BAG BEATING MICROBE SUSPENDER WITH VIBRATING BEATER

Abstract: A microbe suspender useful in the microbiological analysis of foods comprises a casing, means for releasably sealing a plastic bag containing test sample and suspending liquid inside the casing, and a beater which beats the outside of the plastic bag at a frequency high enough that the bag does not completely follow the beater movement so that microbe suspending shock waves are transmitted into the liquid at each impact of the beater with the bag, yet low enough in frequency that on each impact the beater remains in contact with the bag long enough to transfer stirring energy to the liquid and test sample to aid the removal of deep-seated microbes. As additional improvements over the art the suspender provides a collecting tray which prevents hazardous microbial suspensions reaching the bench in the event that a bag leaks, and an operator-protecting door that does not comprise part of the beating/suspending mechanism so that it can be transparent and permit the action to be viewed, and additionally the door is completely removable to improve the cleanability.

Description: BAG BEATING MICROBE SUSPENDER WITH VIBRATING BEATER The invention relates to devices for suspending microbes or other analytes to allow the determination of the microbiological safety or hygienic quality of foods and other samples or to mix powders or liquids. In order to determine the existence and quantity of microbes or other analytes in foods and clinical samples it is usual to remove them from the sample and disperse them in water or other liquid. The suspension preferably contains a minimum of debris suspended from the sample, since it may interfere with the analysis. An apparatus in which the sample is sealed in a plastic bag and kneaded by electric-motor driven paddles acting against a backing plate or operator-protecting door is described, for example in US Patent Number 3819158. This apparatus is more convenient than a blender because the disposable bag eliminates the need to clean and sterilize the apparatus. However, its crushing action still produces suspended debris and prevents it being used for samples containing hard objects because these pierce bags and cause them to leak. It also prevents the use safe of a transparent glass or plastic door so that it is not possible to see the state of the sample without switching off the apparatus and opening it up. Moreover, the means to releasably seal plastic bags between the operator-protecting door and the kneading paddles does not easily allow removal of the door to give the operator complete access to the kneading area. Thus it is difficult to clean up the mess when bag leakage occurs and in the event of a leak contaminated liquid drips onto the bench below the apparatus. Sound vibrations in liquids cause liquid shear at the surfaces of immersed objects mainly because the differing densities of object and liquid prevent them from following the pressure waves at identical rates. Ultrasound, at frequencies higher than human hearing abilities removes microbes efficiently from foods in limited situations, producing microbial suspensions relatively free of debris. However, ultrasound is useful only where microbes exist on surfaces that are easily accessible to the sound energy because sound intensities high enough to agitate samples and release internal microbes rapidly kill them by cavitation. At lower sound frequencies the energy for a given amplitude is less and cavitation is reduced, however, a device operating solely by sound energy in the audible range, such as might be generated by an electronic frequency generator and speaker or similar transducer would be unpractically noisy in operation It should be noted that shock waves and sound waves are essentially similar and that shock waves can be generated in a liquid contained within a plastic bag by striking the bag sharply with a solid object I have shown that a microbe suspender combining the microbe suspending ability of shock waves with a mechanical stirring effect that exposes the internal surfaces of samples without crushing them, suspends microbes very effectively Such an action can be obtained by beating a liquid-containing plastic bag alternately on its opposite faces by a beater at a frequency which is high enough to prevent the bag completely following the movements of the beater so that in each cycle of the beater it hits the bag and sends shock waves into it, provided that said frequency also is low enough that during a relatively large proportion of the beater cycle the beater remains in contact with the bag and transfers its energy efficiently to the bag as stirring energy This energetic beating action is also very effective for mixing dry powders or for suspending them in liquids My invention provides releasable sealing means for confining a test sample with suspending liquid in a plastic bag, and of transmitting suspending energy to said sample and suspending liquid by means of non-crushing impacts on the outside of the bag, said impacts being within a range of frequency and amplitude such that they produce a suspending energy composed of a combination of shock or sound waves and mechanical shaking To achieve this the sample and suspending liquid is releasably sealed in a flexible bag so that the bag hangs freely with some air space above the liquid The bag is then beaten by a vibrating or reciprocating beater which beats the bag on alternate sides at a frequency high enough that the bag is only able to partially to follow the movements of the beater thus producing an action in which (1) shock waves caused by impact of the beater with the bag have a suspending effect, (2) impulses imparted to the liquid during the part of each cycle when the beater is in continuous contact with the bag produce a strong stirring action in the sample and suspending liquid which assists the suspending movement of liquid and by agitating the sample also improves the suspending effect, and (3) no backing plate is required in order to produce the desired suspending action. The beater is conveniently driven by an electric motor acting through a crank, but other sources of power are not excluded, for example, pneumatically reciprocating or electromagnetic actuators. Typically the beater is in the form of a horizontal oval and made of material not more than 6 mm diameter but other forms are not excluded, for example, a beater with vertical elements, flattened beating faces or a cup around the plastic bag. Because it does not need a backing plate my invention also provides an operator- protecting door of transparent material so that the operator to see the state of the operation, and this door is also completely removable to allow complete access to the microbe suspending area for easy cleaning. My invention additionally provides a tray to contain liquid in the event that bag leaks occur, to improve the cleanliness and safety of the laboratory. The invention is described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic, longitudinal sectional view of a microbe suspender in accordance with my invention; Figure 2 is a cross section taken generally along line ll-ll of Fig. 1 ; and Figure 3 includes isometric views of a variety of beaters for use in the suspender of Figs. 1 and 2. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a rigid casing 1 carries all of the components of the invention. Beater means 2 of suitably stiff rod bent into a planar and horizontal oval is connected via shaft 3 through bushed plate 4 to connecting rod 5 and counter-balanced eccentric 6 to motor 7 so that when motor 7 is switched on the beater 2 reciprocates through an amplitude determined by eccentric 6 and with frequency determined by motor 7 A removable door 8 carries on it a pivotable toggle bar 9 arranged so that when door 8 is in the open position as shown in broken lines the toggle bar 9 is maintained by a spring not shown in the drawing, so that the distance between the door fulcrum rod 10 and the toggle clamping edge 11 is reduced by a suitable amount such that on closing door 8, shown in solid lines, toggle clamping edge 11 is initially able to slide under rubber strip 12 However, as soon as the toggle trip edge 13 contacts rubber strip 12 it causes the toggle to rotate on its pivot 14 thereby increasing the distance between toggle clamping edge 11 and door fulcrum rod 10 and forcing toggle clamping edge 11 firmly into rubber strip 12 By resting plastic bag 15 containing liquid and sample against the outer edge of rubber strip 12 before door 8 is closed the bag becomes firmly clamped between toggle clamping edge 11 and rubber strip 12 until such time as the door is opened again The plastic bag 15 containing liquid and sample is placed so that it lies inside the oval of beater means 2 The gap between the parallel sides of beater 2 is such that on switching on motor 7 beater means 2 vibrates against the bag, and because the bag cannot completely follow the movement of beater 2 the impacts of beater 2 alternating on both walls of the bag create microbe-suspending shock waves and stir the suspension For plastic bags 100-150 mm wide and containing 100 ml of liquid and sample satisfactory combinations of frequency and amplitude are 2,900 reciprocations per minute with an amplitude of 12-20 mm or 4,000-5,000 reciprocations per minute with an amplitude of 5-10 mm or values between thereof At lower frequencies the bag and its contents follow the movement of the beater too closely and minimize the generation of shock waves, at frequencies much higher than 5,000 reciprocations per minute the bag does not follow the beater sufficiently and this minimizes the stirring effect Suspending action is improved when there is a good air space above the sample being beaten and this is best obtained by sealing said bag between 50 and 125 mm above its bottom If the seal is much higher than 125 mm the bag does not follow the movement of the beater sufficiently and if the seal is lower than 50 mm the shock waves easily become too intense and the bag bursts. For a plastic bag 100-150 mm wide and containing 100 ml of liquid the beater will be wider than the bag and will surround the bag, the spacing between those elements of the beater which contact the bag being not less than 20 mm and not more than 40 mm. Rubber feet 16 reduce vibration of the bench when the apparatus is operating. Any leakage of liquid from bag 15 during operation of the apparatus is prevented from dripping to the bench by tray 17 which is sealed to the lower edges of the suspending area. Lip 18 of tray 17 also serves as means to limit the angle of opening of door 8 during normal use. However, since door 8 is simply slotted where it fits on fulcrum rod 10 it may be completely lifted off if there is need to clean the apparatus. Referring to Figure 3, acceptable forms of beater means are shown. The previously described oval of stiff rod 2 is shown in its perspective view 19. Other acceptable forms shown in perspective view are a beater with vertical beating elements 20, a beater with flattened beating faces 21 , and a cup 22.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A microbe suspender comprising: a casing (1); an operator-protecting door (8) mounted on the casing; releasable sealing means (9)for a bag (15) containing sample and liquid disposed in the casing (1) such that the door (8) on closing releasably seals the bag (15); a vibrating beater (2) disposed in the casing (1) for beatingly engaging the bag (15) alternately on opposite faces, the vibrating beater (2) vibrating in a frequency range between 2,900 and 5,000 cycles per minute with an amplitude between 5 and 20 mm, and, drive means (7) for the vibrating beater (2). 2. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 , wherein the vibrating beater (2) engages the bag (15) with sufficient energy to generate shock waves in the liquid and agitate the sample and liquid contained in the bag (15). 3. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the beater (2) is in the form of an oval ring surrounding the bag. 4. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the drive (7) means for the beater (2) is an electric motor and crank (6). 5. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the operator-protecting door (8) does not form part of the beating means. 6. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the operator-protecting door (8) is completely removable from said casing (1). 7. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 including a tray (17) in said casing (1) for catching any leaking from a bag. 8. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the beater (21 , 22) has flat beating faces. 9. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the beater (20) has vertical beating elements. 10. A microbe suspender as in Claim 1 wherein the beater is in the form of a cup (22).

Inventors: SHARPE ANTHONY NELSON, SHARPE, ANTHONY, NELSON
Applicants: SHARPE ANTHONY NELSON, SHARPE, ANTHONY, NELSON
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B01F11
IPC codes: B01F11, C12M1, C12M3