Low temperature storage system, transport mechanism, and low temperature storage vessel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low temperature storage systems face issues with temperature fluctuations and sample deterioration due to the need to remove entire storage trays from the low temperature chamber, leading to inefficient cooling and increased costs, especially when using ultra-low temperatures like liquid nitrogen.
Innovation Solution
A transport mechanism with a reciprocating part guided by both an in-vessel guide and a telescopic guide, which extends and contracts, allows for precise and stable object transfer within the low temperature storage vessel, minimizing lateral vibration and reducing the complexity and size of the mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the storage tray is removed from the low temperature storage chamber to retrieve a desired container, then the desired container can be accessed, but the temperature of the storage chamber rises and sample quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into modular components: storage trays that can be independently removed, and storage plates that can be selectively accessed. This allows removal of only the specific tray containing the desired container rather than the entire storage chamber, minimizing temperature disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
A plate transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary device positioned at the chamber opening. It receives storage plates from trays inside the chamber and transfers them to the operation room, allowing container retrieval without direct human hand insertion into the cold chamber, thus maintaining temperature stability.
2Ease of operation
If the storage tray is removed for container retrieval, then the desired container can be accessed, but other containers are exposed to higher temperature causing sample deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
Storage plates are segmented into individual container holders, allowing selective removal of only the specific plate containing the desired container. Other plates remain in their temperature-controlled positions, preventing unnecessary thermal exposure to unrelated samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The desired storage plate is extracted from the tray at the chamber opening while other plates remain in place. The plate transfer mechanism enables extraction of only the necessary component (specific plate) rather than exposing all containers to the warmer operation room environment.
3Device complexity
If a cantilever structure arm is used to directly hoist storage plates, then the mechanism is simpler, but lateral vibration occurs reducing positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The transport mechanism merges two support structures: the chamber opening edge provides one support point, and the plate transfer mechanism provides a second support point. This creates a bridged structure that eliminates the lateral vibration problems of cantilever designs while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate transfer mechanism serves as an intermediary device that bridges the gap between the chamber opening and the operation room. It provides stable, vibration-free support for storage plates during transfer, ensuring positioning accuracy without requiring an overly complex cantilever-resistant structure.
4Measurement precision
If the arm section modulus is increased to minimize lateral vibration, then positioning accuracy improves, but the mechanism becomes larger and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the section modulus of a single cantilevered arm, the system merges support from two locations: the chamber opening edge and the plate transfer mechanism. This distributed support achieves high positioning accuracy with slender, simple structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than making the arm itself resistant to vibration through increased size/strength, the invention inverts the approach by providing external support at the chamber opening. The structural burden is shifted from the arm to the support points, allowing a simpler, smaller mechanism design.
Data Source
AI summary
A low temperature storage system, a transport mechanism, and a low temperature storage vessel are provided, which enable downsizing and simplification of the transport mechanism, as well as stable transport of stored objects. A low temperature storage system (1) includes a low temperature storage vessel (10) and a transport mechanism (20). The transport mechanism (20) includes a reciprocating part (30) that has a holding part (35) and that is capable of reciprocating along a transfer direction, and guide unit (40). The guide unit (40) include an in-vessel guide (50) fixedly placed inside the low temperature storage vessel (10), and a telescopic guide (60) configured to be able to extend and contract along the transfer direction. The telescopic guide (60) is provided independently of the in-vessel guide (50) so as to be connectable to the in-vessel guide (50).