Nucleic acid extractor

Abstract

A nucleic acid extraction instrument comprises: a housing forming an operation space for installing each module of the nucleic acid extraction instrument; the sample plate position module is used for placing an original sample tube for detection; the reagent plate position module is used for placing a reagent for detection; the suction head box plate position module is used for placing suction heads for detection; the cover plate position opening module is used for fixing a sample tube; the temperature control module is used for subpackaging the sample and the reagent for temperature control fission; the liquid transferring module comprises a moving assembly, a clamping assembly and a liquid transferring assembly, the clamping assembly and the liquid transferring assembly are arranged at the operation end of the moving assembly, the moving assembly is used for moving the clamping assembly among the modules to clamp the sample tube and uncover the sample tube, and the liquid transferring assembly is used for sucking, storing and transferring liquid; and the extraction module is used for performing nucleic acid extraction on the mixed solution through a magnetic rod method. According to the method, a plurality of steps are integrated, the advantages of an updraft nucleic acid extraction technology and a downdraft nucleic acid extraction technology are effectively fused, meanwhile, the disadvantages of the updraft nucleic acid extraction technology and the downdraft nucleic acid extraction technology are avoided, and the sample treatment efficiency and accuracy are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of nucleic acid extraction technology, specifically to a nucleic acid extractor. Background Technology

[0002] Nucleic acid extractors are devices used for the automated extraction of nucleic acids and are widely used in disease control centers, clinical disease diagnosis, blood transfusion safety, forensic identification, environmental microbiology testing, food safety testing, animal husbandry, and molecular biology research. With the rapid development of molecular biology technology, nucleic acid extractors play a crucial role in modern molecular biology detection techniques.

[0003] Early nucleic acid extraction relied on complex chemical methods and manual operations, such as phenol-chloroform extraction and salting out. These methods were inefficient and yielded low-purity nucleic acids. With technological advancements, automated nucleic acid extractors have emerged. These devices, through integrated and automated processes, have significantly improved extraction efficiency and purity, reduced operation time, and lowered the technical requirements for operators.

[0004] There are currently two types of automated nucleic acid extractors on the market: the top-suction magnetic rod method (transfer magnetic beads) and the bottom-suction liquid workstation method (transfer liquid). The bottom-suction nucleic acid extractor refers to an automated device that uses the flow and transfer of liquid to achieve nucleic acid extraction and purification; the top-suction nucleic acid extractor refers to the use of magnetic rods to adsorb magnetic beads containing nucleic acids and transfer them to different reagent wells for extraction.

[0005] However, both existing upward suction magnetic rod method and downward suction nucleic acid extraction instruments have significant problems, specifically:

[0006] 1. When pipetting, the bottom suction extractor should not be too close to the magnetic beads to prevent accidental aspiration of the beads, which may leave magnetic beads in the waste liquid and affect the purification efficiency. Since the magnetic beads are adsorbed at the bottom by the magnet, the rinsing solution may not be able to completely remove them, and the residual salt and ethanol may affect the subsequent elution efficiency and PCR success rate. The extraction process of the bottom suction nucleic acid extractor takes a long time and requires more special consumables, which may increase the experimental cost.

[0007] 2. If the magnetic beads are transferred improperly during the process of the top suction extractor, there may be a risk of drip contamination, especially when processing multiple samples, and it is impossible to complete liquid transfer actions such as reagent dispensing and sample transfer. Utility Model Content

[0008] This application provides a nucleic acid extractor that avoids the disadvantages of existing upward suction magnetic rod method and downward suction nucleic acid extractor.

[0009] According to this application, one embodiment provides a nucleic acid extractor, comprising:

[0010] The outer casing forms an operating space for installing the various modules of the nucleic acid extractor;

[0011] The sample plate module is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the original sample tubes for testing.

[0012] The reagent plate module is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the reagents for testing.

[0013] The suction tip box module is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the testing suction tips;

[0014] The cover plate module is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to fix the sample tube;

[0015] The temperature control module, located at the bottom of the operating space, is used to dispense samples and reagents for temperature-controlled fission.

[0016] A pipetting module includes a moving component, a clamping component, and a liquid transfer component disposed at the operating end of the moving component. The moving component is disposed within the housing. The clamping component is used to clamp a sample tube and open the cap. The liquid transfer component is used to aspirate, store, and transfer liquid.

[0017] The moving component is used to move between the sample plate position module and the cap opening plate position module to transfer sample tubes for cap opening; the moving component is used to move between the pipette tip box plate position module and other modules to secure pipette tips for the liquid transfer component; the moving component is used to move between the cap opening plate position module and the temperature control module to transfer and dispense samples; the moving component is used to move between the reagent plate position module and the temperature control module to transfer and dispense reagents to form a mixture for fission; and

[0018] An extraction module, wherein the moving component moves between the temperature control module and the extraction module to transfer and dispense the mixture, the extraction module being used to extract nucleic acids from the mixture using a magnetic rod method.

[0019] In another embodiment, any one of the perimeter sidewalls of the housing has an opening for access to the operating space and a sealing door for sealing the opening.

[0020] In another embodiment, the pipette tip tray module, reagent tray module, sample tray module, temperature control module, and extraction module are arranged around the opening tray module, and the opening tray module is located near the center of the bottom of the operating space; the extraction module is arranged on the side away from the opening, and the extraction module is located in the upper right position of the operating space relative to the opening; the temperature control module is distributed adjacent to the extraction module, and the temperature control module is located in the right side of the operating space relative to the opening.

[0021] In another embodiment, a sample recovery module is also included at the bottom of the operating space. The sample recovery module is used to recover waste liquid. The reagent plate module, sample plate module, and sample recovery module are arranged near the opening and near the edge of the operating space.

[0022] In another embodiment, the suction head box plate module is located on the left side of the operating space relative to the opening, and includes multiple sets of shampoo holes, with the inner suction head hole plate being set as a high plate position.

[0023] In another embodiment, the moving component includes a first horizontal plate, a second horizontal plate, a third horizontal plate, a mounting bracket, and a moving drive. The first and second horizontal plates are horizontally mounted on two opposite inner walls within the operating space. The third horizontal plate is horizontal and its two ends are slidably mounted on the first and second horizontal plates, respectively. The mounting bracket is slidably mounted on the third horizontal plate along its length. The sliding direction of the third horizontal plate is set along the length direction of the first horizontal plate. The moving drive is used to drive the mounting bracket and the third horizontal plate to slide.

[0024] In another embodiment, the liquid transfer assembly includes a lifting drive unit, a pipetting drive unit, and a liquid chamber unit. The lifting drive unit is disposed on the mounting frame, and the liquid chamber unit is connected to the output end of the lifting drive unit. The lifting drive unit is used to drive the liquid chamber unit to descend. The liquid chamber unit has multiple pipetting channels for storing and transferring different liquids. The pipetting drive unit is disposed on the liquid chamber unit, and the upper end of each pipetting channel is connected to the pipetting drive unit to provide power for aspiration and dissipation. The lower end of each pipetting channel is used to mount a pipette tip and attach a pipette tip.

[0025] In another embodiment, the clamping assembly includes a lateral drive section, a vertical drive section, a rotary drive section, a connecting section, and a pair of opposing gripping sections. The vertical drive section is disposed on the mounting frame, and the connecting section is connected to the output end of the vertical drive section and is used to drive the connecting section to descend. The lateral drive section is disposed on the connecting section, and the gripping sections are disposed on the output end of the lateral drive section to drive the two gripping sections to move closer to each other to clamp the sample tube. The rotary drive section is disposed on the connecting section, and the output end of the rotary drive section is connected to the lateral drive section to drive the lateral drive section and the gripping sections to rotate to open the sample tube.

[0026] In another embodiment, the mounting bracket is provided with a barcode scanning component, which is located near the gripper and used to identify and record sample tubes.

[0027] In another embodiment, the cover plate module includes a positioning seat and a clamping part. The positioning seat is hollow and has a positioning hole for inserting a sample tube. The clamping part is disposed in the cavity of the positioning seat and is used to clamp the sample tube laterally.

[0028] The nucleic acid extractor according to the above embodiments integrates multiple steps such as automatic sample opening, cupping, incubator lysis, and magnetic rod nucleic acid extraction by combining sample, reagent, pipette tip box, opening plate module, temperature control module, pipetting module, extraction module, and control module within the internal operating space of the outer shell. This effectively combines the advantages of both top-suction and bottom-suction nucleic acid extraction technologies while avoiding their respective disadvantages. The automated operation control simplifies the operation process, reduces human error and cross-contamination, improves the efficiency and accuracy of sample processing, and is more flexible, adapting to different sample types and processing needs. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a nucleic acid extractor in one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal layout of a nucleic acid extractor in one embodiment;

[0031] Figure 3 Another embodiment shows the arrangement of the modules;

[0032] Figure 4 An assembly diagram of the modules in another embodiment;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cover plate module in another embodiment;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the open extraction module in another embodiment;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the movable component in another embodiment;

[0036] Figure 8 Liquid transfer assembly in another embodiment

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping component in another embodiment;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping part in another embodiment.

[0039] Reference numerals: 1. Outer shell; 11. Frame; 12. Bottom shell; 13. Top cover; 14. Left side panel; 15. Right side panel; 16. Rear cover; 17. Mounting plate; 18. Front cover plate; 181. Opening; 182. Sealing door; 19. Ventilation assembly; 2. Sample plate position module; 3. Reagent plate position module; 4. Pipette tip box plate position module; 5. Opening plate position module; 51. Positioning seat; 52. Positioning hole; 6. Temperature control module; 7. Sample recovery position module; 8. Pipette module; 81. Moving assembly Components; 811, First horizontal plate; 812, Second horizontal plate; 813, Third horizontal plate; 814, Mounting bracket; 82, Clamping assembly; 821, Horizontal drive unit; 822, Vertical drive unit; 823, Rotation drive unit; 824, Connecting part; 825, Gripping part; 83, Liquid transfer assembly; 831, Lifting drive unit; 832, Liquid chamber part; 833, Mounting head; 84, Barcode scanning assembly; 9, Extraction module; 91, Extraction assembly; 92, Deep hole plate assembly; 93, Horizontal movement assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0041] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments, and the operational steps involved in each embodiment can also be rearranged or adjusted in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the specification and drawings are only for clearly describing a particular embodiment and do not imply that they represent the necessary components and / or order.

[0042] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0043] Nucleic acid extractors are devices used for the automated extraction of nucleic acids and are widely used in disease control centers, clinical disease diagnosis, blood transfusion safety, forensic identification, environmental microbiology testing, food safety testing, animal husbandry, and molecular biology research. With the rapid development of molecular biology technology, nucleic acid extractors play a crucial role in modern molecular biology detection techniques.

[0044] Early nucleic acid extraction relied on complex chemical methods and manual operations, such as phenol-chloroform extraction and salting out. These methods were inefficient and yielded low-purity nucleic acids. With technological advancements, automated nucleic acid extractors have emerged. These devices, through integrated and automated processes, have significantly improved extraction efficiency and purity, reduced operation time, and lowered the technical requirements for operators.

[0045] There are currently two types of automated nucleic acid extractors on the market: the top-suction magnetic rod method (transfer magnetic beads) and the bottom-suction liquid workstation method (transfer liquid). The bottom-suction nucleic acid extractor refers to an automated device that uses the flow and transfer of liquid to achieve nucleic acid extraction and purification; the top-suction nucleic acid extractor refers to the use of magnetic rods to adsorb magnetic beads containing nucleic acids and transfer them to different reagent wells for extraction.

[0046] Both existing top-suction magnetic rod extraction and bottom-suction nucleic acid extraction instruments have significant drawbacks. Specifically, in bottom-suction extraction instruments, the magnetic beads cannot be brought too close during pipetting to prevent accidental aspiration, which could leave magnetic beads in the waste liquid and affect purification efficiency. Since the magnetic beads are adsorbed at the bottom by the magnet, the rinsing solution may not completely remove them, and residual salts and ethanol may affect subsequent elution efficiency and PCR success rate. Furthermore, the extraction process of bottom-suction nucleic acid extraction instruments takes a long time and requires more specialized consumables, which may increase experimental costs.

[0047] On the other hand, if the upward suction extractor is not operated properly during the transfer of magnetic beads, there may be a risk of drip contamination, especially when processing multiple samples, and it cannot complete liquid transfer actions such as reagent dispensing and sample transfer.

[0048] This application provides a nucleic acid extractor that effectively combines the advantages of updraft and downdraft nucleic acid extraction technologies, avoiding the disadvantages of existing updraft magnetic rod methods and downdraft nucleic acid extractors, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of sample processing.

[0049] According to this application, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2One embodiment provides a nucleic acid extractor, comprising: a housing 1, the housing 1 forming an operating space for installing various modules of the nucleic acid extractor; a sample plate module 2, disposed at the bottom of the operating space and used to place raw sample tubes for detection; a reagent plate module 3, disposed at the bottom of the operating space and used to place detection reagents; a pipette tip box plate module 4, disposed at the bottom of the operating space and used to place detection pipette tips; a cover plate module 5, disposed at the bottom of the operating space and used to fix sample tubes; a temperature control module 6, disposed at the bottom of the operating space and used for temperature-controlled dispensing of samples and reagents; and a pipetting module 8, including a moving component 81 and a clamping component 82 and a liquid transfer component 83 disposed at the operating end of the moving component 81, the moving component 81 being disposed within the housing 1, and the clamping component 82 being disposed within the housing 1. The system includes: component 82 for clamping and opening the sample tube; liquid transfer component 83 for aspirating, storing, and transferring liquid; moving component 81 for moving between sample plate module 2 and open plate module 5 to transfer the sample tube for opening; moving component 81 for moving between tip box plate module 4 and other modules to secure the tip for liquid transfer component 83; moving component 81 for moving between open plate module 5 and temperature control module 6 to transfer and dispense the sample; moving component 81 for moving between reagent plate module 3 and temperature control module 6 to transfer and dispense reagents to form a mixture for fission; and extraction module 9, where moving component 81 moves between temperature control module 6 and extraction module 9 to transfer and dispense the mixture, and extraction module 9 is used for nucleic acid extraction from the mixture using a magnetic rod method.

[0050] In this embodiment, by integrating the sample, reagent, pipette tip box, opening plate module 5, temperature control module 6, pipetting module 8, extraction module 9, and control module within the operating space of the outer shell 1, multiple steps such as automatic sample opening, cupping, incubator lysis, and magnetic rod nucleic acid extraction are integrated into one unit. This effectively combines the advantages of both top-suction and bottom-suction nucleic acid extraction technologies while avoiding their respective disadvantages. The automated operation control simplifies the operation process, reduces human error, reduces cross-contamination, improves the efficiency and accuracy of sample processing, and is more flexible, adapting to different sample types and processing needs.

[0051] For further details, please refer to... Figure 1 The nucleic acid extractor disclosed in this application also includes a sample recovery module 7 located at the bottom of the operating space. The sample recovery module 7 is used to recover waste liquid.

[0052] Please refer to the following in this application: Figure 1 and Figure 2The outer casing 1 has an opening 181 on any side wall for access to the operating space and a sealing door 182 for sealing the opening 181. Specifically, the outer casing 1 includes a frame 11 and a bottom shell 12, a top cover 13, a left side plate 14, a right side plate 15, a rear cover 16, a bottom shell 12, and a front cover plate 18 fixedly installed on the outside of the frame 11, forming a closed operating space. The frame 11 is configured as a square frame structure, and the opening 181 is opened on the front cover plate 18, so that the operating space has a channel for material entry and exit. The sealing door 182 is slidably installed on the front cover plate 18 to close or open the opening 181. The sealing door 182 is connected to the frame 11 by a sliding member, so that the sealing door 182 rises vertically to form a sliding door opening 181. A switch button is provided on the front cover plate 18 to activate the sliding member to drive the sealing door 182 to slide up and down.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A ventilation component 19 is installed on the top cover 13. In this application, the ventilation component 19 is a fan, and the corresponding installation position on the top cover 13 is provided with honeycomb holes for ventilation.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The pipette tip box plate position module 4, reagent plate position module 3, sample plate position module 2, temperature control module 6, and extraction module 9 are arranged around the cover plate position module 5, and the cover plate position module 5 is located near the center of the bottom of the operating space; the extraction module 9 is arranged on the side away from the opening 181, and the extraction module 9 is located in the upper right position of the operating space relative to the opening 181; the temperature control module 6 is distributed adjacent to the extraction module 9, and the temperature control module 6 is located in the right side of the operating space relative to the opening 181.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The reagent plate module 3, the sample plate module 2, and the sample recovery module 7 are arranged near the opening 181 and set near the edge of the operating space.

[0056] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The suction head box plate module 4 is located on the left side of the operating space relative to the opening 181, and includes multiple sets of shampoo holes, with the inner suction head hole plate set as a high plate position.

[0057] In this embodiment, descriptions of direction such as "left" and "right" are based on the direction facing opening 181. Please refer to... Figure 1A mounting plate 17 is provided on the frame 11 above the bottom shell 12. The upper surface of the mounting plate 17 is provided with multiple detachable mounting seats for mounting with the base slots corresponding to each plate module. In this application, based on the opening 181, the detachable mounting seats are evenly distributed in a grid structure of four horizontal and three vertical. The four horizontal rows are referred to as one, two, three and four respectively from far to near, and the three vertical rows are referred to as left, middle and right respectively. Among them, the left four, middle four and right four are close to the side of the opening 181.

[0058] Specifically, in this embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The suction head box board module 4 is set with three groups, which are respectively arranged in the first, second and third left positions. The first left position is set as a higher position relative to the second and third left positions, which can ensure that there is no positional obstruction when performing staggered suction head operation, thereby improving the smoothness and efficiency of operation.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The reagent plate module 3 is provided in two sets. One reagent plate module 3 is used to place the reagent tank and is arranged in the fourth position from the left. The other reagent plate module 3 is used to place the reagent tube and is arranged in the third position from the right. The sample plate module 2 is provided in two sets and is arranged in the third and fourth positions from the center, respectively. The sample recovery position module 7 is arranged in the fourth position from the right. In this application, the reagent tank, reagent tube and sample recovery position are all placed at the edge of the instrument. This can reduce the movement of the pipette tip above the reagent plate module 3, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The cap-opening module 5 is located at the second center position, and the sample plate module 2 has two sets, located at the third and fourth center positions respectively; the temperature control module 6 is located at the second right position, adjacent to the cap-opening module 5. This application places the sample tube position and cap-opening position at the center of the instrument. Since the processes of grasping the tube, unscrewing the cap, and dispensing samples are relatively complex and usually require individual operation of each sample tube, these steps are typically time-consuming. Therefore, placing these operating areas at the center of the instrument helps minimize the operator's range of motion, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 5 The cover plate module 5 includes a positioning seat 51 and a clamping part. The positioning seat 51 is hollow and has a positioning hole 52 for inserting a sample tube. The clamping part is disposed in the cavity of the positioning seat 51 and is used to clamp the sample tube laterally. In this application, the clamping part can be configured as a clamping cylinder and a clamping structure that cooperates with the cylinder. The specific configuration can be set according to the available space in the equipment, which will not be elaborated here.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 4and Figure 6 The extraction module 9 includes an extraction component 91 and a deep-well plate assembly 92. The deep-well plate assembly 92 is arranged in the middle and right positions, with a transverse component 93 between them. The extraction component 91 is installed on the mounting plate 17 on one side of the middle position. After the sample is lysed, it is transferred from the temperature control module 6 to the deep-well plate assembly 92. Driven by the transverse component 93, the deep-well plate assembly 92 moves from the right position to below the magnetic rod of the extraction component 91 in the middle position. The magnetic rod descends, and the extraction component 91 performs nucleic acid extraction and purification by magnetic rod method. In this application, the extraction module 9 is placed in the upper right position of the instrument. Since the magnetic rod method requires a large operating space, placing it in the upper right corner can make more effective use of space, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the working area.

[0063] For further details, please refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 7 The moving component 81 includes a first horizontal plate 811, a second horizontal plate 812, a third horizontal plate 813, a mounting bracket 814, and a moving drive component. The first horizontal plate 811 and the second horizontal plate 812 are horizontally mounted on two opposite inner walls of the operating space, namely the frame 11 on which the left side plate 14 and the right side plate 15 are opposite. The third horizontal plate 813 is horizontal and its two ends are slidably mounted on the first horizontal plate 811 and the second horizontal plate 812, respectively. The mounting bracket 814 is slidably mounted on the third horizontal plate 813 along the length direction of the third horizontal plate 813. The sliding direction of the third horizontal plate 813 is set along the length direction of the first horizontal plate 811. The moving drive component is used to drive the mounting bracket 814 and the third horizontal plate 813 to slide. The liquid transfer component 83 and the clamping component 82 are both mounted on the mounting bracket 814 so that they can reach above each module for operation via the moving component 81.

[0064] In this application, the moving drive can be made by using multiple linear motors in combination, or by using a structure such as an XY circumferential motion platform that can move within the entire operating space.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 8 The liquid transfer assembly 83 includes a lifting drive unit 831, a pipetting drive unit, and a liquid chamber 832. The lifting drive unit 831 is mounted on the mounting bracket 814. The liquid chamber 832 is connected to the output end of the lifting drive unit 831, and the lifting drive unit 831 is used to drive the liquid chamber 832 to descend. The liquid chamber 832 has multiple pipetting channels, specifically eight, which are used to store and transfer different liquids. The pipetting drive unit is mounted on the liquid chamber 832, and the upper end of the pipetting channel is connected to the pipetting drive unit to provide power for aspiration and dissipation. The lower end of the pipetting channel is used to mount the pipetting head 833 and attach the pipetting tip.

[0066] In this application, the lifting drive unit 831 uses a motor and a transmission belt to drive the lead screw to rotate. A transmission block with a threaded connection is arranged on the lead screw, and the transmission block is connected to the liquid chamber 832, thereby realizing the lifting of the liquid chamber 832. The pipetting drive unit at the upper end of the pipetting channel can use an air pump to draw liquid, and the lower end of the pipetting channel can be connected to a pipetting connector installed in the liquid chamber 832 to pick up the pipette tip.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 9 The clamping assembly 82 includes a lateral drive unit 821, a vertical drive unit 822, a rotary drive unit 823, a connecting unit 824, and a pair of opposing gripping units 825. The vertical drive unit 822 is mounted on the mounting frame 814, and the connecting unit 824 is connected to the output end of the vertical drive unit 822 and is used to drive the connecting unit 824 to descend. The lateral drive unit 821 is mounted on the connecting unit 824, and the gripping units 825 are mounted on the output end of the lateral drive unit 821 to drive the two gripping units 825 to move closer to each other to clamp the sample tube. The rotary drive unit 823 is mounted on the connecting unit 824, and the output end of the rotary drive unit 823 is connected to the lateral drive unit 821 to drive the lateral drive unit 821 and the gripping units 825 to rotate to open the sample tube.

[0068] In this application, the vertical drive unit 822 uses a motor and a transmission belt to drive the lead screw to rotate. A transmission block with a threaded connection is arranged on the lead screw, and the transmission block is installed on the connecting part 824. The rotary drive unit 823 uses a rotary cylinder, a rotary motor, or other equipment and is installed on the upper end of the connecting part 824. The rotating shaft passes through the connecting part 824 and is connected to the horizontal drive unit 821, thereby realizing the lifting and rotation of the gripping part 825. The horizontal drive unit 821 can use a two-way slide cylinder to realize the approach and distance of a pair of gripping parts 825, thereby realizing the clamping function.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 10 One end of the two gripping parts 825 is connected to the transverse drive part 821 for adjustment, and the other end is set as a concave groove on the side close to each other. The groove specifically includes two inclined surfaces arranged in a "V" shape and a straight surface connecting the two inclined surfaces, so that the bottom wall of the groove is flat. The inclined surfaces are provided with diamond-shaped anti-slip textures to facilitate friction clamping of the sample tube.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 9 The mounting bracket 814 is equipped with a barcode scanning component 84, which is located near the gripper 825 and is used to identify and record sample tubes. The sample barcode scanning function can record sample information, which is convenient for subsequent data management and tracking.

[0071] In this embodiment, the nucleic acid extractor is equipped with a control module, which is electrically connected to each module through the controller to control the operation of each module. The control module is electrically connected to the moving drive, lifting drive 831, pipetting drive, horizontal drive 821, vertical drive 822, rotation drive 823, extraction module 9, etc., so that the nucleic acid extractor of this application is called an automated nucleic acid extraction and purification system, which automates the sample processing process through a series of precise mechanical operations.

[0072] Specifically, before operating the equipment, place the corresponding samples, reagents, pipette tips, and other testing supplies in their respective positions and close the sealing door 182 to start the equipment operation. The specific process is as follows:

[0073] The clamping part grasps the sample tube: the mounting bracket 814 of the moving component 81 moves above the sample plate module 2, the clamping part descends and grips the top cap 13 of the sample tube, transferring it from the sample plate module 2 to the opening position of the opening plate module 5.

[0074] Sample tube opening: Insert the lower end of the sample tube into the positioning hole 52 and clamp the tube body through the clamping part. Rotate the clamping part clockwise to open the sample tube cap.

[0075] Sample transfer: The mounting bracket 814 of the moving component 81 moves above the pipette tip box plate module 4, and the eight-channel pipetting channels pick up a single pipette tip in the pipette tip box plate module 4 by means of misalignment;

[0076] The mounting bracket 814 of the moving component 81 moves above the opening plate position module 5, the suction head descends to pick up a certain amount of sample from the sample tube, and then the mounting bracket 814 of the moving component 81 moves from the opening plate position module 5 to the temperature control module 6 to transfer the sample into the deep hole plate of the temperature control module 6.

[0077] Repeat the operation: Repeat steps 1 to 3 a total of 16 times to complete the opening of the lid and the dispensing of all samples into the deep-hole plate of the temperature control module 6.

[0078] Temperature-controlled lysis: The moving component 81 moves between the reagent plate module 3 and the temperature control module 6, and uses the pipetting channel to draw reagents from the reagent tank and reagent tube respectively, and transfers them to the deep well plate of the temperature control module 6. The temperature control module 6 heats the plate to carry out the sample lysis process.

[0079] Sample transfer to extraction module 9: After sample lysis is completed, the moving component 81 moves between the temperature control module 6 and the extraction module 9, and aspirates the sample through the pipetting channel, transferring it from the temperature control module 6 to the deep well plate of the extraction module 9.

[0080] Adding reagents to extraction module 9: The moving component 81 moves between reagent plate module 3 and extraction module 9, and the robotic arm uses the pipetting channel to draw up the reagents and dispense the reagents from the reagent tank into the deep well plate of extraction module 9.

[0081] Nucleic acid extraction: The deep well plate of extraction module 9 moves to the underside of the magnetic rod of extraction component 91, and extraction module 9 begins the magnetic rod method nucleic acid extraction process. This is a commonly used nucleic acid extraction method, in which nucleic acid is adsorbed by magnetic beads and then separated by magnetic force to achieve nucleic acid extraction and purification.

[0082] Nucleic acid recovery: After the magnetic rod extraction is completed, the moving component 81 moves between the sample plate module 2, the extraction module 9 and the sample recovery module 7, and the pipetting channel pick-up tip transfers the nucleic acid to the sample recovery position.

[0083] The technical solution presented in this application improves the efficiency and accuracy of nucleic acid extraction through automation, reducing the risk of human error and contamination. Simultaneously, the use of multi-channel pipetting and magnetic rod extraction enhances sample processing capabilities, making it suitable for high-throughput sample processing.

[0084] In practical applications, the nucleic acid extractor of this application can efficiently extract and purify nucleic acids from fecal samples. During the experiment, reagents and original sample tubes are manually added, and the instrument automatically opens the lid, dispenses the samples, prepares the reagents, and extracts the nucleic acid. The entire process is automated, requiring no manual operation. The application of the fully automated nucleic acid extractor in fecal methylation detection not only improves the efficiency and accuracy of detection but also helps in the early diagnosis and screening of colorectal cancer.

[0085] The above-described specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the concept of this invention.

Claims

1. A nucleic acid extractor, characterized in that, include: The outer casing (1) forms an operating space for installing the various modules of the nucleic acid extractor; The sample plate module (2) is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the original sample tube for detection. The reagent plate module (3) is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the reagents for testing; The suction head box board module (4) is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to place the detection suction head; The cover plate module (5) is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to fix the sample tube; Temperature control module (6) is located at the bottom of the operating space and is used to dispense samples and reagents for temperature-controlled fission. The pipetting module (8) includes a moving component (81) and a clamping component (82) and a liquid transfer component (83) disposed at the operating end of the moving component (81). The moving component (81) is disposed inside the housing (1). The clamping component (82) is used to clamp the sample tube and open the cap. The liquid transfer component (83) is used to aspirate, store and transfer liquid. The moving component (81) is used to move between the sample plate module (2) and the cap-opening plate module (5) to transfer sample tubes for cap opening; the moving component (81) is used to move between the pipette tip box plate module (4) and other modules to secure pipette tips for the liquid transfer component (83); the moving component (81) is used to move between the cap-opening plate module (5) and the temperature control module (6) to transfer and dispense samples; the moving component (81) is used to move between the reagent plate module (3) and the temperature control module (6) to transfer and dispense reagents to form a mixture for fission; and Extraction module (9), the moving component (81) is used to move between the temperature control module (6) and the extraction module (9) to transfer and dispense the mixture, the extraction module (9) is used to extract nucleic acids from the mixture by magnetic rod method.

2. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing (1) has an opening (181) on any one side wall for access to the operating space and a sealing door (182) for sealing the opening (181).

3. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The pipette tip box plate position module (4), reagent plate position module (3), sample plate position module (2), temperature control module (6) and extraction module (9) are arranged around the opening plate position module (5), and the opening plate position module (5) is arranged near the center of the bottom of the operating space; the extraction module (9) is arranged on the side away from the opening (181), and the extraction module (9) is located in the upper right position of the operating space relative to the opening (181); the temperature control module (6) is distributed adjacent to the extraction module (9), and the temperature control module (6) is located in the right side of the operating space relative to the opening (181).

4. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a sample recovery module (7) set at the bottom of the operating space. The sample recovery module (7) is used to recover waste liquid. The reagent plate module (3), the sample plate module (2) and the sample recovery module (7) are arranged near the opening (181) and set near the edge of the operating space.

5. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The suction head box plate module (4) is located on the left side of the operating space relative to the opening (181). The suction head box plate module (4) includes multiple suction head hole plates, and the inner suction head hole plate is set as a high plate position.

6. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The movable component (81) includes a first horizontal plate (811), a second horizontal plate (812), a third horizontal plate (813), a mounting bracket (814), and a moving drive. The first horizontal plate (811) and the second horizontal plate (812) are horizontally mounted on two opposite inner walls within the operating space. The third horizontal plate (813) is horizontal and its two ends are slidably mounted on the first horizontal plate (811) and the second horizontal plate (812) respectively. The mounting bracket (814) is slidably mounted on the third horizontal plate (813) along the length direction of the third horizontal plate (813). The sliding direction of the third horizontal plate (813) is set along the length direction of the first horizontal plate (811). The moving drive is used to drive the mounting bracket (814) and the third horizontal plate (813) to slide.

7. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The liquid transfer assembly (83) includes a lifting drive unit (831), a pipetting drive unit, and a liquid chamber (832). The lifting drive unit (831) is disposed on the mounting bracket (814). The liquid chamber (832) is connected to the output end of the lifting drive unit (831), and the lifting drive unit (831) is used to drive the liquid chamber (832) to descend. The liquid chamber (832) has multiple pipetting channels, which are used to store and transfer different liquids. The pipetting drive unit is disposed on the liquid chamber (832), and the upper end of the pipetting channel is connected to the pipetting drive unit to provide power for aspiration and dissipation. The lower end of the pipetting channel is used to mount the pipetting head (833) and attach the pipetting tip.

8. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The clamping assembly (82) includes a horizontal drive unit (821), a vertical drive unit (822), a rotary drive unit (823), a connecting unit (824), and a pair of opposing gripping units (825). The vertical drive unit (822) is disposed on the mounting frame (814), and the connecting unit (824) is connected to the output end of the vertical drive unit (822) and is used to drive the connecting unit (824) to descend. The horizontal drive unit (821) is disposed on the connecting unit (824), and the gripping units (825) are disposed on the output end of the horizontal drive unit (821) to drive the two gripping units (825) to move closer to each other to clamp the sample tube. The rotary drive unit (823) is disposed on the connecting unit (824), and the output end of the rotary drive unit (823) is connected to the horizontal drive unit (821) to drive the horizontal drive unit (821) and the gripping units (825) to rotate to open the sample tube.

9. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The mounting bracket (814) is provided with a barcode scanning component (84), and the barcode scanning component (84) is located near the gripper (825) and is used to identify and record sample tubes.

10. The nucleic acid extractor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The opening plate module (5) includes a positioning seat (51) and a clamping part. The positioning seat (51) is hollow and has a positioning hole (52) for inserting a sample tube. The clamping part is disposed in the cavity of the positioning seat (51) and is used to clamp the sample tube laterally.

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