Liquid discharge device, application device with said discharge device, and application method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11400481-B2
Application number	US-201716468947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A liquid discharge device to discharge a liquid material stirred near a metering chamber, an application device and an application method using the application device. A liquid discharge device includes a storage unit including a storage container storing a liquid material, and a stirrer drive mechanism; a discharge unit including a metering chamber to be filled with the liquid material, a plunger sliding in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the metering chamber, a nozzle in communication with the metering chamber, and a switching valve between a first position at which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other, and a second position at which the metering chamber and the nozzle are communicated; and a connection flow path through which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated, The stirrer drive mechanism is separable from the storage unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid discharge device equipped with a stirring mechanism, the liquid discharge device comprising:
a storage unit including:
a storage container storing a liquid material; and
a stirrer drive mechanism for a magnet stirrer, the stirrer drive mechanism including a magnetic body that drives the stirrer disposed within the storage container by magnetic action, and being integrally constituted with the storage container;

a discharge unit including:
a metering chamber to be filled with the liquid material;
a plunger sliding in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the metering chamber;
a nozzle in communication with the metering chamber; and
a switching valve switched between a first position at which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other, and a second position at which the metering chamber and the nozzle are communicated with each other; and

a connection flow path through which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other,
wherein the discharge unit and the storage unit are integrally constituted with each other,
wherein the liquid discharge device further comprises a discharge device drive unit including a plunger drive device that drives the plunger,
wherein the discharge unit is detachably coupled to the discharge device drive unit, and
wherein the discharge device drive unit, the discharge unit, and the storage unit are arranged along one linear line extending in the horizontal direction.

2. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge device drive unit includes the plunger drive device and a switching valve drive device, which drives the switching valve, in an integral form.

3. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge unit in a state integral with the storage unit, which is in a state including the stirrer drive mechanism, is detachably coupled to the discharge device drive unit, and
the liquid material in the storage container can be stirred by operating the stirrer drive mechanism in a state in which the discharge unit is separated from the discharge device drive unit.

4. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge device drive unit comprises:
a plunger holder coupled to the plunger;
a plunger drive mechanism moving the plunger holder up and down;
a slider supporting the plunger holder to be slidable in a vertical direction; and
a switching valve drive device driving the switching valve,
wherein the plunger holder, the plunger drive mechanism, and the slider are arranged along one linear line extending in the vertical direction when viewed from the storage unit side.

5. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein the stirrer drive mechanism is separable from the storage unit.

6. The liquid discharge device according claim 1 , wherein the connection flow path is connected to a hole disposed at a lateral side wall of the storage container.

7. The liquid discharge device according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the connection flow path is 10 cm or less.

8. An application device comprising the liquid discharge device according to claim 1 ;
a worktable on which a workpiece is placed;
a drive device moving the liquid discharge device and the worktable relative to each other; and
an operation control device controlling the drive device.

9. An application device comprising a plurality of the liquid discharge devices according to claim 1 ;
a worktable on which a workpiece is placed;
a drive device moving the plurality of the liquid discharge devices and the worktable relative to each other; and
an operation control device controlling the drive device.

10. An application method of applying a liquid material by using the application device according to claim 8 .

11. The application method according to claim 10 , wherein the liquid material is a reagent or a biological sample.

12. A liquid discharge device equipped with a stirring mechanism, the liquid discharge device comprising:
a storage unit including:
a storage container storing a liquid material; and
a stirrer drive mechanism for a magnet stirrer, the stirrer drive mechanism including a magnetic body that drives the stirrer disposed within the storage container by magnetic action, and being integrally constituted with the storage container;

a discharge unit including:
a metering chamber to be filled with the liquid material;
a plunger sliding in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the metering chamber;
a nozzle in communication with the metering chamber; and
a switching valve switched between a first position at which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other, and a second position at which the metering chamber and the nozzle are communicated with each other; and

a connection flow path through which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other,
wherein the discharge unit and the storage unit are integrally constituted with each other,
wherein the magnetic body is disposed under the storage container, and
the stirrer drive mechanism comprises:
a stirrer drive device disposed adjacent to the storage container in a horizontal direction; and
a transmission mechanism transmitting motive power of the stirrer drive device and operating the magnetic body for rotation.

13. A liquid discharge device equipped with a stirring mechanism, the liquid discharge device comprising:
a storage unit including:
a storage container storing a liquid material; and
a stirrer drive mechanism for a magnet stirrer, the stirrer drive mechanism including a magnetic body that drives the stirrer disposed within the storage container by magnetic action, and being integrally constituted with the storage container;

a discharge unit including:
a metering chamber to be filled with the liquid material;
a plunger sliding in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the metering chamber;
a nozzle in communication with the metering chamber; and
a switching valve switched between a first position at which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other, and a second position at which the metering chamber and the nozzle are communicated with each other; and

a connection flow path through which the storage container and the metering chamber are communicated with each other,
wherein the discharge unit and the storage unit are integrally constituted with each other,
wherein the liquid discharge device further comprises a discharge and storage block in which the connection flow path, the metering chamber, the switching valve, and a recessed portion constituting at least a bottom portion of the storage container are formed, and to which the nozzle is coupled.

14. The liquid discharge device according to claim 13 , wherein the connection flow path has a communication port in communication with a lateral side of the recessed portion, and
the magnetic body is disposed under the recessed portion.

15. The liquid discharge device according to claim 14 , wherein the stirrer drive mechanism comprises:
a stirrer drive device disposed adjacent to the storage container in a horizontal direction; and
a transmission mechanism transmitting motive power of the stirrer drive device and operating the magnetic body for rotation.

16. The liquid discharge device according to claim 13 , further comprising a bottom-raising member that is disposed at an inner bottom of the recessed po

Assignees

• Musashi Eng Inc

Inventors

• Ikushima Kazumasa

Classifications

• B05D1/26

  performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface · CPC title

• B05C5/0225 Primary

  characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036) · CPC title

• B01F35/75425

  using pistons or plungers · CPC title

• B05C9/10

  the auxiliary operation being performed before the application (B05C9/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C5/0233

  rotating valve, e.g. rotating perforated cylinder · CPC title