An aid for a mycobacterium detection kit and method of use thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of biological detection, and particularly relates to an auxiliary device for a mycobacterium detection kit and a use method thereof. The device comprises a rack, a cover, a control module, a reagent storage module, a pipetting module, an oscillation module, a constant-temperature culture module, a plate taking module, a detection module and a negative pressure filtration module. The control module is used for controlling the pipetting module to suck reagents and samples and transfer the reagents and samples into a reaction container, controlling the oscillation module to mix the samples and the reagents in the reaction container, controlling the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid of the samples and the reagents to a well plate, controlling the plate taking module to transfer the well plate between the constant-temperature culture module and the detection module, controlling the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the incubated sample, and controlling the negative pressure filtration module to suck waste liquid in the well plate. The present application effectively solves the technical problems of tedious manual operation steps, poor consistency, cross contamination and low detection efficiency in the process of detecting mycobacterium in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of biological detection technology, and in particular to an auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] Mycobacteria is a collective term for bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium, a group of slender, slightly curved, branching aerobic bacilli. This genus includes Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and various non-tuberculous mycobacteria, many of which can cause chronic infectious diseases in humans and animals. These diseases are characterized by high infectivity, long incubation periods, and atypical early symptoms. Once an outbreak occurs, it not only seriously threatens public health and safety but also causes significant economic losses to animal husbandry. Therefore, achieving rapid and accurate detection of mycobacteria is of great significance for timely implementation of prevention and control measures, interrupting the transmission chain, and reducing the infection rate.

[0003] To address the need for rapid detection of mycobacteria, relevant auxiliary devices have been proposed. For example, patent application CN119552743A discloses an auxiliary device for bovine tuberculosis test kits and its usage method. This device mainly consists of a housing, a vibration component mounted on the housing, a support component connected to the vibration component, a storage box placed on the support component, and a well plate placed inside the storage box. The well plate has multiple culture wells for placing sample tubes. The vibration component drives the support component to shake, automatically mixing the samples in the sample tubes.

[0004] However, the aforementioned device still suffers from the following problems in practical use: its operation requires manual completion of multiple steps, including placing the test tube, rotating and clamping, tilting and rotating the baffle to add solution, manually turning on the photosensitizer, sequentially starting the power rod, and rotating again to separate the supernatant after incubation. Because these steps are highly dependent on manual operation, consistency in operation between different operators or between different batches by the same operator is difficult to guarantee; simultaneously, cross-contamination is easily caused by mixing pipetting tools or open operation when manually adding samples and reagents; furthermore, the entire process requires gradual manual intervention, severely limiting detection efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit to solve the technical problems of cumbersome manual operation steps, poor consistency, easy cross-contamination and low detection efficiency in the detection of mycobacteria in the prior art; the purpose of this invention is also to provide a method of using the auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the auxiliary device for mycobacterial detection kits provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] An auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit includes a frame and a housing, with an installation area formed between the frame and the housing. The installation area is equipped with a control module, a reagent storage module, and a pipetting module, an oscillation module, a constant temperature culture module, a plate picking module, a detection module, and a negative pressure filtration module that are signal-connected to the control module. The control module is used to control the pipetting module to aspirate reagents and samples and transfer them into the reaction vessel; to control the oscillation module to mix the samples and reagents in the reaction vessel; to control the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid to the well plate; to control the plate removal module to transfer the well plate between the isothermal incubation module and the detection module; to control the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the incubated sample; and to control the negative pressure filtration module to aspirate the waste liquid in the well plate.

[0008] The beneficial effects of the auxiliary device for mycobacterial detection kits provided by this invention are as follows: by setting a machine cover on the frame, the frame and the machine cover together form an installation area, and installing a control module, a pipetting module, a shaking module, a constant temperature culture module, a plate picking module, a detection module, and a negative pressure filtration module in the installation area, the control module uniformly schedules each module to work together in a preset sequence, thus constructing a closed-loop, fully automated mycobacterial detection system from sample addition to result output.

[0009] Specifically, during the detection process, the control module automatically completes the aspiration, transfer, and well plate addition of reagents and samples, replacing the manual pipetting process and avoiding volume errors caused by variations in manual handling. The control module also automatically controls the oscillation module to mix samples and reagents according to preset parameters, eliminating the need for repeated manual oscillation and removing individual variations in mixing force and time. Furthermore, the control module automatically transfers the well plate between the isothermal incubation module and the detection module, eliminating critical process interruptions in manual well plate transfer in existing technologies. Finally, the control module provides a stable environment for the mixed liquid through the isothermal incubation module. Furthermore, precise incubation temperature and duration ensure consistent growth conditions for mycobacteria across different batches of samples. The control module automatically reads the optical signal values ​​of the incubated samples and generates test results, replacing manual reading and recording, thus avoiding subjective errors and recording mistakes. The control module also automatically removes waste liquid from the well plate, eliminating the need for manual unpacking and disposal, preventing the spread of infectious aerosols generated during manual waste disposal. Simultaneously, the negative pressure filtration module creates a directional airflow above the well plate during operation, effectively removing trace amounts of aerosols generated during pipetting and mixing, preventing aerosol contamination of adjacent samples or reagents. All operations are performed continuously without manual intervention or waiting, allowing multiple samples to be processed simultaneously in a single batch, significantly shortening the single-sample testing cycle and improving throughput and overall laboratory efficiency.

[0010] In summary, the present invention effectively solves the technical problems of cumbersome manual operation steps, poor consistency, easy cross-contamination and low detection efficiency in the detection of mycobacteria in the prior art.

[0011] Furthermore, the reagent storage module includes multiple reagent storage tanks spaced apart for storing reagents.

[0012] Furthermore, the reagent storage module also includes a temperature-controlled chamber, and multiple reagent storage tanks are located inside the temperature-controlled chamber.

[0013] Beneficial effects: By setting up a temperature-controlled chamber and placing multiple reagent storage tanks inside the temperature-controlled chamber, the temperature-controlled chamber provides a constant and suitable storage and working temperature for different reagents, avoiding false negatives caused by reagents stored in the reagent storage tanks becoming inactive due to temperature fluctuations. At the same time, it eliminates the traditional manual rewarming step, enabling reagents to be used immediately and shortening the testing cycle.

[0014] Furthermore, the pipetting module includes a three-dimensional pipetting module, a splittable pipette, and pipetting grippers; the splittable pipette and pipetting grippers are installed horizontally at intervals at the output end of the three-dimensional pipetting module; the splittable pipette is used to automatically adjust the spacing of the pipetting channels to adapt to the spacing between adjacent wells in the well plate or the spacing between adjacent reaction vessels; the pipetting grippers are used to open the cover of the reaction vessel.

[0015] Beneficial effects: By integrating the splittable pipette and pipetting gripper into the output end of the same three-dimensional pipetting module, the pipetting and capping functions are integrated, eliminating the need for separate pipetting and capping mechanisms. This simplifies the overall structure of the device and reduces manufacturing costs. The splittable pipette automatically adjusts the channel spacing to accommodate different sizes of well plates and reaction vessels, meeting varying throughput requirements without requiring pipette replacement, thus improving the device's versatility and flexibility. The pipetting gripper allows for capping of reaction vessels, avoiding the risk of cross-contamination and operational errors associated with manual capping, ensuring consistent test results.

[0016] Furthermore, the negative pressure filtration module includes a negative pressure filtration device and a waste liquid bottle. The negative pressure filtration device is used to absorb waste liquid, and the waste liquid bottle is used to store the waste liquid absorbed by the negative pressure filtration device.

[0017] Furthermore, the plate-retrieving module includes a multi-axis displacement mechanism and a plate-retrieving tray disposed at the output end of the multi-axis displacement mechanism. The multi-axis displacement mechanism is used to drive the plate-retrieving tray to move.

[0018] Furthermore, the isothermal incubation module includes at least two independently temperature-controlled isothermal incubation zones.

[0019] Beneficial effects: By setting up at least two independently temperature-controlled constant temperature incubation zones, the corresponding temperature can be set according to the different stages of mycobacterial culture, and multiple groups of samples can be incubated in parallel under different temperature conditions simultaneously, eliminating the need for batch incubation and effectively improving detection efficiency; the independent temperature control design avoids mutual interference between different temperature ranges, ensuring that the temperature environment in each incubation zone is accurate and stable, which is conducive to the normal proliferation of mycobacteria and improves the stability of detection results.

[0020] Furthermore, the reaction vessel is provided with an identification code, which is used to store information about the sample. An identification module is installed on the rack, and the identification module is signal-connected to the control module. The identification module is used to read and feed back the information stored in the identification code to the control module.

[0021] Furthermore, the bottom of the frame is equipped with height-adjustable feet and casters with foot brakes. The height-adjustable feet are used to adjust the height of the frame.

[0022] Beneficial effects: By simultaneously equipping the bottom of the frame with casters with foot brakes and height-adjustable feet, the casters with foot brakes allow the entire auxiliary device to move flexibly, facilitating rapid transfer and repositioning between different experimental or testing sites. Once at the designated position, the foot brakes lock the device to prevent accidental slippage, improving portability and operational stability. On the other hand, the height-adjustable feet allow for height adjustment of the frame according to the operating table, reagent rack height, or operator habits. They can also level the frame on uneven ground, preventing pipetting errors or sample spillage caused by tilting.

[0023] To solve the above problems, the method of using the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A method of using an auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit, comprising the following steps: S1: The control module controls the pipetting module to aspirate samples and reagents and transfer them into the reaction vessel; S2: The control module controls the oscillation module to oscillate and mix the sample and reagent in the reaction vessel; S3: The control module controls the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid to the orifice plate; S4: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the well plate to the constant temperature incubation module for constant temperature incubation of the liquid in the well plate; S5: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the incubated well plate to the detection module, then controls the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the sample in the well plate, and controls the negative pressure filtration module to absorb the waste liquid generated during the detection process.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the auxiliary device for mycobacterial detection kit provided by this invention are as follows: Steps S1-S5 are all completed automatically by the control module through a unified time sequence of tubes, including sample addition, mixing, transfer, incubation and transport, signal detection, and waste collection. This eliminates many scattered steps such as manual reagent dispensing, manual mixing, manual plate handling, manual interpretation, and manual waste disposal, simplifying the operation process and effectively improving overall detection efficiency through continuous operation. The transfer volume, mixing time, incubation conditions, and transport actions in each step are all fixed parameters in the program, unaffected by differences in manual operation techniques and proficiency. All sample processing conditions are standardized, effectively improving the consistency of detection results. In steps S1-S5, the sample and reagents circulate within the reaction container and well plate, eliminating the need for operators to frequently open the lid and contact the sample. Simultaneously, the accompanying negative pressure filtration module automatically collects the waste liquid, avoiding cross-contamination caused by aerosol dispersion during manual waste disposal, thereby reducing the probability of contamination.

[0025] In summary, the present invention effectively solves the technical problems of cumbersome manual operation steps, poor consistency, easy cross-contamination and low detection efficiency in the detection of mycobacteria in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the internal structure of the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention; Figure 3 A top view of the internal structure of the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the isothermal culture module and plate removal module provided by the present invention. Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle; Figure 7 for Figure 5 The main view; Figure 8 for Figure 5 Top view; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the detection module provided by the present invention; Figure 10 for Figure 9 The right view; Figure 11 for Figure 9 Top view; Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating the method of using the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Frame; 11. Cover; 111. Door; 112. Acrylic viewing window; 113. Handle; 114. Monitor; 12. Height-adjustable feet; 13. Casters; 14. Barcode scanner; 15. EP tube holder; 16. Biochemical waste bin; 17. Gun head holder; 2. Control module; 3. Reagent storage module; 31. ARP solution storage tank; 32. SK solution storage tank; 33. 7H9C solution storage tank; 34. MS bacterial culture storage tank; 35. Temperature-controlled chamber; 4. Pipetting module; 41. Three-dimensional pipetting module; 411. X-axis linear module; 412. Y-axis linear module; 413. Z-axis linear module; 42. Splittable pipette; 43. Pipetting gripper; 5. Vortex oscillator; 6. Constant temperature incubation module; 61. Constant temperature incubation area; 611. Support platform; 7. Plate Picking Module; 71. Three-Axis Displacement Structure; 711. Left and Right Transmission Assembly; 7111. First Guide Rail; 7112. First Guide Slider; 7113. First Drive Motor; 7114. First Synchronous Pulley; 7115. Second Synchronous Pulley; 7116. First Synchronous Belt; 712. Up and Down Transmission Assembly; 7121. Base Plate; 7122. Side Plate; 7123. Second Drive Motor; 7124. Second Guide Rail; 7125. Second Guide Slider; 7126. Screw; 7127. Top Plate; 713. Front and Rear Transmission Assembly; 7131. Mounting Plate; 7132. Third Drive Motor; 7133. Drive Gear; 7134. Gear Rack; 7135. Guide Rod; 72. Plate Picking Tray; 8. Detection module; 81. Light-shielding housing; 811. Housing body; 812. Sealing plate; 82. Support base; 83. Fourth drive motor; 84. Orifice plate support platform; 85. Fourth guide slide rail; 86. Fourth guide slider; 87. Support roller assembly; 871. Roller; 872. Bracket; 88. Three-axis linear module; 881. X-axis linear module; 882. Y-axis linear module; 883. Z-axis linear module; 89. Optical detector; 9. Negative pressure filtration module; 91. Negative pressure filtration device; 92. Waste liquid bottle; 10. Orifice plate. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The principles and spirit of the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to several representative embodiments.

[0029] An embodiment of the auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention: like Figures 1 to 11 As shown, the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit includes a frame 1. The frame 1 is equipped with a control module 2, a reagent storage module 3, and several modules connected to the control module 2, including a pipetting module 4, a shaking module, a constant temperature incubation module 6, a plate-taking module 7, a detection module 8, a negative pressure filtration module 9, and an identification module. The control module 2 is signal-connected to the pipetting module 4, shaking module, constant temperature incubation module 6, plate-taking module 7, detection module 8, and negative pressure filtration module 9, enabling it to receive feedback signals from each module and send control commands to each module, thus achieving automated control of the entire detection process.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, the frame 1 is provided with a cover 11, the cover 11 has an opening and closing door 111, the opening and closing door 111 is provided with a viewing acrylic window 112 and a handle 113, so that the detection program inside the cover 11 can be observed through the viewing acrylic window 112, and the opening and closing door 111 can be opened or closed by the handle 113.

[0031] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the machine housing 11 has a first installation area and a second installation area arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The control module 2 is located in the first installation area, and the reagent storage module 3, the pipetting module 4, the shaking module, the constant temperature incubation module 6, the plate taking module 7, the detection module 8, the negative pressure filtration module 9, and the identification module are all located in the second installation area.

[0032] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a display 114 is installed on the housing 11, and the display 114 is connected to the control module 2 via a signal.

[0033] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the frame 1 is equipped with height-adjustable feet 12 and casters 13 with foot brakes. The height-adjustable feet 12 are used to adjust the overall height of the frame 1 to adapt to different operational needs and ground conditions. The casters 13 with foot brakes facilitate the movement and transport of the device. When the device is moved to a designated position, the casters 13 can be locked by the foot brakes to prevent displacement during operation and ensure the operational accuracy of each automation module. The height-adjustable feet 12 can be hydraulically or electrically raised. Both the height-adjustable feet 12 and the casters 13 with foot brakes are conventional structures in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0034] like Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the reagent storage module 3 includes four spaced-apart reagent storage tanks for storing reagents. In this embodiment, the four reagent storage tanks are ARP solution tank 31, SK solution tank 32, 7H9C solution tank 33, and MS bacterial solution tank 34, respectively used to store ARP solution (artificial mycobacterial phage), SK solution (streptokinase solution), 7H9C solution, and MS bacterial solution (Mycobacterium smegmaecum). The reagent storage module 3 also includes a temperature control chamber 35, which has four independent temperature control units to control the temperature of the four reagent storage tanks. The temperature control chamber 35 can provide a constant storage temperature for the reagents, ensuring the activity and stability of the reagents and avoiding reagent failure or inaccurate test results due to temperature fluctuations. It should be noted that ARP in this application refers to the mycobacterial phage capable of delivering self-luminous elements disclosed in the patent document with authorization announcement number CN105754958B. In other embodiments, the number of temperature control units in the temperature control chamber is determined according to the temperature requirements of the stored reagents. In other embodiments, the number of reagent storage tanks and the reagents stored in each reagent storage tank are determined according to specific testing requirements.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the pipetting module 4 includes a three-dimensional pipetting module 41, a splittable pipette 42, and pipetting grippers 43. The splittable pipette 42 and pipetting grippers 43 are horizontally spaced at the output end of the three-dimensional pipetting module 41. The three-dimensional pipetting module 41 can move the splittable pipette 42 and pipetting grippers 43 in three-dimensional space to reach different operating positions. The splittable pipette 42 can automatically adjust the spacing of the pipetting channels to adapt to the spacing of adjacent wells in the well plate 10 or the spacing of the reaction vessel, thereby adapting to well plates 10 and reaction vessels of different specifications. The pipetting grippers 43 are used to open the cover of the reaction vessel so that the pipetting module 4 can add samples and reagents into the reaction vessel. The oscillation module is used to oscillate and mix the samples and reagents in the reaction vessel to ensure sufficient contact between the samples and reagents, thereby improving reaction efficiency and uniformity.

[0036] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the three-dimensional pipetting module 41 includes an X-axis linear module 411 arranged along the length of the frame 1, a Y-axis linear module 412 arranged along the width of the frame 1, and a Z-axis linear module 413 arranged along the height of the frame 1. A dispensable pipette 42 is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear module 412, and pipetting grippers 43 are all slidably mounted on the Z-axis linear module 413. In other embodiments, the three-dimensional pipetting module 41 can employ a Cartesian robot or a multi-joint robot. In this embodiment, the pipetting grippers 43 are electrically powered; in other embodiments, the pipetting grippers 43 can also be pneumatic or electromagnetic grippers. The model of the dispensable pipette 42 can be selected according to the application requirements.

[0037] In this embodiment, the oscillation module is a vortex oscillator 5; in other embodiments, the oscillation module may also be a reciprocating oscillator, etc.

[0038] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the isothermal incubation module 6 includes two independent isothermal incubation zones 61, with temperatures of 30°C and 37°C respectively. Each incubation zone is equipped with multiple support platforms 611 arranged vertically at intervals to support the perforated plate 10. In other embodiments, the number of isothermal incubation zones 61 may be three or more, and the temperature of each isothermal incubation zone 61 can be independently set according to the requirements of different detection processes.

[0039] like Figures 5 to 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the plate-retrieving module 7 includes a multi-axis displacement mechanism and a plate-retrieving tray 72 disposed at the output end of the multi-axis displacement mechanism. The multi-axis displacement mechanism can drive the plate-retrieving tray 72 to move between different support platforms 611, and can also drive the plate-retrieving tray 72 to move between the constant temperature incubation module 6 and the detection module 8. In other embodiments, the plate-retrieving tray 72 may also adopt a gripper-type plate-retrieving mechanism, a vacuum suction cup-type plate-retrieving mechanism, or a magnetic suction-type plate-retrieving mechanism, etc.

[0040] like Figures 5 to 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the multi-axis displacement mechanism is a three-axis displacement structure 71, which includes a left-right transmission assembly 711, a front-back transmission assembly 713, and an up-down transmission assembly 712. The up-down transmission assembly 712 is disposed on the left-right transmission assembly 711, the front-back transmission assembly 713 is disposed on the up-down transmission assembly 712, and the plate-taking tray 72 is disposed at the output end of the front-back transmission assembly 713.

[0041] like Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, in this embodiment, the left and right transmission assembly 711 includes a first guide slide rail 7111, a first guide slider 7112, a first drive motor 7113, a first synchronous pulley 7114, a second synchronous pulley 7115, and a first synchronous belt 7116. The first guide rail 7111 extends in the left-right direction. The first guide slider 7112 is slidably mounted on the first guide rail 7111. The first synchronous pulley 7114 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the first drive motor 7113. The second synchronous pulley 7115 is rotatably mounted on the frame 1. The first synchronous pulley 7114 and the second synchronous pulley 7115 are connected by a first synchronous belt 7116. The first guide slider 7112 is fixedly connected to the first synchronous belt 7116 so that the first drive motor 7113 drives the first synchronous pulley 7114 to rotate, thereby driving the second synchronous pulley 7115 and the first synchronous belt 7116 to move, which in turn drives the first guide slider 7112 to slide along the first guide rail 7111, and finally drives the up-down transmission assembly 712 mounted on the first guide slider 7112 to move along the extension direction of the first guide rail 7111. In other embodiments, the front-rear transmission assembly 713 can also adopt synchronous belt drive, lead screw drive, or linear motor drive, etc.

[0042] like Figures 5 to 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the upper and lower transmission assembly 712 includes a base plate 7121, a side plate 7122, a second drive motor 7123, a second guide slide rail 7124, a second guide slider 7125, a screw 7126, and a top plate 7127. The base plate 7121 is fixedly mounted on the first guide slider 7112. The second drive motor 7123 and the side plate 7122 are fixedly mounted on the base, with the side plate 7122 extending vertically. The top plate 7127 is mounted on the top of the side plate 7122 and extends horizontally. There are two second guide rails 7124, which are installed alternately on the side plate 7122 and extend vertically. Each second guide rail 7124 has a second guide slider 7125 slidably mounted on it. The lower end of the screw 7126 is connected to the output end of the second drive motor 7123, and its upper end is rotatably mounted on the top plate 7127. The screw 7126 includes a smooth section and a threaded section from top to bottom. The front and rear transmission assembly 713 is fixedly sleeved on the smooth section of the screw 7126 and is fixedly connected to the two second guide sliders 7125. In use, the second drive motor 7123 drives the screw 7126 to move up and down, thereby causing the front and rear drive components sleeved on the screw 7126 to move up and down along the extension direction of the second guide rail 7124.

[0043] like Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, in this embodiment, the front and rear transmission assembly 713 includes a mounting plate 7131, a third drive motor 7132, a drive gear 7133, a rack 7134, and a guide rod 7135. The mounting plate 7131 is fixedly sleeved on the screw 7126, and its right end is fixedly connected to two second guide sliders 7125; the third drive motor 7132 is suspended on the mounting plate 7131, and its output end is fixedly mounted with the drive gear 7133; the rack 7134 and the guide rod 7135 both extend in the front-rear direction, and both can slide through the mounting plate 7131 and are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, with the rack 7134 meshing with the drive gear 7133; the pallet 72 is fixedly installed at the rear end of the rack 7134 and the guide rod 7135. In use, the third drive motor 7132 drives the drive gear 7133 to rotate, thereby driving the rack 7134 to move back and forth, which in turn drives the plate tray 72 and the guide rod 7135 to move back and forth.

[0044] like Figure 4 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, in this embodiment, the detection module 8 includes a light-shielding shell 81, a support base 82, a fourth drive motor 83, a perforated plate support platform 84, a fourth guide rail 85, a fourth guide slider 86, a support roller assembly 87, a three-axis linear module 88, and an optical detector 89. The fourth drive motor 83, the perforated plate support platform 84, the fourth guide rail 85, the fourth guide slider 86, the support roller assembly 87, the three-axis linear module 88, and the optical detector 89 are all located within the detection area enclosed by the light-shielding shell 81 and the support base 82.

[0045] like Figure 4 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, in this embodiment, the light-shielding housing 81 includes a housing body 811 and a sealing plate 812. The housing body 811 has an opening for taking in and taking out, and the sealing plate 812 is used to seal the opening for taking in and taking out during testing or when the machine is stopped. There are two fourth guide slide rails 85, which are fixedly mounted on the support base 82 at intervals and extend along the opening and closing direction of the sealing plate 812. Each fourth guide slide rail 85 is slidably fitted with a fourth guide slider 86. The perforated plate support platform 84 is used to support the perforated plate 10, and one end of the perforated plate support platform 84 is fixed to the two fourth guide sliders 86. The first end is connected to the output end of the fourth drive motor 83, and the second end is placed on the support roller assembly 87 and fixedly connected to the sealing plate 812. The support roller assembly 87 includes two rollers 871 arranged at intervals along the extension direction perpendicular to the fourth guide slide rail 85. Two brackets 872 for supporting the two rollers 871 are respectively installed on the support base 82. The three-axis linear module 88 includes an X-axis linear module 881, a Y-axis linear module 882 and a Z-axis linear module 883. Two optical detectors 89 are slidably assembled on the Z-axis linear module 883 in the three-axis linear module 88.

[0046] When testing is required, the fourth drive motor 83 drives the perforated plate support platform 84 and the sealing plate 812 to slide along the extension direction of the fourth guide rail 85, so that the perforated plate support platform 84 slides out of the outer shell body 811; after the perforated plate 10 is placed on the perforated plate support platform 84, the fourth drive motor 83 drives the perforated plate support platform 84 and the sealing plate 812 to reset; subsequently, the three-axis linear module 88 drives the optical detector 89 to move in the X, Y and Z directions to detect the luminescence intensity of the sample in the perforated plate 10.

[0047] In other embodiments, the optical detector 9 may also be a detector capable of detecting the sample fluorescence intensity value, absorbance value, and turbidity value.

[0048] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the negative pressure filtration module 9 includes a negative pressure filtration device 91 and a waste liquid bottle 92. The negative pressure filtration device 91 is connected to the waste liquid bottle 92 to extract waste liquid from the perforated plate 10 and discharge the waste liquid into the waste liquid bottle 92.

[0049] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, in this embodiment, an identification module is installed on the rack 1, and the identification module is signal-connected to the control module 2. Correspondingly, an identification code is provided on the reaction vessel, which is used to store sample information. The identification module can read the identification code on the reaction vessel and feed the read information back to the control module 2. The control module 2 automatically matches the corresponding detection program according to the sample information, realizing intelligent management of the detection process. In this embodiment, the identification module includes a barcode scanner 14; the identification code is a barcode.

[0050] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the reaction vessel is an EP tube (microcentrifuge tube), and the rack 1 is provided with an EP tube holder 15 for storing the EP tubes; in other embodiments, the reaction vessel may also be a reaction cup. Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the frame 1 is also equipped with a biochemical waste bin 16.

[0051] In addition, it should be noted that, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, a pipette tip holder 17 for storing pipette tips is also installed on the rack 1 so that pipette tips can be replaced.

[0052] The working principle of the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by this invention is as follows: First, the operator places the EP tube containing the clinical sample into the EP tube holder 15, and then the barcode scanner 14 automatically scans the barcode on the EP tube to enter the sample information and establish a test traceability file.

[0053] Subsequently, the controller controls the grippers of the pipetting clamp module 43 to open the EP tube cap, and the three-dimensional pipetting module 41 drives the dispensable pipette 42 to aspirate the sample liquid and transfer it to the well plate 10 with a filter membrane. The negative pressure module is then activated, and the solution in the well plate 10 is dried by the negative pressure high-efficiency filtration device, and the waste liquid is collected into the waste liquid bottle 92, retaining only the target mycobacteria on the surface of the filter membrane.

[0054] Next, the dispensing pipette 42 sequentially completes the two additions of 37°C preheated 7H9C solution and ARP solution. After each addition, the vortex oscillation module is activated for gentle mixing. After the first addition and mixing, the negative pressure module aspirates the solution again to complete sample washing. After the addition is completed, the multi-axis displacement mechanism of the plate removal module 7 drives the plate removal tray 72 to transfer the well plate 10 to the 37°C constant temperature incubation zone 61 of the constant temperature incubation module 6 for incubation. After incubation, the negative pressure module aspirates the solution in the well plate 10, and the dispensing pipette 42 adds 37°C preheated SK solution and mixes it by vortex oscillation. Then, the washing steps of adding 7H9C solution, oscillation, and aspirating the solution by negative pressure are repeated twice. After washing, the prepared MS bacterial solution is added, and the plate removal module 7 transfers the well plate 10 to the 30°C constant temperature incubation zone 61 for static incubation. After incubation, the plate removal module 7 transfers the well plate 10 to the detection module 8.

[0055] Afterwards, the detection module 8 automatically reads the luminescence value of each well in a light-proof and sealed environment and transmits the signal to the electrical control module 2 for data analysis and result output. The waste liquid generated during the detection process is automatically collected by the negative pressure module into the waste liquid bottle 92. The pipette tip, EP tube and other consumables after use are automatically discarded into the waste liquid bottle 92 or the biochemical waste bin 16. After the entire detection process is completed, the system automatically resets and waits for the next sample processing.

[0056] An embodiment of the method of using the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit provided by the present invention: like Figure 12 As shown, the method of using the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit is implemented using the auxiliary device for the mycobacterial detection kit, including the following steps: S1: The control module controls the pipetting module to aspirate samples and reagents and transfer them into the reaction vessel; S2: The control module controls the oscillation module to oscillate and mix the samples and reagents in the reaction vessel. S3: The control module controls the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid to the orifice plate; S4: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the well plate to the constant temperature incubation module for constant temperature incubation of the liquid in the well plate; S5: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the incubated well plate to the detection module, then controls the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the sample in the well plate, and controls the negative pressure filtration module to absorb the waste liquid generated during the detection process.

[0057] Based on the above description in this specification, those skilled in the art will also understand that the following terms, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," which indicate orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings of this specification and should not be understood or interpreted as limiting the present invention.

[0058] In addition, in the description of this specification, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three or more, etc., unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined.

Claims

1. An auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit, comprising a frame and a housing, wherein the frame and housing form an installation area, characterized in that, The installation area is equipped with a control module, a reagent storage module, and a pipetting module, an oscillation module, a constant temperature culture module, a plate picking module, a detection module, and a negative pressure filtration module that are connected to the control module via signals. The control module is used to control the pipetting module to aspirate reagents and samples and transfer them into the reaction vessel; to control the oscillation module to mix the samples and reagents in the reaction vessel; to control the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid to the well plate; to control the plate removal module to transfer the well plate between the isothermal incubation module and the detection module; to control the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the incubated sample; and to control the negative pressure filtration module to aspirate the waste liquid in the well plate.

2. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reagent storage module includes multiple reagent storage tanks spaced apart for storing reagents.

3. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The reagent storage module also includes a temperature-controlled chamber, and multiple reagent storage tanks are located inside the temperature-controlled chamber.

4. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The pipetting module includes a three-dimensional pipetting module, a splittable pipette, and pipetting grippers; the splittable pipette and pipetting grippers are installed at intervals along the horizontal direction at the output end of the three-dimensional pipetting module; the splittable pipette is used to automatically adjust the spacing of the pipetting channels to adapt to the spacing between adjacent wells in the well plate or the spacing between adjacent reaction vessels; The pipette grippers are used to open the lid of the reaction vessel.

5. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The negative pressure filtration module includes a negative pressure filtration device and a waste liquid bottle. The negative pressure filtration device is used to absorb waste liquid, and the waste liquid bottle is used to store the waste liquid absorbed by the negative pressure filtration device.

6. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The plate-retrieving module includes a multi-axis displacement mechanism and a plate-retrieving tray located at the output end of the multi-axis displacement mechanism. The multi-axis displacement mechanism is used to drive the plate-retrieving tray to move.

7. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The isothermal culture module includes at least two independently temperature-controlled isothermal culture zones.

8. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The reaction vessel is equipped with an identification code for storing information about the sample. An identification module is installed on the rack and is connected to the control module. The identification module is used to read and feed back the information stored in the identification code to the control module.

9. The auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the frame is equipped with height-adjustable feet and casters with foot brakes. The height-adjustable feet are used to adjust the height of the frame.

10. A method of using an auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit, characterized in that, The procedure, performed using the auxiliary device for a mycobacterial detection kit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, includes the following steps: S1: The control module controls the pipetting module to aspirate samples and reagents and transfer them into the reaction vessel; S2: The control module controls the oscillation module to oscillate and mix the sample and reagent in the reaction vessel; S3: The control module controls the pipetting module to transfer the mixed liquid to the orifice plate; S4: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the well plate to the constant temperature incubation module for constant temperature incubation of the liquid in the well plate; S5: The control module controls the plate taking module to transfer the incubated well plate to the detection module, then controls the detection module to detect the optical signal value of the sample in the well plate, and controls the negative pressure filtration module to absorb the waste liquid generated during the detection process.

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