Heat transfer device, heating device, and processing device

Abstract

To provide a heat transfer device, a heating device, and a processing device that facilitate efficient heat transfer to and from an enclosed portion of a container.SOLUTION: A heat transfer device 7 includes a receptacle 45 that is configured to be insertable and removable with respect to an enclosed portion 27 of a container 19 capable of enclosing a sample, and to be able to transfer heat to and from the received enclosed portion 27, the receptacle 45 being configured to be enlargeable and contractible, and to be biased in a contracting direction at least when enlarged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to heat transfer devices, heating devices and processing devices. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A heat transfer device is known that has a receiving part configured to be capable of transferring heat between an enclosure of a container capable of enclosing a sample and an enclosure part that receives the enclosure part in a detachable manner (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-19537 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is desirable for such a heat transfer device to be able to transfer heat to and from the vessel enclosure as efficiently as possible.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat transfer device, a heating device, and a processing device that can easily and efficiently transfer heat between an enclosed portion of a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0007] [1] A heat transfer device having a receiving part configured to be able to transfer heat between an enclosure part of a container capable of enclosing a sample in the container and the enclosure part, the receiving part being removably inserted therein, The heat transfer device, wherein the receiving portion is configured to be expandable and contractible and is biased in a contracting direction at least when expanded.

[0008] With this configuration, the gap between the receiving portion and the enclosing portion can be reduced, and heat can be easily and efficiently transferred.

[0009] [2] The heat transfer device according to [1], wherein the receiving portion is composed of multiple divided portions.

[0010] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0011] [3] The heat transfer device according to [1] or [2], wherein the receiving portion is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from the insertion and removal direction of the enclosing portion.

[0012] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0013] [4] The receiving portion has a first portion configured to be capable of receiving a tapered tip portion of the encapsulation portion, and a second portion configured to be capable of receiving a portion of the encapsulation portion other than the tip portion, The heat transfer device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the second part is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from the insertion and removal direction of the enclosed part, and is biased in the contraction direction at least when expanding.

[0014] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0015] [5] The heat transfer device according to [4], wherein the first portion and the second portion are biased in a direction toward each other.

[0016] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0017] [6] The heat transfer device according to [4] or [5], wherein the second portion is formed by a pair of blocks guided by a shaft so as to be able to move away from and approach each other in the predetermined direction.

[0018] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0019] [7] The heat transfer device according to [6], wherein the pair of blocks are urged toward each other in the predetermined direction at least when expanded by a pair of compression springs passed through the shaft body.

[0020] With this configuration, heat can be more easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0021] [8] A heating device comprising: the heat transfer device according to any one of [1] to [7]; and a heating unit capable of heating the heat transfer device.

[0022] According to this configuration, heat can be easily and efficiently transferred between the enclosed portion of the container and the receiving portion. Also, since the receiving portion is expandable, the enclosed portion of the container can be prevented from expanding and biting into the receiving portion due to heating.

[0023] [9] A processing apparatus comprising the heating device according to [8] and a transport device capable of placing and removing the container relative to the heating device.

[0024] With this configuration, heat can be easily and efficiently transferred to and from the enclosure of the container.

[0025]

[10] The processing device according to [9], further comprising a cooling device capable of placing and removing the container by the transport device.

[0026] With this configuration, the sample can be easily cooled after being heated.

[0027]

[11] The processing device according to [9] or

[10] , comprising a PCR device capable of amplifying nucleic acid.

[0028] According to this configuration, nucleic acid extracted from a sample such as a cell can be easily amplified.

[0029]

[12] The processing device according to any one of [9] to

[11] , further comprising an analyzer capable of identifying the type of cells in the sample from which the nucleic acid has been extracted by analyzing the nucleic acid.

[0030] With this configuration, the type of cells in the sample can be easily identified. Effect of the Invention

[0031] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a heat transfer device, a heating device, and a processing device that facilitate efficient transfer of heat between an enclosure of a container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a part of a processing apparatus having a heat transfer device according to a first embodiment, showing a state before an enclosure of a container is inserted into a receiving part. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the enclosing part of the container is inserted into the receiving part from the state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a view taken along the arrow A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view taken along the arrow B in FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is a graph showing evaluation results of biting force. [Figure 9] 13 is a graph showing the evaluation results of the temperature rise rate. [Figure 10]FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged side view showing a heat transfer device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a heat transfer device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a heat transfer device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 taken along line E-E. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, in the first embodiment, the processing device 1 has a heating device 2, a transport device 3, a cooling device 4, a PCR device 5, and an analysis device 6, the heating device 2 has a heat transfer device 7 and a heating unit 8, the transport device 3 has a container holding unit 9 and a moving mechanism 10, the container holding unit 9 has a first plate 11 and a second plate 12, the heat transfer device 7 has a first block unit 13, a second block unit 14, a block support unit 15, and a first biasing unit 16, the second block unit 14 has a plurality (four) of block pairs 17, and the block pair 17 is composed of a pair of blocks 18. The number of block pairs 17 is not limited to four and can be set appropriately. In this embodiment, the heating device 2, the transport device 3, and the cooling device 4 constitute a nucleic acid extraction device.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the container 19 has a container body 20 and an opening / closing lid 21. The container body 20 has a joint 22 and multiple (four) body parts 23 each connected to the joint 22. The number of body parts 23 is not limited to four and can be set as appropriate. The opening / closing lid 21 has a plate part 24 that can be fitted to the joint 22, and a stopper body 25 provided corresponding to each body part 23. The stopper body 25 has a seal part 26. The part of the body part 23 that can be filled with a sample constitutes an enclosure part 27. The enclosure part 27 has a tapered tip part 28. The container 19 is made of, for example, resin.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the block support portion 15 has a support portion 29, a shaft portion 30, a second biasing portion 31, and an adjustment portion 32. The support portion 29 is made up of a pair of supports 33. The shaft portion 30 is made up of a pair of shafts 34. The block pair 17 has a pair of shaft-passing portions 35. The shaft-passing portions 35 are made up of a pair of through holes 36. The pair of through holes 36 is made up of a through hole 36 that passes through one block 18 of the block pair 17, and a through hole 36 that passes through the other block 18 of the block pair 17. The second biasing portion 31 has a spring biasing portion 37 provided corresponding to each shaft-passing portion 35. The spring biasing portion 37 has a compression spring pair 38 and a washer pair 39. The compression spring pair 38 is made up of a pair of compression springs 40, and the washer pair 39 is made up of a pair of washers 41. The adjustment portion 32 has an adjustment body 42 provided between adjacent spring biasing portions 37. The adjustment body 42 has a slider 43 and a fixing screw 44. Note that the support body portion 29 is not limited to a configuration including a pair of supports 33, and may be a configuration including only one support body 33.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the block pair 17 forms a part of a plurality (eight) of receiving parts 45. The number of receiving parts 45 corresponding to the block pair 17 is not limited to eight and can be set appropriately. The receiving part 45 is configured to be able to insert and remove the encapsulation part 27. The receiving part 45 is also composed of a plurality (three) divided parts. More specifically, the receiving part 45 has a first part 46 and a second part 47, the first part 46 is formed by the first block part 13, and the second part 47 is formed by the block pair 17, and more specifically, the receiving part 45 is composed of a pair of divided parts, one part is formed by one block 18, and the other part is formed by the other block 18. The first part 46 is configured to be able to receive the tip part 28 of the encapsulation part 27, and the second part 47 is configured to be able to receive a part of the encapsulation part 27 other than the tip part 28.

[0038] The shaft 34 extends in a first direction, which is a predetermined direction different (perpendicular) to the insertion / removal direction of the encapsulation portion 27 relative to the receiving portion 45. More specifically, the shaft 34 is rod-shaped with the first direction as its longitudinal direction. Therefore, the block pair 17 is guided by the shaft portion 30 in the first direction so that they can move away from and towards each other. Therefore, the second portion 47 can expand and contract in the first direction. Note that the first direction is not limited to a direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction, and may be any direction different from the insertion / removal direction.

[0039] 3 and 4, the first biasing portion 16 has spring biasing portions 48 provided corresponding to both ends of each block 18 in the second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to both the insertion / removal direction and the first direction. The spring biasing portion 48 has a tension spring 51 hung between a spring hook portion 49 of the block 18 and a spring hook portion 50 of the first block portion 13. Each block 18 has an elongated shape parallel to the second direction, but is not limited thereto, and may have an elongated shape extending at an angle with respect to the second direction.

[0040] For convenience of explanation, the insertion / removal direction is also referred to as the up-down direction, the direction from the first part 46 to the second part 47 along the insertion / removal direction is also referred to as the up direction, and the opposite direction is also referred to as the down direction. Upward usually corresponds to vertically upward, but is not limited to this.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the first plate 11 has insertion holes 52 provided corresponding to each of the receiving portions 45. The insertion holes 52 are configured so that the body portion 23 of the container 19 can pass through them, but the joint portion 22 and the opening / closing lid 21 cannot pass through them. The container 19 is placed on the first plate 11, and the upper surface of the opening / closing lid 21 is pressed with the lower surface of the second plate 12, so that the container 19 is held by the container holding portion 9 in a state in which the enclosed portion 27 of the container 19 is sealed. The second plate 12 is configured to be movable (rotating, moving in parallel, etc., the moving form is not particularly limited) relative to the first plate 11 between an open position that allows the container 19 to be placed on the first plate 11, and a closed position that allows the enclosed portion 27 of the container 19 to be kept sealed. By moving the container holding portion 9 to an installation position relative to the heating device 2 by the conveying device 3, each insertion hole 52 is positioned directly above the corresponding receiving portion 45, and as a result, each enclosed portion 27 is received by the corresponding receiving portion 45. The conveying device 3 is capable of inserting and removing each of the encapsulating portions 27 into and from the corresponding receiving portions 45 in an insertion and removal direction.

[0042] The first block 13 and the second block 14 (the plurality of block pairs 17) are each formed of a desired material, such as metal, having a high thermal conductivity, and can transfer heat between the encapsulation portion 27 (a portion of the body 23 in which a sample can be encapsulated) received in the receiving portion 45. The first block 13 is heated by the heating portion 8, and the heat of the first block 13 can be transferred to the tip portion 28 of the encapsulation portion 27 via the first portion 46 of the receiving portion 45 (the surface of the bottom portion of the recess) to heat the encapsulation portion 27. The second block 14 can transfer the heat transferred from the first block 13 to the second block 14 via the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 (the surface of the upper portion of the recess) to a portion other than the tip portion 28 of the encapsulation portion 27 to heat the encapsulation portion 27. The heating portion 8 can heat the first block 13 to a temperature according to the application. The heat source of the heating portion 8 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an electric heating wire, an electric heating element, or a contact or non-contact heater. The heating unit 8 may be built into the first block unit 13, may be provided in contact with the outer surface of the first block unit 13, or may be provided spaced apart from the first block unit 13. For example, an electric heating wire, an electric heating element, a heater, or the like may be incorporated into the first block unit 13.

[0043] The first block portion 13 has a planar upper surface perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction and is generally rectangular parallelepiped shaped extending in the first and second directions. The second block portion 14 has a planar lower surface perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction and is generally rectangular parallelepiped shaped extending in the first and second directions. A plurality (four) of block pairs 17 constituting the second block portion 14 are arranged side by side in the first direction, and a pair of blocks 18 constituting the block pair 17 are arranged side by side in the first direction. A plurality (eight) of receiving portions 45 corresponding to the block pairs 17 are arranged side by side in the second direction.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the spring hooking portion 49 of the block 18 corresponding to each spring biasing portion 48 (tension spring 51) is made of a columnar body protruding in the second direction from the end of the block 18 in the second direction. The shape of the spring hooking portion 49 of the block 18 is not limited to a columnar body and can be set appropriately. The spring hooking portion 50 of the first block portion 13 corresponding to each spring biasing portion 48 (tension spring 51) is made of a columnar body protruding in the second direction from the end of the first block portion 13 in the second direction. The shape of the spring hooking portion 50 of the first block portion 13 is not limited to a columnar body and can be set appropriately. The first biasing portion 16 biases the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14 in a direction approaching each other in the insertion / removal direction, and as a result, the upper surface of the first block portion 13 and the lower surface of the second block portion 14 are more closely attached to each other, and heat can be transferred efficiently. The first biasing portion 16 may be configured to bias the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14 in a direction that brings them closer to each other, not limited to the insertion / removal direction. The direction in which the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14 approach each other is different from the first direction (in this embodiment, it is a direction perpendicular to the first direction, but is not limited to this).

[0045] As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the second block portion 14 is disposed between a pair of supports 33 in the first direction. The block pair 17 has one shaft body passing portion 35 at one end in the second direction, and the other shaft body passing portion 35 at the other end in the second direction. One shaft body 34 passes through each shaft body passing portion 35, each spring biasing portion 37, and each adjustment body 42 (slider 43) provided at one end in the second direction of the second block portion 14, and both ends of the shaft body 34 are fixed to the supports 33. The other shaft body 34 passes through each shaft body passing portion 35, each spring biasing portion 37, and each adjustment body 42 (slider 43) provided at the other end in the second direction of the second block portion 14, and both ends of the shaft body 34 are fixed to the supports 33.

[0046] The shaft-passing portion 35 may be configured to be sufficiently large relative to the shaft 34. This allows each block 18 constituting the second block portion 14 to move by the biasing force of the spring biasing portion 37 without being hindered in movement by frictional force generated between the shaft 34 and the shaft-passing portion 35.

[0047] As described above, each block 18 is biased by the spring biasing portion 48 in a direction approaching the first block portion 13. However, when removing the container 19 from the heating device 2, a biting force may be generated between the container 19 and the heating device 2, and the biting force may act on at least a part of the second block portion 14 in a direction away from the first block portion 13. Furthermore, if the biting force acting on at least one block 18 in a direction away from the first block portion 13 becomes greater than the force acting on the block 18 by the spring biasing portion 48 in a direction approaching the first block portion 13, the block 18 may be separated from the first block portion 13. Furthermore, if the force due to the biting force is greater, for example, the block 18 may be placed on top of another block, and the receiving portion 45 may not be formed by the pair of blocks 18.

[0048] Even if at least a part of the second block portion 14 separates from the first block portion 13 due to such a biting force, the shaft passing portion 35 provided in each block 18 will not move beyond the amount of the gap between it and the shaft 34, and it is possible to reliably prevent, for example, a situation in which at least one block 18 moves onto another block 18 as described above, resulting in no receiving portion 45 being formed by the pair of blocks 18. In other words, the shaft passing portion 35 and the shaft 34 can be configured to also function as a regulating portion that regulates the amount of movement of the second block portion 14 in the insertion / removal direction relative to the first block portion 13.

[0049] Such a restricting portion may be provided separately from the shaft 34 and the shaft through-portion 35 (hole or slot) as described above. In this case, the arrangement of the restricting portion is not particularly limited, and the restricting portion may be arranged at both ends in the second direction of each of the blocks 18 constituting the second block portion 14, or may be arranged at other portions.

[0050] A pair of washers 41 of the spring biasing portion 37 are disposed on both sides of the corresponding shaft-passing portion 35 in the first direction. A pair of compression springs 40 of the spring biasing portion 37 are disposed on both sides of the corresponding shaft-passing portion 35 and washer pair 39 in the first direction. The inner diameter of the washer 41 is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 34, so that the washer 41 can move freely on the shaft 34. The inner diameter of the washer 41 is also sufficiently smaller than the inner diameter of the compression spring 40, and the outer diameter of the washer 41 is also sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the compression spring 40, so that the compression spring 40 is prevented from entering the shaft-passing portion 35. The slider 43 is configured to be fixed to the shaft 34 by a fixing screw 44. The slider 43 can also support the end of the compression spring 40 in the first direction. Since the slider 43 can be fixed to the shaft body 34 after adjusting the position of the slider 43 in the first direction, the balance of the biasing forces of the spring biasing portions 37 adjacent to each other in the first direction can be adjusted.

[0051] 3 and 5, the pair of blocks 18 are guided by the shaft 34 so as to be able to move away from and approach each other in the first direction, and are biased in a direction to approach each other in the first direction by the pair of compression springs 38. Therefore, when the diameter dimension of the enclosed portion 27 received in the receiving portion 45 is larger than the minimum dimension of the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45, which is the diameter dimension when the pair of blocks 18 contact each other in the first direction, due to manufacturing variations of the container 19, etc., as the enclosed portion 27 is inserted into the receiving portion 45, the enclosed portion 27 presses the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 in the first direction against the biasing force of the second biasing portion 31, and the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 can be expanded in the first direction. In addition, even if the diameter dimension of the enclosed portion 27 received in the receiving portion 45 becomes larger than the minimum dimension of the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 due to the expansion of the enclosed portion 27 caused by heating, the enclosed portion 27 can press the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 in the first direction against the biasing force of the second biasing portion 31 as the enclosed portion 27 expands, thereby expanding the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 in the first direction.

[0052] Therefore, even when the diameter of the receiving portion 45 reaches the maximum size caused by manufacturing variations in the enclosed portion 27, or the maximum size caused by the expansion of the enclosed portion 27 itself due to heating, or the expansion due to an increase in the vapor pressure of the liquid inside the enclosed portion 27, the enclosed portion 27 can be inserted into the receiving portion 45, and the enclosed portion 27 does not need to be set to a large diameter so that the enclosed portion 27 can be prevented from biting into (i.e., adhering to) the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 and becoming difficult to remove from the receiving portion 45. Therefore, even when the enclosed portion 27 reaches the minimum size caused by manufacturing variations, or in a state before expansion occurs before heating, the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the enclosed portion 27 can be reduced, and as a result, heat can be easily and efficiently transferred to the enclosed portion 27.

[0053] The sliding surface between the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14 preferably has a coating capable of reducing sliding resistance. Such a coating may be provided on both or either of the upper surface of the first block portion 13 and the lower surface of the second block portion 14. The coating may be, for example, electroless Ni-P / PTFE composite plating in which PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) particles are dispersed in a nickel metal film. Also, in order to suppress biting, it is desirable that the receiving portion 45 of the sliding surfaces between the encapsulation portion 27 and the receiving portion 45 has a coating capable of reducing sliding resistance. The coating may be, for example, electroless Ni-P / PTFE composite plating.

[0054] When applying a coating such as plating, coating only certain parts or not coating only certain parts requires a process such as masking during coating, which is cumbersome. Since it is preferable that the sliding resistance of the sliding surfaces of block 18 with other members is reduced, the entire block 18 may be coated. When coating the entire block 18, there are cases where it is not possible to coat the parts that hold block 18 during coating. In such cases, it is preferable to provide a non-coated portion other than the sliding surfaces between block 18 and other members.

[0055] Considering the suppression of biting of the enclosing portion 27 and the efficiency of heat transfer between the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 and the enclosing portion 27, it is preferable to set the compression load of the compression spring 40 to, for example, 0.5 to 1 N. Considering the suppression of biting of the enclosing portion 27 and the efficiency of heat transfer between the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14, it is preferable to set the tensile load of the tension spring 51 to, for example, 0.5 to 1 N.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 6, the first portion 46 of the receiving portion 45 preferably has a tapered surface 53 in the form of a downward cone facing the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion 28 of the encapsulation portion 27 in the form of a downward cone. In this case, the inclination of the tapered surface 53 with respect to the insertion / removal direction is preferably larger than the inclination of the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion 28 of the encapsulation portion 27 with respect to the insertion / removal direction by a predetermined angle θ. The predetermined angle θ is, for example, 1°. The upper edge of the tapered surface 53 preferably has a chamfered portion 54 over the entire circumference. The chamfered portion 54 is preferably formed by an R surface with a curvature radius R of, for example, 0.4 mm or more. The inclination of the tapered surface 53 and / or the chamfered portion 54 can suppress the bite of the encapsulation portion 27 into the first portion 46 of the receiving portion 45 caused by manufacturing variations in the container 19 or expansion of the encapsulation portion 27 due to heating.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8, the heating device 2 of this embodiment can significantly reduce the biting force. Biting is a phenomenon in which a part of the container 19 adheres closely to the receiving part 45 of the heating device 2, and resistance occurs when attempting to remove the container 19 in the opening direction of the receiving part 45. Similarly, the biting force is a resistance that occurs when attempting to remove the container 19 in the opening direction of the receiving part 45 due to biting. As test conditions, the temperature of the heat transfer device 7 was about 160° C., the container 19 was made of resin, and the amount of liquid in the sealing part 27 was 40 μL. In order to suppress the variation in the operation of the evaluator, the container 19 was inserted and removed via a push-pull gauge attached to a tensile tester, and the evaluation was performed. This makes it possible to evaluate the resistance when removing the container 19 from the receiving part 45 using the push-pull gauge. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the biting force was 80 to 90 N when using the conventional receiving portion 45 (a recess provided in an integral block), whereas the biting force was reduced to approximately 5 N when using the receiving portion 45 of this embodiment.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 9, the heating device 2 of this embodiment can achieve heat transfer equivalent to that of the conventional receiving part 45. As test conditions, the temperature of the heat transfer device 7 is about 160°C, the container 19 is made of resin, and the amount of liquid in the sealed part 27 is 40 μL. In this test, a sheathed thermocouple with a diameter of 0.5 mm is inserted into a small hole in the top of the container 19 from the top of the container 19, and the hole is sealed with adhesive to measure the temperature of the liquid inside the container 19. The temperature detection part at the tip of the sheathed thermocouple is positioned so that it is at the center of the liquid sealed in the container 19, and is fixed with the adhesive to enable the temperature of the center of the liquid to be measured. The measured temperature is indicated as 100% for the final reached temperature of 160°C and 0% for the temperature at the start of the test of 25°C.

[0059] Also, a comparative example is shown in which the gap between the conventional receiving portion 45 (recessed portion provided in an integral block) and the sealing portion 27 is increased to 0.2 mm. Here, the gap between the receiving portion 45 (recessed portion provided in an integral block) and the sealing portion 27 when the gap is not increased is 0.05 mm, and the recessed portion of the receiving portion 45 of this embodiment has the same shape as when the gap between the sealing portion 27 is 0.05 mm. In the comparative example, although the biting is suppressed, the temperature rise is delayed by about 10-odd seconds compared to when the conventional receiving portion 45 has a gap of 0.05 mm or when the receiving portion 45 of this embodiment is used.

[0060] As can be seen from these results, in the configuration of the conventional receiving portion 45, widening the gap with the sealing portion 27 to prevent sticking results in a trade-off in that the temperature rise performance deteriorates. However, in the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent sticking and ensure temperature rise performance regardless of the size of the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the sealing portion 27, and an effect is obtained that exceeds the trade-off of the conventional technology.

[0061] In addition, in the configuration of this embodiment, the above effect can be obtained regardless of the size of the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the sealing portion 27, as described above. Therefore, even if the dimensions of the receiving portion 45 or the sealing portion 27 vary, the above effect can be obtained in the same way. That is, the receiving portion 45 is also manufactured by a manufacturing method such as cutting, casting, or die casting, so the dimensions actually vary. This is because the dimensions vary between different devices, and the dimensions also vary among the multiple receiving portions 45 arranged in the heat transfer device 7 as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, in the configuration of the receiving portion 45 according to the conventional technology, the bite force and temperature rise performance vary among the multiple receiving portions 45 arranged in the heat transfer device 7 between devices, or even within the device.

[0062] Here, in the case of variations between devices, the variations can be reduced by adjusting each device at the time of shipment from the factory or at the time of startup. However, the variations occurring in each of the multiple receiving parts 45 arranged in the heat transfer device 7 cannot be reduced. In addition, in order to prevent contamination in which the sample attached to the container 19 is mixed with the next sample when processing the next sample, it is preferable to use a new container 19 for each sample, and it is preferable to manufacture it from resin by injection molding or the like. Therefore, the container 19 and its sealing part 27 have dimensional variations, and the dimensions vary from container 19 to container 19, or even for the same container 19, the dimensions vary from sealing part 27 provided in multiple rows on the container 19. As a result, there is a risk of variations in the bite force and temperature rise performance for each container 19 or each sealing part 27 provided in multiple rows on the container 19.

[0063] For example, when extracting nucleic acid from microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi, etc.) by the method disclosed in Patent No. 5624487, it is necessary to raise the temperature to a predetermined temperature in order to extract nucleic acid from a cell suspension, but if the temperature raising time is too long, the extracted nucleic acid will be cut into pieces shorter than the desired length. For example, when analyzing using the extracted nucleic acid, the analysis may be hindered by being cut into pieces shorter than the desired length, and in the worst case, false positives or false negatives may occur, resulting in erroneous judgment. Even if there is variation in the dimensions of the receiving part 45, the container 19, and the sealing part 27, the configuration of this embodiment, which suppresses variation in the biting force and temperature raising performance and enables the temperature to be raised to a predetermined temperature in a predetermined time, can suppress such erroneous judgment.

[0064] Also, for example, JP 2011-19537 A shows a configuration that can heat PCR amplification in which a reaction is performed at a temperature below the boiling point. Therefore, if the configuration is used as is in a process of extracting nucleic acid from bacteria or fungi in a container at a high temperature exceeding the boiling point and at a high pressure due to saturated vapor pressure at that high temperature, particularly in the case of a resin container, the container wall may bite into the heating block due to the expansion of the resin container due to the saturated vapor pressure, and the resin container may not be able to be lifted from the heating block after a certain period of heat treatment. In addition, if an attempt is made to forcibly lift the resin container, the resin container itself may break due to friction between the resin container and the heating block, and if an actuator or the like is used for lifting, excessive load may be applied to them, which may cause damage or abnormal heat in the worst case, and peripheral mechanical parts may also be involved, resulting in loud abnormal noise, impact, or damage. In order to prevent the container from sticking to the heating block, it is possible to increase the gap between the resin container and the heating block, thereby creating a block shape that prevents the container from sticking. However, in this case, there would be less contact between the resin container and the heating block, which would result in a slower rise in the internal temperature of the sample in the container, and it may not be possible to extract the intended amount of nucleic acid.

[0065] 7, the transport device 3 can move the container holding part 9 in, for example, the insertion / removal direction, the first direction, and the second direction, and can move the container holding part 9 to the heating device 2, the cooling device 4, the PCR device 5, and the analyzing device 6 in this order by a control device such as a computer or a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). In other words, the transport device 3 is configured to be able to place and remove the container 19 from each of the heating device 2, the cooling device 4, the PCR device 5, and the analyzing device 6. Note that the transport device 3 may be configured to be able to move the container holding part 9 parallel to each of the insertion / removal direction, the first direction, and the second direction, or may be configured to be able to move the container holding part 9 by a movement accompanied by rotation.

[0066] The heating device 2 can heat the encapsulation portion 27 received in the receiving portion 45 by the transfer of heat from the receiving portion 45 as a result of the heating unit 8 heating the heat transfer device 7 under computer control. The cooling device 4 is configured to be capable of cooling the encapsulation portion 27. The PCR device 5 is configured to be capable of amplifying the nucleic acid encapsulated in the encapsulation portion 27. The analysis device 6 is configured to be capable of analyzing the nucleic acid encapsulated in the encapsulation portion 27, for example, by using fluorescence, thereby identifying the type of cells in the sample from which the nucleic acid was extracted.

[0067] According to such a processing device 1, a cell suspension is used as a sample, and the heating device 2 heats the encapsulation part 27 to a temperature (e.g., 100 to 160°C) at or above the boiling point of the sample, thereby at least partially destroying the cells and extracting nucleic acid into the cell suspension in the encapsulation part 27. Then, the cooling device 4 lowers the temperature of the encapsulation part 27 to an appropriate temperature, after which the encapsulation part 27 is placed in the PCR device 5 to amplify the nucleic acid, and the analysis device 6 analyzes the nucleic acid to identify the type of cells, such as bacteria and fungi, in the sample.

[0068] In the first embodiment, the first urging portion 16 uses a tension spring 51, but as in a second embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the first urging portion 16 may use a compression spring 55 instead of the tension spring 51. In the second embodiment, the first urging portion 16 has spring urging portions 56, instead of the spring urging portion 48, provided corresponding to both ends of each block pair 17 in the second direction.

[0069] The spring biasing portion 56 has a pressing member 57, a pair of mounting screws 58, and a pair of compression springs 55. The pressing member 57 has a shape in which an intermediate portion 59 in the first direction is shifted upward from both end portions 60, and both end portions 60 have threading portions 61 through which the mounting screws 58 are passed in the insertion / removal direction. The mounting screw 58 has a shaft portion 62 and a head portion 63 having a larger diameter than the shaft portion 62, and the tip portion of the shaft portion 62 is screwed into the first block portion 13 and fixed in a state in which the shaft portion 62 passes through the corresponding compression spring 55 and threading portion 61 with the tip portion of the shaft portion 62 facing downward. The compression spring 55 applies a biasing force between the lower surface of the head portion 63 of the mounting screw 58 and the upper surface of the threading portion 61 of the pressing member 57 in a direction that separates them.

[0070] The ends of the pair of blocks 18 in the second direction each have a protruding portion 64 that slidably contacts the lower surface of the middle portion 59 of the pressing member 57 in the first direction. The lower surfaces of both end portions 60 of the pressing member 57 are held in a state in which a predetermined gap is provided between the upper surface of the first block portion 13. Therefore, even in the case of the second embodiment, the first biasing portion 16 biases the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14 in a direction in which they approach each other in the insertion / removal direction, and as a result, heat can be efficiently transferred between the first block portion 13 and the second block portion 14. In this embodiment, for example, the first biasing portion 16 may also use the same part as the compression spring 40 of the second biasing portion 31, thereby reducing the burden and cost of parts management.

[0071] In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the first portion 46 of the receiving portion 45 has a shape with a closed bottom, but as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the bottom of the first portion 46 of the receiving portion 45 may have a passage 65 with a diameter of, for example, 1 mm. With this configuration, for example, when the encapsulation portion 27 does not reach the lowest part of the receiving portion 45, the encapsulation portion 27 can be made to reach the lowest part by evacuating the passage 65. In addition, for example, when the container 19 is to be released from the receiving portion 45, pressurized gas can be sent from the passage 65 to assist the release. In addition, for example, a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple can be provided in the passage 65 and used for temperature measurement. In addition, for example, a positioning pin or the like can be provided in the passage 65 and used for positioning with respect to another component such as the heating portion 8.

[0072] In the first embodiment, the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 is formed by a pair of blocks 17 that are guided by the shaft 34 so that they can move away from and approach each other in a first direction. However, as in a fourth embodiment shown in Figures 12 to 13, for example, the second portion 47 of the receiving portion 45 may be formed by an integral block 66 so as to be expandable and contractable in a third direction, which is a predetermined direction different from (perpendicular to) the insertion and removal direction of the encapsulating portion 27, and so as to be biased in the contraction direction at least when expanded.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment, the receiving portion 45 has a first portion 46 configured to be able to receive the tapered tip portion 28 of the encapsulation portion 27, and a second portion 47 configured to be able to receive a portion of the encapsulation portion 27 other than the tip portion 28, and the second portion 47 is composed of a pair of portions divided in the third direction. Each of the pair of portions has a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and as a whole, forms a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. Here, FIG. 12 shows an example in which the cylindrical wall surface is vertical, but as shown in the above-mentioned FIG. 5 and FIG. 11, the cylindrical wall surface may not be vertical but may have a taper angle. Providing a taper angle makes it possible to further reduce the biting force.

[0074] The circumferential ends of each of the pair of parts are connected to the block body 68 via the elastic parts 67. A gap is provided between the block body 68 and each of the pair of parts to the extent that the pair of parts can be separated from each other in the third direction by the elastic deformation of the elastic parts 67. Even with this configuration, the receiving part 45 can be configured to be expandable and contractible and to be biased in the contraction direction at least when expanded. Here, the receiving part 45 can be configured so that the receiving part 45 expands when the enclosing part 27 is inserted into the receiving part 45 by making the contracted size of the receiving part 45 smaller than that of the receiving part 27. Therefore, when the enclosing part 27 is inserted into the receiving part 45, the receiving part 45 expands and is biased in the contraction direction, so that the enclosing part 27 can be biased in the pushing direction, thereby reducing the gap between the receiving part 45 and the enclosing part 27, easily and efficiently transferring heat, and suppressing the enclosing part 27 from biting.

[0075] In this embodiment, the elastic portion 67 connected to one portion of the second portion 47 and the elastic portion 67 connected to the other portion of the second portion 47 are provided at positions opposite each other in the circumferential direction, but this is not limited to the above and they may be provided at positions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. Also, the elastic portion 67 may be provided separately from both the block main body 68 and the second portion 47 and attached to them. The number of receiving portions 45 provided in the block 66 is not limited to 16 as shown in the figure and can be set as appropriate.

[0076] The elastic portion 67 may be integrally provided on one of the block body 68 and the second portion 47 and separately provided on the other. The elastic body 67 may be provided on at least a part of the divided second portion 47. For example, when the second portion 47 is divided into two, one of the divided second portions 47 may be fixed to the block body 68, and the other of the divided second portions 47 may be connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67. In such a configuration, the second portion 47 connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67 presses the insertion portion 27, and the position of the second portion 47 connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67 moves to a position along the insertion portion 27 due to the shape variation of the second portion 47 and the insertion portion 27. In contrast, the second portion 47 fixed to the block body 68 does not move, and the second portion 47 connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67 receives a force pressing the insertion portion 27. Therefore, the insertion portion 27 is pushed by the second portion 47 connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67 and the second portion 47 fixed to the block body 68, thereby reducing the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the encapsulation portion 27 as described above, thereby easily and efficiently transferring heat and suppressing the encapsulation portion 27 from gripping.

[0077] Furthermore, since the sealing portion 27 is positioned by the second portion 47 fixed to the block body 68, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in position compared to the case where the above-mentioned second portion 47 is entirely connected to the block body 68 via the elastic body 67. As described above, the position of the container 19 is important, for example, when the container 19 is moved using the transport device 3 controlled by a control device and the container 19 is placed relative to the heating device 2 or the cooling device 4 and removed. Therefore, it is advantageous when transporting the container for the purpose of positioning the encapsulation portion 27, which is a part of the container 19, relative to the heating device 2 or the cooling device 4.

[0078] The heat transfer device 7 of the embodiment described above is divided into a first block portion 13 at the bottom and a second block portion 14 at the top, the second block portion 14 has a receiving portion 45 (second part 47) divided into two, and the first block portion 13 has one receiving portion 45 (first part 46), thus showing the first to fourth embodiments in which the receiving portion is divided into three.

[0079] However, the heat transfer device 7 of the embodiment described above is not limited to the configuration in which the receiving portion 45 is divided into three, and may be configured in such a way that the receiving portion 45 is divided into two, although not shown in the drawings. That is, the receiving portion 45 (first portion 46) provided in the first block portion 19 may not be used, and the receiving portion 45 (second portion 47) divided into two of the second block portion 14 may be configured to be able to receive not only the enclosed portion 27 of the container 19 but also the tip portion 28. In this case, the first block portion 13 may not be used, or a first block portion 13 in which the receiving portion 45 (first portion 46) is not formed may be used.

[0080] Similarly, in the case of the fifth embodiment, the receiving portion 45 can be configured to be expandable and contractible and to be biased in the contracting direction at least when expanded, thereby reducing the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the encapsulated portion 27 and the tip portion 28, thereby easily and efficiently transferring heat and suppressing jamming of the encapsulated portion 27.

[0081] In the case of the fifth embodiment, when container 19 is inserted deeply into receiving portion 45, receiving portion 45 can continue to expand according to the insertion amount of container 19, and it is necessary to restrict the insertion amount of container 19 in order to restrict the expansion of receiving portion 45. In contrast, in the cases of the first to fourth embodiments described above, first portion 46 provided in first block portion 13 can be used as a member for restricting the insertion direction of container 19.

[0082] As described above, in order to reduce the gap between the receiving portion 45 and the enclosed portion 27 and the tip portion 28 and to easily and efficiently transfer heat, it is desirable to press the enclosed portion 27 and the tip portion 28 as hard as possible against the receiving portion 45. However, in the above-mentioned fifth embodiment, when the container 19 is inserted deeply in order to press it hard against the receiving portion 45, the receiving portion 45 continues to expand, so that the container 19 cannot be pressed hard against the receiving portion 45 by the conveying device 3 or the like. In contrast, in the above-mentioned first to fourth embodiments, the first portion 46 provided in the first block portion 13 serves as a restricting member for the insertion direction of the container 19, so that at least the portion of the container 19 that contacts the first portion 46 provided in the first block portion 13 can be pressed hard against the receiving portion 45 by the conveying device 3 or the like.

[0083] Here, the sample to be heated or cooled in container 19 is collected by gravity at the tip of container 19. For this reason, it is advantageous for efficient heating and cooling if the part of container 19 that is located at the tip of container 19 and that comes into contact with first part 46 provided in first block section 13 is pressed firmly against receiving section 45.

[0084] 6, the portion of container 19 that comes into contact with first portion 46 of first block portion 13 can have a sufficiently large taper angle in the insertion / removal direction compared to other portions of container 19. Therefore, even if the portion of first block portion 13 that comes into contact with first portion 46 is pressed strongly against receiving portion 45, the occurrence of binding can be reduced, and problems in inserting and removing container 19 can be suppressed.

[0085] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0086] Therefore, the heat transfer device 7 according to the embodiment described above can be modified in various ways as long as it is a heat transfer device 7 having a receiving part 45 configured to be able to transfer heat between the enclosing part 27 of the container 19 capable of enclosing a sample and the enclosing part 27 that is removably inserted therein and receives the enclosing part 27, and the receiving part 45 is configured to be expandable and contractible and is biased in the contracting direction at least when expanded. For example, the spring biasing part 48 and the spring biasing part 37 may not be separate bodies, but may be configured as an integrated spring biasing part that applies a biasing force equivalent to the resultant force that the spring biasing part 48 and the spring biasing part 37 apply to the respective blocks 18. The spring that constitutes the integrated spring biasing part is not particularly limited, and may be a compression spring, a tension spring, a torsion spring, or the like. The heat transfer device 7 is not limited to a configuration used for the heating device 2, and may be a configuration used for the cooling device 4.

[0087] Furthermore, the heating device 2 according to the embodiment described above can be modified in various ways as long as the heating device 2 has the heat transfer device 7 and a heat source capable of heating the heat transfer device 7.

[0088] Furthermore, the processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment described above can be modified in various ways as long as it has the heating apparatus 2 and the transport apparatus 3 capable of placing and removing the container 19 relative to the heating apparatus 2.

[0089] It is preferable that the heat transfer device 7 according to the above-described embodiment is a heat transfer device 7 in which the receiving portion 45 is composed of a plurality of divided portions.

[0090] The heat transfer device 7 according to the embodiment described above is preferably a heat transfer device 7 in which the receiving portion 45 is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from the insertion and removal direction of the enclosing portion 27.

[0091] It is preferable that the heat transfer device 7 according to the above-described embodiment is a heat transfer device 7 in which the receiving portion 45 has a first portion 46 configured to be capable of receiving the tapered tip portion 28 of the encapsulating portion 27, and a second portion 47 configured to be capable of receiving a portion of the encapsulating portion 27 other than the tip portion 28, and the second portion 47 is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from the insertion / removal direction of the encapsulating portion 27, and is biased in the contraction direction at least when expanded.

[0092] The heat transfer device 7 according to the above-described embodiment is preferably a heat transfer device 7 in which the first portion 46 and the second portion 47 are biased in directions in which they approach each other.

[0093] The heat transfer device 7 according to the embodiment described above is preferably a heat transfer device 7 in which the second portion 47 is formed by a pair of blocks 17 guided by a shaft 34 so as to be able to move away from and approach each other in the predetermined direction.

[0094] The heat transfer device 7 according to the above-described embodiment is preferably a heat transfer device 7 in which the block pair 17 is biased toward each other in the specified direction at least when expanded by a compression spring pair 38 passed through a shaft body 34.

[0095] The processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment described above is preferably a processing apparatus 1 having a cooling device 4 on which a container 19 can be placed and removed by a transport device 3.

[0096] The processing device 1 according to the above-described embodiment is preferably a processing device 1 having a PCR device 5 capable of amplifying nucleic acid.

[0097] The processing device 1 according to the embodiment described above is preferably a processing device 1 having an analysis device 6 capable of identifying the type of cells in a sample from which nucleic acid has been extracted by analyzing nucleic acid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 Processing equipment 2 Heating device 3. Conveyor 4 Cooling device 5 PCR device 6 Analyzer 7 Heat transfer device 8 Heating section 9 Container holding part 10 Moving mechanism 11 First Plate 12 Second Plate 13 First Block Section 14 Second Block Section 15 Block support 16 First biasing section 17 Block vs. 18 blocks 19 Container 20 Container body 21 Opening and closing lid 22 Joint 23 Torso 24 Plate section 25 Plug body 26 Seal part 27 Enclosure 28 Tip 29 Support part 30 Shaft body 31 Second biasing section 32 Adjustment part 33 Support 34 Axial body 35 Shaft through-hole 36 Through hole 37 Spring biasing part 38 Compression Spring Pair 39 Washer vs. 40 Compression spring 41 Washer 42 Regulator 43 Slider 44 Fixing screw 45 Receptor 46 Part 1 47 Part 2 48 Spring biasing part 49 Block spring hook 50 Spring hook part of first block part 51 Tension spring 52 Insertion hole 53 Tapered surface 54 Chamfered part 55 Compression spring 56 Spring biasing part 57 Holding member 58 Mounting screw 59 Middle part of holding member 60 Both ends of the holding member 61 Screw-through part 62 Shaft 63 Head 64 Protrusion Aisle 65 66 blocks 67 Elastic part 68 Block Body R radius of curvature θ given angle

Claims

1. A heat transfer device having a receiving part configured to be able to transfer heat between an enclosure part of a container capable of enclosing a sample and an enclosure part that is removably received in the receiving part, A heat transfer device, wherein the receiving portion is configured to be expandable and contractible and is biased in a contracting direction at least when expanded.

2. The heat transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion is divided into a plurality of portions.

3. The heat transfer device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from a direction in which the enclosing portion is inserted and removed.

4. The receiving portion has a first portion configured to be capable of receiving a tapered tip portion of the encapsulation portion, and a second portion configured to be capable of receiving a portion of the encapsulation portion other than the tip portion, The heat transfer device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion is configured to be expandable and contractable in a predetermined direction different from a direction in which the enclosure is inserted and removed, and is biased in a contracting direction at least when the second portion is expanded.

5. The heat transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the first and second portions are biased toward one another.

6. The heat transfer device according to claim 4 , wherein the second portion is formed by a pair of blocks guided by a shaft so as to be movable toward and away from each other in the predetermined direction.

7. The heat transfer device according to claim 6 , wherein the pair of blocks are biased in a direction approaching each other in the predetermined direction at least when the blocks are expanded by a pair of compression springs passed through the shaft body.

8. A heating device comprising: the heat transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a heating unit capable of heating the heat transfer device.

9. A processing apparatus comprising: the heating device according to claim 8; and a transport device capable of placing and removing the container relative to the heating device.

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