A household-use, fully enclosed thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing

Abstract

This invention discloses a household-use, fully enclosed thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing. Based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) technology, it integrates the entire nucleic acid testing process and post-testing sterilization into a constant-temperature, negative-pressure thermos. The testing process is observed and analyzed via a mobile app using a smartphone camera, and the results are displayed on a screen. The device can also connect to a mobile app to upload test results. The testing process requires the necessary experimental materials for RT-LAMP. This invention significantly reduces costs compared to the RT-PCR method, while offering portability and a simpler operating procedure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention pertains to nucleic acid detection technology, specifically to a household-use, fully enclosed thermos cup for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing. Background Technology

[0002] RT-LAMP technology is a rapid and simple isothermal amplification method with high sensitivity and specificity, and short detection time. RT-LAMP relies on BstDNA polymerase for self-circulating strand replacement DNA synthesis. Since the template is SARS-CoV-2 RNA, reverse transcriptase is also required to complete the reaction. Furthermore, manganese ions in the fluorescent dye react with calcein, causing fluorescence quenching and turning the dye orange. Magnesium pyrophosphate, a byproduct of DNA amplification, reacts with manganese ions to form manganese pyrophosphate when pyrophosphate ions are formed during the amplification reaction, generating a fluorescent signal and turning the dye yellow-green. The reaction results are then observed and identified using a mobile phone camera with software, and the results are displayed on the screen and uploaded.

[0003] The current method for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing is RT-PCR, which requires expensive equipment and demanding laboratory conditions. It also requires operators to have a high level of expertise and has a long testing time. In contrast, this invention is highly portable and relatively inexpensive. In recent years, the widespread adoption of smartphones has made it possible to use software integrated with smartphone cameras for testing. The process is very simple, and with simple instructions on the software, people without relevant professional backgrounds can perform the test themselves. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to address the problems of high price, the need for operators with relevant professional backgrounds, complex operation process, and long detection time of the currently widely used RT-PCR nucleic acid detection technology. It proposes to develop a household fully enclosed insulated thermos cup for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, which is based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification technology and is applied to the field of simple and rapid nucleic acid testing. It has greater portability, simple operation process, and lower cost.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A household-use, fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing includes a mobile phone auxiliary device, a thermos head, a power supply, a display screen, a core experimental area, a raw material storage area at the bottom of the thermos, a robotic arm, a test tube, an experimental plate, a spring, a light source, a connecting channel, and a power port. The upper part of the raw material storage area at the bottom of the thermos is threadedly connected to the lower part of the core experimental area, facilitating the removal of the storage area for adding or replacing disinfectant. The lower part of the core experimental area has a hollow columnar structure with an internal connecting channel that connects to the raw material storage area at the bottom of the thermos for easy absorption of disinfectant. An experimental plate is placed on the hollow columnar structure, with a diameter slightly smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the core experimental area's cavity. Four perforated structures are located along the circumference of both the lower part of the experimental plate and the upper part of the columnar structure in the core experimental area. Springs are installed within these perforated structures, and the springs connect the hollow columnar structure to the core experimental area. The experimental plate allows the operator to fully agitate the test tubes while shaking the thermos, promoting thorough mixing of the liquid. Six holes are located along the circumference of the experimental plate for placing and securing the test tubes. A through hole in the center of the plate allows the lower part of the robotic arm to pass through and connect to a concentric groove on the hollow columnar structure within the core experimental area, providing a secure connection. Simultaneously, the tubing within the robotic arm connects to the internal channels of the columnar structure in the core experimental area for the absorption of disinfectant. A light source is embedded in a groove in the lower part of the inner wall of the core experimental area, allowing for easy observation. A power port is located in the lower outer layer of the core experimental area for charging the thermos. This household-type fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing device concentrates almost all processes except sampling within the thermos, significantly improving the automation level of COVID-19 nucleic acid testing.

[0007] Furthermore, the aforementioned household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup provides a constant temperature environment for the RT-LAMP detection method through its own heat preservation properties.

[0008] Furthermore, the top of the thermos cup is provided with an observation window, and a mobile phone is fixed in place for observation using a mobile phone auxiliary device.

[0009] Furthermore, the results are detected, analyzed, and uploaded to the health system using a mobile phone camera and a mobile app.

[0010] Furthermore, the robotic arm is used to spray the disinfectant.

[0011] Furthermore, by modifying the primers, it can be applied to nucleic acid detection of viruses such as AIDS virus and influenza virus.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower part of the thermos head is connected to the upper part of the core experimental area by a thread, making it convenient to remove the thermos head to place or remove test tubes.

[0013] Furthermore, there is a protruding structure on the front of the head of the thermos cup, and electronic components are placed in its inner cavity. The outermost layer of the protrusion is equipped with a display screen (4) to display information such as the current working status of the thermos cup. The power supply of the thermos cup is located on the side of the protruding structure.

[0014] Furthermore, a transparent viewing opening is provided above the head of the thermos cup for placing a mobile phone auxiliary device to fix the phone for observation.

[0015] Beneficial effects:

[0016] (1) Compared with the RT-PCR technology currently in widespread use, the experimental materials and manufacturing costs of this invention are lower, and the required reagents and experimental sample consumption are smaller.

[0017] (2) The present invention does not require complicated laboratory conditions for nucleic acid detection, and all reactions can be completed efficiently and safely in the insulated cup chamber.

[0018] (3) The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) technology used in this invention greatly shortens the detection time and improves the efficiency of nucleic acid detection compared with RT-PCR.

[0019] (4) Operators using this invention for nucleic acid testing do not need to have a high level of expertise. Instead, they can complete sampling, nucleic acid testing and other operations through simple guidance on a mobile app, which greatly saves labor costs.

[0020] (5) The present invention has a built-in robotic arm to spray disinfectant and a mobile app to perform nucleic acid testing and report results, which is more automated than other testing methods.

[0021] (6) The present invention is small, portable and lightweight. Combined with the beneficial effects 4 and 5, the present invention is very suitable for popularization.

[0022] (7) This invention can be applied to nucleic acid detection of AIDS virus, influenza virus, etc. by simply changing or replacing the primers.

[0023] (8) The present invention can connect to the health platform backend via a mobile app. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a front view of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional physical image of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a top view of the invention after removing the thermos head and the mobile phone auxiliary device.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a rear view of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 The internal structure of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention is shown from the perspective of a mobile phone camera.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the experimental board of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention after removing the mobile phone auxiliary device. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0033] like Figure 1-8 As shown, the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention includes a mobile phone auxiliary device 1, a thermos cup head 2, a thermos cup power supply 3, a display screen 4, a core experimental area 5, a raw material storage area at the bottom of the thermos cup 6, a robotic arm 7, a test tube 8, an experimental plate 9, a spring 10, a light source 11, a connecting channel 12, and a power port 13. Optionally, the upper part of the raw material storage area 6 at the bottom of the thermos cup is connected to the lower part of the core experimental area 5 by a thread, making it convenient to remove the raw material storage area 6 at the bottom of the thermos cup to add or replace disinfectant; the lower part of the core experimental area 5 has a hollow columnar structure, which has a connecting channel 12 inside that connects to the raw material storage area 6 at the bottom of the thermos cup for easy absorption of disinfectant; the experimental plate 9 is placed on the hollow columnar structure, the diameter of the experimental plate 9 is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the inner cavity of the core experimental area 5, and the lower part of the experimental plate 9 and the upper part of the hollow columnar structure of the core experimental area 5 are respectively provided with circumferential features such as Figure 2The four perforated structures shown contain springs 10 installed within them. These springs connect the hollow cylindrical structure to the experimental plate 9, allowing the operator to fully agitate the test tubes 8 when shaking the thermos, promoting thorough mixing of the liquid. The experimental plate 9 has six holes along its circumference for placing and securing the test tubes 8. A through hole is located in the center of the experimental plate 9, through which the lower part of the robotic arm 7 passes and connects to a concentric groove on the hollow cylindrical structure within the core experimental area 5, providing a fixing effect. Simultaneously, the pipe in the robotic arm 7 connects to the connecting channel 12 within the cylindrical structure of the core experimental area 5, thereby absorbing the disinfectant. The core experimental area... A light source 11 is embedded in a groove in the lower part of the inner wall of the core experimental area 5, which is turned on for easy observation. A power port 13 is provided in the lower part of the outer layer of the core experimental area 5 for charging the thermos. Optionally, the lower part of the thermos head 2 is connected to the upper part of the core experimental area 5 by a thread, making it easy to remove the thermos head 2 to place or remove the test tube 8. There is a protruding structure on the front of the thermos head 2, the inner cavity of which can hold electronic components. The outermost layer of the protrusion is equipped with a display screen to display information such as the current working status of the thermos. The power supply 3 of the thermos is located on the side of the protrusion. A transparent observation port is provided above the thermos head 2 for placing a mobile phone auxiliary device 1 to fix the mobile phone for observation. The aforementioned household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos concentrates almost all processes in the nucleic acid testing process except for the sampling step in the thermos, improving the automation level of COVID-19 nucleic acid testing.

[0034] The top of the thermos head 2 is equipped with an observation window, and a mobile phone auxiliary device 1 can be placed on it to fix the phone for observation. A robotic arm 7 is connected to the experimental plate 9 of the thermos, and is connected to the raw material storage area 6 at the bottom of the thermos via a pipe, for operations such as injecting disinfectant, making the final waste disposal process more convenient. Using the robotic arm 7 to perform disinfectant spraying, such as alcohol spraying, simplifies waste disposal operations.

[0035] This invention uses RT-LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) as its core technology, which boasts extremely high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, as an isothermal amplification technique, its total reaction time is significantly shorter than that of RT-PCR, and the operation is very simple and inexpensive. In addition, to meet the experimental requirements of a fully enclosed, temperature-controlled, negative-pressure system, the thermos of this invention is made of stainless steel and features a full welding process. Its inherent heat-insulating properties provide a suitable temperature environment for the RT-LAMP detection method.

[0036] This invention's insulated cup integrates all the necessary operations for nucleic acid testing within its interior. The user simply places their mobile phone on the auxiliary device 1 located in the viewing window at the top of the cup. The camera, coupled with a corresponding mobile app, allows observation of color changes and analysis and reporting of results, significantly improving the automation of nucleic acid testing and ensuring high efficiency. The mobile app then presents the test results to the user. The use of a mobile phone camera and app for result analysis and uploading to the health system and other backend operations simplifies the nucleic acid testing process.

[0037] The usage process of the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup of the present invention is as follows: The user first uses a cotton swab to collect a pharyngeal swab (or nasal swab) from the subject and places it into a test tube 8 containing RT-LAMP reagents. The test tube 8 is then placed in the well on the experimental plate 9. After closing the lid at the head 2 of the thermos cup, the power button of the thermos cup is pressed. The RT-LAMP reaction under constant temperature conditions begins inside the thermos cup. During this process, the thermos cup can be slightly shaken, as the spring 10 under the experimental plate 9 helps to mix the liquid. After the reaction is completed in 30-40 minutes, the mobile app is opened and the phone is placed on the mobile auxiliary device 1 for observation and analysis. The core experimental area 5 has a built-in light source 11 to facilitate observation. The processed results are directly output and uploaded.

[0038] In addition to its application in nucleic acid detection of the novel coronavirus, this invention can also be used to design primers for other viruses (such as HIV, influenza, etc.), enabling it to be adapted for nucleic acid detection of other types of viruses and thus effectively utilizing the product in multiple ways. Its lower cost also makes its large-scale adoption possible.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A household-use, fully enclosed thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, characterized in that: The device includes a mobile phone auxiliary device (1), a thermos head (2), a thermos power supply (3), a display screen (4), a core experimental area (5), a raw material storage area at the bottom of the thermos (6), a robotic arm (7), a test tube (8), an experimental board (9), a spring (10), a light source (11), a connecting channel (12), and a power port (13). The upper part of the raw material storage area (6) at the bottom of the thermos is connected to the lower part of the core experimental area (5) by a thread, making it easy to remove the raw material storage area (6) at the bottom of the thermos to add or replace disinfectant. The core experimental area (5) has a hollow columnar structure cast at the bottom, with a connecting channel (12) inside that connects to the raw material storage area (6) at the bottom of the thermos cup for easy absorption of disinfectant; an experimental plate (9) is placed on the hollow columnar structure, the diameter of the experimental plate (9) being slightly smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the inner cavity of the core experimental area (5), and four perforated structures are respectively provided along the circumference at the bottom of the experimental plate (9) and the top of the columnar structure of the core experimental area (5), with springs (10) installed inside the perforated structures, and the springs (10) connecting The connection between the hollow columnar structure and the experimental plate (9) allows the operator to fully vibrate the test tube (8) when shaking the thermos, promoting the mixing of the liquid. The experimental plate (9) has six holes along its circumference for placing and fixing the test tube (8). The experimental plate (9) has a through hole in the middle, through which the lower part of the robotic arm (7) passes and connects to the groove on the hollow columnar structure inside the core experimental area (5), which is concentric with the hollow columnar structure, thus achieving a fixing effect. At the same time, the pipe in the robotic arm (7) is connected to the core experimental area. The columnar structure of region (5) is connected by a channel (12) for the absorption of disinfectant; a light source (11) is embedded in the groove in the lower part of the inner wall of the core experimental region (5), and the light source (11) is turned on during observation for easy observation; a power port (13) is provided in the lower part of the outer layer of the core experimental region (5) for charging the thermos cup; the household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid detection device concentrates the other processes in the nucleic acid detection except for the sampling process in the thermos cup, which improves the automation level of COVID-19 nucleic acid detection.

2. The household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup according to claim 1, characterized in that, The household-use fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup provides a constant temperature environment for the RT-LAMP detection method through its own heat preservation properties.

3. The household fully enclosed COVID-19 nucleic acid testing thermos cup according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermos cup head (2) has an observation window at the top, and the mobile phone is fixed in place by the mobile phone auxiliary device (1) for observation.

4. A household fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system uses a mobile phone camera and a mobile app to detect and analyze results and upload them to the health system.

5. A household fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm (7) is used to spray disinfectant.

6. A household fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, Modification of primers can be applied to the nucleic acid detection of AIDS virus and influenza virus.

7. A household fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower part of the thermos head (2) is connected to the upper part of the core experimental area (5) by a thread, making it convenient to remove the thermos head (2) to place or remove the test tube (8).

8. A household fully enclosed insulated thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermos head (2) has a protruding structure on the front, and electronic components are placed in its inner cavity. The outermost layer of the protrusion is equipped with a display screen (4) to display the current working status information of the thermos. The thermos power supply (3) is located on the side of the protruding structure.

9. A household-use, fully enclosed thermos for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A transparent observation port is provided above the head (2) of the thermos cup, which is used to place the mobile phone auxiliary device (1) to fix the mobile phone for observation.

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