JPH0364178B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a stirring device for stirring a liquid or a liquid and a solid filled in a container, and is particularly suitable for stirring a sample such as blood. The present invention relates to a suitable stirring device.

(Prior Art) When filling a container with multiple types of liquids, solids, etc. and mixing or melting them, a stirring operation is often required. Conventionally, as a means for stirring, methods such as manual stirring using a stirring rod, or methods such as fixing a container and stirring using a stirring rod using a motor, etc., have been common.

However, according to the above conventional stirring method,
Since the stirring rod had to be inserted into the container, it was impossible to stir the container with the cap loaded in the upper open end of the container. As a result, there was a problem in that the sample such as blood was scattered around, or conversely, foreign matter was mixed into the sample.

As a means to solve this problem, the second method is
A stirring device as shown in the figure is known. That is, the center of a disk 2 is fixed to a rotating shaft 1 that is rotationally driven by a drive source (not shown), and the open end of a plurality of bottomed cylindrical containers 3 radially extends from the outside of the disk 2. It is removably attached in a position facing the direction of the camera. This container 3 is filled with a sample to be stirred, and a rubber cap 4 is attached to the open end. Further, the rotating shaft 1 of the disk 2 is supported substantially horizontally, and the disk 2 is oriented vertically. Further, a sampling needle 5 is provided in the lower part of the disk 2 close to the outer periphery so as to be movable forward and backward in the radial direction of the disk 2. Then, by rotating the disk 2 at a relatively slow speed, the sample in the container 3 is shaken up and down to perform stirring. After stirring, the sample is fed to the dispensing cup 7 via the feeding pipe 6 by inserting the sampling needle 5 into the container 3 through the rubber cap 4 and suctioning it.

According to this stirring device, stirring can be performed while the rubber cap 4 is attached to the container 3, and it is possible to prevent the sample in the container 3 from scattering and to prevent foreign matter from entering the container. However, since the container 3 is attached radially to the disk 2, it requires a large area.
There was a problem that the device became large. Moreover, compared to the size, the number of containers 3 that can be attached is small.

Incidentally, there is a stirring device previously filed by the applicant of the present application in Japanese Patent Application No. 113509/1986 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 273043/1989), but this proposal is for stirring with a cap attached to the container. No consideration was given to this.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention solves the problem of conventional stirring devices in that it is impossible to stir the sample with the cap attached to the container. This solves the problems of samples scattering or foreign objects getting mixed into the sample during movement, and the need for larger equipment to stir in a sealed state, allowing for safe and reliable mixing in a sealed container. It is an object of the present invention to provide a small and simply structured stirring device capable of stirring a sample.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stirring device for stirring a liquid or a liquid and a solid filled in a container, in which the container is rotatable. a support member that is positioned vertically and supported in a substantially vertical direction; a cap made of an elastic member that removably seals the upper open end of the container; The container is provided with a drive means for rotating the container by force, and is configured to reverse the direction of rotation of the drive means at regular intervals.

(Function) According to the above structure, the container is supported substantially vertically by the support member and is rotated by the driving means through the cap, thereby making it possible to stir the sample sealed in the container. Moreover, since the direction of rotation of the drive means is reversed at regular intervals,
Samples collide with each other and stirring can be performed uniformly and reliably. Further, since the containers are supported in the vertical direction, a large number of containers can be placed close to each other in parallel, making it possible to downsize the device.

(Example) Hereinafter, one example of the stirring device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Lower board 1
1 is fixed in parallel to an upper substrate 13 via a bracket 12, and a guide shaft 14 is provided between the lower substrate 11 and the upper substrate 13, and the guide shaft 14 is connected to each substrate 11,
It is attached at right angles to 13. Further, guide bushes 15 and 1 are provided on both boards 11 and 13, respectively.
6, and is rotatably supported via an outer diameter screw 17a.
A driving shaft 17 is provided. A movable plate 19 is screwed onto this drive shaft 17 via a threaded bush 18 parallel to each of the boards 11 and 13, and this movable plate 19 is slidably attached to the guide shaft 14 via a guide bush 20. being guided.
Further, a pulley 21 is fixed to one end of the drive shaft 17 protruding from the upper surface of the upper substrate 13, and the rotation shaft 2 of the first motor 22 attached to the upper substrate 13
A belt 25 is stretched between the pulley 24 and the pulley 24 fixed to the belt 3. A support tube 26 is attached near one end of the movable plate 19 in a direction perpendicular to the movable plate 19, and a bearing 2 is attached to the support tube 26.
A substantially cylindrical collar 28 is rotatably supported concentrically via the collar 7 . And this color 28
A tubular drive shaft 29 is mounted inside the collar 28 so as to rotate together with the collar 28 and to be slidable in the axial direction. Further, a pulley 30 is fixed to the upper end of the collar 28, and the lower end is enlarged in diameter to form an enlarged diameter portion 28a. An engaging portion 31 fixed to the lower end of the drive shaft 29 is housed inside the enlarged diameter portion 28a so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and is biased downward by a spring 32. A convex portion 31a is formed at the center of the lower surface of the engaging portion 31, and the sampling needle 5 is slidably inserted into the inner diameter of the drive shaft 29, passing through the center of the engaging portion 31. It can protrude from the bottom. Furthermore, movable plate 1
A second motor 33 is attached to 9, and a pulley 3 fixed to a rotating shaft 34 of this motor 33
A belt 36 is stretched between the pulley 30 attached to the collar 28 and the collar 28. Further, an escape hole 11a is formed in the lower substrate 11 so that the second motor 33 does not come into contact with it when the movable plate 19 is lowered.

On the other hand, a plurality of containers 38 placed on a support member 37 are provided at the bottom of the agitation device configured as described above, and an upper plate 3 that constitutes the support member 37 is provided.
When the container 38 is attached to the attachment holes formed in the lower plate 7a and the lower plate 37b, the container 38 is positioned coaxially with the drive shaft 29. Also container 3
A sample 39 is filled in the container 8, and a rubber cap 40 is attached to the top of the container 38. A concave portion 40a having a shape that matches the convex portion 31a formed on the engaging portion 31 is formed on the upper surface of the rubber cap 40.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. A container 38 filled with a sample 39 and sealed with a rubber cap 40 is placed on the support member 37 almost vertically. In this state, the container 38 is rotatable relative to the support member 37. Next, the first motor 22 is driven by a control circuit (not shown), and the driving shaft 17 is driven through the belt 25.
Rotate. As a result, the movable plate 19 moves to the driving shaft 17.
The engaging portion 31 of the lower end of the drive shaft 29 attached to the movable plate 19 via the collar 28 is connected to the rubber cap 40 of the container 38. Place it in contact with the top surface. When the drive shaft 29 further descends, the spring 32 is compressed, and the protrusions 31a and recesses 40a formed on the engaging portion 31 and the rubber cap 40 are brought into close contact with each other. In this state, when the rotation of the first motor 22 is stopped and the rotation of the second motor 33 is started, the drive shaft 29 rotates and the friction force between the engaging part 31 and the rubber cap 40 causes the container 38 to
rotates. By reversing the rotational direction of the second motor 33 at regular intervals, the sample 39
Stir thoroughly. After the stirring is finished, the second motor 3
3 is stopped, the sampling needle 5 is inserted into the container 38 through the rubber cap 40, and the sample 3 is
Inhale 9 and send it to a dispensing cup. Finally, by pulling out the sampling needle 5 and rotating the first motor 22 in the reverse direction, the engaging part 31 is disengaged from the rubber cap 40, and the container 38 is moved to the next container 38.
Repeat the same operation for stirring.

According to this embodiment, the rubber cap 4 is attached to the container 38.
Since the sample 39 in the container 38 can be stirred with the 0 attached, it is possible to prevent the sample 39 in the container 38 from scattering and to prevent foreign matter from entering the container 38. Moreover, since the container 38 rotates in reverse at a constant period, the samples 39 in the container 38 collide with each other, thereby ensuring reliable stirring.

The rotational driving force transmission mechanism shown in the above embodiment is not limited to this embodiment, and other mechanisms may be used without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, stirring can be performed with the cap attached to a container filled with a sample, thereby preventing the sample from scattering inside the container and preventing foreign matter from entering the container. Safe and reliable stirring can be performed using a small and simple stirring device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a stirring device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing a conventional stirring device. 19...Movable plate, 22, 23...Motor (drive source), 29...Drive shaft, 31...Engagement portion, 31a
... Convex portion, 37 ... Support member, 38 ... Container, 3
9...sample, 40...cap, 40a...recess.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A stirring device for stirring a liquid or a liquid and a solid filled in a container, comprising: a support member that rotatably positions the container and supports it in a substantially vertical direction; and an upper open end of the container. The cap includes a cap made of an elastic member that is removably sealed, and a drive means that is rotationally driven by a drive source and contacts the cap attached to the container to rotate the container by frictional force, and the drive means is rotated at a certain level. A stirring device characterized by periodically reversing the direction of rotation. 2 A recess is formed concentrically on the top surface of the cap,
2. The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion having a shape that matches the concave portion is formed on a surface of the driving means that comes into contact with the cap. 3. The stirring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving means is provided to be movable up and down together with the driving source.