A microfluidic unit, multi-well plate and PCR instrument facilitating reagent addition
By incorporating a fusible reagent container into the PCR instrument and combining it with a microfluidic unit, the problems of low reagent addition efficiency and contamination risk have been solved, achieving efficient and safe reagent mixing and expanding the application range of PCR.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SICHUAN JIELAIMEI TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing PCR instruments have low reagent addition efficiency, pose a risk of contamination, and cannot achieve microfluidics.
A fusible reagent container is placed inside the reaction tube. The reagent is released from the container by a temperature control program. Combined with a microfluidic unit, the reagent and sample are precisely mixed.
It improves reagent addition efficiency, reduces the risk of contamination, and expands the application scenarios of PCR and quantitative real-time PCR.
Smart Images
Figure CN224299228U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of enzymology or microbiology device technology, and in particular to a microfluidic unit, multiwell plate and PCR instrument that facilitates the addition of reagents. Background Technology
[0002] Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular biology technique used to amplify specific DNA fragments. The equipment used to perform PCR is called a PCR instrument. In a PCR instrument, a certain amount of sample and reagents are mixed in reaction vessels for the reaction. Typically, 24, 48, or 96 reaction vessels are arranged in an array on a reaction plate to form a multi-well plate. Current technology requires multiple pipetting to premix the reagents and then dispense them into multiple reaction vessels, which is not only inefficient but also poses a risk of contamination. Furthermore, conventional multi-well plates cannot be used for microfluidic applications. Utility Model Content
[0003] To address the problems of low pipetting efficiency, contamination risk, and inability to achieve microfluidics in existing technologies, this invention provides a microfluidic unit, multi-well plate, and PCR instrument that facilitates reagent addition.
[0004] This utility model provides the following technical solution: a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents, comprising:
[0005] A reaction tube, the bottom of which is closed and the top of which is open, is provided with at least one reagent container on the inner wall of the reaction tube for melting and releasing the reagent contained therein after heating; a reaction chamber is formed between the reagent container and the bottom of the reaction tube, and the reagent container is also provided with a channel connecting the reaction chamber and the opening; the reagent container is provided with a reagent cavity inside for pre-filling the reagent;
[0006] A protective cover is provided at the top of the reaction tube, and an insertion hole is provided in the center of the protective cover, which corresponds to the channel.
[0007] Preferably, the reagent container has a ring-shaped structure, the outer wall of the ring-shaped structure is connected to the inner wall of the reaction tube, the channel is formed in the center of the ring-shaped structure, and multiple ring-shaped structures are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube.
[0008] Preferably, a plurality of the reagent containers form a ring structure, the outer wall of the ring structure is connected to the inner wall of the reaction tube, the channel is formed in the center of the ring structure, and the plurality of ring structures are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube.
[0009] Preferably, at least two of the plurality of reagent containers have different melting points.
[0010] Preferably, the reagent containers are made of different grades of paraffin wax.
[0011] A multi-well plate includes a reaction plate with multiple through holes, each of which is provided with a reaction container, the reaction container being a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents.
[0012] A PCR instrument includes a microfluidic unit for easy addition of reagents.
[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: A microfluidic unit is formed by inserting a pre-filled and meltable reagent container into the reaction tube. Users only need to add tissue samples to the reaction tube and use the temperature control program of the existing PCR instrument to precisely control the temperature of the reaction tube so that the designated reagent container melts and releases the required reagents to mix with the sample to complete the reaction. This enables microfluidics and on-demand reagent mixing, and has high efficiency and low risk of contamination, expanding the application scenarios of PCR and quantitative PCR. The reagent container is provided with a channel connecting to the reaction chamber for easy sample addition. The sealing cap restricts the insertion position of the syringe when adding the sample to prevent damage to the reagent container. Attached Figure Description
[0014] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the reaction vessel.
[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the reagent container.
[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the reagent container.
[0017] Reference numerals: 11, reaction tube; 12, opening; 13, reaction chamber; 21, reagent container; 22, reagent cavity; 23, channel; 31, protective cover; 32, probe hole; 41, reaction plate. Detailed Implementation
[0018] The embodiments of this utility model will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and reference numerals, so that those skilled in the art can implement them after reading this specification. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model. Example
[0019] This utility model provides, for example Figure 1 , 2 The microfluidic unit shown is designed for easy addition of reagents and is used as a reaction container for a real-time PCR instrument. It includes a reaction tube 11, a reagent container 21 disposed inside the reaction tube 11, and a protective cap 31.
[0020] The reaction tube 11 typically has a conical structure, with the end with a larger base area at the top and an opening 12, and the end with a smaller base area at the bottom and closed. Two reagent containers 21 are disposed on the inner wall of the reaction tube 11, and a reaction chamber 13 is formed between the reagent containers 21 and the bottom of the reaction tube 11.
[0021] The reagent container 21 has a ring-shaped structure, and two reagent containers 21 are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube 11. The outer wall of the reagent container 21 fits with the conical sidewall of the reaction tube 11, thereby fixing it at a certain height of the reaction tube 11; in other embodiments, the reagent container 21 can also be fixed to the reaction tube 11 by means of adhesive bonding, legs, etc. A channel 23 for liquid flow is formed in the center of the reagent container 21, connecting the opening 12 and the reaction chamber 13. A reagent chamber 22 is provided inside the reagent container 21, in which one of the reagents required for the reaction is pre-filled.
[0022] The reagent container 21 is made of heatable and meltable paraffin wax, and the two reagent containers 21 use different grades of paraffin wax, one of which can be 52# paraffin wax and the other of 62# paraffin wax, with melting points of about 52℃ and 62℃ respectively. The temperature of the reaction tube 11 is precisely controlled by the temperature control program of the existing PCR instrument, so that the designated reagent container 21 melts, the reagents contained in it are released, and flow through the channel 23 into the reaction chamber 13 to participate in the reaction, which can realize microfluidics and on-demand mixing of reagents.
[0023] A protective cap 31 is located at the top of the reaction tube 11. A probe hole 32 is provided in the center of the protective cap 31, allowing a needle to be inserted vertically into the probe hole 32 to add the sample into the reaction tube 11. The probe hole 32 corresponds to the channel 23, preventing damage to the reagent container 21 when the needle is inserted. Both the protective cap 31 and the reaction tube 11 can be made of plastic. Example
[0024] This invention provides a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents, similar to Embodiment 1, but with a greater number of reagent containers 21.
[0025] Please refer to Figure 3 Three reagent containers 21 can be connected to form a ring structure. Two ring structures are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube 11, resulting in a total of six reagent containers 21, each holding a different reagent. The outer wall of the ring structure fits into the conical sidewall of the reaction tube 11, forming a central channel 23. All six reagent containers 21 are made of paraffin wax, and at least two containers use different grades of paraffin wax, resulting in differences in their melting points. Example
[0026] This invention provides a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents, similar to Embodiment 1, but the materials used to make the two reagent containers 21 are low-melting-point polymers with different melting points, such as PBT, PA6, PA66, PPS, agarose, etc. The low melting point refers to a melting point below 100°C. Example
[0027] This utility model provides a porous plate, including a reaction plate 41, on which 96 arrayed through holes are provided, and each through hole is provided with a reaction container. The reaction container is a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents as described in any one of Examples 1-3. Example
[0028] This invention provides a PCR instrument, including a microfluidic unit for easy reagent addition as described in any one of Examples 1-3.
[0029] The above describes one or more embodiments of this utility model in a relatively specific and detailed manner, but it should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A microfluidic unit that facilitates reagent addition, characterized in that, include: A reaction tube, the bottom of which is closed and the top of which is open, is provided with at least one reagent container on the inner wall of the reaction tube for melting and releasing the reagent contained therein after heating; a reaction chamber is formed between the reagent container and the bottom of the reaction tube, and the reagent container is also provided with a channel connecting the reaction chamber and the opening; the reagent container is provided with a reagent cavity inside for pre-filling the reagent; A protective cover is provided at the top of the reaction tube, and an insertion hole is provided in the center of the protective cover, which corresponds to the channel.
2. The microfluidic unit for easy reagent addition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reagent container has a ring-shaped structure, the outer wall of the ring-shaped structure is connected to the inner wall of the reaction tube, the channel is formed in the center of the ring-shaped structure, and multiple ring-shaped structures are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube.
3. The microfluidic unit for easy reagent addition according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple reagent containers are arranged in a ring structure, the outer wall of the ring structure is connected to the inner wall of the reaction tube, the channel is formed in the center of the ring structure, and multiple ring structures are stacked sequentially along the axial direction of the reaction tube.
4. A microfluidic unit for easy reagent addition according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least two of the reagent containers have different melting points.
5. A microfluidic unit for easy reagent addition according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reagent containers are made of different grades of paraffin wax.
6. A porous plate, comprising a reaction plate, wherein the reaction plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, and each through hole is provided with a reaction vessel, characterized in that, The reaction vessel is a microfluidic unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, which facilitates the addition of reagents.
7. A PCR instrument, characterized in that, Includes a microfluidic unit that facilitates the addition of reagents as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.