Microfluidic device

Abstract

The micro-fluidic device comprises a micro-fluidic chip which is provided with a reaction bin, and magnetic beads and an object to be detected are arranged in the reaction bin; the magnetic attraction module acts on the magnetic beads in the reaction bin and is used for attracting the magnetic beads to the inner wall of the reaction bin; the vibration module acts on the reaction bin and is used for uniformly mixing the magnetic beads and an object to be detected to accelerate the reaction; the device is characterized in that the device further comprises a driving module, the driving module is provided with a rotating arm and a motor used for driving the rotating arm to rotate, the rotating arm is arranged on an output shaft of the motor, the two ends of the rotating arm are provided with a magnetic attraction module and a vibration module respectively, and the magnetic attraction module and the vibration module are used for driving the magnetic attraction module and the vibration module to move between a first state and a second state. The driving module can simultaneously control the vibration module and the magnetic suction module to complete magnetic suction and uniform mixing of magnetic beads and objects to be detected in the reaction bin, and the advantage that one object has two purposes is achieved; and only one module mounting position is used, so that the mounting space is small, and the control is convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of microfluidics, in particular to a microfluidic device with both a magnetic attraction module and a vibration module. Background Art

[0002] Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a currently popular laboratory technique for detecting biomarkers. The advantages of this method are relatively high sensitivity and specificity. The ELISA technique integrated on a microfluidic chip generally uses the method of immunomagnetic bead adsorption to adsorb the analyte. Before adsorption, the reaction chamber of the chip also needs to be vibrated to accelerate the coupling reaction between the antibody and the antigen; the magnetic attraction module and the vibration module need to act on the reaction chamber alternately, which may cause interference between the installation positions of the two modules.

[0003] In view of the above problems, in the prior art, a Chinese invention patent "Microfluidic Chip Manipulation Equipment, Microfluidic System and Microfluidic Chip" with a patent number of ZL202010108597.7 (publication number of CN111135892B) discloses that a magnetic attraction driving mechanism is used to drive a magnet to move between an initial position and a working position to cancel and apply magnetic force to the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber. The device is also provided with an ultrasonic device independent of the magnet, and the ultrasonic device is arranged to be able to approach and move away from the chip holding device. Although the setting method of the ultrasonic module and the moving magnet in the above device solves the problem of mutual interference, the separate setting of the two modules has the disadvantage of a large installation space and inability to control simultaneously. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to provide a microfluidic device that uses a single driving mechanism to drive and install a vibration module and a magnetic attraction module simultaneously in view of the above-mentioned prior art situation.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the utility model to solve the above technical problems is as follows: The microfluidic device includes:

[0006] A microfluidic chip having a reaction chamber, and magnetic beads and an analyte are provided in the reaction chamber;

[0007] A magnetic attraction module acting on the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber for adsorbing the magnetic beads to the inner wall of the reaction chamber;

[0008] A vibration module acting on the reaction chamber for mixing the magnetic beads and the analyte to accelerate the reaction;

[0009] It is characterized in that it further includes:

[0010] The driving module has a rotating arm and a motor for driving the rotation of the rotating arm. The rotating arm is arranged on the output shaft of the motor. Magnetic attraction modules and vibration modules are respectively arranged at both ends of the rotating arm, which are used to drive the magnetic attraction modules and vibration modules to move between a first state and a second state. When in the first state, the magnetic attraction module corresponds to the reaction chamber while the vibration module is away from the reaction chamber, and the magnetic attraction module applies a magnetic attraction force to the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber; when in the second state, the vibration module corresponds to the reaction chamber while the vibration module is away from the reaction chamber, and the vibration module applies vibration to the magnetic beads and the object to be detected in the reaction chamber.

[0011] To facilitate the user to install the vibration module, further, the vibration module is a vibration motor. A power supply line for supplying power to the vibration motor is arranged at the lower end of the vibration motor. The vibration module is arranged on the rotating arm through a vibration motor mounting groove. A wire outlet hole penetrates through the bottom of the vibration motor mounting groove, and the power supply line passes through the wire outlet hole and is electrically connected to an external power supply. The setting of the wire outlet hole enables the power supply line to be arranged outside the vibration motor mounting groove, thus avoiding the phenomenon that the posture of the vibration module is skewed in the vibration motor mounting groove.

[0012] To prevent the power supply line from being broken during rotation, further, the driving module further includes a control module for controlling the rotation angle of the rotating arm. The control module is configured to: control the motor to drive the rotating arm to rotate from the second state to the first state by a certain degree in a first direction, and then rotate from the first state to the first state in a second direction, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction. One feasible solution is that the first direction is counterclockwise and the second direction is clockwise, and another feasible solution is that the first direction is clockwise and the second direction is counterclockwise; the power supply line will wind around the circumference of the output shaft during the rotation of the rotating arm, and the rotation method with the first direction opposite to the second direction enables the power supply line to be unwound through the reverse movement of the motor after winding.

[0013] Further, the microfluidic chip further has a detection chamber located downstream of the reaction chamber. The microfluidic device further includes a detection module, which corresponds to the detection chamber and is used to detect the optical signal in the detection chamber.

[0014] To ensure that the vibration motor mounting groove will not interfere with the detection module during rotation, further, the detection module is entirely located downstream of the driving module, and the distance between the detection module and the output shaft is greater than the distance between the vibration motor mounting groove and the output shaft.

[0015] Further, the microfluidic chip, the driving module, and the detection module are all arranged in a mounting seat. The driving module is arranged at the bottom of the mounting seat, and detection module mounting grooves for installing the detection module are provided on the side wall and the top of the mounting seat.

[0016] In order to make the detection of the microfluidic chip accurate, further, a first placing groove is provided in the detection module, and a second placing groove is provided on the side wall of the mounting seat opposite to the installation groove of the detection module. One end of the microfluidic chip close to the detection chamber is placed on the bottom wall of the first placing groove, and the other end of the microfluidic chip far from the detection chamber is placed on the bottom wall of the second placing groove. Moreover, the upper surface of the bottom wall of the second placing groove is flush with the upper surface of the bottom wall of the first placing groove in the horizontal plane. This technical solution enables the microfluidic chip to be horizontally placed on the base, and the liquid in the reaction chamber will not flow into other chambers due to gravity, resulting in false negatives.

[0017] In order to facilitate the user to observe the movement of the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber during the experiment, further, an observation window for exposing the reaction chamber is opened at the top of the mounting seat, and the observation window is communicated with the second placing groove. The setting of the observation window enables the user to directly observe the reaction chamber, and the setting of the observation window being communicated with the second placing groove enables the user to first tilt and place the microfluidic chip into the observation window and then place it horizontally before putting the microfluidic chip into the second placing groove, reducing the collision between the microfluidic chip and the base during the process of putting it in.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present utility model are as follows: The setting method in which the two ends of the rotating arm are respectively provided with a magnetic attraction module and a vibration module and the movement mode of switching between the first state and the second state enable the driving module to simultaneously control the magnetic attraction module and the vibration module to complete the magnetic attraction and mixing of the magnetic beads and the object to be detected in the reaction chamber, having the advantage of "one thing with two uses"; and only one module installation position is used, with a small installation space and convenient control. Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of the structure of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of the present utility model in the first state;

[0022] Figure 4 It is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of the present utility model in the second state;

[0023] Figure 5 It is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Embodiment

[0024] The present utility model will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments of the drawings.

[0025] Such as Figures 1 to 5As shown, this is the best embodiment of the present utility model. The microfluidic device of this embodiment mainly applies ELISA technology to detect the concentration of the substance to be detected. During the detection process, vibration needs to be applied to the reaction chamber to accelerate the coupling of the antibody on the immunomagnetic beads with the substance to be detected, and a magnetic field also needs to be applied to the reaction chamber to separate the coupled immunomagnetic beads from the waste liquid. Therefore, the design position and control method of the magnetic attraction module and the vibration module are particularly crucial. In the prior art, the two are often installed on different driving devices, which increases the installation space and is inconvenient to control. Therefore, it will be beneficial to provide a microfluidic device that uses a single driving mechanism to simultaneously drive and install the vibration module and the magnetic attraction module. The following will elaborate on the detailed structure of this microfluidic device:

[0026] Refer to Figures 1 to 4 , this microfluidic device includes a microfluidic chip 1, a magnetic attraction module 2, a vibration module 3, and a driving module 4. The microfluidic chip 1 has a reaction chamber 11, and the reaction chamber 11 contains magnetic beads and the substance to be detected; the magnetic attraction module 2 acts on the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber 11 to adsorb the magnetic beads to the inner wall of the reaction chamber 11; the vibration module 3 acts on the reaction chamber 11 to mix the magnetic beads and the substance to be detected to accelerate the reaction; the driving module 4 has a rotating arm 41 and a motor 42 for driving the rotating arm 41 to rotate. The rotating arm 41 is provided on the output shaft 421 of the motor 42. The two ends of the rotating arm 41 are respectively provided with a magnetic attraction module 2 and a vibration module 3 for driving the magnetic attraction module 2 and the vibration module 3 to move between a first state and a second state. Among them, when in the first state, the magnetic attraction module 2 corresponds to the reaction chamber 11 while the vibration module 3 is away from the reaction chamber 11, and the magnetic attraction module 2 applies a magnetic attraction force to the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber 11; when in the second state, the vibration module 3 corresponds to the reaction chamber 11 while the vibration module 3 is away from the reaction chamber 11, and the vibration module 3 applies vibration to the magnetic beads and the substance to be detected in the reaction chamber 11.

[0027] Refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the vibration module 3 is a vibration motor. A power supply line for supplying power to the vibration motor is provided at the lower end of the vibration motor. The vibration module 3 is installed on the rotating arm 41 through a vibration motor installation groove 411. A wire outlet hole 4111 penetrates through the bottom of the vibration motor installation groove 411, and the power supply line passes through the wire outlet hole 4111 and is connected to an external power supply for power supply. The setting of the wire outlet hole 4111 enables the power supply line to be arranged outside the vibration motor installation groove 411, avoiding the phenomenon of the posture deviation of the vibration module 3 in the vibration motor installation groove 411, so as to facilitate the user to install the vibration module 3.

[0028] The driving module 4 further includes a control module for controlling the rotation angle of the rotating arm 41. The control module is configured to: control the motor 42 to drive the rotating arm 41 to rotate 180 degrees from the second state to the first state in a first direction, and then rotate from the first state to the first state in a second direction, where the first direction and the second direction are reverse. One feasible solution is that the first direction is counterclockwise and the second direction is clockwise, and another feasible solution is that the first direction is clockwise and the second direction is counterclockwise; the power supply wire will wind around the circumferential side of the output shaft 421 during the rotation of the rotating arm 41, and the reverse rotation mode of the first direction and the second direction enables the power supply wire to be unwound through the reverse movement of the motor 42 after winding, preventing the power supply wire from being broken during rotation.

[0029] The microfluidic chip 1 further has a detection chamber 12 located downstream of the reaction chamber 11. The microfluidic device further includes a detection module 5, and the detection module 5 corresponds to the detection chamber 12 and is used to detect the optical signal in the detection chamber 12.

[0030] See Figure 5 , the detection module 5 is entirely located downstream of the driving module 4, and the distance between the detection module 5 and the output shaft 421 is greater than the distance between the vibration motor mounting groove 411 and the output shaft 421, so that the vibration motor mounting groove 411 will not interfere with the detection module 5 during rotation.

[0031] See Figure 2 , the microfluidic chip 1, the driving module 4, and the detection module 5 are all arranged in the mounting seat 6. The driving module 4 is arranged at the bottom of the mounting seat 6, and a detection module mounting groove 61 for installing the detection module 5 is provided on the side wall and the top of the mounting seat 6.

[0032] A first placement groove 51 is provided in the detection module 5, and a second placement groove 62 is provided on the side wall of the mounting seat 6 opposite to the detection module mounting groove 61. One end of the microfluidic chip 1 close to the detection chamber 12 is placed on the bottom wall of the first placement groove 51, and the other end of the microfluidic chip 1 far from the detection chamber 12 is placed on the bottom wall of the second placement groove 62, and the upper surface of the bottom wall of the second placement groove 62 and the upper surface of the bottom wall of the first placement groove 51 are flush on the horizontal plane. This technical solution enables the microfluidic chip 1 to be horizontally placed on the base 6, and the liquid in the reaction chamber 11 will not flow into other chambers due to gravity and cause false negatives, thereby making the detection of the microfluidic chip 1 accurate.

[0033] Finally, an observation window 63 for exposing the reaction chamber 11 is provided at the top of the mounting base 6, and the observation window 63 communicates with the second placing groove 62. The setting of the observation window 63 enables the user to directly observe the reaction chamber 11, and the setting that the observation window 63 communicates with the second placing groove 62 enables the user to first tilt and place the microfluidic chip 1 into the observation window 63 and then place it horizontally before placing the microfluidic chip 1 into the second placing groove 62, reducing the collision with the base 6 during the process of placing the microfluidic chip 1 and facilitating the user to observe the movement of magnetic beads in the reaction chamber 11 during the experiment.

[0034] The working process of the microfluidic device in this embodiment is as follows: After the user places the microfluidic chip 1 in the first placing groove 51 and the second placing groove 62, the whole microfluidic device is placed on the stage of the microscope. At this time, the rotating arm 41 is in the first state, and the magnetic beads are adsorbed to the bottom surface of the reaction chamber 11. Align the lens with the reaction chamber 11 to observe the movement of the magnetic beads; After introducing the solution to be detected into the reaction chamber 11, turn on the motor 42, and the rotating arm 41 switches from the first state to the second state. The substance to be detected in the reaction chamber 11 vibrates and couples with the magnetic beads. After the coupling is completed, switch the rotating arm 41 from the second state to the first state. The coupled magnetic beads are adsorbed to the bottom surface of the reaction chamber 11, wash away the waste liquid in the reaction chamber 11, then introduce the buffer solution and switch the rotating arm 41 from the first state to the second state. The coupled magnetic beads are pushed from the reaction chamber 11 into the detection chamber 12, turn on the detection module for detection, and at the same time switch the rotating arm 41 from the second state to the first state. After the detection is completed, rinse and empty the flow channels in the microfluidic chip 1 and wait for the next round of detection.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising: A microfluidic chip (1) having a reaction chamber (11) therein with magnetic beads and a substance to be detected; A magnetic attraction module (2) acting on the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber (11) for adsorbing the magnetic beads to the inner wall of the reaction chamber (11); A vibration module (3) acting on the reaction chamber (11) for mixing the magnetic beads and the substance to be detected to accelerate the reaction; It is characterized in that It further comprises: A driving module (4) having a rotating arm (41) and a motor (42) for driving the rotation of the rotating arm (41). The rotating arm (41) is provided on the output shaft (421) of the motor (42). The two ends of the rotating arm (41) are respectively provided with a magnetic attraction module (2) and a vibration module (3) for driving the magnetic attraction module (2) and the vibration module (3) to move between a first state and a second state. Wherein, when in the first state, the magnetic attraction module (2) corresponds to the reaction chamber (11) while the vibration module (3) is away from the reaction chamber (11), and the magnetic attraction module (2) applies a magnetic attraction force to the magnetic beads in the reaction chamber (11); when in the second state, the vibration module (3) corresponds to the reaction chamber (11) while the vibration module (3) is away from the reaction chamber (11), and the vibration module (3) applies vibration to the magnetic beads and the substance to be detected in the reaction chamber (11).

2. The microfluidic device according to claim 1, wherein: The vibration module (3) is a vibration motor. The lower end of the vibration motor is provided with a power supply wire for supplying power to the vibration motor. The vibration module (3) is provided on the rotating arm (41) through a vibration motor mounting groove (411). The bottom of the vibration motor mounting groove (411) is penetrated with a wire outlet hole (4111), and the power supply wire passes through the wire outlet hole (4111) and is electrically connected to an external power supply.

3. The microfluidic device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving module (4) further comprises a control module for controlling the rotation angle of the rotating arm (41). The control module is configured to: control the motor (42) to drive the rotating arm (41) to rotate 180 degrees from the second state to the first state in a first direction, and then rotate from the first state to the first state in a second direction, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

4. The microfluidic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The microfluidic chip (1) further has a detection chamber (12) downstream of the reaction chamber (11). The microfluidic device further comprises a detection module (5). The detection module (5) corresponds to the detection chamber (12) and is used for detecting the optical signal in the detection chamber (12).

5. The microfluidic device according to claim 4, wherein: The whole detection module (5) is located downstream of the driving module (4), and the distance between the detection module (5) and the output shaft (421) is greater than the distance between the vibration motor mounting groove (411) and the output shaft (421).

6. The microfluidic device according to claim 4, wherein: The microfluidic chip (1), the driving module (4), and the detection module (5) are all arranged in a mounting seat (6). The driving module (4) is arranged at the bottom of the mounting seat (6). The side wall and the top of the mounting seat (6) are provided with detection module mounting grooves (61) for mounting the detection module (5).

7. The microfluidic device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The detection module (5) is provided with a first placement groove (51). On the side wall of the mounting seat (6) opposite to the detection module mounting groove (61), there is a second placement groove (62). One end of the microfluidic chip (1) close to the detection chamber (12) is placed on the bottom wall of the first placement groove (51), and the other end of the microfluidic chip (1) far from the detection chamber (12) is placed on the bottom wall of the second placement groove (62). Moreover, the upper surface of the bottom wall of the second placement groove (62) is flush with the upper surface of the bottom wall of the first placement groove (51) in the horizontal plane.

8. The microfluidic device according to claim 7, characterized in that: An observation window (63) for exposing the reaction chamber (11) is opened at the top of the mounting seat (6), and the observation window (63) communicates with the second placement groove (62).

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