Fixing assembly of micro-fluidic chip

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of medical inspection equipment, in particular to a fixing assembly of a micro-fluidic chip. Comprising an upper frame and a lower frame which are parallel to each other, a left frame and a right frame which are parallel to each other are fixedly connected between the upper frame and the lower frame, rolling wheels are installed at the two ends of the upper frame and the two ends of the lower frame, and an upper flow guide plate and a lower flow guide plate which are oppositely arranged are fixedly connected to the side walls of the upper frame and the lower frame; and the left frame and the right frame are provided with upper flow guide holes corresponding to the upper flow guide plate, and are provided with lower flow guide holes corresponding to the lower flow guide plate. The fixing assembly is light in weight and high in strength, the rigid chip is installed between the upper frame and the lower frame, residual reagents in the chip can be removed by swinging and inclining the fixing assembly, and automatic operation is conveniently achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of medical testing equipment, in particular to a fixing component of a microfluidic chip. Background Art

[0002] Circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection is an emerging tumor diagnostic technology that has emerged in recent years. Research indicates that circulating tumor cells can be detected in peripheral blood before solid tumors develop, making CTC detection highly suitable for early screening and diagnosis of malignant tumors. CTC detection is also highly effective in prognosis, disease progression monitoring, recurrence prediction, monitoring of microscopic lesions after surgery, and designing and monitoring the efficacy of targeted drug therapy. It is currently an advanced method for early screening and diagnosis of malignant tumors. However, due to the low levels of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood, capturing and identifying them in CTC detection presents significant challenges. Microfluidic chips, also known as microporous membranes, are key components for enriching circulating tumor cells. Existing microporous membranes all use flexible fiber membranes or filter paper as filter media. For example, another Chinese patent application filed by the applicant, entitled "A Microfluidic Device and Integrated Cell Enrichment and Staining Apparatus," has the authorization publication number CN220371064U. The microfluidic device comprises an effusion lining, a filter assembly, and a lining mesh. The interior of the effusion liner is a funnel-shaped structure, provided with a guide strip protruding from the surface of the funnel-shaped structure for guiding the filtrate; the filter assembly is a microfiltration membrane provided above the effusion liner for filtering liquid samples. The pore size of the microfiltration membrane made of flexible material is uneven, the capillary phenomenon is more obvious and wrinkles are easily formed, and the filtrate is easily retained in the filter membrane. Therefore, it is necessary to set auxiliary devices such as a negative pressure pump and a water absorption layer below to absorb excess filtrate from the microfiltration membrane. If the negative pressure is too large, it is easy to cause cell stacking or compaction. The use of a rigid membrane can effectively avoid wrinkles, and no bubbles will appear during the enrichment and staining process, which will not affect subsequent microscopic observation. However, due to the lack of negative pressure suction filtration, this rigid microfluidic chip can only remove residual reagents in the chip by swinging or tilting. The fixing devices of existing microfluidic chips cannot achieve swinging and tilting movements. Utility Model Content

[0003] In order to solve the above problems of the prior art, the utility model provides a microfluidic chip fixing component that can swing and tilt, and removes residual reagents in the chip through swinging and tilting.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] The fixing assembly of a microfluidic chip described in the utility model includes an upper frame and a lower frame arranged parallel to each other, a left frame and a right frame arranged parallel to each other are fixedly connected between the upper frame and the lower frame, rollers are installed at both ends of the upper frame and the lower frame, and upper and lower guide plates arranged oppositely are fixedly connected to the side walls of the upper frame and the lower frame, and upper guide holes are provided at positions of the left frame and the right frame corresponding to the upper guide plates, and lower guide holes are provided at positions corresponding to the lower guide plates.

[0006] With the above structural design, the rigid chip is installed between the upper frame and the lower frame, and the residual reagents in the chip can be removed by swinging and tilting the fixed assembly, which facilitates automated operation.

[0007] Preferably, the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate are both strip structures with an L-shaped cross-section.

[0008] The above structural design facilitates the installation of the rigid chip on the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate, and facilitates the discharge of the reagent along the guide plate.

[0009] Preferably, the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate are both strip structures with a U-shaped cross-section.

[0010] The above structural design facilitates the installation of the rigid chip on the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate, and facilitates the discharge of the reagent along the guide plate.

[0011] Preferably, the side walls of the left frame and the right frame are fixedly connected with oppositely arranged left frame folding edges and right frame folding edges.

[0012] With the above structural design, the left frame and the right frame are light in weight and high in strength.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0014] The fixing assembly is lightweight and strong, and a rigid chip is mounted between an upper frame and a lower frame. Residual reagents in the chip can be removed by swinging and tilting the fixing assembly, facilitating automated operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of the utility model.

[0016] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the reagent tank carrying the microfluidic chip

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the reagent tank shown.

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the microfluidic chip.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of some micropores in the microfluidic chip.

[0020] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the liquid suction component.

[0021] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the suction filter bin.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the reagent tank, microfluidic chip, and suction filter chamber assembled together. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the fixed assembly of a microfluidic chip described in the present invention includes an upper frame 501 and a lower frame 502 arranged in parallel with each other, and a left frame 503 and a right frame 504 are fixedly connected between the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502, which together form a stable rectangular frame structure. The ends of the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502 extend out of the left frame 503 and the right frame 504, and rollers 505 are installed at both ends of the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502. The axes of the rollers 505 are parallel to the upper frame 501 or the lower frame 502. When in use, the two rollers on the left side can be installed in the same chute and the two rollers on the right side can be installed in another chute, so that the fixed assembly can move along the chute; in addition, the driving mechanism can be used to lift one of the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502 to tilt the fixed assembly at a certain angle.

[0025] An upper guide plate 506 and a lower guide plate 507 are fixedly connected to the side walls of the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502 . The upper guide plate 506 and the lower guide plate 507 are both L-shaped strip structures or U-shaped strip structures in cross section.

[0026] To facilitate the installation of the roller 505, the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502 are both long cylindrical structures. The upper guide plate 506 is welded or fixedly connected to the side of the upper frame 501 by screws, and the lower guide plate 507 is fixedly connected to the side of the lower frame 502. The upper guide plate 506 and the lower guide plate 507 are slightly shorter and are only located between the left frame 503 and the right frame 504. The two ends of the upper guide plate 506 are respectively connected to the inner upper ends of the left frame 503 and the right frame 504, and the two ends of the lower guide plate 507 are respectively connected to the inner lower ends of the left frame 503 and the right frame 504.

[0027] The left frame 503 and the right frame 504 are provided with upper guide holes 508 at positions corresponding to the upper guide plate 506, and lower guide holes 509 at positions corresponding to the lower guide plate 507. The upper guide holes 508 and the lower guide holes 509 are through-holes provided on the left frame 503 and the right frame 504, respectively, and are used to guide the test reagents inside the left frame 503 and the right frame 504 to the outside, where they are then collected by other guide devices for centralized disposal.

[0028] In addition, to improve strength and reduce weight, the side walls of the left frame 503 and the right frame 504 are fixedly connected with the left frame folding edge and the right frame folding edge 514 arranged opposite to each other. The left frame 503 and the left frame folding edge, and the right frame 504 and the right frame folding edge 514 form a right-angled folding structure, which has greater strength.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, during use, the rigid chip fixing plate 201 is attached to the bottom of the reagent reservoir 1. The rigid chip fixing plate 2 is in the form of a glass slide, and the rigid chip fixing plate 201 and the reagent reservoir 1 are clamped between the upper frame 501 and the lower frame 502. The width of the reagent reservoir 1 is smaller than the distance between the left frame 503 and the right frame 504. A single reagent reservoir 1 can be placed between the left and right frames 503, 504, or multiple reagent reservoirs 1 can be placed side by side.

[0030] like Figure 2 、 Figure 3 As shown, the upper surface of the reagent tank 1 is provided with a liquid collecting groove 106, which is a funnel-shaped structure with a larger upper portion and a smaller lower portion. The lower end of the liquid collecting groove 106 is connected to a leakage hole 102, and the side of the upper end of the liquid collecting groove 106 is provided with a drainage groove 105. The inner end of the drainage groove 105 is connected to the liquid collecting groove 106, and the outer end is connected to the outside of the reagent tank 1. The lower end of the reagent tank 1 is detachably mounted with a suction filter 4 through a first card slot 103, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, the suction filter chamber 4 is a container with an upper opening and receiving the leakage hole 102; the rigid chip fixing plate 201 is located between the reagent tank 1 and the suction filter chamber 4; a through hole 1 202 is opened on the rigid chip fixing plate 201, and the chip body 2 is placed in the through hole 1 202.

[0031] When the reagent tank 1 is placed horizontally, the reagent or other liquid that drops through the leakage hole 102 passes through the chip body 2 and is collected in the suction filter chamber 4 .

[0032] like Figure 4 、 Figure 5 As shown, the material of the chip body 2 is preferably flexible glass, and a plurality of groups of long strip-shaped micropores are evenly distributed on the chip body 2; the micropores include horizontal holes 11 arranged horizontally and vertical holes 12 arranged vertically. The width of the horizontal hole 11 and the vertical hole 12 are both 0.0075mm, the length of the horizontal hole 11 is 0.09mm, and the length of the vertical hole 12 is 0.06mm. The horizontal holes 11 and the vertical holes 12 are arranged perpendicular to each other, the spacing between adjacent horizontal holes 11 is 0.03mm, and the vertical holes 12 are located on the center line of the horizontal holes 11. The spacing between the upper ends of the horizontal holes and the vertical holes in the same hole group is 0.015mm. The spacing between adjacent vertical holes is large, which can effectively avoid cell superposition and prevent the cells obtained after enrichment from falling on the horizontal holes and vertical holes, affecting subsequent microscopic observation.

[0033] like Figure 6 、 Figure 8 As shown, a liquid absorption component 3 is provided on the lower surface of the rigid chip fixing plate 201, and the liquid absorption component 3 includes a filter paper 301 adhered to the rigid chip fixing plate 201 and a polymer water-absorbing material layer 303 provided between the filter paper 301 and the microfluidic chip 1.

[0034] The polymer water-absorbing material layer 303 is made of powdered superabsorbent resin, a new type of functional polymer material. It has a high water absorption capacity, absorbing water hundreds to thousands of times its own weight, and has excellent water retention. Once it absorbs water and swells to form a hydrogel, even under pressure, it is difficult to separate the water. Superabsorbent resin is generally a polymer electrolyte containing hydrophilic groups and a cross-linked structure. Before absorbing water, the polymer chains entangle with each other and cross-link to form a network structure, thus achieving overall firmness. Upon contact with water, water molecules penetrate the resin through capillary action and diffusion, and the ionized groups on the chains ionize in the water. The electrostatic repulsion between the same ions on the chains causes the polymer chains to stretch and swell. Due to the requirement for electrical neutrality, counterions cannot migrate to the outside of the resin. The difference in ion concentration between the solution inside and outside the resin creates reverse osmotic pressure. Under the action of reverse osmotic pressure, water further enters the resin, forming a hydrogel.

[0035] like Figure 6 、 Figure 8As shown, a gasket 302 is provided between the lower surface of the rigid chip fixing plate 201 and the liquid absorption component 3, and the gasket 302 surrounds the polymer water-absorbing material layer 303. The function of the gasket 302 is to fix the powdered polymer material within the range of the gasket 302 to prevent the powdered polymer material from being too dispersed and affecting the water absorption effect. The filter paper 301 can be used in multiple layers. When in use, the layer of filter paper 301 farthest from the chip body 2 is fixed to the lower bottom surface of the rigid chip fixing plate 201. After the polymer water-absorbing material layer 303 absorbs enough reagent, it expands in volume, causing the liquid absorption component 3 to detach and fall into the suction filter chamber 4 under the action of gravity.

[0036] like Figure 2 、 Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, drainage grooves 105 are provided at two opposite corners along the length direction of the reagent tank 1. The drainage grooves 105 are located on both sides of the reagent tank 1 facing the upper frame 501 or the lower frame 502. The inner ends of the drainage grooves 105 are connected to the liquid collection groove 106, and the outer ends are connected to the outside of the reagent tank 1. In this way, after the cell staining is completed, the reagent tank 1 can be tilted by raising the upper frame 501 or the lower frame 502, and the excess reagent in the leakage hole 102 can be drained to the outside of the reagent tank 1 through the drainage grooves 105, and then flow along the upper guide plate 506 or the lower guide plate 507 to the outside of the left frame 503 and the right frame 504, which is conducive to the centralized disposal of waste reagents.

[0037] like Figure 7 、 Figure 8 As shown, the lower end of the reagent tank 1 is detachably mounted with a suction filter bin 4 through a first card slot 103. The suction filter bin 4 is a container with an upper opening and receives the leakage hole 102. The edge of the upper end of the suction filter bin 4 is provided with a claw 401 that matches the first card slot 103. When in use, the suction filter bin 4 can be installed to the lower end of the reagent tank 1 by simply inserting the claw 401 into the first card slot 103. After installation, the upper end opening of the suction filter bin 4 is opposite to the leakage hole 102, and the waste reagent flowing out of the leakage hole 102 through the chip body 2 and the liquid absorption component 3 falling off the chip body 2 are temporarily stored in the suction filter bin 4. After the cell enrichment process is completed, since the volume and weight of the polymer water-absorbing material increase significantly after absorbing water, the suction filter tank can prevent the polymer material from overflowing after absorbing water, reducing pollution to the surrounding environment. It is precisely because the volume and weight of the polymer water-absorbing material increase significantly after absorbing water that the liquid absorption component 3 automatically falls off from the chip fixing groove under the action of its gravity, eliminating the manual peeling step, reducing labor and avoiding pollution.

[0038] like Figure 8As shown, when in use, the chip body 2 is fitted under the reagent tank 1, the liquid absorption component 3 is located below the chip body 2, and the suction filter chamber 4 is installed below the reagent tank 1. Blood or reagent is poured into the reagent tank 1, collected in the liquid collection tank 106, and then passes through the leakage hole 102 and the chip body 2. The blood or reagent that passes through the chip body 2 is absorbed by the liquid absorption component 3. The liquid absorption component contains a polymer water-absorbing material, and its volume expands hundreds of times after absorbing water. After absorbing the liquid, the liquid absorption component 3 is separated from the rigid chip fixing plate 201. The liquid absorption component 3 that has fully absorbed the reagent will eventually fall off from the chip body 2 and fall into the suction filter chamber 4. This is the cell enrichment process. Subsequently, the staining reagent is poured into the reagent tank 1. After the staining is completed, some reagent still remains in the liquid collection tank 106. The driving device can be used to lift the upper frame 501 or the lower frame 502, and one of the upper guide plates 506 or the lower guide plates 507 is lifted accordingly. At this time, the reagent tank 1 is tilted, and the residual reagent in the liquid collection tank 106 will flow along the lower drainage groove 105 into the lower upper guide plate 506 or the lower guide plate 507, and finally flow along the guide plate to the outside of the left frame 503 or the right frame 504 for centralized collection and disposal.

[0039] The contents not described in detail in this specification belong to the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fixing assembly for a microfluidic chip, comprising an upper frame (501) and a lower frame (502) arranged parallel to each other, wherein a left frame (503) and a right frame (504) parallel to each other are fixedly connected between the upper frame (501) and the lower frame (502), characterized in that: Rollers (505) are installed at both ends of the upper frame (501) and the lower frame (502); upper guide plates (506) and lower guide plates (507) arranged opposite to each other are fixedly connected to the side walls of the upper frame (501) and the lower frame (502); upper guide holes (508) are arranged at positions corresponding to the upper guide plates (506) and lower guide holes (509) are arranged at positions corresponding to the lower guide plates (507) of the left frame (503) and the right frame (504).

2. The fixing assembly of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper guide plate (506) and the lower guide plate (507) are both strip structures with L-shaped cross-sections.

3. The fixing assembly of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper guide plate (506) and the lower guide plate (507) are both strip structures with U-shaped cross-sections.

4. A fixing assembly for a microfluidic chip according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The side walls of the left frame (503) and the right frame (504) are fixedly connected with a left frame folding edge and a right frame folding edge (514) that are arranged opposite to each other.

Images