Liquid processing apparatus and liquid processing system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025180450-A1
Application number	US-202418885072-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 13, 2024
Priority date	Dec 1, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a liquid processing apparatus including a container, that stores a liquid, a chamber, that accommodates at least a portion of the container, at least one sensor in the chamber, a sealing apparatus, connected to the chamber, that seals the container, and a driving apparatus provides a driving force to the chamber and the sealing apparatus, and where the chamber and the sealing apparatus reciprocate while staying in a unidirectional state, and where the at least one sensor is senses an inner portion of the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a container configured to store a liquid; a chamber configured to accommodate at least a portion of the container; at least one sensor in the chamber; a sealing apparatus connected to the chamber and configured to seal the container; and a driving apparatus configured to provide a driving force to the chamber and the sealing apparatus, the driving force causing a reciprocal motion of the chamber and the sealing apparatus, wherein the chamber and the sealing apparatus are configured to, by the reciprocal motion, reciprocate while staying in a unidirectional state in which a position of the chamber relative to a position of the sealing apparatus remains constant, and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense an inner portion of the container.

2 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chamber and the sealing apparatus are configured to, in the unidirectional state, reciprocate together along a trajectory of a closed curve and without rotating with respect to each other.

3 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the driving apparatus comprises:
a frame comprising an actuator; a first rotation plate disposed on an upper side of the frame and configured to rotate around a first axis; a second rotation plate disposed on the upper side of the frame and configured to rotate around a second axis; a first connector configured to connect the first rotation plate to the chamber; and a second connector configured to connect the second rotation plate to the sealing apparatus.

4 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 3 ,
wherein a central axis of the first connector is offset with respect to the first axis of the first rotation plate, and wherein a central axis of the second connector is offset with respect to the second axis of the second rotation plate.

5 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sealing apparatus comprises:
a cover disposed on an upper side of an opening of the container; and a connecting element comprising a first end supporting the cover and a second end connected to the second connector.

6 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the chamber is configured to heat the container, and
wherein the cover is configured to adjust pressure in the container or direct a gas, generated by vaporization of the liquid, to flow externally from the liquid processing apparatus.

7 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a cap assembly between the container and the cover, wherein the cap assembly is detachably attached to the container and the cover.

8 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cap assembly comprises a first cap, and
wherein the first cap comprises:
a first body element;
a first gripping element extending from a side surface of the first body element; and
at least one other sensor, other than the at least one sensor, disposed on a surface of the first body element and facing an inner side of the container.

9 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first cap further comprises at least one first hole in the first body element.

10 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cap assembly further comprises a second cap disposed between the first cap and the container, and
wherein the second cap comprises:
a second body element;
a second gripping element extending from a side surface of the second body element;
a window on a surface of the second body element; and
at least one second hole in the window.

11 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first hole and the at least one second hole are unaligned relative to each other.

12 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cover is further configured to direct the gas, generated by vaporization of the liquid, to flow externally from the liquid processing apparatus by flowing through the at least one first hole and the at least one second hole to the cover.

13 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second cap is configured to prevent the liquid, dispersed by heating, from moving to the first cap.

14 . The liquid processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a bending region is on the first body element of the first cap or the second body element of the second cap,
wherein the bending region comprises an elastic material.

15 . A liquid processing system comprising:
a liquid processing apparatus configured to process a liquid; and an operating apparatus on an outer side of the liquid processing apparatus, wherein the liquid processing apparatus comprises:
a container configured to store a liquid;
a chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the container;
at least one sensor in the chamber;
a sealing apparatus connected to the chamber and configured to seal the container; and a driving apparatus configured to provide a driving force to the chamber and the sealing apparatus, the driving force causing a reciprocal motion of the chamber and the sealing apparatus, wherein the chamber and the sealing apparatus are configured to by the reciprocal motion, reciprocate together along a trajectory of a closed curve and without rotating with respect to each other such that a position of the chamber relative to a position of the sealing apparatus remains constant, and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense the container.

16 . The liquid processing system of claim 15 , wherein the sealing apparatus comprises:
a cover on an upper side of an opening of the container; and a connecting element comprising a first end supporting the cover and a second end connected to the driving apparatus, wherein the liquid processing apparatus further comprises a cap assembly between the container and the cover, and wherein the operating apparatus is configured to replace at least one of the container and the cap assembly.

17 . The liquid processing system of claim 16 , wherein the cap assembly comprises a first cap, and
wherein the first cap comprises:
a first body element;
a first gripping element extended from a side surface of the first body element;
at least one other sensor, other than the at least one sensor, on a surface of the first body element and facing an inner side of the container; and
at least one first hole in the first body element.

18 . The liquid processing system of claim 17 , wherein the cap assembly further comprises a second cap between the first cap and the container, and
wherein the second cap comprises:
a second body element;
a second gripping element extending from a side surface of the second body element;
a window formed on a surface of the second body element; and
at least one second hole in the window.

19 . The liquid processing system of claim 18 , further comprising at least one of:
a bending region on the first body element of the first cap or the second body element of the second cap, wherein the bending region comprises an elastic material, and a guide hole at an edge of the first body element of the first cap or an edge of the second body element of the second cap.

20 . The liquid processing system of claim 18 , wherein the chamber is configured to heat the container,
wherein the cover is configured to adjust pressure in the container or direct a gas, generated by vaporization of the liquid, to flow externally from t

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Seungyeon
• Kim Bosung
• Seo Seoungjin
• Chang Minsu
• Jang Jun-Won
• Jeon Hyunjeong
• Choi Hyun Do
• Heo Dai
• Hong Wooram

Classifications

• B01L3/00

  Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers · CPC title

• B01J19/00

  Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus · CPC title

• B01D1/00 Primary

  Evaporating ({evaporation in general, e.g. of liquids for gas phase reactions B01B1/005} ; removal of incrustation B08B; preparation of starch C08B30/00; sugar industry C13; prevention of incrustation C23F; drying solid materials or objects by evaporating liquids therefrom F26) · CPC title

• G01N2035/00287

  movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes · CPC title

• G01N35/0099 Primary

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title