JP2010096627A - Cap removing device of micro tube for drug development - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cap removing device for removing caps in a short time without contaminating or spilling enclosures, the caps for closing openings of a plurality of micro tubes for drug development vertically arranged and stored in a storage rack, and increasing the number of reuses of the tubes without damaging the tubes in removing the caps. <P>SOLUTION: The storage rack R is slid to remove the caps from the micro tubes for drug development while picking axial rods 110 are tilted by a tilting member 150, with the axial rods 110 tight fitted into recesses formed in cap heads of the micro tubes. An axial rod holder 120 is moved in the axial direction of the axial rods 110 by an actuator 130 for vertical movement. The caps tight fitted to the ends of the axial rods 110 are drawn out downward by a comb-tooth metal part 140 and housed in a cap box 180. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a drug discovery microtube used for enclosing a drug discovery sample in the field of drug discovery research. More specifically, the present invention relates to a plurality of drug discovery products arranged vertically in a storage rack. The present invention relates to a cap removing device that is used to collect and remove caps that block openings of microtubes in units of storage racks.

  In the field of drug discovery research, it is necessary to conduct experiments for storing and analyzing large quantities of samples at low temperatures with high efficiency. Therefore, the solution in which the sample is dissolved is enclosed in a cylindrical container called a microtube, and the microtube is partitioned into a total of 96 grids of 8 rows × 12 columns conforming to SBS (Society for Biomolecular Screening) standards. The storage racks (hereinafter referred to as “96 racks”) are stored vertically and stored and transported (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In recent years, a storage rack having a total number of 384 partitions of 16 rows × 24 columns (hereinafter referred to as “the rack” in order to accommodate a larger amount of microtubes in the same size as the 96 rack described above. 384 racks ") is also known. (For example, see Patent Document 2.)
JP 2002-225895 A (2nd page, 4th paragraph, FIG. 1) JP 2007-33061 A (page 6, paragraphs 25-26, FIG. 1)

  However, in a micro tube compatible with 96 racks (hereinafter referred to as “96 tube”), the opening can be sealed with a removable cap, and one micro tube can be repeatedly used for storage and analysis of drug discovery samples. Although it was possible, in the micro tube corresponding to the 384 rack (hereinafter referred to as “384 tube”), the size of the opening of the 384 tube is reduced to almost ¼ of the size of the opening of the 96 tube. Since the gap between the adjacent 384 tubes accommodated in the 384 rack is extremely narrow, it is difficult to use a removable cap to seal the opening. For this reason, the conventional 384 tube is a method in which an aluminum thin film sheet is bonded to the opening of each 384 tube by heat welding while being accommodated in a 384 rack, and then cut for each 384 tube to seal the opening. It had been. In this method, once the aluminum which is the sealing member of the opening is opened, it is difficult to seal again, and in fact, the 384 tube is not only used disposable but wastes resources, A problem has been pointed out that it is not possible to cope with an advanced experiment consisting of a multi-step process in which a sample in a tube is slightly removed for analysis or a reagent or another sample is injected during storage.

  Therefore, it has been proposed to seal the opening of the 384 tube with an elastic cap and store it in a 384 rack, but there is almost no gap between the caps, and since the cap is small, it is difficult to handle manually. It is easy for the tubes to come out of the rack together, so it takes time and effort to remove the cap. Also, if the cap is tilted with respect to the tube and removed, the cap insertion part and the inner peripheral surface of the tube opening will rub against each other, and the friction between them will cause damage to the inner peripheral surface of the tube opening. Thus, the confidentiality required for the drug discovery microtube is lost, and the number of times the tube can be reused is reduced. Further, when the cap is manually removed, there is a problem that the sample in the tube is contaminated or the sample is spilled.

  Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention, that is, the object of the present invention is to enclose a cap that seals the openings of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes that are accommodated vertically in a storage rack. A drug discovery microtube that can be removed in a short period of time without contaminating or spilling, and increasing the number of times the tube can be reused without damaging the drug discovery microtube when removing the cap. It is to provide a cap removal device.

  First, the invention according to claim 1 includes an elastic cap having a recess formed in a head portion that seals the openings of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes that are vertically arranged in a storage rack. A device for removing caps for drug discovery microtubes that are removed in units of storage racks and stored in a cap box, the number of storage racks having outer diameters that can be elastically engaged with the recesses of the caps. The same number of picking shaft rods, a shaft rod holder that holds the picking shaft rods in parallel and linearly with a pitch interval of the storage rack, and a vertical movement that moves the shaft rod holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod The number of comb teeth corresponding to the number of rows in the storage rack is equal to the pitch interval of the storage rack, and the actuator has a width greater than the diameter of the picking shaft rod and smaller than the outer diameter of the cap. A comb-shaped metal fitting formed so that the picking shaft bar is placed in the center in the width direction of each of the grooves, a horizontal movement actuator that slides the storage rack in the horizontal direction, the picking shaft rod, and the shaft rod holder And a tilting member that tilts the comb metal fitting and the vertical movement actuator together, and the storage rack is slid in the direction opposite to the tilting direction while tilting the picking shaft rod fitted to the recess of the cap by the tilting member. Then, remove the cap from the drug discovery microtube, move the shaft rod holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod with the vertical movement actuator, and remove the cap tightly fitted to the tip of the picking shaft rod with a comb tooth bracket The problem is solved by dropping and storing in a cap box.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the cap removal device for the drug discovery microtube according to claim 1, wherein the maximum sliding distance of the storage rack is when the maximum tilt angle of the picking shaft rod is 45 °. The problem is further solved by being a quarter of the diameter.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the drug removal microtube cap removal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage rack is partitioned into a 16-row × 24-column grid conforming to the SBS standard. Thus, the problem is further solved.

  Here, in the present invention, the “cap diameter” means the maximum diameter of the insertion portion to be inserted into the opening of the drug discovery microtube. Further, “number of columns” means the number of sections constituting one column of the storage rack. That is, in the case of a storage rack of 16 rows × 24 columns, “number of columns” is 16.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, an elastic cap having a recess formed in the head portion that seals the openings of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes that are vertically arranged in a storage rack is stored. A device for removing caps for drug discovery microtubes to be removed in units of rack rows and stored in cap boxes, the same number as the number of rows of storage racks having outer diameters that can be elastically engaged with the concave portions of the caps. A picking shaft rod, a shaft rod holder that holds the picking shaft rod in parallel and linearly with a pitch interval of the storage rack, and an up / down movement actuator that moves the shaft rod holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod, Grooves having a width larger than the diameter of the picking shaft rod and smaller than the outer diameter of the cap are formed in a comb-teeth shape by the same number as the number of row units at the same interval as the pitch of the storage rack. Comb teeth fittings arranged so that the picking shaft rods fit in the center in the width direction, horizontal movement actuators that slide the storage rack horizontally, picking shaft rods, shaft rod holders, comb tooth fittings, and vertical movements And a tilting member that tilts the actuator for a single unit. While the tilting member tilts the picking shaft sticked to the concave portion of the cap, the storage rack is slid in the direction opposite to the tilting direction to cap the drug discovery microtube. The shaft rod holder is moved in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod by the vertical movement actuator, and the cap that is in contact with the tip of the picking shaft rod is pulled out by the comb tooth bracket and stored in the cap box. Caps of multiple microtubes for drug discovery that are stored vertically in a rack It is possible to remove, it can be performed in a short time Removing the cap.

  In addition, the cap can be removed from the drug discovery microtube by attaching the picking shaft rod to the recess formed in the head of the cap, and tilting and moving in the axial direction. Since it is not necessary, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Furthermore, when the cap is tilted, the cap and the tube do not rub against each other by sliding the tube in the direction opposite to the tilting direction of the cap in synchronization with the tilt of the picking shaft. The damage of the tube can be suppressed and the number of times the tube can be reused can be increased.

  In addition, since the cap can be removed without human intervention, the sample enclosed in the drug discovery microtube is prevented from being contaminated or leaked to the outside.

  According to the invention of claim 2, in the cap removal device for the drug discovery microtube according to claim 1, when the maximum tilt angle of the picking shaft bar is 45 °, the maximum slide distance of the storage rack is the diameter of the cap. Because the degree of friction between the cap tip and the tube when removing the cap is minimized, the damage to the drug discovery microtube is further suppressed and the tube can be reused. Can be further increased.

  And according to the invention which concerns on this Claim 3, in the cap removal apparatus of the microtube for drug discovery which concerns on Claim 1 or Claim 2, a storage rack is a grid | lattice form of 16 rows x 24 columns based on a SBS standard. By being partitioned, the opening of the 384 tube can be sealed with a removable cap, so that the 384 tube can be used repeatedly, contributing to resource saving, and the sample in the 384 tube can be removed during storage. It is possible to cope with advanced experiments consisting of a multi-step process of extracting a little for analysis or injecting a reagent or other sample.

  The cap removal device for drug discovery microtubes according to the present invention is an elastic cap having recesses formed in the heads sealing the openings of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes arranged vertically in a storage rack. Picking shaft rods having the same number of storage racks as the number of storage racks having outer diameters that can be elastically engaged with the recesses of the caps. , A shaft bar holder that holds the picking shaft bar in parallel and linearly with a pitch interval of the storage rack, a vertical movement actuator that moves the shaft bar holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft bar, and a diameter of the picking shaft bar Grooves having a width larger than that of the cap and smaller than the outer diameter of the cap are formed in a comb-teeth shape with the same interval as the pitch of the storage rack and the same number of rows, and the width of each of the grooves Comb metal fittings that are arranged so that the picking shaft bar fits in the center, a horizontal movement actuator that slides the storage rack horizontally, and a picking shaft bar, shaft bar holder, comb metal fitting, and vertical movement actuator are integrated. The tilting member is provided with a tilting member that is tilted, and the storage rack is slid in the direction opposite to the tilting direction while tilting the picking shaft that is engaged with the concave portion of the cap, and the cap is removed from the drug discovery microtube. By moving the holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft bar with the vertical movement actuator, pulling out the cap that has been fastened to the tip of the picking shaft rod with a comb tooth bracket and storing it in the cap box, it is aligned vertically in the storage rack Caps that seal the openings of multiple drug discovery microtubes stored upright If it can be removed in a short time without dyeing or spilling, and the cap can be removed without damaging the drug discovery microtube, it can be reused. Any specific embodiment may be used.

  For example, the microtube targeted by the cap removal device for the drug discovery microtube of the present invention has no problem in the cap removal operation regardless of whether it is cylindrical or rectangular.

  In addition, the vertical movement actuator and horizontal movement actuator used in the drug discovery microtube cap removal device of the present invention can use a servo motor as long as the positioning can be controlled with a finer accuracy than the pitch of the storage rack. Any type of actuator may be used, such as an actuator using a linear motor or a linear motor.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the storage rack and drug discovery microtube of the drug discovery microtube cap of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is of the cap removal apparatus of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the cap removing apparatus of the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the IV part of the cap removing apparatus shown in FIG. is there. 5 to 7 are side views in which some members of the apparatus are omitted in order to show the operation of the cap removing apparatus of the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the details of the operation of removing the cap by the conventional cap removal device, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the details of the operation of removing the cap by the cap removal device of the present embodiment. is there.

(About drug discovery microtubes and storage racks)
First, the drug discovery microtube cap removal device according to the present embodiment and the drug discovery microtube from which the cap is removed and the storage divided into a 16-row × 24-column grid conforming to the SBS standard that accommodates it The rack will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in the enlarged perspective view of FIG. 1, the drug discovery microtube MT has a substantially rectangular tube shape, is narrowed toward the bottom, and is chamfered at the corner of the outer surface. And the opening part is shape | molded in the shape where the cap C by which the circular shaped recessed part C1 was formed in the head shape in cylindrical shape fits.

  On the other hand, the storage rack R has partition walls that are partitioned in a lattice pattern inside the rack frame, and the bottom portion of the aforementioned drug discovery microtube MT fits into the lattice-shaped partition. The shapes of the drug discovery microtube MT and the storage rack R are not particularly limited as long as they are fitted in a stable state.

(About cap of drug discovery micro tube)
Next, the cap C will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the cap C has an insertion portion C3 inserted into the opening of the drug discovery microtube and an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the insertion portion C3. It has a protruding gripping part C2. And the taper C6 which becomes thin toward the front-end | tip is formed in the insertion part C3 of the cap C. As shown in FIG.

  In addition, a step is formed at the boundary between the insertion part C3 and the gripping part C2 of the cap C, and a constriction C4 that does not adhere to the inner wall of the opening of the drug discovery microtube is formed near the boundary of the insertion part C3. Yes. By providing this constriction C4, the area of the airtight fitting surface C5 formed between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion part C3 of the cap C and the inner wall of the opening of the drug discovery microtube is reduced, and the airtight fitting is achieved. Since the contact surface pressure generated on the mating surface C5 increases, the airtightness between the cap C and the opening of the drug discovery microtube is improved. The cap C is preferably formed of polyethylene or the like having excellent elasticity because it is necessary to be tightly engaged with the picking shaft rod of the cap removing device against elasticity.

(About the configuration of the cap removal device)
Here, the structure of the cap removal apparatus 100 for the drug discovery microtube of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4 in which the IV portion of FIGS. 3 and 3 is enlarged, the cap removing device 100 of this embodiment is attached to the concave portion of the cap C of the drug discovery microtube against the elasticity of the cap C. It has a picking shaft 110 having a mating outer diameter. The number of picking shafts 110 is the same as the number of storage racks R in a row unit, that is, 16 in this embodiment.

  The picking shaft rods 110 are fixed to the shaft rod holder 120 in parallel and linearly spaced apart at a pitch interval of the storage rack R. The shaft rod holder 120 is attached to the slider portion 132 of the vertical movement actuator 130 and is movable in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod 110.

  Further, the grooves 142 having a width larger than the diameter of the picking shaft rod 110 and smaller than the outer diameter of the cap C are the same as the pitch interval of the storage rack R, and the same number as the number of column units of the storage rack R. In the example, 16 pieces are formed in a comb-teeth shape, and the comb-shaped metal fitting 140 is arranged so that the picking shaft rod 110 is accommodated in the center in the width direction of each of the grooves 142.

  The vertical movement actuator 130 and the comb metal fitting 140 are fixed to the tilting member 150. The tilting member 150 has a substantially L-shaped side surface, and has a tilting shaft 152 on the side surface at substantially the same height and the same front-rear position as the position where the picking shaft rod 110 and the cap C are joined. The picking shaft rod 110, the shaft rod holder 120, the vertical movement actuator 130 and the comb metal fitting 140 can be tilted integrally around the tilt shaft 152.

  The storage rack R is placed on the rack holder table 162 and can be moved horizontally by the horizontal movement actuator 160. By the advance / retreat operation of the horizontal movement actuator 160, the row in which the drug discovery microtubes with caps to be removed from the caps are vertically aligned is sequentially moved so as to be directly below the picking shaft 110. In addition, as shown by a virtual line in FIG. 3, a cap box 180 for accommodating the removed cap C is installed in front of the comb-shaped metal fitting 140.

  Further, a tilting motor 170 for tilting the tilting member 150 is connected to one side of the tilting shaft 152 provided on the tilting member 150.

(Operation of the cap removal device)
Subsequently, an operation of removing the cap C of the drug discovery microtube MT by the cap removing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Here, FIGS. 5 to 7 show side views in which the peripheral members of the tilting member 150 of the cap removing apparatus 100 of this embodiment are omitted. In FIGS. 5 and 7, the tilting shaft 152 on the near side is shown. The illustration of the picking shaft 110, the cap C, and the rack R that can be seen from the tilted shaft hole 154 is shown together with enlarged views. FIG. 7 also shows an enlarged view of a portion surrounded by a circle including the tilting shaft hole 154 so that the positional relationship between the picking shaft rod 110 and the comb tooth bracket 140 can be understood. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the details of the operation of removing the cap by the conventional cap removing device, as a comparison, in order to clarify the characteristics of the operation of the cap removing device of the present embodiment. It is sectional drawing explaining the detail of the operation | movement which removes a cap with the cap removal apparatus of a present Example.

  First, in a state where the vertical movement actuator 130 is vertical, the horizontal movement actuator 160 has a recess in the head that seals the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT accommodated vertically in the storage rack R. The rack holder table 162 on which the storage rack R is placed is moved so that the row from which the caps C having elasticity are removed in units of rows is located directly below the picking shaft rod 110. Then, the shaft rod holder 120 is lowered by the vertical movement actuator 130, and the tip of the picking shaft rod 110 is engaged with the recess of the cap C against the elasticity of the cap C as shown in FIG. A member indicated by a double line in the enlarged view of the tilt shaft hole 154 indicates the tilt shaft 152 (see FIG. 4) on the far side. The picking shaft 110 looks like one because it is seen from the side. Actually, as shown in FIG. This is deployed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, by tilting the tilting member 150 by driving the tilting motor 150, the cap C fastened to the tip of the picking shaft rod 110 is tilted, and the drug discovery microtube MT Remove from the opening.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, when the picking shaft 110 is tilted in the T direction and the cap C is removed while the position of the drug discovery microtube MT is fixed, as shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 8. Further, the cap C is tilted around the contact point between a part of the constriction C4 of the cap C and the end face of the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT, and the taper C6 (tip) of the cap C is the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT. Rub against the inner peripheral surface of the part. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT is worn. In order to solve this problem, in the cap removing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the contact point between a part of the constriction C4 of the cap C and the end face of the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT is determined. The drug discovery microtube MT is slid in the direction opposite to the tilt direction, that is, the S direction shown in FIG. As a result, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, since the degree of friction between the taper C6 of the cap C and the inner peripheral surface of the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT is reduced, the drug discovery microtube MT The wear of the inner peripheral surface of the opening of the is reduced.

  In addition, when the present inventors repeated earnest research about the relationship between the slide distance of the drug discovery microtube MT in the S direction and the tilt angle of the cap C in the T direction, the maximum diameter of the insertion portion C3 of the cap C is shown. Is 4 mm, the tip of the taper C6 of the cap C and the drug discovery microtube are rubbed by moving the drug discovery microtube MT by 1 mm in the S direction when the cap C is tilted 45 ° in the T direction. Turned out to be minimal. That is, the cap removing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is configured such that the maximum sliding distance of the storage rack R becomes a quarter of the diameter of the cap C when the maximum tilt angle of the picking shaft rod 110 is 45 °. .

  When the cap C is removed from the opening of the drug discovery microtube MT, as shown in FIG. 7, the tilting member 150 is further tilted, and the shaft holder 120 is pulled up by the vertical movement actuator 130. As a result, the cap C that has been in close contact with the tip end of the picking shaft 110 is pulled out by the comb-shaped metal fitting 140 and accommodated in the cap box 180.

  By repeating such a series of operations, the caps C of the drug discovery microtubes MT accommodated in the storage rack R vertically can be collectively removed in units of the storage rack R.

  As described above, according to the cap removal device 100 for the drug discovery microtube MT of the present embodiment, the openings of the plurality of drug discovery microtubes MT accommodated in the storage rack R are sealed. The caps C having the recesses C1 formed in the head and having elasticity are removed in units of the storage rack R and stored in the cap box 180. The caps 180 can be engaged with the recesses C1 of the caps C against the elasticity. The same number of picking shaft rods 110 as the number of storage racks R having an outer diameter, a shaft rod holder 120 for holding the picking shaft rods 110 in parallel and linearly spaced apart by the pitch interval of the storage racks R, and shafts A vertically moving actuator 130 for moving the rod holder 120 in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod 110 and a diameter larger than the diameter of the picking shaft rod 110 and the cap C Grooves having a width smaller than the diameter are formed in a comb-teeth shape by the same number as the number of row units at the same interval as the pitch of the storage rack R, and the picking shafts 110 are arranged to fit in the center in the width direction of each of the grooves. The comb-shaped metal fitting 140, the horizontal movement actuator 160 that slides the storage rack R in the horizontal direction, the tilting member that tilts the picking shaft rod 110, the shaft rod holder 120, the comb tooth fitting 140, and the vertical movement actuator 130 together. 150, and the storage rack R is slid in the direction opposite to the tilting direction while tilting the tilting member 150 with the picking shaft 110 that is engaged with the recess C1 of the cap C, and the cap C is removed from the drug discovery microtube MT. Picking is performed by moving the shaft rod holder 120 in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod 110 by the vertical movement actuator 130. Caps of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes MT that are accommodated in the storage rack R are arranged side by side by removing the cap C that is tightly attached to the tip of the rod 110 by the comb metal fitting 140 and storing it in the cap box 180. Since C can be removed in units of rows, the cap C can be removed quickly.

  Further, the cap C can be removed from the drug discovery microtube MT by attaching the picking shaft rod 110 to the recess C1 formed in the head of the cap C, and tilting and moving in the axial direction. Therefore, the structure of the apparatus is simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, when the cap C is tilted, the drug discovery microtube MT is slid in the direction opposite to the tilt direction of the cap C in synchronization with the tilt of the picking shaft 110, so that the cap C and the drug discovery microtube MT rub against each other. Therefore, when the cap C is removed, damage to the drug discovery microtube MT can be suppressed, and the number of times the tube can be reused can be increased. The effect is enormous.

  The drug-discovering microtube cap removing device of the present invention enables the repeated use of 384 tubes, contributes to resource saving, removes a small amount of sample from the 384 tube for analysis during storage, and contains reagents and others. The industrial applicability is extremely high, such as enabling advanced experiments consisting of multi-steps such as injecting a sample of this drug and contributing to the development of drug discovery research.

The perspective view of the microtube for drug discovery and the storage rack which a present Example makes object. The cap perspective view of the microtube for drug discovery which the cap removal apparatus of a present Example makes object. The whole perspective view of the cap removal apparatus of a present Example. The enlarged view of the IV section of FIG. The schematic side view for demonstrating operation | movement of the cap removal apparatus of a present Example. The schematic side view for demonstrating operation | movement of the cap removal apparatus of a present Example. The schematic side view for demonstrating operation | movement of the cap removal apparatus of a present Example. Sectional drawing explaining the detail of the operation | movement which removes a cap with the conventional cap removal apparatus. Sectional drawing explaining the detail of the operation | movement which removes a cap with the cap removal apparatus of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Cap removal apparatus 110 of a drug discovery microtube ... Picking shaft 120 ... Shaft holder 130 ... Vertical movement actuator 132 ... Slider part 140 (of the vertical movement actuator) · Comb metal fitting 142 · · · Groove 150 (comb metal fitting) · · · Tilt member 152 · · · Tilt shaft 154 (of the tilt member) · · Tilt shaft hole 160 (of the tilt member) · · · Horizontal movement Actuator 162 ... rack holder table 170 ... tilting motor 180 ... cap box MT ... drug discovery microtube C ... cap C1 ... (cap) recess C2 ... (cap) Gripping part C3 ... (cap) insertion part C4 ... (cap) constriction C5 ... (cap) air Close fitting surface C6 ... Taper R ... Storage rack

Claims (3)

Remove the elastic caps with recesses formed in the heads that seal the openings of a plurality of drug discovery microtubes that are stored vertically arranged in the storage rack in units of rows of the storage racks. A device for removing a cap of a drug discovery microtube,
The same number of picking shafts as the number of row units of the storage rack having an outer diameter that can be elastically engaged with the concave portion of the cap;
A shaft rod holder for fixing the picking shaft rod in parallel and linearly with a pitch interval of the storage rack; and
An actuator for moving up and down to move the shaft rod holder in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod;
A groove having a width larger than the diameter of the picking shaft rod and smaller than the outer diameter of the cap is formed in a comb-like shape with the same number as the number of row units at the same interval as the pitch of the storage rack. A comb metal fitting arranged so that the picking shaft rod fits in,
A horizontally moving actuator for sliding the storage rack in a horizontal direction;
A tilting member that tilts the picking shaft rod, the shaft rod holder, the comb metal fitting, and the vertical movement actuator together;
Slide the storage rack in the direction opposite to the tilting direction while tilting the picking shaft sticked to the recess of the cap with the tilting member, remove the cap from the drug discovery microtube, and move the shaft rod holder up and down A cap removal device for a drug discovery microtube, wherein the cap is moved by an actuator in the axial direction of the picking shaft rod, and the cap fastened to the tip of the picking shaft rod is pulled out by a comb metal fitting and stored in a cap box .   2. The cap removal device for a drug discovery microtube according to claim 1, wherein the maximum slide distance of the storage rack is 1/4 of the diameter of the cap when the maximum tilt angle of the picking shaft is 45 °. .   3. The cap removal device for a drug discovery microtube according to claim 1, wherein the storage rack is partitioned into a 16-row by 24-column grid conforming to the SBS standard.

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