Capillary electrophoresis device and capillary cartridge

Abstract

Provided is a capillary electrophoresis device in which it is easy to exchange a capillary. This capillary electrophoresis device comprises: a capillary cartridge 102 in which a capillary 101 has been positioned; a first structure 106 in which a path to which one end of the capillary is connected has been formed; and a second structure 107 in which a path to which the other end of the capillary is connected has been formed, wherein at least one among the first structure body and the second structure is moved within a predetermined range.

Description

Capillary electrophoresis apparatus and capillary cartridge

[0001] The present invention relates to a capillary electrophoresis apparatus and a capillary cartridge.

[0002] The separation performance of capillaries used in capillary electrophoresis systems declines as sample residue accumulates inside the capillaries and the coating inside the capillaries deteriorates with repeated electrophoresis, so capillaries need to be replaced after a certain number of electrophoresis runs.

[0003] Patent Document 1 is a background art in this technical field. The abstract of this publication describes that, in order to provide a small-sized capillary electrophoresis apparatus that facilitates capillary replacement, the apparatus includes an electrophoresis unit 3 in which electrodes are arranged on both ends of a capillary 2, a sample liquid transport unit 7 that transports sample liquid to both ends of the capillary 2, a capillary holder 4 that is configured to sandwich the capillary 2 and is made up of two plates that are removable from the apparatus, a sample liquid detection unit 5 that has a through-hole in part of the capillary holder 4 and acquires electrophoresis information through the hole, and a temperature control unit 6 that controls the temperature of the capillary holder 4, and that the top of a housing 1 above the capillary holder 4 is openable and closable, allowing for easy removal of the capillary 2.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-008808

[0005] In the aforementioned Patent Document 1, when replacing the capillary, the top of the openable housing must be opened and the parts clamping the capillary must be removed, and then both ends of the capillary must be connected to the flow path while the capillary is placed on a groove carved in the temperature control unit, making installation difficult.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a capillary electrophoresis apparatus in which capillaries can be easily replaced.

[0007] To solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems, and one example thereof is a capillary electrophoresis device comprising: a capillary cartridge in which capillaries are positioned; a first structure in which a flow path to which one end of the capillary is connected is formed; and a second structure in which a flow path to which the other end of the capillary is connected is formed, wherein at least one of the first structure and the second structure is movable within a predetermined range.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a capillary electrophoresis apparatus in which capillaries can be easily replaced. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0009] 1 is a schematic diagram of an overview of a capillary electrophoresis device according to Example 1. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a capillary cartridge according to Example 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a capillary cartridge according to Example 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a method for mounting a capillary cartridge according to Example 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a method for mounting a capillary cartridge according to Example 1. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a method for mounting a capillary cartridge according to Example 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a method for mounting a capillary cartridge when both structures according to Example 1 are movable. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a mechanism for moving a structure according to Example 1 in the axial direction of the capillaries. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a structure according to Example 2 in which a structure has a convex portion for fixing a capillary cartridge according to Example 3. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a structure having a holder for limiting rotation of the structure according to Example 3. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a capillary cartridge according to Example 4 can be attached and detached by a snap lock.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in order with reference to the drawings.

[0011] In Example 1, a capillary electrophoresis apparatus is described, which includes a capillary cartridge in which capillaries are positioned, a first structure in which a flow path to which one end of the capillary is connected is formed, and a second structure in which a flow path to which the other end of the capillary is connected is formed, and at least one of the first structure and the second structure is movable, i.e., can be moved, within a predetermined range.

[0012] 1 shows an overview of the capillary electrophoresis apparatus of this embodiment. The capillary electrophoresis apparatus of this embodiment includes one or more capillaries 101, a capillary cartridge 102 that holds the capillaries 101 and regulates their temperature, a first structure 106 and a second structure 107 that have flow paths connected to the capillaries 101, a gel supply unit 103 that fills the capillaries with gel via the first structure or the second structure, and a high-voltage power supply 104 that applies a high voltage to the capillaries. The capillary cartridge 102, the first structure 106, and the second structure 107 are placed on a predetermined substrate.

[0013] The capillary 101 is a glass tube with an inner diameter of several tens of μm and an outer diameter of several hundreds of μm, the surface of which is protected by a polyimide coating. The capillary 101 is integrally provided with a first capillary head 108, a second capillary head 109, a first capillary head holder 110, a second capillary head holder 111, and a detection window 105.

[0014] The first capillary head 108 is connected to the first structure 106, and the second capillary head 109 is connected to the second structure 107. Here, the connection between the first structure and the first capillary head and the connection between the second capillary head 109 and the second structure are fixed by a first capillary head holder 110 and a second capillary head holder 111, respectively.

[0015] A method for fixing the first structure and the first capillary head using the first capillary head holder will now be described. The first capillary head holder 110 is internally threaded, and the first structure 106 is externally threaded so that it can be connected to the first capillary head holder 110. When the screws are tightened, the first capillary head 108 is pressed against the first structure 106. Furthermore, at least a portion of the insertion portion of the first capillary head 108 and the capillary head insertion opening of the first structure have a tapered structure, and by contacting each other, leakage of gel during gel filling is prevented. While the first capillary head holder has been used as an example, the fixing method using the second capillary head holder is similar. When the screws provided on the second capillary head holder 111 and the second structure are tightened, the second capillary head is pressed against the second structure, fixing the second capillary head and the second structure.

[0016] The first capillary head holder 110 and the second capillary head holder 111 also serve as handles when connecting the capillary head to the structure, and there is no need to touch the tip of the capillary 101 when replacing the capillary 101, reducing the risk of contamination of the capillary 101. Here, an example has been described in which threads are provided on the inside of the capillary head holder and on the outside of the structure, but as long as the threads are threaded so as to engage with each other, they may also be provided on the outside of the capillary head holder and on the inside of the structure.

[0017] The second structure 107 is also connected to the gel filling unit 103 and the gel supply unit. After the gel is supplied into the second structure 107 by the gel supply unit 115, the gel supplied to the second structure by the gel filling unit 103 is sent to the capillary 101 and the first structure. The first structure and the second structure are connected to a waste liquid container 116. For example, used gel is sent to the waste liquid container through the first structure by the supply of new gel. Although not shown in FIG. 1 , samples and reagents are supplied to the first structure or the second structure, and used samples and reagents are sent to the waste liquid container 116 and stored therein.

[0018] Furthermore, the first structure 106 is connected to a cathode 113, and the second structure 107 is connected to an anode 112. The anode 112 and cathode 113 are connected to a high-voltage power supply. Therefore, when a voltage is applied to the cathode and anode with the capillary, first structure, and second structure filled with gel, the flow paths of the first structure and second structure and the gel in the capillary are electrically connected. When a negatively charged sample is supplied to the first structure 108 with the gel filled, and a voltage is applied to the anode 112 and cathode 113 from the high-voltage power supply, the sample electrophoreses to the anode 108. When the sample passes through the capillary 101 and reaches the detection window 105, it is detected by a detection unit (not shown).

[0019] The capillary 101 of this embodiment is held in a positioned state inside the capillary cartridge 102. Furthermore, the capillary cartridge 102 has a heater, which adjusts the temperature of the capillary 101 to a predetermined temperature.

[0020] In capillary electrophoresis devices, the high heat dissipation performance of capillaries is utilized to reduce the influence of Joule heat and improve separation performance. Generally, temperature control methods include using a temperature-controlled surface heater on the capillary surface, or circulating temperature-controlled air in the space where the capillaries are installed. In this embodiment, the former method, a surface heater, is used.

[0021] 2 is an example of an exploded view of the capillary cartridge 101 of this embodiment. The capillary cartridge 101 has a multi-layer structure including a heat insulating shell 201, a heat insulating material 202, capillaries 101, a heater shell 203, and a heater unit 204. The heat insulating material shell refers to the shell on the heat insulating material side, and the heater shell refers to the shell on the heater side.

[0022] The heat insulating shell 201 is a case for the capillary cartridge 102 and has a guide structure 205 for positioning and holding the capillary 101. The guide structure 205 is a columnar structure with a notch, and holds the capillary by placing it inside the notch. The heat insulating material 202 and the heater unit 204 have holes and recesses for inserting the guide structure 205. With the capillary 101 positioned in the notch of the guide structure 205, the guide structure 205 is inserted into the hole, and the capillary 101 is placed on the heater. Temperature variations and susceptibility to the influence of outside air vary depending on the position of the surface heater. Therefore, if the capillary cannot be placed in the same position when replacing it, the accuracy of capillary temperature control will vary, causing variations in analytical performance. In this embodiment, the guide structure 205 allows the capillary 101 to be placed at the same position on the heater even when it is attached or detached, thereby reducing temperature variations due to the position of the capillary placed on the heater. As a result, performance variations between capillary cartridges before and after capillary replacement are reduced. Therefore, stable analytical performance can be obtained.

[0023] Possible methods for reproducibly positioning a capillary on a heater surface include, for example, carving a groove on a heat dissipation sheet along the desired capillary placement path, as described in Patent Document 1, or attaching the capillary to the heat dissipation sheet with a sticker or similar. However, with the former method, it is difficult to position the capillary on a curve, as shown in Figure 1. This is because the capillary has high elasticity and cannot be held in a shallow groove. On the other hand, if the groove is deep, it becomes difficult for the capillary to contact the heater, causing temperature variations. In this embodiment, the guide structure 205 holds a portion of the capillary 101 while the guide structure is inserted into the planar heater. This allows the capillary 101 to be in stable contact with the heater, thereby reducing temperature variations.

[0024] Furthermore, in the latter method, when positioning the capillary by attaching a sticker, a dedicated jig or the like is required to attach it to the specified position. In this embodiment, the capillary 101 can be positioned by the guide structure 205 provided on the insulating shell described above, so the capillary can be easily and reproducibly fixed on any curve. In addition, the area of ​​the capillary held by the guide structure is very narrow, at just a few millimeters, so the risk of affecting the analysis results is smaller than when fixing the capillary with a sticker.

[0025] The heat insulating material 202 prevents heat from escaping from the heater unit 204 to the outside, and reduces the influence of the outside air temperature on the temperature inside the capillary cartridge 102. In addition, the heat insulating material 202 is made of a soft material, and when the heat insulating material shell 201 and the heater shell 203 are closed, the heat insulating material 202 is crushed, and the capillary 101 is pressed against the heater unit 204. As a result, the capillary 101 can efficiently exchange heat with the heater unit 204.

[0026] The heater shell 203 is a case for the capillary cartridge 101. Unlike the heat insulating shell 201, the heater shell 203 does not have a guide structure 205. The width of the space inside the shell created when the heat insulating shell 201 and the heater shell 203 are closed is smaller than the total thickness of the heat insulating material 202 and the heater unit 204. This is to press the capillary 101 described above firmly against the heater unit 204, thereby improving the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0027] The heater unit 204 has a temperature sensor on the surface on the side of the capillary 101, and the temperature sensor adjusts the temperature of the surface that comes into contact with the capillary 101 to a predetermined temperature.

[0028] 3 is an example of a cross-sectional view of the capillary cartridge of this embodiment. The left side of the figure shows the heat insulating shell 201, and the right side shows the heater shell 203. The heater unit 204 in the heater shell 203 has a multi-layer structure consisting of a plane heater 206, a metal plate 207, an insulating sheet 208, and a heat dissipation sheet 209, and has a groove for engaging with the guide structure 205.

[0029] The plane heater 206 is controlled by a temperature sensor (not shown) on the heat dissipation sheet 209, and regulates the temperature of the heat dissipation sheet 209 to a predetermined temperature. The metal plate 207 diffuses the heat from the plane heater within its surface, making the temperature on the surface uniform. Furthermore, since the material of the metal plate 207 is a metal with a large heat capacity, it is less susceptible to external disturbances. The insulating sheet 208 is made of a material with high electrical resistance, and prevents discharge from the capillary 101 to which a high voltage is applied to the metal plate 207.

[0030] The heat dissipation sheet 209 is a sheet made of a material with high thermal conductivity, and improves the heat exchange efficiency between the capillaries 104 and the heater unit 204. A capillary electrophoresis device utilizes the high heat dissipation performance of the capillaries to reduce the influence of Joule heat and improve separation performance. Generally, temperature control methods include using a temperature-controlled plane heater on the capillary surface, or circulating air controlled to a constant temperature in the space where the capillaries are installed. While the present embodiment has been described using a plane heater as an example, an air circulation system may also be used as long as it can control the temperature.

[0031] In this embodiment, the positioning of the capillaries in the capillary cartridge has been described, but the capillary cartridge may be supplied to the user as a replacement part. In this case, the user does not need to position the capillaries relative to the heater, and further, the capillaries can be easily attached and detached.

[0032] 4A to 4D are diagrams showing an example of a mounting method for the capillary cartridge 102 of Example 1. As described above, in this example, it is sufficient that at least one of the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 is movable. Here, a procedure for mounting the capillary cartridge 102 in the case where only the second structure 107 is movable in the x direction will be described.

[0033] 4A shows a state in which the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 are arranged on a substrate inside the device, or a state in which the capillary cartridge is removed. The second structure 107 is movable within a predetermined range, and is moved so that the connection portion of the capillary heads of the first structure and the second structure is located at a position farther away from the capillary heads positioned in the capillary cartridge 102 than the distance between the capillary heads. In other words, the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 are located at positions that do not interfere with the capillaries when the capillary cartridge is installed.

[0034] 4B, the capillary cartridge 102 is moved in the x direction to connect with the first structure 106. As described above, with the first structure 106 and the first capillary head 108 connected, the first capillary head holder 110 is tightened to fix the first structure 106 and the first capillary head 108, and the flow channel provided in the first structure 106 and the capillary 101 are connected.

[0035] Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the second structure 107 is moved in the x direction, and the second structure 107 is connected to the second capillary head 109 .

[0036] Finally, as shown in FIG. 4D, the second structure 107 is fastened by the second capillary head holder 111 as described above, thereby connecting the flow path.

[0037] If the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 are fixed and not movable, the capillary must be bent to connect to the first structure or the second structure, or at least one of the first structure and the second structure must be removed.

[0038] If either the first structure 106 or the second structure 107 is movable, when the capillaries are integrated into a capillary cartridge, they can be attached and detached even when the capillaries are not bent, which allows the temperature control range of the capillaries to be widened and stabilizes analytical performance. If the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 are fixed, shortening the capillary cartridge 102 and lengthening the area where the capillaries 101 protrude from the capillary cartridge 102 allows the capillary cartridge 102 to be replaced without removing either structure by bending the capillary 101. However, this reduces the temperature control range of the capillary 101, resulting in a decrease in analytical performance. Furthermore, removing the structure and attaching the capillary cartridge makes the replacement process complicated. In this embodiment, the movable structure maximizes the temperature control range while facilitating replacement of the capillary cartridge 102.

[0039] Next, an attachment procedure will be described for the case where both the first and second structures are movable. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5 , the capillary cartridge 102 is first attached to a predetermined position on the substrate, and then both structures are moved to the capillary head and connected. The capillary cartridge 102 is positioned so that the structure and the capillary head can be connected when the structure is moved. In this drawing, the connector 114 of the internal heater positions the capillary cartridge. Although the connector 114 is used for positioning in this drawing, a guide, marker, or the like may also be used. The method of fixing the capillary cartridge using the capillary head holder is similar. This method requires a mechanism for making both structures movable, but since it is not necessary to move the capillary cartridge 102 in the x direction, the connector 114 of the heater inside the capillary cartridge 102 can be installed directly below the capillary cartridge 102 as shown in FIG. 5 , making it even easier to replace the capillary cartridge 102.

[0040] Although not shown in FIG. 4, if only one side of the structure is movable, a harness must be extended from the capillary cartridge 102 and connected to a connector in order to move the capillary cartridge 102 in the x direction.

[0041] Furthermore, if the capillary 101 is not positioned by the capillary cartridge 102, the capillary 101 must be aligned with each of the first structure 106, the second structure 107, and the heater unit, making installation of the capillary extremely complicated. The capillary cartridge configuration of this embodiment allows the capillary and heater to be integrated in a positioned state, making it easy to attach and detach the capillary. Furthermore, by making the structure movable, replacement is possible while maintaining a temperature control region.

[0042] 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mechanism for moving the structure having a flow path of this embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, this can be realized by making two of the screw holes at the four corners that secure the second structure 107 having a flow path into notched holes 117 and the other two into normal screw holes 118. The notched holes 117 act as guides, making it possible to move the structure within a predetermined range.

[0043] When moving the second structure, first remove the screws from the regular screw holes 118 and then loosen the screws from the notched holes 117. The notched holes 117 restrict movement in the y and z directions, so the capillary 101 can move only in the x direction. The shapes of the notched holes 117 and the regular screw holes 118 are not limited to the configuration described above; all four holes may be notched holes 117, or they may be oval holes instead of notched holes. The configuration of the notched holes 117 and regular screw holes 118 shown in Figure 6 has excellent positioning accuracy due to the presence of the regular screw holes 118. On the other hand, the configuration of all four holes with notched holes makes it easier to replace the capillary because there is no need to completely remove the screws.

[0044] Therefore, when attaching or detaching the capillary cartridge 102, it is sufficient to disconnect the first capillary head holder 110 and the second capillary head 111 and move at least one of the first structure 106 and the second structure 107. In this embodiment, the screw and the notched hole are used as guides, but other configurations may be used as long as the movement is limited only to the x direction.

[0045] Example 2 describes an example of a capillary electrophoresis device in which at least one of the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 in the electrophoresis device of Example 1 is rotatable about an axis, i.e., movable within a predetermined range in the θ direction. Note that in this example, the configuration other than the structure portion is the same as in Example 1.

[0046] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which the structure is movable in the θ direction. Both structures 301 and 302 are configured to be rotatable in the θ direction as shown in FIG. 7. Specifically, the structures are attached to the device by a structure fixing portion fixed to the substrate of the device. The structure fixing portion has a shaft portion 305 that engages with the structure, and the structure is rotatable around the shaft portion 305, i.e., movable in the θ direction. A capillary cartridge is placed, and the structure is moved in the θ direction to connect the structure to the capillary head. Furthermore, the connection between the structure and the capillary head is fixed by a capillary head holder, as in Example 1.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first structure 301 that can be moved in the θ direction and the second structure 302 that can be moved in the θ direction can be rotated on the shaft portion 305 as shown in Figure 7, so the capillary cartridge 102 can be replaced more easily than in the configuration of Example 1, which requires loosening the screws that secure the structures.

[0048] To remove the capillary cartridge 102, the first capillary head holder 110 is disconnected from the first structure 301 that can be moved in the θ direction, the first structure 301 that can be moved in the θ direction is moved in the θ direction, and the same procedure is performed on the second structure 302 that can be moved in the θ direction. After that, the capillary cartridge 101 can be replaced by connecting a new capillary cartridge 101 in the reverse order.

[0049] In Example 3, the first structure, which is rotatable around the axis, i.e., movable within a predetermined range in the θ direction, further has a convex portion, and the capillary cartridge has a concave portion that engages with the convex portion. Note that the configuration of this example is the same as that of Example 1, except for the convex portion and the concave portion.

[0050] In this embodiment, the capillary head and the first structure are fixed by a capillary head holder, as in the first embodiment. This embodiment further stabilizes the connection between the first structure and the capillary head. In particular, when the gel is delivered by the gel filling unit 103, the gel has a high viscosity, and a strong delivery pressure is applied to deliver the gel. Therefore, if the force acting on the structure due to the delivery pressure is misaligned with the rotation axis of the structure, the delivery pressure acts in a direction that rotates the structure. This may cause the structure to rotate in a direction that disengages from the capillary head. If the connection between the first structure and the second structure and the capillary head by the capillary head holder is weak, the connection between the capillary head and the structure may be broken during delivery, resulting in a liquid leak. Furthermore, if the structure rotates in a direction that disengages from the capillary head while the capillary head and the structure are fixed, the capillaries may be damaged.

[0051] 8, a first structure 301 is provided with a convex portion 303, which is rotatable about an axis, i.e., movable in the θ direction, and a capillary cartridge 102 is provided with a concave portion 304 that engages with the convex portion 303, thereby limiting the rotation of the first structure 301. This makes it possible to more stably connect the capillary head and the structure and to prevent damage to the capillaries 101.

[0052] When the first structure 301 is moved in the θ direction to connect the first structure 301 to the capillary head, the convex portion 303 engages with the concave portion 304. The engagement of the convex portion 303 with the concave portion 304 makes it possible to limit the rotation of the first structure 301 after the first structure 301 is connected to the capillary head.

[0053] In this embodiment, a convex portion is provided on the structure and a concave portion is provided on the capillary cartridge 102, but a convex portion may be provided on the capillary cartridge 102 and a concave portion may be provided on the structure, as long as they have a structure that engages with each other and can limit the rotation of the structure when engaged.

[0054] In addition to the structure in which the structure and the capillary cartridge are engaged with each other, a holder 306 may be provided as a method for restricting the rotation of the structure, as shown in Fig. 9. By rotating the structure 301 in the θ direction and arranging the holder 306 after connecting the structure 301 to the capillary head, it is possible to restrict the rotation of the structure 301 in a direction away from the capillary head, and to stably hold the first structure 301 in a state in which it is connected to the capillary head.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first structure 301 has been described as an example, but the same applies to the case where the second structure 302 is movable.

[0056] Example 4 is an alternative to the capillary head holder described above, and uses a snap lock to secure the connection between the capillary head and the structure. This can be used when the first structure 106 or the second structure 107 is movable in the x direction. While Example 1 uses a notched hole and a screw, this example has a guide structure 403, and the structure has a recess that engages with the guide structure. The guide structure 403 limits the movement of the structure in the z and y directions, allowing it to move within a predetermined range.

[0057] 10 shows an example of a schematic diagram of this embodiment in which the capillary cartridge can be attached and detached by a snap lock. As shown in the figure, there is a snap lock 401 for fixing the capillary cartridge and a structure 402 for hooking the snap lock 401. In addition, a rubber stopper 404 is fixed to the capillary cartridge 102 of this embodiment. The other configurations are the same as those of Example 1.

[0058] The first structure 106, which can be moved horizontally, has a snap lock 401 for connecting the first capillary head 108 to the flow path, and has a guide structure 403 for the structure to restrict movement in directions other than parallel to the axis of the capillary 101.

[0059] The structure 402 that engages with the snap lock 401 has a slit through which the capillary 101 passes, and the elasticity of the rubber stopper 404 at the rear of the first capillary head 108 prevents the capillary 101 from bending and keeps it parallel to the flow path of the first structure 106. When the snap lock 401 is tightened in this state, the first structure 106 is pressed against the first capillary head 108, and the flow path is connected. Therefore, a capillary head holder is not required. Unlike other embodiments in which the screws of the capillary head holder are tightened, this embodiment connects the capillary 101 to the flow path simply by pulling the snap lock 401, making replacement easier.

[0060] Furthermore, when the first structure 106 and the second structure 107 are movable and both are fixed with the snap lock 401, they may be fixed in any order, but when either one is fixed with a capillary head holder, the structure to be fixed with the capillary head holder is connected to the capillary head and fixed with the capillary head holder, and then the structure to be fixed is connected to and fixed with the snap lock 401. Similarly, when either the first structure or the second structure is movable and the movable structure is fixed with a snap lock, the connection between the fixed structure and the capillary head is fixed with the capillary head holder, and then the movable structure and the capillary head are fixed with the snap lock.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0062] 101 Capillary 102 Capillary cartridge 103 Gel filling unit 104 High voltage power supply 105 Detection window 106 First structure 107 Second structure 108 First capillary head 109 Second capillary head 110 First capillary head holder 111 Second capillary head holder 112 Anode 113 Cathode 114 Heater connector 115 Gel supply unit 116 Waste liquid container 117 Notched hole 118 Ordinary screw hole 201 Insulating material shell 202 Insulating material 203 Heater shell 204 Heater unit 205 Guide structure 206 Plane heater 207 Metal plate 208 Insulating sheet 209 Heat dissipation sheet 301 First structure that can be moved in the θ direction 302 Second structure that can be moved in the θ direction 303 Protrusion for fixing the capillary cartridge 102 304 Structure that engages with the protrusion 401 Snap lock 402 Structure that catches the snap lock 403 Guide structure for the structure 404 Rubber stopper

Claims

1. A capillary electrophoresis device comprising:a capillary cartridge in which a capillary is positioned;a first structural body in which a flow path to which one end of the capillary is connected is formed; anda second structural body in which a flow path to which the other end of the capillary is connected is formed, whereinat least any one of the first structural body or the second structural body is movable within a predetermined range .

2. The capillary electrophoresis device according to claim 1, whereinat least any one of the first structural body or the second structural body is rotatable about an axis portion.

3. The capillary electrophoresis device according to claim 2, whereinat least any one of the first structural body or the second structural body that is rotatable about an axis portion has a protruding portion for fixing the capillary cartridge, andthe capillary cartridge has a recessed portion which engages with the protruding portion.

4. The capillary electrophoresis device according to claim 1, whereinat least any one of the first structural body or the second structural body is movable in a horizontal direction within a predetermined range, andat least any one of the first structural body or the second structural body which is movable in the horizontal direction within the predetermined range has a latch-lock for fixing the capillary cartridge.

5. The capillary electrophoresis device according to claim 1, whereinthe capillary cartridge is comprised of: a heat insulation material shell having a heat insulation material; and a heater shell having a heater unit,the heat insulation material shell has a guide structure for positioning the capillary, anda heater unit of the heater shell has a groove with which the guide structure engages.

6. The capillary electrophoresis device according to claim 5, whereinthe heater unit has a multilayered structure constituted of a heater, a metal plate, an insulation sheet, and a heat radiation sheet.

7. A capillary cartridge for positioning a capillary comprising :a heat insulation material shell having a heat insulation material; anda heater shell having a heater unit, whereinthe heat insulation material shell has a guidestructure for positioning the capillary, andthe heater unit has a groove with which the guide structure engages.

8. The capillary cartridge according to claim 7, whereinthe guide structure has a cut-away portion in which the capillary is disposed.

9. The capillary cartridge according to claim 7, whereinthe heater unit has a multilayered structureconstituted of a heater, a metal plate, an insulation sheet,and a heat radiation sheet.

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