Liquid processing apparatus and sample processing system
By designing a modular structure and collaborative operation for liquid handling equipment, the complexity and high cost of existing pipetting devices have been solved, enabling flexible, stable, and low-cost low-throughput liquid handling suitable for various application scenarios.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MGI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing pipetting devices are complex in structure, bulky in size, cumbersome to operate, and expensive. They are also difficult to adapt to low-throughput applications and have poor flexibility and stability.
A liquid handling device has been designed, including a frame, a first liquid storage module, a consumable storage module, a second liquid storage module, and a pipetting module. Through the coordinated operation of a control module, the horizontal movement of the consumable storage module and the dual-axis movement of the pipetting module are realized, simplifying the operation process and making it suitable for low-throughput application scenarios.
It achieves liquid handling that is simple to operate, flexible and stable. The equipment has a simple structure, small size and low cost, and is suitable for a variety of working scenarios, especially low-throughput scenarios.
Smart Images
Figure CN121917754A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of biochemical analysis technology, and in particular to a liquid processing device and sample processing system. Background Technology
[0002] In fields such as biochemistry, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and environmental monitoring, biochemical reactions are frequently required, necessitating steps such as preparing and transferring reaction liquids. Currently, most liquid transfer is achieved using pipetting devices.
[0003] However, most existing pipetting devices are complex in structure, large in size, cumbersome to operate, and expensive; moreover, they have poor operational flexibility and stability; in addition, most existing pipetting devices are suitable for high-throughput applications and are difficult to adapt to low-throughput applications, which are expensive for low-throughput pipetting. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address at least one of the aforementioned shortcomings of the existing technology, it is necessary to provide a liquid handling device that is highly flexible and stable, while also being low-cost and suitable for low-throughput applications.
[0005] In addition, this application also provides a sample processing system that uses the aforementioned liquid processing equipment.
[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a liquid handling device, including: a frame and a first liquid storage module, a second liquid storage module, a consumable storage module, a pipetting module, and a control module disposed on the frame; the first liquid storage module is used to carry a first container, the first container being used to store liquid; the second liquid storage module is used to carry a second container, the second container being used to store liquid; the consumable storage module is used to store consumables required for liquid handling, and the consumable storage module is movable along a first direction; the pipetting module, under the control of the control module, is used to replace consumables on the consumable storage module, and is also used to transfer liquid between the first liquid storage module and the second liquid storage module, the pipetting module being movable along a second direction and a third direction that are perpendicular to each other, the first direction being perpendicular to the plane containing the second direction and the third direction.
[0007] In some possible embodiments, the consumable storage module is configured to move along the first direction under manual action, and the pipetting module is configured to move automatically along the second direction and the third direction under the control of the control module.
[0008] In some possible embodiments, the consumable storage module includes: a consumable storage structure and a position indexing component. The consumable storage structure is used to store the consumable and is movable along the first direction. When the consumable storage structure moves along the first direction, the position indexing component is used to position the consumable storage structure so that a specific storage position on the consumable storage structure corresponds to the pipetting module.
[0009] In some possible embodiments, the position indexing component includes: a plurality of slots disposed on the consumable storage structure, a fixing block located on the opening side of the slots, and a retractable positioning member located on the fixing block, wherein the plurality of slots are arranged along the first direction on one side of the consumable storage structure, and the positioning member can be engaged or disengaged from the slots.
[0010] In some possible embodiments, the consumable storage structure includes: a consumable support frame, a movable component disposed at the bottom of the consumable support frame, and a limiting component disposed at the top of the consumable support frame. The position indexing component is disposed on one side of the consumable support frame. The consumable support frame is used to place a consumable rack loaded with consumables. The consumable support frame is movably connected to the rack through the movable component. The limiting component is used to fix the consumable rack located on the consumable support frame.
[0011] In some possible embodiments, the base plate of the consumable support frame has a plurality of strip-shaped track holes extending along the first direction, and the moving assembly includes a guide and a fixing member disposed on the frame and passing through each of the strip-shaped track holes, the consumable support frame being movable relative to the guide and the fixing member.
[0012] In some possible embodiments, the moving component includes ball bearings disposed on the rack and located below the consumable support frame.
[0013] In some possible embodiments, the limiting component includes a limiting member and a retaining member disposed opposite to each other. The limiting member and the retaining member are both disposed on the top of the consumable support frame. The limiting member and the retaining member form an accommodating space for accommodating the consumable frame. The retaining member is used to retain the consumable frame, and the limiting member is used to elastically abut against the consumable frame.
[0014] In some possible embodiments, the limiting member includes a limiting block disposed on the top of the consumable support frame and an elastic member disposed on the side of the limiting block near the holding member; the holding member is an L-shaped holding block.
[0015] In some possible embodiments, the second liquid storage module includes a measuring device arranged side-by-side with the first liquid storage module along the second direction.
[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a sample processing system, including the liquid processing device described above.
[0017] The liquid handling device provided in this application embodiment can realize a single-channel liquid transfer process through the coordinated operation of the liquid storage module, consumable storage module and pipetting module. It is simple to operate, flexible and stable. Moreover, the single-channel liquid handling device has a simple structure, small size and low cost, and can be flexibly applied to different working scenarios, especially suitable for low-throughput liquid handling scenarios. Attached Figure Description
[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application 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.
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the framework of a sample processing system provided in one embodiment of this application.
[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid processing device provided in one embodiment of this application.
[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a structure for placing consumable racks on a liquid handling device.
[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the liquid handling equipment from another angle.
[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the consumable storage module of the liquid handling equipment.
[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows a partial disassembly of the consumable storage module.
[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 5 The diagram shows the structure of the limiting component in the consumable storage module.
[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of the consumable rack after the limiting component has limited its position.
[0027] Figure 9 for Figure 5The diagram shows the structure of the position indexing component in the consumable storage module.
[0028] Explanation of main component symbols .
[0029] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this application. Detailed Implementation
[0030] 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. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0031] It should be noted that when a component is considered "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or may have an intervening component present; when a component is considered "installed on" another component, it can be directly installed on the other component or may have an intervening component present. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all and any combination of one or more of the related listed items.
[0032] Please see Figure 1 As shown in the illustration, this application provides a sample processing system 1000, which can be used for sample processing, biochemical reactions, detection, and other analytical processes of biochemical substances in fields such as biology, chemistry, or medicine, for example, in gene sequencing. The sample processing system 1000 may include a liquid processing device 100 and a liquid usage device 200. Before performing biochemical substance analysis, the biochemical liquids used (such as various reagents and buffer solutions required for biochemical reactions) typically need to undergo pretreatment such as preparation and separation. The liquid processing device 100 can perform these pretreatment operations. The liquid pretreated by the liquid processing device 100 can be used by the liquid usage device 200, which can perform sample processing and biochemical substance analysis. For example, the liquid usage device 200 may be a reaction chamber or flow cell used for biochemical reactions. It is understood that the liquid processing device 100 can be flexibly applied to different sample processing systems 1000, or it can be used independently.
[0033] Please see Figures 2 to 4As shown in the illustration, this application provides a liquid handling device 100, which includes a frame 1 and a first liquid storage module 2, a consumable storage module 3, a second liquid storage module 8, a pipetting module 4, and a control module 5 disposed on the frame 1. The first liquid storage module 2 carries a first container 10 for storing liquid. The consumable storage module 3 stores consumables 20 (e.g., pipette tips) required for transferring liquid, and the consumable storage module 3 is movable along a first direction Y. The second liquid storage module 8 carries a second container 40 for storing liquid. The pipetting module 4, under the control of the control module 5, is used to replace consumables on the consumable storage module 3 and to transfer liquid between the first liquid storage module 2 and the second liquid storage module 8. The pipetting module 4 can move along a second direction X and a third direction Z that are perpendicular to each other. The first direction Y is perpendicular to the plane containing the second direction X and the third direction Z. That is, the first direction Y, the second direction X, and the third direction Z constitute a three-dimensional coordinate system, wherein the first direction Y and the second direction X are two horizontal directions, and the third direction Z is a vertical direction. The consumable storage module 3 can move horizontally along the first direction Y, and the pipetting module 4 can move horizontally along the second direction X, or it can move up and down along the vertical direction.
[0034] The frame 1 includes a mounting plate 11, a platform support frame 12 disposed on the mounting plate 11, and a platform support plate 13 disposed on the platform support frame 12. The first liquid storage module 2 and the consumable storage module 3 are both disposed on the platform support plate 13, and the second liquid storage module 8 and the pipetting module 4 are disposed on the mounting plate 11.
[0035] In some embodiments, the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, and the second liquid storage module 8 can be arranged sequentially along the second direction X, that is, the consumable storage module 3 is located between the first liquid storage module 2 and the second liquid storage module 8, so as to facilitate the replacement of consumables by the pipetting module 4. The pipetting module 4 is located on one side of the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, and the second liquid storage module 8, and can move above the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, and the second liquid storage module 8 along the second direction X to complete the pipetting process. By reasonably setting the relative positions of each module, the pipetting operation is improved, and the space utilization on the rack 1 is increased.
[0036] The first liquid storage module 2 is used to house the first container 10, which is used to store liquid. The first container 10 can be a reagent tank or any other open container of any shape suitable for holding liquid. The first container 10 is replaceable on the first liquid storage module 2 and can be manually replaced as needed. It is understood that the first container 10 may not be part of the liquid handling equipment 100 and can be selected according to actual needs, offering greater flexibility.
[0037] In some embodiments, the first liquid storage module 2 can be a placement position, and the first container 10 can be placed directly on the placement position or fixed by a connector to improve the stability of the first container 10. Specifically, the first liquid storage module 2 can be located on the platform support plate 13.
[0038] The second liquid storage module 8 is used to house the second container 40, which stores liquid. The second container 40 can be a reagent tank or any other open container of any shape suitable for holding liquid. The second container 40 is replaceable on the second liquid storage module 8 and can be manually replaced as needed. It is understood that the second container 40 can be a consumable for holding liquid (e.g., a reagent tank, reagent tube, etc.) and may not be part of the liquid handling equipment 100; it can be selected according to actual needs, offering greater flexibility.
[0039] In some embodiments, the second liquid storage module 8 may include a measuring device 81 arranged side-by-side with the first liquid storage module 2 along a second direction X. The pipetting module 4 can transfer liquid between the first liquid storage module 2 and the measuring device 81 along the second direction X to complete the liquid measurement. The measuring device 81 may be, for example, a balance for weighing liquids or other point-of-care testing (POCT) devices for immediate verification. It is understood that the measuring device 81 may not be part of the liquid handling equipment 100; a conventional measuring device can be used.
[0040] Please refer to both together. Figure 5 and Figure 6The consumable storage module 3 includes a consumable storage structure 3a and a position indexing component 34. The consumable storage structure 3a supports a consumable rack 30, on which consumables 20 are mounted, and the consumable storage structure 3a is movable along the first direction Y. When the consumable storage structure 3a moves along the first direction Y, the position indexing component 34 positions the consumable storage structure 3a so that a specific storage position on the consumable storage structure 3a corresponds to the pipetting module 4. By setting the position indexing component 34, the position of the consumable storage structure 3a during its movement along the first direction Y can be determined according to actual needs, thereby ensuring that a specific storage position on the consumable storage structure 3a corresponds to the pipetting module 4. For example, the specific storage position can be positioned directly below the pipetting module 4, allowing the pipetting module 4 to pick up different consumables 20 along the first direction Y, reducing manual replacement of consumables and improving the efficiency of liquid handling.
[0041] The consumable storage structure 3a includes: a consumable support frame 31, a movable component 32 disposed at the bottom of the rack 1, and a limiting component 33 disposed at the top of the consumable support frame 31. The position indexing component 34 is disposed on one side of the consumable support frame 31. The consumable support frame 31 is used to support the consumable rack 30, on which consumables 20 are mounted. The consumable support frame 31 is movably connected to the rack 1 via the movable component 32, that is, through the movable component 32, the consumable support frame 31 can move relative to the rack 1 along a first direction Y, thereby driving the consumable rack 30 to move along the first direction Y, so as to adjust the relative position of the consumable rack 30 and the pipetting module 4. The limiting component 33 is used to fix the consumable rack 30 located on the consumable support frame 31 to improve the stability of the consumable rack 30. The position indexing component 34 is used to position the consumable support frame 31, so that the consumable support frame 31 can be positioned according to actual needs during the movement along the first direction Y, so that a specific storage position of the consumable rack 30 on the consumable support frame 31 corresponds to the pipetting module 4, so that the pipetting module 4 can pick up different consumables 20 in the first direction Y.
[0042] The consumable support frame 31 includes: a base plate 35, side plates 36 disposed on opposite sides of the base plate 35, and a top frame 37 disposed on one end of the side plates 36 away from the base plate 35. The base plate 35, side plates 36, and top frame 37 form a receiving cavity 38. The top frame 37 is used to support the consumable rack 30, and the receiving cavity 38 can be used to accommodate consumables 20 on the consumable rack 30. A limiting component 33 is located on the top frame 37 to fix the consumable rack 30. The base plate 35 is movably connected to the frame 1 via a moving component 32, and a position indexing component 34 is located on one side of the base plate 35.
[0043] The consumable storage module 3 can be moved manually along the first direction Y or automatically. Specifically, in this embodiment, the consumable storage module 3 is moved manually along the first direction Y, and the relative position of the consumable storage module 3 and the pipetting module 4 is manually adjusted, reducing structural complexity and increasing flexibility. The consumable support frame 31 has multiple strip-shaped track holes 311 extending along the first direction Y. The moving component 32 includes a guide 321 and a fixing member 322 disposed on the frame 1 and passing through each of the strip-shaped track holes 311. The consumable support frame 31 can move relative to the guide 321 and the fixing member 322. The consumable support frame 31 is movably connected to the frame 1 through the guide 321 and the fixing member 322. During the process of the consumable support frame 31 driving the consumable rack 30 to move along the first direction Y, the fixing member 322 can constrain the consumable support frame 31 to the frame 1, and the guide 321 can play a guiding role. Specifically, the strip-shaped track hole 311 is formed on the base plate 35.
[0044] In some embodiments, two parallel strip track holes 311 may be provided, the length of each strip track hole 311 being the travel distance of the consumable support frame 31, and the number of moving components 32 is two, which are provided at the same end of the travel distance of each strip track hole 311.
[0045] In some embodiments, each moving component 32 may include a fixing member 322 and two guide members 321. The two guide members 321 are located on both sides of the fixing member 322, and the two guide members 321 and the fixing member 322 are concentrated at one end of the strip track hole 311, which can play a good constraining and guiding role for the consumable support frame 31.
[0046] In some embodiments, the moving component 32 further includes a ball bearing 323 disposed on the frame 1 and located below the consumable support frame 31, which can improve the smoothness of movement of the consumable support frame 31, reduce frictional resistance, and facilitate manual pushing of the consumable storage module 3 to move along the first direction Y. The ball bearing 323 is located below the base plate 35 and rolls in contact with the base plate 35.
[0047] Understandably, in other embodiments, the moving component may also include a slide rail and a slider, through which the consumable support frame 31 moves along the first direction Y.
[0048] Please refer to the following: Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8The limiting component 33 includes a limiting member 331 and a retaining member 332 disposed opposite to each other. Both the limiting member 331 and the retaining member 332 are located at the top of the consumable support frame 31. The limiting member 331 and the retaining member 332 form an accommodating space 333 for accommodating the consumable rack 30. The retaining member 332 is used to retain the consumable rack 30, and the limiting member 331 is used to elastically abut against the consumable rack 30, thereby fixing the consumable rack 30 to the consumable support frame 31. Specifically, the limiting member 331 and the retaining member 332 are respectively disposed on two opposite side frames of the top frame 37.
[0049] In some embodiments, the limiting member 331 includes a limiting block 334 disposed on the consumable support frame 31 and an elastic member 335 disposed on the side of the limiting block 334 near the holding member 332. Specifically, the limiting block 334 is fixed to one side of the top frame 37. When the consumable rack 30 is placed in, the elastic member 335 elastically abuts against the side wall of the consumable rack 30. By providing the elastic member 335, consumable racks 30 with certain size differences can be accommodated, thus increasing adaptability.
[0050] In some embodiments, the elastic element 335 is an arc-shaped spring sheet protruding towards the side of the retaining element 332. The fixed end 336 of the elastic element 335 is fixed to the limiting block 334, and the other end can be a free end 337, which can extend towards the side of the limiting block 334 to achieve elastic resistance. It is understood that the elastic element 335 can also be a spring.
[0051] In some embodiments, the retaining member 332 can be an L-shaped retaining block. Specifically, it includes a first part 338 fixed to the top frame 37 and a second part 339 connected to the first part 338. The second part 339 extends toward the limiting member 331, so that the first part 338 and the second part 339 form an L-shaped structure. When the consumable rack 30 is placed on the top frame 37, the second part 339 of the retaining member 332 is engaged with the upper surface of the consumable rack 30, thereby applying a downward force to the consumable rack 30 to fix it. When installing the consumable rack 30 onto the consumable support frame 31, first insert the side of the consumable rack 30 near the limiting member 331 and press against the elastic member 335. Then, insert the side of the consumable rack 30 near the retaining member 332 into the retaining member 332. The elastic member 335 pushes the consumable rack 30 into place, thereby fixing the consumable rack 30.
[0052] Please refer to both together. Figure 5 and Figure 9The position indexing component 34 includes: a plurality of slots 341 disposed on the consumable storage structure 3a, a fixing block 342 located on the opening side of the slots 341, and a retractable positioning member 343 located on the fixing block 342. The plurality of slots 341 are arranged along the first direction Y on one side of the consumable storage structure 3a, and the positioning member 343 can be inserted into the slots 341 to position the consumable support frame 31. In some embodiments, the plurality of slots 341 are arranged along the first direction Y on the side wall of the consumable support frame 31, and the fixing block 342 is fixed to the frame 1 and located on the opening side of the slots 341. Specifically, the slot 341 is opened on the side wall of the base plate 35, and multiple slots 341 are opened along the first direction Y. The position of the slot 341 is designed according to the position of each row of consumables 20 on the consumable rack 30. When the positioning member 343 is inserted into a slot 341, a row of consumables 20 on the consumable rack 30 can be aligned with the pipetting module 4 along the second direction X, which facilitates the pipetting module 4 to pick up and put down the consumables 20 and improves the accuracy of picking up and putting down the consumables 20.
[0053] Understandably, the same position indexing function can be achieved by swapping the positions of the card slot and the positioning component. For example, the card slot can be set on the fixed block, while the retractable positioning component can be set on the base plate 35.
[0054] Please refer to it again. Figure 5 The consumable storage module 3 also includes a support column 39 located on the consumable support frame 31, which supports the consumable rack 30. Specifically, the support column 39 is located on the base plate 35 and within the receiving cavity 38 to support the consumable rack 30 from below, further improving the stability of the consumable rack 30. For example, when the consumable 20 is a conical pipette tip, the support column 39 also has a structure that mimics the shape of the conical pipette tip, but the placement direction of the support column 39 is exactly opposite to that of the consumable 20, so as not to interfere with the placement of the consumable 20.
[0055] Please refer to it again. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The pipetting module 4 includes a transfer component 6 and a pipetting component 7 disposed on the transfer component 6. The transfer component 6 is used to drive the pipetting component 7 to move along the second direction X and the third direction Z. The transfer component 6 may be a scheduling mechanism that moves along the X and Z axes. The pipetting component 7 is used to transfer liquids; for example, the pipetting component 7 may be a pipette.
[0056] In some embodiments, the transfer assembly 6 includes: a scheduling frame 61 disposed on the rack 1, a first guide rail 62 disposed on the scheduling frame 61, a first slider 63 disposed on the first guide rail 62, a first drive mechanism 64 for driving the first slider 63 to move along the first guide rail 62, a second guide rail 65 disposed on the first slider 63, a second slider 66 disposed on the second guide rail 65, and a second drive mechanism 67 for driving the second slider 66 to move along the second guide rail 65. The first guide rail 62 extends along the second direction X, the second guide rail 65 extends along the third direction Z, and the pipetting assembly 7 is located on the second slider 66. The first drive mechanism 64 and the second drive mechanism 67 are both communicatively connected to the control module 5 to drive the pipetting assembly 7 to move along the second direction X and the third direction Z.
[0057] In some embodiments, the first drive mechanism 64 can drive the first slider 63 to move along the second direction X via a synchronous belt. It is understood that the first drive mechanism 64 can also achieve transmission via a lead screw or a rack and pinion.
[0058] In some embodiments, the second drive mechanism 67 can be driven by a lead screw to move the second slider 66 along a third direction Z. It is understood that the second drive mechanism 67 can also be driven by a timing belt or a rack and pinion.
[0059] In some embodiments, when the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, and the second liquid storage module 8 are adjacent to each other and arranged side by side along the second direction X, the transfer component 6 is located on one side of the liquid storage module 2 and the consumable storage module 3, and the pipetting component 7 can be moved above the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, and the second liquid storage module 8 under the drive of the transfer component 6. By reasonably setting the relative positions of each module, pipetting operations are facilitated, while the space utilization on the rack 1 is improved, which is beneficial to reducing the size of the liquid handling equipment 100.
[0060] Please refer to it again. Figure 4 The control module 5 is mounted on the frame 1 and fixed to the outside of the pipetting module 4 to facilitate communication with the pipetting module 4. The control module 5 has a switch 51 (such as a filter cover opener) and a network port 52 on its exterior to enable device operation and network connection.
[0061] Taking the transfer of a liquid as an example, the usage process of the liquid handling device 100 of this application is illustrated, specifically including the following steps: The first step is to place the first container 10 containing the liquid to be transferred onto the first liquid storage module 2, and then place the second container 40, which receives the liquid in the first container 10, onto the second liquid storage module 8.
[0062] The second step involves manually pushing the consumable storage module 3 along the first direction Y. Once in place, the position indexing component 34 positions the consumable support frame 31. At this point, a row of consumables 20 (e.g., pipette tips) on the consumable frame 30 is directly facing the pipetting component 7.
[0063] The third step is to start the control module 5, which controls the transfer component 6 to move the pipetting component 7 along the second direction X to directly above the consumable storage module 3. At this time, the pipetting component 7 is directly above a consumable 20. The control module 5 then controls the transfer component 6 to move the pipetting component 7 along the third direction Z, so that the pipetting component 7 can pick up the consumable 20.
[0064] In the fourth step, the control module 5 continues to control the transfer component 6 to move the pipetting component 7, which is equipped with consumables 20, to directly above the first liquid storage module 2, and at the same time controls the pipetting component 7 to descend and extend into the first container 10 to draw up the liquid.
[0065] Fifth step, the control module 5 continues to control the transfer component 6 to move the liquid-absorbing pipetting component 7 to directly above the second liquid storage module 8, and at the same time controls the pipetting component 7 to descend into the second container 40 and release the absorbed liquid into the second container 40.
[0066] In the sixth step, the control module 5 controls the transfer component 6 to drive the pipetting component 7, which has finished releasing the liquid, back to the top of the consumable storage module 3, and puts the used consumable 20 on the pipetting component 7 into the corresponding position of the consumable rack 30, thus completing the liquid transfer process.
[0067] The liquid handling device 100 provided in this application embodiment can realize a single-channel liquid transfer process through the coordinated operation of the first liquid storage module 2, the consumable storage module 3, the second liquid storage module 8, and the pipetting module 4. It is simple to operate, has strong operational flexibility and stability. Moreover, the single-channel liquid handling device 100 has a simple structure, small size, and low cost, and can be flexibly applied to different working scenarios, especially suitable for low-throughput liquid handling scenarios.
[0068] In terms of movement, the consumable storage module 3 is moved manually along the first direction Y, while the pipetting module 4 is moved automatically along the second direction X and the third direction Z. This semi-automatic single-channel pipetting scheme simplifies the structure of the pipetting module 4 and reduces the overall structural complexity of the liquid handling equipment 100. Moreover, the pipetting module 4 picks up and puts in consumables on the consumable storage module 3 in its original position, further saving space, making each module more compact, and improving space utilization. In addition, the dual-axis automatic movement in the second direction X and the third direction Z, combined with the single-axis manual movement in the first direction Y, provides greater flexibility.
[0069] Both the first liquid storage module 2 and the second liquid storage module 8 use better containers to hold the liquid, which can be replaced according to the actual liquid needs, providing greater flexibility and adaptability. Furthermore, existing containers can be used, eliminating the need for additional container design and reducing costs. The first container 10 and the second container 40 are directly placed in their respective positions on the first liquid storage module 2 and the second liquid storage module 8, eliminating the need for complex storage structures and further simplifying the structure of the liquid handling equipment 100. Additionally, a measuring device 81 can be installed at the second liquid storage module 8 to measure the weight of the transferred liquid or other liquid parameters.
[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.
Claims
1. A liquid processing device, characterized in that, include: The rack and the first liquid storage module, the second liquid storage module, the consumable storage module, the pipetting module and the control module disposed on the rack; The first liquid storage module is used to carry the first container, and the first container is used to store liquid; The second liquid storage module is used to hold the second container, which is used to store liquid; The consumable storage module is used to store consumables required for liquid processing, and the consumable storage module can move along a first direction; The pipetting module, under the control of the control module, is used to replace consumables on the consumable storage module and to transfer liquid between the first liquid storage module and the second liquid storage module. The pipetting module can move along a second direction and a third direction that are perpendicular to each other, and the first direction is perpendicular to the plane containing the second direction and the third direction.
2. The liquid processing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The consumable storage module is used to move along the first direction under manual operation, and the pipetting module is used to move automatically along the second direction and the third direction under the control of the control module.
3. The liquid processing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The consumable storage module includes a consumable storage structure and a position indexing component. The consumable storage structure is used to store the consumables and can move along the first direction. When the consumable storage structure moves along the first direction, the position indexing component is used to position the consumable storage structure so that a specific storage position on the consumable storage structure corresponds to the pipetting module.
4. The liquid processing equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The position indexing component includes: a plurality of card slots disposed on the consumable storage structure, a fixing block located on the opening side of the card slots, and a retractable positioning member located on the fixing block. The plurality of card slots are arranged along the first direction on one side of the consumable storage structure, and the positioning member can be engaged or disengaged from the card slots.
5. The liquid handling equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The consumable storage structure includes: a consumable support frame, a movable component disposed at the bottom of the consumable support frame, and a limiting component disposed at the top of the consumable support frame. The position indexing component is disposed on one side of the consumable support frame. The consumable support frame is used to place a consumable rack loaded with consumables. The consumable support frame is movably connected to the rack through the movable component. The limiting component is used to fix the consumable rack located on the consumable support frame.
6. The liquid handling apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The base plate of the consumable support frame has a plurality of strip-shaped track holes extending along the first direction. The moving component includes a guide and a fixing member disposed on the frame and passing through each of the strip-shaped track holes. The consumable support frame is movable relative to the guide and the fixing member.
7. The liquid handling apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The moving component includes ball bearings disposed on the frame and located below the consumable support frame.
8. The liquid handling apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The limiting component includes a limiting member and a retaining member disposed opposite to each other. The limiting member and the retaining member are both disposed on the top of the consumable support frame. The limiting member and the retaining member form an accommodating space. The accommodating space is used to accommodate the consumable frame. The retaining member is used to retain the consumable frame. The limiting member is used to elastically abut against the consumable frame.
9. The liquid handling apparatus as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The limiting component includes a limiting block disposed on the top of the consumable support frame and an elastic component disposed on the side of the limiting block near the holding component; The holding component is an L-shaped card block.
10. The liquid handling apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second liquid storage module includes a measuring device, which is arranged side by side with the first liquid storage module along the second direction.
11. A sample processing system, characterized in that, Includes the liquid handling equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.