The sealing element includes a sealing plate and a sealing protrusion. The sealing protrusion protrudes and is connected to one end face of the sealing plate. A groove penetrating the sealing plate is formed on the side of the sealing protrusion away from the protrusion direction. The pressure head includes a pressure plate and a pressure protrusion. The pressure protrusion protrudes and is connected to one end face of the pressure plate, and the pressure protrusion is used to insert into the groove. The height of the press-fit protrusion is close to the depth of the groove.

6. The sealing device according to claim 5, wherein, The cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove.

7. The sealing device according to claim 5, wherein, The end of the pressing protrusion away from the pressing plate is provided with a guide surface; Alternatively, along the axial direction of the press-fit protrusion and in the direction from the press-fit plate to the press-fit protrusion, the cross-sectional area of ​​the press-fit protrusion gradually decreases.

8. The sealing device according to claim 5, wherein, The press-fit plate and the press-fit protrusion are either integrally formed or separately configured. And / or, the materials of the press-fit plate and the press-fit protrusion are the same or different; And / or, the press-fit protrusion is a rigid structure.

9. The sealing device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The seal is configured as a sealing film, and the pressure head includes a contact layer for adhering to the seal. The side of the contact layer away from the drive mechanism is elastic.

10. The sealing device according to claim 9, wherein, The contact layer is configured as a soft layer, or the contact layer is configured as a soft-hard composite layer.

11. The sealing device according to claim 9, wherein, The pressure head also includes a deformation layer, which is disposed on the side of the contact layer near the drive mechanism; The hardness of the deformation layer is less than that of the contact layer.

12. The sealing device according to claim 9, wherein, The side of the contact layer away from the driving mechanism is provided with an anti-adhesion structure.

13. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing device also includes a base, which is detachably mounted on the body and is used to position the perforated container.

14. The sealing device according to claim 13, wherein, One of the base and the body is provided with a second positioning pin, and the other is provided with a second positioning hole. The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole to position and connect the base and the body.

15. The sealing device according to claim 13, wherein, The base is provided with a first limiting groove, which is used for the installation of the perforated container.

16. The sealing device according to claim 15, wherein, The base includes a pad that is detachably installed in the first limiting groove for supporting the perforated container.

17. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing device further includes a clamping mechanism having a clamping hole and a second limiting groove that extend along the height direction. The clamping hole can be fitted onto the outer periphery of the perforated container, and the second limiting groove is used for positioning the sealing element.

18. The sealing device according to claim 17, wherein, The clamping mechanism is provided with an abutment portion, which is located on the side of the clamping mechanism that is away from the second limiting groove along the height direction.

19. The sealing device according to claim 17, wherein, The clamping mechanism includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, which are separately arranged and connected to each other to form the clamping hole and the second limiting groove. Alternatively, the clamping mechanism may be a one-piece molded structure.

20. The sealing device according to claim 19, wherein, The first clamping member and the second clamping member are detachably connected by magnetic engagement or pin hole engagement.

21. A sealing method for a perforated container, characterized in that, The perforated container is sealed using a sealing device as described in any one of claims 1-20, and the sealing method includes the following steps: Select a base according to the height of the perforated container, and assemble the base onto the body; Select the pressure head according to the type of seal and assemble the pressure head into the drive mechanism; Place the perforated container on the base; Place the seal on the perforated container; The drive mechanism is activated to move the pressure head so that the pressure head can press the seal onto the perforated container.

22. The sealing method according to claim 21, wherein, The sealing element is a sealing film, and the sealing method further includes the following steps: Before placing the seal onto the perforated container, a clamping mechanism is assembled onto the perforated container or the base to position the seal via the clamping mechanism.

23. The sealing method according to claim 22, wherein, The clamping mechanism includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, and the sealing method further includes the following steps: After the pressure head presses the seal onto the perforated container, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are respectively removed from opposite sides of the perforated container.

24. The sealing method according to claim 21, wherein, The sealing element includes a sealing protrusion, and the sealing method further includes the following steps: During the process of placing the seal on the perforated container, the sealing protrusion is aligned with the receiving hole on the perforated container.

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