Patent Description:
Test tubes are commonly used vessels in the fields of biology and chemistry, and are widely used in hospitals, inspection institutions, etc. At present, in the medical field, such as in terms of specimen testing, it is necessary to open a test tube cap multiple times to add substances to the test tube or mix samples during the use of the test tube. Upon the completion of the operation, the corresponding test tube cap needs to be screwed on for use.

Manual operations are generally used at the present stage, but the test tube caps need to be unscrewed and screwed in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and sterile gloves need to be replaced every time, which is inefficient and can easily cause sample contamination. At the same time, after the test tube cap is removed, once the substance addition or sample mixing operation is completed, the test tube cap is usually screwed on again manually, without ensuring one-to-one correspondence.

In order to solve the above problems, some relevant personnel have also developed related technologies to automatically open and close the test tube caps without manual operation, thereby liberating manual work and improving work efficiency. However, test tube cap opening and closing devices in the prior art are all clamping devices each having two parts, which clamp a test tube body and a test tube cap respectively; and a rotating mechanism is additionally provided to rotate the test tube cap or the test tube body to complete the opening and closing actions of the test tube cap, so the entire structure is relatively complex. Therefore, in experimental processes of some experimental equipment with more control procedures and more complex control elements, a test tube cap screwing device with a simple and compact structure and low cost is necessary. <CIT> discloses an automatic decapper with a screwing device according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. The automatic decapper removes caps from capped test tubes by gripping the cap on a test tube with the upper grippers and holding the cap stationary while the test tube is rotated and translated downward with lower grippers.

An object of the present application is to provide a test tube cap screwing device, which only needs to clamp a test tube cap and use a rotating mechanism to rotate a test tube body. Compared with the prior art having a structure in which a test tube body and a test tube cap need to be clamped separately and a rotating body is additionally provided, the test tube cap screwing device is simple and compact in structure, low in cost, and flexible and convenient to use.

In order to fulfill the above object, the technical solution provided by the present application is a test tube cap screwing device according to claim <NUM>.

Further, preferably, the clamping assembly further includes a cage, and a plurality of cylindrical rollers is disposed on the cage; when the test tube body is spaced apart from the test tube pad, the test tube body is coaxial with the test tube bin, and the test tube body is spaced apart from the cylindrical rollers;.

Further, preferably, each gradient cavity is an arc-shaped cavity.

Further, preferably, the cylindrical rollers and the gradient cavities are both aligned around an axis of the cage.

Further, preferably, magnets are installed on the test tube bin; and each magnet is installed at the center of the gradient cavity and is configured to generate a magnetic force to attract the cylindrical roller.

Further, preferably, a plurality of magnets is provided; and the plurality of magnets, the plurality of gradient cavities and the plurality of cylindrical rollers are installed in one-to-one correspondence.

Further, preferably, the rotating assembly further includes a base, a bearing is installed on the base, the test tube bin is installed on the base and props against the bearing, and the test tube bin can rotate relative to the base around an axis of the test tube bin.

In summary, the present application has the following beneficial effects.

In the figures, reference signs represent the following components:
<NUM>-grabbing unit; <NUM>-rotating unit; <NUM>-test tube cap; <NUM>-test tube body; <NUM>-test tube pad; <NUM>-rotating shaft; <NUM>-test tube bin; <NUM>-cage; <NUM>-base; <NUM>-cylindrical roller; <NUM>-magnet; <NUM>-bearing; <NUM>-gradient cavity.

The present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The present application provides a test tube cap screwing device. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the test tube cap screwing device includes a grabbing unit <NUM> and a rotating unit <NUM>. The grabbing unit <NUM> is used to grab a test tube cap <NUM>, and the rotating unit <NUM> is used to rotate a test tube body <NUM>. When the test tube cap <NUM> is in good contact with the test tube body <NUM>, the cap screwing action of the test tube can be completed when the test tube cap <NUM> does not rotate and the test tube body <NUM> rotates accordingly. The grabbing unit <NUM> in the test tube cap screwing device of the present application can achieve a grabbing action by, but not limited to, a commercially available manipulator.

As shown in <FIG>, the rotating unit <NUM> directly faces the grabbing unit <NUM>. In order to ensure that the test tube cap <NUM> can directly cover the test tube body <NUM>, the rotating unit <NUM> includes a clamping assembly and a rotating assembly. The clamping assembly and the rotating assembly cooperate to clamp and drive the test tube body <NUM> to rotate. According to the test tube cap screwing device in the present application, the clamping assembly includes a test tube bin <NUM>, and the test tube body <NUM> is placed in the test tube bin <NUM>. A cage <NUM> is further disposed in the test tube bin <NUM>, the cage <NUM> is coaxial with the test tube bin <NUM>, and a plurality of cylindrical rollers <NUM> is disposed on the cage <NUM>. The cage <NUM> sleeves the outside of the test tube body <NUM> and is spaced apart from the test tube body <NUM>. When the test tube body <NUM> is located in the test tube bin <NUM> and is coaxial with the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM>, the test tube body <NUM> is also spaced apart from the cylindrical rollers <NUM>.

A test tube pad <NUM> is disposed at the bottom of the test tube bin <NUM>. The test tube pad <NUM> is located directly below the test tube body <NUM>. One side of the test tube pad <NUM> facing the test tube body <NUM>, that is, the top side facing the test tube body <NUM>, is set as a slope which has an included angle with the horizontal plane. Before the test tube cap <NUM> is screwed to the test tube body <NUM>, that is, when the test tube body <NUM> is coaxial with the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM>, the test tube body <NUM> is spaced apart from the test tube pad <NUM>. During the cap screwing process of the test tube body <NUM>, the test tube body <NUM> gradually contacts the test tube pad <NUM> and gradually presses the test tube pad <NUM> downward.

As shown in <FIG>, it can be seen that a plurality of gradient cavities <NUM> is formed between the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM>. The cylindrical rollers <NUM> are located in the gradient cavities <NUM>, and one gradient cavity <NUM> corresponds to one cylindrical roller <NUM>, and the cylindrical roller <NUM> can move in the gradient cavity <NUM>. In addition, in the movement process of the cylindrical roller <NUM> in the gradient cavity <NUM>, due to the spatial change of the gradient cavity <NUM>, the cylindrical roller <NUM> is spaced apart from, then props against, and finally presses against the test tube body <NUM> each other. The embodiment is as follows: each gradient cavity <NUM> is set as an arc-shaped cavity; when the test tube body <NUM> is coaxial with the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM>, the test tube body <NUM> is spaced apart from the cylindrical roller <NUM>; and at this time, the cylindrical roller <NUM> is located at a maximum space of the gradient cavity <NUM>, that is, located at the very center of the gradient cavity <NUM>. When the test tube body <NUM> props against the cylindrical roller <NUM>, the cylindrical roller <NUM> will move to a small space in the gradient cavity <NUM> under the driving of a friction force with the test tube body <NUM>. A further embodiment of the present application lies in that both the cylindrical rollers <NUM> and the gradient cavities <NUM> are provided in multiple numbers and are aligned around an axis of the cage <NUM>.

The rotating assembly includes a rotating shaft <NUM>, which is connected to the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM>. The rotating shaft <NUM> is used to drive the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM> to rotate.

When a cap screwing action is required for the test tube body <NUM>, the grabbing unit <NUM> grabs the test tube cap <NUM>, puts it on the test tube body <NUM> and presses the test tube body <NUM>. The test tube body <NUM> is pressed downward to prop against the test tube pad <NUM> and becomes inclined along the slope of the test tube pad <NUM>, and the inclined test tube body <NUM> begins to prop against the cylindrical roller <NUM>. The greater the inclination angle of the test tube body <NUM>, the greater the propping pressure between the test tube body <NUM> and the cylindrical roller <NUM>, and the greater the friction therebetween.

A working principle of the test tube cap screwing device in the present application is as follows: the grabbing unit <NUM> grabs the test tube cap <NUM>, puts it on the test tube body <NUM> and presses the test tube body <NUM> downward; the test tube body <NUM> props against the test tube pad <NUM> downward and becomes inclined, and props against the cylindrical roller <NUM>; the rotating shaft <NUM> drives the test tube bin <NUM> and the cage <NUM> to rotate; and the test tube body <NUM> and the cage <NUM> tend to rotate relative to each other. However, due to the propping and pressing actions between the test tube body <NUM> and the cylindrical rollers <NUM>, a friction force is produced between the cylindrical rollers <NUM> and the test tube body <NUM>, so a rotation speed of the cage <NUM> is lower than that of the test tube bin <NUM>. At this time, the cylindrical roller <NUM> moves to one side at the center of the gradient cavity <NUM>. Since the space on one side of the gradient cavity <NUM> gradually becomes smaller, the cylindrical roller <NUM> gradually protrudes toward one side of the test tube body <NUM>, and a pressure between the test tube body <NUM> and the cylindrical rollers <NUM> gradually increases until the test tube body <NUM> is clamped by the plurality of cylindrical rollers <NUM>. At this time, the test tube body <NUM> rotates together with the test tube bin <NUM>, and the test tube cap <NUM> does not move, thus completing the cap screwing action of the test tube cap <NUM>. Similarly, when the test tube cap <NUM> is unscrewed from the test tube body <NUM>, the same working principle is used, that is, the grabbing unit <NUM> is first used to grab the test tube cap <NUM>, and then the clamping assembly and the rotating assembly cooperate to press and rotate the test tube body <NUM>, thereby completing the action of removing the test tube cap <NUM> from the test tube body <NUM>.

A further embodiment of the present application is as follows: as shown in <FIG>, the magnets <NUM> are further installed on the test tube bin <NUM>, and each magnet <NUM> is installed at the center of the gradient cavity <NUM>. When the test tube cap <NUM> is screwed to the test tube body <NUM> or the test tube cap <NUM> is removed from the test tube body <NUM>, the rotating assembly stops acting. At this time, the cylindrical roller <NUM> returns to the very center of the gradient cavity <NUM> under the attraction of the magnet <NUM>. In this case, the cylindrical roller <NUM> releases the test tube body <NUM> again. At this time, the test tube body <NUM> can be taken out and a new test tube body <NUM> can be placed to complete the next step.

There may also be a plurality of magnets <NUM>, and the plurality of magnets <NUM> are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of gradient cavities <NUM> and the plurality of cylindrical rollers <NUM>, that is, a corresponding magnet <NUM> is installed at the center of each gradient cavity <NUM>.

In order to ensure an attractive appearance and facilitate installation and use, the rotating assembly is further provided with a base <NUM>, a bearing <NUM> is installed on the base <NUM>, the test tube bin <NUM> is installed in the base <NUM> and props against the bearing <NUM>, and the test tube bin <NUM> can rotate relative to the base <NUM> around the axis of the test tube bin <NUM>. The entire test tube cap screwing device has a simple and compact structure and low cost, and is flexible and convenient to use. There is no need to add any rotating mechanism for rotating the test tube cap.

Claim 1:
A test tube cap(<NUM>) screwing device, including:
a grabbing unit(<NUM>) for grabbing a test tube cap(<NUM>); and
a rotating unit(<NUM>) directly facing the grabbing unit(<NUM>) and including:
a clamping assembly including a test tube bin(<NUM>) for accommodating the test tube body(<NUM>), a test tube pad(<NUM>), a cylindrical roller(<NUM>); and
a rotating assembly including a rotating shaft(<NUM>) configured to drive the test tube bin(<NUM>) to rotate;
characterized in that
the test tube pad(<NUM>) is disposed at the bottom of the test tube bin(<NUM>); and one side of the test tube pad(<NUM>) facing the test tube body(<NUM>) is disposed to be a slope, wherein when a cap screwing action is required for the test tube body(<NUM>), the grabbing unit(<NUM>) grabs the test tube cap(<NUM>), puts the test tube cap(<NUM>) on the test tube body(<NUM>) and presses the test tube body(<NUM>), and the test tube body(<NUM>) is pressed downward to prop against the test tube pad(<NUM>) and becomes inclined along the slope of the test tube pad(<NUM>) and props against the cylindrical roller(<NUM>).