Stirring apparatus and stirring system
The present invention relates to an apparatus ( 100 ) for producing a driving force for stirring samples, in particular samples for laboratory operations such as, for example, liquids, liquids with solid samples contained therein or solid samples, said apparatus comprising a sample holder ( 200 ) for receiving at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) for samples and a bar element ( 300 ), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder ( 200 ), wherein the bar element ( 300 ) comprises a coupling portion ( 310 ) for detachably coupling the bar element ( 300 ) to an operating unit ( 800 ), a fastening portion ( 320 ) for fastening the sample holder ( 200 ) to the bar element ( 300 ) and for positioning the sample holder ( 200 ) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined fashion, and a magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is embodied in such a way that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ). The invention further relates to system ( 700 ) comprising an operating unit ( 800 ) and the apparatus ( 100 ) according to the invention, which are detachably coupled by way of the coupling portion ( 310 ). The invention further relates to a process for stirring samples in sample vessels by means of the system ( 700 ).
1. Apparatus ( 100 ) for producing a driving force for stirring, the said apparatus ( 100 ) comprising
a sample holder ( 200 ) for receiving at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) for samples and
a bar element ( 300 ), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder ( 200 ),
wherein the bar element ( 300 ) comprises:
a coupling portion ( 310 ) for detachably coupling the bar element ( 300 ) to an operating unit ( 800 ),
a fastening portion ( 320 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) by means of the fastening portion ( 320 ) fastening the sample holder ( 200 ) to the bar element ( 300 ) and positioning the sample holder ( 200 ) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined fashion, and
a magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ),
wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is configured such that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), and
wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) comprises a body with a body axis and openings ( 210 ) for receiving the sample vessels ( 220 ) in an upright position, wherein the openings ( 210 ) are arranged distributed about the body axis, and
wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) in a coaxial fashion so that the openings ( 210 ) are arranged distributed about the longitudinal axis (LA).
2. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) has a point-symmetric or cyclically symmetric configuration as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis (LA).
3. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is detachably connected to the bar element ( 300 ).
4. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is formed by an electric magnet, and/or wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is formed by a bar magnet with two magnetic poles, wherein the magnetic poles extend radially opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA).
5. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion ( 320 ) is configured such that the bar element ( 300 ) is mounted to be rotatable relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA), wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is provided as a rotary magnet to produce the rotating magnetic field by way of rotating the bar element ( 300 ) with respect to the sample holder ( 200 ).
6. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion ( 320 ) is formed by a stepped portion ( 321 ) of the bar element ( 300 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) lies in axial fashion on a radial step of the stepped portion ( 321 ) and the sample holder ( 200 ) is mounted in rotatable fashion.
7. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the bar element ( 300 ) has a mechanical stirring portion, which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), wherein the mechanical stirring portion is formed by the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ).
8. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) extends at least partly radially within or outside of the sample holder ( 200 ) or at least partly axially below the latter.
9. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), or the sample holder ( 200 ) is configured such that it rotates with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA) at a different speed to the rotating magnetic field.
10. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 9 , further comprising a blocking part ( 410 ), which interacts with a blocking region ( 400 ) or a blocking structure ( 240 ), of the sample holder ( 200 ) so as to rotationally fix the sample holder ( 200 ) with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA).
11. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a vessel ( 500 ) with a receiving space ( 530 ) for receiving the sample holder ( 200 ).
12. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 11 , further comprising a lid ( 600 ) for sealing the receiving space ( 530 ) in pressure-tight fashion.
13. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the vessel ( 500 ) has a coupling opening ( 520 ) for coupling microwaves into the receiving space ( 530 ).
14. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one sample vessel ( 220 ), wherein a stirring element ( 270 ) is arranged in the at least one sample vessel ( 220 ), the stirring element ( 270 ) being able to be put into rotation (P 2 ) by means of the rotating magnetic field of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ).
15. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion ( 310 ) has a coupling partner ( 810 ) of a mechanical and/or magnetic coupling of the operating unit ( 800 ).
16. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion ( 310 ), the fastening portion ( 320 ) and the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) are arranged in this sequence along the longitudinal axis (LA) of the bar element ( 300 ), and have an integral configuration with one another.
17. System ( 700 ), comprising:
the operating unit ( 800 ) and
an apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ) is detachably coupled to the operating unit ( 800 ) via the coupling portion ( 310 ).
18. System ( 700 ) according to claim 17 , further comprising a thermal sensor ( 420 ) for capturing the temperature in the sample vessels ( 220 ), wherein a blocking part ( 410 ) is formed by the thermal sensor ( 420 ), which, when viewed in the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis (LA), forms an interlocking connection with a recess ( 260 ) of the sample holder ( 200 ).
19. System ( 700 ) according to claim 17 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ) further comprises a vessel ( 500 ) with a receiving space ( 530 ) for receiving the sample holder ( 200 ), and a lid ( 600 ) for sealing the receiving space ( 530 ) in pressure-tight fashion, wherein the lid ( 600 ) is formed together with the operating unit ( 800 ).
20. System ( 700 ) according to claim 19 , further comprising a drive unit ( 900 ) by means of which the lid ( 600 ) is movable relative to the vessel ( 500 ) in partly or fully automated fashion in order to selectively open the vessel ( 500 ) or seal the latter with the lid ( 600 ).
21. System ( 700 ) according to claim 17 , further comprising a heating apparatus ( 910 ) for heating a sample.
22. System ( 700 ) according to claim 17 , further comprising a control unit ( 1000 ) for controlling the operating unit ( 800 ).
23. Process for stirring samples for laboratory operations in sample vessels ( 200 ) the process including the following steps:
providing a system ( 700 ) according to claim 17 ,
inserting at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) comprising a sample into the sample holder ( 200 ), wherein a stirring element ( 270 ) is arranged in at least one of the sample vessels ( 220 ),
producing a magnetic field rotating relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) in order to put the stirring elements ( 270 ) in the sample vessels ( 220 ) into rotation (P 2 ).
24. Process according to claim 23 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ), is received in a receiving space ( 530 ) of a vessel ( 500 ) before the rotating magnetic field is produced, wherein, further, the receiving space ( 530 ) is sealed by means of a lid ( 600 ), in pressure-tight fashion.
25. Process according to claim 23 , wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is rotated relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) while the sample holder ( 200 ) is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA) by means of a blocking region ( 400 ).
26. Process according to claim 25 , wherein, further, a loading liquid ( 550 ) is filled into a vessel ( 500 ), the sample vessels ( 220 ) at least partly protruding into the loading liquid ( 550 ), wherein a mechanical stirring portion of the bar element ( 300 ), which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), is arranged in the loading liquid ( 550 ) such that the loading liquid ( 550 ) is stirred in the case of a rotation (P 1 ) of the bar element ( 300 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA).
27. Apparatus ( 100 ) for producing a driving force for stirring samples, the apparatus ( 100 ) comprising
a sample holder ( 200 ) for receiving at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) for samples and
a bar element ( 300 ), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder ( 200 ),
wherein the bar element ( 300 ) comprises:
a coupling portion ( 310 ) for detachably coupling the bar element ( 300 ) to an operating unit ( 800 ),
a fastening portion ( 320 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) by means of the fastening portion ( 320 ) fastening the sample holder ( 200 ) to the bar element ( 300 ) and positioning the sample holder ( 200 ) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined position, and
a magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ),
wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is configured such that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), and
wherein the bar element ( 300 ) extends along the longitudinal axis (LA) between two opposite ends, the coupling portion ( 310 ) being on one end, the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) being on the other end and the fastening portion ( 320 ) being provided therebetween.