Reagent bin assembly, gene sequencer and equipment transportation method

Abstract

The invention provides a reagent bin assembly, a gene sequencer comprising the reagent bin assembly and an equipment transportation protection method applied to the reagent bin assembly or the gene sequencer. Wherein the reagent bin assembly comprises a frame; the needle plate is used for bearing liquid suction needles, and the needle plate is in sliding connection with the frame and can slide in the second direction; the reagent bin is arranged opposite to the needle plate and used for bearing a reagent box, and the reagent bin is arranged in the frame and can slide in the first direction to be close to or away from the needle plate; the first locking assembly is used for locking the reagent bin and the frame in a first direction; and the second locking assembly is used for locking the needle plate and the reagent bin in the second direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of equipment transportation protection, and in particular to a reagent bin assembly, a gene sequencer and an equipment transportation method. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the related art, the reagent bin assembly for the gene sequencer needs to drive the reagent box to move in two directions during use, and the movement is usually realized by using a corresponding driving device.

[0003] During transportation of the reagent bin assembly or the gene sequencer provided with the reagent bin assembly, jolts are inevitable, and the jolts are likely to generate impact load on the driving device, thereby reducing the positioning accuracy of the reagent box or even causing damage to the instrument. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application provides a reagent bin assembly, a gene sequencer and an equipment transportation method.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a reagent bin assembly, comprising:

[0006] a frame; a needle plate for carrying a liquid suction needle, the needle plate being in sliding connection with the frame and being slidable in a second direction; a reagent bin opposite to the needle plate and for carrying a reagent box, the reagent bin being arranged in the frame and being slidable in a first direction to approach or move away from the needle plate; a first locking assembly for locking the reagent bin and the frame in the first direction; a second locking assembly for locking the needle plate and the reagent bin in the second direction.

[0007] In a possible implementation, the first locking assembly locks the reagent bin and the frame when the reagent bin is located at a first position in the first direction; and the second locking assembly locks the needle plate and the reagent bin when the reagent bin is located at the first position and the needle plate is located at a second position in the second direction.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the first locking assembly comprises a plug, the frame is provided with a first plug hole, and the reagent bin is provided with a second plug hole; the plug is arranged to pass through the first plug hole and the second plug hole, so as to lock the reagent bin and the frame by the locking assembly.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the frame is provided with a hatch through which the reagent box can enter or exit. The first plug hole is arranged on a side of the frame close to the hatch, and the second plug hole is arranged on a side of the reagent bin close to the hatch.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the plug is a bolt, and a head of the bolt is located on a side of the first plug hole away from the second plug hole. The second plug hole is a threaded hole matched with the bolt.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the first locking assembly further comprises an elastic member. One end of the elastic member acts on the bolt, and the other end of the elastic member abuts against the frame. The elastic member is used to apply an elastic force to the bolt in a direction away from the second plug hole.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the locking assembly further comprises a limiting ring, which is sleeved on the bolt and located between the first plug hole and the second plug hole. When the bolt is pulled out of the second plug hole, the limiting ring is used to abut against the frame and limit the bolt in a direction in which the bolt is pulled out of the first plug hole.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the reagent bin assembly further comprises a locking block. The locking block is fixed to the reagent bin, and the second plug hole is arranged on the locking block.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the second locking assembly comprises a locking rod, which is fixed to the needle plate; the reagent bin is provided with a locking hole; and the locking rod is inserted into the locking hole to lock the needle plate in the second position.

[0015] In a possible implementation, a side of the needle plate close to the reagent bin is fixed with a driving rod used to drive the reagent box to slide. The locking rod is fixed to an end of the driving rod away from the needle plate.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the locking rod and the driving rod are integrally formed or fixedly connected after being separately formed.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the reagent bin has an avoiding hole. When the reagent bin is close to the needle plate and the needle plate slides in the second direction, the avoiding hole is used to accommodate the locking rod.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the avoiding hole is a strip-shaped hole, and a length direction of the strip-shaped hole is parallel to the second direction.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present application provides a gene sequencer, comprising a fluid system, an optical detection system, and a computer system, and any one of the reagent cartridge assemblies described above; wherein, The reagent cartridge assembly is configured to carry a reagent kit and supply reagents in the reagent kit to the fluid system; The fluid system is configured to controllably deliver reagents into a sequencing chip; The optical detection system is configured to excite and collect fluorescent signals on the sequencing chip during a sequencing reaction, and generate fluorescent images according to the fluorescent signals; The computer system is configured to acquire fluorescent images from the optical detection system, and identify base sequences of a sample library according to the fluorescent images.

[0020] In a third aspect, the present application provides a device transportation protection method, applied to any one of the reagent cartridge assemblies described above or the gene sequencer described above, and the method comprises the following steps: Sliding the needle plate along the second direction to a second position; Lifting the reagent cartridge along the first direction to a first position, and locking the needle plate and the reagent cartridge by using the second locking assembly; Locking the reagent cartridge and the frame by using the first locking assembly.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the second locking assembly comprises a locking rod, the locking rod is fixed on the needle plate, and the reagent cartridge is provided with a locking hole; Locking the needle plate and the reagent cartridge by using the second locking assembly, specifically comprising: Inserting the locking rod into the locking hole along the first direction.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the first locking assembly comprises a plug, the frame is provided with a first plug hole, and the reagent cartridge is provided with a second plug hole; Locking the reagent cartridge and the frame by using the first locking assembly, specifically comprising: The plug passes through the first plug hole and is inserted into the second plug hole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The drawings are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification, which show the embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure together with the specification. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as a limitation on the scope, and other related drawings can also be obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative labor.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a whole axonometric view of the reagent cartridge assembly in the embodiments of the present application. Figure 2 It is a whole schematic view of the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly in the embodiments of the present application. Figure 3 It is a schematic view of the first locking assembly in the embodiments of the present application. Figure 4 It is a schematic flow chart of the device transportation protection method in the embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clear, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0026] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure should be understood as the general meaning understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. The terms "first", "second" and the like used in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure do not represent any order, number or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. "Include" or "contain" and the like mean that the elements or objects before the word cover the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. "Connected" or "connected" and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connection, but can include electrical connection, whether direct or indirect. "Up", "down", "left", "right" and the like are only used to represent relative positional relationship, when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0027] In order to facilitate the understanding of the reagent cartridge assembly, gene sequencer and device transportation protection method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the application scenarios thereof will be first described. The reagent cartridge assembly and the device transportation protection method provided in the embodiments of the present application can both be applied to the gene sequencer.

[0028] In the related art, the reagent cartridge assembly for the gene sequencer needs to drive the reagent box to move in two directions during use, and the movement is usually realized by using a corresponding driving device.

[0029] During the transportation of the reagent cartridge assembly or the gene sequencer provided with the reagent cartridge assembly, jolts are inevitable, and the jolts are easy to generate impact load on the driving device, thereby reducing the positioning accuracy of the reagent box or even causing damage to the instrument.

[0030] Based on this, the present application provides a reagent cartridge assembly, a gene sequencer and a device transportation protection method, aiming to reduce the risk of inaccurate positioning of the reagent box caused by transportation jolts. In the following, the reagent cartridge assembly, the gene sequencer and the device transportation protection method provided by the present application will be specifically introduced in combination with the drawings.

[0031] Firstly, the reagent cartridge assembly provided by the present application will be specifically introduced in combination with the drawings.

[0032] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the reagent cartridge assembly in the embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly in the embodiment of the present application.

[0033] The reagent cartridge assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application comprises a frame 1, a reagent cartridge 2, a needle plate 3, a first locking assembly 4 and a second locking assembly. The frame 1 is used as a support structure to support the reagent cartridge 2 and the needle plate 3, and the first locking assembly 4 and the second locking assembly are respectively used to lock the reagent cartridge 2 and the needle plate 3 to prevent displacement during transportation due to jolts.

[0034] For the convenience of understanding, the first direction and the second direction are introduced in the description of the embodiment of the present application, and the exemplary first direction and the second direction are schematically shown by the line segments with arrows in the drawings. In one specific example, the first direction can be the height direction of the gene sequencer, and the second direction can be the depth direction of the hatch 6 of the gene sequencer for loading and unloading reagents.

[0035] The reagent cartridge 2 is arranged opposite to the needle plate 3, specifically, the reagent cartridge 2 is arranged opposite to the needle plate 3 with a certain interval along the first direction. The reagent cartridge 2 is used to support the reagent box, and the reagent cartridge 2 is arranged in the frame 1 and can slide close to or away from the needle plate 3 along the first direction.

[0036] For a gene sequencer, various reagents are usually stored separately in the form of consumables, and are placed in the corresponding cabin door for the device to suck when needed. These reagents are stored in a reagent box, and when the reagent in the reagent box is needed, the reagent box 2 can be pre-slid away from the needle plate 3 in the first direction to generate a larger space between the reagent box 2 and the needle plate 3, and then the reagent box is placed in the reagent box 2, and then the reagent box 2 is controlled to slide towards the needle plate 3 in the first direction until the liquid suction needle on the needle plate 3 pierces the sealing film of the reagent box and sucks the reagent.

[0037] The needle plate 3 is used to carry the liquid suction needle, and the needle plate 3 is slidably connected with the frame 1 and can slide in the second direction. Specifically, the needle plate 3 can be provided with a plurality of liquid suction needles, and when the reagent box 2 carrying the reagent box is moved to a specific position close to the needle plate 3 in the first direction, the liquid suction needle can pierce the sealing film of the reagent box and reach the inside of the reagent box to suck the reagent.

[0038] In the process of gene sequencing, a plurality of reagents are needed, and these reagents are usually stored separately in the reagent box. The number of liquid suction needles can be multiple, and when the reagent box is transported by the reagent box 2 to a specific position close to the needle plate 3, each liquid suction needle is inserted into a storage space (such as a reagent groove) of a kind of reagent. Since in the process of gene sequencing, the flow cell assembly, i.e. the sequencing chip assembly, of the gene sequencer will move in the second direction, and the liquid suction needle on the needle plate 3 is connected with the flow cell assembly through a pipeline, in order to save the length of the pipeline, it is necessary for the needle plate 3 to move synchronously in the second direction to drive the liquid suction needle on it to move synchronously in the second direction, at this time the needle plate 3 will drive the reagent box to move in the second direction synchronously.

[0039] The needle plate 3 is usually also provided with a driving rod for driving the reagent box to slide in the second direction with the needle plate 3, and the reagent box is provided with a corresponding opening. When the reagent box is transported by the reagent box 2 to a position close to the needle plate 3 in the first direction, the driving rod will be inserted into the opening in the first direction, so that when the needle plate 3 slides in the second direction, the driving rod can drive the reagent box to slide synchronously with the needle plate 3 by abutting against the hole wall of the opening.

[0040] In a specific example, the reagent box assembly is configured to place the reagent box on the reagent box 2 through the hatch 6 of the device when the reagent box 2 is located at a position away from the needle plate 3 in the first direction. After the reagent box is placed, the reagent box 2 slides towards the needle plate 3 in the first direction to transport the reagent box to a position close to the needle plate 3; then the liquid suction needle enters the reagent box, and the driving rod enters the opening, and then the needle plate 3 drives the reagent box to slide synchronously in the second direction to a position away from the hatch 6 for liquid suction; after the process is completed, the needle plate 3 drives the reagent box to return to a position close to the hatch 6 in the second direction, and then the reagent box 2 moves away from the needle plate 3 in the first direction to return the reagent box to the hatch 6 of the instrument.

[0041] Driving devices 8 are arranged on the frame 1 for driving the reagent bin 2 to slide in the first direction and driving the needle plate 3 to slide in the second direction. The driving devices 8 can be in the form of a motor driving a screw rod, a linear motor, an electric push rod, or the like. Regardless of the form of the driving devices 8, jolting during transportation will cause the driving devices 8 to bear impact loads, which are likely to cause the positioning accuracy of the driving devices 8 to decrease, and further cause the positioning accuracy of the reagent box to decrease when the reagent bin assembly drives the reagent box to move. The first locking assembly 4 and the second locking assembly can reduce the impact loads borne by the driving devices 8 by limiting the movement of the reagent bin 2 and the needle plate 3.

[0042] When the first locking assembly 4 is specifically arranged, the first locking assembly 4 is configured to lock the reagent bin 2 with the frame 1. When the second locking assembly is specifically arranged, the second locking assembly is configured to lock the needle plate 3 with the reagent bin 2 in the second direction.

[0043] The first locking assembly 4 can be in various forms such as screw locking, pin locking, buckle locking, and the like. When the first locking assembly 4 locks the reagent bin 2 in the first direction, the movement of the reagent bin 2 in the first direction is limited, so that the impact loads borne by the driving devices 8 for driving the reagent bin 2 to slide can be reduced during transportation due to jolting, and the risk of inaccurate positioning of the reagent bin 2 in the first direction after transportation can be reduced.

[0044] It should be understood that the locking of the needle plate 3 with the reagent bin 2 herein can be direct locking or indirect locking. Direct locking means that the second locking assembly acts on the needle plate 3 and the reagent bin 2 respectively, so as to facilitate the reagent bin 2 to apply force to the needle plate 3 to hinder the sliding of the needle plate 3. Indirect locking means that the second locking assembly acts on the needle plate 3 and the frame 1 respectively, i.e., the needle plate 3 is locked relative to the frame 1, and since the frame 1 is locked with the reagent bin 2, the needle plate 3 and the reagent bin 2 are indirectly locked.

[0045] The second locking assembly can be in various forms such as screw locking, pin locking, buckle locking, and the like. When the second locking assembly locks the reagent bin 2 in the second direction, the movement of the needle plate 3 in the second direction is limited, so that the impact loads borne by the driving devices 8 for driving the needle plate 3 to slide can be reduced during transportation due to jolting, and the risk of inaccurate positioning of the needle plate 3 in the second direction after transportation can be reduced.

[0046] In summary, the reagent bin assembly provided by the embodiments of the present application can limit the movement of the reagent bin 2 and the needle plate 3 by using the first locking assembly 4 and the second locking assembly, so as to reduce the risk of impact loads borne by the driving devices 8 due to jolting during transportation. Thus, the risk of inaccurate positioning of the reagent box due to jolting during transportation can be reduced.

[0047] As an optional implementation, the first locking assembly locks the reagent cartridge and the frame when the reagent cartridge is located at a first position in the first direction; and the second locking assembly locks the needle plate and the reagent cartridge when the reagent cartridge is located at the first position and the needle plate is located at a second position in the second direction.

[0048] It can be understood that the first position herein is not limited to a specific position. In a specific implementation, as long as the reagent cartridge reaches a position in the first direction and the first locking assembly 4 arranged at this time can lock the reagent cartridge 2 and the frame 1 in the first direction, the first position can be adjusted.

[0049] It can be understood that the second position herein is also not limited to a specific position. In a specific implementation, as long as the needle plate reaches a position in the second direction and the second locking assembly arranged at this time can lock the needle plate 3 and the reagent cartridge 2 in the second direction, the second position can be adjusted. Therefore, the second position can be adjusted by adjusting the relative position of the second locking assembly and the needle plate 3 in the second direction.

[0050] Referring to Figure 3 , Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the first locking assembly in an embodiment of the present application.

[0051] As an optional implementation, in a specific arrangement of the first locking assembly 4, the first locking assembly 4 includes a plug 41, the frame 1 is provided with a first plug hole 11, and the reagent cartridge 2 is provided with a second plug hole 21; the plug 41 is used to be inserted into the first plug hole 11 and the second plug hole 21 to lock the reagent cartridge 2 and the frame 1 by the locking assembly.

[0052] In a specific arrangement of the first plug hole 11 and the second plug hole 21, the first plug hole 11 and the second plug hole 21 are not parallel to the first direction, and the first plug hole 11 and the second plug hole 21 are opposite to each other when the reagent cartridge 2 is located at the first position. In this way, when the plug 41 is inserted into the first plug hole 11 and the second plug hole 21 at the same time, if the reagent cartridge 2 has a tendency to move in the first direction due to transportation bumps, the plug 41 can provide an abutting force opposite to the movement tendency direction to the reagent cartridge 2, so as to at least partially offset the impact load generated by the reagent cartridge 2 to the driving device 8.

[0053] After the equipment is transported, the plug 41 can be taken out of the second plug hole 21, and the reagent cartridge 2 can return to a movable state.

[0054] In one specific example, the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, which can limit the movement of the reagent bin 2 to a greater extent, thereby better offsetting the impact load of the reagent bin 2 on the driving device 8.

[0055] The first locking assembly 4 arranged in this way can stably lock the reagent bin 2 relative to the frame 1, thereby reducing the impact load of the reagent bin 2 on the driving device 8 during transportation.

[0056] As an optional implementation, when the insertion piece 41 is specifically arranged, the insertion piece 41 is a bolt, and the head of the bolt is located on the side of the first insertion hole 11 away from the second insertion hole 21; the first insertion hole 11 is a threaded hole matched with the bolt.

[0057] The second insertion hole 21 is a threaded hole matched with the bolt, specifically, the first insertion hole 11 or the second insertion hole 21 can be arranged as a threaded hole, or both the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21 can be arranged as threaded holes. In this way, when the insertion piece 41 is inserted into the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21, the insertion piece 41 is at least threadedly connected with one of the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21, thereby improving the positional stability of the insertion piece 41 after being inserted into the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21, and reducing the risk of the insertion piece 41 being pulled out of the insertion hole during transportation.

[0058] The reagent bin 2 is arranged on the inner side of the frame 1, and the side of the first insertion hole 11 away from the second insertion hole 21 is the outer side of the frame 1. Arranging the bolt head on the outer side of the frame 1 can provide a larger operation space, thereby facilitating the operator to screw in or out the insertion piece 41.

[0059] As an optional implementation, the first locking assembly 4 further comprises an elastic member 42; one end of the elastic member 42 acts on the bolt, and the other end of the elastic member 42 abuts against the frame 1. The elastic member 42 is used to apply an elastic force to the bolt in a direction away from the second insertion hole 21, that is, the elastic action tendency of the elastic member 42 is to make the bolt pulled out of the second insertion hole 21.

[0060] The elastic member 42 can be a spring or the like. By arranging the elastic member 42, after the insertion piece 41 is loosened, the insertion piece 41 can be automatically pulled out of the second insertion hole 21 under the action of the elastic member 42, thereby reducing the risk that the insertion piece 41 is left in the second insertion hole 21 due to improper operation and causes the reagent bin 2 to be stuck. In addition, when the insertion piece 41 is threadedly connected with the second insertion hole 21, the elastic member 42 applies a reverse pressure to the thread, which can also prevent the thread connection from loosening.

[0061] Optionally, when specifically opening the first insertion hole 11, the first insertion hole 11 can be set in the form of a stepped hole, so that the elastic element 42 can be set between the stepped surface of the stepped hole and the bolt head, so that the elastic element 42 and the bolt head can be hidden in the stepped hole.

[0062] As an optional implementation, the locking assembly also includes a limiting ring 43, which is fitted onto the bolt and located between the first insertion hole 11 and the second insertion hole 21. The limiting ring 43 can be integrally formed with the bolt, or it can be manufactured separately and then fixedly connected to the bolt.

[0063] When the bolt is dislodged from the second insertion hole 21, the limiting ring 43 abuts against the frame 1 and limits the bolt in the direction in which it dislodges from the first insertion hole 11. Specifically, after the connector 41 is dislodged from the second insertion hole 21, the bolt tends to continue dislodging from the first insertion hole 11 under the action of the elastic member 42, while the limiting ring 43 can prevent the bolt from continuing to dislodge from the first insertion hole 11.

[0064] By setting a limiting ring 43, the connector 41 can be prevented from coming out of the first connector hole 11, thereby keeping the connector 41 on the frame 1, reducing the risk of the connector 41 being lost, and also making it convenient to lock the reagent compartment 2 during the next transport.

[0065] As an optional implementation, the reagent compartment assembly also includes a locking block 7; the locking block 7 is fixed to the reagent compartment 2, and the second insertion hole 21 is disposed on the locking block 7. By setting the locking block 7, the second insertion hole 21 is opened on the locking block 7 and then the second insertion hole 21 is indirectly disposed on the reagent compartment 2 by using the locking block 7.

[0066] This configuration reduces the difficulty of positioning the second insertion hole 21 relative to the first insertion hole 11; especially when the second insertion hole 21 is a threaded hole, this configuration can also reduce the machining difficulty of the second insertion hole 21.

[0067] As an optional implementation, the frame 1 is provided with a hatch 6 for the reagent kit to enter and exit; a first insertion hole 11 is provided on the side of the frame 1 near the hatch 6, and a second insertion hole 21 is provided on the side of the reagent compartment 2 near the hatch 6.

[0068] By setting the second insertion hole 21 on the side of the reagent compartment 2 near the hatch 6, the hatch 6 can provide a larger operating space for the insertion and removal of the connector 41, making it easier for the user to operate the connector 41.

[0069] Continue to refer to Figure 2As an optional implementation, when specifically setting the second locking assembly, the second locking assembly includes a locking rod 51, which is fixed to the needle plate 3, specifically to the side of the needle plate 3 facing the reagent compartment 2. The reagent compartment 2 is provided with a locking hole 22, which allows the locking rod 51 to be inserted in a first direction. The locking hole 22 can be specifically set on the bottom wall of the reagent compartment 2 facing the needle plate 3.

[0070] When the reagent compartment 2 is in the first position and the needle plate 3 is in the second position in the second direction, the locking rod 51 is inserted into the locking hole 22 to lock the needle plate 3 in the second position. Specifically, the locking process of the second locking assembly is as follows: First, the position of the needle plate 3 in the first direction satisfies that the locking rod 51 is opposite to the locking hole 22. Then, the reagent compartment 2 is slid towards the needle plate 3 along the first direction, and the locking rod 51 can be inserted into the locking hole 22. Thus, by using the locking rod 51 to abut against the locking hole 22, the displacement of the needle plate 3 in the second direction during transportation can be limited, thereby reducing the impact load on the drive device 8 and thus helping to protect the positioning accuracy of the reagent kit.

[0071] It should be understood that, in order to ensure that the second locking assembly can effectively lock, the first locking assembly 4 should lock the reagent compartment 2 in the first position such that, when the first locking assembly 4 is in the first position, the locking rod 51 is inserted into the locking hole 22. It should also be noted that the length of the locking rod 51 should be longer than the length of the aspiration needle, or a perforation should be provided on the bottom wall of the reagent compartment 2 to avoid interference between the second locking assembly and the bottom wall of the reagent compartment 2 during locking. Furthermore, the length of the locking rod 51 should also satisfy the condition that, when the reagent compartment assembly is in normal working condition, the locking rod 51 does not contact the bottom wall of the reagent compartment 2.

[0072] The second locking component, configured in this way, can be locked simultaneously when the reagent compartment 2 is locked to the frame 1 using the first locking component 4, eliminating the need for additional locking operations on the second locking component and thus improving the overall locking convenience of the reagent compartment component.

[0073] As an optional implementation, a drive rod for driving the reagent kit to slide is fixed on the side of the needle plate 3 facing the reagent compartment 2, and a locking rod 51 is fixed on the end of the drive rod away from the needle plate 3.

[0074] As an optional implementation, the locking rod 51 is integrally formed with the driving rod or formed separately and then fixedly connected.

[0075] The description of the drive rod is provided above and will not be repeated here. When specifically fixing the locking rod 51 to the drive rod, it can be integrally molded or molded separately and then fixedly connected. When using integral molding, it can be seen as lengthening the original drive rod to achieve the locking function of the second locking component. When using separate molding and then fixing, it can be seen as manufacturing the locking rod 51 and then fixing it to the end of the original drive rod away from the needle plate 3 through bonding, welding, or other methods.

[0076] Fixing the locking rod 51 to one end of the drive rod away from the needle plate 3 allows for the use of the original length of the drive rod, saving material for the locking rod 51 and facilitating manufacturing.

[0077] As an optional implementation, the reagent compartment 2 has a clearance hole 23; when the reagent compartment 2 is close to the needle plate 3 and the needle plate 3 slides in the second direction, the clearance hole 23 is used to accommodate the locking rod 51. When the reagent kit is placed in the reagent compartment 2 and is pushed closer to the needle plate 3 by the reagent compartment 2, the reagent kit can be positioned slightly away from the needle plate 3, requiring only the drive rod to be inserted into the opening of the reagent kit. When the reagent kit is driven by the drive rod to the position for drawing reagent into the tubing, the reagent kit can be further pushed so that the aspiration needle is inserted deeper into the reagent kit, and at this time the locking rod 51 can extend into the clearance hole 23 to avoid interference between the locking rod 51 and the bottom wall of the reagent compartment 2. This arrangement allows the aspiration needle to be inserted further into the reagent kit, thereby facilitating the aspiration needle to draw reagent from the bottom of the reagent kit.

[0078] When specifically setting the clearance hole 23, when the reagent compartment 2 is in the first position, during sequencer operation, the needle plate 3 also needs to move the reagent kit inside the reagent compartment 2 in the second direction. Therefore, the clearance hole 23 is provided. Before the reagent compartment 2 moves to the first position, the needle plate 3 first moves the locking rod 51 to the position of the clearance hole 23. Then, the reagent compartment 2 moves to the first position. At this time, the locking rod 51 of the needle plate 3 is inserted into the clearance hole 23 and moves in the second direction within the clearance hole 23. Therefore, the needle plate 3 is not locked in the second direction at this time. The locking rod 51 on the needle plate 3 can be inserted into the opening of the reagent kit and move the reagent kit in the second direction. The clearance hole 23 can be set alternately with the locking hole 22. In the second direction, the clearance hole 23 is set on the path of the locking rod 51; while the locking hole 22 can be set outside the path of the locking rod 51, for example, near the door in the second direction. For those skilled in the art, the clearance hole 23 can be a rectangular hole, a square hole, a strip hole, a circular hole, etc., as long as the locking rod 51 does not interfere with the clearance hole 23 during its movement.

[0079] As an optional implementation, the clearance hole 23 is a strip-shaped hole, with its length direction parallel to the second direction. Since the movement path of the locking rod 51 is always along the second direction, the clearance hole 23 can be set as a strip-shaped hole with its length direction parallel to the second direction. This can minimize the area of ​​the hollowed-out bottom of the reagent compartment 2 and ensure the structural strength of the reagent compartment 2.

[0080] This application also provides a gene sequencer, including a fluid system, an optical detection system, and a computer system, as well as any of the reagent compartment components described above; wherein, The reagent compartment assembly is configured to carry the reagent kit and supply the reagents within the reagent kit to the fluid system. A fluid system configured to controllably deliver reagents into the sequencing chip; An optical detection system is configured to excite and acquire fluorescence signals on the sequencing chip during the sequencing reaction, and to generate a fluorescence image based on the fluorescence signals; A computer system is configured to acquire fluorescence images from an optical detection system and identify the base sequences of a sample library based on the fluorescence images.

[0081] The reagent compartment assembly of the aforementioned gene sequencer utilizes a first locking component and a second locking component to restrict the movement of the reagent compartment and the needle plate, thereby reducing the risk of impact loads on the drive device 8 due to bumps during transportation. This reduces the risk of inaccurate reagent kit positioning caused by transportation bumps.

[0082] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the equipment transportation protection method in the embodiments of this application.

[0083] This application also provides a method for protecting equipment during transportation, which is applied to any of the reagent compartment components described above or the gene sequencer described above.

[0084] The equipment transportation method includes the following steps: S01, slide the needle plate along the second direction to the second position.

[0085] Specifically, the needle plate can be slidably connected to the frame via a slide rail or the like, and can slide along the second direction under the drive of a motor-driven lead screw, linear motor, or electric actuator 8. The specific position of this second position can be determined based on the position of the second locking component. See the description above for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0086] S02, the reagent chamber is raised to the first position in the first direction, and the needle plate is locked to the reagent chamber using the second locking component.

[0087] Specifically, in this step, the reagent compartment rises along the first direction to the first position, that is, the reagent compartment moves along the first direction toward the position where the needle plate is located to the first position. The reagent compartment can also be slidably connected to the frame via a slide rail, etc., and can slide along the first direction under the drive of a motor-driven lead screw, linear motor, or electric actuator, etc. The specific position of the first position can be determined according to the setting position of the second locking component. For details, please refer to the description above, which will not be repeated here.

[0088] After locking the needle plate to the reagent compartment, the movement of the needle plate in the second direction is restricted. This reduces the impact load on the drive device 8 that drives the needle plate to slide due to bumps during equipment transportation, and reduces the risk of the needle plate being mispositioned in the first direction after transportation.

[0089] S03, the reagent compartment is locked to the frame using the first locking assembly. By locking the reagent compartment relative to the frame using the first locking assembly, the movement of the reagent compartment in the first direction is restricted. This reduces the impact load on the drive device 8 that drives the reagent compartment to slide due to bumps during equipment transportation, and reduces the risk of the reagent compartment becoming inaccurate in the first direction after transportation.

[0090] In summary, the reagent compartment assembly using the above method, with its first and second locking components, can restrict the movement of the reagent compartment and the needle plate, thereby reducing the risk of impact loads on the drive device 8 due to bumps during transportation. This reduces the risk of inaccurate reagent kit positioning caused by transportation bumps.

[0091] As an optional implementation, the second locking assembly includes a locking rod fixed to the needle plate, and the reagent compartment is provided with a locking hole. A detailed description of this second locking assembly can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0092] In this optional embodiment, the step S02, which uses the second locking assembly to lock the needle plate and the reagent chamber, specifically includes: inserting the locking rod into the locking hole along the first direction.

[0093] The specific cooperation method between the locking rod and the locking hole can also be referred to the description above, and will not be repeated here. With this configuration, the second locking component can be locked simultaneously when the reagent compartment is locked to the frame using the first locking component, without the need for additional locking operations on the second locking component, thereby improving the overall locking convenience of the reagent compartment assembly.

[0094] As an optional implementation, the first locking assembly includes a connector, a first connector hole on the frame, and a second connector hole on the reagent compartment. A detailed description of this first locking assembly can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0095] In this optional implementation, the process of locking the reagent compartment to the frame using the first locking component in step S03 specifically includes: the connector passing through the first connector hole and being inserted into the second connector hole.

[0096] The specific cooperation method between the connector and the first and second connector holes can also be referred to the description above, and will not be repeated here. The first locking component configured in this way can stably lock the reagent compartment relative to the frame, thereby reducing the impact load on the drive device 8 during transportation.

[0097] One or more embodiments of this specification are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of one or more embodiments of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0098] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A reagent cartridge assembly characterized by, The application relates to a reagent warehouse assembly, comprising: a frame; a needle plate for carrying a liquid suction needle, the needle plate being in sliding connection with the frame and being slidable in a second direction; a reagent warehouse for carrying a reagent box, the reagent warehouse being arranged opposite to the needle plate, being arranged in the frame and being slidable in a first direction to approach or move away from the needle plate; a first locking assembly for locking the reagent warehouse and the frame in the first direction; a second locking assembly for locking the needle plate and the reagent warehouse in the second direction.

2. The reagent cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein, The first locking assembly locks the reagent warehouse and the frame when the reagent warehouse is in a first position in the first direction; and the second locking assembly locks the needle plate and the reagent warehouse when the reagent warehouse is in the first position and the needle plate is in a second position in the second direction.

3. The reagent cartridge assembly of claim 2, wherein, The first locking assembly comprises a plug, the frame is provided with a first plug hole, and the reagent warehouse is provided with a second plug hole; The plug is arranged in the first plug hole and the second plug hole to lock the reagent warehouse and the frame by the locking assembly.

4. The reagent cartridge assembly of claim 3, wherein, The frame is provided with a hatch through which the reagent box can enter and exit; The first plug hole is arranged on one side of the frame close to the hatch, and the second plug hole is arranged on one side of the reagent warehouse close to the hatch.

5. The reagent cartridge assembly of any one of claims 3-4, wherein, The reagent warehouse assembly further comprises a locking block; The locking block is fixed on the reagent warehouse, and the second plug hole is arranged on the locking block.

6. The reagent cartridge assembly of any one of claims 2-5, wherein, The second locking assembly comprises a locking rod fixed on the needle plate; the reagent warehouse is provided with a locking hole; and the locking rod is inserted into the locking hole to lock the needle plate in the second position.

7. A gene sequencer characterized by, The application further relates to a fluid system, an optical detection system and a computer system, and the reagent warehouse assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6; wherein The reagent warehouse assembly is configured to carry a reagent box and supply reagents in the reagent box to the fluid system; The fluid system is configured to controllably deliver reagents into a sequencing chip; The optical detection system is configured to excite and collect fluorescent signals on the sequencing chip during a sequencing reaction, and generate a fluorescent image according to the fluorescent signals; The computer system is configured to acquire the fluorescent image from the optical detection system, and identify a base sequence of a sample library according to the fluorescent image.

8. A method for protecting a device during transportation, applied to the reagent cartridge assembly according to any one of claims 1-6 or the genetic sequencer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The application further relates to a method for locking a reagent warehouse and a frame, comprising the following steps: sliding the needle plate to a second position in a second direction; lifting the reagent warehouse to a first position in a first direction, and locking the needle plate and the reagent warehouse by the second locking assembly; locking the reagent warehouse and the frame by the first locking assembly.

9. The equipment transport protection method of claim 8, wherein, The second locking assembly comprises a locking rod fixed on the needle plate, and the reagent warehouse is provided with a locking hole; Locking the needle plate and the reagent warehouse by the second locking assembly specifically comprises: inserting the locking rod into the locking hole in the first direction.

10. The apparatus shipping protection method of claim 8, wherein, The first locking assembly comprises a plug, the frame is provided with a first plug hole, and the reagent warehouse is provided with a second plug hole; Locking the reagent warehouse and the frame by the first locking assembly specifically comprises: The plug-in member passes through the first plug-in hole and is inserted into the second plug-in hole. The plug-in member passes through the first plug-in hole and is inserted into the second plug-in hole.

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