CN-114144682-B - Link chain, chain system and method

Abstract

The present invention describes a chain comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected to each other such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without bending backwards. Each link of a plurality of links including a link body includes an inner side facing a bending direction of the chain, an outer side facing an opposite direction of the bending direction of the chain, a back-bending prevention portion, a post feature extending laterally across the link body, and a connection feature configured to engage the post feature of the first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links to create a one-direction pivotal attachment between the links without bending back. Further disclosed are a chain system and a method of moving a device with a chain or chain system.

Inventors

• J. Musakio

Assignees

• 沃特世科技公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20200728

Priority Date

20190729

Claims (18)

1. 1.A chain, comprising: a plurality of links pivotally connected to one another such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without bending backward, each link of the plurality of links comprising a link body having: an inner side facing a bending direction of the chain; an outer side facing in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the chain; A back-bending prevention portion proximate the outer side of the link body, the back-bending prevention portion comprising a first surface configured to prevent back-bending when engaged with the second surface of a first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links and a second surface configured to prevent back-bending when engaged with the first surface of a second body of the pivotally connected plurality of links; a post feature extending laterally across the link body, the post feature including a portion exposed from the inner side of the chain, and A connection feature configured to engage with the post feature of the first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links to create a directional pivotal attachment between the links without bending backward; wherein each link of the plurality of links is made from a single unitary piece of material; Wherein the back-bending prevention portion comprises a first flange having the first surface and a second flange having the second surface and a web between the first flange and the second flange.
2. 2. The chain of claim 1, wherein the first surface extends along a plane parallel to a vertically extending axis defined by a bending direction of the chain.
3. 3. The chain of claim 2, wherein the web extends from the first flange and the second flange toward the inner side, and wherein the post feature is connected to the web at the inner side.
4. 4. The chain of claim 3, wherein the post features comprise first post portions extending from the web in a first direction, and wherein the post features comprise second post portions extending from the web in a second direction opposite the first direction.
5. 5. The chain of claim 4, wherein the post features are integrally connected to the web.
6. 6. The chain of claim 4, wherein the post features are pins, and wherein the web includes openings such that the post features can be inserted through the openings.
7. 7. The chain of claim 3, wherein the connection feature comprises a first u-shaped body defining a first channel and a second u-shaped body having a second channel, wherein the post feature of the first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links is receivable in the first channel and the second channel.
8. 8. The chain of claim 7, wherein the web of the first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links is configured to extend between the first u-shaped body and the second u-shaped body.
9. 9. The chain of claim 1, wherein an entirety of each link of the plurality of links is made from a single unitary sheet of plastic material.
10. 10. The chain of claim 1, wherein each link of the plurality of links is configured to bend 90 degrees relative to an adjacent link of the plurality of links.
11. 11. A chain system, comprising: A chain, the chain comprising: a plurality of links pivotally connected to one another such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without bending backward, each link of the plurality of links comprising a link body having: a backward bending prevention portion near an outer side of the link body; A post feature extending transversely across the link body, and A connection feature configured to engage with the post feature of a first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links to create a directional pivotal attachment between the links without bending backward; a magnet attached to a front link of the plurality of links of the chain, the front link configured to removably connect the chain to a magnetic feature of a device, whereby the chain is configured to push and pull the device along an axis when driven by a drive system; A device track configured to receive the device and guide the device as the chain moves the device along an axis driven by the drive system, and A liquid chromatography system attached to the device track, wherein the device is a transfer tray configured to hold a sample bottle holder, and wherein the chain is configured to push the transfer tray into and out of the liquid chromatography system along the device track when driven by the drive system.
12. 12. The chain system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising: A drive system including a rotary gear drive in operable communication with a motor, the rotary gear drive being integral with the post feature of each of the plurality of links of the chain.
13. 13. The chain system of claim 12, wherein the motor is a stepper motor configured to move a belt to produce rotation of the rotary gear drive.
14. 14. The chain system of claim 12, the drive system further comprising: A drive system body defining an inner track configured to guide the chain during movement of the chain through the drive system from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the rotary gear drive includes teeth extending into the inner track.
15. 15. The chain system of claim 11, further comprising an entry gate positioned between the device track and the liquid chromatography system, wherein the entry gate is in operable communication with the drive system.
16. 16. The chain system of claim 15, wherein the access door is configured to open when the chain is extended by the drive system such that extending the chain from a retracted state is configured to push a transfer tray into the liquid chromatography system through an opening of the access door and retracting the chain from an extended state is configured to pull a transfer tray out of the liquid chromatography system through the opening of the access door.
17. 17. The chain system of claim 11, wherein the device track comprises a guide keyed to a size of the transfer tray.
18. 18. A method, comprising: Providing a chain system according to claim 11; connecting the magnet to a magnetic feature of a device; pushing the device with the chain in a first direction by driving the chain with a drive system, and Disconnecting the magnet from the magnetic feature of the device.

Description

Link chain, chain system and method RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of the prior filing date of U.S. provisional patent application serial No.62/879,665 entitled "LINK CHAIN, CHAIN SYSTEM AND Method" (chain link chain, chain system, and Method) filed on 7/29 of 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present technology relates generally to automated liquid chromatography systems. More particularly, the present technology relates to a method of loading a sample into a sample manager of a liquid chromatography system. Background Liquid Chromatography (LC) systems typically use a sample manager to take a sample and inject the sample into the system stream (i.e., mobile phase) of the chromatography system. The sample manager is typically provided as a stackable or rack mountable system module that may be arranged in a vertical orientation with respect to other LC system modules. In conventional sample managers, a sample vial holder (e.g., 96 vials in a grid configuration) having a capacity to hold a plurality of sample vials is loaded into the sample manager by a user. Loading is accomplished by opening an access door in front of the sample manager and manually placing the sample bottle holder into a compartment in the sample tray. When chromatographic separation of all samples to be processed is completed, the user opens the access door and removes the sample vial holder from the sample tray. Recently, robotic systems have been used to perform sample loading and unloading functions to increase the use of LC systems by reducing user involvement. For example, the robot may open an access door to the sample manager, remove a sample vial holder from the sample tray, return the sample vial holder to a sample storage unit (e.g., a sample organizer) or other location, retrieve another sample vial holder from the sample storage unit, load the retrieved sample vial holder into the sample manager and close the door on the sample manager. Due to the complexity and time required for the robots to open and close the doors along with the intermediate robotic tasks, the doors can remain open for the entire loading and unloading process. The time when the door is open can be substantial, e.g., tens of seconds or more, resulting in significant changes in the internal temperature of the sample manager due to exposure to the surrounding environment. It may be necessary to wait a predetermined time to return the internal temperature to an acceptable level or to monitor the internal temperature to ensure that it returns to an acceptable temperature. The incurred time delay may limit the throughput of the LC system. Chains have been created for various applications that structurally exclude backward bending and perform various functions. For example, today, it is common to exclude a backward curved chain from being used as a cable support that provides a cavity within which cables attached to the moving components of the system are accommodated. These wire-bearing "drag chains" are designed to not need to withstand the pushing and pulling capabilities, i.e., forces acting on the chain parallel to the chain length. Furthermore, chains that preclude backward bending often incorporate complex link designs with multiple separable features (i.e., links, pins, etc.) that need to be assembled to form the chain. In addition, the structure of known cable-carrying chains is generally significantly limited in terms of the rotation allowed by the structure between the two links. Furthermore, typical one-way flex chain systems do not use the chain for accurate movement of laboratory test specimens, such as liquid chromatography samples and sample holding trays. Disclosure of Invention In one exemplary embodiment, a chain includes a plurality of links pivotally connected to one another such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without bending back, each link of the plurality of links including a link body having an inner side facing a bending direction of the chain, an outer side facing an opposite direction of the bending direction of the chain, a back-bending prevention portion proximate the outer side of the link body, the back-bending prevention portion including a first surface configured to prevent back-bending when engaged with the second surface of a first other link of the pivotally connected plurality of links, and a post feature extending laterally across the link body, the post feature including a portion exposed from the inner side of the chain, the post feature being configured to prevent back-bending when engaged with the first surface of the second body of the pivotally connected plurality of links, the post feature being configured to be non-engaged with the post feature of the other link. Additionally or alternatively, the back-bending prevention portion includes a first flange having the first surface and a second flange havin