Liquid suction device

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-09-10
FUJIFILM CORP +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In view of the above-described circumstances, the present invention is directed to providing a liquid suction device which efficiently suctions a liquid remaining in liquid receptacles, in particular, at edge portions of bottom surfaces of wells of a microchip.
[0012]According to the liquid suction device of the invention, the suction nozzle is moved by the moving means until the tip opening contacts the bottom surface of the well while the suction nozzle applies the suction force produced by the suction pressure supplied by the pump means. Therefore, as the tip opening approaches the bottom surface of the well, the distance between the tip opening, which suctions the liquid, and the liquid remaining in the well decreases, and the flow rate in the liquid remaining in the well increases. In this manner, even if the liquid contained in the well has a high viscosity, for example, and the liquid F adheres to the circumferential surface, in particular the edge portion, of the well and remains there due to the surface tension, etc., of the liquid, the remaining liquid can more easily be suctioned since the adhered liquid can be more easily separated due to the increased flow rate in the remaining liquid F. Therefore, the amount of the liquid remaining in the well can be reduced.
[0013]Further, in the aspect of the liquid suction device of the invention in which the moving means causes relative movement of the suction nozzle in a direction away from the bottom surface of the well while the suction nozzle applies the suction force after the suction nozzle has contacted the bottom surface of the well, the suction nozzle is moved away from the bottom surface of the well after the tip opening has contacted the bottom surface of the well to be substantially sealed by the bottom surface and a negative pressure has been generated inside the suction nozzle. Therefore, when the suction nozzle is moved away from the bottom surface of the well, the negative pressure generates a suction force. Since the suction nozzle is still applying the suction force at this time, the suction force applied by the suction nozzle includes both the suction force provided by the pump and the suction force provided by the negative pressure. Thus, the suction force applied by the suction nozzle can be increased. Therefore, even if the liquid still remains at the edge portion of the well, the liquid F can be suctioned with a stronger suction force.
[0014]As described above, the liquid remaining at the bottom edge portion of the well can efficiently be suctioned only by moving the suction nozzle, which applies the suction force, in one direction, i.e., in the vertical direction. In this manner, such a situation that the liquid remaining at the edge portions of the bottom surfaces of the wells of the microchip is introduced into the microchannels during a microanalysis operation can be prevented, thereby preventing contamination and improving accuracy of the microanalysis.
[0015]Further, in the aspect of the liquid suction device of the invention in which the tip opening of the suction nozzle is formed to be parallel to the bottom surface of the well, a larger contact area can be provided when the tip opening contacts the bottom, and this enhances the sealing property. Further, when the tip opening approaches the bottom surface of the well, the distance between the tip opening and the bottom surface of the well is the same at any portion of the edge of the tip opening. Therefore, the flow rate in the remaining liquid F can be made uniform and the liquid F can be evenly suctioned.
[0016]Further, in the aspect of the liquid suction device of the invention further including a cushioning mechanism for cushioning the contact between the tip opening of the suction nozzle and the bottom surface of the well when the suction nozzle is moved down, the cushioning mechanism can prevent the tip of the suction nozzle from being further moved down by the moving means and pressed against the bottom of the well, thereby preventing damage, etc., of the suction nozzle.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, it is necessary to move the suction nozzle in at least two directions, and this is not an efficient way for suctioning a slight amount of liquid.

Method used

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second embodiment

[0050]Next, the liquid suction device according to the invention is described. The liquid suction device of this embodiment includes a cushioning mechanism 20 in addition to the components of the liquid suction device 1 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore only the cushioning mechanism 20 is explained. FIG. 6 shows the structure of the cushioning mechanism 20.

[0051]As shown in FIG. 6, the cushioning mechanism 20 of this embodiment includes: a support member 21 which fixes and supports the rear end of the suction nozzle 2; a fixing member 22 being fixed to the vertical movement mechanism unit 31 and the horizontal movement mechanism unit 32 (not shown) to be moved in conjunction with the mechanism units 31 and 32; and a spring member 23 serving as an elastic member, with the upper end thereof engaging with the support member 21 and the lower end thereof engaging with the fixing member 22.

[0052]When the suction nozzle 2 is moved down and the tip opening 2a of the nozzle 2 ...

third embodiment

[0053]Although the liquid suction device 1 of the above-described two embodiments uses the liquid F as the pressure medium for suctioning the liquid F, this is not intended to limit the invention. The air A may be used as the pressure medium. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a liquid suction device 1′ of a Components of the liquid suction device 1′ which are the same as those of the above-described liquid suction device 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and explanations thereof are omitted.

[0054]As shown in FIG. 7, the liquid suction device 1′ of this embodiment includes: the suction nozzle 2; the nozzle driving unit 33, serving as the moving means, which includes the vertical movement mechanism unit 31 for moving the suction nozzle 2 in the vertical direction (the depth direction of the receptacle 8) and the horizontal movement mechanism unit 32 for moving the suction nozzle 2 in the horizontal direction; a negative pressure pump 91, which serves as a pump means 9 f...

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Abstract

A liquid suction device used to suction a liquid contained in a well of a microchip which includes the well and a microchannel in fluid communication with the well. The liquid suction device includes: a suction nozzle having a tip opening at a tip thereof and being connected to piping at a rear end thereof, the suction nozzle suctioning the liquid through the tip opening; a pump connected to the piping, the pump supplying a suction pressure to the suction nozzle; and a driving unit for moving the suction nozzle relative to the well. In liquid suction device, the suction nozzle is moved by the driving unit until the tip opening contacts a bottom surface of the well while the suction nozzle applies a suction force produced by the suction pressure, thereby enabling suction of the liquid from the well and / or the microchannel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a liquid suction device which suctions a liquid with a suction nozzle, and in particular to a liquid suction device which suctions a liquid contained in wells of a microchip.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Enzyme immunological analyzers, which use a microplate having a plurality of liquid receptacles, which serve as reaction wells where a sample and / or a reagent are reacted, have conventionally been known. Theses apparatuses generally includes a dispensing unit for dispensing a sample and a reagent, a shaking unit and a temperature controller unit for promoting the reaction, a cleaning unit for cleaning the liquid receptacles, etc., and these units are separately operated by the operator. In the cleaning unit, among these units, however, when a rinsing liquid remaining in the liquid receptacles is suctioned with a suction nozzle, the rinsing liquid may still remain at the edge portions of the bottom surfaces of the liquid receptacles, and th...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A47L9/02
CPCG01N35/028G01N2035/1034G01N2035/00158G01N35/1016
InventorHIBE, DAISUKEKUROSAWA, TATSUOKAWABATA, TOMOHISAHAYASHI, MASAYOSHI
OwnerFUJIFILM CORP