A rapid nucleic acid analysis system

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of molecular biology detection instruments, and discloses a rapid nucleic acid analysis system which comprises a frame mechanism, a sample pretreatment mechanism and a PCR detection mechanism. A pipetting module and a nucleic acid extraction module are co-assembled on the same support plate and independently move, cooperate with a reagent carrier module moving along the Y direction, and realize integrated operation of sample pipetting, nucleic acid extraction and transfer; a PCR tube support plate is floatingly arranged through an elastic support structure, and under the action of a compression module, the PCR tube is tightly combined with a heating hole of a temperature control module; an optical detection module adopts a turntable type light filtering switching and light blocking structure, and reduces channel light interference. The system has high integration degree, small volume, is favorable for improving nucleic acid detection efficiency, temperature control uniformity and detection accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of molecular biology detection instrument technology, specifically to a rapid nucleic acid analysis system. Background Technology

[0002] Nucleic acid analysis systems are core equipment in the field of molecular diagnostics, and their workflow typically encompasses two main stages: sample pretreatment and PCR detection. The sample pretreatment mechanism mainly includes a pipetting module and a nucleic acid extraction module. The pipetting module is used for pipetting samples, nucleic acids, and reagents, while the nucleic acid extraction module extracts nucleic acids from the sample. The PCR detection mechanism mainly includes a PCR temperature control module and an optical detection module. The PCR temperature control module is used for amplification of the extracted nucleic acids, while the optical detection module monitors the fluorescence signal during the PCR amplification process in real time. Because nucleic acid analysis requires extremely high sensitivity and specificity, amplified DNA products can easily cause aerosol contamination once they enter the sample pretreatment area, leading to false positive results. Therefore, in current technologies, the sample pretreatment mechanism and the PCR detection mechanism are usually configured as two separate instruments. Although there are solutions that integrate both into a single instrument, the integrated instrument is generally large due to the structural layout of each module, making it difficult to meet the current urgent need for high integration and miniaturization. Furthermore, multi-module integration can easily lead to nucleic acid aerosol contamination problems within the instrument and even the laboratory environment.

[0003] Regarding nucleic acid extraction methods, the market currently offers two main technical routes: down-absorption and up-absorption. Down-absorption involves placing a magnet near the sidewall of the reaction well, causing magnetic beads to adhere to the inner wall of the well, and then using a pipetting module to remove the liquid. This method has lower requirements for the structural design of the extraction module, but the nucleic acid extraction accuracy is not high. Up-absorption involves inserting a magnetic rod into the liquid in the reaction well, using the magnetic rod to adhere magnetic beads to the outer wall of the rod, and then transferring the beads to a new reaction well for subsequent reactions. This method offers higher nucleic acid extraction accuracy and has gradually become the mainstream technological development direction. However, both the nucleic acid extraction module and the pipetting module in up-absorption instruments have relatively complex structures and movement requirements. Existing technologies generally adopt a separate, independent design for these two modules, resulting in high instrument manufacturing costs and hindering high module integration.

[0004] Chinese patent application CN212051333U discloses an integrated fully automated nucleic acid extraction and fluorescence PCR instrument. In this design, the nucleic acid extractor body and base are separated, and the extraction basket moves relative to the pipetting module via a moving assembly to shorten the pipetting distance. However, the functional components of this design still exhibit obvious discrete structural features, resulting in low overall integration, and it does not address the specific integration scheme between the pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module.

[0005] Chinese patent application CN218811752U discloses an integrated instrument for nucleic acid extraction, detection, and analysis. This design includes a reagent kit assembly, a pipette pump, an amplification assembly, a fluorescence detection assembly, and a magnetic suction assembly mounted on a rack. The magnetic suction assembly uses a drive component to control the magnets to move closer to or away from the extraction chamber to achieve solid-liquid separation of the magnetic beads. However, in this design, the pipette pump and the magnetic suction assembly are two independent systems installed in different locations, each requiring its own drive mechanism, support frame, and installation space, resulting in a large overall instrument size and high manufacturing cost.

[0006] Chinese patent application CN116144492A discloses an integrated automated nucleic acid extraction and detection device. This design focuses on an internal anti-contamination mechanism, utilizing a HEPA fan, air collection chamber, and air guide channels to create airflow protection, and employing a motor-driven pressure plate to press down on the amplification cup cap for sealing. However, the pipetting mechanism and the magnetic attraction mechanism remain structurally separate components. The magnetic attraction mechanism requires complex guide grooves to facilitate the approach and separation of the magnets, resulting in high structural complexity. Furthermore, the method of using a motor-driven pressure plate to actively press the amplification cup cap is a rigid clamping method, requiring high control precision and struggling to provide continuous and stable elastic pressure to the PCR tubes during prolonged amplification. This hinders proper adhesion between the PCR tubes and the heating port, affecting heat transfer efficiency and temperature uniformity.

[0007] In optical detection, to achieve high sensitivity and quantitative analysis of PCR reactions, the optical system needs to maximize the coupled-in light power at the excitation end and the coupled-out light power at the detection end, while simultaneously improving the optical efficiency of both coupling and coupling, so that even extremely weak fluorescence signals can be effectively monitored. The coupling-in and coupling-out light power are mainly limited by the performance of the electronic devices and materials themselves, with limited room for improvement. However, optical efficiency can be improved through innovative structural design. In existing technologies, multi-channel fluorescence detection generally suffers from crosstalk between different channels, affecting the signal-to-noise ratio and the accuracy of the results, which urgently needs to be addressed through optimized optical structure design.

[0008] In summary, existing nucleic acid analysis systems still need further improvement in terms of module integration, miniaturization, PCR tube heat conduction efficiency, and optical detection anti-interference capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rapid nucleic acid analysis system. By mounting the pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module on the same support plate and achieving motion decoupling, combined with the elastic floating PCR tube clamping structure of the reagent carrier module and the turntable anti-light-crossing optical detection module, a high degree of integration and miniaturization of nucleic acid extraction and PCR detection is achieved.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0011] A rapid nucleic acid analysis system includes a frame structure, a sample pretreatment mechanism, and a PCR detection mechanism; the sample pretreatment mechanism includes a pipetting module, a nucleic acid extraction module, and a reagent carrier module; the PCR detection mechanism includes a PCR temperature control module, an optical detection module, and a PCR tube compression module. The pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module are mounted on the same support plate. The pipetting module has X, Z and T degrees of freedom of movement relative to the support plate, and the nucleic acid extraction module has Z and T degrees of freedom of movement relative to the support plate. The movements of the pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module are independent of each other. The reagent carrier module is movably mounted on the frame mechanism along the Y direction. The reagent carrier module is provided with a PCR tube support plate. The PCR tube support plate is floating on the reagent carrier module along the Z direction through an elastic support structure. The support plate and the PCR tube clamping module are fixedly installed on the frame mechanism, and the PCR temperature control module is fixedly installed at the bottom of the frame mechanism. The PCR tube clamping module is used to press the PCR tube support plate along the Z direction, so that the PCR tube on the PCR tube support plate is pressed into the heating hole of the PCR temperature control module, and provides a continuous elastic pre-tightening force for the PCR tube through the elastic support structure.

[0012] Further: The pipetting module includes an X-axis guide rail assembly, an X-axis motor, a Z-axis support plate, a first Z-axis guide rail assembly, a first Z-axis motor, and a pipette; the guide rail of the X-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the support plate, the Z-axis support plate is fixedly installed with the slider of the X-axis guide rail assembly, the guide rail of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the Z-axis support plate, and the pipette is fixedly installed with the slider of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly via a pipette adapter block; the X-axis motor drives the Z-axis support plate to move along the X-axis via a belt, the first Z-axis motor drives the pipette to move along the Z-axis via a lead screw, and the pipette drives the piston rod to move along the T-axis via a first T-motor to achieve liquid aspiration and dispensing.

[0013] Further: The nucleic acid extraction module includes a second Z-axis guide rail assembly, a second Z-axis motor, an extraction head adapter block, an extraction head assembly, a magnetic rod assembly, and a magnetic rod motor; the guide rail of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the support plate, the extraction head adapter block is fixedly installed with the first slider of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly, the extraction head assembly and the magnetic rod motor are fixedly installed with the extraction head adapter block, and the magnetic rod assembly is fixedly installed with the second slider of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly; the second Z-axis motor drives the extraction head adapter block to move along the Z-axis via a lead screw, and the magnetic rod motor drives the magnetic rod assembly to move along the T-axis via a lead screw; each magnetic rod of the magnetic rod assembly is through-sleevedly installed with the corresponding nozzle of the extraction head assembly.

[0014] Furthermore: the second Z-guide rail assembly consists of two sets arranged in parallel and spaced apart; the extraction head adapter block is fixedly installed with the first slider of the first set of second Z-guide rail assemblies and the second slider of the second set of second Z-guide rail assemblies; and the magnetic rod assembly is fixedly installed with the second slider of the first set of second Z-guide rail assemblies and the first slider of the second set of second Z-guide rail assemblies.

[0015] Furthermore, the elastic support structure includes a guide rod, a spring, and an adjusting nut. The guide rod is fixedly installed with the carrier support plate of the reagent carrier module. The PCR tube support plate is fitted onto the guide rod. The spring is fitted onto the guide rod and located between the PCR tube support plate and the adjusting nut. The elastic force of the PCR tube support plate in the Z direction is adjusted by adjusting the position of the adjusting nut on the guide rod.

[0016] Furthermore, a third guide rail assembly is installed on the support plate of the reagent carrier module. The guide rail of the third guide rail assembly is fixedly installed to the support plate of the carrier via a fixing block. The slider of the third guide rail assembly is fixedly installed to the PCR tube support plate via an adapter block to guide the PCR tube support plate to move along the Z direction.

[0017] Furthermore: a PCR tube retainer plate is slidably installed on the PCR tube support plate, the PCR tube retainer plate being used to lock the PCR tube located in the hole of the PCR tube support plate; the PCR tube retainer plate is provided with an elastic positioning device at the position where the PCR tube is locked, when the PCR tube retainer plate slides along the Y direction against the elastic force of the elastic positioning device, the PCR tube is in the open state; when the PCR tube retainer plate slides in the opposite direction until its positioning hole engages with the protrusion of the elastic positioning device, the PCR tube is in the locked state.

[0018] Further: The optical detection module includes a lower cover assembly, an upper cover assembly, and a turntable assembly; an excitation light source, a first coupling lens assembly, a fluorescence detector, and a first coupling lens are fixedly mounted on the lower mounting plate of the lower cover assembly; a second coupling lens assembly, a second coupling lens assembly, a coupling fiber assembly, a coupling fiber assembly, and a turntable motor assembly are fixedly mounted on the upper mounting plate of the upper cover assembly; the turntable assembly includes a turntable, on which coupling filters and coupling filters are mounted, and the turntable is rotatably mounted in the inner cavity of the lower cover assembly and the upper cover assembly via a lower bearing and an upper bearing, and the turntable motor assembly drives the turntable to rotate via a belt to switch filters of different wavelengths.

[0019] Furthermore, a boss is provided between the input filter and the output filter on the turntable. The boss, together with the boss on the lower mounting plate and the boss on the upper mounting plate, forms a stepped light-blocking edge to block light crosstalk between the excitation light and the fluorescence signal.

[0020] Furthermore: the PCR tube clamping module includes a guide rail mounting plate, a clamping guide rail assembly, a clamping motor, an adapter block, a clamping block, and a compression spring; the guide rail mounting plate is fixedly connected to the guide rail of the clamping guide rail assembly and the clamping motor; the adapter block is fixedly connected to the slider of the clamping guide rail assembly; the clamping block is installed on the lower part of the adapter block by a connecting screw; the compression spring is fitted on the connecting screw to provide elastic force to the clamping block; and the clamping motor drives the clamping block to move along the Z direction via a lead screw.

[0021] Furthermore, the reagent carrier module is also equipped with a reagent strip carrier, a sample tube carrier, and a heating base assembly. The reagent strip carrier, the sample tube carrier, and the heating base assembly are all fixedly installed on the carrier support plate of the reagent carrier module. The reagent strip carrier is equipped with a pressure strip, which is slidably connected to the bottom of the reagent strip carrier by a stepped screw. The pressure strip locks the reagent strip under the elastic force of a spring.

[0022] Furthermore, the frame structure is also equipped with a high-efficiency filter module and an ultraviolet lamp; the high-efficiency filter module includes a housing, a fan, and a filter, the fan is used to filter the air inside the instrument and then discharge it to the outside of the instrument; the ultraviolet lamp is used to irradiate the inside of the instrument with ultraviolet light after the detection is completed to eliminate nucleic acid contamination.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: I. This invention mounts the pipetting module and nucleic acid extraction module together on the same support plate. The two modules share a common support structure. Furthermore, the movements of the pipetting module in the X, Z, and T directions are independent of and do not interfere with the movements of the nucleic acid extraction module in the Z and T directions. Each module combines with the reagent carrier module in the Y direction to achieve multi-dimensional spatial movement, thus realizing two sets of three-dimensional movement functions on a single support structure. Compared to existing technologies where the pipetting mechanism and nucleic acid extraction mechanism have separate support frames and drive systems, this invention eliminates redundant structures and drive components, significantly reduces instrument size, lowers manufacturing costs, and effectively solves the technical problem of low integration and large size in nucleic acid analysis instruments using the top-suction method due to their modular design.

[0024] II. In this invention, the PCR tube support plate is elastically floated along the Z-axis on the reagent carrier module via guide rods, springs, and adjusting nuts. When the PCR tube clamping module presses the PCR tube support plate along the Z-axis, the spring is compressed, providing a continuous and constant elastic pre-tightening force to the PCR tubes, ensuring a tight fit between the PCR tubes and the heating hole walls of the PCR temperature control module. Compared to the rigid pressing method using a motor-driven pressure plate in existing technologies, the elastic pre-tightening structure of this invention effectively eliminates the air gap between the PCR tubes and the heating holes, improving heat conduction efficiency and temperature uniformity. Simultaneously, the spring's buffering effect absorbs processing and assembly errors, preventing PCR tube damage caused by rigid contact and improving the system's fault tolerance and reliability.

[0025] Third, the optical detection module of this invention achieves physical isolation between the excitation light and the fluorescence signal by setting a protruding baffle between the coupling-in filter and the coupling-out filter on the turntable, which cooperates with the protrusions on the upper and lower mounting plates to form a stepped light-blocking edge. This effectively prevents crosstalk interference between different fluorescence channels, improves the signal-to-noise ratio of optical detection, and enhances the accuracy of detection results. Simultaneously, the excitation light path and the detection light path are transmitted independently, and the rotating turntable switches the filters, enabling rapid and efficient detection of multi-channel fluorescence signals. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the rapid nucleic acid analysis system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pipetting module and nucleic acid extraction module of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the reagent carrier module of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the PCR tube support plate and elastic support structure in the reagent carrier module of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the reagent strip carrier and pressure strip locking structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the frame mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the optical detection module of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an exploded structural diagram of the optical detection module of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the PCR tube clamping module of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the high-efficiency filter module of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation location of the high-efficiency filter module of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the pollution-prevention airflow layout of the present invention.

[0027] In the picture: 1. Sample pretreatment mechanism; 2. PCR detection mechanism; 3. Frame mechanism; 10. Pipetting module; 11. Nucleic acid extraction module; 12. Reagent carrier module; 20. PCR temperature control module; 21. Optical detection module; 22. PCR tube clamping module; 40. PCR tube; 41. Reagent strip; 42. Sample tube; 43. TIP tip; 44. Magnetic rod sleeve; 100. Support plate; 101. X-axis guide rail assembly; 101a. Guide rail; 101b. Slider; 102. X-axis motor; 103. Z-axis support plate; 104. First Z-axis guide rail assembly; 104a. Guide rail; 104b. Slider; 105. First Z-axis motor; 105a. Lead screw; 106. Pipette adapter block; 107. Pipette; 107a 107b, First T-Motor; 108, Piston Rod; 110, Belt; 110, Second Z-Guide Rail Assembly; 110a, Guide Rail; 110b, First Slider; 110c, Second Slider; 111, Second Z-Motor; 111a, Lead Screw; 112, Extraction Head Adapter Block; 113, Extraction Head Assembly; 113a, Pipe Head; 114, Magnetic Rod Assembly; 114a, Magnetic Rod; 115, Magnetic Rod Motor; 115a, Lead Screw; 120, Carrier Support Plate; 121, Support Rod; 122, Reagent Strip Carrier; 123, Sample Tube Carrier; 124, Heating Seat Assembly; 125, Guide Rod; 126, Spring; 127, Adjusting Nut; 128, PCR Tube Support Plate; 129, PCR Tube Buckle Plate; 130, Third Guide Rail Assembly Components; 130a, guide rail; 130b, slider; 131, fixing block; 132, adapter block; 133, elastic positioning device; 134, pressure strip; 135, stepped screw; 136, limiting plate; 137, spring; 210, lower cover assembly; 2100, lower mounting plate; 2100a, boss; 2101, excitation light source; 2102, first coupling lens assembly; 2103, fluorescence detector; 2104, first coupling lens; 2105, reset optocoupler; 211, upper cover assembly; 2110, upper mounting plate; 2110a, boss; 2111, second coupling lens assembly; 2112, second coupling lens assembly; 2113, coupling fiber optic assembly; 2114, coupling fiber optic assembly; 2115, turntable motor Components; 2115a, Small pulley; 212, Turntable assembly; 212a, Boss flange; 2120, Turntable; 2121, Coupler filter; 2122, Coupler filter; 2123, Shaft; 2124, Lower bearing; 2125, Upper bearing; 2126, Large pulley; 2127, Belt; 2116, Optical fiber; 220, Guide rail mounting plate; 221, Clamping guide rail assembly; 221a, Guide rail; 221b, Slider; 222, Clamping motor; 222a, Through-type lead screw; 223, Motor mounting plate; 224, Adapter block; 225, Pressure block; 226, Compression spring; 227, Connecting screw; 31, Base plate; 32, Y-guide rail assembly; 32a, Guide rail; 32b, Slider; 33, Upper crossbeam;34. Y-axis motor; 35. High-efficiency filter module; 3501. Housing; 3502. Fan; 3503. Filter; 36. Ultraviolet lamp. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] The rapid nucleic acid analysis system provided by this invention mainly consists of a sample pretreatment unit 1, a PCR detection unit 2, and a frame structure 3. The sample pretreatment unit 1 includes a pipetting module 10, a nucleic acid extraction module 11, and a reagent carrier module 12; the PCR detection unit 2 includes a PCR temperature control module 20, an optical detection module 21, and a PCR tube clamping module 22. The frame structure 3 is used to fix and mount the various modules of the sample pretreatment unit 1 and the PCR detection unit 2, providing structural support for the entire system.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2The pipetting module 10 mainly includes a support plate 100, an X-axis guide rail assembly 101, an X-axis motor 102, a Z-axis support plate 103, a first Z-axis guide rail assembly 104, a first Z-axis motor 105, a pipette adapter block 106, and a pipette 107. The guide rail 101a of the X-axis guide rail assembly 101 is fixedly installed with the support plate 100, the Z-axis support plate 103 is fixedly installed with the slider 101b of the X-axis guide rail assembly 101, the guide rail 104a of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly 104 is fixedly installed with the Z-axis support plate 103, the pipette adapter block 106 is fixedly installed with the slider 104b of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly 104, and the pipette 107 is fixedly installed with the pipette adapter block 106. In terms of drive mechanism, the X-axis motor 102 drives the Z-axis support plate 103 to move left and right along the X-axis via the belt 108, and the first Z-axis motor 105 drives the pipette 107 to move up and down along the Z-axis via the lead screw 105a, thereby realizing the movement of the pipette 107 in the X and Z directions. The pipette 107 is also equipped with a first T-axis motor 107a, which drives the piston rod 107b to move up and down along the T-axis, thereby realizing the liquid aspiration and dispensing functions of the pipette 107. Here, the T-axis refers to the reciprocating motion direction of the piston rod 107b along its own axis, used to control the aspiration and dispensing of liquid, and is independent of the overall vertical movement of the pipette 107 along the Z-axis.

[0032] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2The nucleic acid extraction module 11 mainly includes a support plate 100, a second Z-axis guide rail assembly 110, a second Z-axis motor 111, an extraction head adapter block 112, an extraction head assembly 113, a magnetic rod assembly 114, and a magnetic rod motor 115. It is particularly noteworthy that the nucleic acid extraction module 11 and the pipetting module 10 share the same support plate 100, which is a key design feature of this invention, achieving high integration and miniaturization. The guide rail 110a of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly 110 is fixedly installed to the support plate 100; the extraction head adapter block 112 is fixedly installed to the first slider 110b of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly 110; the extraction head assembly 113 and the magnetic rod motor 115 are both fixedly installed to the extraction head adapter block 112; and the magnetic rod assembly 114 is fixedly installed to the second slider 110c of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly 110. In terms of driving method, the second Z-axis motor 111 drives the extraction head adapter block 112 to move up and down along the Z-axis via the lead screw 111a, and the magnetic rod motor 115 drives the magnetic rod assembly 114 to move up and down along the T-axis via the lead screw 115a. Here, the T-axis in the nucleic acid extraction module 11 refers to the axial reciprocating motion direction of the magnetic rod 114a relative to the magnetic rod sleeve 44. The magnetic rod 114a inserts into or exits the magnetic rod sleeve 44 along the T-axis, thereby realizing the adsorption and release of magnetic beads, which is independent of the overall lifting and lowering movement of the extraction head assembly 113 along the Z-axis. Each magnetic rod 114a of the magnetic rod assembly 114 is installed in a through-hole sleeve with the corresponding extraction head assembly 113's nozzle 113a, that is, the magnetic rod 114a passes through the inner cavity of the nozzle 113a, and the outer end of the nozzle 113a is used to load the magnetic rod sleeve 44. During operation, the magnetic rod 114a moves downwards along the T direction and inserts into the inner cavity of the magnetic rod sleeve 44. Magnetic force is used to attract magnetic beads in the reaction well liquid to the outer wall of the magnetic rod sleeve 44, thus capturing nucleic acids. When the magnetic rod 114a moves upwards along the T direction and exits the magnetic rod sleeve 44, the magnetic beads lose their magnetic attraction and are released from the outer wall of the magnetic rod sleeve 44 into the new reaction well liquid, completing the elution and transfer of nucleic acids. Furthermore, the movement of the magnetic rod 114a along the T direction can also be used to eject the used magnetic rod sleeve 44 from the pipette tip 113a.

[0033] As a preferred embodiment, the second Z-axis guide rail assembly 110 is configured in two sets arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The extraction head adapter block 112 is fixedly installed with the first slider 110b of the first set of second Z-axis guide rail assemblies 110 and the second slider 110c of the second set of second Z-axis guide rail assemblies 110. The magnetic rod assembly 114 is fixedly installed with the second slider 110c of the first set of second Z-axis guide rail assemblies 110 and the first slider 110b of the second set of second Z-axis guide rail assemblies 110. This cross-installation method allows the extraction head adapter block 112 and the magnetic rod assembly 114 to obtain two spaced guide rail support points, which significantly improves their stability and stiffness during Z-axis and T-axis movement, and avoids the off-center loading and swaying that may occur with single-sided guide rail support.

[0034] As described above, the pipetting module 10 achieves X-axis movement via the X-guide rail assembly 101, Z-axis movement via the first Z-guide rail assembly 104, and T-axis movement via the first T-motor 107a. The nucleic acid extraction module 11 achieves Z-axis movement via the second Z-guide rail assembly 110 and T-axis movement via the magnetic rod motor 115. Although the two modules share the same support plate 100, their respective motion mechanisms are independent and do not interfere with each other. The pipetting module 10 has three degrees of freedom in the X, Z, and T directions, while the nucleic acid extraction module 11 has two degrees of freedom in the Z and T directions. Combined with the movement of the reagent carrier module 12 in the Y direction, as described later, the pipetting module 10 can achieve four-dimensional movement in the X, Y, Z, and T directions, and the nucleic acid extraction module 11 can achieve three-dimensional movement in the Y, Z, and T directions. Thus, two sets of multi-dimensional motion functions are realized on the basis of one support structure. Compared with the existing technology that designs independent support frames and drive systems for the two modules, this invention greatly compresses the mechanical space and significantly reduces manufacturing costs.

[0035] Please see Figures 3 to 5 The reagent carrier module 12 mainly includes a carrier support plate 120, a support rod 121, a reagent strip carrier 122, a sample tube carrier 123, a heating seat assembly 124, a guide rod 125, a spring 126, an adjusting nut 127, a PCR tube support plate 128, and a PCR tube clamping plate 129. The support rod 121, reagent strip carrier 122, sample tube carrier 123, heating seat assembly 124, and guide rod 125 are all fixedly installed on the carrier support plate 120. The reagent strip carrier 122 carries the reagent strips 41, the sample tube carrier 123 carries the sample tubes 42, and the heating seat assembly 124 heats the liquid inside the wells of the reagent strips 41 during nucleic acid extraction to improve nucleic acid extraction efficiency.

[0036] The PCR tube support plate 128 is floating along the Z-axis on the carrier support plate 120 via an elastic support structure. Specifically, a spring 126, an adjusting nut 127, and the PCR tube support plate 128 are sleeved on the guide rod 125. The spring 126 is located between the PCR tube support plate 128 and the adjusting nut 127. By adjusting the position of the adjusting nut 127 on the guide rod 125, the pre-compression of the spring 126 can be changed, thereby effectively adjusting the magnitude of the elastic force on the PCR tube support plate 128 in the Z-axis. This elastic floating structure ensures that the PCR tube support plate 128 is in a balanced position supported by the spring 126 in its natural state. When subjected to external force pressing downwards along the Z-axis, the spring 126 is further compressed, providing a continuous and constant elastic pre-tension force for the PCR tube 40.

[0037] To improve the reliability and accuracy of the vertical movement of the PCR tube support plate 128, a third guide rail assembly 130 is also installed on the support plate 120. The guide rail 130a of the third guide rail assembly 130 is fixedly installed to the support plate 120 via a fixing block 131, and the slider 130b of the third guide rail assembly 130 is fixedly installed to the PCR tube support plate 128 via an adapter block 132, thereby guiding the PCR tube support plate 128 to move precisely up and down along the Z direction and preventing it from tilting during the stress process.

[0038] The PCR tube retainer 129 and the PCR tube support plate 128 are slidably installed to lock the PCR tube 40 located in the hole of the PCR tube support plate 128. Specifically, the PCR tube retainer 129 is provided with an elastic positioning device 133 at the locking position of the PCR tube 40. When it is necessary to load or unload the PCR tube 40, the operator pushes the PCR tube retainer 129 in the Y direction, causing it to slide against the elastic force of the elastic positioning device 133. At this time, the PCR tube 40 is in the open state and can be freely inserted or removed from the hole of the PCR tube support plate 128. When the PCR tube retainer 129 is slid in the opposite direction, the positioning hole on the PCR tube retainer 129 engages with the protrusion of the elastic positioning device 133, and the PCR tube 40 is in the locked state, ensuring that the PCR tube 40 will not fall out of the hole of the PCR tube support plate 128 during subsequent experiments.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, the reagent strip holder 122 is equipped with a pressure strip 134, which is slidably connected to the bottom of the reagent strip holder 122 via stepped screws 135. During instrument initialization, the limiting plate 136 on the frame mechanism 3 pushes the pressure strip 134 to move in the sliding direction, opening the loading area of ​​the reagent strip holder 122, allowing the operator to easily load or unload the reagent strip 41 within the reagent strip holder 122. When the instrument enters the experimental state and the reagent holder module 12 moves to the corresponding position, the limiting plate 136 no longer exerts a pushing force on the pressure strip 134. Under the elastic force of the spring 137, the pressure strip 134 automatically slides back to its original position and locks the reagent strip 41, effectively preventing liquid from splashing out of the reagent strip 41 due to vibration during the experiment.

[0040] Please see Figure 6The frame mechanism 3 is used to support and fix the various modules of the sample pretreatment mechanism 1 and the PCR detection mechanism 2. The base plate 31 of the frame mechanism 3 is fixedly installed with the PCR temperature control module 20 and the guide rail 32a of the Y-guide rail assembly 32. The reagent carrier module 12 is fixedly installed with the slider 32b of the Y-guide rail assembly 32. The upper crossbeam 33 of the frame mechanism 3 is fixedly installed with the pipetting module 10, the nucleic acid extraction module 11, the optical detection module 21, and the PCR tube clamping module 22. The Y-axis motor 34 drives and controls the movement of the reagent carrier module 12 along the Y-axis. The movement of the reagent carrier module 12 in the Y-axis coordinates with the movement of the pipetting module 10 in the X, Z, and T axes, enabling the pipette 107 to perform pipetting operations between different wells of the reagent strip 41. The movement of the reagent carrier module 12 in the Y-axis coordinates with the movement of the nucleic acid extraction module 11 in the Z and T axes, enabling the nucleic acid extraction operation of the nucleic acid extraction module 11 within the wells of the reagent strip 41. The movement of the reagent carrier module 12 in the Y direction and the movement of the PCR tube clamping module 22 in the Z direction work together to achieve a tight fit between the PCR tube 40 and the wall of the corresponding heating hole of the PCR temperature control module 20.

[0041] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 The optical detection module 21 mainly comprises three parts: a lower cover assembly 210, an upper cover assembly 211, and a turntable assembly 212. The lower mounting plate 2100 of the lower cover assembly 210 is fixedly mounted with an excitation light source 2101, a first coupling lens assembly 2102, a fluorescence detector 2103, a first coupling lens 2104, and a reset optocoupler 2105. The upper mounting plate 2110 of the upper cover assembly 211 is fixedly mounted with a second coupling lens assembly 2111, a second coupling lens assembly 2112, a coupling fiber assembly 2113, a coupling fiber assembly 2114, and a turntable motor assembly 2115. The turntable assembly 212 has an input filter 2121, an output filter 2122, and a rotating shaft 2123 mounted on its turntable 2120. The turntable assembly 212 is rotatably mounted within the cavity formed by the lower cover assembly 210 and the upper cover assembly 211 via a lower bearing 2124 and an upper bearing 2125. A large pulley 2126 is mounted at the end of the rotating shaft 2123, and it is connected to a small pulley 2115a on the turntable motor assembly 2115 via a belt 2127. This allows the turntable motor assembly 2115 to drive the turntable 2120 to rotate, enabling rapid switching between filters of different wavelengths. The input fiber optic assembly 2113 and the output fiber optic assembly 2114 transmit optical signals to the PCR temperature control module 20 via an optical fiber 2116.

[0042] During optical detection, the excitation light generated by the excitation source 2101 passes sequentially through the first coupling lens assembly 2102, the coupling filter 2121, the second coupling lens assembly 2111, and the coupling fiber assembly 2113. It is then guided through the fiber optic cable 2116 to the heating port of the PCR temperature control module 20, exciting the fluorescent groups in the reagents within the PCR tube 40 wells. The generated fluorescence signal passes sequentially through the output fiber assembly 2114, the second output lens assembly 2112, the output filter 2122, and the first output lens 2104, and is finally output to the fluorescence detector 2103 for signal acquisition. The excitation and detection optical paths transmit independently and do not interfere with each other. By driving the turntable 2120 to rotate and switch between different wavelengths of the coupling filter 2121 and the output filter 2122 via the turntable motor assembly 2115, rapid detection of multiple fluorescence channels can be achieved. In this embodiment, the excitation source 2101 is a white LED lamp, and the fluorescence detector 2103 is a PD photodetector.

[0043] As a key anti-crosstalk design feature, a boss 212a is provided between the coupling-in filter 2121 and the coupling-out filter 2122 on the turntable 2120. This boss 212a cooperates with the boss 2100a on the lower mounting plate 2100 and the boss 2110a on the upper mounting plate 2110 to form a stepped light-blocking edge. This stepped light-blocking edge constructs a physical barrier between the excitation light path and the detection light path, effectively preventing leakage of excitation light into the detection light path and signal crosstalk between different fluorescence channels, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio and accuracy of optical detection.

[0044] Please see Figure 9The PCR tube clamping module 22 mainly includes a guide rail mounting plate 220, a clamping guide rail assembly 221, a clamping motor 222, a motor mounting plate 223, an adapter block 224, a clamping block 225, and a compression spring 226. The guide rail mounting plate 220 is fixedly connected to the guide rail 221a, the clamping motor 222, and the motor mounting plate 223 of the clamping guide rail assembly 221. The adapter block 224 is fixedly connected to the slider 221b of the clamping guide rail assembly 221. The clamping block 225 is mounted on the lower part of the adapter block 224 via a connecting screw 227. The compression spring 226 is fitted onto the connecting screw 227 and located between the adapter block 224 and the clamping block 225, providing an elastic buffer force for the clamping block 225. The clamping motor 222, driven by its through-type lead screw 222a, enables the clamping block 225 to move up and down along the Z-axis. During operation, the clamping motor 222 drives the clamping block 225 downwards to contact the upper surface of the PCR tube support plate 128 and continues to press down. The PCR tube support plate 128 moves downwards along the Z-axis under the push of the clamping block 225, compressing the spring 126 on the PCR tube support plate 128 and providing a continuous elastic preload to the PCR tube 40, ensuring that the PCR tube 40 is tightly pressed into the wall of the corresponding heating hole in the PCR temperature control module 20. Simultaneously, the compression spring 226 on the clamping block 225 provides a secondary elastic buffer, absorbing the impact force between the clamping block 225 and the PCR tube support plate 128, preventing damage to the PCR tube 40 caused by rigid collisions, and compensating for positional deviations of the PCR tubes 40 caused by processing and assembly errors, ensuring that each PCR tube 40 receives uniform clamping force.

[0045] Please see Figure 10 and Figure 11 A high-efficiency filter module 35 is fixedly installed on the rear top of the frame mechanism 3. The high-efficiency filter module 35 includes a housing 3501, a fan 3502, and a filter 3503. The fan 3502 filters the air inside the instrument through the filter 3503 before expelling it outside, achieving continuous filtration of the air inside the instrument and effectively intercepting nucleic acid aerosols generated during the experiment, preventing them from contaminating the internal environment of the instrument or the laboratory. In addition, a UV lamp 36 is installed on the frame mechanism 3. After each test, all modules reset, and after the operator removes the reagent strips 41, sample tubes 42, and PCR tubes 40 loaded on the reagent carrier module 12, the instrument automatically turns on the UV lamp 36 to irradiate the interior with UV light, further eliminating the risk of contamination from residual nucleic acid. The continuous aerosol filtration function of the high-efficiency filter module 35 during the experiment, combined with the inactivation and disinfection function of the UV lamp 36 after the test, constitutes a complete dual anti-contamination system.

[0046] Please see Figure 12This invention employs a pollution-prevention airflow layout design to effectively prevent nucleic acid aerosols generated during experiments from contaminating the internal environment of the instrument and the laboratory. Specifically, the high-efficiency filter module 35 is installed at the rear top of the frame structure 3. When its fan 3502 operates, it forms a directional airflow channel inside the instrument, with air entering from the front and exiting through the rear top, maintaining a slight negative pressure inside the instrument and preventing air containing nucleic acid aerosols from diffusing to the outside. Simultaneously, the airflow generated by the PCR temperature control module 20 is discharged through an independent heat dissipation channel, isolating it from the air in the experimental area inside the instrument. This prevents the airflow from the PCR temperature control module 20 from carrying and diffusing nucleic acid aerosols to the sample pretreatment area or other areas inside the instrument. This spatially achieves airflow isolation between the sample pretreatment area and the PCR detection area, and prevents the airflow generated by the PCR temperature control module 20 from carrying and diffusing nucleic acid aerosols to other areas inside the instrument.

[0047] The complete workflow of this rapid nucleic acid analysis system is described below. First, the Y-axis motor 34 drives the reagent carrier module 12 to its initial position. The operator loads the reagent strip 41, sample tube 42, and PCR tube 40 onto the reagent carrier module 12, and secures the PCR tube 40 to the corresponding hole in the PCR tube support plate 128 using the PCR tube clip 129. Next, the Y-axis motor 34 drives the reagent carrier module 12 to move along the Y-axis. In conjunction with the movement of the pipetting module 10 in the X, Z, and T axes, the pipette 107 first loads the TIP head 43 from the hole in the reagent strip 41, then enters the cavity of the sample tube 42 to aspirate the sample and add it to the designated hole in the reagent strip 41. Subsequently, in conjunction with the movement of the nucleic acid extraction module 11 in the Z and T axes, the extraction head assembly 113 loads the magnetic rod sleeve 44 from the hole in the reagent strip 41 and performs nucleic acid extraction in each reaction well of the reagent strip 41. During the extraction process, the heating seat assembly 124 can heat the liquid in the well of the reagent strip 41 to improve extraction efficiency. After nucleic acid extraction, the nucleic acid is stored in the wells designated by reagent strip 41. Pipette 107, moving in the X, Y, and Z directions, transfers the nucleic acid from the wells of reagent strip 41 to the wells of PCR tube 40. Paraffin wax from the wells of reagent strip 41 is then added to the wells of PCR tube 40, covering the surface of the nucleic acid solution to prevent evaporation. Once all wells of PCR tube 40 have been filled with nucleic acid and paraffin, the Y-axis motor 34 drives the reagent carrier module 12 to move along the Y direction to a position above the PCR temperature control module 20. The clamping block 225 of the PCR tube clamping module 22 moves downwards along the Z direction, driving the PCR tube support plate 128 to move downwards along the Z direction, tightly pressing the PCR tubes 40 into the walls of the corresponding heating wells of the PCR temperature control module 20. The PCR temperature control module 20 uses a semiconductor cooling pad to rapidly heat and cool the nucleic acid in the wells of the PCR tubes 40, completing the amplification reaction. During the amplification reaction, the excitation light source 2101 of the optical detection module 21 generates excitation light, which passes sequentially through the first coupling lens assembly 2102, the coupling filter 2121, the second coupling lens assembly 2111, and the coupling fiber assembly 2113. The light is then guided through the fiber optic cable 2116 to the heating port of the PCR temperature control module 20, exciting the reagents in the PCR tube 40 wells to generate corresponding fluorescence signals. These fluorescence signals are then transmitted through the fiber optic cable 2116, sequentially through the output fiber optic assembly 2114, the second output lens assembly 2112, the output filter 2122, and the first output lens 2104, and finally to the fluorescence detector 2103, enabling real-time detection of nucleic acids in the PCR tube 40 wells. Throughout the experiment, the fan 3502 of the high-efficiency filter module 35 remains continuously activated, filtering the air inside the instrument through the filter 3503 before exhausting it outside, thus achieving continuous filtration of the air inside the instrument.After the test is completed, each module is reset. The operator removes the reagent strips 41, sample tubes 42 and PCR tubes 40 loaded on the reagent carrier module 12. The instrument automatically turns on the ultraviolet lamp 36 to irradiate the inside of the instrument with ultraviolet light to eliminate the risk of nucleic acid contamination inside the instrument.

[0048] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent transformations or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rapid nucleic acid analysis system, characterized in that, It includes a frame structure, a sample pretreatment mechanism, and a PCR detection mechanism; the sample pretreatment mechanism includes a pipetting module, a nucleic acid extraction module, and a reagent carrier module; the PCR detection mechanism includes a PCR temperature control module, an optical detection module, and a PCR tube compression module. The pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module are mounted on the same support plate. The pipetting module has X, Z and T degrees of freedom of movement relative to the support plate, and the nucleic acid extraction module has Z and T degrees of freedom of movement relative to the support plate. The movements of the pipetting module and the nucleic acid extraction module are independent of each other. The reagent carrier module is movably mounted on the frame mechanism along the Y direction. The reagent carrier module is provided with a PCR tube support plate. The PCR tube support plate is floating on the reagent carrier module along the Z direction through an elastic support structure. The support plate and the PCR tube clamping module are fixedly installed on the frame mechanism, and the PCR temperature control module is fixedly installed at the bottom of the frame mechanism. The PCR tube clamping module is used to press the PCR tube support plate along the Z direction, so that the PCR tube on the PCR tube support plate is pressed into the heating hole of the PCR temperature control module, and provides a continuous elastic pre-tightening force for the PCR tube through the elastic support structure.

2. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipetting module includes an X-axis guide rail assembly, an X-axis motor, a Z-axis support plate, a first Z-axis guide rail assembly, a first Z-axis motor, and a pipette. The guide rail of the X-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the support plate, the Z-axis support plate is fixedly installed with the slider of the X-axis guide rail assembly, the guide rail of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the Z-axis support plate, and the pipette is fixedly installed with the slider of the first Z-axis guide rail assembly via a pipette adapter block. The X-axis motor drives the Z-axis support plate to move along the X-axis via a belt, the first Z-axis motor drives the pipette to move along the Z-axis via a lead screw, and the pipette drives the piston rod to move along the T-axis via a first T-axis motor to achieve liquid aspiration and dispensing.

3. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nucleic acid extraction module includes a second Z-axis guide rail assembly, a second Z-axis motor, an extraction head adapter block, an extraction head assembly, a magnetic rod assembly, and a magnetic rod motor. The guide rail of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly is fixedly installed with the support plate. The extraction head adapter block is fixedly installed with the first slider of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly. The extraction head assembly and the magnetic rod motor are fixedly installed with the extraction head adapter block. The magnetic rod assembly is fixedly installed with the second slider of the second Z-axis guide rail assembly. The second Z-axis motor drives the extraction head adapter block to move along the Z-axis via a lead screw. The magnetic rod motor drives the magnetic rod assembly to move along the T-axis via a lead screw. Each magnetic rod of the magnetic rod assembly is connected to the corresponding nozzle of the extraction head assembly in a through-hole sleeve.

4. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second Z-guide rail assembly consists of two sets arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The extraction head adapter block is fixedly installed with the first slider of the first set of second Z-guide rail assemblies and the second slider of the second set of second Z-guide rail assemblies. The magnetic rod assembly is fixedly installed with the second slider of the first set of second Z-guide rail assemblies and the first slider of the second set of second Z-guide rail assemblies.

5. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic support structure includes a guide rod, a spring, and an adjusting nut. The guide rod is fixedly installed on the carrier support plate of the reagent carrier module. The PCR tube support plate is fitted onto the guide rod. The spring is fitted onto the guide rod and located between the PCR tube support plate and the adjusting nut. The elastic force of the PCR tube support plate in the Z direction is adjusted by adjusting the position of the adjusting nut on the guide rod.

6. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The reagent carrier module has a third guide rail assembly mounted on its carrier support plate. The guide rail of the third guide rail assembly is fixedly installed to the carrier support plate via a fixing block. The slider of the third guide rail assembly is fixedly installed to the PCR tube support plate via an adapter block to guide the PCR tube support plate to move along the Z direction.

7. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A PCR tube retainer plate is slidably mounted on the PCR tube support plate. The PCR tube retainer plate is used to lock the PCR tube located in the hole of the PCR tube support plate. The PCR tube retainer plate is provided with an elastic positioning device at the position where the PCR tube is locked. When the PCR tube retainer plate slides in the Y direction against the elastic force of the elastic positioning device, the PCR tube is in the open state. When the PCR tube retainer plate slides in the opposite direction until its positioning hole engages with the protrusion of the elastic positioning device, the PCR tube is in the locked state.

8. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical detection module includes a lower cover assembly, an upper cover assembly, and a turntable assembly. An excitation light source, a first coupling lens assembly, a fluorescence detector, and a first coupling lens are fixedly mounted on the lower mounting plate of the lower cover assembly. A second coupling lens assembly, a second coupling lens assembly, a coupling fiber assembly, a coupling fiber assembly, and a turntable motor assembly are fixedly mounted on the upper mounting plate of the upper cover assembly. The turntable assembly includes a turntable on which coupling filters and coupling filters are mounted. The turntable is rotatably mounted in the cavities of the lower and upper cover assemblies via a lower bearing and an upper bearing. The turntable motor assembly drives the turntable to rotate via a belt to switch between filters of different wavelengths.

9. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 8, characterized in that, A protruding baffle is provided between the input filter and the output filter on the turntable. The protruding baffle, together with the protrusions on the lower mounting plate and the upper mounting plate, forms a stepped light-blocking edge to block light crosstalk between the excitation light and the fluorescence signal.

10. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PCR tube clamping module includes a guide rail mounting plate, a clamping guide rail assembly, a clamping motor, an adapter block, a clamping block, and a compression spring. The guide rail mounting plate is fixedly connected to the guide rail of the clamping guide rail assembly and the clamping motor. The adapter block is fixedly connected to the slider of the clamping guide rail assembly. The clamping block is installed on the lower part of the adapter block by a connecting screw. The compression spring is fitted onto the connecting screw to provide elastic force to the clamping block. The clamping motor drives the clamping block to move along the Z-axis through a lead screw.

11. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reagent carrier module is also equipped with a reagent strip carrier, a sample tube carrier, and a heating base assembly. The reagent strip carrier, the sample tube carrier, and the heating base assembly are all fixedly installed on the carrier support plate of the reagent carrier module. The reagent strip carrier is equipped with a pressure strip, which is slidably connected to the bottom of the reagent strip carrier by a stepped screw. The pressure strip locks the reagent strip under the elastic force of a spring.

12. The rapid nucleic acid analysis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame structure is also equipped with a high-efficiency filter module and an ultraviolet lamp; the high-efficiency filter module includes a housing, a fan and a filter, the fan is used to filter the air inside the instrument and then discharge it to the outside of the instrument; the ultraviolet lamp is used to irradiate the inside of the instrument with ultraviolet light after the detection is completed to eliminate nucleic acid contamination.

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