WO2013011180A1

WO2013011180A1 - Tool for cutting and extracting samples

Info

Publication number: WO2013011180A1
Application number: PCT/ES2012/070524
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guillem ALENYÀ RIBAS; Patrick John GROSCH OBREGÓN; Carmen TORRAS GENÍS; Marc PALACÍN MARFIL
Original assignee: Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas (Csic)
Priority date: 2011-07-20
Filing date: 2012-07-11
Publication date: 2013-01-24
Also published as: ES2395931B1; ES2395931A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a tool that includes a cylindrical rod linked on the upper end thereof to the means of actuation placed on the inside of a cylindrical tubular body located inside a means of vertical movement guidance. Said tool likewise includes a cutting element so that when a means of actuation pushes the cutting element downward the cut is made and once the cutting element is stopped, the movement of the means of actuation of the cutting tool continues, causing the head that drives and expels the sample to continue through the inside of the cutting element, pushing the sample out of the tool.

Description

TOOL FOR CUTTING AND EXTRACTION OF SAMPLES

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as expressed in the statement of this specification refers to a tool for cutting and extracting samples of various kinds.

The main field of application of the present invention is biology since the cutting and extraction tool of the present application for the extraction of plant leaf samples has preferably been designed without implying having to tear the plant leaf. In addition, the drive of the cutting element available to the tool may be automatic or manual while the operation of the extraction means will always be automatic.

Furthermore, the present invention allows the positioning of the tool manually or automatically as it comprises means for its installation in the articulated arm of a robot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many of the analysis processes in the field of plant biology use small samples, usually cylindrically, of plant leaves ["Diel Growth Cycle of Isolated Leaf Discs Analyzed with a Novel, High-Throughput Three-Dimensional Imaging Method Is Identical to That of Intact Leaves "Bernhard Biskup et al., Plant Physiology 149: 1452-1461 (2009)].

The automation in general of the processes within this area has a lot of interest for the cost and time savings that it entails and consequently many efforts are being poured into it [The Automation of Science, Ross D. King et al., Science, 2009 : 324 (5923), 85-89].

Until now, manual perforators have been used to extract plant samples. These perforators are a metal tube that has a grip at its upper end and that at its lower end It presents a sharp beading used for cutting and extracting the sample. The metal tube that forms the body of the perforator is usually hollow to manually introduce a rod that pushes the sample already extracted or to blow and that the sample comes out through the upper opening. There are manual punchers of various sizes and cutting diameters on the market [http: // en. wikipedia org / wiki / Cork borer].

The procedure for extracting samples of plant leaves with the manual perforator is as follows: once the sheet from which the sample is to be extracted is selected, a rigid and flat support is placed under the sheet. With a circular movement, the blade is pressed with the perforator against the support and the sample is cut. Often the sample is stuck inside the piercing tube so it must be removed. This can be done by blowing air through one end of the perforator or by inserting a rod.

The only reference to the automation of this process is a laser cutting machine [http: // www. agro. basf. com / agr / AP- Internet / en / content / competences / r and d strategy / fusing innovation / index] that cuts multiple samples of each sheet by pressing each sheet between two perforated plates with the hole template. This machine is used to cut a large number of discs from each of the sheets. However, this invention cannot be used outside the laboratory nor does it allow the cutting of the sheet while it is in the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks indicated above, the invention consists of a tool for cutting and extracting samples of diverse nature, which preferably comprises the extraction of plant samples.

The main object of the present invention is the tool, which will preferably be automatic, for cutting and extracting samples. Bliss The tool comprises having a recess in the lower part for the placement of a material from which the sample is to be extracted. This material may be of a different nature although it will preferably be a material of plant origin and more preferably they will be plant leaves. In addition, the tool comprises having a metal plate located on the underside of the recess, said plate and the underside of the recess comprising a central and through hole. It also includes means for driving a cutting tool that will be responsible for cutting the sample. Thus, the tool is characterized in that it at least comprises: o a cylindrical rod connected at its upper end to the actuation means and which at its free end comprises a widening that defines a push head and ejection of the sample. The rod is disposed inside a cylindrical tubular body; Y,

or the cylindrical tubular body that is located inside a vertical displacement guide means that are fixed at the top of the recess. Said tubular body comprises a cutting element at its lower end, a recess in the upper part for fixing a spring and some mechanical stops in the lower part of the upper recess and in the upper part of the cutting tool so that when the drive means push the cutting element down to perform the cutting the mechanical stops stop against the upper edge of the vertical sliding guide means and against the metal plate and brake the cutting element. Once the tubular body has been braked when it reaches the stops, the movement of the cutting tool drive elements continues and when the spring force between the actuating means and the cylindrical tubular body is overcome, it exits inside the element cutting the head of Push and eject the sample that pushes the sample out of the tool.

In one embodiment of the invention, the drive means of the cutting tool at least comprise:

• a motor attached to a first shaft by one of its ends;

• a steering wheel attached to the free end of the first axis;

• a connecting rod connected by one of its ends to the steering wheel, so that when the steering wheel is turned up and down the connecting rod;

• a second axis that in its central area is coupled to the connecting rod and that joins a guide means at each of its ends, the second axis being responsible for driving the cutting tool; and, · two guides through which the guidance means move.

In this way the automation of the process of cutting and extracting samples is achieved. In the absence of the invention with these elements, it would have manual means for actuating the tool such as a lever.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tool comprises gripping means for manually positioning the tool.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tool comprises means for coupling the tool to a robot. These coupling means will be more preferably located at the top of the guiding means to perform an automatic positioning of the tool.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cutting element comprises being cylindrical.

In another embodiment of the invention, the motor comprises being a servomotor.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical tubular body comprises a recess at its lower end to accommodate the thrust and ejection head of the sample. In another embodiment of the invention, the cutting and ejection tool comprises a collection element of the sample extracted at the bottom of the tool so that when the sample is ejected, it falls to the collection element.

In another embodiment of the invention, the motor comprises being inside a sealed case having at least two holes. The first hole made for the output of the motor power and control cables and a second hole made for the output of the motor shaft. Both holes comprise conventional sealing means such as a cable gland for the hole through which the cables are removed and a shaft seal for the hole through which the motor shaft leaves. Thus, the tightness of the motor and the electronic components of the invention is achieved by allowing immersion of the present invention in fluids.

Another object of the present invention is the use of the tool, which will preferably be automatic, for cutting and expelling samples, these samples being of different nature.

Another object of the present invention is the use of the tool, which will preferably be automatic, for cutting and expelling samples for cutting and extracting plant samples.

Another object of the present invention is the use of the sample cutting and ejection tool for cutting silicone discs that can be used among other things as caps in test tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the sample cutting and extraction tool object of the present invention.

Figure 2A.- Shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 2B.- Shows a rear view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 2C- Shows a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 3.- Shows a view of the longitudinal section of the embodiment of Figure 1, along its central axis with the cutting element located in the starting position.

Figure 4.- Shows a view of the longitudinal section of the embodiment of Figure 1, along its central axis with the cutting element in the starting position of the sample cut.

Figure 5.- Shows a view of the longitudinal section of the embodiment of Figure 1, along its central axis with the cutting element in the end position of the sample cutting and the rod having already pushed the sample out of the cutting element .

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Then, a description of an embodiment of the invention is made, by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the numbering adopted in the figures.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the tool, which in this case is automatic, for cutting and extracting samples (1) comprising a perpendicular axis (4) that moves in the cutting direction by means of a conventional piston-rod mechanism - crank operated by a motor (7). This axis has guide means (16) at its ends and travels along two guides (17).

Thus the motor (7), the motor can be of any type although it will preferably be a servomotor, it rotates its axis which in turn makes the steering wheel (6) rotate. The turning movement of the flywheel (6) is transmitted to a connecting rod (5) that moves the shaft (4) up and down. The elements selected in this embodiment, flywheel (6), connecting rod (5) and shaft (4) could be changed by any other that transformed the movement rotating the motor (7) in a displacement movement as described above.

A spring (8) placed between the two cylinders (9,10) of the cutting tool allows the cut-eject sequence to be carried out with half a turn of the flywheel (6). When the handwheel (6) rotates, the cylindrical tubular body (9) is pushed down, integral with the spring (8) and the cylindrical rod (10), and cuts the target sheet to obtain the sample.

Once cut, the cylindrical tubular body (9) can no longer advance because mechanical stops (11) located in the upper and lower part of the cylindrical tubular body (9) bump against the guiding means (12) of the body itself and against the area (13) closest to the hole of the metal plate (3) located in the lower part of the recess respectively, causing the force exerted by the piston-crank-crank mechanism to exceed the elastic force of the spring (8) and thus the cylindrical rod (10) can descend until the cut sample is ejected out of the cutting tool. Figures 3 to 5 show the process of cutting and expelling the sample in 3 phases. It is clearly shown how when the forward movement of the cylindrical tubular body (9) is stopped, the cylindrical rod (10) continues to advance so that the thrust head (15) of said rod (10) pushes the sample that would have been trapped inside the cutting element (2).

To avoid mismatches in the shearing process, the perforated metal plate (3) has a small set so that the cutting tool centers it and does not collide with it or get stuck.

In this embodiment, a servo motor that is programmable has been used, so that both the speed and the force and the path of the tool can be controlled and parameterized depending on the type of sheet to be extracted.

The tool has the coupling means (14) for mounting on the element Barrett WAM robotic arm terminal to control its position and orientation in space. This arm allows both operator-assisted guidance to execute a controlled cut, as well as complete automation of the tool positioning and cutting process. Thus the tool is fully controllable by programming through any computer.

Although the present embodiment shows a cutting element (2) in a cylindrical shape, the tool allows interchangeable cutting elements (2) to collect samples of different size and shape.

In another embodiment, the invention has been designed to include the option of biological decontamination of the tool by immersion (for example in Ethanol). To protect the motor (7), it has been encapsulated in a box with IP67 protection index (such as that offered by the manufacturer Fibox with Reference ABS 95/50 LG), an entry for the cables of the cable has been added to the box control using an IP68 threaded cable gland such as that of the manufacturer RS (Code RS 444-2955) and a cable duct such as that of the manufacturer Adaptaflex Reference PAFS13 / BL / 10M, to seal the output of the shaft (4) of the motor (7) It uses a sealing joint for shafts like that of the manufacturer RS Reference 10X19X7 NBR. With this it is possible to isolate the motor (7) and the electrical part to be able to immerse the tool.

Claims

RE IVI DICATIONS

1.- Tool for cutting and extracting samples, which includes a recess in the lower part for the placement of a material from which the sample is to be extracted, a metal plate located on the underside of the recess comprising a central hole and means for driving a cutting tool, characterized in that the cutting tool at least comprises:

or a cylindrical rod attached at its upper end to the actuation means and which at its free end comprises a widening that defines a push and eject head of the sample and disposed within a cylindrical tubular body; Y,

or the cylindrical tubular body located inside a vertical displacement guide means fixed in the upper part of the recess, which comprises a cutting element at its lower end, a recess in the upper part for fixing a spring and some mechanical stops in the lower part of the upper recess and in the upper part of the cutting tool so that when the drive means push the cutting element down to perform the cut the mechanical stops stop against the upper edge of the cutting means Guiding vertical displacement and against the metal plate and braking the cutting element while continuing to move the movement elements of the cutting tool and overcoming the force of the spring located between the actuating means and the cylindrical tubular body, exit inside the cutting element the push and eject head of the sample pushing the sample out of the tool entice

2. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of actuation of the cutting tool at least comprise:

• a motor attached to a first shaft by one of its ends;

• a steering wheel attached to the free end of the first axis;

• a second axis that in its central area is coupled to the connecting rod and that joins a guide means at each of its ends, the second axis being responsible for driving the cutting tool; Y,

• two guides through which the guiding means move.

3. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises gripping means for positioning the tool manually.

4. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for coupling the tool to a robot, located at the top of the guiding means to perform an automatic positioning of the tool.

5. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting element comprises being cylindrical.

6. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor comprises being a servomotor.

7. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that the body Cylindrical tubular comprises a recess at its lower end to accommodate the thrust and ejection head of the sample.

8. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an element for collecting the sample extracted at the bottom of the tool.

9. Tool for cutting and extracting samples, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor comprises being inside a sealed box having at least two holes, a first hole for the output of the power and control cables of the motor and a second hole for the output of the motor shaft, both means comprising sealing holes.

10. - Use of the tool described in any one of the preceding claims, for cutting and extracting samples.

11. - Use of the tool described in any one of claims 1 to 9, for cutting and extracting plant samples.

12. - Use of the tool described in any one of claims 1 to 9, for cutting silicone discs used as caps in test tubes.