Cap replacement device

Abstract

This cap replacement device is to be used in a centrifuge that centrifuges a sample by rotating a zonal rotor storing a solution containing the sample and a density gradient medium, and replaces a cap that can be attached to and detached from a mounting port of the zonal rotor while the zonal rotor is rotating, said cap replacement device comprising an attachment arm that has a gripping part that grips the cap, and a first movement mechanism that moves the attachment arm between an attachment / detachment position where the cap is attached or detached, and a first withdrawal position which is withdrawn from the attachment / detachment position.

Description

Cap exchanging device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cap exchanging device.

[0002] As a method for introducing genes into mammalian cells for gene therapy, techniques using viral vectors are currently the mainstream. Viruses from which viral vectors are derived include enveloped viruses such as retroviruses, lentiviruses, herpesviruses, and Sendai virus, and non-enveloped viruses (i.e., viruses that do not have an envelope) such as adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses (AAV), which are known in the art. Among these, AAV is used in gene therapy for the treatment of various diseases for reasons such as its ability to infect many types of cells, lack of pathogenicity to humans, and physical stability of viral particles.

[0003] AAV vectors are useful as a means for gene delivery to target cells, since they enable efficient gene introduction to stably express a target gene in cells. In addition, production of AAV vectors requires purification of the AAV vector.

[0004] Hitherto, methods for purifying AAV vectors including a filtration step using ion exchange columns, chromatography using affinity purification columns, or Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF) have been known. These methods exhibit certain effects in removing impurities from AAV vector fractions, but are still insufficient. Accordingly, as described in International Publication No. WO 2022 / 220273, Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2008-542015, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-082567, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-013538, studies on centrifugal purification methods using a zonal rotor have been conducted.

[0005] International Publication No. 2022 / 220273 describes a method for producing complete virus particles, comprising a step of purifying complete virus particles from a mixture of virus particles containing hollow virus particles, intermediate virus particles, and complete virus particles, the method comprising: (a) rotating a zonal rotor at a low speed and arranging the mixture of virus particles, a liquid with a density lower than that of complete virus particles (liquid L), and a liquid with a density higher than that of liquid L (liquid H1) in this order from the rotation axis side of the rotor outwards; (b) operating the zonal rotor after step (a) in ultracentrifugal mode to separate the hollow virus particles, intermediate virus particles, and complete virus particles; and (c) fractionating and removing the contents of the zonal rotor after step (b) to recover the fraction containing complete virus particles.

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-542015 describes a rotor for a centrifuge, comprising a rotor housing that is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an inner wall and a substantially uniform opening extending along its longitudinal direction through its center, and a rotor core that is substantially cylindrical in shape and adapted to be housed within the substantially uniform opening of the rotor housing and has at least two channels on its outer surface, wherein at least two sample spaces are defined within the rotor by the channels and the inner wall of the rotor housing, and the rotor for a centrifuge has an L / D ratio in the range of about 0.9 to about 1.3.

[0007] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-082567 describes a rotor having a sample containment section, a rotor rotation chamber in which the rotor is installed, a drive unit for rotating the rotor, a first tube having one end connected to the containment section and having a first passage for injecting density gradient liquid and sample into the containment section or for retrieving the sample from within the containment section, and a second passage for injecting liquid to push the sample from within the containment section into the first passage, and a first hole connected to the other end of the first tube and communicating with the first passage and the second passage. The centrifuge is characterized by comprising: a first sealing member having a second hole formed therein; a second sealing member positioned opposite the first sealing member and having a third hole and a fourth hole opposite to the first hole and the second hole of the first sealing member, respectively; and a second tube having one end connected to the second sealing member and having a third passage communicating with the third hole and a fourth passage communicating with the fourth hole, and comprising a joining portion for joining and separating the first sealing member and the second sealing member.

[0008] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-013538 describes a centrifuge (1), particularly a laboratory centrifuge, comprising: a housing (23) having a lid (2) that separates the inside and outside of the centrifuge (1); a rotor (5); a rotor cover (3) for closing the rotor (5); and a connecting device that allows the rotor cover (3) and the lid (2) to be detachably connected to each other via a holding arm (11) and a holder (12) such that the rotor cover (3) is lifted away from the rotor (5) when the lid (2) is opened and placed on the rotor (5) when the lid (2) is closed, wherein the holding arm (11) is mounted inside the holder (12) so as to be detachable and movable when the lid (2) is opened and closed, and the holding arm (11) and the holder (12) are arranged with a gap space (21) between them when the lid (2) is closed.

[0009] In centrifugal separators using zonal rotors, it is sometimes necessary to replace the caps attached to the zonal rotors while they are rotating. In this case, it is necessary to attach and detach the caps to the rotating zonal rotors. Traditionally, this cap replacement work was performed manually by workers while taking safety precautions, but there was still room for improvement.

[0010] The technology disclosed herein provides a cap replacement device that can further improve the safety of cap replacement work.

[0011] The cap replacement device of the present disclosure is used in a centrifuge that centrifuges a sample by rotating a zonal rotor containing a sample and a solution containing a density gradient medium, and is a cap replacement device for which a detachable cap attached to the mounting port of the zonal rotor is replaced while the zonal rotor is rotating, and comprises: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap, and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position.

[0012] The cap may include two or more different types of caps, and the attachment / detachment arm may include two or more different types of arms. More specifically, it is preferable that the cap includes a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the attachment / detachment arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap.

[0013] The first cap has a connection port to which a pipe for injecting or discharging a solution is connected, and is used when injecting or discharging a solution to or from the zonal rotor with the first cap attached to the mounting port. The second cap may be used when the zonal rotor is rotated at a second rotational speed that is faster than the first rotational speed when injecting or discharging a solution.

[0014] The first moving mechanism may be configured to move the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the second arm.

[0015] The first moving mechanism includes a sliding mechanism for sliding a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are configured to slide independently of each other, and the first arm may be moved between a detachable position and a first retracted position by sliding the first arm, and the second arm may be moved between a detachable position and a first retracted position by sliding the second arm.

[0016] The first moving mechanism may include a guide section that guides the sliding movement as a sliding movement mechanism, a first drive section that slides the first arm, and a second drive section that slides the second arm.

[0017] The cap replacement device may include, as a first movement mechanism, an arm switching mechanism that selectively switches the positions of the first arm and the second arm between a first position where the first arm and the mounting opening face each other and a second position where the second arm and the mounting opening face each other.

[0018] The arm switching mechanism may include a sliding mechanism that moves the first arm and the second arm together, and may be configured to selectively switch the positions of the first arm and the second arm by sliding the first arm and the second arm together between a first position and a second position.

[0019] Preferably, the first arm has a first gripping section having a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap, and the second arm has a second gripping section having a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap.

[0020] The second claw has a locking portion at one end that contacts the second cap to lock it when gripping the second cap, and the locking portion may include an upper contact surface that contacts the upper surface of the second cap and an outer contact portion that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the second cap from the radial direction.

[0021] Preferably, the second cap has a sloping portion on its outer circumferential surface that connects to the upper surface, where the diameter gradually decreases downward from the point of connection to the upper surface, and the second gripping portion has a recess between the upper surface contact surface and the outer circumferential contact portion into which a flange portion formed from the sloping portions of the upper surface and outer circumferential surface of the second cap is fitted.

[0022] Preferably, the first claw of the first gripping part is made of metal, and the portion of the second claw of the second gripping part that contacts the second cap is made of hard resin.

[0023] The gripping portion preferably includes a pressing mechanism that presses a button provided on the cap.

[0024] The second arm is equipped with a pressing mechanism for pressing a button provided on the second cap, and the pressing mechanism comprises a pressing portion for pressing the button and a moving mechanism for moving the pressing portion along the longitudinal direction of the second arm, wherein the pressing portion is preferably configured to press the button as it moves along the longitudinal direction.

[0025] The cap replacement device of this disclosure may further include a position correction mechanism for correcting the position of attachment and detachment.

[0026] The detachable arm is preferably equipped with a constant-load spring to prevent the gripping part from falling.

[0027] The cap changing device of this disclosure may further include a second moving mechanism for moving the attachment / detachment arm from a first retracted position to a second retracted position which is further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position. The second moving mechanism is a moving mechanism for moving the first moving mechanism and may be configured to move the attachment / detachment arm between the first retracted position and the second retracted position by moving the attachment / detachment arm together with the first moving mechanism. If the caps include a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the attachment / detachment arm includes a first arm for attaching / detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching / detaching the second cap, the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and a first retracted position of the first arm as a first retracted position, and to allow the second arm to move independently of the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and a first retracted position of the second arm as a first retracted position, and the second moving mechanism is configured 1. A moving mechanism that moves an arm moving position on the attachment / detachment position side and an arm retraction position away from the attachment / detachment position, and the first moving mechanism may be configured to move the first arm to a second retraction position, which is a second retraction position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retraction position of the first arm, by moving the first moving mechanism from the arm moving position to the arm retraction position, and move the second arm to a second retraction position, which is a second retraction position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retraction position of the second arm.

[0028] A cap replacement device in another aspect of the present disclosure is a cap replacement device for replacing a cap that can be detachably attached to a mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping a cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching a cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap, and the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap, wherein the first arm has a first gripping portion having a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap, and the first claws are made of metal, and the second arm has a second gripping portion having a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap, and the portion of the second claws that contacts the second cap is made of hard resin.

[0029] A cap replacement device in yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a cap replacement device for replacing a cap that can be attached to a mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping a cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching a cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap, and the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap, and the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the second arm.

[0030] The technology disclosed herein provides a cap replacement device that can further improve the safety of cap replacement work.

[0031] This is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a centrifuge equipped with a zonal rotor. This is an explanatory diagram for cap replacement used in a zonal rotor. This is a cross-sectional view showing a first cap attached to the mounting port of the zonal rotor. This is a cross-sectional view showing a second cap attached to the mounting port of the zonal rotor. This is an external perspective view showing an example of a centrifuge and a cap replacement device of the first embodiment. This is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the cap replacement device and the centrifuge. This is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the cap replacement device and the centrifuge. This is a schematic side view showing the positional relationship between the cap replacement device and the centrifuge. This is a front view of the first arm of the cap replacement device. This is a front view of the second arm of the cap replacement device. This is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the claws of the second gripping part. This is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the claws of the second gripping part. This is a perspective view of the claws of the second gripping part. This is an explanatory diagram of a modified cap replacement device. This is an external perspective view showing an example of a centrifuge and a cap replacement device of the second embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram of a stopper provided on the second gripping part.

[0032] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In this specification, the directions of up, down, left, and right are described as the directions shown in the drawings.

[0033] First, the zonal rotor 10 in which the cap replacement device 1 (see Figure 5) according to this embodiment is used will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a centrifugal apparatus 100 in which the zonal rotor 10 is installed and rotated. The centrifugal apparatus 100 comprises a housing 102, a rotor chamber 104 provided inside the housing 102, a motor 106 located inside the housing 102, and a door 108 attached to the upper opening of the rotor chamber 104. The rotor chamber 104 houses the zonal rotor 10. The motor 106 is located below the rotor chamber 104 and rotates the zonal rotor 10 installed in the rotor chamber 104. The centrifugal apparatus 100 also includes a guard plate 109 installed on the zonal rotor 10 after the zonal rotor 10 is installed in the rotor chamber 104. The guard plate 109 has a circular opening 109A in the center.

[0034] As an example, as shown in Figure 1, the zonal rotor 10 is a cylindrical container for centrifugation in which a density gradient solution and a solution containing a sample are placed. Centrifugation by the zonal rotor 10 is performed by rotating the container around its central axis. The zonal rotor 10 rotates within the centrifuge 100, and the solution contained inside is centrifuged. Examples of samples include viruses. Viruses are manufactured for gene therapy, and these viruses contain a mixture of complete viruses with their full genomes packaged and hollow viruses that do not contain genomes. These are purified using the zonal rotor to extract complete viruses. For more details on viruses, refer to and incorporate herein by reference the contents described in International Publication No. 2022 / 220273 and International Publication No. 2018 / 128688. There are no particular restrictions on the viruses used, but AAV is preferred. Of course, substances other than viruses (e.g., biological preparations) may also be used as samples.

[0035] Furthermore, while there are no particular restrictions on the density gradient medium, it may contain cesium chloride or sucrose, or other substances. Multiple solutions with different concentrations may be used as the density gradient medium.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the zonal rotor 10 has a lid 10A, a rotor body 10B, a shaft 10C, and a septum 10E. A space S is formed inside the zonal rotor 10, and the space S contains a density gradient solution and a solution containing a sample. The zonal rotor 10 is an example of a "zonal rotor" according to the technology of this disclosure.

[0037] An opening is provided in the radial center of the lid 10A, and the tip of the shaft 10C protrudes from this opening. The tip of the shaft 10C constitutes the mounting opening 11 for the cap. The scepter 10E has four blades and divides the internal space S of the rotor into four fan-shaped sections. The shaft 10C is inserted into the center of the scepter 10E. The blades have holes that extend radially outward from the center. The shaft 10C has a liquid passage from its tip to the holes in the blades, forming a liquid passage 10D that connects the shaft 10C to the internal space S of the zonal rotor 10 via the blades of the scepter 10E. With the zonal rotor 10 rotating, a solution is injected into or discharged from the zonal rotor 10 via the liquid passage 10D of the shaft 10C. When the zonal rotor 10 is in use, a cap is attached to the mounting opening 11.

[0038] The caps of the zonal rotor 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Two types of caps are included as caps that can be attached to the mounting opening 11 of the zonal rotor 10: a first cap 12 and a second cap 14. As shown in Figure 2, the first cap 12 or the second cap 14 can be detachably attached to the mounting opening 11. The mounting opening 11 is an example of a "mounting opening" according to the technology of this disclosure.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a guard plate 109 is attached above the zonal rotor 10. The guard plate 109 is attached in such a manner that the shaft 10C is exposed through its opening 109A. The first cap 12 is attached and detached with the guard plate 109 installed. The second cap 14 may be attached and detached with the guard plate 109 not installed. In this embodiment, the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 are replaced with the guard plate 109 installed.

[0040] The first cap 12 is a cap used when injecting or discharging a solution to or from the zonal rotor 10 while it is attached to the mounting port 11. As shown in Figure 2, the first cap 12 has connection ports 12A to 12D to which piping such as tubes for injecting or discharging a solution is connected. The first cap 12 is an example of the "cap" and "first cap" according to the technology of this disclosure. The connection ports 12A to 12D are also examples of the "connection ports" according to the technology of this disclosure. The number of connection ports provided on the first cap 12 is an example and is not limited to four. There may be two or three connection ports, etc. Attaching and detaching the first cap 12 to the mounting port 11 is performed with tubes connected to the connection ports 12A to 12D, but the tubes are omitted in each figure.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first cap 12 has an adapter portion 12F connected to the mounting opening 11 and a cover portion 12E provided on the upper part of the adapter portion 12F. The first cap 12 also has a ball bearing 12G between the cover portion 12E and the adapter portion 12F. As shown in Figure 3, the cover portion 12E of the first cap 12 is supported by the guard plate 109, and the adapter portion 12F is attached to the mounting opening 11. The adapter portion 12F attached to the mounting opening 11 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 10C, but the cover portion 12E does not rotate because it is equipped with a ball bearing 12G. That is, when the first cap 12 is attached to the mounting opening 11, at least the cover portion 12E that constitutes the outer circumferential surface of the first cap 12 does not rotate even when the zonal rotor 10 rotates. In this example, the first cap 12 is configured such that the cover portion 12E is fixed to the guard plate 109 by rotating the first cap 12 by a predetermined angle after it has been brought into contact with the mounting opening 11. Therefore, when removing the first cap 12 from the mounting opening 11, it is necessary to rotate the first cap 12 by a predetermined angle in the opposite direction to when it was installed to release the fixation of the cover portion 12E to the guard plate 109 before removing it.

[0042] The second cap 14 is used when the zonal rotor 10 is rotated at a rotational speed (e.g., 30,000 rpm) that is faster than the rotational speed used for injecting or discharging the solution (e.g., 3,000 rpm). When attached to the zonal rotor 10, the second cap 14 has higher liquid-tightness than the first cap 12. The second cap 14 is an example of the "cap" and "second cap" related to the technology of this disclosure. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first cap 12 and the second cap 14, they will simply be referred to as "cap".

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, the second cap 14 is attached to the mounting opening 11, which is the tip of the shaft 10C, without being supported by the guard plate 109. The second cap 14 is attached so as to cover the mounting opening 11 and its tip 14B contacts the lid 10A. The second cap 14 is prevented from coming off by a projection (not shown) that serves as a check mechanism provided on a part of the shaft 10C. The second cap 14 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the zonal rotor 10. However, it is not fixed to the lid 10A, and even when the zonal rotor 10 is rotating, the rotation of the retaining body constituting at least the outer circumference of the second cap 14 can be stopped by applying an external force to the second cap 14. The second cap 14 is provided with a button 14A for releasing its engagement with the projection on the shaft 10C. When removing the second cap 14, pressing the button 14A releases its fixation to the shaft 10C and pushes the outer circumference of the second cap 14 upward, allowing it to be removed from the mounting opening 11. In this example, the button 14A is located in the center of the upper surface of the second cap 14.

[0044] Next, the flow of centrifugation by the zonal rotor 10 will be described. First, a solution is injected into the internal space S of the zonal rotor 10 that is rotating at a low speed (e.g., 3,000 rpm). Specifically, the solution is injected through the connection port 12C of the first cap 12, and the space S is gradually filled with the solution from the outer peripheral side. In this case, the solution containing the sample is first injected into the space S of the zonal rotor 10. Subsequently, a solution containing only the density gradient medium is injected. Due to the low-speed rotation of the zonal rotor 10, the density gradient medium in the space S does not mix with the solution containing the sample and is arranged outward along the radial direction in the space S. That is, a layered structure is formed in the order of the solution containing the sample and the density gradient medium from the inner side along the radial direction of the zonal rotor 10.

[0045] Thereafter, in the zonal rotor 10, the first cap 12 is removed and the second cap 14 is attached. That is, the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 are exchanged. After the second cap 14 is attached, the zonal rotor 10 is rotated at a high speed (e.g., 30,000 rpm). Thereby, the sample is centrifuged in the density gradient.

[0046] Then, after the centrifugation of the sample is completed, the high-speed rotation ends and the rotation shifts to low-speed rotation. The second cap 14 is exchanged for the first cap 12 during the low-speed rotation. Furthermore, during the low-speed rotation, a solution having a higher density than the density gradient medium inside the space S is injected. Specifically, the solution is injected through the connection port 12C of the first cap 12, and the solution is gradually injected from the outer peripheral side of the space S, so that the solution containing the centrifuged sample and the density gradient medium is discharged from the inner peripheral side through the connection port 12A. As described above, according to the zonal rotor 10, the target sample can be obtained by centrifugation.

[0047] As described above, in the centrifugation step using the zonal rotor 10, an operation of exchanging the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "cap exchanging operation") is required. Since the cap exchanging operation is performed while the zonal rotor 10 is rotating, it is necessary to pay attention to the safety of the operation. The cap exchanging device of the present disclosure is configured to be capable of performing the cap exchanging operation on a rotating zonal rotor.

[0048] Cap changing devices 1, 1A, and 201 according to the embodiments described below are devices for replacing the first cap 12 and the second cap 14, which are detachably attached to the mounting opening 11 of a zonal rotor 10, while the zonal rotor 10 is rotating. The cap changing devices 1, 1A, and 201 will be described in order below.

[0049] (Cap changing device 1 according to the first embodiment) As shown in FIG. 5, the cap changing device 1 is disposed on a support base 2 arranged so as to surround a centrifugal device 100 from one direction. In this example, the cap changing device 1 is fixed to the support base 2, and the support base 2 is configured to be movable relative to the centrifugal device 100. The support base 2 is arranged to support the cap changing device 1 at a position where cap exchange can be performed.

[0050] The cap changing device 1 realizes automatic-controlled cap changing work.

[0051] In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the width direction, the front-rear direction (also referred to as the depth direction), and the height direction of the cap changing device 1 are indicated by three arrows X, Y, and Z. First, the height direction is indicated by arrow Z, the direction of arrow Z pointed by arrow Z is defined as the upward direction of the cap changing device 1, and the opposite direction is defined as the downward direction. The height direction is the vertical direction. The width direction is indicated by arrow X orthogonal to arrow Z, the direction pointed by arrow X is defined as the right direction of the cap changing device 1, and the opposite direction is defined as the left direction. The front-rear direction is a direction orthogonal to arrow Z and arrow X, indicated by arrow Y, the direction pointed by arrow Y is defined as the front direction of the cap changing device 1, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear direction. In addition, expressions using sides such as upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, and rear side have the same meaning as expressions using directions below.

[0052] The cap replacement device 1 comprises a first arm 20, a second arm 40, a first moving mechanism 60, and a second moving mechanism 80. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first arm 20 and the second arm 40, they will simply be referred to as "arms." The first arm 20 is an example of the "attachment / detachment arm" and "first arm" according to the technology of this disclosure, and the second arm 40 is an example of the "attachment / detachment arm" and "second arm" according to the technology of this disclosure. The first arm 20 has a first gripping portion 21 for gripping the first cap 12. The second arm 40 has a second gripping portion 41 for gripping the second cap 14. The first moving mechanism 60 moves the arm between an attachment / detachment position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the attachment / detachment position. The second moving mechanism 80 moves the attachment / detachment arm from the first retracted position to a second retracted position which is further from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position. The specific configurations of each component are described below.

[0053] The first arm 20 is the part for attaching and detaching the first cap 12. The first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 is provided with first claws 22, 24, and 26 at its lower end for gripping the first cap 12. The first arm 20 includes a first gripping portion moving mechanism 30 for moving the first gripping portion 21 in the vertical direction. The first gripping portion moving mechanism 30 includes a guide plate 31 arranged along the vertical direction Z, a slide plate 32 that supports the first gripping portion 21 and slides along the guide plate 31, and a drive unit 34 for moving the slide plate 32 along the guide plate 31. The slide plate 32 is provided with a support portion 32A that supports the first gripping portion 21. The slide plate 32 is a plate-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and the support portion 32A is a plate-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to the slide plate 32. The first gripping portion 21 is located on the lower surface of the support portion 32A. It is supported by the support part 32A via a rotating mechanism 27, which will be described later. The first arm 20 moves the slide plate 32 in the vertical direction, thereby moving the first gripping part 21 in the vertical direction, enabling the attachment and detachment of the first cap 12 by the first gripping part 21 (see Figure 9). Details of the first gripping part 21 will be described later.

[0054] As previously described, when attaching or detaching the first cap 12 to the mounting opening 11, the cover portion 12E is fixed to the guard plate 109, or the first cap 12 is rotated to release the fixation. For this reason, the first arm 20 is equipped with a rotation mechanism 27 for rotating the first gripping portion 21. The rotation mechanism 27 includes a shaft 28 and a motor 29. The shaft 28 is a rod-shaped member and its longitudinal direction is vertical. The motor 29 is fixed on the support portion 32A. One end of the shaft 28 is connected to the motor 29, and the other end passes through the support portion 32A and is connected to the base end side of the first gripping portion 21. The motor 29 rotates the shaft 28, thereby rotating the first gripping portion 21. The rotation angle is the angle at which a part of the cover portion 12E of the first cap 12 engages with the engaging portion of the guard plate 109 and is fixed. When releasing the cover portion 12E from the guard plate 109, the first gripping portion 21 is rotated in the opposite direction.

[0055] The second arm 40 is a part for attaching and detaching the second cap 14. The second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 is equipped with second claws 42, 44, and 46 for gripping the second cap 14. The second arm 40 includes a second gripping portion moving mechanism 50 for moving the second gripping portion 41 in the vertical direction. The second gripping portion moving mechanism 50 has substantially the same configuration as the first gripping portion moving mechanism 30. The second gripping portion moving mechanism 50 includes a guide plate 51 arranged along the vertical direction Z, a slide plate 52 that supports the second gripping portion 41 and slides along the guide plate 51, and a drive unit 54 for moving the slide plate 52 along the guide plate 51. The slide plate 52 is equipped with a support portion 52A that supports the second gripping portion 41. The slide plate 52 is a plate-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and the support portion 52A is a plate-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to the slide plate 52. The second gripping portion 41 is fixed to the lower surface of the support portion 52A. The second arm 40 moves the slide plate 52 in the vertical direction, thereby moving the second gripping portion 41 in the vertical direction and enabling the attachment and detachment of the second cap 14 (see Figure 10). Details of the second gripping portion 41 will be described later.

[0056] Furthermore, the second arm 40 is equipped with a pressing mechanism 47 for pressing the button 14A of the second cap 14. The pressing mechanism 47 includes a pressing member 48 having a pressing portion 48A, and a moving mechanism 49 for moving the pressing member 48. The moving mechanism 49 moves the pressing portion 48A by moving the pressing member 48.

[0057] The moving mechanism 49 comprises a shaft 49A and a drive unit 49B. The shaft 49A is a rod-shaped member and is positioned on the outer circumference of the second gripping portion 41 such that its longitudinal direction aligns with the longitudinal direction of the second arm 40. A pressing member 48 is fixed to the tip of the shaft 49A. The shaft 49A is moved vertically by the drive unit 49B. As the shaft 49A moves vertically by the drive unit 49B, the pressing member 48 also moves vertically. The drive unit 49B is an electric motor such as a servo motor or stepping motor, a hydraulic cylinder, or an air cylinder.

[0058] The pressing member 48 is a member that extends from the outer circumference of the second gripping portion 41 toward the radial center in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 49A (i.e., horizontal direction), and has a pressing portion 48A on its lower surface. When the second gripping portion 41 grips the second cap 14, the pressing portion 48A is positioned so that it faces the button 14A of the second cap 14. In the standby state, the pressing portion 48A is positioned so as not to contact the button 14A above the second cap 14. When pressing the button 14A, the pressing portion 48A, which descends along with the descent of the shaft 49A, lowers the shaft 49A to a position where it presses down the button 14A.

[0059] The first gripping mechanism 30 and the second gripping mechanism 50 are configured to include guide plates 31, 51, slide plates 32, 52, and drive units 34, 54, respectively, but they may also be configured to include linear guides, ball screws, linear bearings, or slide rails. The drive units 34 and 54 may be electric motors such as stepping motors or servo motors, but they may also be equipped with power sources such as hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, or solenoids.

[0060] The first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Specifically, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are positioned side by side in the direction of extension of the guide rail 65, which will be described later and is provided on the first moving mechanism 60.

[0061] The first moving mechanism 60 is configured to move the first arm 20 between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm 40 independently of the first arm 20 between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm. Here, "moving the second arm 40 independently of the first arm 20" means that when one of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 is moved, the other does not move in conjunction with the movement of the other.

[0062] Specifically, the first moving mechanism 60 includes a sliding mechanism for sliding the first arm 20 and the second arm 40, and the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are configured to slide independently of each other. By sliding the first arm 20, the first arm 20 is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm, and by sliding the second arm 40, the second arm 40 is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm.

[0063] Here, the first moving mechanism 60, as an example of a sliding moving mechanism, includes a guide rail 65, a first drive unit 66 that moves the first arm 20 along the guide rail 65, and a second drive unit 68 that moves the second arm 40 along the guide rail 65. The guide rail 65 is an example of the "guide unit" of the present disclosure. The guide rail 65 is installed on a support plate 64. The support plate 64 is arranged vertically on a guide plate 82 of the second moving mechanism 80, which will be described later. The first drive unit 66 is fixed to the first arm 20, and the second drive unit 68 is fixed to the second arm 40. The first drive unit 66 and the second drive unit 68 include, for example, an electric motor such as a stepping motor or servo motor, a power source such as a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a solenoid. The first drive unit 66 is connected, for example, to a wheel (not shown) connected to the first arm 20, and slides the first arm 20 along the guide rail 65 by rotating the wheel. The second drive unit 68 is connected, for example, to a wheel (not shown) connected to the second arm 40, and by rotating the wheel, the second arm 40 slides along the guide rail 65. The sliding mechanism is not limited to the above configuration example, and may also be configured with a linear guide, ball screw, linear bearing, slide rail, etc.

[0064] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the function of the first moving mechanism 60, and is a schematic plan view showing the relationship between the cap replacement device 1, the centrifugal device 100, and the support base 2.

[0065] Here, the attachment / detachment position for the first arm 20 is the position in which the first cap 12 can be attached to and detached from the mounting opening 11 when the first arm 20 is set in that position, and the attachment / detachment position for the second arm 40 is the position in which the second cap 14 can be attached to and detached from the mounting opening 11 when the second arm 40 is set in that position. In Figure 6, the position A in the XY plane of the center of the mounting opening 11 is denoted as (X0, Y0).

[0066] When the first arm 20 is in the attachment / detachment position, it means that the first gripping portion 21 faces the mounting opening 11, and that the first gripping portion 21 can attach and detach the first cap 12 to the mounting opening 11 by vertical movement within the first arm 20. Similarly, when the second arm 40 is in the attachment / detachment position, it means that the second gripping portion 41 faces the mounting opening 11, and that the second gripping portion 41 can attach and detach the second cap 14 to the mounting opening 11 by vertical movement within the second arm 40. The position of the first arm 20 in the XY plane is defined by the center position of the first gripping portion 21, and the position of the second arm 40 in the XY plane is defined by the center position of the second gripping portion 41. That is, the coordinates in the XY plane of the attachment / detachment position of the first arm 20 and the attachment / detachment position of the second arm 40 are represented as (X0, Y0). In the following, this will be referred to as the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0).

[0067] On the other hand, "moving the first arm 20 to the first retracted position" means moving the first arm 20 itself from the attachment / detachment position. In this example, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the first arm 20 along the guide rail 65 in the X direction between position X0 and position X11 (the range indicated by the double arrow A11). That is, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the first arm 20 between the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) and the first retracted position of the first arm (X11, Y0). The first moving mechanism 60 also moves the second arm 40 along the guide rail 65 in the X direction between position X0 and position X21 (the range indicated by the double arrow A12). That is, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the second arm 40 between the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) and the first retracted position of the second arm (X21, Y0).

[0068] Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the function of the second moving mechanism 80, and are schematic plan and side views showing the relationship between the cap replacement device 1, the centrifugal device 100, and the support base 2.

[0069] The second moving mechanism 80 is a moving mechanism that moves the first moving mechanism 60. By moving the arm together with the first moving mechanism 60, the arm is moved between the first retracted position and the second retracted position. As previously described, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 move left and right on the guide rail 65 of the first moving mechanism 60, so moving the first moving mechanism 60 results in moving the first arm 20 and the second arm 40.

[0070] The second moving mechanism 80 includes, as an example, a guide plate 82 equipped with a second guide rail 81 and a drive mechanism (not shown). The guide plate 82 is a rectangular plate-like member and is installed on a support base 2. The longitudinal direction of the guide plate 82 (i.e., the width direction of the cap replacement device 1) is aligned with the width direction of the support base 2. In this example, the longitudinal length of the guide plate 82 is approximately equal to the width of the support base 2. The second guide rail 81 extends along the short direction (i.e., the depth direction) of the guide plate 82. The drive mechanism includes a power source such as a motor that moves the first moving mechanism 60 along the second guide rail 81.

[0071] The second moving mechanism 80 moves the first moving mechanism 60 between an arm movement position on the attachment / detachment side and an arm retraction position away from the attachment / detachment position. Here, the arm movement position on the attachment / detachment side is a position that is relatively closer to the attachment / detachment position than the arm retraction position, and if the first moving mechanism 60 is positioned at that arm movement position, the arm can be moved to the attachment / detachment position by the first moving mechanism 60. In Figure 7, when the guide rail 65 is positioned at Y-direction position Y01 and extends in the X direction, the first arm 20 can be moved to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and the second arm 40 can be moved to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0). That is, the position where the guide rail 65 is positioned at Y01 corresponds to the arm movement position of the first moving mechanism 60. Hereinafter, this will be referred to as the arm movement position Y01. The guide rail 65 is installed on a support plate 64, and the support plate 64 is positioned on a guide plate 82 so as to be movable along the second guide rail 81. The second moving mechanism 80 moves the support plate 64 along the second guide rail 81, thereby moving the guide rail 65 and the first arm 20 and second arm 40 installed on the guide rail 65 as a single unit.

[0072] The second moving mechanism 80 is capable of moving the first moving mechanism 60 in the front-rear direction along the second guide rail 81. In this example, the second moving mechanism 80 moves the first moving mechanism 60 along the second guide rail 81 in the Y direction between position Y0 and position Y1 (the range indicated by the double arrow A2 in Figure 8). At this time, the first arm 20 moves between the first arm first retracted position (X11, Y0) and the first arm second retracted position (X11, Y1), and the second arm 40 moves between the second arm first retracted position (X21, Y0) and the second arm second retracted position (X21, Y1). The first arm second retracted position (X11, Y1) is further from the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) than the first arm first retracted position (X11, Y0). Similarly, the second retracted position of the second arm (X21, Y1) is further from the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) than the first retracted position of the second arm (X21, Y0).

[0073] As described above, the second movement mechanism 80 moves the first movement mechanism 60 from the arm movement position Y01 to the arm retraction position Y11, thereby moving the first arm 20 to the first arm second retraction position (X11, Y1), which is a second retraction position that is further from the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) than the first arm first retraction position (X11, Y0), and moves the second arm 40 to the second arm second retraction position (X21, Y1), which is a second retraction position that is further from the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) than the first arm first retraction position (X21, Y0).

[0074] Next, we will explain the details of the cap gripping mechanism.

[0075] First, the first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 will be described. Figure 9 is a front view of the first arm 20 when it is in the attachment / detachment position. As already mentioned, in the first arm 20, the first gripping portion 21 is supported by the guide plate 31. The first gripping portion 21 has claws 22, 24, and 26 and a gripping portion body 25. The claws 22, 24, and 26 grip the first cap 12 from the radial direction. The claws 22, 24, and 26 are examples of "multiple first claws" according to the technology of this disclosure. Here, the claws 22, 24, and 26 are arranged at equal intervals (i.e., 120-degree intervals) in the circumferential direction with respect to the first cap 12. The base ends of the claws 22, 24, and 26 are attached to the lower end of the gripping portion body 25. As the base ends of the claws 22, 24, and 26 move radially relative to the gripping body 25, the tip portions 22A, 24A, and 26A of the claws 22, 24, and 26 grip the outer circumference of the first cap 12.

[0076] The claws 22, 24, and 26 are made of metal. For example, aluminum is preferably used as the metal.

[0077] The gripping body 25 supports the claws 22, 24, and 26, and also houses a drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the claws 22, 24, and 26. Specifically, the gripping body 25 has a cylindrical housing, and the claws 22, 24, and 26 are attached to the lower end of the housing. The drive mechanism is housed inside the housing of the gripping body 25. The upper surface of the housing is attached to the lower end of the shaft 28.

[0078] The gripping body 25 has, for example, an air cylinder as a drive mechanism, and has the function of moving the claws 22, 24, and 26 in the radial direction.

[0079] As shown in Figure 9, the first gripping portion 21 grips the first cap 12 with its claws 22, 24, and 26. More specifically, taking the claw 22 as an example, when gripping the first cap 12, a recess 22A1 provided at the tip 22A of the claw 22 and recessed in the radial direction engages with a projection 12E1 provided along the circumferential direction of the first cap 12. The projection 12E1 is part of the cover portion 12E. The three claws 22, 24, and 26 are configured to lock the first cap 12 by engaging the projection 12E1 of the first cap 12 with the recess provided in each of them. By configuring the projection 12E1 to be sandwiched by the recess 22A1, the contact area between the claw 22 and the first cap 12 is increased, the gripping force is increased, and the first cap 12 is easier to support from below. The first gripping part 21 is lowered from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the dashed line to attach and detach the first cap 12 to the zonal rotor 10. As shown by the dashed line, the first gripping part 21 grips the first cap 12.

[0080] Next, the second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 will be described. Figure 10 is a front view of the second arm 40 when it is in the attachment / detachment position. As already mentioned, in the second arm 40, the second gripping portion 41 is supported by the guide plate 51. The second gripping portion 41 has claws 42, 44 and 46 and a gripping portion body 45. The claws 42, 44 and 46 grip the second cap 14 from the radial direction. The claws 42, 44 and 46 are examples of "multiple second claws" according to the art of this disclosure. Here, the claws 42, 44 and 46 are arranged at equal intervals (i.e., 120-degree intervals) in the circumferential direction with respect to the second cap 14. The base ends of the claws 42, 44 and 46 are attached to the lower end of the gripping portion body 45. As the base ends of the claws 42, 44, and 46 move radially relative to the gripping body 45, the locking portions 42A, 44A, and 46A provided at the tips of the claws 42, 44, and 46 grip the outer circumference of the second cap 14.

[0081] Here, the claws 42, 44, and 46 of the second gripping part 41 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 is a plan view of the gripping part body 45 side, showing the state in which the second cap 14 is gripped by the claws 42, 44, and 46. In Figure 11, the gripping part body 45 is omitted. The claws 42, 44, and 46 are arranged at an angle of 120° to each other with respect to the center of the second cap 14. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed line E-E in Figure 11. However, in Figure 12, the second cap 14 is shown in a side view.

[0082] As described in the above embodiment, the three claws 42, 44, and 46 are moved radially to grip and release the second cap 14. The claws 42, 44, and 46 are equipped with locking portions 42A, 44A, and 46A at their tips. Since the claws 42, 44, and 46 have the same shape, the following description will use one claw 44 as an example.

[0083] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the claw 44. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the claw 44 consists of a main body 140 made of metal and a resin member 142 fixed to the inner diameter side of the main body 140. The resin member 142 is made of hard resin. The locking portion 44A is provided at the lower end of the resin member 142.

[0084] The resin member 142 is fixed to the main body 140 by a screw 144 inserted from the radially outer side of the main body 140 (see Figure 12). The locking portion 44A includes an upper contact surface 145 that abuts against the upper surface 14D of the second cap 14, and an outer circumferential contact portion 146 that abuts against the outer circumferential surface 14E of the second cap 14 from the radial direction. The upper contact surface 145 is flat. The outer circumferential contact portion 146 is semi-cylindrical in shape. The axis of the semi-cylindrical shape is parallel to the tangential direction of the outer circumference of the upper surface 14D of the second cap 14. The locking portion 44A also has a recess 147 between the upper contact surface 145 and the outer circumferential contact portion 146. The recess 147 is provided along the outer circumferential contact portion 146.

[0085] As shown in Figure 12, the second cap 14 has a tapered portion 14E1 on its outer peripheral surface 14E that connects to the upper surface 14D, where the diameter gradually decreases downward from the point of connection with the upper surface 14D. When gripping the second cap 14 with the claws 42, 44, and 46, the second cap 14 is gripped such that the flange portion 14F, which is composed of the upper surface 14D and the tapered portion 14E1, fits into the recess 147.

[0086] When gripping the rotating second cap 14, the semi-cylindrical outer peripheral contact portion 146 of the claw 44 contacts the flange portion 14F from the outer peripheral side, and the flange portion 14F slides along its semi-cylindrical surface and fits into the recess 147 of the locking portion 44A. The outer circumference of the flange portion 14F makes point contact with the recess 147, which is parallel to the tangential direction of its outer circumference. The point P2 where the outer circumference of the flange portion 14F and the recess 147 make contact is the point of contact between the outer circumference of the flange portion 14F and a straight line (shown as a dashed line in the figure) along the recess 147. A force F is applied to the second cap 14 from the radially outward side at the point of contact P2 between the flange portion 14F and the locking portion 44A. The locking portions 42A, 44A, and 46A of the three claws 42, 44, and 46 each contact the flange portion 14F at points P1, P2, and P3, and a force F is applied equally from three radial directions, thereby stopping the rotation of the second cap 14 and gripping it.

[0087] In this way, the claws 42, 44, and 46 support the outer circumference of the second cap 14 by applying a uniform force F in the radial direction at three points P1, P2, and P3 at 120° intervals, thereby stopping the rotation of the second cap 14 and allowing it to be held stably.

[0088] When removing the second cap 14 from the zonal rotor 10 by pulling the claws 42, 44, and 46 upward from the gripping position of the second cap 14, a force is applied to push up the flange portion 14F by the semi-cylindrical surface of the outer peripheral contact portion 146. As described in the previous embodiment, when removing the second cap 14, the claws 42, 44, and 46 are pulled up while the button 14A is pressed down by the pressing portion 48A. On the other hand, when attaching the second cap 14 to the zonal rotor 10, the claws 42, 44, and 46 gripping the second cap 14 are pulled downward, and the upper surface 14D of the second cap 14 is pressed by the upper contact surface 145.

[0089] The gripping body 45 supports the claws 42, 44, and 46 and houses a drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the claws 42, 44, and 46. The configuration of the gripping body 45 is the same as that of the gripping body 25 of the first arm 20. Specifically, the gripping body 45 has a cylindrical housing, and the claws 42, 44, and 46 are attached to the lower end of the housing. The drive mechanism is also housed inside the housing of the gripping body 45. The upper surface of the housing is attached to the lower surface of the support portion 52A.

[0090] The resin member 142 is preferably made of a hard resin material (for example, monomer cast nylon (hereinafter referred to as MC nylon)). In one example, the second cap 14 has at least a metal outer surface. Since the second cap 14 is gripped while rotating, if the parts of the claws 42, 44 and 46 that come into contact with the second cap 14 are metal, metal-to-metal contact may occur, potentially causing scratches on the second cap 14. In contrast, if the parts that come into contact with the second cap 14 are made of a resin material, the occurrence of scratches can be suppressed. Furthermore, hard resin materials have excellent durability, so damage and abrasion debris caused by friction that may occur when in contact with the second cap 14 are suppressed. The hard resin is preferably a material with heat resistance of 100°C or higher, and engineering plastics are preferred. Specific examples of engineering plastics include polyamides (for example, nylon, MC nylon), polycarbonate, polyacetal, modified polyphenylene ether, and polybutylene terephthalate. Among these, polyamide is preferred, and MC nylon is particularly preferred. The rigid resin may also be a super engineering plastic. The rigid resin preferably has one of the following properties, and more preferably has both of the following properties. The first property is that the deflection temperature at a load of 1.820 MPa as specified in ASTM D-648 (hereinafter referred to as the deflection temperature) is 90°C or higher. More preferably, the deflection temperature is 110°C or higher, and even more preferably 140°C or higher. The upper limit is preferably 300°C or lower. For example, MC nylon with a deflection temperature of around 200°C is known and preferred. The second property is that the notched Izod impact value (hereinafter referred to as the Izod impact value) measured according to ASTM D-256 is 40 J / m or more and 230 J / m or less. Furthermore, the Izod impact value is more preferably 40 J / m to 150 J / m, and even more preferably 40 J / m to 100 J / m. For example, MC nylon with an Izod impact value of around 50 J / m is known and preferred.Zonal rotors are used in the purification process of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Therefore, a clean environment is required for the manufacturing equipment. The hard resin used in the locking parts 42A, 44A, and 46A is suitable for the biopharmaceutical manufacturing process because it can suppress the generation of abrasive debris.

[0091] Next, an example of using the cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As an example, first, the procedure for removing the first cap 12 attached to the zonal rotor 10 and attaching the second cap 14 while the zonal rotor 10 is rotating at a low speed will be described.

[0092] Before use, the first movement mechanism 60 is positioned in the arm retraction position. That is, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are positioned in the first arm second retraction position (X11, Y1) and the second arm second retraction position (X21, Y1) as shown in Figure 7. When starting use, the second movement mechanism 80 first moves the first movement mechanism 60 from the arm retraction position to the arm movement position. This moves the first arm 20 to the first arm first retraction position (X11, Y0) and the second arm 40 to the second arm first retraction position (X21, Y0).

[0093] Next, the first arm 20 is moved by the first moving mechanism 60. As shown in Figure 6, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the first arm 20 from the first arm retracted position (X11, Y0) to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0). As a result, the first gripping portion 21 is positioned facing the attachment opening 11.

[0094] The first arm 20 is positioned in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and in this position, the first gripping portion 21 is held above the guide plate 31. Specifically, the first gripping portion 21 is positioned at a predetermined height Z10 (see Figure 9) from the first cap 12, so as not to interfere with the first cap 12.

[0095] With the first arm 20 in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), the first arm 20 lowers the first gripping portion 21 to a position where the first cap 12 can be removed. Specifically, the first gripping portion 21 is lowered to a height Z11 where the claws 22, 24, and 26 (see Figure 9) face the outer circumferential surface of the first cap 12 in the radial direction.

[0096] In this state, the air cylinder operates, causing the claws 22, 24, and 26 to move toward the outer circumferential surface of the first cap 12. The recesses provided at the tips 22A, 24A, and 26A of the claws 22, 24, and 26 respectively engage with the protrusions 12E1 of the cover portion 12E provided along the circumferential direction of the first cap 12, and the first gripping portion 21 grips the first cap 12.

[0097] Here, before removing the first cap 12, it is necessary to rotate the first cap 12 to release the fixation of the cover portion 12E to the guard plate 109. Therefore, with the first gripping portion 21 gripping the first cap 12, the first arm 20 is rotated by the rotation mechanism 27, thereby rotating the first cap 12. This releases the fixation of the cover portion 12E of the first cap 12 to the guard plate 109.

[0098] Subsequently, the first gripping part 21 is pulled upward by the first gripping part moving mechanism 30 on the first arm 20. As the first gripping part 21 rises, the first cap 12, which is gripped by the first gripping part 21, is pulled up from the mounting opening 11. In other words, the first cap 12 is removed from the mounting opening 11.

[0099] Subsequently, the first arm 20 is moved to the first arm retraction position (X11, Y0) by the first movement mechanism 60.

[0100] Next, the second cap 14 is attached. The second arm 40 is moved by the first moving mechanism 60. The first moving mechanism 60 moves the second arm 40, which is gripping the second cap 14, from the first retracted position of the second arm (X21, Y0) to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0) (see Figure 6). As a result, the second gripping portion 41 is set to a position facing the attachment opening 11.

[0101] The second arm 40 is positioned in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and at this time, the second gripping portion 41 is held above the guide plate 51. Specifically, the second gripping portion 41 is positioned at a predetermined height Z20 (see Figure 10).

[0102] With the second arm 40 in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), the second arm 40 lowers the second gripping portion 41 to a position where the second cap 14 can be attached. Specifically, the second gripping portion 41 is lowered to a height Z21 where the second cap 14 can be attached to the zonal rotor 10 and the claws 42, 44, and 46 can be separated from the second cap 14.

[0103] As the second gripping portion 41 descends, the second cap 14 is attached to the mounting opening 11 of the zonal rotor 10. With the second cap 14 attached to the mounting opening 11, an air cylinder (not shown) housed inside the gripping portion body 45 operates, causing the claws 42, 44, and 46 to move away from the outer circumferential surface of the second cap 14.

[0104] After the gripping of the second cap 14 by the second gripping part 41 is released, the second gripping part 41 is pulled upward by the second gripping part moving mechanism 50 in the second arm 40.

[0105] Subsequently, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the second arm 40 to the first retracted position of the second arm (X21, Y0). Furthermore, the second moving mechanism 80 moves the first moving mechanism 60 from the arm moving position to the arm retracted position. As a result, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are moved to the second retracted position of the first arm and the second retracted position of the second arm, respectively. In this manner, the exchange of the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 is performed.

[0106] Next, we will briefly explain the procedure for removing the second cap 14 attached to the zonal rotor 10 and attaching the first cap 12 while the zonal rotor 10 is rotating, focusing mainly on the differences from the procedure described above.

[0107] Here again, the process starts from the state where the first moving mechanism 60 is positioned in the arm retraction position. First, the second moving mechanism 80 moves the first moving mechanism 60 from the arm retraction position to the arm movement position. This moves the first arm 20 to the first arm first retraction position (X11, Y0) and the second arm 40 to the second arm first retraction position (X21, Y0).

[0108] Next, the first moving mechanism 60 moves the second arm 40 to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and the second gripping portion 41 faces the second cap 14. In the attachment / detachment position, the second arm 40 lowers the second gripping portion 41 to a height Z21 where the claws 42, 44, and 46 face the outer circumferential surface of the second cap 14 in the radial direction.

[0109] The air cylinder moves the claws 42, 44, and 46 toward the outer circumferential surface of the second cap 14. As a result, the second cap 14 is gripped by the claws 42, 44, and 46 of the second gripping part 41. The second cap 14, which is attached to the zonal rotor 10, rotates with the rotation of the zonal rotor 10, but at least the outer circumferential part of the second cap 14 is not fixed relative to the rotating part, so the second gripping part 41 can stop the rotation of the outer circumferential part of the second cap 14 and grip it. As previously described, in order to remove the second cap 14, it is necessary to press the button 14A provided on the upper surface of the second cap 14 in order to release the engagement with the projection of the shaft 10C. That is, by pressing the button 14A on the second cap 14, the second cap 14 can be made removable from the mounting opening 11. With the second cap 14 being gripped by the second gripping portion 41, the moving mechanism 49 of the pressing mechanism 47 lowers the shaft 49A. This causes the pressing member 48 fixed to the tip of the shaft 49A to lower, and the pressing portion 48A provided on the lower surface of the pressing member 48 presses the button 14A. With the pressing portion 48A pressing the button 14A, the second gripping portion 41 is raised, pulling the second cap 14 upward. This operation removes the second cap 14 from the mounting opening 11.

[0110] Subsequently, the second arm 40 is moved to the first retracted position (X21, Y0) by the first moving mechanism 60.

[0111] Next, the first cap 12 is attached. The first arm 20, which is gripping the first cap 12, is moved by the first moving mechanism 60 to the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and the first cap 12 is set in a position facing the attachment opening 11.

[0112] Then, in the attachment / detachment position, the first arm 20 lowers the first gripping portion 21 to the position where the first cap 12 is attached to the mounting opening 11. At this point, it is necessary to rotate the first cap 12 in order to fix the cover portion 12E of the first cap 12 to the guard plate 109. It is rotated in the opposite direction to when releasing the fixation. With the first gripping portion 21 gripping the first cap 12, the first arm 20 is rotated by the rotation mechanism 27 in the opposite direction to described above. This operation allows the cover portion 12E of the first cap 12 to be fixed to the guard plate 109.

[0113] After attaching the first cap 12 to the mounting opening 11 as described above, the air cylinder is operated to move the claws 22, 24 and 26 radially outward. This releases the grip of the first cap 12 by the first gripping part 21. Subsequently, the first gripping part 21 is pulled upward by the first gripping part moving mechanism 30 in the first arm 20.

[0114] Subsequently, the first movement mechanism 60 moves the first arm 20 to the first arm retracted position (X11, Y0). Furthermore, the second movement mechanism 80 moves the first movement mechanism 60 from the arm movement position to the arm retracted position. As a result, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are moved to the first arm second retracted position and the second arm second retracted position, respectively. In this manner, the replacement of the second cap 14 and the first cap 12 is performed.

[0115] The cap replacement device 1 is equipped with a control device (not shown), which automatically performs the replacement work. The control device comprises, for example, a processor, memory, and storage. In this case, the control program stored in the storage is executed on the memory, so that the processor functions as a control device that controls the operation of each drive mechanism. When an operator inputs an instruction to the control device to start the cap replacement work, the control device outputs an operation signal to each drive mechanism that drives each part of the cap replacement device 1. For example, the movement of the first movement mechanism 60 by the second movement mechanism 80, the movement of the first arm 20 or the second arm 40 by the first movement mechanism 60, the vertical movement of the gripping parts 21 and 41 on each arm 20 and 40, and the gripping operation of the caps 12 and 14 by the gripping parts 21 and 41 are realized by the operation of each drive mechanism. As a result, the cap replacement work by the cap replacement device 1 is realized without manual operation of each part.

[0116] As described above, the cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment is a device for automatically replacing the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 while the zonal rotor 10 is rotating.

[0117] The cap replacement device 1 is provided with a first arm 20. The first arm 20 has a first gripping part 21 for gripping the first cap 12. The cap replacement device 1 is also provided with a second arm 40. The second arm 40 has a second gripping part 41 for gripping the second cap 14. The cap replacement device 1 is equipped with a first movement mechanism 60 that moves the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 between an attachment / detachment position and a first retracted position. The cap replacement work, which was conventionally performed manually by an operator, can now be performed by the cap replacement device 1, thus improving the safety of the cap replacement work. The cap replacement work by the cap replacement device 1 can be remotely controlled from the control device's operation monitor, resulting in high safety. Furthermore, since the cap replacement device 1 is fixed to the support base 2 and is not directly installed on the centrifugal device 100, there is no need to place or lower the cap replacement device 1, resulting in high safety and work efficiency. Because it is automated, human error during the cap replacement work can be prevented. Since the rotational operation when attaching or detaching the first cap 12 and the pressing operation of the push button 14A when removing the second cap 14 are both performed by a preset rotational force or pressing force, no excessive load is placed on the centrifugal device 100 and the zonal rotor 10, etc.

[0118] Furthermore, while manual cap replacement required skill, using the cap replacement device 1 allows for automatic cap replacement, enabling replacement within a consistent timeframe regardless of the operator's skill level. The uniformity of the work achieved through automation in cap replacement leads to consistent quality, which is desirable.

[0119] Furthermore, by moving the rotor in two stages using the first moving mechanism 60 and the second moving mechanism 80, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 can be retracted from the space above the zonal rotor 10 without the need for a large moving mechanism. During periods when replacement work is not being performed, physical workspace can be secured for various operations such as moving the zonal rotor 10 in and out of the rotor chamber 104 of the centrifuge 100, and opening and closing the door 108 of the centrifuge 100.

[0120] In the cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment, the second moving mechanism 80 is a moving mechanism that moves the first moving mechanism 60. The first arm 20 and the second arm 40 can be moved together with the first moving mechanism 60 between a first retracted position and a second retracted position. With a simple configuration, it is possible to move the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 to a position sufficiently far from the attachment / detachment position.

[0121] In this embodiment, the second moving mechanism 80 is described as moving the first moving mechanism 60 in the depth direction (Y direction), but the technology of this disclosure is not limited to this embodiment. The second moving mechanism can be any mechanism that moves the arm to a second retracted position which is further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position, and for example, it may be configured to move the first moving mechanism 60 in the height direction. To move in the height direction, for example, the support base 2 may be equipped with a lift mechanism and configured to raise the first moving mechanism 60 together with the arm to move it away from the attachment / detachment position.

[0122] The cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment is positioned on a support base 2. The support base 2 is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the centrifugal device 100. However, the relative position between the support base 2 and the centrifugal device 100, that is, the relative position between the cap replacement device 1 and the mounting opening 11, may shift. Therefore, it is preferable to have a position correction mechanism that corrects the position of the attachment and detachment in a preset control program. The position correction mechanism may include, for example, a camera and a reference position calculation unit. The processor in the control device can function as the reference position calculation unit. The camera is positioned in a position where it can photograph the mounting opening 11, and the reference position calculation unit calculates the shift of the mounting opening 11 from the reference position from the image captured by the camera. The amount of movement of each component when moving by various drive units in a preset control program can be adjusted according to the calculated shift.

[0123] The cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment includes a first arm 20 and a second arm 40 that correspond to two types of caps. This eliminates the need to change arms when replacing two types of caps, enabling cap replacement work to be completed in a short time.

[0124] Furthermore, the cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment uses a first cap 12 and a second cap 14. The first cap 12 has connection ports 12A and 12B and is a cap for injecting or discharging solution while attached to the zonal rotor 10. The second cap 14 has higher liquid-tightness than the first cap 12 and is a cap used at high rotation speeds (e.g., 30,000 rpm). These caps have different attachment and detachment procedures and shapes. Therefore, by providing arms corresponding to each cap, the replacement work can be made simpler.

[0125] In the cap replacement device 1 according to this embodiment, the first moving mechanism 60 is configured to allow the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 to move independently. By moving the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 independently, the drive unit can be made smaller. In addition, each arm can be made to have a simple configuration. The retracted positions of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 can be freely set.

[0126] However, the technology disclosed herein is not limited to a configuration in which the first moving mechanism 60 is configured to move independently of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40. The first arm 20 and the second arm 40 may be connected, and the first moving mechanism may be configured to move the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 as a single unit.

[0127] For example, in the modified cap replacement device 1A shown in Figure 14, the first moving mechanism 60A includes an arm switching mechanism 70 that selectively switches the positions of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 between a first position where the first arm 20 and the mounting opening 11 face each other (see upper diagram in Figure 14) and a second position where the second arm 40 and the mounting opening 11 face each other (see lower diagram in Figure 14). In the first position, the first arm 20 is in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and the second arm is in the second arm first retracted position (X21, Y0). In the second position, the second arm 40 is in the attachment / detachment position (X0, Y0), and the first arm 20 is in the first arm first retracted position (X11, Y0). The arm switching mechanism 70 includes a slide plate portion 71 that connects and holds the first arm 20 and the second arm 40, and a slide moving mechanism 72 that slides the slide plate portion 71. The sliding plate portion 71 slides between a first position and a second position, selectively switching the positions of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40. The sliding movement mechanism 72 includes a guide rail 65 and a drive unit 73 fixed to the sliding plate portion and sliding the sliding plate portion 71 along the guide rail 65. In this way, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 may be moved as a single unit. In this case, the control of movement by the first movement mechanism 60A becomes simpler compared to the case where the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are moved separately.

[0128] Furthermore, in the cap replacement devices 1 and 1A according to this embodiment, the first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 has claws 22, 24, and 26. The claws 22, 24, and 26 are for gripping the first cap 12 and contact the first cap 12 from the radial direction. The second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 also has claws 42, 44, and 46. The claws 42, 44, and 46 are for gripping the second cap 14 and contact the second cap 14 from the radial direction. As a result, the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 are gripped by multiple claws, ensuring gripping force and preventing the first cap 12 and the second cap 14 from falling off.

[0129] Furthermore, in the cap replacement devices 1 and 1A according to this embodiment, the first arm 20 is provided with claws 22, 24, and 26, and the second arm 40 is provided with claws 42, 44, and 46. Since each arm has three claws, both gripping force and degree of freedom in the gripping state (the degree to which gripping can be permitted even if the claws are misaligned from the position of the cap when viewed from above) are ensured. When there are three claws, gripping force is ensured and gripping is stable due to the three-point support, compared to when there are two claws. Also, when there are three claws, the gripping force is not too strong compared to when there are four claws, and because there are fewer contact points due to the three-point support, gripping can be achieved even when the claws are misaligned from the cap.

[0130] Furthermore, in the cap replacement devices 1 and 1A according to this embodiment, the claws 22, 24, and 26 of the first arm 20 are made of metal, whereas the parts of the claws 42, 44, and 46 of the second arm 40 that contact the second cap 14 are made of hard resin. As previously described, the second cap 14 is made of metal, so if a hard resin, which is generally less hard than metal, is used, damage to the second cap 14 will be suppressed. Also, in the case of a soft resin such as rubber, if it comes into contact with a rotating body, a part of it may peel off from the contact part, and foreign matter may enter the centrifuge 100. If a hard resin is used, it has higher strength compared to rubber, so the generation of foreign matter due to partial peeling is suppressed.

[0131] In this example, the entire locking portions 42A, 44A, and 46A of the claws 42, 44, and 46 are made of hard resin, but it is sufficient that at least the portion that directly contacts the second cap 14 is made of hard resin.

[0132] In the above embodiments, examples were given in which the cap replacement devices 1 and 1A are provided with a first arm 20 and a second arm 40, but the technology of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The cap replacement device of this disclosure may consist of only one attachment / detachment arm, and the claws of the gripping portion of the attachment / detachment arm may be provided with a first locking portion for gripping a first cap and a second locking portion for gripping a second cap.

[0133] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which two different types of caps, the first cap 12 and the second cap 14, are exchanged. However, the cap exchange device 1 according to the present disclosure is also applicable when three or more caps are exchanged.

[0134] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which the gripping portions 21 and 41 have three claws, the technology of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The number of claws may be two or four or more. However, as mentioned above, it is desirable to have three claws from the viewpoint of ensuring both gripping force and degrees of freedom in the gripping state.

[0135] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which the gripping portions 21 and 41 grip the cap with claws, the technology of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The gripping portions 21 and 41 only need to be able to grip the cap with a gripping force sufficient to allow them to be attached to and detached from the zonal rotor 10, and may, for example, grip the cap using pneumatic attraction or magnetic attraction.

[0136] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cap replacement device 1 is configured to perform the next operation after confirming whether the operation driven by each drive mechanism is being performed normally. Examples of operations driven by each drive mechanism include the vertical movement of the first gripping part 21 on the first arm 20, the vertical movement of the second gripping part 41 on the second arm 40, the movement of the claws by the first gripping part 21 and the second gripping part 41, the movement of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 by the first moving mechanism 60, and the movement of the first moving mechanism 60 by the second moving mechanism 80. Each drive mechanism has preset settings for movement to an appropriate position and gripping operation, and is driven by a control device based on these settings. However, slight deviations may occur in each operation. Slight deviations do not have a significant impact in a single cap replacement operation, but repeated deviations can put a load on the parts around the axis of the zonal rotor 10 and cause malfunctions. To prevent cap replacement operations from being performed with such deviations, it is desirable to provide sensors for operation monitoring to confirm whether each operation is normal. In particular, since the components around the axis of the zonal rotor 10 are delicate, it is preferable to position the first arm 20 or the second arm 40 with high precision when removing and attaching the cap, so as not to put a load on the components around the axis, and it is important to ensure that there is no misalignment of the axis when gripping the cap.

[0137] Sensors for monitoring operation include sensors that detect the attachment / detachment positions of the first arm 20 and the second arm 40, or their positioning status to each retracted position; sensors that detect the position of the first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 and the second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 during vertical movement; and sensors that detect whether the first arm 20 or the second arm 40 is gripping the cap without misalignment. Appropriate sensors such as proximity sensors, position detection sensors, and rotation sensors may be used. Furthermore, cameras that capture images of the state of each component may be provided as sensors, and positional misalignment may be detected through image analysis.

[0138] In the cap replacement device 1 of the first embodiment described above, a second movement mechanism 80 is provided, and the device is configured to be movable to a second retracted position that is further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position. However, the device may also be configured without the second movement mechanism 80.

[0139] (Cap replacement device 201 of the second embodiment) Figure 15 shows the cap replacement device 201 of the second embodiment. Regarding the cap replacement device 201, the differences from the cap replacement device 1 of the first embodiment will be mainly explained. The cap replacement device 201 of the second embodiment does not have a second moving mechanism 80.

[0140] Even if the second moving mechanism 80 is not provided, the first moving mechanism 60 allows the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 to be moved independently, so that both the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 can be retracted from the space above the zonal rotor 10. During times when replacement work is not being performed, physical workspace can be secured for various operations such as moving the zonal rotor 10 in and out of the rotor chamber 104 of the centrifuge 100, and opening and closing the door 108 of the centrifuge 100.

[0141] Furthermore, in the cap replacement device 201, the first arm 20 is equipped with a constant-force spring 35 as a mechanical braking mechanism to prevent the first gripping part 21 from falling, and similarly, the second arm 40 is equipped with a constant-force spring 55 as a mechanical braking mechanism to prevent the second gripping part 41 from falling. The reel unit 36 ​​of the constant-force spring 35 is fixed to the slide plate 32, and the tip of the strip-shaped body 37 pulled out from the reel unit 36 ​​is fixed to the upper end of the guide plate 31. Similarly, the reel unit 56 of the constant-force spring 55 is fixed to the slide plate 52, and the tip of the strip-shaped body 57 pulled out from the reel unit 56 is fixed to the upper end of the guide plate 51.

[0142] Since the configuration and operation of the constant-load spring 35 and the constant-load spring 55 are similar, the case of the constant-load spring 35 will be explained as an example. When the slide plate 32 moves downward, the strip-shaped body 37 is pulled out from the reel unit 36, and an upward tensile force is applied to the slide plate 32 by the constant-load spring 35. On the other hand, when the slide plate 32 moves upward, the strip-shaped body 37 is wound into the reel unit 36. As a result, regardless of the position of the slide plate 32, a substantially constant upward auxiliary force acts on the slide plate 32, and the weight of the slide plate 32 and the first gripping part 21 supported by the slide plate 32 is offset or reduced.

[0143] In particular, even if the power supply to the cap replacement device 201 is lost, the upward tensile force from the constant-load spring 35 continues to act on the slide plate 32, thereby preventing the slide plate 32 and the first gripping part 21 from falling.

[0144] Furthermore, the cap replacement device 201 is provided with stoppers 38 and 58 to prevent collision between the first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 and the second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40. In this example, stoppers 38 and 58 are provided on the sides of the guide plate 31 of the first arm 20 and the guide plate 51 of the second arm 40, respectively, which are opposite to each other. When the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 approach each other, the stoppers 38 and 58 come into contact, preventing collision between the first gripping portion 21 and the second gripping portion 41. Preferably, the stoppers 38 and 58 are each equipped with adjustment screws so that their contact position can be adjusted.

[0145] In the cap replacement device 201, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are configured to move independently, similar to the cap replacement device 1. Normally, the first arm 20 and the second arm 40 are automatically controlled to prevent them from getting too close together, but there is a possibility of setting errors due to human error. By providing stoppers 38 and 58 as in this embodiment, even if setting errors occur, collisions between the first gripping portion 21 of the first arm 20 and the second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 can be prevented, thereby preventing failure of the first gripping portion 21 and the second gripping portion.

[0146] Furthermore, in the cap replacement device 201, the second gripping portion 41 of the second arm 40 is equipped with a stopper 250 to prevent over-pushing. The second gripping portion 41 is equipped with three second claws 242, 244, and 246, which have a different shape from the second claws 42, 44, and 46 of the first embodiment. Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram of the second claws 242, 244, and 246 in this embodiment, and corresponds to Figure 12 relating to the second claws 42, 44, and 46 of the first embodiment.

[0147] Since the second claws 242, 244, and 246 have the same shape, the following description will use one of them, claw 242, as an example. Similar to the claw 42 of the first embodiment, the claw 242 is composed of a main body portion 140A and a resin member 142A. The material of the resin member 142A and the locking portion 242A that locks the second cap 14 are the same as the material of the resin member 142 and the locking portion 42A of the claw 42, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. The main difference from the claw 42 is that the main body portion 140A is formed in an L shape in side view and a stopper 250 is provided.

[0148] The stopper 250 comprises a plate-shaped horizontal extension portion 251 extending horizontally radially outward from the claw 242, a bolt 252 inserted from the lower side into a hole provided in the horizontal extension portion 251, and a nut 253 positioned on the upper side of the horizontal extension portion 251 and screwed onto the bolt 252. In this example, the horizontal extension portion 251 is formed at the lower end of the main body portion 140A as part of the main body portion 140A. The head surface 252A of the bolt 252 faces the upper surface of the guard plate 109. Therefore, when the second gripping portion 41 is lowered toward the mounting opening 11, the second gripping portion 41 does not descend below the position where the head surface 252A of the bolt 252 contacts the upper surface of the guard plate 109. In other words, the stopper 250 has the function of preventing a pressing force exceeding the pressing force during normal operation from being applied to the mounting opening 11 when the second cap 14 is attached to and / or removed from the mounting opening 11.

[0149] When the second arm 40 lowers the second gripping portion 41 toward the mounting opening 11, the position of the second gripping portion 41 is controlled. However, if the position control is inaccurate and the second gripping portion 41 descends below a predetermined position, excessive force may be applied to the mounting opening 11. Excessive force applied to the mounting opening 11, i.e., the shaft 10C, can lead to malfunctions of the zonal rotor 10, such as misalignment of the shaft 10C. Also, if the cap is pushed in too far, shavings may be generated at the point where the tip of the second cap 14 contacts the zonal rotor 10. If such shavings enter the zonal rotor 10, it can lead to a decrease in the quality of the centrifugal separation process. In this embodiment, the cap replacement device 201 has a stopper 250 on the second gripping portion 41, which suppresses the application of excessive force to the mounting opening 11 and prevents malfunctions. In addition, it can suppress the entry of shavings into the zonal rotor 10, thus preventing a decrease in the quality of the centrifugal separation process.

[0150] The stopper 250 shown in Figure 16 can be adjusted in its restricting position by adjusting the threaded length at which the bolt 252 and nut 253 engage. On the other hand, if no adjustment is necessary, the stopper may be made to function solely with the horizontal extension portion 251 without an adjustment mechanism such as the bolt 252 and nut 253. In that case, the lower surface of the horizontal extension portion 251 may contact the guard plate 109 to restrict the downward movement of the second gripping portion 41. Alternatively, a projection may be provided on the lower surface of the horizontal extension portion 251. Or, a ball roller may be used instead of the bolt 252, or a rod-shaped member inserted and fixed into the hole of the horizontal extension portion 251 may be used. Thus, the stopper 250 is a mechanical stopper that physically stops the downward movement of the second gripping portion 41 by mechanical contact or the like.

[0151] Furthermore, the other configurations of the cap replacement device 201 in the second embodiment are the same as those of the cap replacement device 1 in the first embodiment, and the same effects can be obtained.

[0152] The descriptions and illustrations presented above are detailed explanations of the technical aspects of this disclosure and are merely examples of the technical aspects. For example, the above descriptions of the structure, function, operation, and effect are examples of the structure, function, operation, and effect of the technical aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that you may delete unnecessary parts, add new elements, or replace elements in the descriptions and illustrations presented above, as long as you do not deviate from the essence of the technical aspects of this disclosure. Furthermore, in order to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the technical aspects of this disclosure, explanations of common technical knowledge and the like that do not require special explanation to enable the implementation of the technical aspects of this disclosure have been omitted from the descriptions and illustrations presented above.

[0153] Furthermore, the disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-041859, filed on 14 March 2025, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2026-022198, filed on 13 February 2026, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if the incorporation of each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted.

[0154] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiment.

[0155] <Note 1> A cap changing device used in a centrifuge that centrifuges a sample by rotating a zonal rotor containing a sample and a solution containing a density gradient medium, for changing a detachable cap attached to the mounting port of the zonal rotor while the zonal rotor is rotating, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position. <Note 2> The cap changing device according to Note 1, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap. <Note 3> The cap replacement device described in Note 2, wherein the first cap has a connection port to which a pipe for injecting or discharging a solution is connected, and is used when injecting or discharging a solution to or from the zonal rotor with the first cap attached to the mounting port, and the second cap is used when rotating the zonal rotor at a second rotational speed that is faster than the first rotational speed when injecting or discharging a solution. <Note 4> The cap replacement device according to Note 2 or 3, wherein the first moving mechanism moves the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm, which is a first retracted position, and moves the second arm independently of the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm, which is a first retracted position, and the second moving mechanism is a moving mechanism that moves the first moving mechanism between the arm moving position on the attachment / detachment position side and the arm retracted position away from the attachment / detachment position, and by moving the first moving mechanism from the arm moving position to the arm retracted position, the first arm is moved to the second retracted position of the first arm, which is a second retracted position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position of the first arm, and the second arm is moved to the second retracted position of the second arm, which is a second retracted position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position of the second arm.<Note 5> The cap replacement device according to Note 4, wherein the first moving mechanism comprises a sliding mechanism for sliding the first arm and the second arm, and the first arm and the second arm are configured to slide independently of each other, and by sliding the first arm, the first arm is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm, and by sliding the second arm, the second arm is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm. <Note 6> The cap replacement device according to Note 5, wherein the first moving mechanism comprises a guide part that guides the sliding movement as a sliding mechanism, a first drive unit that slides the first arm, and a second drive unit that slides the second arm. <Note 7> The cap replacement device according to Note 2 or 3, wherein the first moving mechanism comprises an arm switching mechanism that selectively switches the positions of the first arm and the second arm between a first position where the first arm and the mounting opening face each other and a second position where the second arm and the mounting opening face each other. <Note 8> The cap changing device according to Note 7, wherein the arm switching mechanism includes a sliding mechanism that slides the first arm and the second arm together, and selectively switches the positions of the first arm and the second arm by sliding the first arm and the second arm together between a first position and a second position. <Note 9> The cap changing device according to any one of Notes 2 to 8, wherein the first arm has a first gripping part having a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap as a gripping part, and the second arm has a second gripping part having a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap as a gripping part. <Note 10> The cap changing device according to Note 9, wherein the second claw has a locking part at one end that abuts against the second cap and locks the second cap when gripping the second cap, and the locking part includes an upper contact surface that abuts against the upper surface of the second cap and an outer contact part that abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the second cap from the radial direction.<Note 11> The cap replacement device according to Note 10, wherein the second cap has a sloping portion on its outer peripheral surface that connects to the upper surface, the diameter of which gradually decreases downward from the position where it connects to the upper surface, and the second gripping portion has a recess between the upper surface contact surface and the outer peripheral contact portion into which a flange portion formed from the upper surface and the sloping portion on the outer peripheral surface of the second cap is fitted. <Note 12> The cap replacement device according to any one of Notes 9 to 11, wherein the first claw of the first gripping portion is made of metal, and the portion of the second claw of the second gripping portion that contacts the second cap is made of hard resin. <Note 13> The cap replacement device according to any one of Notes 2 to 12, wherein the second arm is equipped with a pressing mechanism for pressing a button provided on the second cap, the pressing mechanism is equipped with a pressing portion for pressing the button and a moving mechanism for moving the pressing portion along the longitudinal direction of the second arm, and the pressing portion presses the button as it moves along the longitudinal direction. <Note 14> A cap replacement device according to any one of Notes 1 to 13, further comprising a position correction mechanism for correcting the position of the attachment / detachment position. <Note 15> A cap replacement device according to any one of Notes 1 to 14, wherein the attachment / detachment arm is equipped with a constant-load spring to prevent the gripping part from falling. <Note 16> A cap replacement device according to Note 1, further comprising a second movement mechanism for moving the attachment / detachment arm from a first retracted position to a second retracted position which is further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position. <Note 17> A cap replacement device according to Note 16, wherein the second movement mechanism is a movement mechanism for moving the first movement mechanism, and is configured to move the attachment / detachment arm between the first retracted position and the second retracted position by moving the attachment / detachment arm together with the first movement mechanism.<Note 18> The cap includes a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the attachment / detachment arm comprises a first arm for attaching / detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching / detaching the second cap, and the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between an attachment / detachment position and a first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between an attachment / detachment position and a first retracted position of the second arm, The cap replacement device described in Appendix 17 is configured such that the second movement mechanism moves the first movement mechanism between an arm movement position on the attachment / detachment position side and an arm retraction position away from the attachment / detachment position, and by moving the first movement mechanism from the arm movement position to the arm retraction position, the first arm is moved to the first arm second retraction position, which is a second retraction position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first arm first retraction position, and the second arm is moved to the second arm second retraction position, which is a second retraction position further away from the attachment / detachment position than the second arm first retraction position. <Note 19> A cap replacement device for replacing a detachable cap attached to the mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap, and the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap, the first arm having a gripping portion which has a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap, the first claws being made of metal, and the second arm having a gripping portion which has a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap, the portion of the second claws that contacts the second cap being made of hard resin, a cap replacement device.<Note 20> A cap replacement device for replacing a detachable cap attached to the mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap, and the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap, and the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between a detachable position and a first retracted position of the second arm.

Claims

1. A cap replacement device used in a centrifuge that centrifuges a sample by rotating a zonal rotor containing a solution containing a sample and a density gradient medium, the cap replacement device for replacing a detachable cap attached to the mounting port of the zonal rotor while the zonal rotor is rotating, the cap replacement device comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position where the arm is retracted from the detachable position.

2. The cap replacement device according to claim 1, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the attachment / detachment arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap.

3. The cap replacement device according to claim 2, wherein the first cap has a connection port to which a pipe for injecting or discharging the solution is connected, and is used when injecting or discharging the solution to or from the zonal rotor with the first cap attached to the mounting port, and the second cap is used when rotating the zonal rotor at a second rotational speed that is faster than the first rotational speed when injecting or discharging the solution.

4. The cap replacement device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm as the first retracted position, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm as the first retracted position.

5. The cap replacement device according to claim 4, wherein the first moving mechanism comprises a sliding mechanism for sliding the first arm and the second arm, the first arm and the second arm are configured to slide independently of each other, the first arm is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm by sliding the first arm, and the second arm is moved between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm by sliding the second arm.

6. The cap replacement device according to claim 5, wherein the first moving mechanism comprises a guide portion that guides the sliding movement as the sliding moving mechanism, a first drive portion that slides the first arm, and a second drive portion that slides the second arm.

7. The cap replacement device according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising, as the first moving mechanism, an arm switching mechanism that selectively switches the positions of the first arm and the second arm between a first position in which the first arm and the mounting opening face each other and a second position in which the second arm and the mounting opening face each other.

8. The cap changing device according to claim 7, wherein the arm switching mechanism includes a sliding mechanism for integrally sliding the first arm and the second arm, and selectively switches the positions of the first arm and the second arm by integrally sliding the first arm and the second arm between a first position and a second position.

9. The cap replacement device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first arm comprises a first gripping portion having a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap, and the second arm comprises a second gripping portion having a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap.

10. The cap replacement device according to claim 9, wherein the second claw has a locking portion at one end that contacts the second cap when gripping the second cap and locks the second cap, and the locking portion includes an upper contact surface that contacts the upper surface of the second cap and an outer contact portion that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the second cap from the radial direction.

11. The cap replacement device according to claim 10, wherein the second cap has a sloping portion on its outer circumferential surface that connects to the upper surface, the diameter of which gradually decreases downward from the position where it connects to the upper surface, and the second gripping portion has a recess between the upper surface contact surface and the outer circumferential contact portion into which a flange portion formed from the upper surface and the sloping portion on the outer circumferential surface of the second cap is fitted.

12. The cap replacement device according to claim 9, wherein the first claw of the first gripping part is made of metal, and the portion of the second claw of the second gripping part that contacts the second cap is made of hard resin.

13. The cap replacement device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second arm is equipped with a pressing mechanism for pressing a button provided on the second cap, the pressing mechanism comprising a pressing portion for pressing the button and a moving mechanism for moving the pressing portion along the longitudinal direction of the second arm, and the pressing portion presses the button as it moves along the longitudinal direction.

14. A cap replacement device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a position correction mechanism for correcting the position of the attachment / detachment position.

15. The cap replacement device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detachable arm is equipped with a constant-load spring for preventing the gripping portion from falling.

16. The cap replacement device according to claim 1, further comprising a second movement mechanism for moving the attachment / detachment arm from the first retracted position to a second retracted position which is further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retracted position.

17. The cap replacement device according to claim 16, wherein the second moving mechanism is a moving mechanism for moving the first moving mechanism, and is configured to move the attachment / detachment arm between a first retracted position and a second retracted position by moving the attachment / detachment arm together with the first moving mechanism.

18. The cap includes a first cap and a second cap of different types, and the attachment / detachment arm comprises a first arm for attaching / detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching / detaching the second cap, and the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between the attachment / detachment position and the first retracted position of the second arm, The cap replacement device according to claim 17, wherein the second moving mechanism is a moving mechanism that moves the first moving mechanism between an arm moving position on the attachment / detachment position side and an arm retraction position away from the attachment / detachment position, and by moving the first moving mechanism from the arm moving position to the arm retraction position, the first arm is moved to a second retraction position, which is a second retraction position, further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retraction position of the first arm, and the second arm is moved to a second retraction position, which is a second retraction position, further away from the attachment / detachment position than the first retraction position of the second arm, 19. A cap replacement device for replacing a detachable cap attached to the mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap; the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap; the first arm has a first gripping portion having a plurality of first claws for gripping the first cap, the first claws being made of metal; and the second arm has a second gripping portion having a plurality of second claws for gripping the second cap, the portion of the second claws that contacts the second cap being made of hard resin.

20. A cap replacement device for replacing a detachable cap attached to a mounting opening of a zonal rotor, comprising: a detachable arm having a gripping portion for gripping the cap; and a first moving mechanism for moving the detachable arm between a detachable position for attaching and detaching the cap and a first retracted position for retracting from the detachable position, wherein the cap includes a first cap and a second cap; the detachable arm comprises a first arm for attaching and detaching the first cap and a second arm for attaching and detaching the second cap; and the first moving mechanism is configured to move the first arm between the detachable position and a first retracted position of the first arm, and to move the second arm independently of the first arm between the detachable position and a first retracted position of the second arm.

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