阅读说明：本技术 液中粒子的评价装置及其运转方法 (Apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid and method for operating the same ) 是由 冈谷真治 竹本恭也 于 2019-01-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种液中粒子的评价装置,具有：主体构件,具有彼此对置的第一开口部和第二开口部、并且在内部具有中空部；第一流路和第二流路,与前述主体构件连接,与前述中空部连通；第一驱动构件和第二驱动构件,在前述中空部内彼此对置地设置,且能够在前述中空部内滑动；驱动机构,使前述第一驱动构件和/或前述第二驱动构件在前述中空部内在对置方向上驱动；送液机构,经由前述第一流路而向前述中空部中导入含有粒子的液体；和拍摄机构,从前述第一开口部或前述第二开口部拍摄前述中空部内的粒子；在从对置方向观察前述第一驱动构件和前述第二驱动构件的情况下,前述第一驱动构件和前述第二驱动构件具有比前述第一流路和前述第二流路宽度更宽的部位。(The invention provides an evaluation device for particles in liquid, comprising: a body member having a first opening and a second opening opposed to each other and having a hollow portion therein; a first flow path and a second flow path connected to the body member and communicating with the hollow portion; a first driving member and a second driving member which are provided to face each other in the hollow portion and are slidable in the hollow portion; a drive mechanism that drives the first drive member and/or the second drive member in the hollow portion in the opposing direction; a liquid feeding mechanism for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first channel; and an imaging mechanism that images the particles in the hollow portion from the first opening or the second opening; the first and second drive members have a wider portion than the first and second flow paths when viewed from the opposite direction.)

1. An apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid,

comprising:

a body member having a first opening and a second opening opposed to each other and having a hollow portion therein;

a first flow path and a second flow path connected to the body member and communicating with the hollow portion;

a first driving member and a second driving member which are provided to face each other in the hollow portion and are slidable in the hollow portion;

a drive mechanism that drives the first drive member and/or the second drive member in the hollow portion in the opposing direction;

a liquid feeding mechanism for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first flow path; and

an imaging means for imaging the particles in the hollow portion from the first opening or the second opening,

the first and second drive members have a wider portion than the first and second flow paths when viewed from the opposite direction.

2. The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to claim 1,

the liquid-tight driving device is provided with a connecting member which is attached to the main body member and the first driving member and keeps the main body member and the first driving member liquid-tight.

3. The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to claim 2,

the connecting member has a corrugated structure.

4. The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the first drive member and/or the second drive member may have a substantially circular or polygonal shape when viewed from the opposite direction.

5. A method of operating an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first driving member and/or the second driving member are driven such that a width between the first driving member and the second driving member in the opposing direction is 0.01mm or more and less than 0.05mm when viewed and 0.5mm or more when viewed other than.

6. The method of operating the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to claim 5, wherein a driving speed of the first driving member and/or the second driving member in the opposing direction is 5mm/s or less.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid and a method for operating the same.

Background

As a mechanism for automatically observing particles in a liquid such as microorganisms in the liquid, there is known a technique for fixing a part of the liquid including the particles to a specific region while adjusting a gap between two transparent glasses according to the size of the particles in the liquid (patent documents 1 and 2).

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in the conventional techniques (patent documents 1 and 2) in which a member such as transparent glass is driven vertically, it is considered that particles in a liquid to be observed are crushed and fixed to the driving member, and these fixed objects become obstacles to automatic observation, and a large burden is required to remove them.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for evaluating liquid particles and a method for operating the same, which can observe liquid particles contained in a liquid to be measured at appropriate intervals by driving a driving member in an opposing direction (vertical driving), and can greatly suppress the consolidation of the liquid particles to the driving member or the like.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to the present invention includes, as one aspect thereof:

a body member having a first opening and a second opening opposed to each other and having a hollow portion therein;

a first flow path and a second flow path connected to the body member and communicating with the hollow portion;

a first driving member and a second driving member which are provided to face each other in the hollow portion and are slidable in the hollow portion;

a drive mechanism that drives the first drive member and/or the second drive member in the hollow portion in the opposing direction;

a liquid feeding mechanism for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first channel; and

an imaging means for imaging the particles in the hollow portion from the first opening or the second opening,

the first and second drive members have a wider portion than the first and second flow paths when viewed from the opposite direction.

In addition, as one embodiment of the method of operating the apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid, the first driving member and/or the second driving member are driven such that a width between the first driving member and the second driving member in the opposing direction is 0.01mm or more and less than 0.05mm in an observation direction and 0.5mm or more except for the observation direction.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid and the method for operating the apparatus of the present invention, the first driving member and the second driving member are driven in the opposing direction (vertical driving), whereby particles in liquid contained in the liquid to be measured can be observed at an appropriate interval, and in addition, the consolidation of the particles in liquid to be observed to the driving member and the like can be significantly suppressed, so that the accuracy of the observation result can be further improved, and the burden of maintenance of the apparatus can be significantly suppressed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main body member of an apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the first drive member as viewed from a direction facing the second drive member.

Fig. 4a is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4b is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5a is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5b is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the reference numerals

1 main body member

2 first opening part

3 second opening part

4 first flow path

5 second flow path

6 hollow part

7 first drive member

8 second drive member

9 shooting mechanism

11 connecting member

12 second drive member (fixed state)

13 has a corrugated structure.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

< first embodiment >

An evaluation device for particles in liquid according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

a body member having a first opening and a second opening opposed to each other and having a hollow portion therein;

a first flow path and a second flow path connected to the body member and communicating with the hollow portion;

a first driving member and a second driving member which are provided to face each other in the hollow portion and are slidable in the hollow portion;

a drive mechanism that drives the first drive member and/or the second drive member in the hollow portion in the opposing direction;

a liquid feeding mechanism for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first channel; and

an imaging means for imaging the particles in the hollow portion from the first opening or the second opening,

the first and second driving members have a portion wider than the first and second flow paths when viewed from the opposing direction.

In the apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first opening and the second opening preferably face each other and communicate with the hollow portion.

An evaluation device for particles in liquid according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a body member having a first opening and a second opening facing each other and communicating with each other to form a hollow portion, and a first flow path and a second flow path communicating with the hollow portion, respectively; a first driving member and a second driving member which are respectively embedded or loosely embedded in the hollow part; a drive mechanism that drives the first drive member and/or the second drive member in the hollow portion in opposite directions; a liquid feeding mechanism for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first flow path; and an imaging mechanism for imaging the particles in the liquid in the hollow portion; the first and second driving members have a portion wider than the first and second flow paths when viewed from the opposing direction.

The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a body member having a first opening and a second opening facing each other and communicating with each other to form a hollow portion, and a first flow path and a second flow path communicating with the hollow portion, respectively.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main body member of an apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the sectional view of fig. 1, the body member 1 has a first opening 2 and a second opening 3 facing each other at one end and the other end (in the up-down direction) thereof.

In the main body member 1 of fig. 1, the first opening 2 and the second opening 3 have the same width, but may have different widths and different opening shapes, for example.

The body member has a first opening and a second opening opposed to each other, and has a hollow portion inside.

The body member may be tubular, substantially circular tubular, or polygonal tubular. Further, a first opening portion may be provided at one end and a second opening portion may be provided at the other end.

The first opening 2 and the second opening 3 can communicate with each other to form a hollow 6. In the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid to be measured existing in the hollow portion 6 can be observed through the first opening 2 or the second opening 3 and evaluated.

In the body member 1 of fig. 1, the hollow portion has a uniform width as a whole from the first opening 2 to the second opening 3, but the shape is not particularly limited, and for example, the hollow portion may be changed in width (expanded, contracted, or the like) or may be bent.

In the cross-sectional view of fig. 1, the body member 1 has a first flow path 4 and a second flow path 5 on its side surface (left-right direction).

In fig. 1, the first channel 4 and the second channel 5 have the same width and the same length in the width (upper and lower sides in fig. 1) direction and the length (left and right sides in the figure) direction, respectively, but may have different widths and different shapes. In fig. 1, the first channel 4 and the second channel 5 are provided at the same position in the length (up and down in fig. 1) direction of the body member 1 so as to face each other, but they may be provided at different positions.

The first channel 4 and the second channel 5 are connected to the body member 1 and communicate with the hollow portion 6.

The material forming the body member is not particularly limited as long as it is not corroded by the liquid to be measured, and examples thereof include metals such as stainless steel and aluminum.

The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention needs to include a first driving member and a second driving member that are provided so as to face each other in the hollow portion and are slidable in the hollow portion. In addition, the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the present invention needs to include a driving mechanism for driving the first driving member and/or the second driving member in the hollow portion in the opposing direction.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The first driving member and the second driving member may be fitted or loosely fitted in the hollow portion, respectively. In the cross-sectional view of fig. 2, a first driving member 7 and a second driving member 8 are fitted in a hollow portion 6 of the body member 1, respectively, and are in a state in which they can be driven to face each other in the longitudinal direction (up and down in the drawing) of the body member 1 by a driving mechanism (not shown).

Here, "fitting" refers to a case where the first driving member and the second driving member are respectively fitted into the hollow portion so that the hollow portion is in a liquid-tight state.

The first driving member and/or the second driving member may be present in a state where the hollow portion is not liquid-tight, and may be "loose-fitting".

The first driving member and the second driving member may be driven by both of them in the hollow portion, or only one of them may be driven in the hollow portion.

In the latter case, the driving member on the non-driving side may be fixed by adhesion or the like so as to close a part of the first opening, the second opening, or the hollow portion. Further, a portion corresponding to the non-driving side driving member may be integrally molded with the body member. In these cases, it is not strictly explained, and if it is assumed that there is no fixed driving member or a portion corresponding to the driving member, it can be considered that the first opening portion and the second opening portion communicate with each other to form a hollow portion.

The first drive member and/or the second drive member may be driven not only within the hollow portion but also from within the hollow portion to outside the hollow portion.

In the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid to be measured existing in the local region of the hollow portion sandwiched by the first driving member or the second driving member is imaged and evaluated while passing over the first driving member or the second driving member. Thus, at least a portion of the first drive member or the second drive member is preferably transparent or translucent. On the other hand, both of the driving members may have a transparent portion, or the entire driving member may be formed so as to be transparent.

Examples of the material for forming the transparent portion of the driving member include glass, acrylic resin, and polycarbonate resin. Further, as a material for forming a portion other than the transparent portion in the driving member, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum may be mentioned.

The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention needs to include a liquid feeding mechanism (not shown) for introducing a liquid containing particles into the hollow portion through the first flow path. In addition, the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention needs to include an imaging mechanism for imaging particles in liquid in the hollow portion.

The liquid feeding mechanism can introduce a liquid containing particles, i.e., a liquid to be measured, into a local region of the hollow portion sandwiched between the first driving member and the second driving member through the first flow path. Further, the imaging means can image the liquid to be measured in a local region existing in the hollow portion sandwiched by the first driving member or the second driving member, for example, in fig. 2, by the imaging means 9 while passing over the first driving member 7 or the second driving member 8, and evaluate the liquid.

Examples of the liquid feeding mechanism include a turbine (non-positive displacement) type or a positive displacement type pump.

The imaging means may be, for example, a camera having a device typified by a CCD or a CMOS, and it is preferable to use a device sensitivity of color, monochrome, UV, IR, or the like in a different manner depending on the object to be evaluated.

The liquid to be measured introduced into the local region in the hollow portion via the first flow path is discharged to the outside of the hollow portion via the second flow path. The liquid to be measured may be continuously introduced into the local region of the hollow portion, but by providing a closing mechanism in the first flow path and/or the second flow path to stop the flow of the liquid to be measured therein, it is possible to perform imaging and evaluation in a state where the liquid to be measured in the local region of the hollow portion is temporarily retained.

In the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the first driving member and the second driving member are viewed from the opposing direction, the first driving member and the second driving member need to have a portion having a wider width than the first channel and the second channel.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the first drive member 7 as viewed from a direction facing the second drive member 8. The widths of the first channel 4 and the second channel 5 are both L1 and are constant, but the first driving member 7 has a portion wider than the width (the maximum width is L2). The second driving member 8, which is not shown in fig. 3, has a portion having a width wider than the width L1 of the first flow path 4 and the second flow path 5 when viewed from the direction directly opposite to fig. 3.

In the case where the first drive member 7 or the second drive member 8 does not have a portion wider than the width L1 of the first flow path 4 and the second flow path 5 as shown in fig. 3, that is, in the case where the maximum width L2 of the first drive member 7 or the second drive member 8 is the same as L1 or narrower than L1, if the liquid-borne particles having a diameter approximately the same as L1 are introduced into the hollow portion and accumulated, if the liquid-borne particles are crushed by the driving (vertical driving) of the first drive member 7 and/or the second drive member 8 in the opposing direction, the crushed liquid-borne particles are lost to the escape space in the width direction of the first drive member 7 and the second drive member 8. Further, if the pressure is further applied to the particles in the liquid by extending the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 in the direction of the length L3 without a gap, the possibility of the particles being fixed to the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 is further increased.

On the other hand, in the case where the first driving member 7 or the second driving member 8 has a portion wider than the width L1 of the first flow path 4 and the second flow path 5 as shown in fig. 3, even in the case where the in-liquid particles having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter L1 are introduced into the hollow portion and accumulated, the in-liquid particles crushed by the driving (up-down driving) of the first driving member 7 and/or the second driving member 8 in the opposing direction can extend not only in the longitudinal direction of the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 but also in the width direction, and the possibility of extending without a gap between the two driving members is significantly reduced. Therefore, the possibility that the particles in the liquid are fixed to the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 can be significantly reduced.

If the length L3 of the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 is too short, the possibility that particles in the liquid stay in the hollow portion 6 or the washing of the hollow portion 6 becomes insufficient increases. On the other hand, if it is too long, the possibility of clogging of particles in the liquid introduced into the hollow portion 6 or the like increases. Therefore, L3 is preferably substantially the same as L2, and the shapes of the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 when the first driving member 7 and the second driving member 8 are viewed from the direction facing each other are more preferably substantially circular or polygonal, and still more preferably substantially circular, from the viewpoint of preventing particles in a retained liquid from being caught.

The width between the first driving member and the second driving member in the opposing direction may be determined as appropriate depending on the average size of the particles in the liquid, the depth of field of the imaging means provided in the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the like, and when the particles in the liquid are observed, if the particles in the liquid are activated sludge, it is preferable to set the imaging resolution and the positional reproducibility of the driving member to 0.01mm or more. In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing erroneous recognition that particles in the liquid overlap in the vertical direction, the width between the first driving member and the second driving member in the facing direction when the particles in the liquid are observed is preferably set to be less than 0.05 mm.

On the other hand, in order to suppress the clogging of the hollow portion and the like except when the particles are observed in the liquid, the width between the first driving member and the second driving member is preferably set to 0.5mm or more. In addition, the width between the first driving member and the second driving member other than the observation of the particles in the liquid is preferably 1mm or less in order to avoid an increase in observation time due to the driving time. Since the possibility of particles in liquid, etc. fixed to the first driving member and the second driving member, being dissociated is increased in addition to the observation of particles in liquid, it is preferable to intermittently repeat the introduction of the liquid to be measured and the driving (vertical driving) of the first driving member and the second driving member in the opposing direction.

In the method for operating the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first driving member and/or the second driving member are driven such that the width between the first driving member and the second driving member in the opposing direction is 0.01mm or more and less than 0.05mm when viewed and 0.5mm or more except when viewed.

In order to set the evaluation time including the imaging to an appropriate value and reduce the possibility of damage to the driving member and the like, the driving speed of the first driving member and/or the second driving member in the opposing direction is preferably set to 5mm/s or less. From the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is preferably 0.5mm/s or more.

< second embodiment >

Fig. 4a and 4b are schematic cross-sectional views of a body member of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes, in addition to the components of the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a connecting member that is attached to the main body member and the first driving member and that holds the main body member and the first driving member in a liquid-tight manner.

In the sectional views of fig. 4a and 4b, the first driving member 7 is loosely fitted in the hollow portion 6 of the body member 1, and the second driving member 12 is fitted in the hollow portion. Here, the first driving member 7 is in a state of being capable of being driven by a driving mechanism (not shown) so as to face each other in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the main body member 1. On the other hand, the second driving member 12 is configured to be undriven, and is fixed by adhesion so as to close the second opening. As described above, the second drive member that is not driven may be integrally formed with the main body member.

In the sectional views of fig. 4a and 4b, the first driving member 7 loosely fitted in the hollow portion 6 of the body member 1 is configured to drive not only in the hollow portion 6 but also from the inside of the hollow portion 6 to the outside of the hollow portion 6. In such a configuration, in order to hold the body member and the first driving member in a liquid-tight state, the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a connecting member 11 as shown in fig. 4a and 4 b. The coupling members 11 are attached to the main body member 1 and the first driving member (7), respectively.

The shape of the coupling member may be determined as appropriate depending on the material thereof, the driving range of the first driving member, and the like. The connecting member may be an elastic member, and examples of the material of the connecting member include a resin, a rubber, and an elastomer that can expand and contract while having a certain breaking strength.

As a method of attaching the coupling member 11 to each of the main body member and the first driving member, for example, fixation by adhesion or the like is given.

< third embodiment >

Fig. 5a and 5b are schematic cross-sectional views of a body member of an apparatus for evaluating particles in a liquid according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the connecting member in the apparatus for evaluating particles in liquid according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a bellows structure.

In the cross-sectional view of fig. 5a, the connecting member 13 has a corrugated structure. Since the connecting member D1 has a bellows structure, even when the first driving member 7 drives (drives up and down) in the facing direction as shown in fig. 5b, the connecting member 13 can expand and contract without significant fluctuation in the lateral direction (left and right), and the evaluation of particles in the liquid can be performed more stably.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can be suitably used for evaluation of the state of particles in a liquid such as activated sludge in a water treatment tank.

The present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, but it is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The present application is based on the application of japanese patent application (japanese patent application 2018-16114) filed on 1/2/2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.