DEVICE FOR AUTOMATED AND CONTAMINATION-FREE SAMPLING AND ANALYSING

Abstract

A device is disclosed for handling a sample container (13) having an open side, the device comprising a head (1) having an inner chamber (3) with an opening (4) and a substantially constant cross-sectional shape taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the inner chamber, wherein the opening extends substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, a rotor (6) part arranged within said inner chamber, rotor drive means (7) and rotor displacement means (8), a piston (5) having an edge part (9) of a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner chamber, and piston displacement means (8) arranged to displace the rotor along the longitudinal axis so that the edge part of the piston will scrape the wall (10) of the inner chamber, the device further comprising a holder (11) arranged for supporting a sample container so that the open side of the sample container is in connection with the opening of the inner chamber, and head drive means (2) arranged for alternating the orientation of the head between a position where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented upwards and a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards.

Claims

1. A device for handling a sample container having an open side, the device comprising a head having an inner chamber with an opening arranged at one end, the inner chamber having a substantially constant cross-sectional shape taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the inner chamber, wherein the opening extends substantially perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, a rotor part arranged within said inner chamber, rotor drive means arranged for rotating said rotor part around said longitudinal axis, rotor displacement means arranged to displace the rotor along the longitudinal axis, a piston having an edge part of a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner chamber, and piston displacement means arranged to displace the piston along the longitudinal axis so that the edge part of the piston will scrape the wall of the inner chamber, the device further comprising holder arranged for supporting a sample container so that the open side of the sample container is in connection with the opening of the inner chamber, and head drive means arranged for alternating the orientation of the head between a position where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented upwards and a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises grinding means, so that the rotor when rotated by the rotor drive means is suitable for grinding a sample situated in the inner chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the edge part of the piston is made from an elastomer.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising control means arranged to control the operation of at least the rotor drive means, the rotor displacement means, the piston displacement means and the head drive means.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the piston and the rotor are arranged to be displaced simultaneously and the piston displacement means also constitutes the rotor displacement means.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the holder is movable with respect to the head to retrieve a sample container containing a sample and placing it so that the open side of the sample container is in tight connection with the opening of the inner chamber and to remove the sample container from such position and place it at a second position.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the holder is arranged for supporting two sample containers simultaneously and move both sample containers simultaneously to exchange their mutual position with respect to the opening of the inner chamber.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the holder is arranged on the head of the device and comprises holder drive means for driving a movement of the holder.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the operation of the holder is controlled by means of the control means.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid disperser arranged for dispensing a cleansing liquid into a sample container held by the holder.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising drying means arranged for providing a drying airflow towards a sample container held by the holder.

12. The device according to claim 1 further comprising suction means arranged for emptying of a sample container held by the holder.

13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a scanner arranged for scanning the upper surface of a sample situated in a sample container held by the holder.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical analysis system arranged for scanning the content of a sample container through a transparent bottom part of the sample container, and wherein the holder is arranged to position a sample container for being scanned by the optical analysis system.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control means of the device comprises a data communication interface suitable for connection with a data communication interface of an optical analysis system, and wherein the control means of the device is adapted for transferring data identifying the content of the sample container to a control means of the optical analysis system prior to scanning of the content of the sample container.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control means is arranged to control the operation of the device in a sequence where the head is a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented upwards, in which position the rotor drive means is operated to rotate the rotor for a period of time, followed by an alternation of the orientation of the head and the holder to a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards, where the rotor displacement means and the piston displacement means are operated to move the rotor and the piston to a position near the opening of the inner chamber, and the holder removing the sample container from its position in tight connection with the opening of the inner chamber.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the control means is arranged to control the operation of the device in a sequence where the head initially is a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards, and the holder are operated to place a sample container so that the open side of the sample container is in tight connection with the opening of the inner chamber, where after the head drive means is operated to alternate the orientation of the head and the holder to a position where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented upwards.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises one or more blades each having a grinding edge and a blunt spine, and wherein the control means is arranged to control the operation of the rotor to rotate in a first direction, where the grinding edge or edges are moved forward, followed by a reverse rotation, wherein the spine or spines are moved forward.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the control means is arranged to control the operation of the device in a sequence where the head is at a position, where the opening of the inner chamber is oriented downwards and a sample container is held by the holder in a position, where the open side of the sample container is accessible, where the head is moved to a position beneath the liquid dispenser, which is operated to dispense the cleansing liquid into the sample container, where after the holder is moved to place the open side of the sample container in tight connection with the opening of the inner chamber and the rotor and the piston is displaced by means of the rotor displacement means and the piston displacement means, so that the rotor extends into the sample container and the rotor is rotated by means of the rotor drive means, followed by moving the holder to remove the sample container from the tight connection with the opening of the inner chamber, emptying of the sample container and moving the head to a position with respect to the drying means, where the drying means is operated to provide a drying airflow into the sample container.

20. The device according to claim 1, comprising a robotic arm to which the head is connected and which serves as head drive means.

21. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a carousel for holding a plurality of sample containers, and carousel drive means for driving a rotation of the carousel and wherein the device is adapted for retrieving sample containers from the carousel by means of the holder, and wherein the operation of the carousel drive means is controlled by means of the control means of the device.

22. A system comprising a device according to claim 1 and at least one arrangement for inline optical analysis of a flow of matter by means of an optical analysis system of the arrangement, wherein control means of the arrangement is adapted for receiving data from a scanning of matter from the optical analysis system of the device and calibrate the optical analysis system of the arrangement based thereon.

23. A method of use of a device according to claim 1, said method including steps of grinding of a sample and presenting the sample for an analysis system.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said analysis system comprises an optical analysis system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0044] An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the enclosed drawing of which

[0045] FIG. 1 shows the head of the device in a position where the opening of the inner chamber of the head is oriented upwards,

[0046] FIG. 2 shows the head of the device in a position where the opening of the inner chamber of the head is oriented downwards,

[0047] FIG. 3 shows the holder a the head positioning a sample container below a surface scanner for scanning the surface of the content of the sample container,

[0048] FIG. 4 shows the holder of the head positioning a sample container at a scale for determining the weight thereof,

[0049] FIG. 5 shows the holder of the head positioning a sample container at a Near Infrared Reflection optical analysis system,

[0050] FIG. 6 shows the holder of the head positioning a sample container below a liquid dispenser for dispensing a cleaning liquid into the sample container,

[0051] FIG. 7 shows the holder of the head positioning a sample container below a dryer providing a drying airflow to the sample container,

[0052] FIG. 8 shows the piston and the rotor in a retracted position away from the opening of the inner chamber, and

[0053] FIG. 9 shows the piston and the rotor in an extended position close to the opening of the inner chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0054] The device shown in the enclosed drawing comprises a head 1 arranged on an arm 2, which preferably is an robotic arm 2, the arm 2 having sufficient degrees of freedom to turn the orientation of the head upside-down and back as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The head 1 comprises an inner chamber 3 having an opening 4, which in FIG. 1 is oriented upwards and in FIG. 2 is oriented downwards. The inner cross-section of the chamber is substantially circular and it contains a piston 5 and a rotor 6. The rotor may be driven by means of the rotor drive means 7, typically an electric motor, but could alternatively be e.g. a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic motor. The piston 5 and the rotor 6 can also be moved in the longitudinal direction of the inner chamber 3, i.e. up and down, by means of displacement means 8, which likewise typically is an electric linear actuator, but could alternatively be e.g. a hydraulic or a pneumatic linear actuator. The piston 5 comprises an edge part 9, such as an O-ring, made from a elastomer, preferably silicon rubber, so that it will scrape and clean the wall 10 of the inner chamber 3 when the piston 5 is moved back and forth inside the chamber 3.

[0055] The head 1 furthermore comprises a holder 11 with two gripping parts 12 (not shown) for holding two sample containers 13. The holder 11 comprises a first driving means 14 for rotating the holder 11 and the gripping parts 12 so that the position of the two sample containers 13 are switched from a first position 15, where a sample container 13 is aligned with the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 and a second position 16, where the sample container 13 can be subjected to a scan, to cleaning, or to analysis, or the sample container 13 can be released from the gripping part 12 and placed e.g. on a scale 17 or and optical analysis system 18. The holder 11 also comprises holder displacement means 19 suitable for e.g. moving a sample container 13 in the first position 15 close to the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 so as to create a tight connection between the two.

[0056] In operation of the device, a sample may be achieved in two different manners. For both, the piston 5 and the rotor 6 are retracted to a position away from the opening 4 as shown in FIG. 8 to allow the sample to enter the inner chamber 3. In a first manner, the sample is extracted from e.g. a transport pipe for the matter to be sampled and tested by opening of a valve, from which the sample flows directly into the inner chamber 3 of the head 1. In this case, the head is positioned as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented upwards. In the second manner, the sample flows from the valve or the like into a sample container 13 held by the holder 11 in the second position 16, where the head is positioned as shown in FIG. 2, where the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented downwards and the sample container 13 is able to receive the sample. According to this second manner, the bolder 11 is then rotated by means of the first driving means 14 so that the sample container 13 with the sample is positioned in the first position just in front of the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3, and the holder displacement means 19 is then activated to move the sample container into tight contact with the head 1. The head 1 is then rotated by means of the arm 2 to the position shown in FIG. 1, where the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented upwards.

[0057] When the sample has been entered into the inner chamber 3 in either manner, the head 1 is now oriented as shown in FIG. 1 with the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 oriented upwards and a sample container 13 held in the first position 15 by means of the holder 11 so that it is in tight connection with the head 1 and covers the opening 4.

[0058] The filling of the inner chamber 3 with the sample may optionally be determined in order to ensure that the amount of sample is sufficient for the testing. This can be done by rotating the rotor 6 slowly or tilt the head 1 repeatedly to distribute the sample more evenly and scan the surface of the sample inside the inner chamber 3 by means of e.g. an ultrasound sensor (not shown). Alternatively or additionally, the head 1 is turned by means of the arm 2 to empty the sample into the sample container 13 placed in the first position 15 and the sample container 13 with the sample is placed on a scale 17 by rotating the holder 11 to place the sample container in the second position 16, moving the head 1 with the bolder 11 so that the sample container 13 is placed in the scale 17 and releasing the sample container 13 from the gripping part 12 (not shown) of the holder 11 so that the weight of the sample container 13 with the sample therein can be determined. In case both the scanning and the weighting are performed, an estimate of the density of the sample can be calculated. Hereafter, the sample is returned to the inner chamber 3 by engaging the sample container 13 on the scale 17 by means of the gripping part 12 of the holder 11, rotating the holder 11 so that the sample container 13 is in the first position 15, move the sample container 13 into tight contact with the head 1 by means of the holder displacement means 19 and rotating the head 1 to the position, where the opening 4 is oriented upwards, so that the sample falls into the inner cavity 3

[0059] In case the hardness of particles of the sample, such as pellets or the like needs to be tested, the rotor 6 is rotated forwards for a predetermined period of time in order to partly disintegrate the pellets or particles. By the term forwards is understood that the rotor 6 comprises blades having a grinding edge which is sharp, and an opposing blunt spine, where the grinding edge is moved forwards in a forward rotation of the rotor 6. Afterwards, the rotor 6 is rotated backwards at a predetermined rotational speed, and the resistance to the movement of the blunt spines from the partly disintegrated particles or pellets as measured e.g. by the power consumption of the rotor drive means 7 indicates the hardness of the particles or pellets.

[0060] In order to grind the sample to a homogeneous powder, the rotor 6 is rotated forwards at a predetermined speed of rotation, and the power consumption of the rotor drive means 7 is monitored to determine when the power consumption becomes constant in time, which indicates that the sample is no longer disintegrated by the rotor 7. The head 1 is now turned by means of the arm 2 to a position, where the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented downwards and the piston 5 and the rotor 6 is moved to an extended position close to the opening 4 as shown in FIG. 9, whereby the edge part 9 of the piston 5 scrapes the wall 10 of inner chamber 3 to ensure that the wall 10 is clean and all of the sample is transferred to the sample container 13 in the first position 15. In addition, the piston 5 hereby compacts the sample in the sample container 13. The rotor 6 is then rotated slowly in order to distribute the sample more evenly in the sample container 13.

[0061] The sample container 13 holding the sample is now moved away from the tight contact with the head 1 by moving the holder 11 by means of the holder displacement means 19 and the holder 11 is rotated by means of the first driving means 14 so that the sample container is placed in the second position 16. The head 1 is moved by means of the arm 2 to a position, where the sample container is right below a surface scanner 20, e.g. an optical scanner or an ultrasound scanner, as shown in FIG. 3, which scans the surface of the sample in order to ensure a substantially even distribution of the sample, so that all of the transparent bottom of the sample container is covered by the sample for the later optical analysis to be performed correctly, and optionally to determine the volume of the sample.

[0062] Then, the sample container 13 may be transferred to the scale 17 as shown in FIG. 4 and discussed previously to determine the weight of the sample In case the sample also was weighted prior to the disintegration thereof, a weight loss due to evaporation of humidity from the sample may be determined. A precise density of the sample may be determined from weight and volume thereof.

[0063] The sample container 13 is engaged again by the gripping part 12 of the holder 11, lifted from the scale 17 and placed, by moving the head 1 by means of the arm 2, on the optical analysis system 18 using Near Infrared (NIR) analysis as shown in FIG. 5. Prior to placing the sample container 13 on the optical analysis system 18, the free gripping part 12 of the holder 11 is moved to engage a previous sample container 13 already placed on the optical analysis system 18, remove it by rotating the holder 11 and situate the sample container 13 that has just been filled with a new sample on the optical analysis system 18 and releasing it from the gripping part 12 of the holder 11.

[0064] The optical analysis of the new sample in the sample container 13 placed on the optical analysis system 18 takes some time, during which the head carrying the sample container 13 just removed from the optical analysis system 18 is moved to a disposal location (not shown) where the orientation of the head 1 is alternated so that the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented downwards, whereby also the opening of the sample container 13 held by the gripping part 12 of the holder 11 is oriented downwards and the content of the sample container 13 is disposed of. In case the sample in the sample container 13 is sticky, e.g. due to high content of oil, an automated scraper (not shown) for scraping the inner of the sample container 13 may be arranged at the disposal location. The disposal location may alternatively comprise suction means for emptying of the sample container 13 without the need to turn the sample container 13 upside down. Suction means may also replace the possible scraper.

[0065] The emptied sample container 13 may then be washed. Depending on the type of matter that is sampled, the washing may take place after each sampling or at regular intervals, such as after five or ten samples. The washing procedure starts by moving, by means of the arm 2, the head 1 with the sample container 13 to be washed to a position as shown in FIG. 6, where the sample container 13 is below a liquid dispenser 21 where a cleaning liquid is dispensed into the sample container 13. The liquid may e.g. be softened water or water admixed with a detergent. The holder 11 is subsequently rotated by means of the first driving means 14 so that the sample container 13 is in the first position 15, where after the holder 11 is moved by means of the holder displacement means 19 so that the sample container 13 is in tight contact with the head 1. The piston 5 and the rotor 6 are situated in the most extended position near the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3, so that the rotor 6 extends into the sample container 13 and into the liquid therein. By rotating the rotor 6 by means of the rotor drive means 7, the inner side of the sample container 13 is washed thoroughly. The head 1 is after the washing moved to the disposal location (not shown), the holder is rotated so that the sample container 13 is in the second position 16, and the position of the head 1 and thereby also of the sample container 13 held by the holder 11 is alternated so the opening 4 is oriented downwards and the liquid in the sample container 13 is disposed of. The position of the head 1 is alternated again and the head 1 is moved by means of the arm 2 to a position as shown in FIG. 7, where the sample container 13 held by the holder 11 in the second position 16 beneath a dryer 22 arranged for providing a drying airflow towards the inner portion of the sample container 13. Hereafter, the sample container 13 is cleaned and the device is ready for obtaining and analysing a new sample. The device may furthermore be provided with vision inspection means (not shown) arranged for inspecting the cleaned sample containers 13 to ensure that the quality of the cleansing is satisfactory.

[0066] The wall 10 of the inner chamber 3 together with the rotor 6 and the piston 5 may also require a cleansing, which may be achieved in a similar manner. The washing procedure starts by moving, by means of the arm 2, the head 1 with the sample container 13 to a position as shown in FIG. 6, where the sample container 13 is below a liquid dispenser 21 where a cleaning liquid is dispensed into the sample container 13. The liquid may e.g. be softened water or water admixed with a detergent. The holder 11 is subsequently rotated by means of the first driving means 14 so that the sample container 13 is in the first position 15, where after the holder 11 is moved by means of the holder displacement means 19 so that the sample container 13 is in tight contact with the head 1. The head 1 is then rotated by means of the arm 2 so that the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented upwards. The piston 5 and the rotor 6 are situated in the most retracted position away from the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 as shown in FIG. 8. By rotating the rotor 6 by means of the rotor drive means 7, the wall of the inner chamber 3, the rotor 6 itself and the piston 5 are washed thoroughly. The head 1 is after the washing moved to the disposal location (not shown), the head 1 is rotated by means of the arm 2 to a position where the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is oriented downwards so the liquid will collect in the sample container 13; the holder is rotated so that the sample container 13 is in the second position 16, and the position of the head 1 and thereby also of the sample container 13 held by the holder 11 is alternated so the opening is oriented downwards and the liquid in the sample container 13 is disposed of. The position of the head 1 is alternated again and the head 1 is moved by means of the arm 2 to a position, where the opening 4 of the inner chamber 3 is beneath a dryer 22 arranged for providing a drying airflow towards the inner chamber 3. Hereafter, the inner chamber 3 with its contents is cleaned and the device is ready for obtaining and processing a new sample.

[0067] The device may comprise other parts and sensors for surveillance of the process and the sample, such as temperature sensors, and parts of the above-described process may be omitted, such as the hardness detection part, depending on the type of matter to be analysed and the information about the sampled matter that is desired to be obtained.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0068] 1 Head

[0069] 2 Arm

[0070] 3 Inner chamber

[0071] 4 Opening of inner chamber

[0072] 5 Piston

[0073] 6 Rotor

[0074] 7 Rotor drive means

[0075] 8 Displacement means for piston and rotor

[0076] 9 Edge part of piston

[0077] 10 Wall of the inner chamber

[0078] 11 Holder

[0079] 12 Gripping part of holder

[0080] 13 Sample container

[0081] 14 First driving means for rotating the holder

[0082] 15 First position of sample container

[0083] 16 Second position of sample container

[0084] 17 Scale

[0085] 18 Optical analysis system using Near Infrared (NIR) analysis

[0086] 19 Holder displacement means

[0087] 20 Surface scanner

[0088] 21 Liquid dispenser

[0089] 22 Dryer