Detection card box and nucleic acid detector

Abstract

This invention provides a detection cartridge and a nucleic acid detection instrument, comprising: a bottom shell with multiple independent reagent cartridges containing nucleic acid detection reagents and magnetic beads; and an upper shell rotatably connected to the bottom shell, wherein the upper shell is provided with a magnetic suction tube and a sample cartridge for adding sample solution. The magnetic suction tube accommodates the magnetic suction assembly, and its bottom is sealed by an elastic airbag while its top is open. This invention's magnetic suction tube, sealed at the bottom by an elastic airbag and open at the top, accommodates the magnetic suction assembly, and the rotatable connection between the upper and bottom shells allows nucleic acid to be transferred via magnetic beads during lysis and purification, effectively removing inhibitors. Furthermore, it only requires simple rotation of the upper shell, thus improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of nucleic acid detection technology, and in particular relates to a detection cartridge and a nucleic acid detection instrument. Background Technology

[0002] PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a molecular biology technique that amplifies specific DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequences in vitro. Due to its high specificity, high sensitivity, low purity requirements, and ease of use and speed, PCR is widely used in nucleic acid detection and analysis. Sample detection mainly involves nucleic acid extraction, purification, and PCR detection. To achieve point-of-care testing (POCT) and improve detection accuracy, various reagents need to be pre-loaded into the kit.

[0003] In existing technologies, a small amount of reagents may remain in the flow channels during the transfer process, resulting in incomplete removal of waste liquid. This can lead to potential inhibitors still remaining in the purified nucleic acid, thus causing false positive results. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to propose a detection kit and a nucleic acid detection instrument, which aims to solve the technical problem that false positives are easily generated in the detection process of existing kits.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a detection cartridge for a nucleic acid detection instrument with a magnetic suction component. The detection cartridge includes: a bottom shell with multiple independent reagent cartridges, each reagent cartridge containing nucleic acid detection reagents and magnetic beads; and an upper shell rotatably connected to the bottom shell, the upper shell having a magnetic suction cylinder and a sample cylinder for adding sample solution. The magnetic suction cylinder is used to house the magnetic suction component, and the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder is sealed by an elastic airbag while the top is open.

[0006] In this embodiment of the invention, the upper shell is further provided with a plunger tube for accommodating a pipette plunger, and the detection cartridge further includes a reaction tube with a reaction chamber. The reaction tube is connected to the bottom shell, and the bottom shell is provided with a PCR chamber that is independent of the reagent tube. The PCR chamber and the reaction chamber are connected, and the pipette plunger is used to squeeze and transfer the solution in the PCR chamber to the reaction chamber.

[0007] In this embodiment of the invention, the upper shell is further provided with an upper pipette tip tube for accommodating a pipette tip, and the bottom shell is further provided with a lower pipette tip tube with an open top. The lower pipette tip tube is used to align with the upper pipette tip tube to form an anti-rotation channel for accommodating the pipette tip.

[0008] In this embodiment of the invention, the lengths of the upper gun barrel, the plunger barrel, and the sample barrel are all greater than the length of the magnetic suction barrel, so that a clearance space for accommodating the magnetic beads is formed between the bottom of the magnetic suction barrel and the bottom shell.

[0009] In this embodiment of the invention, the upper shell is provided with a positioning post, the bottom shell is provided with a locking hole that positions and cooperates with the positioning post, and a plurality of reagent tubes are arranged circumferentially around the locking hole. The lengths of the magnetic suction tube, the upper pipette tip tube, the plunger tube, and the sample tube are all less than the length of the positioning post.

[0010] The present invention also proposes a nucleic acid detection instrument, which includes a magnetic suction component, a motion module, a controller, and a detection card holder as described above. The motion module is used to drive the upper shell to rotate relative to the bottom shell and to drive the magnetic suction component to rise and fall. The motion module and the controller are electrically connected, and the controller is configured to: Determine the sample solution injected into the sample tube and obtain the preset purification sequence; According to a preset purification sequence, the motion module drives the upper shell to rotate relative to the bottom shell; Once the upper shell is determined to be in position, the preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component is obtained based on the current reagent cylinder aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder. The motion module drives the magnetic component to move according to the preset magnetic attraction action; The preset magnetic attraction action includes at least a magnetic attraction action and a demagnetization action.

[0011] In this embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to obtain a preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component based on the current reagent cylinder aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder, including: When the magnetic beads are contained in the current reagent cylinder that the magnetic suction cylinder is aligned with, the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a magnetic suction action; If the magnetic bead is not contained in the current reagent cylinder to which the magnetic suction cylinder is positioned, the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a demagnetizing action.

[0012] In this embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic component to move according to the magnetic attraction action, including: The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction assembly to descend to the magnetic suction position, so that the magnetic suction assembly can pick up the magnetic beads in the reagent cylinder; The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction assembly to rise to the avoidance position, so that the magnetic bead is attracted to the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder.

[0013] In this embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attraction assembly includes a magnetic body and an insulating sleeve fitted onto the magnetic body. The controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic attraction assembly to move according to the demagnetizing action, including: The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction assembly to descend to the demagnetized position; The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic attractor to rise relative to the insulating sleeve to the disengagement position, causing the magnetic bead to fall into the reagent cylinder; The motion module controls the insulating sleeve to reciprocate up and down within the reagent cylinder.

[0014] In this embodiment of the invention, the nucleic acid detector further includes a pipette pump, and the motion module and the controller are both connected to the pipette pump. The controller is further configured to: Once it is confirmed that nucleic acid purification is complete and the nucleic acid has been eluted into the reagent cartridge containing the eluent, a preset pipetting sequence is obtained; According to the pipetting sequence, the motion module drives the upper shell to rotate relative to the bottom shell, and cooperates with the pipetting pump to draw or transfer the solution in the reagent cartridge.

[0015] Through the above technical solution, the detection cartridge provided in the embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: When using a test cartridge for nucleic acid testing, the sample solution is injected into the sample cylinder, connecting it to the reagent cylinder. At this point, the sample cylinder can be aligned with the reagent cylinder containing the lysis buffer. The sample solution is directly injected into the reagent cylinder containing the lysis buffer. The upper shell is rotated relative to the bottom shell to align the magnetic suction cylinder with the reagent cylinder containing magnetic beads. The magnetic suction assembly is then driven to descend into the reagent cylinder containing magnetic beads. The elastic air bladder isolates the magnetic suction assembly from the solution in the reagent cylinder and can also extend under the action of the magnetic suction assembly, facilitating its ascent and descent. This allows the magnetic suction assembly to have a large stroke. After the magnetic body attracts the magnetic beads, the magnetic suction assembly can be driven upwards, attracting the magnetic beads to the elastic air bladder at the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder. Rotating the upper shell relative to the bottom shell aligns the magnetic suction cylinder with the reagent cylinder containing the sample solution, and the magnetic suction assembly is driven to descend into the reagent cylinder containing the sample solution. After the magnetic beads are completely submerged, the magnetic body can be driven independently, maintaining relative insulation. The insulating sleeve rises, causing the magnetic beads to fall into the reagent cylinder under gravity. This drives the insulating sleeve to move up and down repeatedly inside the reagent cylinder containing the magnetic beads, mixing the solution, sample solution, lysis buffer, and magnetic beads. After the sample is fully lysed and all nucleic acids are adsorbed by the magnetic beads, the insulating sleeve and magnetic chuck descend to adsorb the magnetic beads. The magnetic beads with nucleic acid are adsorbed to the bottom of the magnetic chuck. After the upper shell rotates relative to the bottom shell, the magnetic chuck and insulating sleeve move up and down, driving the magnetic chuck and insulating sleeve to move up and down. This allows the transfer of magnetic beads within other nucleic acid detection reagents while simultaneously purifying the nucleic acid adsorbed on the magnetic beads. Compared to existing technologies that transfer reagents via flow channels, transferring nucleic acids via magnetic beads avoids residual reagent solution during nucleic acid transfer, prevents the presence of inhibitors, avoids false positives in existing nucleic acid detection technologies, and improves the accuracy of nucleic acid detection. In this invention, the bottom of the magnetic chuck is sealed by an elastic airbag, and the top is open to accommodate the magnetic chuck assembly. The upper and lower shells are rotatably connected, allowing nucleic acids to be transferred via magnetic beads during lysis and purification. By rotating the upper shell, steps such as magnetic bead transfer, nucleic acid or reagent transfer, and mixing can be completed, thus achieving nucleic acid lysis and purification. This process can remove inhibitors as much as possible, and only requires simple rotation of the upper shell, avoiding environmental contamination caused by solution aspiration and transfer methods, thereby improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings are provided to illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the detection card box according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is an exploded structural diagram of the detection card box according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of the detection card box according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the upper shell structure for detecting the corner of the card holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom shell structure of the detection card box according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the detection card box in one state according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the detection card box in another state according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the detection card box in another state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures Detailed Implementation

[0019] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0020] The detection cartridge according to the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the test cartridge 100 is used in a nucleic acid detector with a magnetic suction assembly (6). The test cartridge 100 includes an upper shell 1 and a bottom shell 2. The bottom shell 2 is provided with a plurality of independent reagent cylinders 21. The reagent cylinders 21 contain nucleic acid detection reagents and magnetic beads. The upper shell 1 is provided with a magnetic suction cylinder 11 and a sample cylinder 14 for adding sample liquid. The bottom shell 2 and the upper shell 1 are rotatably connected. The magnetic suction assembly 6 may include a magnetic suction body 61 and an insulating sleeve 62 sleeved on the magnetic suction body 61. The magnetic suction cylinder 11 is used to accommodate the magnetic suction assembly 6. The bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11 is sealed by an elastic airbag 15 and the top is open.

[0022] When performing nucleic acid testing using the detection cartridge 100 in this embodiment, the sample solution is injected into the sample cylinder 14. The sample cylinder 14 guides the sample injection, preventing misalignment and ensuring communication between the sample cylinder 14 and the reagent cylinder 21. At this time, the sample cylinder 14 can be aligned with the reagent cylinder 21 containing the lysis buffer. The sample solution is directly injected into the reagent cylinder 21 containing the lysis buffer. The upper shell 1 is rotated relative to the bottom shell 2 to align the magnetic suction cylinder 11 with the reagent cylinder 21 containing magnetic beads. The magnetic suction assembly 6 is then driven to descend into the reagent cylinder 21 containing magnetic beads. The elastic air bladder 15 isolates the solution inside the magnetic suction assembly 6 and the reagent cylinder 21. It also extends under the action of the magnetic suction assembly 6, facilitating its ascent and descent. This allows the magnetic suction assembly 6 to have a large stroke, enabling the magnetic body 61 to attract the magnetic beads. The upward movement of the magnetic suction assembly 6 then attracts the magnetic beads to the bottom elastic air bladder 15 of the magnetic suction cylinder 11. Rotating the upper shell 1 relative to the bottom shell 2 aligns the magnetic suction cylinder 11 with the reagent cylinder 21 containing the sample solution, and drives the magnetic suction assembly 6 to descend into the reagent cylinder 21 containing the sample solution. After the magnetic beads are completely submerged, the magnetic chuck 61 can be driven to rise relative to the insulating sleeve 62, causing the magnetic beads to fall into the reagent cylinder 21 under gravity. The insulating sleeve 62 can then be driven to move up and down repeatedly within the reagent cylinder 21 containing the magnetic beads, mixing the solution. This process mixes the sample solution, lysis buffer, and magnetic beads. Once the sample is fully lysed and all nucleic acids are adsorbed by the magnetic beads, the insulating sleeve 62 and magnetic chuck 61 descend to adsorb the magnetic beads. The magnetic beads containing nucleic acids are then adsorbed by the magnetic chuck 61. At the bottom of the suction cylinder 11, after the upper shell 1 rotates relative to the bottom shell 2, the magnetic suction body 61 and insulating sleeve 62 of the magnetic suction assembly 6 move up and down. This allows the transfer of nucleic acid adsorbed on the magnetic beads to other nucleic acid detection reagents while simultaneously purifying the nucleic acid. Compared to the existing method of transferring reagents via flow channels, transferring nucleic acid via magnetic beads avoids residual reagent solution and inhibitors during nucleic acid transfer, thus avoiding false positives in nucleic acid detection and improving detection accuracy. In this embodiment, the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11 is sealed by an elastic airbag 15, and the top is open. The magnetic suction cylinder 11 houses the magnetic suction assembly 6, and the upper shell 1 and bottom shell 2 are rotatably connected. This allows nucleic acid to be transferred via magnetic beads during lysis and purification. Rotating the upper shell 1 completes the steps of magnetic bead transfer, nucleic acid or reagent transfer, and mixing, thus completing the nucleic acid lysis and purification process. This removes inhibitors as much as possible, and the simple rotation of the upper shell 1 avoids environmental contamination caused by solution aspiration transfer, improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

[0023] In one embodiment, the upper shell 1 is further provided with a plunger cylinder 13 for accommodating the pipette plunger 5. The pipette plunger 5 can be pre-placed in the plunger cylinder 13 for convenient subsequent detection operations. The detection cartridge 100 also includes a reaction tube 3 with a reaction chamber. The reaction tube 3 is connected to the bottom shell 2, and the bottom shell 2 is provided with a PCR chamber 23 that is independent of the reagent cylinder 21. The PCR chamber 23 is connected to the reaction chamber, and the pipette plunger 5 is used to squeeze and transfer the solution in the PCR chamber 23 to the reaction chamber. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the reaction tube 3 in this embodiment is a flat tube. The reaction tube 3 is installed on the outer wall of the bottom shell 2. After the sample solution is processed in the detection card box 100, the test solution in the PCR chamber 23 can be squeezed into the reaction chamber by driving the pipette plunger 5 through the nucleic acid detector. The reaction tube 3 is inserted into the PCR module of the nucleic acid detector. The reaction tube 3 carries the nucleic acid into the PCR module for amplification and optical detection.

[0024] In another embodiment, the test cartridge 100 includes an upper shell 1, a bottom shell 2, and a cover 7. The upper shell 1 is provided with a magnetic suction cylinder 11, an upper pipette tip cylinder 12 for accommodating a pipette tip 4, a plunger cylinder 13 for accommodating a pipette plunger 5, and a sample cylinder 14 for adding sample solution. The pipette tip 4 can be pre-placed in the upper pipette tip cylinder 12 for convenient subsequent testing operations. The bottom shell 2 is provided with multiple independent reagent cylinders 21, which contain nucleic acid detection reagents and magnetic beads. The bottom shell 2 and the upper shell 1 are rotatably connected. The magnetic suction assembly 6 includes a magnetic suction body 61 and an insulating sleeve 62 fitted onto the magnetic suction body 61. The magnetic suction cylinder 11 is used to accommodate the magnetic suction assembly 6, and the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11 is sealed while the top is open. The cover 7 is sealed between the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2.

[0025] Understandably, the upper shell 1 is a cylindrical shell, and the bottom shell 2 matches the shape of the upper shell 1. The bottom shell 2 can be a cylindrical shell adapted to the upper shell 1. Multiple reagent cartridges 21 are independent of each other, and the number of reagent cartridges 21 can be set according to actual usage requirements. In this embodiment, the detection cartridge 100 is mainly used in a nucleic acid detection instrument. The pipette plunger 5 can be a plunger column, used to squeeze and transfer the solution under the drive of the nucleic acid detection instrument. The pipette tip 4 is used to cooperate with the pipette pump on the nucleic acid detection instrument for solution aspiration and transfer. The coating 7 can be made of aluminum film to pre-seal the holes on the bottom shell 2. When nucleic acid detection is required, the pipette tip 4 can pierce the coating 7 under the drive of the nucleic acid detection instrument. The magnetic suction assembly 6 can rise or fall relative to the detection cartridge 100 under the drive of the nucleic acid detection instrument. In one embodiment, the nucleic acid detection reagents may include elution buffer, lysis buffer, washing buffer 1, washing buffer 2, system reagent 1, and system reagent 2 with magnetic beads. Each reagent cartridge 21 can contain different nucleic acid detection reagents. In other embodiments, the nucleic acid testing reagents may be configured according to actual usage requirements.

[0026] When performing nucleic acid testing using the detection cartridge 100 in this embodiment, the sample solution is injected into the sample cylinder 14. The membrane 7 can be punctured by the pipette tip 4 to connect the sample cylinder 14 with the reagent cylinder 21. At this time, the sample cylinder 14 can be aligned with the reagent cylinder 21 containing the lysis buffer. The sample solution is directly injected into the reagent cylinder 21 containing the lysis buffer. The upper shell 1 is rotated relative to the bottom shell 2 to align the magnetic suction cylinder 11 with the reagent cylinder 21 containing magnetic beads. The magnetic suction assembly 6 is driven to descend into the reagent cylinder 21 containing magnetic beads, allowing the magnetic suction body 61 to attract the magnetic beads. The magnetic suction assembly 6 can then be driven upward to attract the magnetic beads to the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11. The upper shell 1 is rotated relative to the bottom shell 2 to align the magnetic suction cylinder 11 with the reagent cylinder 21 containing the sample solution, and the magnetic suction assembly 6 is driven to descend into the reagent cylinder 21 containing the sample solution. After the magnetic beads are completely submerged, the magnetic suction body 61 can be driven to rise relative to the insulating sleeve 62, allowing the magnetic beads to fall under the action of gravity. The insulating sleeve 62 can be driven to move up and down repeatedly inside the reagent cylinder 21 containing magnetic beads, mixing the solution inside the reagent cylinder 21. This mixes the sample solution, lysis buffer, and magnetic beads. After the sample is fully lysed and all nucleic acids are adsorbed by the magnetic beads, the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic suction body 61 descend to adsorb the magnetic beads. The magnetic beads containing nucleic acids are adsorbed by the magnetic suction body 61 to the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11. After the upper shell 1 rotates relative to the bottom shell 2, the magnetic suction body 61 and the insulating sleeve 62 of the driving magnetic suction assembly 6 move up and down. This allows the transfer of nucleic acids adsorbed on the magnetic beads to other nucleic acid detection reagents while simultaneously purifying them. Compared to the existing technology of transferring reagents through a flow channel, transferring nucleic acids by transferring magnetic beads avoids the presence of residual reagent solution and inhibitors during nucleic acid transfer, avoids false positives in existing nucleic acid detection technologies, and improves the accuracy of nucleic acid detection. In this embodiment, a magnetic suction cylinder 11 with a sealed bottom and an open top is provided on the upper shell 1 to accommodate the magnetic suction component 6, and the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2 are rotatably connected. This allows nucleic acids to be transferred through magnetic beads during lysis and purification. By rotating the upper shell 1, steps such as magnetic bead transfer, nucleic acid or reagent transfer, and mixing can be completed to achieve nucleic acid lysis and purification. This process can remove inhibitors as much as possible, and only requires simple rotation of the upper shell 1, which can avoid environmental contamination caused by solution aspiration and transfer, thus improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

[0027] It should be noted that the magnetic suction cylinder 11, upper pipette tip cylinder 12, plunger cylinder 13, sample cylinder 14, and reagent cylinder 21 all extend vertically. The magnetic suction cylinder 11, upper pipette tip cylinder 12, plunger cylinder 13, and sample cylinder 14 are independent of each other on the horizontal plane, and the multiple reagent cylinders 21 are also independent of each other on the horizontal plane, with their tops on the same horizontal plane. By rotating the upper shell 1, the magnetic suction cylinder 11 of the upper shell 1 can be aligned with the reagent cylinder 21 of the bottom shell 2 for transferring magnetic beads, or the pipette tip 4 can be aligned with the reagent cylinder 21 for transferring liquid.

[0028] Specifically, the bottom of the magnetic chuck 11 is provided with an air bladder hole, and the upper shell 1 also includes an elastic air bladder 15 covering the air bladder hole. The elastic air bladder 15 and the magnetic chuck 11 are sealed together. In this embodiment, the bottom of the magnetic chuck 11 is sealed by the elastic air bladder 15. A stepped groove with a stepped cross-section can be provided at the bottom of the magnetic chuck 11. The elastic air bladder 15 is sleeved on the outside of the stepped groove. The stepped groove can limit the elastic air bladder 15, ensuring a tighter connection between the elastic air bladder 15 and the magnetic chuck 11 and avoiding poor sealing. The elastic air bladder 15 can isolate the magnetic body 61 and the magnetic bead, and can also isolate the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic bead. The elastic air bladder 15 can be stretched and extended without breaking, ensuring the attraction and isolation of the magnetic body 61 and the magnetic bead. When the magnetic accumulator 61 moves downward, the magnetic accumulator 61 can stretch the elastic airbag 15 downward. When the magnetic accumulator 61 attracts the magnetic bead and moves upward, the magnetic bead and the magnetic accumulator 61 can clamp the elastic airbag 15 and move upward, which can avoid the magnetic bead interfering with the rotation of the upper shell 1.

[0029] Specifically, the elastic airbag 15 and the magnetic cylinder 11 are integrally molded. This injection molding process ensures a tight seal between the elastic airbag 15 and the magnetic cylinder 11. In another embodiment, the elastic airbag 15 and the magnetic cylinder 11 are fixedly connected by a connector or by adhesive strips, facilitating assembly, improving production efficiency, and saving costs. Mechanical fixing ensures a seal. In one embodiment, the elastic airbag 15 is made of rubber; in another embodiment, it is made of silicone. Rubber and silicone components are readily available and easy to manufacture.

[0030] It should be noted that the lengths of the upper gun head cylinder 12, the plunger cylinder 13, and the sample cylinder 14 are all greater than the length of the magnetic suction cylinder 11, creating a clearance space between the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11 and the bottom shell 2 to accommodate the magnetic beads. In this embodiment, the bottom height of the magnetic suction cylinder 11 is higher than that of the upper gun head cylinder 12, the plunger cylinder 13, and the sample cylinder 14. When the magnetic suction assembly 6 attracts the magnetic beads and the upper shell 1 needs to be rotated, the clearance space can accommodate the magnetic beads, providing sufficient space for the rotation of the upper shell 1 and preventing the magnetic beads from interfering with the rotation of the upper shell 1. The structure is simple and easy to use.

[0031] In this embodiment of the invention, the upper shell 1 is further provided with an upper pipette tip tube 12 for accommodating the pipette tip 4, and the bottom shell 2 is further provided with a lower pipette tip tube 22 with an open top. The lower pipette tip tube 22 is used to align with the upper pipette tip tube 12 to form an anti-rotation channel for accommodating the pipette tip 4. In one embodiment, the upper pipette tip tube 12, the plunger tube 13, and the sample tube 14 are all open at both ends, and the tops of the multiple reagent tubes 21 are all open. The detection cartridge 100 also includes a sealing plug 8 for sealing the top of the sample tube 14. In this embodiment, the upper and lower ends of the upper pipette tip tube 12, the plunger tube 13, and the sample tube 14 are all open. The sealing plug 8 may include a sealing head 81 and a sealing body 82 connected to the sealing head 81. The cross-sectional dimension of the sealing head 81 is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the sealing body 82. The sealing body 82 is columnar, and the sealing head 81 is flat. After the sample solution is added to the sample tube 14, the top of the sample tube 14 can be sealed by the sealing plug 8, which can ensure that the test card 100 is always in a closed state during the sample processing.

[0032] like Figure 4 As shown, the bottom shell 2 is also provided with a lower pipette tip tube 22 with an open top. The lower pipette tip tube 22 is used to align with the upper pipette tip tube 12 to form an anti-rotation channel for accommodating the pipette tip 4. In this embodiment, the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2 are sealed together and can rotate relative to each other. When the upper pipette tip tube 12 and the lower pipette tip tube 22 are aligned, the upper and lower ends of the upper pipette tip tube 12 are open, and the top of the lower pipette tip tube 22 is open. The alignment of the upper pipette tip tube 12 and the lower pipette tip tube 22 forms an anti-rotation channel for accommodating the pipette tip 4. The pipette tip 4 can extend from the upper pipette tip tube 12 into the lower pipette tip tube 22. The pipette tip 4 connects the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2 in the vertical direction, which can limit the mutual positioning between the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2, so that the upper shell 1 cannot rotate relative to the bottom shell 2. This avoids the situation where the upper shell 1 rotates accidentally when rotation is not required, and improves the stability of the test cartridge 100.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the upper shell 1 is provided with a positioning post 16, and the bottom shell 2 is provided with a locking hole 24 that positions and engages with the positioning post 16. Multiple reagent cylinders 21 are circumferentially spaced around the locking hole 24. The lengths of the magnetic suction cylinder 11, the upper pipette tip cylinder 12, the plunger cylinder 13, and the sample cylinder 14 are all less than the length of the positioning post 16. In this embodiment, the positioning post 16 is located in the middle of the upper shell 1, and the locking hole 24 is located in the middle of the bottom shell 2. The lower end of the positioning post 16 may be provided with a frustum-shaped barb to prevent the upper shell 1 from detaching from the bottom shell 2. The lengths of the magnetic suction cylinder 11, the upper pipette tip cylinder 12, the plunger cylinder 13, and the sample cylinder 14 are all less than the length of the positioning post 16, ensuring the engagement area between the positioning post 16 and the locking hole 24, and ensuring the connection stability between the upper shell 1 and the bottom shell 2. The sample cylinder 14 and the magnetic suction cylinder 11 are located on one side of the positioning post 16, with the sample cylinder 14 close to the magnetic suction cylinder 11. The upper pipette tip cylinder 12 and the plunger cylinder 13 are located on the other side of the positioning post 16, with the upper pipette tip cylinder 12 close to the plunger cylinder 13, facilitating the rotational adjustment of the upper shell 1. Two positioning grooves 17 can be provided on the outer edge of the upper shell 1 to facilitate the positioning and connection between the upper shell 1 and the driving component of the nucleic acid detector. The two positioning grooves 17 can be arranged opposite each other.

[0034] This invention also proposes a nucleic acid detection instrument, which includes the detection cartridge 100 as described above. The specific structure of the detection cartridge 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since the nucleic acid detection instrument adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0035] In one embodiment, the nucleic acid detector includes a magnetic suction component 6, a motion module, a controller, and a test card holder 100 as described above. The motion module is used to drive the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2 and to drive the magnetic suction component 6 to move up and down. The motion module and the controller are electrically connected. The motion module may include a driving component for driving the pipette plunger 5, the pipette pump, and the magnetic suction component 6 to move up and down. The motion module may also include a rotary drive component for driving the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2. Both the rotary drive component and the driving component can be motors. During the nucleic acid extraction and purification process, the controller of the nucleic acid detector can achieve full automation by controlling the driving component. Through a simple rotation operation of the upper shell 1, the reaction tube 3 is inserted into the PCR module of the nucleic acid detector for optical detection, and the detection results can be output. The entire process eliminates manual operation and realizes sample input and result output.

[0036] Specifically, the controller is configured as follows: Determine the sample solution injected into sample tube 14 and obtain the preset purification sequence; According to the preset purification sequence, the motion module drives the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2; Once the upper shell 1 is rotated into position, the preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component 6 is obtained based on the current reagent cylinder 21 aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder 11. The motion module drives the magnetic component 6 to move according to the preset magnetic attraction action control; The preset magnetic attraction action includes at least a magnetic attraction action and a demagnetization action.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, the magnetic component 6 is at the origin position, as... Figure 6 As shown, the magnetic suction component 6 may include a magnetic suction body 61 and an insulating sleeve 62 fitted over the magnetic suction body 61. The magnetic suction body 61 may be a permanent magnet rod, and the insulating sleeve 62 may be a non-metallic hollow cylinder. The magnetic suction body 61 rises relative to the insulating sleeve 62 to the detached position. The nucleic acid detection reagent may include an elution buffer with magnetic beads, a lysis buffer, a washing buffer 1, a washing buffer 2, a system reagent 1, and a system reagent 2. The preset purification sequence may be lysis, washing, and elution. The quantities of the elution buffer, lysis buffer, washing buffer, and system reagent can be set according to actual usage requirements.

[0038] In this embodiment, the controller, upon determining the sample solution injected into the sample cylinder 14, obtains a preset purification sequence and controls the motion module to drive the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2 according to the preset purification sequence. When the upper shell 1 is rotated to the first magnetic attraction position, the controller obtains the preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component 6 based on the current reagent cylinder 21 aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder 11. Based on the preset magnetic attraction action, the controller controls the motion module to drive the magnetic attraction component 6 to move. After the preset magnetic attraction action is completed, the controller controls the motion module to drive the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2 to the second magnetic attraction position according to the preset purification sequence, and repeats the above-mentioned determination and implementation of the preset magnetic attraction action until purification is completed. In this embodiment, by rotating the upper shell 1 in conjunction with the corresponding preset magnetic attraction action, nucleic acid lysis washing and elution can be completed, which is simple to operate and easy to control.

[0039] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to acquire a preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component 6 based on the current reagent cylinder 21 aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder 11, including: When the reagent cylinder 21 aligned with the magnetic suction cylinder 11 contains magnetic beads, the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a magnetic suction action. If the reagent cylinder 21 to which the magnetic suction cylinder 11 is positioned does not contain a magnetic bead, the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a demagnetizing action.

[0040] In this embodiment, the preset magnetic attraction action is determined by determining whether the reagent cylinder 21 aligned with the magnetic suction cylinder 11 contains a magnetic bead. This facilitates the control of the magnetic suction component 6, improves operational accuracy, and avoids malfunctions of the magnetic suction component 6. In another embodiment, when the upper shell 1 is rotated into position, the preset magnetic attraction action (either an attraction action or a demagnetization action) can be determined by whether the magnetic suction component 6 has attracted a magnetic bead.

[0041] It should be noted that the controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic component 6 to move according to the magnetic attraction action, including: The motion control module drives the magnetic suction component 6 to descend to the magnetic suction position, so that the magnetic suction component 6 can pick up the magnetic beads in the reagent cylinder 21; The motion control module drives the magnetic suction component 6 to rise to the avoidance position, so that the magnetic bead is attracted to the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder 11.

[0042] The magnetic suction component 6, in its magnetic suction position, can pull the elastic airbag 15 downwards and extend it into the solution in the reagent cylinder 21. The heights of the magnetic suction position and the clearance position can be preset. The magnetic suction component 6, in its clearance position, can detach from the reagent cylinder 21 in the vertical direction. It clearances the bottom shell 2 to prevent the upper shell 1 from not being able to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2. The magnetic suction component 6, in its clearance position, can work with the magnetic bead to press the elastic airbag 15 upwards.

[0043] Understandably, the controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic assembly 6 to move according to the demagnetization action, including: The motion control module drives the magnetic suction component 6 to descend to the demagnetized position; The motion control module drives the magnetic accumulator 61 to rise relative to the insulating sleeve 62 to the disengagement position, causing the magnetic bead to fall into the reagent cylinder 21; The motion control module drives the insulating sleeve 62 to reciprocate up and down within the reagent cylinder 21.

[0044] The magnetic adsorption component 6, in the demagnetized position, can extend into the solution surface of the reagent cylinder 21. This allows the magnetic beads to be immersed in the solution, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the magnetic chuck 61 rises to the disengaged position relative to the insulating sleeve 62, completely detaching from the insulating sleeve 62. This allows the magnetic beads to fall into the reagent cylinder 21 under their own gravity, freed from magnetic attraction. The reciprocating motion of the insulating sleeve 62 within the reagent cylinder 21 mixes the solution and magnetic beads, maximizing nucleic acid purification and improving the purification effect on the nucleic acids on the magnetic beads.

[0045] In one embodiment, the nucleic acid detection instrument further includes a pipette pump, and the motion module and controller are both connected to the pipette pump. The controller is further configured to: Once it is confirmed that nucleic acid purification is complete and the nucleic acid has been eluted into reagent cartridge 21 containing eluent, the preset pipetting sequence is obtained; According to the pipetting sequence, the motion control module drives the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, and cooperates with the pipetting pump to draw or transfer the solution in the reagent cylinder 21.

[0046] like Figure 7 As shown, pipette tip 4 is in the solution aspiration state, as... Figure 8As shown, the pipette plunger 5 is in the state of squeezing the solution. After the nucleic acid purification is completed and the solution is eluted into the eluent, the solution can be transferred by the pipette pump and the pipette tip 4, which facilitates subsequent solution preparation.

[0047] Specifically, the multiple reagent cartridges 21 can be a first cartridge 21a, a second cartridge 21b, a third cartridge 21c, a fourth cartridge 21d, a fifth cartridge 21e, and a sixth cartridge 21f, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the first cylinder 21a, the second cylinder 21b, the third cylinder 21c, the fourth cylinder 21d, the fifth cylinder 21e, and the sixth cylinder 21f are arranged counterclockwise on the bottom shell 2. The first cylinder 21a can be used to contain washing liquid 2, the second cylinder 21b can be used to contain washing liquid 1, the third cylinder 21c can be used to contain eluent with magnetic beads, the fourth cylinder 21d can be used to contain lysis buffer, the fifth cylinder 21e can be used to contain system reagent 1, and the sixth cylinder 21f can be used to contain system reagent 2. In other embodiments, the number of reagent cylinders 21 can be set according to actual usage requirements.

[0048] In one embodiment, the sealing plug 8 is opened to open the sample tube 14 and the sample to be tested is added to the sample tube 14, and then the sealing plug 8 is closed; the test card cassette 100 is placed in the nucleic acid detector, and the controller controls the nucleic acid detector to perform nucleic acid testing through the following steps: The motion control module drives the pipette pump to draw up the pipette tip 4 and raises the pipette tip 4 to a clearance position to avoid interference with the rotation of the upper shell 1; the motion control module drives the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, and at the same time controls the pipette tip 4 to puncture the film 7 at each hole of the bottom shell 2; then the motion control module drives the elastic airbag 15 of the upper shell 1 to align with the third cylinder 21c, and the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic accumulator 61 descend to the magnetic position, so that the magnetic accumulator 6 extends into the third cylinder 21c of the bottom shell 2, and attracts the magnetic beads in the third cylinder 21c to the bottom of the elastic airbag 15; After all the magnetic beads are attracted to the bottom of the elastic airbag 15, the motion module is controlled to drive the rising insulating sleeve 62 and magnetic 61 to the clearance position, and then drive the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, aligning the elastic airbag 15 of the upper shell 1 with the fourth cylinder 21d of the bottom shell 2. After alignment, the motion module is controlled to drive the insulating sleeve 62 and magnetic 61 to descend to the demagnetization position, so that the magnetic 6 extends into the liquid surface of the fourth cylinder 21d. Then, the motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic 61 to rise alone and return to the origin position (i.e., the detachment position), so that the magnetic beads are transferred to the fourth cylinder 21d under the action of gravity. Then, the insulating sleeve 62 is driven to move up and down in the fourth cylinder 21d to mix the sample, lysis solution and magnetic beads in the fourth cylinder 21d. After the sample is fully lysed and the nucleic acid is completely adsorbed by the magnetic beads, the motion control module drives the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic suction body 61 to descend to the magnetic suction position to perform magnetic bead adsorption, so that the nucleic acid and the magnetic beads are adsorbed at the bottom of the magnetic suction body 61 and the elastic air bag 15. After the magnetic beads are completely attracted, the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic chuck 61 rise to the clearance position, and then drive the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, aligning the elastic airbag 15 with the second cylinder 21b; after alignment, the control motion module drives the insulating sleeve 62 and the magnetic chuck 61 to descend into the liquid surface of the second cylinder 21b; then the magnetic chuck 61 rises again to return to the origin position (i.e., the detachment position), so that the magnetic beads are transferred to the second cylinder 21b under the action of gravity, and then the insulating sleeve 62 is driven to move up and down in the second cylinder 21b to mix the washing liquid 1 and the magnetic beads in the second cylinder 21b, so that the nucleic acid and the magnetic beads are thoroughly cleaned by the washing liquid 1; The same motion principle can be used to operate the magnetic beads in the first cylinder 21a (washing solution 2) and the third cylinder 21c (elution solution). Finally, the nucleic acid is eluted in the third cylinder 21c, and the magnetic accumulator 61 and the insulating sleeve 62 return to their original positions. The control motion module drives the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, aligning the pipette tip 4 with the third cylinder 21c of the bottom shell 2. The descending and ascending pipette pumps can sequentially transfer nucleic acids to other system reagent cylinders 21 (the fifth cylinder 21e and the sixth cylinder 21f), and finally transfer them to the PCR chamber 23 to obtain the solution to be tested. The control motion module drives the upper shell 1 to rotate relative to the bottom shell 2, aligning the pipette tip 4 with the lower pipette tip tube 22 of the bottom shell 2, and disengaging the pipette tip 4 from the upper pipette tip tube 12 and the lower pipette tip tube 22. The control motion module drives the pipette plunger 5 to descend, which can squeeze the solution to be tested from the PCR chamber 23 into the reaction tube 3, and then the reaction tube 3 is subjected to PCR detection in the detection module of the nucleic acid detector.

[0049] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0052] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A test cartridge for a nucleic acid testing instrument with a magnetic suction component (6), characterized in that, The detection cartridge (100) includes: The bottom shell (2) is provided with multiple independent reagent cylinders (21), and the reagent cylinders (21) contain nucleic acid detection reagents and magnetic beads; The upper shell (1) is rotatably connected to the lower shell (2). The upper shell (1) is provided with a magnetic suction cylinder (11) and a sample cylinder (14) for adding sample liquid. The magnetic suction cylinder (11) is used to accommodate the magnetic suction assembly (6). The bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder (11) is sealed by an elastic airbag (15) and the top is open.

2. The detection card holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper shell (1) is also provided with a plunger tube (13) for accommodating a pipette plunger (5). The detection card box (100) also includes a reaction tube (3) with a reaction chamber. The reaction tube (3) is connected to the bottom shell (2). The bottom shell (2) is provided with a PCR chamber (23) that is independent of the reagent tube (21). The PCR chamber (23) is connected to the reaction chamber. The pipette plunger (5) is used to squeeze and transfer the solution in the PCR chamber (23) to the reaction chamber.

3. The detection card holder according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper shell (1) is also provided with an upper pipette tip tube (12) for accommodating the pipette tip (4), and the bottom shell (2) is also provided with a lower pipette tip tube (22) with an open top. The lower pipette tip tube (22) is used to align with the upper pipette tip tube (12) to form an anti-rotation channel for accommodating the pipette tip (4).

4. The detection card holder according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lengths of the upper gun head tube (12), the plunger tube (13), and the sample tube (14) are all greater than the length of the magnetic suction tube (11), so that a clearance space is formed between the bottom of the magnetic suction tube (11) and the bottom shell (2) to accommodate the magnetic beads.

5. The detection card holder according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper shell (1) is provided with a positioning post (16), and the bottom shell (2) is provided with a locking hole (24) that positions and cooperates with the positioning post (16). A plurality of reagent tubes (21) are arranged circumferentially around the locking hole (24). The lengths of the magnetic suction tube (11), the upper gun tip tube (12), the plunger tube (13), and the sample tube (14) are all less than the length of the positioning post (16).

6. A nucleic acid detection instrument, characterized in that, The nucleic acid detection instrument includes a magnetic suction assembly (6), a motion module, a controller, and a detection card holder (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 5. The motion module is used to drive the upper shell (1) to rotate relative to the bottom shell (2) and to drive the magnetic suction assembly (6) to rise and fall. The motion module and the controller are electrically connected, and the controller is configured to: The sample solution is injected into the sample tube (14) to obtain the preset purification sequence; According to the preset purification sequence, the motion module drives the upper shell (1) to rotate relative to the bottom shell (2); Once the upper shell (1) is rotated into position, the preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component (6) is obtained based on the current reagent cylinder (21) aligned with the magnetic suction cylinder (11). The motion module drives the magnetic component (6) to move according to the preset magnetic attraction action; The preset magnetic attraction action includes at least a magnetic attraction action and a demagnetization action.

7. The nucleic acid detection instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The controller is configured to obtain a preset magnetic attraction action corresponding to the magnetic attraction component (6) based on the current reagent cylinder (21) aligned with the magnetic attraction cylinder (11), including: When the magnetic beads are contained in the current reagent cylinder (21) that is aligned with the magnetic suction cylinder (11), the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a magnetic suction action; If the magnetic bead is not contained in the current reagent cylinder (21) to which the magnetic suction cylinder (11) is positioned, the preset magnetic suction action is determined to be a demagnetizing action.

8. The nucleic acid detection instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic component (6) to move according to the magnetic attraction action, including: The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction component (6) to descend to the magnetic suction position, so that the magnetic suction component (6) picks up the magnetic beads in the reagent cylinder (21); The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction component (6) to rise to the avoidance position, so that the magnetic bead is attracted to the bottom of the magnetic suction cylinder (11).

9. The nucleic acid detection instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The magnetic attraction assembly (6) includes a magnetic body (61) and an insulating sleeve (62) fitted onto the magnetic body (61). The controller is configured to control the motion module to drive the magnetic attraction assembly (6) to move according to the demagnetization action, including: The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic suction assembly (6) to descend to the demagnetized position; The motion module is controlled to drive the magnetic accumulator (61) to rise relative to the insulating sleeve (62) to the disengagement position, so that the magnetic bead falls into the reagent cylinder (21); The motion module controls the insulating sleeve (62) to reciprocate up and down within the reagent cylinder (21).

10. The nucleic acid detection instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that, The nucleic acid detection instrument also includes a pipette pump, and the motion module and the controller are both connected to the pipette pump. The controller is further configured to: Once it is confirmed that nucleic acid purification is complete and the nucleic acid has been eluted into the reagent cartridge (21) containing the eluent, the preset pipetting sequence is obtained; According to the pipetting sequence, the motion module drives the upper shell (1) to rotate relative to the bottom shell (2), and cooperates with the pipetting pump to draw or transfer the solution in the reagent cylinder (21).

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