Cap attaching/detaching device, and sampling device and pre-processing device provided with same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12258251-B2
Application number	US-201917259619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2019
Priority date	Jul 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A cap attaching/detaching device 20 is a device for attaching or detaching a cap 141 in which a screw portion is formed to or from a test tube 14 by rotating the cap 141 . A cap grip portion 21 grips the cap 141 . A rotation mechanism 22 attaches or detaches the cap 141 to or from the test tube 14 by rotating the cap 141 by rotating the cap grip portion 21 . The rotation mechanism 22 has an axial portion 221 , and a nut portion 222 . The axial portion 221 has an outer peripheral surface on which a screw thread 223 is formed. The nut portion 222 has an inner peripheral surface on which a screw groove 224 to be screwed into the screw thread 223 of the axial portion 221 is formed, and rotatably holds the axial portion 221 in a fixed state. A pitch of the screw thread 223 is the same as a pitch of the screw portion formed in the cap 141.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cap attaching/detaching device for attaching or detaching a cap in which a screw portion is formed to or from a container by rotating the cap, the cap attaching/detaching device comprising:
a cap grip portion that grips the cap;
a rotation mechanism that attaches or detaches the cap to or from the container by rotating the cap by rotating the cap grip portion; and
a movement actuator for moving the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism;
wherein the rotation mechanism has
an axial portion that has an outer peripheral surface on which a screw thread is formed, and
a nut portion that has an inner peripheral surface on which a screw groove to be screwed into the screw thread of the axial portion is formed, and rotatably holds the axial portion in a fixed state,

wherein a pitch of the screw thread is configured to be the same as a pitch of the screw portion formed in the cap,
wherein the cap grip portion has
a displacement claw that is configured to displace between a first state in which the displacement claw grips the cap and a second state in which the displacement claw does not grip the cap, and
a shaft that is slid along an axial direction to displace the displacement claw; and

wherein the cap attaching/detaching device further comprises a motor that is connected to the rotation mechanism, and the cap grip portion is moved in the axial direction while being rotated as the axial portion is rotated by the motor,
the cap grip portion and the rotation mechanism are integrally moved by the movement actuator,
the movement actuator moves the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction;
the motor is provided in the rotation mechanism, and
the motor is moved by the movement actuator together with the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion.

2. The cap attaching/detaching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the axial portion is formed in a hollow shape, and
the shaft is inserted into an inside of the axial portion.

3. A sampling system for sampling a culture medium containing cells, the sampling system comprising:
a sampling apparatus configured to sample the culture medium containing the cells; and
a cap attaching/detaching device for attaching or detaching a cap in which a screw portion is formed to or from a container by rotating the cap, the cap attaching/detaching device comprising:
a cap grip portion that grips the cap; and
a rotation mechanism that attaches or detaches the cap to or from the container by rotating the cap by rotating the cap grip portion, and
a movement actuator for moving the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism;

wherein the rotation mechanism has
an axial portion that has an outer peripheral surface on which a screw thread is formed, and
a nut portion that has an inner peripheral surface on which a screw groove to be screwed into the screw thread of the axial portion is formed, and rotatably holds the axial portion in a fixed state,

wherein a pitch of the screw thread is configured to be the same as a pitch of the screw portion formed in the cap,
wherein the cap grip portion has
a displacement claw that is configured to displace between a first state in which the displacement claw grips the cap and a second state in which the displacement claw does not grip the cap, and
a shaft that is slid along an axial direction to displace the displacement claw, and

wherein the sampling apparatus is configured to sample the culture medium in the container after the cap has been removed by the cap attaching/detaching device, and
wherein the cap attaching/detaching device further comprises a motor that is connected to the rotation mechanism, and the cap grip portion is moved in the axial direction while being rotated as the axial portion is rotated by the motor,
the cap grip portion and the rotation mechanism are integrally moved by the movement actuator, and
the movement actuator moves the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction,
the motor is provided in the rotation mechanism, and
the motor is moved by the movement actuator together with the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion.

4. A pre-processing apparatus for performing pre-processing on cells in a container, the pre-processing apparatus comprising:
a reagent supply dispenser; and
a cap attaching/detaching device for attaching or detaching a cap in which a screw portion is formed to or from a container by rotating the cap, the cap attaching/detaching device comprising:
a cap grip portion that grips the cap; and
a rotation mechanism that attaches or detaches the cap to or from the container by rotating the cap by rotating the cap grip portion, and
a movement actuator for moving the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism;

wherein the rotation mechanism has
an axial portion that has an outer peripheral surface on which a screw thread is formed, and
a nut portion that has an inner peripheral surface on which a screw groove to be screwed into the screw thread of the axial portion is formed, and rotatably holds the axial portion in a fixed state,

wherein a pitch of the screw thread is configured to be the same as a pitch of the screw portion formed in the cap,
wherein the cap grip portion has
a displacement claw that is configured to displace between a first state in which the displacement claw grips the cap and a second state in which the displacement claw does not grip the cap, and
a shaft that is slid along an axial direction to displace the displacement claw, and

wherein the reagent supply dispenser is configured to supply a reagent into the container after the cap has been removed by the cap attaching/detaching device, and
wherein the cap attaching/detaching device further comprises a motor that is connected to the rotation mechanism, and the cap grip portion is moved in the axial direction while being rotated as the axial portion is rotated by the motor,
the cap grip portion and the rotation mechanism are integrally moved by the movement actuator, and
the movement actuator moves the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion, by moving the rotation mechanism in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction,
the motor is provided in the rotation mechanism, and
the motor is moved by the movement actuator together with the container attached to the cap gripped by the cap grip portion.

Assignees

• Univ Kobe Nat Univ Corp
• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Tsutomu
• Oda Akari
• Hasunuma Tomohisa

Classifications

• C12M23/38 Primary

  Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring means · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2035/0405

  manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers · CPC title

• C12M29/00

  Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps (pumps per se F04B) · CPC title

• C12M23/08

  Flask, bottle or test tube · CPC title