Sample cooling device and sampling apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255742-B2
Application number	US-201313773875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A sample cooling device for cooling a sample container held in a heat conductive rack comprises a cooler; a heat conductive member, on which the rack is placed, to be cooled in contact with the cooler; and a heat conductive water absorbing member disposed at least partly in an opposite region defined between the heat conductive member and the rack in contact with both of the heat conductive member and the rack. The water absorbing member has a structure for absorbing water by a capillary force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sample cooling device for cooling a sample container held in a heat conductive rack, the sample cooling device comprising:
a cooler;
a heat conductive member having an upper surface configured to support a rack thereon, said heat conductive member being in contact with the cooler such as to be cooled by said cooler; and
a heat conductive water absorbing member disposed at least partly in a region defined between the upper surface of the heat conductive member and a rack position and configured such as to be in contact with both of the heat conductive member and a rack positioned in said rack position, the water absorbing member having a structure for absorbing water by a capillary force,
wherein the water absorbing member is a porous member provided with a plurality of pores, each having an inner diameter enough to allow a capillary force to act.

2. A sample cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the water absorbing member extends outside of said region,
at least a part of the water absorbing member existing outside of the region serving as a drain for draining, from the water absorbing member, the water absorbed by the water absorbing member.

3. A sample cooling device according to claim 2 , wherein one end of a drain tube for recovering the water drained from the drain is connected to the lower portion of the drain.

4. A sample cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein the drain is tapered downward in such a manner as to collect the water at said one end of the drain tube by its own weight.

5. A sample cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein a small-sized pump is connected to the other end of the drain tube, so as to forcibly eliminate the water absorbed by the water absorbing member.

6. A sample cooling device according to claim 2 , wherein a tray for recovering the water drained from the drain is disposed at the lower portion of the drain.

7. A sample cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the porous member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of an aluminum sintered material, a stainless sintered material, and a nickel sintered material.

8. A sample cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the water absorbing member is disposed only at a part of said region, whereas the heat conductive member and the rack are brought into direct contact with each other in other parts of said region.

9. A sample cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the water absorbing member is disposed over the entire said region.

10. A sampling apparatus comprising:
a sample cooling device for cooling a sample container held by a heat conductive rack that holds therein the sample container containing a sample therein; and
a needle moving to the position of the sample container held by the rack disposed in the sample cooling device so as to suction a sample contained in the sample container,
wherein the sample cooling device includes:
a cooler; a heat conductive member having an upper surface configured to support a rack thereon, said heat conductive member being in contact with the cooler such as to be cooled by said cooler; and a heat conductive water absorbing member disposed at least partly in a region defined between the upper surface of the heat conductive member and a rack position and configured such as to be in contact with both of the heat conductive member and a rack positioned in said rack position, the water absorbing member having a structure for absorbing water by a capillary force.

11. The sampling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the water absorbing member extends outside of said region, at least a part of the water absorbing member existing outside of the region serving as a drain for draining, from the water absorbing member, the water absorbed by the water absorbing member.

12. The sampling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein one end of a drain tube for recovering the water drained from the drain is connected to the lower portion of the drain.

13. The sampling apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the drain is tapered downward in such a manner as to collect the water at said one end of the drain tube by its own weight.

14. The sampling apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a small-sized pump is connected to the other end of the drain tube, so as to forcibly eliminate the water absorbed by the water absorbing member.

15. The sampling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a tray for recovering the water drained from the drain is disposed at the lower portion of the drain.

16. The sampling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the water absorbing member is a porous member provided with a plurality of pores, each having an inner diameter enough to allow a capillary force to act.

17. The sampling apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the porous member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of an aluminum sintered material, a stainless sintered material, and a nickel sintered material.

18. The sampling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the water absorbing member is disposed only at a part of said region, whereas the heat conductive member and the rack are brought into direct contact with each other in other parts of said region.

19. The sampling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the water absorbing member is disposed over the entire said region.

20. A sampling apparatus, comprising:
a sample cooling device comprising:
a cooler; a heat conductive member having an upper surface configured to support a rack thereon, said heat conductive member being in contact with the cooler such as to be cooled by said cooler; and a heat conductive water absorbing member disposed at least partly in a region defined between the upper surface of the heat conductive member and a rack position and configured such as to be in contact with both of the heat conductive member and a rack positioned in said rack position, the water absorbing member having a structure for absorbing water by a capillary force; and
a needle configured to be moved to a position of a sample container held by a rack positioned in said rack position in the sample cooling device so as to suction a sample contained in the sample container.

21. The sampling apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the water absorbing member is a porous member containing a plurality of pores having an inner diameter sized to create a capillary force on water that causes water to be absorbed into said plurality of pores.

22. The sampling apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said water absorbing member serves as a drain for draining from the water absorbing member.

23. The sampling apparatus of claim 20 , further including a case containing said sample cooling device and said needle and including a drain tube connected to said drain and for draining water out of said case.

24. The sampling apparatus of claim 23 , further including an air cooling device within said case and a drain for draining water from said air cooling device outside of said container.

25. The sampling apparatus of claim 20 , further including a rack positioned in said rack position, said rack having a plurality of sample containers supported in said rack.

Assignees

• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Yasunaga Kenichi

Classifications

• B01L2300/1844

  using fans · CPC title

• B01L7/00 Primary

  Heating or cooling apparatus (autoclaves B01J3/04); Heat insulating devices · CPC title

• B01L2300/1855

  using phase changes in a medium · CPC title

• B01L9/06

  Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders · CPC title

• F28F2013/006

  Heat conductive materials · CPC title