JP6862765B2 - Stirring container and stirring dispenser using it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a stirring container suitable for containing a suspension and sucking it through a nozzle in a stirred state, and a stirring dispensing device using the stirring container.

For a small amount of solid matter in a suspension, it is common to dispense a predetermined amount of the suspension in a suspended state having a uniform concentration in the preservation solution. Reagent materials used for micro-sensitive analysis in the fields of biochemistry and clinical chemistry often have expensive proteins and insoluble particles to be immobilized, and the dead volume ratio (dead volume ratio) so that the amount of waste can be reduced and the particles can be dispensed without waste. A container with a small dead volume ratio to the maximum charge amount) is required.

It is necessary to stir the suspension under mild conditions that do not foam as much as possible, and a method of connecting the stirrer to a stirrer to rotate and stir, or putting a magnet stirrer in a container and rotating it with a magnetic stirrer. A method of stirring or the like is generally used. In many cases, a flat-bottomed cylindrical or rectangular container having a uniform height on the entire bottom surface is used so that the stirrer and the inner bottom surface of the container do not interfere with each other and the solid matter can be easily agitated. In a fast solid suspension, the stir bar must be constantly immersed in the suspension and stirred continuously or intermittently during a predetermined number of nozzle dispensings. Therefore, the container dead volume is greatly affected by the thickness of the stirrer and the distance from the stirrer to the inner bottom surface of the container.

In Patent Document 1, a convex portion is provided in the center of the flat bottom surface of the cylindrical stirring container so as to also serve as a rotary support portion of the magnet stirrer, in order to avoid contact between the nozzle and the stirrer during nozzle suction. A stirring container has been proposed in which the sample can be dispensed without waste by shifting the stirrer stop position and moving the nozzle closer to the inner bottom surface of the container. However, although the conditions can be set so that the nozzle descends as close as possible to the inner bottom surface of the container, in the case of a suspension of a solid substance having a large specific gravity that always requires stirring regardless of the amount of liquid, the container can be used. It was difficult to reduce the dead volume ratio because the water level at which the upper end of the stirrer is not exposed during stirring in the state where the stirrer is set becomes the lowering limit water level of the liquid level.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-169303

The present invention is a stirring container used for stirring a solid substance in a liquid into a suspension having a uniform concentration with a stirrer and dispensing the solid substance by nozzle suction, the stirring vessel having a reduced dead volume ratio, and the stirring vessel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stirring and dispensing device using.

The present invention made to achieve the above object includes the following inventions:
That is, the first aspect of the present invention is
A stirring container for containing a suspension that has been rotationally stirred with a stirrer.
The inner bottom surface of the stirring container is provided with an inner bottom surface having a horizontal projection surface including a horizontal projection surface of a rotating body formed during stirring of the stirrer and a recess having a depth equal to or greater than the thickness of the stirrer. It is a stirring container characterized by this.

Further, it is preferable that the inner bottom surface of the stirring container is provided at a position higher than the inner bottom surface of the recess, and the inner bottom surface of the substantially square or substantially track shape is provided. The side wall portion on the bottom surface side is preferably inclined.

Further, the inclined side wall portion of the concave portion is preferably located at a position overlapping with at least one of the surfaces perpendicular to the long side of the inner bottom surface of the substantially square or substantially track shape, and further, the flat surface of the inclined side wall portion. The shape is preferably a substantially trapezoidal shape formed in a divergent shape from the inner bottom surface of the recess toward the long side of the inner bottom surface of the substantially square or substantially track shape. The shape of the stirring container is preferably a substantially square cylinder or a substantially truck-shaped cylinder.

Further, it is preferable that the outer cylinder portion of the stirring container is extended downward so as to eliminate the height difference of the outer bottom surface of the stirring container.

Next, the second aspect of the present invention is
With the above-mentioned stirring container
A holding seat that holds the stirring container up and down,
A stirring means provided with a rotatably stirrer for stirring the suspension, and
A suction / discharge means provided with one or more nozzles capable of sucking / discharging the suspension so as to be movable.
It is a stirring and dispensing device equipped with.

Further, it is preferable that the stirring dispenser further includes a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the suspension, and the upper end of the stirrer is based on the information obtained from the liquid level detecting means. It is preferable that the stirrer is further provided with a driving means capable of moving the stirrer so that the stirrer is located at a predetermined depth from the liquid surface.

In the stirring container of the present invention, the dead volume ratio is reduced, so that the amount of wasted reagent raw material can be reduced, and the reagent manufacturing cost can be reduced.

It is a sketch which showed the positional relationship between a stirrer, a stirrer and a nozzle corresponding to the maximum amount of liquids of 4.8L of this invention. The container shown in FIG. 1 is (a) a top view, (b) a front sectional view on the AA plane, (c) a front sectional view on the BB plane, and (d) a side sectional view on the CC plane. FIG. 3 (e) is a side sectional view taken along the line DD. It is a sketch which showed the positional relationship between a stirrer, a stirrer, and a nozzle corresponding to the maximum liquid charge amount of 2.0L of this invention. The container shown in FIG. 3 is (a) a top view, (b) a front sectional view on the AA plane, (c) a front sectional view on the BB plane, and (d) a side sectional view on the CC plane. FIG. 3 (e) is a side sectional view taken along the line DD. This is the result of evaluating the dispersibility of the magnetic fine particles over time when the container shown in FIG. 1 was stirred under the respective liquid volume conditions of 4.8 L, 2.0 L, and 1.0 L for 4 hours. This is the result of evaluating the dispersibility of the magnetic fine particles over time when the container shown in FIG. 3 was stirred under the respective liquid volume conditions of 2.0 L, 1.0 L, and 0.5 L for 4 hours. It is a layout drawing of the stirring dispensing apparatus which set the stirring container corresponding to the maximum input liquid amount of 4.8L of this invention.

The present invention will be described in detail below.

The opening of the stirring container of the present invention is exemplified by an opening provided individually or integrally so that a stirrer and a nozzle can be inserted into the container from above the stirring container. The container may have a lidless shape with the entire top surface of the container open, and an opening into which a stirrer and a nozzle can be inserted is provided in each or integrally with a lid integrally molded so as to overlap the top surface of the container. May be good.

In the present invention, the concave portion of the stirring container is a bottom surface having a horizontal projection surface including a horizontal projection surface of a rotating body formed at the time of stirring the stirrer on the inner bottom surface of the stirring container, and a thickness equal to or larger than the thickness of the stirrer. Refers to the space inside the stirring container with depth. That is, any space is sufficient as long as the stirrer does not collide with the inner wall of the container during stirring, and the stirrer can be set so as to be relatively movable or fixed. When setting the stirrer, arrange it so that the center of the stirrer overlaps approximately on the extension line of the center of the inner bottom surface of the recess, determine the height from the inner bottom surface of the recess, or determine from the liquid level after adding the suspension. It may be arranged so as to have a depth of. It should be noted that the relative movement of the stirrer means that the stirrer moves under a stirring condition in which the depth below the liquid level of the stirrer needs to be changed with respect to the liquid level that descends as the amount of suspension in the stirring container decreases. Refers to adjusting the distance from the inner bottom surface of the recess to the lower end of the stir bar (or the distance from the suspension surface to the upper end of the stir bar) by lowering or raising the stir bar.

The shape of the inner bottom surface of the recess is not particularly limited as long as it has a horizontal projection surface including the horizontal projection surface of the rotating body formed when the stirrer is stirred, and the shape may be a flat surface or a curved surface. There is no problem, but a substantially circular planar inner bottom surface having a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the horizontal projection surface, more specifically, one to two times the diameter of the horizontal projection surface is exemplified. There is no particular problem if the diameter of the inner bottom surface of the recess is determined in consideration of the space required around the stirrer and the dead volume required for the amount of liquid charged in the stirrer container.

Further, if the stirrer becomes thinner, naturally, the recesses can be formed shallowly, so that the dead volume ratio decreases. On the other hand, if the stirrer is made thinner, the stirring flow becomes weaker and the stirring efficiency is also lowered. Therefore, it is desirable to preliminarily evaluate the relationship between the thickness of the stirrer and the stirring efficiency and confirm the limit of thinning.

The number of recesses is not limited to one on the inner bottom surface of the container, and there is no problem if there are two or more recesses, but the larger the number, the higher the dead volume rate, so the number is determined in consideration of the balance with the stirring efficiency. Should.

In the present invention, a substantially square or substantially track-shaped inner bottom surface (hereinafter, may be referred to as “track inner bottom surface”) is provided at a position higher than the inner bottom surface of the recess on the inner bottom surface of the stirring container. It is preferable to have. This is because when the suspension is sucked from the inner bottom surface of the truck by a plurality of nozzles, the stirring container can be easily positioned so that the distance from the tip of the nozzles to the inner bottom surface of the truck is constant.

As described above, when the inner bottom surface of the truck is provided at a position higher than the inner bottom surface of the recess, the depth of the recess is set to reduce the dead volume ratio (suspension due to exposure of the upper end of the stirrer during stirring). It is preferable to set the distance from the lower limit liquid level at which foaming does not occur to the inner bottom surface of the recess)-(the distance from the tip of the nozzle close to the lowering limit to the inner bottom surface of the truck).

In addition, a gradient formed diagonally upward and outward from the peripheral edge of the inner bottom surface of the truck toward the outer cylinder of the container (the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction includes a substantially V-shape) or a curved surface formed diagonally upward and outward. It is preferable to form (the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction includes a substantially U-shape) in that the dead volume ratio due to the bottom shape can be reduced.

The side wall portion of the recess on the inner bottom surface side of the track is preferably inclined (hereinafter, may be referred to as “inclined side wall portion”). The shape of the inclined side wall portion is a shape that forms a plane gradient or a curved surface gradient diagonally upward from the peripheral edge portion of the inner bottom surface of the recess toward the inner bottom surface of the track, or a side wall portion formed upward from the peripheral edge portion of the inner bottom surface of the recess. An example is a shape that forms a plane gradient or a curved surface gradient diagonally upward from the middle of the track toward the inner bottom surface of the track.

In the present invention, the position where the recess is provided is preferably a position where the inclined side wall portion overlaps with at least one of the surfaces perpendicular to the long side of the inner bottom surface of the truck, and further, the inner bottom surface of the recess and the inclined side wall portion. It is more preferable that both of them overlap with at least one of the planes perpendicular to the long side of the inner bottom surface of the track.

An example of the planar shape of the inclined side wall portion is a substantially trapezoidal shape formed in a divergent shape from the inner bottom surface of the recess toward the long side of the inner bottom surface of the truck. Under the stirring condition in which the stirrer is close to the inner bottom surface of the recess, it is preferable to set a large crossing angle of the extension lines of the two legs in a substantially trapezoidal shape from the viewpoint of improving the stirring efficiency because the stirring flow is transmitted to a wide area. .. On the other hand, the larger the crossing angle is set, the larger the capacity of the entire recess and the dead volume of the stirring container are increased. Therefore, when setting the crossing angle, the size and shape of the stirring container, the stirring efficiency and the dead volume are comprehensively considered. It should be decided in consideration.

However, in the inclined side wall portion, under the condition that the stirrer is set near the inner bottom surface of the recess, the momentum of the agitating flow is extremely high up to the inner bottom surface of the truck where the stirring flow generated by the stirrer is higher than the stirrer. The inclination angle and shape may be such that transmission can be performed without attenuation, and the inclination angle and shape are not particularly limited as long as good dispersibility of the suspension can be confirmed in the entire stirring container.

The stirring container of the present invention preferably has a substantially square cylinder or a substantially truck-shaped cylinder. The shape of the stirring container of the substantially square cylinder is that the bottom surface is approximately rectangular or approximately square (it is preferable that the apex is R-processed or C-processed to about 5 mm to 20 mm in that the retention portion of the suspension is eliminated and the stirring efficiency is improved). It is formed in the shape of a cylinder, and a recess is integrally provided so as to overlap the side (the side parallel to the long side of the substantially rectangular inner bottom surface) or the apex and partially project to the outside of the stirring container. The shape can be exemplified. The shape of the stirring container of the substantially truck-shaped cylinder is a recess so that the bottom surface overlaps with the side of the substantially truck-shaped cylinder (the side parallel to the long side of the bottom surface of the truck) and partially protrudes to the outside of the stirring container. Can be illustrated as an example of a shape in which the above are integrally provided.

Further, the outer cylinder portion of the cylinder does not have to be perpendicular to the bottom surface, and may be tapered or curved.

As for the size of the stirring container, for example, in order to stir a suspension of about 5 L, a container having a substantially square cylinder or a substantially truck-shaped cylinder formed into dimensions of about 200 mm in length, 500 mm in width and 150 mm in height is used. do it. In order to handle a larger amount or a small amount of suspension, a stirrer of a size required for stirring and a stirrer having a size suitable for setting the stirrer may be used. There is no particular limitation.

In the present invention, as a support for stably and independently standing a stirring container having not only the inner bottom surface but also the outer bottom surface having a height difference, for example, the outer cylinder portion of the stirring container is extended downward to cover the outer bottom surface of the stirring container. It is more preferable to provide a container skirt so that the height difference can be eliminated, because the sample can be easily charged into the container.

The material of the stirring container of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a transparent or translucent material is preferable in that molding is easy and the diffusion state of the solid matter in the container can be easily visually observed. Examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as olefin resins, styrene resins, vinyl resins, carbonate resins, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, polyester resins, and polyamide resins, or glass. In addition, although the contents cannot be visually observed through the container, it can be used without any problem by molding metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, ceramics such as alumina and zirconia, and even pottery and porcelain into the desired shape. it can.

Examples of the molding method of the stirring container of the present invention include injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, vacuum molding, compression molding, optical molding, cutting, etc., and the shape of the stirring container and the required accuracy are taken into consideration. Then, the optimum molding method may be selected. The material to be used is not particularly limited as long as the material that can be used for each molding processing method is selected by preliminarily evaluating the influence on the suspension components and confirming that there is no problem.

The stirrer used in the stirring container of the present invention is a hemispherical or penetrating type stirrer that uses shearing force to stir propeller blades, paddle blades, turbine blades and other blade-shaped stirrers, and centrifugal force to stir. Examples thereof include a stirrer having no blade shape, and a rotor such as a cylinder type, a taper type, and a hub type used for a magnetic stirrer. In terms of suppressing foaming of the solid suspension, a stirrer using centrifugal force is more preferable than a stirrer using shearing force. Further, in order to reduce the dead volume of the stirring container as in the present invention, it is necessary to bring the stirrer closer to the inner bottom surface of the container for stirring. The penetration type that can be selected is more preferable.

The solid matter to be charged into the stirring vessel of the present invention is polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, nylon, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polystyrene, styrene-acrylic copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride. Particles made of thermoplastic resin such as vinyl, copolymers containing these as main components, or mixtures, and soft ferrites such as manganese-zinc ferrite, magnesium containing triiron tetraoxide as main components, etc. Examples of particles containing the magnetically sensitive component of. Further, particles of an inorganic polymer such as silica, titania and zirconia, particles of a metal oxide such as ferrite and magnetite, and the like can be exemplified. The particle size of the solid matter can be exemplified by 0.01 to 1000 μm, and the specific gravity of the solid matter is not particularly limited as long as it can prepare a suspension having a uniform concentration and can be dispensed by a nozzle.

Next, the stirring dispensing device will be described.

The stirring and dispensing device of the present invention includes the above-mentioned stirring container and the stirring container.
A holding seat that holds the stirring container up and down,
A stirring means in which a stirrer for stirring the suspension is rotatably provided, and a stirring means.
A suction / discharge means provided with one or more nozzles capable of sucking / discharging the suspension so as to be movable,
It is a stirring and dispensing device equipped with.

The holding seat can hold the stirring container in a positionable manner, and the distance from the lower end of the stirrer to the inner bottom surface of the recess or the distance from the upper end of the stirrer to the liquid level is the height of the liquid level in the recess of the stirring container. An example is a holding seat provided so as to be able to move up and down so that it can be adjusted in accordance with the above.

In the rotation operation of the stirrer, the stirring means (1) rotates in one direction at a predetermined steady rotation speed (2) reverses clockwise-counterclockwise at a predetermined steady rotation speed and a predetermined cycle time (reversal). When the stirrer is decelerated and then paused)
(3) An example of a stirring means capable of controlling such as changing the rotation speed and / or the rotation direction and / or the cycle time with time.
In controlling the height of the stirrer, (4) maintain the distance from the inner bottom surface of the recess to the stirrer at a constant height regardless of the amount of liquid (5) from the liquid surface to the upper end of the stirrer according to the amount of liquid. For example, adjusting the distance.
Regarding (5), the stirrer may be raised or lowered, or the holding seat may be raised or lowered.

Therefore, as the stirrer operation, a stirring means capable of appropriately and optimally combining the rotation operation of (1) to (5) and the height of the stirrer from the inner bottom surface of the container can be exemplified.

The suction / discharge means is a nozzle arranged so that the nozzle tip heights are aligned with n vertical × m horizontal (n and m are natural numbers), more specifically, 1 to 3 vertical × 4 to 15 horizontal. Set,
(1) Position for sucking the suspension in the stirring container (2) Position for discharging the sucked suspension to the dispensing container (3) Moveable to a position where the suspension remaining in the nozzle is discarded An example is provided with means.

Further, when it is desired to determine the depth below the liquid level at the tip of the nozzle when sucking the suspension based on the information obtained for each suction operation, it is preferable to further provide a liquid level detecting means. The liquid level detecting means measures the liquid level of the suspension in the stirring container to determine the depth below the liquid level of the nozzle or the stirrer, and is a float type, an electrode type, a capacitance type, or a difference. Examples thereof include a liquid level contact method such as a pressure type and a guide pulse type, and a liquid level non-contact method such as an ultrasonic type, a radio wave type, and a laser type. Although each method has advantages and disadvantages, a liquid level non-contact method that does not cause contamination due to suspension (high cleanliness) and can be used regardless of the type of liquid is more preferable.

When it is necessary to change the height of the stirrer with respect to the liquid level that descends as the amount of suspension in the stirring container decreases, the distance (or suspension) from the inner bottom surface of the recess to the lower end of the stirrer A driving means for moving the stirrer set in the recess of the stirrer container may be further provided so as to relatively adjust the distance from the surface to the upper end of the stirrer. Further, there is no problem in simultaneously driving the holding seat that holds the stirring container for adjusting the distance.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but these Examples do not limit the present invention.

(Evaluation of dispersibility)
A suspension prepared to 0.08% with a diluted solution containing 5% bovine serum albumin using magnetic fine particles (particle size 2.5 μm) was prepared under each liquid volume condition (Example 1: 4.8 L, 2. The dispersibility of the magnetic fine particles was evaluated when the mixture was stirred at 0 L, 1.0 L, Example 2: 2.0 L, 1.0 L, 0.5 L) for 4 hours. A centrifugal stirrer (M-Revo, φ48 mm, Example 1: thickness 35 mm, Example 2: thickness 19 mm) was used as the stirrer, and the stirrer was mounted on a commercially available stirrer (manufactured by AS ONE Corporation) for rotary stirring. The stirring condition was rotation speed 600 rpm, inversion every 1 minute (normal rotation-inversion is repeated every 1 minute). The distance of the stirrer from the liquid level is
Example 1 10 mm (when stirring 4.8 L and 2.0 L), 3 mm (when stirring 1.0 L)
Example 2 10 mm (at the time of stirring 2.0 L and 1.0 L), 2 mm (at the time of stirring 0.5 L)
Set to. For sampling of the suspension of magnetic fine particles, 60 μL was collected from about 5 mm below the liquid surface at the left end (Left) and right end (Right) of the nozzle suction position using a disposable tip, and 1 mL of 100 mM NaCl, 0.05% Tween 20 was prepared in advance. , 10 mM Tris-hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 8.0) containing 0.1% sodium azide was added to a dispensed test tube, and the mixture was uniformly stirred with a vortex mixer. 500 μL of a suspension of uniformly stirred magnetic fine particles was collected in a quartz cell, and the absorbance at 800 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer.

Example 1
The stirring container 10 (maximum capacity 4.8 L) shown in FIG. 1 was prepared by a stereolithography 3D printing method using an epoxy resin, and coated with an acrylic urethane resin. The outer dimensions of the container are 196 mm in length, 454 mm in width, and 131 mm in height. , A substantially track-shaped inner bottom surface of a nozzle lowering portion (corresponding to 2 vertical × 10 horizontal nozzles) having a width of 315 mm was provided.

The side wall of the recess is inclined at 30 °, and the substantially trapezoidal inclined part formed at an angle of 85 ° (the intersection angle of the extension lines of the two legs in the trapezoid) and the nozzle lowering part. Approximately V-shaped (or including a part of the approximately V-shaped) inner bottom surface connected from the peripheral edge of the inner bottom surface to the outer cylinder portion at diagonally upward and outer slopes of 11 ° and 17 °, and the inner bottom surface of the stirring container. An outer cylinder extending upward from the peripheral edge so that the height from the inner bottom surface of the nozzle lowering portion to the opening is 93 mm, an opening with the entire top surface open, and a substantially V-shaped (or substantially V-shaped) shape. A container skirt extending 58 mm downward from the peripheral edge of the inner bottom surface (including a part of) is integrally provided.

2A and 2B show the stirring container of FIG. 1 in (a) top view, (b) front sectional view on AA plane, (c) front sectional view on BB plane, and (d) CC plane. It is displayed by the side sectional view of (e) and the side sectional view of (e) DD plane.

When the distance from the inner bottom surface of the nozzle lowering part to the tip of the nozzle is 10 mm (the upper end of the stirrer is not exposed from the liquid surface under this condition), the amount of residual liquid and the dead volume are defined as the measurement of the volume of water in the stirring container. From the result, it was 520 mL. On the other hand, the bottom area of the flat bottom container having the same projected bottom area as the stirring container 10 was calculated to be 690 cm ² . In the case of a flat-bottomed container, the dead volume is 2,898 mL, which is defined as the amount of residual liquid in which the upper end of the stirrer (thickness 35 mm, distance from the inner bottom surface to the stirrer bottom surface is 7 mm) set in the container is not exposed.

Therefore, when the dead volume is DV and the maximum liquid input amount is Vmax,
The dead volume rate (DV (mL) / Vmax (mL)) is
Stirring container 10 is 520 mL / 4800 mL = 0.108
In the case of a flat-bottomed container having the same projected bottom area as the stirring container 10 and the height from the inner bottom surface of the container to the opening, it was 2,898 mL / 7066 mL = 0.410, which was found to be reduced to about 26%. .. (However, the maximum input liquid amount is specified as 80% of the total volume.)
The evaluation result of dispersibility is shown in FIG. It was found that there was no significant difference in the concentration of magnetic fine particles between the sampling points at any of the liquid amounts, and that good dispersibility could be obtained even in the stirring container of the present invention in which the height difference was provided on the inner bottom surface.

Example 2
The stirring container 20 (maximum capacity 2.0 L) shown in FIG. 3 was produced by a stereolithography 3D printing method using an epoxy resin in the same manner as in Example 1, and was coated with an acrylic urethane resin. In the stirring container 20, the position of the stirrer mounted on the stirring dispenser and the nozzle drive range overlap with the position of the stirrer and the nozzle drive range of the stirring dispenser using the stirring container 10 shown in FIG. In addition, the inner bottom surface of the recess and the inner bottom surface of the lowering part of the nozzle (corresponding to 2 vertical × 5 horizontal) are designed. That is, the outer dimensions of the stirring container are 196 mm in length, 197 mm in width, and 112 mm in height, and a concave portion having a diameter of 57 mm, which is 1.2 times the diameter of a stirrer (thickness 19 mm) having a diameter of 48 mm, and a depth of 16 mm, which is a substantially circular flat surface. The inner bottom surface of the rectangular nozzle lowering part with a length of 15 mm and a width of 158 mm and the side wall part of the recess are inclined at 13 °, and spread out at an angle of 15 ° (the intersection angle of the extension lines of the two legs in the trapezoid). One of the approximately V-shaped (or approximately V-shaped) portions connected to the substantially trapezoidal inclined portion formed in the nozzle from the inner bottom peripheral edge of the nozzle lowering portion to the outer cylinder portion at diagonally upward and outward gradients of 11 ° and 18 °. (Including the part), the outer cylinder part extending upward from the peripheral edge of the inner bottom surface of the stirring container so that the height from the inner bottom surface of the nozzle lowering part is 93 mm, the opening with the entire top surface open, and a substantially V shape. A container skirt extending 40 mm downward from the peripheral edge of the inner bottom surface of the nozzle lowering portion having a shape (or including a part of a substantially V-shape) is integrally provided.

4A and 4B show the stirring container of FIG. 3 in (a) top view, (b) front sectional view on AA plane, (c) front sectional view on BB plane, and (d) CC plane. It is displayed by the side sectional view of (e) and the side sectional view of (e) DD plane.

When the distance from the inner bottom surface of the nozzle lowering part to the tip of the nozzle is 10 mm (the top surface of the stirrer is not exposed from the liquid surface under this condition), the residual liquid amount and dead volume are defined as the residual liquid of water in the stirring container. From the measurement result of the amount, it was 200 mL. On the other hand, the bottom area of the flat-bottomed container having the same projected bottom area as the container 20 was calculated to be 283 cm ² . In the case of a flat-bottomed container, the dead volume is 735 mL if the top surface of the stirrer (thickness 19 mm, distance from the inner bottom surface to the stirrer bottom surface is 7 mm) set in the container is not exposed.

Therefore, when the dead volume is DV and the maximum liquid input amount is Vmax,
The dead volume rate (DV (mL) / Vmax (mL)) is
The stirring container 20 has 200 mL / 2000 mL = 0.100,
In the case of a flat-bottomed container of 109 mm, which has the same projected bottom area as the stirring container 20 and the height from the inner bottom surface of the container to the opening, 735 mL / 2467 mL = 0.280.
It was found to be reduced to about 36%. (However, the maximum input liquid amount is specified as 80% of the total volume.)
The evaluation result of dispersibility is shown in FIG. It was found that there was no significant difference in the concentration of magnetic fine particles between the sampling points at any of the liquid amounts, and that good dispersibility could be obtained even in the stirring container of the present invention in which the height difference was provided on the inner bottom surface.

Example 3
Using the stirring container 10 of FIG. 1, a stirring dispensing device having the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 was produced.

The stirring container 10 is positioned and held by the holding seat 41 that enables the raising and lowering operation by the driving means 44.

The stirrer 31a immersed in the recess adjusts the forward-reverse rotation operation and the distance between the stirrer and the inner bottom surface of the deep tank portion by the stirring means 42.

The nozzles 32 (20 in total, 2 in length x 10 in width) are set in the suction / discharge means 43 (XZ axis movement), and the liquid level information obtained from the ultrasonic type liquid level detection means 45 is used. Based on this, adjust the depth below the liquid level.

In response to the decrease in the liquid level due to the decrease in the magnetic fine particle suspension, the stirring container 10 is raised by the driving means 44 so that the upper end of the stirrer 31a is located at a predetermined depth from the liquid surface.

The driving means 44 for raising and lowering the holding seat 41 of the stirring container 10 is set to provide a sensor at an ascending position corresponding to the dead volume of the stirring container 10 to forcibly issue a dead volume alarm.

A series of basic suction and discharge operations are shown below.
1) The nozzle 32 is moved to the position of the stirring container 10 by the suction / discharge means 43, and the magnetic fine particle suspension is sucked by the nozzle suction operation of the suction / discharge means 43.
2) The suction / discharge means 43 moves onto the dispensing container 46 on the container rack 47 mounted on the conveyor 48, and discharges the magnetic fine particle suspension.
3) The nozzle 32 is moved onto the disposal port 49 by the suction / discharging means 43, and the magnetic fine particle suspension remaining in the nozzle 32 is discarded.

10, 20: Stirring container 11, 21: Recessed inner bottom surface 12, 22: Nozzle lowering portion inner bottom surface 13, 23: Outer cylinder portion 14, 24: Opening portion 15, 25: Inclined portion 16, 26: Container skirt 31a, 31b: Stirrer 32: Nozzle 41: Holding seat 42: Stirring means 43: Suction / discharging means 44: Driving means 45: Liquid level detecting means 46: Dispensing container 47: Container rack 48: Conveyor 49: Disposal port

Claims (3)

A stirring and dispensing device equipped with a stirring container for accommodating a suspension that has been rotationally stirred by a stirrer (excluding blade members) .
The inner bottom surface of the stirring vessel, said recess having a rotating body horizontal projection surface recess is a by thickness or depth of the stirring bar with which encloses the horizontal projection plane to form during stirring of the stirrer, the In the stirring container provided with a substantially square or substantially track-shaped inner bottom surface at a position higher than the inner bottom surface of the recess.
The stirrer is installed in the recess,
With a suction / discharge means in which one or more nozzles for sucking the suspension from the inner bottom surface of the substantially square or substantially truck shape are movably provided.
A stirring dispenser equipped with. Further comprising a liquid level sensing means for sensing the liquid level of the suspension, stirred dispensing device according to claim 1. Based on the information obtained from the liquid level sensing means, the upper end of the stirring bar, further comprising a driving means for moving the stirrer so as to be positioned at a predetermined depth from the liquid surface, according to claim 2 Stir bar dispenser.

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