LIQUID CULTURE INOCULATION MACHINE

To provide a liquid culture inoculation machine which simplifies a cap attaching/detaching mechanism to reduce manufacturing costs and to allow resumption of operations in a short time even if operations are stopped due to insufficient cap holding by engaging claws.SOLUTION: A liquid culture inoculation machine 100 comprises: a transportation unit 30 that transports containers 10 in which cultivation bottles 20, filled with a culture medium 22 and on which caps 26 are attached to bottle mouths 24, are accommodated in a matrix arrangement; a cap attachment/detachment unit 40 for attaching and detaching a cap 26 from a bottle mouth 24 at an inoculation position SA; and a culture inoculating part 50 for inoculating the liquid culture into the medium 22. The cap attachment/detachment unit 40 comprises an engaging claw assembly 42 having a plurality of engaging claws 43 that engage with the cap 26 at two points, and an elevating movement part 44 for vertically moving the height position of the engaging claw assembly 42, a horizontally reciprocating portion 46 for horizontally reciprocating the engaging claw assembly 42, and a bottle shoulder holding part 49.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】キャップ脱着機構を簡素化して製造コストを低減し、係合爪によるキャップ保持が不十分なことによる動作停止が生じても、短時間で動作復旧が可能な液体種菌接種機を提供すること。【解決手段】培地２２が充填され、瓶口２４にキャップ２６を装着した栽培瓶２０を行列配置で収容したコンテナ１０を搬送する搬送部３０と、接種位置ＳＡにおいてキャップ２６を瓶口２４から脱着するキャップ脱着ユニット４０と、培地２２に液体種菌を接種する種菌接種部５０とを具備し、キャップ脱着ユニット４０は、キャップ２６に対し２箇所で係合する係合爪４３が複数配設された係合爪集合体４２と、係合爪集合体４２の高さ位置を昇降移動させる昇降移動部４４と、係合爪集合体４２を水平方向に往復移動させる水平方向往復移動部４６と、瓶肩押さえ部４９と、を有していることを特徴とする液体種菌接種機１００である。【選択図】図１