Abstract:
The three dimensional shaker consists of a base box with shaking platform, magnetic holders for liquid containers, and a mounted temperature control chamber. The three dimensional rocking movement of the platform can mix and blend liquids thoroughly and rapidly. The strong magnetic holders and temperature-control chamber broadly extend the application of the new shaker in the fields of biology and chemistry. It is suitable for staining, cell culture, extraction, hybridization and particularly for propagation of microorganisms. It can be used for other general blending purposes such as mixing oil and water into emulsified fuel. Furthermore, the unique magnetic holders are able to provide much more convenience and flexibility to change liquid containers of different shapes (round, rectangular) and different sizes compared with conventional clamps or spring holders. Lastly, the removable mounted chamber makes the shaking platform easily adapted to other requirements such as putting inside a CO 2  incubator.

Description:
DESCRIPTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention pertains to a shaking device for blending and mixing liquid effectively and rapidly. It is particularly useful for cultivation of microorganisms in flasks of various sizes and for mixing liquids with different density such as oil and water.  
           [0003]    2. Background and Summary of the Invention  
           [0004]    It is necessary for the cultivation of microorganisms in liquid culture media to have a homogeneous media containing as much dissolved oxygen as possible. To achieve this necessities, the conventional incubating shakers operate on either a reciprocating motion or circular orbital motion. Their movement is in one dimension or two dimensions, not three dimensions. The movement in three dimensions can produce a more vigorous shaking. The fixing mechanism for the liquid containers on the shaker platform is traditionally either a clamp or spring holder. Equipped with the conventional shakers are various sizes of clamps or spring holders for different sizes of flasks. When flasks are required to be changed, the clamp holders have to be changed by loosening the screws attached to the clamp holder. It is obviously inconvenient to change flasks from one size to another. For those equipped with a spring holder, the flexibility of changing flasks from one size to another is very limited.  
           [0005]    Also, the conventional incubating shakers are not ideal for the application of staining, blotting, hybridization, because of the inconvenience of having to remove clamps or spring holder.  
           [0006]    On the other hand, the existing three dimensional shakers can only be used for applications requiring gentle, low-foaming agitation or uniform mixing of lab samples—blotting, hybridizations and DNA extractions, mixing blood samples. These are not designed for cultivation of microorganism as they are not equipped with flask holders.  
           [0007]    The objects of the present invention are to overcome the foregoing limitations and disadvantages and to develop an innovative and versatile shaker which moves in three dimensions, with universal and easily removable holders for various containers. That is to integrate all the applications—propagation of microorganisms, blotting membrane, hybridizations, staining and general blending of solutions, preparation of emulsified fuels etc.—into one embodiment.  
           [0008]    The three dimensional shaker of this invention can produce much more vigorous swirling than the conventional ones. It can create a much bigger contacting surface between the culture media and air in the flasks than the later. This results in more oxygen being dissolved in the liquid culture media, which facilitates a fast growth of microorganisms or cells.  
           [0009]    In this invention, the magnetic holders for containers on the platform can be easily and quickly fixed and removed. It can be adapted for a variety of containers of different shapes and different sizes. This provide an extreme convenience to change the holder when required. With the magnetic holders, the novel shaker can be applied to the growth of microorganisms in flasks at higher speed, even to the preparation of emulsified fuel. Without the magnetic holders, it can be used for blotting, hybridization, DNA extraction, staining and destaining at lower speeds.  
           [0010]    The mechanism of the three dimensional rocking movement in this invention differs from that of the conventional one. For the conventional three dimensional shaker, when the shaker is operating, the central supporting shaft to the platform, which is fixed at middle portion by a spherical bearing, is inclined but vertical with respect to the tilted platform. This means every point on the platform including the center will swirl around the central axis, that is the platform will swirl in a nutating rotational movement.  
           [0011]    In this invention, the central supporting shaft is vertically located at the center of the base box, therefore, not perpendicular to the tilted platform, which is parallel to the circular inclined plate. Every point on the platform just keep vertically rocking movement and the center of the platform almost remain motionless while the shaker is in operation. This movement is transmitted along the circular orbit. Consequently, this result in much more vigorous mixing than the conventional three dimensional shakers. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    This invention can be better understood with reference to following drawings thereof and corresponding detailed description:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1: is a perspective illustration of the shaker constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2: is a perspective illustration of the base box with shaking platform  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3: is a vertical cross section view of the base box with shaking platform  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    This innovative and versatile shaking device consists of a base box  40 , 50  with a container supporting unit  20 , which includes a rectangular platform  21  and magnetic holders  22 , and a mounted temperature—control chamber  60 . Enclosed in the base box  40 , 50  is the driving mechanism  10 .  
         [0017]    The driving mechanism  10  works on the following principle; a drive wheel  111 , attached to the drive shaft of the motor  11  which is fixed on the corner of the bottom of the base box  40 , drives a driven wheel  14  via a direct or indirect way. In this invention, the preferred embodiment is an indirect drive, using a drive belt. The driven wheel  14  is seated and fixed on the lower end of the exterior surface of a rotating shaft  12 , which is a generally cylindrical and vertical configuration. A vertical central shaft  13  is fitted onto the interior surface of the rotating shaft  12  by two bearings  181 ,  182  at the lower and upper ends. This shaft  13 , which is not rotatable and sustains the moving parts of the running system and the platform, is fixed at the center of the bottom of the base box  40 . Coupled with the top end of the exterior surface of the rotating shaft  12  are specifically configured circular or elliptical inclined plate  15  and a driven disc unit  16  mounted thereon. The inclined plate  15  has a high and low point and three locating holes  151  on the top surface. It contributes to the three dimensional movement and is attached to the top end of the exterior surface of the rotating shaft  12  by 4 screws  152 .  
         [0018]    The driven disc unit  16 , whose top sides is connected to the fixture of the platform, is mounted on the inclined plate  15  by matching the three male screws or pins to the three locating holes on the inclined plate  15 . It consists of a ring with internal lower flange  161 , a large bearing  183  set into the ring  161 , a hat-shaped collar  162  with holes on the edge installed into the large bearing  183 , which is used to connect the fixture of the platform  21  by screws, a small spherical bearing  163  fitted into the collar  162 . A circular plate  164  mounted onto the inner ring of the spherical bearing  163 , is fixed on the top end of the vertical central shaft  13  by a long screw  165 .  
         [0019]    A vertical compressible rubber spring  30  is attached at the top end to the platform  21  and at the bottom end to the top of the base box  50  by two circular flange plates  31 , 32  to stop the horizontal movement of the platform  21 .  
         [0020]    A self-aligning ball bearing  184  and its support bracket  191  is fixed on the frame  19 , which is attached to the bottom of base box  40 , or underneath the top of the base box  50  directly to support the vertically rotating shaft  12 .  
         [0021]    When the driven wheel  14  is driven by the motor  11  directly or indirectly, the rotating shaft  12  and the inclined plate  15  will rotate. It will transfer the high and low points along the circular orbit to the platform via bearing  183  in the driven disc unit  16 . With the help of tension from the rubber spring  30 , the self-axis rotation of the platform is hindered. This combination results in an up-and-downward movement—vertical rocking for every point on the platform. Also, this up-and-down movement is transmitted along the circular orbit. Consequently, the liquid in the container on the platform will swirl in three dimensions.  
         [0022]    The magnetic holders  22  are a significant aspect of this invention, It consists of two parts: an angled plate fixed on a generally triangular box  221 , formed of stainless steel, and a permanent magnet  222  configured and fitted into the triangular box. A layer of rubber  223  is stuck to the inner vertical side of the angled plate to protect and hold the container on the platform as shown in FIG. 2. The magnetic holder can be attached to any place on the platform  21 , which is made of iron and covered with a non-slip rubber pad. It is suitable for supporting or holding round or rectangular containers of different sizes. When the magnetic holders are used to hold containers on the platform, the containers can be put in any position desired. Symmetrically place two magnetic holders around the container facing each other, horizontally push the two magnetic holders against the container simultaneously until they are in tight contact with the container. Four, six or eight holders will be needed depending on the load. Obviously, it is extremely convenient to remove the magnetic holder from one place to another when required.  
         [0023]    The chamber  60  mounted on the base box  40 , 50  has a heating/cooling elements, and an air circulation system, which are not shown in the figures. It can be easily detached from the base box when required. For example, putting inside a CO 2  incubator for the application of cell suspension cultures. It can accommodate an environment with a consistent temperature for the containers on the platform. The temperature is controlled by the keys on the front panel  41  of a base box via a cable, which connects the chamber and the base box at the rear of each part. Inside the chamber, there are two height-adjustable shelves  61 , 62  for static incubation whatever the platform is in operation or not.  
         [0024]    The foregoing is considered as the preferred embodiment to the basic principles of this invention. Therefore, the countless modification and changes can be derived from it. This invention will not be limited to the application mentioned above. Consequently, all suitable modifications and equivalents can be resorted to fall within the scope of the invention.