A fluorescence detector

Abstract

This invention provides a fluorescence detector, comprising: a detection optical path and a perforated plate support. The perforated plate support is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate via two guide shafts set on the base plate. The detection optical path is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate via a guide rail located on the base plate. The guide rail is fixed to the base plate by a support block. The detection optical path includes a fluorescence excitation optical path for fluorescence excitation and a fluorescence detection optical path for fluorescence detection. Compared with the prior art, this invention has the following advantages: by setting up a detection optical path, detection is performed based on the principle of fluorescence excitation within the substance, avoiding the influence of interfering substances contained in the substance in the traditional ultraviolet absorbance method, resulting in more accurate detection results. It has high detection sensitivity and can detect concentrations below 1 ng / µl, filling the gaps in the ultraviolet absorbance method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of fluorescence detectors, and specifically relates to a fluorescence detector. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional detection methods often fall short when faced with complex samples and high-throughput requirements. Currently, various DNA detection technologies exist on the market. For example, traditional ultraviolet spectrophotometry, while relatively simple to operate, cannot distinguish between double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and is easily interfered with by other light-absorbing substances in the sample, leading to inaccurate results. Gel electrophoresis, while allowing direct observation of DNA bands, is cumbersome, time-consuming, and requires specialized personnel, hindering rapid detection. Real-time quantitative PCR, while highly sensitive, involves expensive equipment, complex operation, and demanding experimental conditions, making it unsuitable for on-site testing and widespread application. Furthermore, most current detection devices have low throughput, are expensive, and fail to meet the demands of automated integration. Therefore, we aim to design a novel fluorescence detector to address these issues. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a fluorescence detector to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a fluorescence detector, comprising: a detection optical path and a well plate support frame, wherein the well plate support frame is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate via two guide shafts set on the base plate, the detection optical path is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate via a guide rail located on the base plate, the guide rail being fixed to the base plate by a support block, the detection optical path including a fluorescence excitation optical path for fluorescence excitation and a fluorescence detection optical path for fluorescence detection, wherein a 96-well plate for experimentation is movably mounted on the upper side of the well plate support frame, and the 96-well plate is located at the focal point of the detection optical path;

[0005] The perforated plate support and the detection optical path can be driven by the perforated plate driving device and the detection driving device to change the relative position of the perforated plate support and the detection optical path. That is, after the movement, the detection optical path can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate supported by the perforated plate support, and any position is located at the focal point of the detection optical path. In actual use, the electrical control system includes a central controller CPU / microprocessor, a light source driving module, a temperature control unit, a signal processing module, and an electromechanical control module. The perforated plate driving device can be a lead screw module, while the detection driving device can use a servo motor to drive the detection optical path to move on the guide rail by driving a belt.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate support bracket is equipped with a perforated plate driving device for driving the perforated plate support bracket to move, and the base plate is equipped with a detection driving device for driving the detection optical path to move on the guide rail.

[0007] The detection optical path is slidably connected to the guide rail via a slide block. The rear side of the slide block is connected to the drive pulley of the detection drive device via a belt. The base plate is equipped with an electronic control system for controlling the operation of the electronic components of the entire device. In actual use, the perforated plate drive device is set according to the position of the guide shaft, which is set according to the movement direction requirements of the perforated plate support frame, such as the front-back or left-right direction. The guide shaft can then be set accordingly in the front-back or left-right direction, and the perforated plate drive device follows the guide shaft. The detection drive device is set according to the installation position of the guide rail, as long as it can drive the detection optical path to move via the belt. The electronic control system can be set at various positions of the detection module in implementation. The above structure can be set to meet the usage requirements while minimizing the size of the equipment based on the spatial layout.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate support bracket (1) can move longitudinally along the plane under the action of the perforated plate driving device (11), and the detection optical path (2) can move laterally along the plane under the action of the detection driving device (21). That is, after the movement, the detection optical path (2) can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate (3) supported by the perforated plate support bracket (1), and any position is located at the optical path focal point of the detection optical path (2).

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the 96-well plate (3) also includes 96-well plate testing consumables when in use. The 96-well plate (3) can be placed on the plate support (1), and each well of the 96-well plate (3) can hold the liquid substance to be tested.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the detection optical path includes at least one color detection, that is, it includes at least one set of fluorescence excitation optical path and fluorescence detection optical path, wherein the fluorescence excitation optical path includes an excitation light source, an excitation end filter and an excitation end lens;

[0011] The excitation light source is at least a light source capable of emitting light with a wavelength of 450~490nm, and the spectrum of the excitation end filter includes a wavelength range of 450~490nm.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the fluorescence detection optical path includes an emitting lens, an emitting filter, and a fluorescence receiving device;

[0013] The fluorescence receiving device is at least capable of receiving light with a wavelength of 500-550 nm. The emission filter spectrum includes a wavelength range of 500-550 nm. The detection optical path also includes a dichroic mirror. In practical use, the dichroic mirror is placed between the emission filter and the emission lens. In practical use, the detection optical path has a dual-color detection optical path, that is, one set of light sources emits excitation light of 460-480 nm, and another set of light sources emits excitation light of 630-650 nm. The dual-color detection optical path helps to detect various types of substances. The detection module has a detection sensitivity of up to 0.01 ng / ul, which effectively fills the gap that ultraviolet spectrophotometers cannot detect low-concentration samples. It also has high detection repeatability at concentrations below 1 ng / ul and is more accurate in quantification than ultraviolet spectrophotometers.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate support can be automatically ejected from the compartment under the control of the electronic control system, and can be additionally used with an external robotic arm to transfer the 96-hole plate it carries.

[0015] After adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: 1. By setting up a detection optical path, detection is performed based on the principle of fluorescence excitation contained in the substance, which can avoid the influence of interfering substances contained in the substance in the traditional ultraviolet absorbance method, and the detection results are more accurate. Its detection sensitivity is high and it can detect concentrations below 1 ng / ul, thus filling the gaps in the ultraviolet absorbance method.

[0016] 2. A 96-well plate is mounted on a plate support, allowing for the detection of minute samples. During testing, the analyte is mixed with the working solution before detection. Only 1-20 μL of analyte is needed, which is only 1 / 10 to 1 / 50 of the detection volume required by traditional UV absorbance methods. This results in high throughput. Combined with a movable plate support and an adjustable detection optical path, 96 samples can be tested simultaneously, making it more efficient than traditional methods. The entire structure can be integrated into an automated system, using a robotic arm to automatically move the 96-well plate into and out of the chamber. It can serve as a component of an automated system, integrating services across multiple application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a fluorescence detector according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a fluorescence detector according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the detection optical path amplification structure of a fluorescence detector according to the present invention.

[0021] In the figure, 1-perforated plate support, 2-detection optical path, 3-96-perforated plate, 4-electrical control system, 5-base plate, 11-perforated plate drive device, 12-guide shaft, 21-detection drive device, 22-belt, 23-guide rail, 201-excitation light source, 202-excitation end filter, 203-excitation end lens, 204-fluorescence receiver, 205-emitting end filter, 206-emitting end lens, 207-dichroic mirror, 51-support block. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0023] As the first embodiment of this utility model:

[0024] Please see Figures 1 to 3 A fluorescence detector includes: a detection optical path 2 and a well plate support 1. The well plate support 1 is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate 5 via two guide shafts 12 disposed on the base plate 5. The detection optical path 2 is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate 5 via a guide rail 23 located on the base plate 5. The guide rail 23 is fixed to the base plate 5 via a support block 51. The detection optical path 2 includes a fluorescence excitation optical path for fluorescence excitation and a fluorescence detection optical path 2 for fluorescence detection. A 96-well plate 3 for conducting experiments is movably mounted on the upper side of the well plate support 1, and the 96-well plate 3 is located at the focal point of the detection optical path 2.

[0025] The perforated plate support 1 and the detection optical path 2 can be driven by the perforated plate drive device and the detection drive device to change the relative position of the perforated plate support 1 and the detection optical path 2. That is, after the movement, the detection optical path 2 can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate 3 supported by the perforated plate support 1, and any position is located at the focal point of the optical path of the detection optical path 2. In actual use, the electrical control system includes a central controller CPU / microprocessor, a light source drive module, a temperature control unit, a signal processing module, and an electromechanical control module. The perforated plate drive device can be a lead screw module, while the detection drive device can be driven by a servo motor to drive the detection optical path to move on the guide rail.

[0026] Specifically, during operation, the 96-well plate 3 carrying the substance to be tested needs to be placed and fixed on the well plate support 11. The well plate support 1 can move longitudinally in the plane along the guide shaft 12 under the action of the well plate drive device 11. The detection optical path 2 can move laterally in the plane along the guide shaft 12 through the belt 22 driven by the detection drive device 21. The movement plane of the well plate support 1 and the movement plane of the detection optical path 2 are parallel to each other. Under the combined movement of the two, the detection optical path 2 can be aligned with each hole in the 96-well plate 3 below it.

[0027] A 96-well plate 3 is mounted on the plate support 1, allowing for the detection of trace samples. During testing, the analyte is mixed with the working solution before detection. Only 1-20 μL of analyte is needed, which is only 1 / 10 to 1 / 50 of the detection volume of traditional UV absorbance methods. It has high throughput. With the movable plate support 1 and the adjustable detection optical path 2, 96 samples can be detected simultaneously, which is more efficient than traditional methods. The entire structure can be integrated into an automated system. The 96-well plate 3 is transferred by a robotic arm through automatic loading and unloading. It can be used as a component of the automated system to integrate services for multiple application scenarios.

[0028] As a second embodiment of this utility model:

[0029] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate support 1 is equipped with a perforated plate drive device 11 for driving the perforated plate support 1 to move, and the base plate 5 is equipped with a detection drive device 21 for driving the detection optical path 2 to move on the guide rail 23.

[0030] The detection optical path 2 is slidably connected to the guide rail 23 via a slide block. The rear side of the slide block is connected to the drive belt 22 wheel of the detection drive device 21 via a belt 22. An electronic control system 4 for controlling the operation of the electronic components of the entire device is installed on the base plate 5. In actual use, the perforated plate drive device 11 is set according to the position of the guide shaft 12. The guide shaft 12 is set according to the movement direction requirements of the perforated plate support 1, such as the front-back direction or the left-right direction. The guide shaft 12 can be set accordingly in the front-back direction or the left-right direction, and the perforated plate drive device 11 is set to follow the guide shaft 12. The detection drive device 21 is set according to the installation position of the guide rail 23, as long as it can drive the detection optical path 2 to move via the belt 22. The electronic control system 4 can be set at various positions on the base plate 5 in practice. The above structure can be set to meet the usage requirements while minimizing the size of the equipment according to the spatial layout.

[0031] The perforated plate support 1 can move longitudinally along the plane under the action of the perforated plate drive device 11, and the detection optical path 2 can move laterally along the plane under the action of the detection drive device 21. That is, after the movement, the detection optical path 2 can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate 3 supported by the perforated plate support 1, and any position is located at the optical path focal point of the detection optical path 2.

[0032] The 96-well plate 3 also includes 96-well plate testing consumables. The 96-well plate 3 can be placed and fixed on the plate support 1. Each well of the 96-well plate 3 can hold the liquid substance to be tested.

[0033] The detection optical path 2 contains at least one color detection, that is, it includes at least one set of fluorescence excitation optical path and fluorescence detection optical path 2. The fluorescence excitation optical path includes an excitation light source 201, an excitation end filter 202 and an excitation end lens 203.

[0034] The excitation source 201 is at least a light source capable of emitting light with a wavelength of 450~490nm, and the spectrum of the excitation end filter 202 includes the wavelength range of 450~490nm.

[0035] The fluorescence detection optical path 2 includes an emitting lens 206, an emitting filter 205, and a fluorescence receiving device 204;

[0036] The fluorescence receiving device 204 is at least capable of receiving light with a wavelength of 500-550 nm. The emission filter 205 has a spectrum covering the wavelength range of 500-550 nm. The detection optical path 2 also includes a dichroic mirror 207. In practical use, the dichroic mirror 207 is placed between the emission filter 205 and the emission lens 206. In practical use, the detection optical path 2 has a dual-color detection optical path 2, that is, one set of light source 201 emits excitation light of 460-480 nm, and the other set of light source emits excitation light of 630-650 nm. The dual-color detection optical path 2 is helpful for the detection of various types of substances. The detection sensitivity of the device can reach 0.01 ng / ul, which effectively fills the gap that ultraviolet spectrophotometers cannot detect low-concentration samples. It also has high detection repeatability at concentrations below 1 ng / ul and is more accurate in quantification than ultraviolet spectrophotometers.

[0037] The perforated plate support 1 can be automatically ejected from the compartment under the control of the electronic control system 4, and can be used in conjunction with an external robotic arm to transfer the 96-hole plate 3 it carries.

[0038] Based on the first embodiment described above, further, as Figure 3 As shown, the detection optical path 2 consists of an excitation light source 201, an excitation end filter 202, an excitation end lens 203, a dichroic mirror 207, an emission end lens 206, an emission end filter 205, and a fluorescence receiving device 204.

[0039] like Figure 2As shown, when the equipment is working, the orifice plate support 1 first moves to the left along the guide shaft 12 in the direction shown in the figure (out of the chamber) under the action of the orifice plate drive device 11. The user places and fixes the 96-well plate 3 carrying the substance to be tested on the orifice plate support 1, and the orifice plate support 1 moves to the right in the direction shown in the figure (into the chamber).

[0040] During testing, the perforated plate support 1 and the detection optical path 2 move under the control of their respective drive devices until the detection optical path 2 aligns with the designated hole position of the 96-hole plate 3 for testing. The coordinated relative movement of the perforated plate support 1 and the detection optical path 2 allows for scanning and testing of each hole position of the 96-hole plate 3.

[0041] During the detection process, the excitation light source 201 emits excitation light of a specific wavelength. After being selected by the excitation end filter 202, the excitation light is collimated by the excitation end lens 203, transforming from a point source into parallel light that is incident on the dichroic mirror 207. The dichroic mirror 207 reflects the incident light to the emitting end lens 206, which then converges it onto the test material at the test well position of the 96-well plate 3. The emitted light from the excited material is collimated by the emitting end lens 206 and incident on the dichroic mirror 207. The light transmitted through the dichroic mirror 207 enters the emitter filter 205, and the selected emitted light enters the fluorescence receiver 204. The fluorescence collected by the fluorescence receiver is processed by analog-to-digital conversion to obtain detection data. By setting up the detection optical path 2, detection is performed based on the principle of excited excitation of fluorescence contained in the substance. This avoids the influence of interfering substances contained in the substance in the traditional ultraviolet absorbance method, resulting in more accurate detection results. It has high detection sensitivity and can detect concentrations below 1 ng / ul, thus filling the gaps in the ultraviolet absorbance method.

[0042] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A fluorescence detector, comprising: The detection optical path (2) and the orifice plate support (1) are characterized in that the orifice plate support (1) is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate (5) via two guide shafts (12) set on the base plate (5), the detection optical path (2) is movably mounted on the front side of the base plate (5) via a guide rail (23) located on the base plate (5), the guide rail (23) is fixed on the base plate (5) via a support block (51), the detection optical path (2) includes a fluorescence excitation optical path for fluorescence excitation and a fluorescence detection optical path (2) for fluorescence detection, and a 96-well plate (3) for experimentation is movably mounted on the upper side of the orifice plate support (1), and the 96-well plate (3) is located at the focal point of the optical path of the detection optical path (2); The perforated plate support (1) and the detection optical path (2) can be driven by the perforated plate driving device and the detection driving device to change the relative position of the perforated plate support (1) and the detection optical path (2). That is, after the movement, the detection optical path (2) can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate (3) supported by the perforated plate support (1), and any position is located at the optical path focal point of the detection optical path (2).

2. The fluorescence detector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The perforated plate support bracket (1) is equipped with a perforated plate drive device (11) for driving the perforated plate support bracket (1) to move, and the base plate (5) is equipped with a detection drive device (21) for driving the detection optical path (2) to move on the guide rail (23). The detection optical path (2) is slidably connected to the guide rail (23) via a slide block. The rear side of the slide block is connected to the drive belt (22) wheel of the detection drive device (21) via a belt (22). An electronic control system (4) for controlling the operation of the electronic components of the entire device is provided on the base plate (5).

3. A fluorescence detector as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The perforated plate support bracket (1) can move longitudinally along the plane under the action of the perforated plate driving device (11), and the detection optical path (2) can move laterally along the plane under the action of the detection driving device (21). That is, after the movement, the detection optical path (2) can be aligned with any position of the 96-hole plate (3) supported by the perforated plate support bracket (1), and any position is located at the optical path focal point of the detection optical path (2).

4. A fluorescence detector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When in use, the 96-well plate (3) also includes 96-well plate testing consumables. The 96-well plate (3) can be placed on the plate support (1), and each well of the 96-well plate (3) can hold the liquid substance to be tested.

5. A fluorescence detector as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The detection optical path (2) includes at least one color detection, that is, at least one set of fluorescence excitation optical path and fluorescence detection optical path (2). The fluorescence excitation optical path includes an excitation light source (201), an excitation end filter (202) and an excitation end lens (203). The excitation light source (201) is at least a light source capable of emitting light with a wavelength of 450~490nm, and the spectrum of the excitation end filter (202) includes the wavelength range of 450~490nm.

6. A fluorescence detector as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The fluorescence detection optical path (2) includes an emitting lens (206), an emitting filter (205), and a fluorescence receiving device (204). The fluorescence receiving device (204) is at least a receiving device capable of receiving light with a wavelength of 500-550nm, the emission end filter (205) has a spectrum including a wavelength range of 500-550nm, and the detection optical path (2) further includes a dichroic mirror (207).

7. A fluorescence detector as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The perforated plate support (1) can be automatically ejected from the warehouse under the control of the electronic control system (4), and can be used in conjunction with an external robotic arm to transfer the 96-hole plate (3) it carries.

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