Device, and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a device in which nonspecific absorption of a compound is hard to occur, and which has excellent manufacturability.SOLUTION: A device (1) comprises a substrate (2) and a pair of support bodies (4) and which is made of resin and vertically provided from the substrate (2) in an elastically deformable manner. The substrate (2) includes: a substrate body (20) which has a gap part (G) at an installation position of the pair of support bodies (4); and a mounting member (30) which is attached to the substrate body (20) in the gap part (G). The mounting member (30) is fixed to the substrate body (20) in the state of holding the pair of support bodies (4).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in order to detect cell characteristics, a device for detecting cell characteristics is used. An example of such a device for detecting cell characteristics is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-030574 (Patent Document 1). The device of Patent Document 1 is configured to detect the contraction characteristics of muscle cells held on a support mainly composed of collagen having a long portion by a strain gauge connected to a connecting portion provided at one end of the long portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the device of Patent Document 1, since the support for holding cells is mainly composed of collagen and the entire support is used in a state of being immersed in a liquid containing a compound, non-specific adsorption of the compound easily occurs. Also, in general, when manufacturing a device, it is desirable to be easily assembled.

[0005] There is a demand for a device in which non-specific adsorption of a compound hardly occurs and which is excellent in manufacturability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The device according to the present invention is a device including a substrate and a pair of resin-made supports vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate. The substrate includes a substrate body having a void portion at the installation positions of the pair of supports, and a mounting member attached to the substrate body in the void portion. The mounting member is fixed to the substrate body while holding the pair of supports.

[0007] Also, a method for manufacturing a device according to the present invention is A method for manufacturing a device including a substrate and a pair of resin-made supports vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate, A step of preparing, as components of the substrate, a substrate body having a void portion at the installation positions of the pair of supports, and a mounting member attached to the substrate body in the void portion; A step of holding the pair of supports by the mounting member; A step of fixing the mounting member holding the pair of supports to the substrate body; and includes.

[0008] According to these configurations, it is possible to immerse only the tip side portion of the vertically provided support in the device in the liquid, and since the support is made of resin, non-specific adsorption of the compound is unlikely to occur in terms of both the contact area and the material. Further, the substrate is configured by combining a substrate body and a mounting member, and by fixing the mounting member holding the pair of supports to the substrate body, the device can be easily assembled. From these facts, it is possible to provide a device in which non-specific adsorption of the compound is unlikely to occur and which is excellent in productivity.

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the preferred embodiment examples described below.

[0010] As one aspect, The substrate body has an engagement recess at a position adjacent to the void portion, The mounting member has an engagement protrusion that engages with the engagement recess, The support has an opening with an inner edge shape corresponding to the outer shape of the engagement protrusion, It is preferable that the engaging convex portion and the engaging concave portion are engaged with each other with the engaging convex portion inserted into the opening portion, and the mounting member and the pair of support bodies are attached to the substrate body.

[0011] According to this configuration, the mounting member can be favorably attached to the substrate body by the engagement between the engaging concave portion of the substrate body and the engaging convex portion of the mounting member. Further, by using the engaging convex portion of the mounting member, the pair of support bodies can be favorably held on the mounting member through the opening portion in the engaging convex portion. Therefore, the device can be assembled more easily.

[0012] As one aspect, It is preferable that the engaging convex portion is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the corners on the bottom side of the engaging concave portion in the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped engaging convex portion are formed in a chamfered shape.

[0013] According to this configuration, when attaching the mounting member to the substrate body, the engaging convex portion of the mounting member is less likely to hit the periphery of the engaging concave portion in the substrate body. Therefore, the mounting member can be smoothly attached to the substrate body.

[0014] As one aspect, It is preferable that the pair of support bodies are a pair of film bodies arranged opposite to each other.

[0015] According to this configuration, when it is possible to measure the displacement amount of the pair of support bodies using the device, by changing the thickness of the film body constituting the support body, the resolution of the displacement amount measurement and the maximum measurable displacement amount can be easily changed.

[0016] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Embodiments of the device and its manufacturing method will be described with reference to the drawings. The device 1 of this embodiment can be used, for example, as a device for detecting cell characteristics for detecting cell characteristics.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 1 includes a substrate 2 and a pair of resin supports 4 vertically provided from the substrate 2. In this embodiment, a total of 4 sets of a pair of supports 4 are provided, and the device 1 includes a substrate 2 and 4 sets of a pair of supports 4. The support 4 is elastically deformably supported by the substrate 2.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the substrate 2 includes a substrate body 20 and a mounting member 30, and these are detachably configured. In this embodiment, corresponding to the provision of a total of 4 sets of a pair of supports 4, the substrate 2 includes a substrate body 20 and 4 mounting members 30.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the substrate body 20 has an outer frame 21, a connecting frame 22, and a mounted portion 23. These are integrally formed. The outer frame 21 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The outer frame 21 is formed in a flat rectangular shape with rounded corners in plan view. The connecting frame 22 is linearly formed so as to connect a pair of long side portions of the rectangular outer frame 21. In this embodiment, 3 connecting frames 22 are provided so as to divide the long side portion of the rectangular outer frame 21 into approximately 4 equal parts.

[0022] In the present embodiment, as a space surrounded by the outer frame 21 and the three connecting frames 22, a rectangular gap portion G penetrating in the vertical direction (the thickness direction of the substrate 2) is formed with four arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction. Further, on a pair of short side portions of the outer frame 21 and the three connecting frames 22, a mounted portion 23 is provided so as to extend along the longitudinal direction at the central portion in the short side direction. This mounted portion 23 is a portion for mounting the mounting member 30. The mounted portion 23 protrudes toward the central side of the gap portion G.

[0023] At the longitudinal end of the mounted portion 23, an engaging concave portion 24 recessed in a concave shape is formed. The engaging concave portion 24 is formed at a position adjacent to the gap portion G. The engaging concave portion 24 is open upward and toward the gap portion G side, and the lower side is closed. An engaging convex portion 32 protruding from the mounting member 30 engages with this engaging concave portion 24.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting member 30 is mounted on the substrate body 20 in the gap portion G and constitutes the substrate 2 together with the substrate body 20. The mounting member 30 of the present embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped mounting body 31 and a pair of engaging convex portions 32 protruding from both sides in the longitudinal direction of the mounting body 31. These are integrally formed.

[0025] The mounting body 31 is formed as a solid member in the present embodiment. The length in the longitudinal direction of the mounting body 31 is substantially equal to the interval between two adjacent mounted portions 23. Further, the size of the engaging convex portion 32 is substantially equal to the size of the engaging concave portion 24 formed in the mounted portion 23. The mounting member 30 is mounted on the substrate body 20 in such a manner that a pair of engaging convex portions 32 are inserted and engaged with the corresponding engaging concave portions 24 from above.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5, the upper corner of the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped engaging convex portion 32 is an upper chamfered portion 32A chamfered in an R surface shape. Also, the corner of the lower side of the engaging convex portion 32 (the bottom side of the engaging concave portion 24) is a lower chamfered portion 32B chamfered in an R surface shape larger than the upper chamfered portion 32A. By having such a lower chamfered portion 32B in the engaging convex portion 32, when inserting the engaging convex portion 32 into the engaging concave portion 24 from above, the insertion operation can be smoothly performed without getting caught.

[0027] The support 4 of the present embodiment is composed of a film body 40, and a pair of film bodies 40 are arranged to face each other. As shown in Fig. 3, the support 4 (film body 40) has an attachment portion 41 and an extension portion 42. The attachment portion 41 is formed in a rectangular shape corresponding to the side surface of the attachment main body 31 of the attachment member 30 where the pair of engaging convex portions 32 are formed. A rectangular opening 41a is formed through the attachment portion 41. The opening 41a is formed in a rectangular shape corresponding to the outer shape of the engaging convex portion 32 of the attachment member 30.

[0028] The extension portion 42 extends downward from the attachment portion 41. The extension portion 42 is formed in a strip shape slightly narrower than the attachment portion 41 and extends linearly.

[0029] The support 4 (film body 40) can be formed using, for example, a polystyrene-based resin, a polypropylene-based resin, or a polyethylene-based resin, etc. The Young's modulus of the material constituting the support 4 (film body 40) is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 100 MPa or more and 4500 MPa or less. The Young's modulus of the material constituting the support 4 (film body 40) is more preferably 300 MPa or more and 4300 MPa or less, and even more preferably 400 MPa or more and 4000 MPa or less.

[0030] Also, the thickness of the support 4 (film body 40) is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 5 μm or more and 400 μm or less. The thickness of the support 4 (film body 40) is more preferably 7 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and even more preferably 8 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the support 4 (film body 40) is attached to the attachment member 30 at the attachment portion 41 by inserting the opening 41a into the engagement convex portion 32. Then, the attachment member 30 holding the pair of supports 4 is inserted into the gap G of the substrate body 20, and the pair of engagement convex portions 32 are engaged with the corresponding engagement concave portions 24 from above, so that the attachment member 30 and the pair of supports 4 are integrally fixed to the substrate body 20.

[0032] The manufacturing method of the device 1 of the present embodiment includes a component preparation step, a support holding step, and an attachment member fixing step. These steps are executed in the order of component preparation step → support holding step → attachment member fixing step.

[0033] The component preparation step is a step of preparing each component of the device 1. In the component preparation step, as components of the substrate 2, a substrate body 20 having a gap G at the installation positions of the pair of supports 4 and an attachment member 30 attached to the substrate body 20 in the gap G are prepared. The substrate body 20 and the attachment member 30 can be formed by, for example, injection molding or transfer molding using a general thermoplastic resin. In the present embodiment, four attachment members 30 are prepared per one substrate body 20.

[0034] Also, in the component preparation step, as a component of the support 4, the film body 40 is also prepared. The film body 40 can be formed by trimming a film made of, for example, a polystyrene-based resin, a polypropylene-based resin, or a polyethylene-based resin into a predetermined shape. In the present embodiment, two supports 4 are prepared per one attachment member 30, and as a whole, four attachment members 30 and eight supports 4 are prepared per one substrate body 20.

[0035] The support holding step is a step of holding a pair of supports 4 on the attachment member 30. In the support holding step, the pair of supports 4 are attached to the attachment member 30 by inserting the opening 41a formed in the support 4 (film body 40) into the engagement convex portion 32 of the attachment member 30.

[0036] The mounting member fixing step is a step of fixing the mounting member 30 holding the pair of supports 4 to the substrate body 20. In the mounting member fixing step, the mounting member 30 holding the pair of supports 4 is inserted into the gap G of the substrate body 20 from the tip side (lower end side) of the support 4. Then, by engaging the pair of engaging convex portions 32 of the mounting member 30 with the corresponding engaging concave portions 24 from above, the mounting member 30 and the pair of supports 4 are integrally fixed to the substrate body 20.

[0037] According to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the device 1 including the substrate 2 and the pair of resin supports 4 vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate 2 can be easily assembled and manufactured. Further, when this device 1 is used as a device for detecting cell characteristics, for example, for detecting cell characteristics, by immersing only the tip side portion of the vertically provided resin support 4 in the test liquid, non-specific adsorption of the compound can be made difficult from both the contact area and the material point of view. Therefore, it is possible to provide the device 1 in which non-specific adsorption of the compound is difficult to occur and the manufacturability is excellent.

[0038] 〔Other Embodiments〕 (1) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the opening 41a formed in the mounting portion 41 of the support 4 is externally inserted into the engaging convex portion 32 and the support 4 is attached to the mounting member 30 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the support 4 may be attached to the mounting member 30 using a clip-shaped member or the like.

[0039] (2) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the pair of engaging convex portions 32 of the mounting member 30 are engaged with the corresponding engaging concave portions 24 from above and the mounting member 30 and the pair of supports 4 are integrally fixed to the substrate body 20 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the mounting member 30 may be fixed to the substrate body 20 by being slid horizontally.

[0040] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the engaging convex portion 32 has the upper chamfered portion 32A and the lower chamfered portion 32B chamfered in an R-surface shape has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, at least one of the upper chamfered portion 32A and the lower chamfered portion 32B may be chamfered in a C-surface shape. Alternatively, the engaging convex portion 32 may not have at least one of the upper chamfered portion 32A and the lower chamfered portion 32B.

[0041] (4) In the above-described embodiment, a non-specific adsorption suppression treatment for cells may be performed on a part or the whole of the device 1. The non-specific adsorption suppression treatment for cells is a treatment for suppressing non-specific adsorption of cells. The non-specific adsorption suppression treatment for cells can be performed, for example, by a hydrophilization treatment. More specifically, it can be performed by an oxygen plasma treatment, a coating treatment mainly composed of a polymer containing a specific hydrophilic structural unit, or the like.

[0042] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the device 1 has been mainly described assuming its use as a device for detecting cell characteristics for detecting cell characteristics. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and as long as the device 1 has a structure including the substrate 2 and a pair of resin-made supports 4 vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate 2, it may be used for other purposes.

[0043] (6) The configurations disclosed in each of the above-described embodiments (including the above-described embodiment and other embodiments; the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as no contradiction occurs. Regarding other configurations as well, all the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects, and can be appropriately modified within the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0044] 1 Device 2 Substrate 4 Support 20 Substrate Body 24 Engaging Recess 30 Mounting Member 32 Engaging Convex Portion 32B lower side surface taking part 40 film body 41a opening G gap part

Claims

1. A device comprising a substrate and a pair of resin-made supports vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a substrate body having voids at the installation positions of the pair of supports, and a mounting member attached to the substrate body in the voids, and the mounting member is fixed to the substrate body while holding the pair of supports.

2. The substrate body has engagement recesses at positions adjacent to the voids, the mounting member has engagement protrusions that engage with the engagement recesses, the support has an opening with an inner edge shape corresponding to the outer shape of the engagement protrusion, and the engagement protrusion and the engagement recess engage with each other with the engagement protrusion inserted through the opening, and the mounting member and the pair of supports are attached to the substrate body. The device according to claim 1.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the engagement protrusion is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the corners on the bottom side of the engagement recess in the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped engagement protrusion are chamfered.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pair of supports are a pair of film bodies arranged opposite to each other.

5. A method for manufacturing a device comprising a substrate and a pair of resin-made supports vertically provided so as to be elastically deformable from the substrate, the method comprising: preparing, as components of the substrate, a substrate body having voids at the installation positions of the pair of supports, and a mounting member attached to the substrate body in the voids; a step of holding the pair of supports on the mounting member; and a step of fixing the mounting member holding the pair of supports to the substrate body. A method for manufacturing a device.

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