Holding device, detector and detection system of micro-fluidic chip

By designing a microfluidic chip holding device, and utilizing a combination of a tray body, a chip limiting block, and a guide groove, the chip is securely fixed and its installation is simplified. This solves the problem of low detection efficiency caused by complex installation in existing technologies and improves detection efficiency.

CN120885288APending Publication Date: 2025-11-04XIAMEN UNIV +2
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411692699.2
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-11-25
Publication Date
2025-11-04

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The installation and fixation process of microfluidic chips in existing technologies is complex, resulting in low detection efficiency.

Method used

A microfluidic chip holding device was designed, including a tray body, a chip limiting block and a guide groove. The chip is firmly fixed by the movement switching of the blocking part, and the chip is installed by the holding drive part, which simplifies the installation process.

Benefits of technology

This method achieves stable fixation of the microfluidic chip, simplifies the installation process, and improves testing efficiency.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention provides an immobilization device of a micro-fluidic chip, a detector and a detection system, the immobilization device of the micro-fluidic chip comprises an immobilization part, and the immobilization part comprises a tray main body used for bearing the micro-fluidic chip; the chip limiting block is mounted on the tray main body; the guide groove is arranged on the chip limiting block or formed between the tray main body and the chip limiting block, and is configured to allow a chip positioning part of the micro-fluidic chip to be inserted; the chip positioning block comprises a blocking part, the chip positioning block is configured to move relative to the guide groove so that the blocking part can be switched between a first position and a second position, the blocking part located at the first position extends into the guide groove and blocks the chip positioning part from moving along the guide groove, and the blocking part located at the second position is located outside the guide groove; and the chip positioning part is allowed to move along the guide groove.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of microfluidic detection technology, and in particular to a microfluidic chip holding device, detector, and detection system. Background Technology

[0002] Microfluidic chips integrate multiple experimental steps and are generally equipped with tiny channels and chambers arranged in a certain pattern. Different reagents are released in a certain order and flow into designated chambers through different channels to complete designated biochemical reactions, thereby achieving the purpose of sample preparation and detection.

[0003] The detector is used to automatically control microfluidic chips in order to control the preparation and detection of target substances such as nucleic acids. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a microfluidic chip holding device, a detector, and a detection system to achieve stable fixation of the microfluidic chip.

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, a microfluidic chip holding device is provided, the holding device including a holding portion, the holding portion including:

[0006] The tray body is used to hold the microfluidic chip;

[0007] The chip limiting block is installed on the tray body;

[0008] A guide groove is provided on the chip positioning block or formed between the tray body and the chip positioning block, and is configured to allow the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip to be inserted;

[0009] A chip positioning block includes a blocking portion, which is configured to be movable relative to a guide groove to allow the blocking portion to switch between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the blocking portion extends into the guide groove and blocks the chip positioning portion from moving along the guide groove, while in the second position, the blocking portion is located outside the guide groove to allow the chip positioning portion to move along the guide groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the retaining portion further includes a spring configured to push the blocking portion toward a first position.

[0011] In some embodiments, a mounting groove for mounting a chip positioning block is provided on the surface of the tray body facing the chip limiting block, and the chip positioning block and the spring are mounted in the mounting groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the size of the blocking portion in the first position extending into the guide groove gradually increases with the squareness away from the insertion end of the guide groove, so as to form an inclined surface relative to the guide groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, the chip positioning block further includes an operating part for an operator to drive the blocking part toward a second position.

[0014] In some embodiments, the chip positioning block further includes a strip-shaped portion located between the tray body and the chip limiting block, the strip-shaped portion protruding from the chip limiting block, an operating portion located at the end of the strip-shaped portion protruding from the chip limiting block, and a blocking portion located at the end of the strip-shaped portion away from the operating portion.

[0015] In some embodiments, the chip limiting block has a notch on the side facing the strip-shaped portion that communicates with the guide groove, and the blocking portion extends into the guide groove through the notch.

[0016] In some embodiments, the holding device for the microfluidic chip further includes a holding drive for driving the holding portion to move up and down, the holding drive including:

[0017] Electric motor;

[0018] Gears, connected to the motor drive; and

[0019] The rack meshes with the gear and connects to the pallet body.

[0020] Another aspect of this application provides a detector, which includes the aforementioned microfluidic chip holding device.

[0021] Another aspect of this application provides a detection system, which includes a microfluidic chip and a holding device.

[0022] In this embodiment, the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip is inserted into the guide groove. The cross-section of the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip is adapted to the cross-section of the guide groove. Therefore, the guide groove limits the chip positioning part in multiple directions other than the length direction of the guide groove. The blocking part of the chip positioning block further restricts the movement of the positioning part of the microfluidic chip along the length direction of the guide groove. The holding part realizes the stable fixation of the microfluidic chip. Furthermore, inserting the microfluidic chip into the guide groove realizes the installation of the microfluidic chip, which simplifies the process of installing and fixing the microfluidic chip and helps to improve the detection efficiency.

[0023] Other features and advantages of this application will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the detection system in the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the microfluidic chip in the embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the microfluidic chip in the embodiments of this application.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the microfluidic chip body and rotor in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the detector in the embodiments of this application.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the detector when the first side plate is omitted in the embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the base and holding device in the embodiments of this application.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the holding drive unit of the holding device in the embodiments of this application.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the holding part of the holding device in the embodiments of this application.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the holding part of the holding device and the microfluidic chip in the embodiments of this application.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0036] 100. Detection system;

[0037] 10. Detector; 102. Extraction device; 103. Liquid flow control device;

[0038] 1. Base; 11. Base plate; 12. First side plate; 13. Second side plate; 14. Mounting position;

[0039] 2. Holding device; 22. Holding drive unit; 220. Motor fixing plate; 221. Gear; 222. Rack fixing plate; 223. Motor; 224. Rack; 23. Holding unit; 230. Slider; 230a. Guide rail; 231. Tray body; 232. Chip limiting block; 232a. Guide groove; 233. Tray positioning block; 233a. Blocking part; 233b. Operating part; 234. Spring;

[0040] 3. Piercing device; 31. Support; 32. Piercing component; 33. Lifting mechanism; 36. Linkage mechanism;

[0041] 4. Rotary valve device;

[0042] 5. Pump assembly; 51. Drive pump; 52. Connecting nozzle;

[0043] 6. Temperature control device;

[0044] 7. Ultrasonic device; 71. Ultrasonic support; 72. Ultrasonic transducer; 73. Ultrasonic resetting mechanism;

[0045] 8. Magnetic suction device;

[0046] 9. Detection device;

[0047] 20. Microfluidic chip; 201. Body; 201a. Storage cavity; 201b. Mounting slot; 202. Base; 202a. Reaction chamber; 202d. Positioning block; 202e. First seat; 202f. Second seat; 202g. Third seat; 203. Switching valve; 203a. Rotor; 203b. Valve stem; 203c. Valve seat; 203d. Seat; 203e. Gasket; 203f, Valve internal flow channel; 203g, Valve cover; 204, Top cover; 204a, Sample inlet; 204b, Connecting port; 204c, Puncture needle; 204d, Connecting rib; 204f, Rib; 204g, Cover body; 204h, Ring component; 204j, Ventilation channel; 205, Amplification component; 205a, Amplification chamber; 206, Cover plate; 206a, Through hole; 207, Temperature control area;

[0048] X: forward / backward direction; Y: left / right direction; Z: up / down direction. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this application or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0051] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer sides relative to the outline of each component itself; while the directional terms such as "front," "back," "up," "down," "left," "right," "horizontal," "vertical," "perpendicular," and "top," "bottom," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship, which is usually based on Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The directions or positional relationships shown include: the up and down directions are... Figure 1 Figure 5 and Figure 6 The coordinate axis Z is used to represent this, which can be called the vertical direction Z, or the second direction Z; at the same time, the relative arrangement direction of the holding device 2 and the temperature control device 6 is taken as the front-back direction. Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The coordinate axis X is used to represent this, which can be called the front-back direction X, or the first direction X. Here, the position of the holding device 2 relative to the temperature control device 6 is front, and the position of the temperature control device 6 relative to the holding device 2 is rear. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Z is defined as the left-right direction. Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The coordinate axis Y is used to represent the left and right directions, or the third direction Y. The left and right directions are defined when facing forward.

[0053] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0054] Figures 1 to 10 The detection system 100 of this application, its microfluidic chip 20, and the detector 10 are illustrated by way of example.

[0055] Reference Figures 1 to 10 In this application, the detection system 100 includes a microfluidic chip 20 and a detector 10. The detector 10 is used to clamp, fix, and manipulate the microfluidic chip 20 to achieve automatic control of the microfluidic detection process.

[0056] To make it easier to understand, let's first combine... Figures 2 to 4The structure of the microfluidic chip 20 is described below. Although the microfluidic chip 20 of this application can be used to implement various detection processes similar to nucleic acid detection, the following description will primarily focus on its use in nucleic acid detection to simplify the explanation. The nucleic acid detection process generally includes nucleic acid extraction, nucleic acid amplification, and nucleic acid detection. Specifically, nucleic acid is first extracted from a cell-containing sample (e.g., whole blood or serum) through steps such as lysis and purification. Then, the extracted nucleic acid is amplified, and the target nucleic acid is detected during the amplification process.

[0057] See Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments, the microfluidic chip 20 includes a body 201, a top cover 204, a cover plate 206, a base 202, an amplification component 205, and a switching valve 203.

[0058] Body 201 is used to store fluids required for various nucleic acid detection experiments, such as samples and lysis buffers. See also Figure 4 The main body 201 is provided with a storage cavity 201a for storing the required fluid. Specifically, as shown in the figure... Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the body 201 is provided with multiple storage cavities 201a, which are arranged side by side for storing different fluids. For example, some storage cavities 201a are used to store samples such as whole blood, and these storage cavities 201a can be called sample cavities. Other storage cavities 201a are used to store reagents (e.g., various reaction reagents required for preparing nucleic acids from samples, as well as auxiliary reagents such as magnetic beads, washing solutions, and elution solutions), and these storage cavities 201a can be called reagent cavities. More specifically, as... Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the body 201 is cylindrical, and all storage cavities 201a are arranged at intervals on the same circumference of the body 201.

[0059] A sealing membrane (not shown in the figure) is provided at the end of the storage cavity 201a to seal the end opening of the storage cavity 201a, thereby sealing the fluid in the storage cavity 201a and effectively preventing accidental leakage or spillage. This facilitates the transportation of the microfluidic chip 20 and allows for control over the flow of fluid only when needed, improving controllability and safety. Specifically, as shown... Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the storage cavity 201a is provided with a sealing membrane at only one end, and the other end is directly sealed by the end wall of the body 201. In this case, the storage cavity 201a is a groove with a bottom.

[0060] When the sealing membrane is punctured, the storage cavity 201a is connected to the outside atmosphere, and the fluid inside the storage cavity 201a can flow out to the outside of the storage cavity 201a.

[0061] The sealing film is punctured by a puncture needle 204c. In some embodiments, the puncture needle 204c is disposed on the top cover 204.

[0062] The top cover 204 provides a mounting base for the puncture needle 204c. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a top cover 204 is placed over the end of the main body 201, and a piercing needle 204c is provided on its wall facing the main body 201. Each piercing needle 204c corresponds to a storage cavity 201a and is connected to the top cover 204 via a connecting rib 204d. Initially, there is a gap between the piercing needle 204c and the sealing membrane, and they do not contact each other. However, when the connecting rib 204d is broken, the piercing needle 204c detaches from the top cover 204 and moves towards the storage cavity 201a, piercing the sealing membrane on the storage cavity 201a, thus opening the storage cavity 201a to the atmosphere.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the top cover 204 includes a cover body 204g and an annular member 204h.

[0064] The cover 204g is positioned on top of the main body 201 and snaps into it, thus securing the cover 204g to the main body 201. The cover 204g has a sample inlet 204a, which communicates with one of the multiple storage chambers 201a (i.e., the sample chamber) to add the sample to be tested into the corresponding storage chamber 201a. Furthermore, the cover 204g has a connecting port 204b. The connecting port 204b communicates with a connecting nozzle 52 for connection to the drive pump 51, allowing the drive pump 51 to drive fluid to flow between different chambers of the microfluidic chip 20, thereby achieving fluid transfer.

[0065] The outer edge of the annular member 204h is connected to the top wall of the cover 204g via multiple connecting ribs 204d. Meanwhile, the inner edge of the annular member 204h is connected to a stop member (not shown) via multiple ribs 204f. The stop member is roughly annular and extends from the annular member 204h toward the body 201.

[0066] A piercing needle 204c is provided on the surface of the annular member 204h facing the body 201. The piercing needle 204c is located radially between the outer edge of the annular member 204h and the stop member, and includes a first needle segment (not shown in the figure) and a second needle segment (not shown in the figure). The radial dimension of the second needle segment is larger than that of the first needle segment. The first needle segment is connected to the annular member 204h through the second needle segment, and its bottom end is constructed to be sharp so as to pierce the sealing membrane. A venting channel 204j is provided inside the piercing needle 204c, penetrating the first needle segment and extending into the interior of the second needle segment, and a vent hole (not shown in the figure) communicating with the venting channel 204j is provided on the side wall of the second needle segment, so that the piercing needle 204c can communicate the storage cavity 201a with the outside atmosphere after piercing the sealing membrane.

[0067] The connecting ribs 204d and ribs 204f can be crushed to separate the annular part 204h from the cover 204 and the stop from the annular part 204, so that the piercing needle 204c can pierce the sealing film before extraction begins and cooperate with the cover 206 to reseal the storage cavity 201a after extraction.

[0068] A cover plate 206 is disposed between the top wall of the main body 201 and the top cover 204, and has a through hole 206a that allows the piercing needle 204c to pass through. The diameter of the through hole 206a is larger than the outer diameter of the first needle segment and slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the second needle segment. When the second needle segment is inserted into the through hole 206a under external force, the second needle segment and the through hole 206a are press-fitted. In this case, the vent hole on the second needle segment is blocked by the cover plate 206, which can realize the resealing of the storage cavity 201a to prevent waste liquid leakage and pollution.

[0069] When using the microfluidic chip 20, pressure is applied to the annular part 204h on the top cover 204, causing the connecting rib 204d to break. The annular part 204h drives each piercing needle 204c to detach from the cover 204g and press against the sealing film on the storage cavity 201a, causing the piercing needle 204c to pierce the sealing film. After the piercing needle 204c pierces the sealing film, the stop member abuts against the body 201 to prevent the piercing needle 204c from moving down too far. The gas in the storage cavity 201a is connected to the atmosphere through the piercing needle 204c. After the extraction step is completed, pressure is continued to be applied to the annular part 204h. Since the stop is blocked by the body 201 and cannot continue to move downward, when the pressure reaches a certain level, the downward pressure will break the rib 204f connecting the annular part 204h and the stop, causing the annular part 204h to separate from the stop. At this time, the stop no longer hinders the downward movement of the puncture needle 204c. Therefore, the annular part 204h and each puncture needle 204c can be further pressed against the sealing film under the action of external force until the second needle segment is interference-fitted with the through hole on the cover plate 206. The cover plate 206 blocks the vent hole on the second needle segment, realizing the resealing of the storage cavity 201a.

[0070] In summary, the piercing needle 204c on the top cover 204 is used to pierce the sealing membrane on the storage chamber 201a, allowing the storage chamber 201a to communicate with the atmosphere, thus providing conditions for fluid flow within the storage chamber 201a. The stop on the top cover 204 is used to cooperate with the body 201, keeping the piercing needle 204c in the pierced position before the extraction step ends, connecting the storage chamber 201a to the atmosphere without excessive downward movement, and is also used to cooperate with the piercing element 32 of the piercing device 3 after extraction to break the rib 204f. The cover plate 206 is used to cooperate with the piercing needle 204c to seal the storage chamber 201a after the extraction step to prevent waste liquid leakage.

[0071] The base 202 is located on the side of the main body 201 away from the top cover 204, and is used to receive fluid flowing out of the storage cavity 201a to complete the extraction of target substances such as nucleic acids. Figure 3 As shown, a reaction chamber 202a is provided on the base 202. The reaction chamber 202a is the site for extracting and preparing the target analyte. The sample and reagents enter the reaction chamber 202 in sequence, react, and the target analyte is obtained. The reaction chamber 202a is located at the bottom of the base 202 and protrudes downward, forming a spherical crown shape. This arrangement allows the reaction chamber 202a to be coupled with the ultrasonic device 7 and magnetic suction device 8 of the detector 10, which will be mentioned below.

[0072] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, a positioning block 202d is provided on the base 202. The positioning block 202d is used to cooperate with the holding device 2 of the detector 10 to realize the installation and fixation of the microfluidic chip 20 on the detector 10.

[0073] The base 202 can be a one-piece structure or a separate structure. See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the base 202 adopts a split structure, comprising a first base 202e, a second base 202f, and a third base 202g. The first base 202e is connected to the main body 201, while the second base 202f and the third base 202g are spaced apart and disposed on the side of the first base 202e away from the main body 201, and are detachably connected to the main body 201 by means of engagement or other methods. The aforementioned reaction chamber 202a is disposed on the first base 202e and protrudes relative to the second base 202f and the third base 202g on the side away from the main body 201. Simultaneously, the aforementioned positioning block 202d is disposed on the second base 202f and the third base 202g, and is located on the outer peripheral surface of the second base 202f and the third base 202g. The positioning blocks 202d on the second seat 202f and the third seat 202g are positioned opposite each other to achieve a more stable installation of the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding device 2.

[0074] The amplification element 205 is connected to one side of the main body 201 and extends outward to provide a site for the amplification of the target analyte, thus meeting the detection needs of target analytes such as nucleic acids that require amplification before detection. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the amplification element 205 is pluggably connected to the side of the body 201 and has an amplification chamber 205a inside. The amplification chamber 205a is the site where the amplification reaction occurs. The target substances such as nucleic acids prepared in the reaction chamber 202a are sent to the amplification chamber 205a and amplified therein for detection.

[0075] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the amplification element 205 is in the form of a thin sheet, so that the amplification element 205 can fully contact and exchange heat with the temperature control device 6 of the detector 10 mentioned below, thereby achieving a rapid heating and cooling process.

[0076] The switching valve 203 is disposed on the body 201 and is used to control the on / off relationship between the chambers of the microfluidic chip 20 (e.g., storage chamber 201a, reaction chamber 202a and amplification chamber 205a) so as to control the fluid in the microfluidic chip 20 to flow in the required order, thereby successfully completing the extraction and amplification steps.

[0077] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the body 201 has a mounting groove 201b at its center, the switching valve 203 is disposed in the mounting groove 201b, and includes a rotor 203a and a valve cover 203g.

[0078] The valve cover 203g is connected to the circumferential sidewall of the mounting groove 201b. The rotor 203a is rotatably disposed within the mounting groove 201b and includes a valve seat 203c and a valve stem 203b. The valve seat 203c includes a seat body 203d and a gasket 203e. The bottom shape of the gasket 203e is the same as that of the seat body 203d, both being circular. The seat body 203d and the gasket 203e are fixedly disposed together. The combined structure of the seat body 203d and the gasket 203e includes an internal valve flow channel 203f. The radial dimension of the valve stem 203b is smaller than that of the seat 203d, and one end of it is fixedly connected to the seat 203d, while the other end extends through the valve cover 203g, the cover plate 206 and the top cover 204 for connection with the rotary valve device 4 of the detector 10 mentioned below, so that it can rotate under the drive of the rotary valve device 4, thereby connecting the flow channel 203f inside the valve with different chambers of the microfluidic chip 20 to realize the switching of the valve position of the switching valve 203.

[0079] Rotating valve device 4 rotates valve stem 203b, which in turn rotates seat 203d and gasket 203e, causing the internal flow channel 203f to change position and switch between connecting reaction chamber 202a and different chambers, thus completing the liquid flow transfer during the detection process. For example, when internal flow channel 203f connects reaction chamber 202a to different storage chambers 201a, the sample and reagents in storage chamber 201a can flow into reaction chamber 202a sequentially under external force, realizing the extraction process. As another example, when internal flow channel 203f connects reaction chamber 202a to amplification chamber 205a, the target analyte prepared in reaction chamber 202a can flow into amplification chamber 205a under external force for amplification.

[0080] Among them, by Figure 3 and Figure 4It is known that in some embodiments, the outer surface of the valve stem 203b is a polygonal surface (e.g., a hexagonal surface), which makes it easier to achieve a non-rotatable connection between the valve stem 203b and the rotary valve component of the rotary valve device 4, thereby facilitating the rotary valve device 4 to reliably drive the valve stem 203b to rotate.

[0081] It is understandable that the structure of the microfluidic chip 20 is not limited to... Figures 2 to 4 The structure shown, for example, in some other embodiments, may also differ from the microfluidic chip 20 in that it does not... Figures 2 to 4 Similarly, the main body (excluding the amplification component 205) is cylindrical, but the main body is also flat. For example, the flat microfluidic chip 20 can be found in the applicant's earlier patent application CN111135892A.

[0082] Based on the above description of the structure of the microfluidic chip 20, the structure of the detector 10 will be described next.

[0083] Figures 5 to 6 The structure of the detector 10 is shown as an example.

[0084] See Figures 5 to 6 In order to achieve fully automated control of the microfluidic detection process based on the microfluidic chip 20, in some embodiments, the detector 10 includes a base 1, a holding device 2, a piercing device 3, a rotary valve device 4, a pump assembly 5, a temperature control device 6, an ultrasonic device 7, a magnetic suction device 8, and a detection device 9.

[0085] The base 1 provides an installation foundation for other modules of the detector 10, such as the holding device 2, the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4, the pump assembly 5, the temperature control device 6, the ultrasonic device 7, the magnetic suction device 8, and the detection device 9.

[0086] The holding device 2 is used to hold the microfluidic chip 20 so as to realize the installation and fixation of the microfluidic chip 20 on the detector 10, and facilitate other modules of the detector 10 to control the microfluidic chip 20.

[0087] The puncture device 3 is used to control the puncture of the sealing film on the storage chamber 201a of the microfluidic chip 20, thereby providing conditions for the flow of fluid in the microfluidic chip 20. In some embodiments, the puncture device 3 includes a puncture member 32, which is movably disposed vertically. During vertical movement, the puncture needle 204c is driven to move relative to the storage chamber 201a of the microfluidic chip 20 mounted on the holding device 2, puncturing the sealing film on the storage chamber 201a. Furthermore, in the microfluidic chip 20... Figures 2 to 4As shown, when the cover plate 206 is also present, after the piercing needle 204c punctures the sealing film, the piercing member 32 further drives the piercing needle 204c to move towards the holding device 2, so that the piercing needle 204c and the cover plate 206 of the microfluidic chip 20 together seal the storage cavity 201a, thereby achieving the resealing of the storage cavity 201a to prevent leakage of waste liquid in the storage cavity 201a. The position of the piercing member 32 when the piercing needle 204c punctures the sealing film on the storage cavity 201a is called the piercing position; and the position of the piercing member 32 when the piercing needle 204c and the cover plate 206 of the microfluidic chip 20 reseale the storage cavity 201a together is called the sealing position.

[0088] The rotary valve device 4 is used to drive the rotor 203a of the switching valve 203 of the microfluidic chip 20 to rotate, thereby switching the valve position of the switching valve 203 and enabling the fluid in the microfluidic chip 20 to flow sequentially. In some embodiments, the rotary valve device 4 includes a rotary valve element and a rotary valve drive mechanism. The rotary valve element is movably arranged vertically to be detachably connected to the rotor 203a of the switching valve 203. The rotary valve drive mechanism is drivenly connected to the rotary valve element to drive the rotor 203a to rotate when the rotary valve element is connected to the rotor 203a, thereby achieving automatic switching of the valve position of the switching valve 203.

[0089] Pump assembly 5 is used to communicate with the communication port 204b of microfluidic chip 20 and drive fluid flow within microfluidic chip 20. In some embodiments, pump assembly 5 includes a communication nozzle 52 and a drive pump 51. The communication nozzle 52 is movably disposed to be detachably connected to the communication port 204b of microfluidic chip 20. The drive pump 51 communicates with the communication nozzle 52 to drive fluid flow within microfluidic chip 20 when the communication nozzle 52 is connected to the communication port 204b.

[0090] The temperature control device 6 is used to control the temperature of the part 207 of the amplification component 205 of the microfluidic chip 20 to meet the temperature requirements in the microfluidic detection process.

[0091] The ultrasonic device 7 is used to apply ultrasonic excitation to the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20 to assist the extraction process. See also Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments, the ultrasonic device 7 includes an ultrasonic transducer 72, which is movably disposed between a contact position and a clearance position. In the contact position, the ultrasonic transducer 72 contacts the outer wall of the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20, transmitting vibrations to the reaction chamber 202a; in the clearance position, the ultrasonic transducer 72 is separated from the outer wall of the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20. The ultrasonic transducer 72 typically applies vibrations to the reaction chamber 202a during cell lysis and nucleic acid washing to achieve ultrasonic lysis, promote cell separation, and promote mixing of reagents and magnetic beads, thus making the extraction process smoother and more efficient.

[0092] The magnetic adsorption device 8 is used to adsorb magnetic materials (such as magnetic beads) in the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20 to assist the extraction process.

[0093] The extraction process for the target analyte is generally divided into two stages: sample lysis and target analyte purification. Both processes are usually completed within reaction chamber 202a.

[0094] Sample lysis refers to the destruction of the sample's peripheral structure (such as the cell membrane) through some external effect, releasing target substances such as nucleic acids. The aforementioned release of reagents from storage chamber 201a into reaction chamber 202a in a predetermined order is a chemical lysis method, which achieves sample lysis through the reaction between chemical reagents. To improve lysis efficiency and effectiveness, in some embodiments, the detector 10 also includes an ultrasonic device 7 to achieve sample lysis using ultrasound. During operation, the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 contacts the outer wall of reaction chamber 202a, applying vibration to the reaction chamber 202a to cause cell lysis and release nucleic acids. Thus, with the cooperation of the rotary valve device 4 and the ultrasonic device 7, sample lysis can be achieved through a combination of ultrasound and chemical lysis, resulting in higher efficiency, better effects, and more efficient lysis to obtain more nucleic acids, thereby improving the success rate of nucleic acid detection.

[0095] After lysis, the target analyte often retains other components that inhibit amplification, such as proteins, polysaccharides, lipid macromolecules, and salts. Therefore, target analyte purification is necessary. Washing with a solution or similar medium separates the target analyte from other inhibitors, ultimately yielding a high-purity analyte. The washing process may need to be repeated several times, all within the reaction chamber 202a. During nucleic acid washing, the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 transmits ultrasonic vibrations to the reaction chamber 202a, which also mixes the reagents and magnetic beads, allowing for better adsorption of nucleic acids by the magnetic beads and more thorough removal of impurities.

[0096] After each washing, the waste liquid can be discharged, leaving the purified target substance in the reaction chamber 202a.

[0097] To prevent the target material obtained from lysis from being discharged with the waste liquid during the wastewater treatment process, in some embodiments, the storage chamber 201a stores magnetic materials such as magnetic beads, and during the extraction process, these magnetic materials are released into the reaction chamber 202a in a predetermined order. Magnetic beads are micron-sized particles with superparamagnetic properties. Under certain conditions, magnetic beads have a reversible adsorption capacity for target materials (including DNA and RNA); while other impurities such as proteins are not adsorbed by the magnetic beads and remain in the solution. Furthermore, releasing the eluent from the storage chamber 201a into the reaction chamber 202a to elute the magnetic beads and target material also allows the target material to detach from the magnetic beads, achieving separation of the target material and the magnetic beads, so that the purified target material can be transferred to the amplification chamber 205a for amplification without the magnetic beads.

[0098] In this case, to prevent the magnetic beads from being discharged from the reaction chamber 202a along with the liquid, in some embodiments, the detector 10 also includes a magnetic adsorption device 8 disposed on the base 1, which is used to separate the magnetic material and the liquid by adsorbing magnetic materials such as magnetic beads. This allows the magnetic adsorption device 8 to gather magnetic beads adsorbed with the target material during the sample lysis and target washing process, so as to separate the target material from the waste liquid and smoothly realize the target material lysis and purification process; on the other hand, during the target material elution and the transfer of the target material from the reaction chamber 202a to the amplification chamber 205a, the magnetic adsorption device 8 can also adsorb the magnetic beads that have detached from the target material, so as to separate the target material from the magnetic beads and smoothly realize the target material elution and the transfer of the target material from the reaction chamber 202a to the amplification chamber 205a.

[0099] The detection device 9 is used to detect the target analyte amplified in the amplification chamber 205a of the microfluidic chip 20. In some embodiments, the detection device 9 is a fluorescence detection device, which emits excitation light into the amplification chamber 205a through an optical fiber (not shown) to excite fluorescence, and recovers the excited fluorescence through the optical fiber so as to determine the presence and quantity of the target analyte based on the different intensities of the fluorescence generated in the amplification chamber 205a.

[0100] As can be seen, based on the cooperation of the holding device 2, the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4, the pump assembly 5, the temperature control device 6, the ultrasonic device 7, the magnetic suction device 8, and the detection device 9, the detector 10 can complete the extraction, amplification, and detection of target substances such as nucleic acids, and realize fully automatic control of the entire microfluidic detection process.

[0101] Of course, the detector 10 may also include only some of the holding device 2, puncture device 3, rotary valve device 4, pump assembly 5, temperature control device 6, ultrasonic device 7, magnetic suction device 8 and detection device 9 to achieve automatic control of part of the microfluidic detection process.

[0102] Figures 1 to 6The structure of the detector 10 in an embodiment of this application is illustrated by way of example. Figures 5 to 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the detector 10 includes a base 1, a holding device 2, a piercing device 3, a lifting mechanism 33, a linkage mechanism 36, a rotary valve device 4, a pump assembly 5, a temperature control device 6, an ultrasonic device 7, a magnetic suction device 8, and a detection device 9. The holding device 2, piercing device 3, lifting mechanism 33, linkage mechanism 36, rotary valve device 4, pump assembly 5, temperature control device 6, ultrasonic device 7, magnetic suction device 8, and detection device 9 are all mounted on the base 1. Furthermore, the connecting device 5a of the rotary valve device 4 and the pump assembly 5 is integrated into the piercing device 3, forming a fluid flow control device 103. Simultaneously, the fluid flow control device 103 and the lifting mechanism 33 together form an extraction device 102.

[0103] The base 1 is used to mount the holding device 2. The holding device 2 is used to mount the microfluidic chip 20.

[0104] The extraction device 102 is mounted on the base 1 and includes a fluid flow control device 103 and a lifting mechanism 33. The fluid flow control device 103 can move up and down between a highest point and a lowest point and includes at least one of a piercing element 32, a rotary valve, and a connecting nozzle 52. The piercing element 32 is used to drive the piercing needle 204c to approach the storage cavity 201a of the microfluidic chip 20 mounted on the holding device 2, piercing the sealing film on the storage cavity 201a. The rotary valve is used to connect to the rotor 203a of the switching valve 203 of the microfluidic chip 20, so as to drive the rotor 203a to rotate and realize the switching of the valve position of the switching valve 203. The connecting nozzle 52 is used to connect to the connecting port 204b of the microfluidic chip 20, so as to connect the connecting port 204b to the drive pump 51. The lifting mechanism 33 is driven to connect with the fluid control device 103 to drive the fluid control device 103 to move up and down relative to the base 1, so that the fluid control device 103 moves away from or closer to the microfluidic chip 20.

[0105] An ultrasonic device 7 is mounted on a base 1 and includes an ultrasonic transducer 72. The ultrasonic transducer 72 is located below the fluid flow control device 103 and can move vertically between a contact position and a clearance position below the contact position. In the contact position, the ultrasonic transducer 72 contacts the outer wall of the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20, transmitting vibrations to the reaction chamber 202a. In the clearance position, the ultrasonic transducer 72 is moved away from the reaction chamber 202a of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0106] The linkage mechanism 36 drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, and converts the movement of the liquid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position.

[0107] In the above scheme, since the linkage mechanism 36 links the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, the movement of the fluid flow control device 103, including at least one of the piercing member 32, the rotary valve member, and the connecting nozzle 52, along the vertical direction Z under the drive of the lifting mechanism 33 is converted into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 along the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. Therefore, at least one of the piercing member 32, the rotary valve member, and the connecting nozzle 52 and the ultrasonic device 7 are no longer independent of each other, but are linked together. This is beneficial to simplify the structure of the detector 10, reduce the volume of the detector 10, simplify the control process of the detector 10, realize further miniaturization and weight reduction of the detector 10, improve the ease of use of the detector 10, improve the working efficiency of the detector 10, and thus improve the performance of the detector 10.

[0108] In this design, the linkage mechanism 36 drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, allowing the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 to move together with the fluid control device 103 of the extraction device 102, which includes at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52, under the drive of the lifting mechanism 33. This eliminates the need for a separate drive mechanism for the ultrasonic transducer 72. In other words, the ultrasonic drive mechanism in the related technology can be omitted, and the detector 10 no longer needs to include an ultrasonic drive mechanism. Therefore, this simplifies the structure of the detector 10, reduces its size and weight, further miniaturizes and lightens its weight, and improves its ease of use. In particular, since the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7 are arranged vertically, the linkage mechanism 36 that enables their linkage occupies more vertical space and less horizontal space. Therefore, it is beneficial to reduce the floor area of ​​the detector 10, which is of great significance for further miniaturization of the detector 10 and improving its ease of use. Moreover, the power for the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7 to move in the vertical Z direction is provided by the lifting mechanism 33. The linkage mechanism 36 does not need to be equipped with a motor or other power mechanism. Compared with the ultrasonic drive mechanism in related technologies, it has a smaller floor area and lighter weight, which is also beneficial to further reduce the size and weight of the detector 10.

[0109] Meanwhile, since the linkage mechanism 36 enables linkage between at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotating valve element and the connecting nozzle 52 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7, the ultrasonic transducer 72 can move along with at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotating valve element and the connecting nozzle 52 without separate control or additional time. Therefore, it also helps to simplify the control process, shorten the operation time and improve the working efficiency of the detector 10.

[0110] It can be seen that by setting up the linkage mechanism 36 to drive the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, the movement of the liquid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z is converted into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. This simplifies the structure of the detector 10, reduces the volume of the detector 10, simplifies the control process of the detector 10, further miniaturizes and lightens the detector 10, improves the ease of use of the detector 10, increases the working efficiency of the detector 10, and thus improves the performance of the detector 10.

[0111] In the above scheme, the linkage mechanism 36 realizes the linkage between the ultrasonic device 7 and at least one of the fluid flow control devices 103, including the piercing element 32, the rotary valve, and the connecting nozzle 52, rather than the linkage between the ultrasonic device 7 and other modules such as the temperature control device 6, the magnetic suction device 8, or the holding device 2. This has the advantage of simplifying the structure of the detector 10 and improving its working efficiency. This is because, compared to other modules of the detector 10 such as the temperature control device 6, the magnetic suction device 8, or the holding device 2, the movement state of the fluid flow control device 103, including at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve, and the connecting nozzle 52, is more matched to the movement state of the ultrasonic device 7, less prone to conflict, and facilitates effective connection between different links. It also simplifies the structure of the linkage mechanism 36 that realizes the linkage between the two.

[0112] Specifically, during operation, the fluid control device 103, including at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve, and the connecting nozzle 52, moves along the vertical direction Z. The ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 also moves along the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, in a single operational phase (e.g., before extraction or amplification), both the fluid control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 only require unidirectional movement, without reciprocating motion. Therefore, their movements are consistent and their directions are aligned. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, the ultrasonic transducer 72 typically needs to be in contact during the extraction process, which occurs after the piercing element 32 punctures the sealing film of the microfluidic chip 20, the rotary valve connects to the rotor 203a of the microfluidic chip 20, and the connecting nozzle 52 connects to the connecting port 204b of the microfluidic chip 20. This means... This means that there is a coordinated relationship between the action of the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the actions of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element and the connecting nozzle 52, and the timing is relatively well matched. All of this indicates that the motion state of the ultrasonic device 7 and the liquid flow control device 103 is well matched. Therefore, linking the two together will not easily cause action conflicts, and it is more convenient to effectively connect different links such as ultrasonic mixing and piercing, rotary valve and driving liquid flow. Therefore, it is beneficial to improve work efficiency. Moreover, in this case, the motion of the linkage mechanism 36 before and after the conversion is a movement along the vertical direction Z. The motion mode before and after the conversion is consistent. The linkage mechanism 36 does not need to make too many changes in the motion mode. For example, it can do little or no conversion between rotation and movement. Therefore, the structure of the linkage mechanism 36 is relatively simple, which is beneficial to simplify the structure of the detector 10.

[0113] Compared to the fluid flow control device 103, other modules such as the temperature control device 6, magnetic suction device 8, or holding device 2 either do not move vertically in the Z direction, or although they do move vertically in the Z direction, the timing or method of movement is mismatched. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature control device 6 and magnetic suction device 8 do not move vertically. Furthermore, in some embodiments, although the holding part 23 of the holding device 2 moves vertically, this movement is to enable the microfluidic chip 20 to switch between different temperature zones of the temperature control device 6. This movement occurs during the amplification process after the extraction process, and the movement is not a single... Instead of moving in the same direction, it moves up and down repeatedly, which is inconsistent with the timing and mode of movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72. This means that the matching degree between the temperature control device 6, the magnetic suction device 8 or the holding device 2 and other modules with the ultrasonic device 7 is low. Therefore, linking the temperature control device 6, the magnetic suction device 8 or the holding device 2 and other modules with the ultrasonic device 7 may easily cause action conflicts, or may require the linkage mechanism 36 to have a very complex structure, which may reduce the efficiency of the detector 10, increase the structural complexity of the detector 10, and result in the detector 10 being larger, heavier, and more expensive.

[0114] As can be seen, the linkage mechanism 36 utilizes the characteristic that the motion state between the fluid flow control device 103 of the extraction device 102, including the piercing member 32, the rotary valve member, and the connecting nozzle 52, and the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 is well matched, to link the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7. The movement of the fluid flow control device 103 along the vertical direction Z is converted into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 along the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. This allows the detector 10 to achieve a more convenient and efficient microfluidic chip control process based on a simpler structure, smaller size, and lighter weight, effectively improving the performance of the detector 10.

[0115] In this application, the linkage mechanism 36 can convert the movement of the fluid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position in various ways. For example, the unidirectional movement of the fluid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z (i.e., upward or downward movement) can be converted into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. Alternatively, the bidirectional movement of the fluid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z (i.e., upward and downward movement) can be converted into the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. As another example, the movement of the fluid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z can be converted into the same-direction and / or opposite-direction movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position.

[0116] As a first example, in some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 36 converts the movement of the fluid flow control device 103 in the vertical direction Z into the same vertical direction Z movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 between the contact position and the avoidance position. For example, in some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 36 converts the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to descend from the contact position to the avoidance position. In this way, before the fluid flow control device 103 moves downward and completes at least one of the actions such as puncture, switching valve connection, and communication port connection, the ultrasonic transducer 72 can be lowered to the avoidance position to provide space for placing the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding device 2, thus facilitating the smooth loading of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0117] In some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 36 converts the movement of the fluid flow control device 103 along the vertical direction Z into the reverse movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 along the vertical direction Z between the contact position and the avoidance position. In this case, the linkage mechanism 36 performs reverse linkage between the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72, converting the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the contact position to the avoidance position, and / or converting the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position. This is more conducive to providing sufficient space for the operation of other modules (e.g., the lifting and lowering of the holding part 23 of the holding device 2) and / or other operations (e.g., the placement of the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23 of the holding device 2), making the entire detection process smoother.

[0118] For example, in some embodiments, during the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103, the linkage mechanism 36 converts the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves upward from the avoidance position to the contact position.

[0119] Based on the above scheme, the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the fluid control device 103 can be initially positioned in a clearance position and at their highest point, respectively. That is, the ultrasonic transducer 72 is in a clearance position before each detection begins, and the fluid control device 103 is at its highest point before each detection begins. At the start of each detection, the microfluidic chip 20 is first placed on the holding part 23 of the holding device 2, completing the chip loading. Since the ultrasonic transducer 72 is in a clearance position and the fluid control device 103 is at its highest point, both are away from the holding part 23 from the top and bottom. Therefore, there is sufficient space on both sides of the holding part 23, allowing the microfluidic chip 20 to be easily inserted, and the loading operation can be successfully achieved. After the chip loading is completed, the lifting mechanism 33 can be controlled to drive the fluid control device 103 downwards from its highest point, completing at least one of the actions such as puncturing, valve turning, and connecting the communication port 204b. During this process, under the action of the linkage mechanism 36... As the flow control device 103 descends, the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves upward from the avoidance position to the contact position. This ensures that the ultrasonic transducer 72 reaches the contact position when the flow control device 103 completes at least one of the puncture, valve turning, and connection port 204b, so that vibration can be applied to the reaction chamber 202a during the extraction process. In addition, if the detector 10 includes the aforementioned holding part 23 that drives the microfluidic chip 20 to switch between different temperature zones by moving up and down, the lifting mechanism 33 can be controlled to drive the flow control device 103 upward to the highest point before the amplification begins. The flow control device 103 then drives the ultrasonic transducer 72 downward from the contact position back to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36. This allows both the flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move away from the holding part 23, leaving more space for the reciprocating up and down movement of the holding part 23, facilitating the reciprocating up and down movement of the holding part 23 between different temperature zones and smoothly realizing the amplification process.

[0120] It can be seen that the linkage mechanism 36 is configured such that during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103, the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 is converted into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves from the avoidance position to the contact position. This facilitates chip loading and also facilitates the reciprocating rise and fall of the holding part 23 during the amplification process to switch the temperature zone.

[0121] In some embodiments, during the process of the fluid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, the linkage mechanism 36 converts the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position.

[0122] Based on the above scheme, the ultrasonic transducer 72 can be initially positioned in the contact position, and the fluid flow control device 103 can be initially positioned below the highest point. At the start of each test, the lifting mechanism 33 drives the fluid flow control device 103 upwards to the highest point. The fluid flow control device 103, through the linkage mechanism 36, then drives the ultrasonic transducer 72 downwards from the contact position to the avoidance position. This ensures that both the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 are away from the holding part 23, providing ample space for placing the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23, facilitating the smooth installation of the microfluidic chip 20 onto the holding part 23 and achieving chip loading. Furthermore... In the case where the detector 10 includes the aforementioned holding part 23 that drives the microfluidic chip 20 to switch between different temperature zones by moving up and down, after extraction and before amplification begins, the lifting mechanism 33 can be controlled to drive the liquid flow control device 103 to move upward to the highest point. The liquid flow control device 103 then drives the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36. This ensures that both the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 are far away from the holding part 23, leaving a large space for the reciprocating up and down movement of the holding part 23. This facilitates the reciprocating up and down movement of the holding part 23 between different temperature zones, thus smoothly realizing the amplification process.

[0123] It can be seen that the linkage mechanism 36 is configured such that during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 is converted into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves downward from the contact position to the avoidance position. This not only facilitates chip loading, but also facilitates the reciprocating lifting and lowering of the holding part 23 during the extraction process to switch the temperature zone.

[0124] Although the aforementioned two reverse linkage methods—namely, "the linkage mechanism 36 converts the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move upward from the avoidance position to the contact position," and "the linkage mechanism 36 converts the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 to its highest point, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position"—can both facilitate chip loading and temperature zone switching without affecting at least one of the following: sealing membrane puncture, switching valve connection, and communication port connection, as well as ultrasonic mixing. However, among these two methods, the one involving "the linkage mechanism 36 converting the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72"—is less effective. Compared to the method of "moving the ultrasonic transducer 72 upward from the avoidance position to the contact position," the method of "the linkage mechanism 36 converting the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves downward from the contact position to the avoidance position" is more conducive to reducing the size of the detector 10. This is because, in this case, initially, the ultrasonic transducer 72 is in the contact position, and the liquid flow control device 103 is below the highest point. Both are closer to the holding part 23 in the vertical direction Z, occupying less space in the vertical direction. Thus, the overall height of the device is lower initially. In other words, when the device is not started, the overall height and size are smaller. Therefore, it is more conducive to reducing the size of the detector 10 and making the packaging and transportation of the device easier.

[0125] When the linkage mechanism 36 is configured such that "during the process of the fluid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 is converted into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position", the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the contact position to the avoidance position is completed under the drive of the linkage mechanism 36. In this case, the reverse movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, that is, the movement from the avoidance position to the contact position, can also be completed under the drive of the linkage mechanism 36, or it can be completed under the drive of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 mentioned below, instead of under the drive of the linkage mechanism 36.

[0126] Specifically, the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the contact position to the avoidance position, and from the avoidance position to the contact position, are both completed under the drive of the linkage mechanism 36. That is, when the bidirectional movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 between the contact position and the avoidance position is completed under the drive of the linkage mechanism 36, the linkage mechanism 36 not only "converts the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 to the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position," but also "converts the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 to the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point." During the downward movement from the highest point, the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 is converted into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to return from the avoidance position to the contact position. In this case, the linkage mechanism 36 drives the connected extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during both the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 towards the highest point and the downward movement from the highest point. Throughout the process, the linkage mechanism 36 performs bidirectional linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7, realizing the reverse linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 in both the upward and downward directions.

[0127] When the ultrasonic transducer 72 moves only unidirectionally from the contact position to the avoidance position, driven by the linkage mechanism 36, but moves from the avoidance position to the contact position without being driven by the linkage mechanism 36, the linkage mechanism 36 only "converts the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 to the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 to the highest point, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position," and does not "convert the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 to the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 from the highest point, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the avoidance position to the avoidance position." "Return to the contact position" In this case, the linkage mechanism 36 only drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 towards the highest point. During the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the highest point, it no longer drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, but instead drives the disconnection between the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7. Throughout the process, the linkage mechanism 36 only performs unidirectional linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7, and only realizes the reverse linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the upward direction, but does not realize the linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the downward direction.

[0128] Furthermore, when the linkage mechanism 36 is configured to "convert the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 to the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward to the highest point, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from the contact position to the avoidance position," the linkage mechanism 36 can continuously drive the connection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 throughout the entire upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 continuously moves downward along with the liquid flow control device 103 throughout the entire upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point. Alternatively, the linkage mechanism 36 can also only... During the partial ascent of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point, it drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7. This causes the ultrasonic transducer 72 to descend only during the partial ascent of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point, while it does not descend during the other partial ascent of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point. The latter prevents the lifting mechanism 33 from continuously pulling the ultrasonic device 7 during the standby period of the detector 10, thus avoiding continuous heating of the lifting mechanism 33 and affecting its lifespan. Therefore, it is more conducive to improving the working reliability of the detector 10 and extending the lifespan of the detector 10.

[0129] In some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 36 is disconnectably driven to connect the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7. During the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 to its highest point, the linkage mechanism 36 drives the connection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, converting the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 into a downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move downward from a contact position to a clearance position. During the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 from its highest point, the linkage mechanism 36 disconnects from the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7. Furthermore, an initial position is provided between the highest and lowest points. During the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 to its highest point, the linkage mechanism 36 only drives the connection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 from its initial position to its highest point. During the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103 from its lowest point to its initial position, the linkage mechanism 36 disconnects from the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7.

[0130] Based on the above scheme, the linkage mechanism 36 only drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 towards the highest point. During the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the highest point, it no longer drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, but instead disconnects from them. Throughout the process, the linkage mechanism 36 only performs unidirectional linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7, achieving only the reverse linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the upward direction, and not the linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the downward direction. The advantage is that, on the one hand, the linkage mechanism 36 only needs to convert the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the contact position to the avoidance position, without needing to convert the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position. The linkage mechanism 36 does not need to operate continuously, thus extending the lifespan of the linkage mechanism. The lifespan is 36. On the other hand, when the flow control device 103 moves downward from the highest point to perform at least one of the puncture, valve turning, and connection port functions, it does not need to drive the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move. The two are less likely to interfere with each other, and it is more convenient for the flow control device 103 to perform the required functions and the ultrasonic mixing function to be realized smoothly. For example, when the flow control device 103 performs the resealing of the microfluidic chip 20 during the downward movement, since the resealing occurs after the extraction process, the flow control device 103 does not link with the ultrasonic device 7 during the downward movement from the highest point. This can effectively prevent the flow control device 103 from being obstructed by the ultrasonic transducer 72 when it moves downward from the position corresponding to at least one of the puncture, valve turning, and connection port functions toward the sealing position, thus affecting the smooth realization of the resealing function. Alternatively, the flow control device 103 may drive the ultrasonic transducer 72 to continue upward from the contact position, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to excessively press against the microfluidic chip 20, resulting in damage to the ultrasonic transducer 72 and / or the microfluidic chip 20.

[0131] Of course, when the flow control device 103 performs resealing of the microfluidic chip 20 during its downward movement, the linkage mechanism 36 can also be configured such that, during the process of the flow control device 103 moving downward from its highest point to a position corresponding to at least one of the puncture, rotary valve, and connecting port, it drives the connecting extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, converting the downward movement of the flow control device 103 into the upward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position, and at the position corresponding to at least one of the puncture, rotary valve, and connecting port... During the movement of the position toward the sealing position, the drive between the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 is cut off to prevent mutual interference between the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the fluid flow control device 103 moving toward the sealing position. However, in this case, an additional separation mechanism is required, or the structure of the linkage mechanism 36 itself needs to be specially designed to achieve the drive cut-off between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 at the position corresponding to at least one of the puncture, rotary valve and connecting port of the fluid flow control device 103. Therefore, the structure is relatively complex. The above solution directly constructs the linkage mechanism 36 so that it does not drive the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the entire process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving downward. This eliminates the need for a separate separation mechanism or special design of the linkage mechanism 36 itself. The linkage mechanism 36 can achieve drive cut-off between the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 at the position corresponding to at least one of the liquid flow control device 103 being punctured, rotating valve, and connecting port. This prevents mutual interference between the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the liquid flow control device 103 moving toward the sealing position. Therefore, the structure is relatively simple.

[0132] Furthermore, in the above-described scheme, when the linkage mechanism 36 converts the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the contact position to the avoidance position, it does not convert the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the highest point throughout the entire process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving upward into the ultrasonic transducer 72 moving downward into the avoidance position. Instead, it only converts the upward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the initial position between the lowest and highest points to the highest point into the downward movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 moving downward into the avoidance position. In this case, the linkage mechanism 36 does not drive the connection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 throughout the entire process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving from the lowest point to the highest point, but only during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 moving downward into the highest point. The lifting mechanism 33 only drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 rising from the initial position to the highest point. At this time, the initial position constitutes the dividing point for whether the linkage mechanism 36 drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the rising process of the liquid flow control device 103. When the liquid flow control device 103 is in the initial position, the lifting mechanism 33 does not pull the ultrasonic transducer 72 through the linkage mechanism 36. In this way, the liquid flow control device 103 can be in the initial position during the standby process, thereby preventing the lifting mechanism 33 from being in the state of pulling the ultrasonic transducer 72 during the standby process, so as to avoid the lifting mechanism 33 from overheating due to continuous operation and affecting its lifespan. Therefore, it can effectively improve the working reliability of the detector 10 and extend the service life of the detector 10.

[0133] As can be seen, in the above scheme, the linkage mechanism 36 does not drive the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 throughout the entire process of the liquid flow control device 103 rising and falling. Instead, it only drives the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 rising from the initial position to the highest point. It does not drive the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the process of rising from the lowest point to the initial position and from the highest point to the lowest point. This non-full-process drive connection facilitates the smooth realization of at least one of the following based on a simpler structure: sealing membrane puncture, valve position switching, and connection of the communication port, ultrasonic mixing, chip loading, and temperature zone switching of the reciprocating rising and falling of the holding part 23. It also allows the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 to disengage within a certain range (i.e., during the entire descent of the liquid flow control device 103 and during the rise of the liquid flow control device 103 from the lowest point to the initial position) without affecting each other.

[0134] In the foregoing embodiments, the linkage mechanism 36 can have various structural forms, such as at least one of a linkage mechanism, a cam mechanism, and a rack and pinion mechanism.

[0135] In addition, in the foregoing embodiments, in order to achieve a drive connection with the extraction device 102, the linkage mechanism 36 can be driven to connect with the liquid flow control device 103 or the lifting mechanism 33.

[0136] Furthermore, in embodiments where the linkage mechanism 36 is not continuously driving the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7, the linkage mechanism 36 can achieve driving connection or driving disconnection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 by being detachably driving the connection with the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7. Moreover, when the linkage mechanism 36 is detachably driving the connection with the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7, the driving connection or driving disconnection between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 can be achieved based on various structural forms.

[0137] For example, in some embodiments, the drive connection or drive disconnection between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 is controlled by a separation mechanism. The separation mechanism drives the linkage mechanism 36 to contact or separate from the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 to achieve the drive connection or drive disconnection between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7.

[0138] For example, in some other embodiments, the drive connection or disconnection between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7 is not controlled by the separation mechanism, but by the cooperative structure between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102. The up-and-down movement of the liquid flow control device 103 allows the linkage mechanism 36 to contact or separate from the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7, thereby achieving the drive connection or disconnection between the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102 and / or the ultrasonic device 7. Since the separation mechanism can be omitted in this case, the structure is simpler and the control is more convenient.

[0139] The fluid flow control device 103 includes not only at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52, but also a support 31, which supports at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52, thereby enabling the driving connection between at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52 and the lifting mechanism 33.

[0140] The support 31 is particularly convenient when the fluid control device 103 includes at least two of the following: piercing element 32, rotary valve element, and connecting nozzle 52. This is because when the fluid control device 103 includes at least two of the following: piercing element 32, rotary valve element, and connecting nozzle 52, at least two of the following can be mounted on the support 31 and supported by the support 31, thus facilitating the integrated mounting of at least two of the following on the support 31.

[0141] In some embodiments, the detector 10 further includes an ultrasonic reset mechanism 73, which is connected to the ultrasonic device 7 and moves the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103.

[0142] Since the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 can move the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103, the ultrasonic transducer 72 can move to the contact position during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103 to achieve at least one of the actions such as puncture, switching valve connection and connecting port connection. This makes it convenient for the ultrasonic transducer 72 to apply vibration to the reaction chamber 202a during the extraction process.

[0143] Furthermore, since the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 can move the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103, the linkage mechanism 36 does not need to drive the connection between the ultrasonic device 7 and the extraction device 102 during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103. Therefore, the solution of setting the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 is particularly suitable for the situation where the linkage mechanism 36 is disconnected from the ultrasonic device 7 and / or the extraction device 102 during the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103.

[0144] When the movement of the ultrasonic transducer 72 from the avoidance position to the contact position is completed not by the linkage mechanism 36 and the extraction device 102, but only by the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73, it can not only prevent the ultrasonic transducer 72 from affecting the downward movement of the liquid flow control device 103, but also facilitate the use of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 to press the ultrasonic transducer 72 against the reaction chamber 202a after the ultrasonic transducer 72 reaches the contact position, so that the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the reaction chamber 202a maintain good contact during the extraction process and achieve a better ultrasonic vibration effect.

[0145] As an example of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73, in some embodiments, the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 includes an ultrasonic elastic element disposed on the base 1 and abutting against the lower part of the ultrasonic device 7. This elastic element applies an upward elastic force to the ultrasonic device 7 during the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103, causing the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move upward from the avoidance position to the contact position. Based on this, under the action of the ultrasonic elastic element, the ultrasonic transducer 72 can automatically return to the contact position and contact the reaction chamber 202a during the downward movement of the fluid flow control device 103, which is convenient and efficient. Moreover, in this case, the maintenance of the ultrasonic transducer 72 in the contact position can be achieved solely by the ultrasonic elastic element, without relying on other mechanisms, resulting in a simpler structure. Furthermore, in this case, the pressure applied by the ultrasonic transducer 72 to the reaction chamber 202a can be controlled simply by pre-designing the specifications of the ultrasonic elastic element, eliminating the need for a dedicated ultrasonic detection device to detect the corresponding pressure, thus effectively simplifying the structure.

[0146] In some embodiments, to achieve stable positioning of the ultrasonic elastic element, the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 includes a support shaft, on which the ultrasonic elastic element is sleeved. Thus, the support shaft can support the ultrasonic elastic element, thereby achieving stable positioning of the ultrasonic elastic element. Furthermore, the support shaft can guide the ultrasonic elastic element during its deformation along the vertical Z-direction, making it less prone to skew and allowing for more accurate extension and contraction along the vertical Z-direction. This facilitates more reliable driving of the ultrasonic transducer 72 back to the contact position.

[0147] When the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73 includes a support shaft, in some embodiments, the ultrasonic device 7 is movably mounted on the support shaft. This facilitates the ultrasonic device 7 to move up and down and return to the contact position when the ultrasonic elastic element unfolds along the support shaft and applies an elastic force to the ultrasonic device 7. Moreover, the support shaft can also guide the up and down movement of the ultrasonic device 7, making it easier for the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move up and down more accurately and reliably between the contact position and the avoidance position.

[0148] To facilitate the vertical movement of the ultrasonic device 7 on the support shaft, in some embodiments, the ultrasonic device 7 includes not only an ultrasonic transducer 72 but also an ultrasonic support 71. The ultrasonic transducer 72 is connected to the linkage mechanism 36 via the ultrasonic support 71, and the support shaft passes through the ultrasonic support 71, thus enabling the ultrasonic device 7 to move vertically on the support shaft. In this way, the linkage mechanism 36 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move vertically by driving the ultrasonic support 71 to slide along the support shaft, which is simple and convenient.

[0149] In the foregoing embodiments, the number of ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73 in the temperature control device can be one, two, or more. When the temperature control device includes at least two ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73, these at least two ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73 can be arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction to connect to different positions of the ultrasonic device 7. In this way, the ultrasonic device 7 can rise more smoothly from the avoidance position to the contact position, and after reaching the contact position, the ultrasonic device 7 can more tightly press against the reaction chamber 202a and apply vibration under the action of at least two ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73. Therefore, it is beneficial to achieve a better mixing effect.

[0150] For example, in some embodiments, the temperature control device includes three ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73 arranged in a triangle. Because the three ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73 are arranged in a triangle, the ultrasonic device 7 can be supported more stably and driven more smoothly to rise to the contact position. Furthermore, once at the contact position, the ultrasonic device 7, under the action of the three ultrasonic reset mechanisms 73 arranged in a triangle, can more firmly press against the reaction chamber 202a and apply vibration, thus facilitating a better mixing effect.

[0151] As mentioned above, in the various embodiments of the application, the fluid flow control device 103 moves up and down between the highest and lowest points under the drive of the lifting mechanism 33. In some embodiments, the highest point is the position where the fluid flow control device 103 pulls the ultrasonic device 7 upward to the contact position through the linkage mechanism 36, and the lowest point is the sealing position. In some embodiments, the movement path of the fluid flow control device 103 also includes a piercing position and an initial position. The piercing position is lower than the highest point and higher than or level with the lowest point, and is the position where the piercing member 32 drives the piercing needle 204c to pierce the sealing film. The initial position is the position of the fluid flow control device 103 during standby. In some embodiments, it is also the dividing point between whether the linkage mechanism 36 drives the connection between the extraction device 102 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the upward movement of the fluid flow control device 103. It is located between the highest and lowest points, and specifically between the piercing position and the highest point.

[0152] The highest point, lowest point, initial position, and puncture position are the key positions during the lifting and lowering process of the fluid flow control device 103.

[0153] In the foregoing embodiments, the flow control device 103 includes at least one of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52, which means that the flow control device 103 may include only one, two, or three of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve element, and the connecting nozzle 52.

[0154] When the fluid flow control device 103 includes three components—the piercing element 32, the rotary valve, and the connecting nozzle 52—it combines multiple functions such as piercing, rotary valve, and connecting nozzle connection, resulting in richer functionality. Furthermore, in this case, the piercing element 32, rotary valve, and connecting nozzle 52 can be integrated and driven by the same lifting mechanism 33, leading to a more compact structure, reduced number of driving mechanisms, simplified control process, and improved efficiency. Moreover, in this case, the linkage mechanism 36 links the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7, enabling the ultrasonic device 7 to move along with the piercing element 32, rotary valve, and connecting nozzle 52, achieving a match between ultrasonic mixing and the three actions of piercing, rotary valve, and connecting nozzle connection. Therefore, it further enhances efficiency.

[0155] Regardless of whether the fluid flow control device 103 includes one, two, or three of the piercing element 32, the rotary valve, and the connecting nozzle 52, the fluid flow control device 103 can include at least the piercing element 32 so that the linkage mechanism 36 can at least link the piercing element 32 and the ultrasonic transducer 72. The advantage is that during movement, the piercing element 32 needs to break the connecting rib 204d between the piercing needle 204c and the top cover 204, causing the piercing needle 204c to detach from the top cover 204c. The force required for this breaking process is relatively large; therefore, it is typically used to drive the piercing needle... The lifting mechanism of the piercing element 32 has a large power, which means that when the fluid control device 103 includes the piercing element 32, the lifting mechanism 33 has a large power, which can effectively meet the needs of driving the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move without overloading, so as to avoid overloading the lifting mechanism 33 and affecting its lifespan, or that the lifting mechanism 33 has insufficient power and cannot drive the ultrasonic transducer 72 to the target position. In other words, when the fluid control device 103 includes the piercing element 32, the lifting mechanism 33 can drive the ultrasonic transducer 72 to move more safely and reliably.

[0156] The following mainly introduces the holding device 2 and the temperature control device 6.

[0157] like Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the holding device 2 is disposed on the base 1, including a holding part 23 and a holding drive part 22 that is driven to the holding part 23 to drive the holding part to move up and down reciprocally. The holding part 23 is used to hold the microfluidic chip 20 and transport the microfluidic chip 20 to a position that cooperates with other modules so that other modules can apply an action to the microfluidic chip 20.

[0158] In this embodiment, the holding part 23 transports the microfluidic chip 20 mainly to cooperate with the temperature control device 6, which controls the temperature of the amplification cavity 205a of the microfluidic chip 20. During operation, the holding part 23 needs to move the microfluidic chip 20 up and down so that the amplification cavity 205a of the microfluidic chip 20 is switched between the various temperature control units of the temperature control device 6, realizing the switching of the microfluidic chip 20 between different temperature zones, so that the amplification cavity 205a of the microfluidic chip 20 can be controlled by different temperature zones.

[0159] In order to enable the microfluidic chip 20 to switch between different temperature zones, in this embodiment, the holding part 23 is movably arranged up and down. In this way, the holding part 23 can not only support and fix the microfluidic chip 20, but also drive the microfluidic chip 20 to rise and fall, so as to realize the rise and fall of the microfluidic chip 20 between different temperature control units of the temperature control device 6.

[0160] In addition, in this embodiment, the holding device 2 does not move horizontally. In this case, the holding part 23 does not drive the microfluidic chip 20 to move horizontally. The microfluidic chip 20 is not moved horizontally to remove the obstruction of the microfluidic chip picking and placing operation by other modules such as the flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7. At the same time, the microfluidic chip 20 is not moved horizontally to achieve the approach and distance between the microfluidic chip 20 and the temperature control device 6.

[0161] This embodiment utilizes the reverse linkage between the flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7 in the vertical Z direction to remove the obstruction of the microfluidic chip placement operation by the flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the microfluidic chip 20 is placed on the holding part 23, its amplification cavity 205a is positioned horizontally between the temperature control units of the temperature control device 6, allowing direct insertion. Therefore, throughout the entire operation, the microfluidic chip 20 does not need to move horizontally closer to or further away from the temperature control device 6.

[0162] As can be seen, by setting up the linkage mechanism 36, the fluid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7 are linked in opposite directions in the vertical Z direction. During the upward process, the fluid flow control device 103 pulls the ultrasonic device 7 down to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36. This also eliminates the need for the holding part 23 to move horizontally in order to transport the microfluidic chip 20. This eliminates the need for a drive mechanism to drive the holding part 23 to move horizontally. Therefore, from this perspective, it is also beneficial to simplify the structure, reduce the size, and improve efficiency.

[0163] like Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the holding device 2 is used to fix and lift the microfluidic chip 20. It is mounted on the base 1 and includes a holding part 23 and a holding drive part 22.

[0164] The holding part 23 includes a tray body 231, a chip limiting block 232, a guide groove 232a, and a chip positioning block 233.

[0165] The tray body 231 is used to hold the microfluidic chip 20. The chip positioning block 232 is mounted on the tray body 231. The guide groove 232a is provided on the chip positioning block 232 or formed between the tray body 231 and the chip positioning block 232, and is configured to allow the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 to be inserted.

[0166] The chip positioning block 233 includes a blocking portion 233a. The chip positioning block 233 is configured to be movable relative to the guide groove 232a so that the blocking portion 233a switches between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the blocking portion 233a extends into the guide groove 232a and blocks the chip positioning portion from moving along the guide groove 232a. In the second position, the blocking portion 233a is located outside the guide groove 232a so as to allow the chip positioning portion to move along the guide groove 232a.

[0167] In this embodiment, the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 (for example, including positioning block 202d, see reference) Figure 2 The microfluidic chip 20 is inserted into the guide groove 232a. The chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 is adapted to the cross-section of the guide groove 232a. Therefore, the guide groove 232a limits the chip positioning part in multiple directions other than the length direction of the guide groove 232a. The blocking part 233a of the chip positioning block 233 further restricts the movement of the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 along the length direction of the guide groove 232a. In this way, the holding part 23 can achieve a stable fixation of the microfluidic chip 20. Furthermore, the installation of the microfluidic chip 20 is achieved by inserting the microfluidic chip 20 into the guide groove 232a, which simplifies the installation and fixation process of the microfluidic chip 20 and helps to improve the detection efficiency.

[0168] In some embodiments, the retaining part 23 further includes a spring 234 configured to push the blocking part 233a toward a first position. During the process of pushing the microfluidic chip 20 into the tray module, the chip positioning part presses down on the left and right chip positioning blocks 233. After the microfluidic chip 20 reaches the working position, the chip positioning part no longer contacts the left and right chip positioning blocks 233, and the left and right chip positioning blocks 233 are lifted up by the spring 234 to abut against the front of the positioning block 202d, thereby achieving the fixation and positioning of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0169] In some embodiments, the surface of the tray body 231 facing the chip limiting block 232 is provided with a mounting groove 231a for mounting the chip positioning block 233, and the chip positioning block 233 and the spring 234 are mounted in the mounting groove 231a. In this way, the structure of the retaining part 23 is compact and occupies less space.

[0170] In some embodiments, the height of the blocking portion 233a gradually increases along the direction in which the chip positioning portion of the microfluidic chip 20 is inserted into the guide groove 232a. Based on this, the surface of the blocking portion 233a away from the tray body 231 is formed with an inclined surface. This inclined surface can guide the microfluidic chip 20 during insertion and removal of the chip positioning portion, facilitating the gradual increase in height along the insertion direction of the inclined surface during insertion into the guide groove 232a, and the gradual decrease in height along the removal direction of the inclined surface during removal from the guide groove 232a, allowing for smooth extraction. Furthermore, when inserting the chip positioning portion of the microfluidic chip 20 into the guide groove 232a… During insertion, the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 presses against the inclined surface of the blocking part 233a, which can overcome the elastic force of the spring 234 and push the blocking part 233a toward the second position located outside the guide groove 232a. After the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 passes the blocking part 233a, its pushing effect on the blocking part 233a disappears. Thus, the blocking part 233a can return to the first position under the action of the elastic force of the spring 234, thereby making the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 blocked by the blocking part 233a in the guide groove 232a, realizing the installation and fixation on the holding part 23.

[0171] In some embodiments, the chip positioning block 233 further includes an operating part 233b for an operator to drive the blocking part 233a toward a second position. After the microfluidic chip 20 is inspected, the operator can press the operating part 233b to switch the blocking part 233a to the second position so that the operator can remove the microfluidic chip 20 from the holding part 23.

[0172] In some embodiments, the chip positioning block 233 further includes a strip-shaped portion 233c located between the tray body 231 and the chip limiting block 232. The strip-shaped portion extends outside the guide groove 232a, and an operating portion 233b is provided at one end of the strip-shaped portion outside the guide groove 232a. In this way, the operating portion 233b is located outside the guide groove 232a and is not obstructed by the chip limiting block 232, making it convenient for the operator to switch the blocking portion 233a to the second position by pressing the operating portion 233b.

[0173] In some embodiments, the chip limiting block 232 has a notch on the side facing the tray body 231 that communicates with the guide groove 232a, and the blocking part extends into the guide groove 232a through the notch.

[0174] In this embodiment, the holding part 23 includes a tray module, and the holding drive part 22 includes a holding lifting module. The tray module is used to support and position the microfluidic chip 20. It is fixed to the main frame by guide rail slider modules on both sides. The holding lifting module drives the tray module to move up and down, so that the microfluidic chip 20 and the temperature control device 6 can cooperate with each other.

[0175] The holding and lifting module, which serves as the holding drive unit 22, includes a motor mounting plate 220, a gear 221, a rack mounting plate 222, a motor 223, and a rack 224.

[0176] The tray module serving as the holding part 23 includes: slider 230, guide rail 230a, tray body 231, chip limiting block 232, tray positioning block 233, and spring 234.

[0177] like Figure 7 As shown, the base 1 includes a base plate 11, a first side plate 12, and a second side plate 13. The first side plate 12 and the second side plate 13 are connected to each other at both ends of the base plate 11 in the left-right direction Y and extend upward from the base plate 11.

[0178] The base 1 is provided with a mounting position 14, which is used to install the holding device 2. Specifically, the mounting position 14 is located on the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 13, at the lower part between the upper and lower ends of the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 13, and at the front part of the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 13.

[0179] The motor mounting plate 220 is fixed to the base plate 11, the motor 223 is fixed to the motor mounting plate 220, and the rack 224 is fixed to the rack mounting plate 222. The gear 221 is driven to the output shaft of the motor 223 and meshes with the rack 224.

[0180] The tray body 231 and the chip limiting blocks 232 on the left and right sides are the main structures for supporting the microfluidic chip 20. Guide rails 230a are fixed to both sides of the tray body 231, and sliders 230 on the left and right sides slide in cooperation with the guide rails 230a, respectively, and are fixed to the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 13 of the base 1. The tray module moves up and down through the relative sliding of the guide rails 230a and the sliders 230 in the vertical direction. The guide rails 230a are fixed to both sides of the rack and pinion fixing plate 222.

[0181] The rack and pinion plate 222 is connected to the tray body 231. The motor 223 drives the gear 221 to rotate, which drives the rack 224 to move up and down, thereby driving the tray module to move up and down along the Z direction, and then driving the microfluidic chip 20 on the tray module to move up and down.

[0182] The left and right chip limiting blocks 232 guide the microfluidic chip 20 into the tray body 231 through the guide grooves 232a that can slide with the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0183] When the microfluidic chip 20 is pushed into the tray module, it is first pushed from front to back into the space between the chip limiting blocks 232 on the left and right sides. The guide groove 232a on the inner side of the chip limiting block 232 contacts and abuts against the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip 20 to prevent the microfluidic chip 20 from rotating or moving up and down. The chip positioning part includes, for example, a positioning block 202d (see reference). Figure 2 ).

[0184] The temperature control device 6 is fixed on the base 1 and located on the rear side of the holding device 2. It is used to control the temperature of the amplification chamber 205a of the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23 of the holding device 2, so as to provide suitable and stable temperature conditions for the amplification reaction and enable the amplification reaction to proceed smoothly.

[0185] In this embodiment, the temperature control device 6 includes two temperature control units arranged side by side in the vertical direction Z. Each temperature control unit includes two temperature control modules that are opposite to each other and can move relative to each other. The two temperature control modules of the same temperature control unit move relative to each other, moving closer or further apart. When they move away from each other, the amplification element 205 of the microfluidic chip 20 is allowed to be inserted or withdrawn. When they move closer to each other, the inserted amplification element 205 is clamped, and the temperature of the amplification cavity 205a within the amplification element 205 is controlled.

[0186] The two temperature control units correspond to different temperature ranges, forming upper and lower temperature zones to control the amplification chamber 205a at different temperature ranges. Specifically, in this embodiment, the upper temperature control unit corresponds to a temperature range of 90–100°C, and the lower temperature control unit corresponds to a temperature range of 50–60°C.

[0187] During operation, the holding part 23 drives the microfluidic chip 20 to move up and down repeatedly, causing the microfluidic chip 20 to continuously switch between the upper and lower temperature zones, performing multiple cycles of temperature control. Each complete switch between the lower and upper temperature zones constitutes one cycle, and a total of 40 to 50 (e.g., 45) cycles are performed during the amplification process.

[0188] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, after the holding device 2 is installed on the mounting position 14, the holding device 2 is in a lower and forward position, which can leave sufficient space for the liquid flow control device 103 and ultrasonic device 7 located on the upper and lower sides, as well as the temperature control device 6 and detection device 9 located at the rear, so as to facilitate the installation of the liquid flow control device 103, ultrasonic device 7, temperature control device 6 and detection device 9, and facilitate their cooperation with the liquid flow control device 103, ultrasonic device 7, temperature control device 6 and detection device 9.

[0189] In this configuration, the linkage mechanism 36 pulls the ultrasonic device 7 down to a clearance position when the fluid control device 103 rises from its initial position to its highest point. This allows for clearance during the placement of the microfluidic chip 20 and the raising and lowering of the holding part 23. In this situation, when the fluid control device 103 is at its highest point and the ultrasonic device 7 is in the clearance position, both are at their furthest point from the holding part 23. This provides ample space on both the upper and lower sides of the holding part 23, preventing it from being obstructed by the fluid control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7. Therefore, in this state, the microfluidic chip 20 can be easily placed on the holding part 23, successfully completing the installation and fixation of the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23. Furthermore, the holding part 23 can be raised and lowered repeatedly as needed to facilitate temperature zone switching during the amplification process. In view of this, at the beginning of the detection, the lifting mechanism 33 can be controlled to drive the fluid control device 103 to rise from the initial position to the highest point, and the ultrasonic device 7 can be pulled down from the contact position to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36. Then, the microfluidic chip 20 can be installed on the holding part 23. After that, after the extraction is completed and before the amplification begins, the lifting mechanism 33 can be controlled to drive the fluid control device 103 back to the highest point, and the ultrasonic device 7 can be pulled down from the contact position to the avoidance position again through the two linkage mechanisms 36a, so as to prevent the ultrasonic transducer 72 and the fluid control device 103 from affecting the reciprocating lifting of the holding part 23 during the subsequent amplification process.

[0190] Furthermore, since the movement of the ultrasonic device 7 from the contact position to the avoidance position is driven by the lifting mechanism 33 of the liquid flow control device 103 under the action of the linkage mechanism 36, the descent process of the ultrasonic device 7 and the lifting process of the liquid flow control device 103 are driven by the same lifting mechanism 33. This eliminates the need for a driving mechanism to drive the ultrasonic device to descend. Therefore, the structure is simpler, the size is smaller, the weight is lighter, the control is more convenient, and the efficiency is higher.

[0191] Furthermore, during the process of the liquid flow control device 103 descending from the highest point to the lowest point, the linkage mechanism 36 releases the linkage between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7. The advantage is that the liquid flow control device 103 can easily descend to the puncture position and the lowest point to perform operations such as puncture, valve rotation, connection of the connecting port, and resealing, without being restricted by the ultrasonic device 7. In particular, the movement of the liquid flow control device 103 from the puncture position to the lowest point is not restricted by the ultrasonic device 7, making it simpler and more convenient. Moreover, the ultrasonic device 7 can return to the contact position before the liquid flow control device 103 reaches the puncture position, i.e., under the action of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73. This allows the vibration excitation required for the extraction process to be applied at any time after puncture, valve rotation, and connection of the connecting port, and the corresponding movement back to the contact position is not affected by the descent action of the liquid flow control device 103, making it simpler and more convenient.

[0192] Setting an initial position between the highest and lowest points and configuring it as the dividing point for whether the linkage mechanism 36 drives the flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7 during the rising process of the flow control device 103 has the advantage that, during standby, the flow control device 103 does not need to pull the ultrasonic device 7, and the lifting mechanism 33 of the flow control device 103 does not need to work continuously. Therefore, it can effectively prevent the lifting motor of the lifting mechanism 33 from overheating during standby, which would affect its lifespan.

[0193] Moreover, in this embodiment, the fluid flow control device 103 includes a piercing member 32. The lifting motor not only drives the fluid flow control device 103 to lift as a whole, but also drives the piercing member 32 to break the connecting rib 204d. It has a large power, so the lifting mechanism 33 can effectively meet the pull-down requirements of the ultrasonic device 7, which is safe and reliable.

[0194] In summary, the detector 10 of this embodiment integrates multiple functional modules such as the holding device 2, the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4, the pump assembly 5, the temperature control device 6, the ultrasonic device 7, the magnetic suction device 8, and the detection device 9, which can realize fully automated control of the entire nucleic acid detection process. Moreover, since the rotary valve device 4 and the connecting device 5a are both integrated on the piercing device 3 and driven by the same lifting mechanism 33, and the lifting mechanism 33 also drives the ultrasonic device 7 to descend from the contact position to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36, the structure is simple, the layout is compact, the size is small, the weight is light, and the efficiency is high.

[0195] The detector 10 in this embodiment is easy to use and requires minimal operator skill. Operators only need to perform the following three steps to conduct fully automated, end-to-end testing:

[0196] (1) Add the sample into the microfluidic chip 20;

[0197] (2) Place the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23 of the holding device 2;

[0198] (3) After the test is completed, remove the microfluidic chip 20.

[0199] Specifically, the working process of the detector 10 in this embodiment mainly includes four steps: microfluidic chip loading, nucleic acid extraction, nucleic acid amplification and detection, and microfluidic chip removal.

[0200] The microfluidic chip loading step mainly includes: driving the lifting mechanism 33 to raise the fluid control device 103, which includes the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4 and the connecting device 5a, from the initial position to the highest point; at the same time, pulling the ultrasonic device 7 down from the contact position to the avoidance position through the linkage mechanism 36; and then, the operator installs the microfluidic chip 20 on the holding part 23 of the holding device 2 to complete the loading of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0201] The nucleic acid extraction process mainly includes the following steps:

[0202] (1) After the microfluidic chip 20 is loaded, the lifting motor of the lifting mechanism 33 is rotated in the opposite direction to drive the liquid flow control device 103, which includes the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4 and the connecting device 5a, to move downward from the highest point, so that the liquid flow control device 103 reaches the piercing position. The piercing part 32 crushes the connecting rib 204d between the connecting top cover 204 of the microfluidic chip 20 and the piercing needle 204c, so that the piercing needle 204c falls down and pierces the sealing film on the storage cavity 201a of the microfluidic chip 20, so that the storage cavity 201a containing the reagent is connected to the atmosphere.

[0203] (2) After the connecting rib 204d is broken, the piercing part 32 continues to move downward until the rotary valve shaft on the piercing device 3 is fitted onto the valve stem 203b of the microfluidic chip 20, and the connecting nozzle 52 on the piercing device 3 is inserted into the connecting port 204b of the microfluidic chip 20. After connecting the microfluidic chip 20 with the drive pump 51, the downward movement is paused, and the rotary valve motor of the rotary valve device 4 operates, driving the rotary valve shaft to rotate the valve stem 203b according to a specific timing and angle, so that different storage chambers 201a are switched to connect with the reaction chamber 202a. When the storage chamber 201a is connected to the reaction chamber 202a, the fluid in the storage chamber 201a is pumped into the reaction chamber 202a by the suction action of the drive pump 51. During the connection process between the rotary valve shaft and valve stem 203b, and between the connecting nozzle 52 and the connecting port 204b, although the piercing member 32 presses on the annular member 204h, causing the rib 204f between the annular member 204h and the stop member 204e to deform to a certain extent, it does not completely break the rib 204f connecting the annular member 204h and the stop member 204e. Therefore, the stop member 204e still prevents the piercing needle 204c from moving further down, so that the piercing needle 204c can be kept at the position of piercing the sealing film and connecting the storage cavity 201a with the atmosphere. At the same time, the stop member 204e does not cause the piercing member 32 to be completely unable to move down, but the deformation of the rib 204f meets the corresponding downward movement requirements of the piercing member 32.

[0204] (3) When the lifting mechanism 33 drives the liquid flow control device 103, which includes the piercing device 3, the rotary valve device 4 and the connecting device 5a, to move downward from the highest point, the linkage mechanism 36 no longer drives the connection between the liquid flow control device 103 and the ultrasonic device 7. The ultrasonic transducer 72 of the ultrasonic device 7 then returns to the contact position under the action of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73, and presses against the outer wall of the reaction chamber 202. During the reaction process, when the magnetic beads and reagents in the reaction chamber 202a need to be mixed, vibration is applied to the outer wall of the reaction chamber 202 to mix the magnetic beads and reagents to assist in nucleic acid extraction.

[0205] (4) During the reaction, when the magnetic beads and reagents are mixed and the waste liquid needs to be discharged, the magnet 81 of the magnetic adsorption device 8 is rotated to the magnetic adsorption position and contacts the reaction chamber 202a, adsorbing the magnetic beads onto the inner wall of the reaction chamber 202a. Then, under the squeezing action of the drive pump 51, the waste liquid is discharged to the outside of the reaction chamber 202a.

[0206] (5) After nucleic acid extraction is completed under the synergistic action of the flow control device 103, ultrasonic device 7, magnetic suction device 8, drive pump 51, lifting mechanism 33, linkage mechanism 36 and ultrasonic reset mechanism 73, firstly, the rotary valve motor works to drive the valve rod 203b to rotate, connecting the reaction chamber 202a and the amplification chamber 205a. Under the squeezing action of the drive pump 51, the nucleic acid extraction liquid flows into the amplification chamber 205a. After that, the flow control device 103 continues to move down to the lowest point. During the corresponding process, the piercing part 32 breaks the rib 204f of the microfluidic chip 20, so that the piercing needle 204c of the microfluidic chip 20 and the cover plate 26 together reseal the storage chamber 201a, preparing for amplification and fluorescence detection.

[0207] During the process of the nucleic acid extraction solution flowing into the amplification chamber 205a and the storage chamber 201a being resealed by the piercing needle 204c and the cover plate 206, the rotary valve shaft and the connecting nozzle 52 continue to move downwards along with the piercing device 3. During this downward movement, the rotary valve shaft and the connecting nozzle 52 will not be damaged. The connecting nozzle 52 can move moderately up and down under the action of the constraint member 55 to prevent damage, while the rotary valve shaft can be strengthened by using higher-strength materials to prevent damage. Furthermore, since the liquid transfer steps in the entire detection process have been completed during this downward movement, even if the continued downward movement of the rotary valve shaft and the connecting nozzle 52 causes damage to the switching valve 203 and the connecting port 204b of the microfluidic chip 20, it will not affect the subsequent processes, and the entire detection process can still be completed smoothly. In fact, it is desirable that the rotary valve shaft and the connecting nozzle 52 cause damage to the switching valve 203 and the connecting port 204b during the corresponding downward movement. This is because it prevents the microfluidic chip 20 from being reused without affecting the smooth completion of the detection, thus avoiding problems caused by the reuse of the microfluidic chip 20.

[0208] (6) After the resealing operation is completed, the lifting mechanism 33 drives the liquid flow control device 103 to return from the lowest point to the highest point. During the process of rising from the initial position to the highest point, the ultrasonic device 7 is pulled down from the contact position to the avoidance position again through the linkage mechanism 36 so that during the amplification process, the holding drive part 22 drives the holding part 23 to move up and down to switch the temperature zone.

[0209] The main steps of nucleic acid amplification and detection include the following processes:

[0210] (1) After the liquid flow control device 103 returns to the highest point, the holding part 23 moves up and down, driving the microfluidic chip 20 to move between the two temperature control units of the temperature control device 6. The two temperature control units control the temperature in different temperature ranges. The chip stays at the lower temperature control unit for a certain period of time (e.g., 10s) and is heated in the range of 50 to 60°. Then, the holding part 23 drives the microfluidic chip 20 to rise to the upper temperature control unit and stays there for a certain period of time (e.g., 4 to 5s) and is heated in the range of 90 to 100°. Then, the holding part 23 drives the microfluidic chip 20 back to the lower temperature control unit. This process is repeated for about 45 cycles to complete the amplification process. During this process, since the liquid flow control device 103 is at the highest point and the ultrasonic device 7 is in a clearance position, the two will not affect the raising and lowering of the holding part 23.

[0211] (2) While amplifying, the detection device 9 works, repeatedly switching the fluorescence detection channel to detect the excited fluorescence in the amplification chamber 205a in real time.

[0212] (3) After amplification and detection are completed, a detection report is generated and the detection record is stored.

[0213] The microfluidic chip 20 removal process mainly includes the following two steps:

[0214] (1) After the test is completed, the microfluidic chip 20 is removed from the holding part 23. During the process, since the fluid control device 103 is at the highest point and the ultrasonic device 7 is in the avoidance position, the holding part 23 does not need to be moved horizontally, and the operator can easily remove the microfluidic chip 20 from the holding part 23.

[0215] (2) After removing the microfluidic chip 20, the operator takes out the microfluidic chip 20 and puts it into a specific collection box for further processing. If it is necessary to continue testing a second sample, the above steps are repeated. If it is not necessary to continue testing, the lifting mechanism 33 drives the liquid flow control device 103 to descend to the initial position. During the process, the ultrasonic device 7 also rises to the contact position under the action of the ultrasonic reset mechanism 73. At this time, the instrument sends a signal that it can be powered off. When the operator turns off the power, the detector 10 is turned off.

[0216] In each of the above steps, the actions of each component of the detector 10 can be completed under the control of the controller of the detector 10.

[0217] It is evident that the detector 10 in this embodiment has advantages such as high integration, automation, and wide application range, which is conducive to promoting rapid on-site nucleic acid testing.

[0218] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A device for holding a microfluidic chip, characterized in that, Includes a retaining portion (23), said retaining portion (23) comprising: The tray body (231) is used to hold the microfluidic chip (20); A chip limiting block (232) is installed on the tray body (231); A guide groove (232a) is provided on the chip limiting block (232) and is used for the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip (20) to be inserted; The chip positioning block (233) includes a blocking part (233a), which is movable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the blocking part (233a) extends into the guide groove (232a) and prevents the chip positioning part from disengaging from the guide groove (232a). When in the second position, the blocking part (233a) is located outside the guide groove (232a) to release the obstruction of the chip positioning part.

2. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retaining part (23) also includes a spring (234) configured to push the blocking part (233a) toward the first position.

3. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tray body (231) has a mounting groove (231a) on the surface facing the chip limiting block (232) for mounting the chip positioning block (233), and the chip positioning block (233) and the spring (234) are mounted in the mounting groove (231a).

4. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the blocking part (233a) gradually increases along the direction in which the chip positioning part of the microfluidic chip (20) is inserted into the guide groove (232a), so that the surface of the blocking part (233a) away from the tray body (231) forms an inclined surface.

5. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chip positioning block (233) also includes an operation unit (233b) for an operator to drive the blocking part (233a) toward the second position.

6. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The operating part (233b) is located outside the guide groove (232a).

7. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chip limiting block (232) has a notch on its surface facing the tray body (231) that communicates with the guide groove (232a), and the blocking part (233a) extends into the guide groove (232a) through the notch.

8. The microfluidic chip holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The holding device further includes a holding drive unit (22) for driving the holding part (23) to move up and down, the holding drive unit (22) including: Motor (223); Gear (221), which is connected to the motor (223) in a transmission; and The rack (224) meshes with the gear (221) and is connected to the pallet body (231) to drive the pallet body (231) to move up and down.

9. A detector, characterized in that, Includes the holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A detection system (100), characterized in that, include: Microfluidic chip (20); as well as The detector (10) according to claim 9.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Micro-fluidic chip control equipment, micro-fluidic system and micro-fluidic chip

    CN111135892A