JP2012122345A - Multiple-string syringe pump device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stop the pump operation of only one syringe which has caused abnormal conditions when one or more syringes among a plurality of the syringes are brought into the abnormal conditions.SOLUTION: This multiple-string syringe pump device 1 comprises: the plurality of syringes; a cylinder support 8 which supports a plurality of cylinders 3 constituting each syringe; a piston support 5 which supports a plurality of pistons 2 constituting each syringe; and a drive mechanism 6 which can move the piston support 5 and can simultaneously reciprocate each piston. As improvements, there are arranged chucks 7A, 7B which are arranged at the piston support 5 and switched to a holding states that base ends of the pistons 2 are attached to the chucks and non-holding states that the base ends are separated from the chucks. By bringing one or more chucks among the chucks into the non-holding states, the chucks in the non-holding states and the pistons corresponding to the chucks are separated from each other in conjunction with the switching of the pistons 2 to the cylinders 3 from recessive directions to protrusive directions.

Description

  The present invention includes a syringe pump device used in a fluid supply device, a reaction device system, and the like, in particular, a plurality of syringes arranged side by side, and a piston constituting each syringe held on a common piston support portion. The present invention relates to a multiple syringe pump device in which each piston is reciprocated simultaneously by the movement of the piston support portion.

  FIG. 4 shows a multiple syringe pump device disclosed in Patent Document 1. The multiple syringe pump device includes a plurality of syringes 14a to 14h, a cylinder side support portion (syringe side holder) 18 that holds a plurality of cylinders that constitute each syringe, and a plurality that constitutes each syringe. Piston support portions (plunger side holders) 20 that hold the pistons (blangers) 16a to 16h, and a drive mechanism portion that moves the piston support portion 20 to reciprocate each piston simultaneously. The fluid is sucked and discharged into each cylinder. The drive mechanism includes a fixing base 22 that fixes one of the syringe side support 18 and the piston support 20 and three feed screws 24-1 that move the other support relative to the fixed support. 24-3 and one or more motors 26 serving as power sources.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the use of a multiple syringe pump device in which a multiple syringe pump device (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as “device”) is used as the two reaction devices 14A and 14B for reacting the stock solutions A and B. Shows the system that was. In this example, each device 1 </ b> A to 1 </ b> D is configured in units of two sets of a syringe 4 including a piston 2 and a cylinder 3. While the cylinder support portion 8 is fixed, the piston support portion 5 is moved by the corresponding drive mechanism portions 6A to 6D to simultaneously move the pistons 2 of the syringes 4A and 4B. The stock solution A is supplied to the reaction device 14A via the pipe 12 and the check valve 13 from the syringe 4B of the device 1A and the syringe 4B of the device 1B, and the stock solution B is supplied from the syringe 4B of the device 1C and the syringe 4B of the device 1D. The stock solution A is supplied to the reaction device 14B via the pipe 12 and the check valve 13 from the syringe 4A of the device 1A and the syringe 4A of the device 1B, and the stock solution B is supplied from the syringe 4A of the device 1C and the syringe 4A of the device 1D.

JP 2006-70868 A

  Since the conventional multiple-type device moves in and out of the pistons of a plurality of syringes at the same time, the drive mechanism unit is different from the single-acting type in which a drive mechanism unit is provided for each syringe. The cost can be greatly reduced by half, and the installation cost and installation space can be greatly reduced, which is extremely effective economically.

  However, in the conventional multiple-type device, in the example of the system of FIG. 5, if one syringe (for example, the syringe 4A of the device 1A) is damaged and becomes unusable, not only the syringe but also the syringe of the device 1A 4B must also stop. This is because both the syringes 4A and 4B are held by the same piston support part, and when the broken syringe is stopped, the other syringe must be stopped. These are the same not only when the syringe is broken, but also when the piping forming the suction and discharge lines is clogged, and once a problem occurs, the entire stop continues until recovery. In syringe pumps, the piston usually reciprocates with its tip slidably contacted with the inner circumference of the cylinder, and therefore the wear rate (lifetime) of the piston tip is fast. It becomes.

  An object of the present invention is to avoid a total stop even when one or more of a plurality of syringes become abnormal in a multiple device, thereby maintaining a high operating rate of the entire multiple device. There is to do.

  When the invention of claim 1 is specified with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a plurality of syringes 4 </ b> A and 4 </ b> B, a cylinder support portion 8 holding a plurality of cylinders 3 constituting each syringe, and each syringe are arranged. A piston support portion 5 that holds a plurality of pistons 2 and a drive mechanism portion 6 that can move the piston support portion 5 and reciprocate each piston simultaneously. In the multiple syringe pump device 1 that sucks and discharges fluid into the chuck 3, a chuck 7A provided on the piston support 5 and switched between a holding state in which the base end 2b of the piston 2 is mounted and a non-holding state in which it is detached. 7B, one or more chucks among the chucks are in a non-holding state, and the non-holding state is interlocked with the switching of the piston 2 from the state immersed in the cylinder 3 to the protruding direction. It is characterized in that the chuck and the piston corresponding to the chuck are separated from each other.

  The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in claim 1, there are switching means 9A, 9B for switching the chucks 7A, 7B between a holding state and a non-holding state by remote control.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the chuck is any one of a vacuum chuck, a magnetic chuck, a hydraulic chuck, and an air chuck.

  The invention of claim 1 is a multiple syringe pump device, and as is clear from the example of FIG. 2, among the plurality of chucks provided in the piston support portion, the syringe which is abnormal as shown in FIG. When the chuck corresponding to (2) is brought into the non-holding state, as shown in (b), in conjunction with the piston being switched from the state immersed in the cylinder to the projecting direction, the chuck held in the non-holding state and the piston corresponding to the chuck Is separated, that is, the pump is stopped. Accordingly, in the present invention, in the example of the system using the multiple devices 1A to 1D of FIG. 1, the other devices 1B, 1C, and 1D connected to the same reaction device 14A as the abnormal syringe 4B. If the three chucks holding the pistons of the syringes 4B are switched to the non-holding state, the syringes 4A of the devices 1A to 1D connected to the other reactor 14B can be driven effectively, thereby All stoppages can be avoided (in the example of FIG. 1, the operation rate is maintained at 50%).

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, since the above-described chuck is provided with switching means for switching each chuck between a holding state and a non-holding state by remote control, the corresponding chuck is not held based on the abnormality of the chuck. It is possible to quickly switch to a state, and automatic switching is also possible. Further, the invention of FIG. 3 is significant in that it has been confirmed that the above chuck itself can be a well-known structure can be used.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the system example using the multiple syringe pump apparatus of this invention form. (A) And (b) is a schematic diagram which shows the action | operation at the time of abnormality of the said multiple syringe pump apparatus. It is a schematic diagram which shows the modification of the said multiple syringe pump apparatus. It is a figure which shows the multiple syringe pump apparatus disclosed by patent document 1. FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the system of the example of an application using a multiple syringe pump apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the multiple syringe pump device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this description, the structure feature of the multiple syringe pump device shown in FIG. 1, the operation feature at the time of abnormality in FIG. 2, and the modified example in FIG. 1 to 3, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same portions as those in FIG. 5 in order to omit redundant description.

(Structural Features) The system of FIG. 1 is an example in which the stock solutions A and B are supplied to the reaction devices 14A and 14B by the multiple syringe pump devices 1A to 1D of the present invention, as in FIG. Here, the multiple syringe pump devices 1A to 1D hold a plurality (two in this example) of syringes 4A and 4B, a plurality of cylinders 3 constituting each of the syringes 4A and 4B, and each cylinder 3. Cylinder support 8 that performs a plurality of pistons 2 constituting each syringe, piston support 5 that holds each piston 2, and piston drive that can move the piston support 5 and reciprocate each piston simultaneously. It is the same as the prior art in that it includes mechanism parts 6A to 6D and sucks or discharges fluid (gas, liquid, fluid) into each cylinder 3 by reciprocating movement of each piston 2. The different configurations are the vacuum chucks 7A and 7B in which the piston support portions 5 of the devices 1A to 1D are attached to and detached from the piston 2, the holding state in which the vacuum chucks 7A and 7B are attached to the base end 2b of the piston, and the non-holding state in which they are separated. The solenoid valves 9A and 9 serving as switching means for switching to the main pipe 10 and the pipe 10 connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) and the vacuum chucks 7A and 7B of the devices 1A to 1D are connected. It is in the point provided with the piping 11.

  In the system of FIG. 1, the reaction solution 14A includes a pipe 12 and a check valve in which the stock solution A is from the syringe 4B of the device 1A and the syringe 4B of the device 1B, and the stock solution B is from the syringe 4B of the device 1C and the syringe 4B of the device 1D. 13 is supplied. The stock solution A is supplied to the reaction device 14B via the pipe 12 and the check valve 13 from the syringe 4A of the device 1A and the syringe 4A of the device 1B, and the stock solution B is supplied from the syringe 4A of the device 1C and the syringe 4A of the device 1D.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 2A, the piston drive mechanisms 6 </ b> A to 6 </ b> D of the devices 1 </ b> A to 1 </ b> D move up and down the corresponding piston support 5 using a servo motor or a stepping motor as a drive source. At the same time, it is used as a place for fixing and supporting the cylinder support portion 8. That is, each cylinder support portion 8 is integrally formed with a holder portion 8a that forms engagement holes 8c corresponding to the number of syringes 2 and a plate-like attachment portion 8b, and the attachment portion 8b is a piston. It is attached to the upper fixed part of the drive mechanism part 6. The cylinder 3 is inserted upward from below into the engagement hole 8c, and is fixed in a state where the flange portion 2b of the opening edge is in contact with the lower end surface of the holder portion 8a.

  On the other hand, each piston support part 5 is provided with vacuum chucks 7A and 7B. The vacuum chucks 7A and 7B are mounted on the same axis as the engagement hole 8c of the cylinder support 8 on the upper surface side of the piston support 5. Each pipe 11 is connected to the corresponding vacuum chuck 7A, 7B through a communication hole provided in the piston support 5. The vacuum chucks 7A and 7B themselves are made of a known chuck surface that receives and adsorbs and fixes the contact surface of the base end 2b of the piston 2 (the base end 2 is covered with a bracket).

  An electromagnetic valve 9A or 9B is interposed in the middle of each pipe 11. The solenoid valves 9A and 9B are three-port solenoid valves. When excited, the vacuum chuck 7A or 7B is evacuated or held through the pipe 10 and the pipe 11, and when demagnetized, the vacuum chuck 7A or 7B is connected. It will be in an open (closed) or non-holding state that is not evacuated.

(Operational characteristics) Next, the operational characteristics will be clarified in an example in which the syringe 4B of the apparatus 1A has failed due to its lifetime during the operation of the system of FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2A, the electromagnetic valve 9B located below the syringe 4B of the apparatus 1A that has failed is switched to a demagnetized state. At the same time, three electromagnetic valves 9B below the syringes 4B used in the other devices 1B, 1C, and 1D connected to the same reaction device 14A as the syringe 4B of the device 1A that has become abnormal are connected. Switch to the demagnetized state.

  In this example, when each electromagnetic valve 9B is switched from the excited state to the demagnetized state, the corresponding vacuum chuck 7B is changed from the holding state to the non-holding state. Thereafter, in conjunction with switching from the state (a) where the piston 2 is submerged in the cylinder 3 to the protruding direction as shown in (b), each vacuum chuck 7B and the corresponding piston 2 are separated from each other. That is, the pump is stopped. As a result, in this structure, the piston 2 of each syringe 4B of the other devices 1B, 1C, and 1D connected to the same reaction device 14A as the abnormal syringe 4B is retained as compared with the system of FIG. It is possible to effectively drive the syringes 4A of the devices 1A to 1D connected to the other reaction device 14B simply by switching the vacuum chucks to the non-holding state, thereby avoiding all the conventional stoppages. It is. As inferred from this example, the present invention becomes more effective as the number of syringes set in each of the devices 1A to 1D is increased and the system is complicated.

(Modification) FIG. 3 shows a modification of the above embodiment. This multiple syringe pump device 1E is an example in which the 6-series system is used in contrast to the 2-series system in FIG. In this description, the same members or parts as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only the changes are described.

  That is, in this syringe pump device 1E, a total of six syringes 4A to 4F are configured as a set. The six cylinders 3 constituting the syringes 4A to 4F are held by a cylinder support portion (also referred to as a cylinder holder) 18, and the six pistons 2 are held by a piston support portion 15. The piston support part 15 is provided with the vacuum chucks 7 as many as the number of syringes 4A to 4F or pistons 2. A pipe 10 connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) is connected to each vacuum chuck 7 via a pipe 11 and an electromagnetic valve 9.

  Further, the biston support portion 15 is controlled to move up and down by the piston drive mechanism portions 6E provided on both sides, and simultaneously reciprocates the pistons 2 of the syringes 4A to 4F, so that fluid (gas, (Liquid, fluid) can be sucked or discharged to be transported. In this structure, of the six vacuum chucks 7 provided on the piston support portion 15, the vacuum chuck corresponding to the abnormal syringe and the syringe related to the syringe (in this example, the syringes 4B, 4D, and 4F). 7 is changed from the holding state to the non-holding state via the electromagnetic valve 9, the piston 2 is switched from the state of being immersed in the cylinder 3 to the protruding direction as shown in FIG. The corresponding piston 2 is separated and a part of the syringes 4A to 4F can be stopped.

  The present invention only needs to have the configuration specified in the claims, and the details can be further changed or developed with reference to the above-described embodiments and modifications. For example, the chuck of the present invention may be a magnetic chuck, a hydraulic chuck, an air chuck or the like instead of the vacuum chuck. Moreover, in each apparatus 1A-1D of FIG. 1, although two syringes are made into a group, as shown in the modification of FIG. 3, it can comprise 3 or more syringes as a group. In this case, in principle, there is no upper limit to the number of syringes, but in practice, the upper limit is restricted according to the specific structure of the drive mechanism.

1A-1D ... Multiple syringe pump device 4A-4D ... Syringe (2 is piston, 3 is cylinder)
5, 15 ... Piston support 6 ... Piston drive mechanism (drive mechanism)
7A, 7B ... Vacuum chuck (chuck)
8, 18 ... Cylinder support 9A, 9B ... Solenoid valve 10-12 ... Piping 13 ... Check valve

Claims (3)

A plurality of syringes, a cylinder support for holding a plurality of cylinders constituting each of the syringes, a piston support for holding a plurality of pistons constituting each of the syringes, and the piston support. A multiple-syringe pump device that includes a drive mechanism that can reciprocate the pistons simultaneously, and that sucks and discharges fluid into the cylinders by reciprocating movements of the pistons,
A plurality of chucks that are provided on the piston support portion and can be switched between a holding state in which the base end of the piston is mounted and a non-holding state in which the piston is detached
Among each of the chucks, one or more chucks are brought into a non-holding state, and the pistons in the non-holding state and the pistons corresponding to the chucks are interlocked with switching from a state in which the piston is immersed in the cylinder to a protruding direction. And a multiple syringe pump device characterized by being separated from each other.   The multiple syringe pump device according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for switching the chuck between a holding state and a non-holding state by remote operation.   The multiple syringe pump device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chuck is any one of a vacuum chuck, a magnetic chuck, a hydraulic chuck, and an air chuck.

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