Inspection Chip and Liquid Introduction Method

Abstract

This inspection chip comprises a body part (20) comprising a microchannel (21) and a liquid introduction part (30) for introducing a liquid into the microchannel (21). The liquid introduction part comprises a liquid reception part (40) and a lid part (50) capable of sealing the liquid reception part. The liquid reception part comprises a liquid storage part (41) having an opening at the top thereof and a connection part (42) that connects the bottom of the liquid storage part to the microchannel. The lid part comprises a protrusion part (52) that protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection chip and a liquid introduction method using the inspection chip.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, inspection chips provided with microchannels have been used to control the liquid feeding and reactions of various specimens or samples, and inspections and biochemical analyses such as blood tests and gene tests have been carried out. In particular, in each field such as the medical field and the biochemical field, there is a demand for miniaturization and simplification of analytical instruments, and there is an increasing demand for speeding up analysis and for analysis using a small amount of specimen.

[0003] Conventionally, when introducing a liquid such as a specimen into a microchannel of an inspection chip, it is common to use a sampling instrument such as a micropipette or a syringe. The problems are that a dedicated sampling instrument is required and the operation is complicated.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a microchip in which a sample liquid inlet communicating with the start end of a liquid flow path and a gas supply port communicating with the end of a gas flow path are formed on the same plane, and a sealing material is disposed so as to surround the sample liquid inlet and the gas supply port, and a vial can be directly connected to the sample liquid inlet.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the conventional inspection chip, a liquid feeding method using compressed air is adopted as the liquid feeding method for the introduced liquid. Although there are also passive liquid feeding methods such as capillary action for the liquid feeding method, all of them require time for liquid feeding, and there are also problems such as the need for a dedicated compressed air generator when using compressed air.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an inspection chip and a liquid introduction method that can simply and quickly introduce and feed a liquid into a microchannel without requiring a dedicated compressed air generator when introducing a liquid such as a specimen into the microchannel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present invention for achieving the above object is an inspection chip having a main body portion provided with a microchannel and a liquid introduction portion for introducing a liquid into the microchannel, wherein the liquid introduction portion includes a liquid receiving portion into which the liquid is injected and a lid portion capable of sealing the liquid receiving portion, the liquid receiving portion has a liquid storage portion having an opening at an upper portion and a connecting portion connecting the liquid storage portion and the microchannel, the lid portion is provided with a protruding portion that can be fitted from the opening and protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed, the protruding portion is capable of entering the liquid storage portion airtightly, the lid portion is attached to the liquid receiving portion, and the liquid in the liquid storage portion is pushed out into the microchannel through the connecting portion.

[0009] By having such specific matters, the liquid receiving portion can be easily sealed by attaching the lid portion of the inspection chip to the liquid receiving portion. At this time, the gas sealed in the liquid storage portion is pushed out by the protruding portion, so that the liquid in the liquid storage portion can be pushed out into the microchannel, and the liquid can be easily introduced into the microchannel.

[0010] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the liquid storage portion has a gradient at the bottom, and the connection portion connects the lowermost portion of the bottom and the microchannel.

[0011] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the protruding portion has a shape in which at least a part thereof abuts against the inner surface of the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed.

[0012] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, the lid portion may include the protruding portion and a base portion that holds the protruding portion, and the protruding portion may be provided so as to be movable relative to the base portion.

[0013] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, the protruding portion may be provided separately from the base portion and may be detachable from the base portion. In this case, it is preferable that the protruding portion includes a locking portion that can be locked to the base portion.

[0014] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, the protruding portion may be configured to include a pressing portion that is recessed in the direction of the liquid storage portion.

[0015] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, the base portion may have a positioning portion that can be fitted into the opening portion and protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage portion.

[0016] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the protruding portion is slidable in an airtight manner within the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed.

[0017] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, the protruding portion may include a sealing protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer surface and adheres to the inner surface of the liquid storage portion.

[0018] In the inspection chip having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the protruding portion is provided so as to be elastically deformable.

[0019] In addition, in the inspection chip having the above configuration, it is preferable that the liquid introduction part is provided in the main body part such that the liquid storage part protrudes from the main body part. In that case, a locked part for locking the lid part may be provided on the outer surface of the liquid storage part, and a locking part for locking to the locked part may be provided on the lid part.

[0020] In addition, in the inspection chip having the above configuration, the liquid storage part and the lid part may have a screw structure that screws together, and a male screw part provided on either the liquid storage part or the lid part may be screwed into a female screw part provided on the other.

[0021] A liquid introduction method using the inspection chip having the above configuration is also within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. That is, a liquid introduction method using an inspection chip having a liquid introduction part connected to a microchannel, the liquid introduction part including a liquid receiving part into which liquid is injected and a lid part for sealing the liquid receiving part, the lid part including a protruding part provided so as to protrude, including a step of injecting and storing liquid into the liquid receiving part and a mounting step of mounting the lid part on the liquid receiving part, and in the mounting step, the lid part seals the liquid receiving part, and the gas in the liquid receiving part is pushed out into the microchannel by the entry of the protruding part to introduce liquid into the microchannel.

[0022] In addition, in the liquid introduction method having the above configuration, the protruding part may be provided so as to be movable with respect to the base part of the lid part, and configured to enter the liquid receiving part by pressing the protruding part.

[0023] As described above, it is possible to easily introduce the liquid in the liquid storage part into the microchannel by a simple operation of sealing the liquid receiving part of the inspection chip with the lid part.

Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to configure an inspection chip that enables rapid introduction and liquid feeding of a liquid with a simple structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] Regarding the inspection chip 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a liquid introduction method using the inspection chip 1, an explanation will be given while referring to the drawings.

[0027] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 1, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the liquid introduction portion 30 of the inspection chip 1. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are explanatory views showing a liquid introduction method using the inspection chip 1.

[0028] -Inspection Chip- As shown in FIG. 1, the inspection chip 1 has a main body portion 20 having a rectangular plate-like overall shape and a liquid introduction portion 30 for introducing a liquid into the microchannel 21 of the main body portion 20. In the following description, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a form in which the liquid introduction portion 30 is disposed on the upper surface side of the main body portion 20 of the inspection chip 1 will be taken as an example for explanation. Also, the orientation and vertical direction of the inspection chip 1 are described based on the form shown in FIG. 1 for convenience of explanation, but do not limit the orientation during use of the inspection chip 1 according to the present invention.

[0029] The main body portion 20 of the inspection chip 1 has a plurality of microchannels 21, 22, 23 including the microchannel 21 connected to the liquid introduction portion 30. In an exemplary form, the microchannel 21 and the microchannel 22 are connected and merged at the downstream end to the reaction portion 25 and branched into a plurality of microchannels 23. An analysis portion 26 is connected to the downstream end of each microchannel 23.

[0030] A gas generation portion 24 is provided upstream of the microchannel 22. In the gas generation portion 24, gas is generated by an external force such as light or heat. For example, a light gas generation tape is provided, and it is possible to send gas into the microchannel 22 by generating gas at a predetermined timing. Thereby, it is possible to control the liquid feeding of a trace amount of reagent, and a complicated liquid feeding mechanism is not required.

[0031] The liquid injected into the liquid introduction part 30 is, for example, minute droplets having a volume of about 1 to 500 μl. The liquid injected into this liquid introduction part 30 is, for example, a specimen collected from a subject. When the liquid is a specimen collected from a subject, it is necessary for the operator to accommodate the specimen in the test chip 1 each time an inspection is performed. Even in such a case, regardless of the skill level of the operator, the specimen can be simply and quickly introduced into the test chip 1 and fed.

[0032] Also, the microchannels 21, 22, 23 are channels through which such a liquid is fed. From the viewpoint of reducing the flow path resistance, for example, in a cross-section orthogonal to the liquid feeding direction X, the preferable cross-sectional dimensions (width, height, or inner diameter) are 0.01 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The cross-sectional shape of the flow path may be any shape, whether rectangular or circular. In FIG. 1, the microchannels 21, 22, 23 are schematically shown as straight lines, but the flow path may have any shape.

[0033] The liquid introduction part 30 includes a liquid receiving part 40 into which the liquid is injected and a lid part 50 that can seal the liquid receiving part 40. It is preferable that the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 are connected by a belt-shaped connecting part 60.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid receiving part 40 integrally includes a bottomed liquid storage part 41 with an open upper part and a connecting part 42 that connects the liquid storage part 41 and the microchannel 21. Note that FIG. 2 shows a cross-section in a state where the lid part 50 is lifted upward with respect to the liquid receiving part 40 fixed to the main body part 20. The liquid storage part 41 has an opening 411 at the upper part, and a gradient is provided at the bottom 412. The bottom 412 of the liquid storage part 41 is formed in a downwardly tapered shape toward the approximate center part, and a connection port 413 (see FIG. 3(b)) is opened at the lowermost part.

[0035] The liquid storage part 41 preferably has, for example, a cylindrical inner surface 414, and the bottom 412 is formed in a funnel shape. The outer surface 415 of the liquid storage part 41 is also formed in a cylindrical shape. The bottom 412 of this liquid storage part 41 is formed in an inverted conical shape.

[0036] The connecting part 42 is connected to a connection port 413 at the lowermost part of the bottom part 412, and connects the liquid storage part 41 and the microchannel 21. The connecting part 42 is provided so as to project downward from the lower part of the liquid storage part 41, and includes a connecting channel 421 that communicates with the connection port 413. The connecting part 42 is fitted and fixed to the upper surface of the main body part 20, and the connecting channel 421 is connected to the upstream end of the microchannel 21 of the main body part 20.

[0037] Note that the liquid storage part 41 is not limited to the above shape as long as the bottom part 412 is provided with a connection port 413 leading to the connecting part 42. For example, if the bottom part 412 of the liquid storage part 41 has a sloped shape, it is not limited to being formed in an inverted conical shape, and may have a rectangular tube-shaped inner surface 414 and the bottom part 412 may be formed in an inverted pyramid shape. Also, the connection port 413 is not limited to being provided at approximately the central part of the bottom part 412, and may be provided eccentrically from the central part of the bottom part 412 as long as it is the lowermost part.

[0038] The microchannel 21 has a liquid inlet 211 that is open to the outside of the system on the upstream side in the main body part 20 (see Fig. 3(b)). The microchannel 21 communicates in the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the main body part 20, is bent, and extends along a liquid feeding direction X that intersects the thickness direction. On the downstream side of the microchannel 21, a reaction part 25 holding, for example, a reagent is provided.

[0039] The lid part 50 of the liquid introduction part 30 integrally includes a base part 51, a protruding part 52 protruding from one surface of the base part 51, and an outer peripheral wall part 53 outside the protruding part 52. The base part 51 is in a flat plate shape. The protruding part 52 and the outer peripheral wall part 53 are provided so as to protrude from the base part 51 in the same direction.

[0040] The protruding part 52 has an outer surface shape smaller than the inner surface shape of the liquid storage part 41, can be fitted into the liquid storage part 41 from the opening part 411, and protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage part 41. In this case, the outer surface 521 of the protruding part 52 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of, for example, the cylindrical liquid storage part 41.

[0041] Further, the protruding portion 52 is provided with a sealing protrusion 522 protruding outward from the outer surface 521. The sealing protrusion 522 is provided continuously in the circumferential direction of the outer surface 521 on the protruding tip side of the protruding portion 52 and is formed in an annular or flange shape. The sealing protrusion 522 has elasticity, and its outer diameter is formed to be equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the liquid storage portion 41. Thus, when the protruding portion 52 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, the sealing protrusion 522 of the protruding portion 52 is configured to be in close contact with the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0042] The protruding tip side of the protruding portion 52 is disposed to face the bottom 412 of the liquid storage portion 41 when accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41. Corresponding to the fact that the bottom 412 is formed in a tapered shape with a downward gradient toward the approximate center, the protruding portion 52 is provided with a tapered portion 523 that gradually bulges toward the approximate center on the protruding tip side.

[0043] Further, when the protruding portion 52 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, it is formed to be sized such that at least the sealing protrusion 522 is in close contact with the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41 while not contacting the bottom 412 of the liquid storage portion 41. Thus, when the lid portion 50 is attached to the liquid receiving portion 40 and the protruding portion 52 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, an airtight space is provided between the protruding portion 52 and the bottom 412. By providing the tapered portion 523, the airtight space can be narrowed and it becomes possible to easily fit the protruding portion 52 into the liquid storage portion 41.

[0044] Note that when the protruding portion 52 is completely accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, it may or may not be in contact with the bottom 412 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0045] The outer peripheral wall portion 53 of the lid portion 50 is provided in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined interval between it and the outer surface 521 of the protruding portion 52 so as to surround the outside of the protruding portion 52. A cylindrical recess 54 surrounded by the outer surface 521 of the protruding portion 52, the base portion 51, and the outer peripheral wall portion 53 is formed outside the protruding portion 52. The outer peripheral wall portion 53 has a protruding length substantially equal to the height of the outer surface 415 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0046] Further, the lid portion 50 is provided with a knob portion 57 that protrudes outward on the outer surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 53. In the illustrated embodiment, the knob portion 57 is provided on the side opposite to the base portion 51 side and protrudes near the tip of the outer peripheral wall portion 53. When attaching the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40, this knob portion 57 can be easily grasped and the connecting portion 60 can be bent and deformed to easily cover the opening 411.

[0047] The liquid receiving portion 40 and the lid portion 50 are preferably integrally formed of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), polystyrene resin (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol resin (PVA), polyvinylidene chloride resin (PVDC), polyethylene terephthalate resin (PET), polyamide resin (PA), polyacetal resin (POM), polycarbonate resin (PC), polyvinylidene fluoride resin (PVDF), polytetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE), cycloolefin polymer resin (COP), cycloolefin copolymer resin (COC). Among these, more preferable resin materials include PP or PE.

[0048] Further, the liquid receiving portion 40 and the lid portion 50 may be formed of a common resin material or different resin materials. At least one of the liquid receiving portion 40 or the lid portion 50 is preferably formed of PP or PE.

[0049] With this configuration, the liquid introduction portion 30 of the test chip 1 has the liquid storage portion 41 provided to protrude from the main body portion 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid portion 50 connected to the liquid receiving portion 40 is disposed outside the main body portion 20. Note that the liquid introduction portion 30 may be provided at any position with respect to the main body portion 20 of the test chip 1 and is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Further, the overall shape of the test chip 1 is not limited to the illustrated rectangular plate shape and may be any shape such as a disc shape or a fan shape.

[0050] -Liquid introduction method using an inspection chip- As shown in Fig. 2, in the inspection chip 1, a liquid receiving part 40 that opens upward is provided in the liquid introduction part 30. The inspection chip 1 is applied to introduce a liquid (extract) 70 containing a specimen collected from, for example, the nostril of a human body and detect biological information such as viruses. In this case, first, the liquid 70 is injected into the liquid receiving part 40 of the liquid introduction part 30. The injected liquid 70 is stored in the bottom 412 of the liquid storage part 41 and the connection flow path 421.

[0051] Next, the lid part 50 is attached to the liquid receiving part 40 (attachment step). As shown in Fig. 3(a), in this attachment step, in the process of covering the liquid receiving part 40 with the lid part 50, the protruding part 52 provided on the lid part 50 is made to enter the liquid storage part 41. In the lid part 50, the sealing protrusion 522 of the protruding part 52 slides airtightly along the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage part 41. Thereby, the protruding part 52 is fitted into the liquid storage part 41.

[0052] As the lid part 50 seals the liquid receiving part 40, the gas present in the liquid storage part 41 is sealed and pushed downward by the protruding part 52. The gas pushed by the protruding part 52 pushes the liquid 70 in the liquid storage part 41 through the connection flow path 421 of the connection part 42 into the micro flow path 21.

[0053] Furthermore, by pressing the lid part 50 so as to fit the protruding part 52 into the liquid storage part 41, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the liquid 70 is introduced into the micro flow path 21. The liquid receiving part 40 is sealed by the lid part 50, and liquid feeding is started. The liquid 70 introduced into the micro flow path 21 is fed from the micro flow path 21 through the reaction part 25 to the downstream micro flow path 23.

[0054] Here, the volume of the liquid storage part 41 is the maximum liquid feeding capacity of the liquid 70. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the liquid feeding volume according to the volume of the liquid storage part 41 provided in the inspection chip 1.

[0055] Also, when attaching and sealing the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40, the protruding portion 52 pushes out the liquid 70 through the gas confined within the liquid storage portion 41, so that the liquid 70 can be introduced into the microchannel 21 without contacting the protruding portion 52. When the lid portion 50 is pushed in until the knob portion 57 contacts the liquid receiving portion 40, the protruding portion 52 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, and the outer peripheral wall portion 53 covers the outer surface 415 of the liquid storage portion 41. Since the sealing protrusion 522 of the protruding portion 52 is in close contact with the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41, after the sealing is completed, the lid portion 50 is difficult to come off and is stably held in the sealed state.

[0056] Thus, by using the inspection chip 1 according to the present embodiment, when introducing the liquid 70 into the inspection chip 1, the liquid receiving portion 40 storing the liquid 70 can be easily sealed by attaching the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40. Further, at the time of sealing, the gas confined within the liquid storage portion 41 is pushed out by the protruding portion 52 of the lid portion 50, and the liquid 70 in the liquid storage portion 41 is pushed out into the microchannel 21, making it possible to easily introduce the liquid 70.

[0057] Thereby, the liquid 70 can be quickly fed into the microchannels 21, 22, and 23, and the analysis of the liquid 70 can be accelerated. Further, when introducing the liquid 70, it is only necessary to perform an operation of sealing the liquid receiving portion 40 into which the liquid 70 has been injected with the lid portion 50, and it is possible to feed the liquid without using a dedicated compressed air generator or the like. Therefore, the inspection chip 1 can be formed with a simple structure, and it is possible to miniaturize the inspection chip 1 while suppressing the manufacturing cost.

[0058] (Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are cross-sectional views schematically showing the liquid introduction portion 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 2. In Embodiments 2 to 5 described below, the basic configuration of the inspection chip 1 is common to that shown in Embodiment 1, and each part configuration of the liquid introduction portion 30 has its own characteristics. Therefore, the characteristic configurations in the liquid introduction portion 30 will be described in detail, and the description of the other configurations will be omitted using the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 1 and the like.

[0059] In the above-described Embodiment 1, the inspection chip 1 was configured to include a sealing protrusion 522 on the protruding portion 52 of the lid portion 50. The configuration of the inspection chip 1 is not limited to this. The protruding portion 52 may be configured such that at least a part thereof abuts against the inner surface of the liquid storage portion 41 when the liquid receiving portion 40 is sealed. Further, when the liquid receiving portion 40 is sealed, the protruding portion 52 may have a configuration that allows it to slide airtightly within the liquid storage portion 41, and does not necessarily have the above-described shape.

[0060] For example, in the inspection chip 1 shown in FIG. 4, the protruding portion 52 of the lid portion 50 does not include a sealing protrusion 522 (see FIG. 2). The outer surface 521 of the protruding portion 52 is formed in a straight cylindrical shape and is configured to be fitted into the liquid storage portion 41. In this case, the protruding portion 52 is pushed in while the outer surface 521 slides airtightly against the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41 to expel the gas inside the liquid storage portion 41, thereby pushing the liquid 70 into the microchannel 21.

[0061] Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, if the lid portion 50 can seal the liquid receiving portion 40 airtightly, the outer peripheral wall portion 53 of the lid portion 50 may be formed to have a protruding length shorter than the height dimension of the outer surface 415 of the liquid storage portion 41. Even in such a form, the recess 54 provided between the outer peripheral wall portion 53 and the protruding portion 52 can be used as a guide for positioning the lid portion 50 on the liquid receiving portion 40 and for fitting the protruding portion 52, thereby improving workability.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protruding portion 52 may be configured not to include a tapered portion 523 that gradually bulges at a substantially central portion on the protruding tip side. By configuring the liquid introduction portion 30 in this way, the inspection chip 1 can be configured with a simpler structure, and rapid liquid introduction becomes possible.

[0063] Note that the knob portion 57 provided on the lid portion 50 may be provided on the tip side of the outer peripheral wall portion 53 as shown in FIG. 2 or on the base portion 51 side as shown in FIG. 4, as long as it is provided protruding on the outer surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 53.

[0064] (Embodiment 3) FIG. 6(a) and FIG. 6(b) are cross-sectional views schematically showing the liquid introduction part 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 3.

[0065] In Embodiment 1, the liquid introduction part 30 was described as having a configuration in which the liquid storage part 41 protrudes from the main body part 20. The liquid introduction part 30 of the inspection chip 1 may further have a configuration in which the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 are locked to each other.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a locked part 416 to which the lid part 50 is locked is provided on the outer surface 415 of the liquid storage part 41. On the other hand, the lid part 50 is provided with a locking part 531 that can be locked to the locked part 416 of the liquid storage part 41. In this case, the liquid storage part 41 is provided with a groove-shaped recess as the locked part 416 at the lower part of the outer surface 415. In contrast, the lid part 50 is provided with a convex part protruding in the direction of the protruding part 52 as the locking part 531 at the tip of the outer peripheral wall part 53.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 6(b), when the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed with the lid part 50, the locking part 531 of the lid part 50 is locked to the locked part 416 of the liquid storage part 41, and the lid part 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving part 40. As a result, the lid part 50 is difficult to come off and can be stably held in a state where the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed. Further, when the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed with the lid part 50, the lid part 50 can be pushed in with reference to the locking of the locking part 531 to the locked part 416, and the liquid receiving part 40 can be reliably sealed.

[0068] Note that, as a configuration in which the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 are locked to each other, a convex part as the locked part 416 may be provided on the outer surface 415 of the liquid storage part 41, and the locking part 531 of the lid part 50 may be elastically engaged.

[0069] (Embodiment 4) FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b) are cross-sectional views schematically showing the liquid introduction part 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 4.

[0070] In Embodiment 3, the liquid storage part 41 is provided so as to protrude from the main body part 20, and the configuration in which the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 are locked to each other and the lid part 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving part 40 has been described. The configuration in which the lid part 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving part 40 is not limited to this, and it may have a screw structure that is screwed together.

[0071] For example, as shown in FIG. 7(a), a male screw part 43 is provided on the outer surface 415 of the cylindrical liquid storage part 41, and on the inner surface side of the cylindrical outer peripheral wall part 53 of the lid part 50, a female screw part 55 that is screwed into the male screw part 43 of the liquid storage part 41 is provided. In this case, the lid part 50 is rotated, the female screw part 55 is screwed into the male screw part 43, and the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed with the lid part 50 while being screwed in.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7(b), when the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed with the lid part 50, the female screw part 55 of the outer peripheral wall part 53 is screwed into and locked to the male screw part 43 of the liquid storage part 41, and the lid part 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving part 40. As a result, the lid part 50 becomes difficult to come off, and can be stably held in a state where the liquid receiving part 40 is sealed. When providing such a screw structure that is screwed together, the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 are separate bodies, and the connecting part 60 may not be provided between them. Alternatively, the liquid receiving part 40 and the lid part 50 may be connected using a connecting part 60 with a loop so that the lid part 50 can rotate.

[0073] (Embodiment 5) FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are cross-sectional views schematically showing the liquid introduction part 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 5.

[0074] In Embodiment 4, as a configuration in which the lid part 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving part 40, the configuration in which the male screw part 43 is provided on the liquid receiving part 40 side and the female screw part 55 is provided on the lid part 50 side has been described. The inspection chip 1 according to the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as it has a screw structure that is screwed together, a female screw part 44 may be provided on the liquid receiving part 40 side and a male screw part 56 may be provided on the lid part 50 side.

[0075] For example, as shown in FIG. 8(a), a female screw portion 44 may be provided on the inner surface 414 of the cylindrical liquid storage portion 41, and a male screw portion 56 may be provided on the outer surface 521 of the protruding portion 52 of the lid portion 50. Also in this case, the lid portion 50 can be rotated and screwed in while screwing the male screw portion 56 into the female screw portion 44, and the liquid receiving portion 40 can be sealed with the lid portion 50.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 8(b), when the liquid receiving portion 40 is sealed with the lid portion 50, the male screw portion 56 of the protruding portion 52 is screwed into and engaged with the female screw portion 44 of the liquid storage portion 41, and the lid portion 50 is fixed to the liquid receiving portion 40. Thereby, the lid portion 50 becomes difficult to come off, and can be stably held in a state where the liquid receiving portion 40 is sealed.

[0077] Note that the lid portion 50 may or may not be provided with the outer peripheral wall portion 53 as in the above-described embodiment. Further, when the lid portion 50 is completely screwed in, the tapered portion 523 of the protruding portion 52 may be configured to reach the bottom portion 412 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0078] (Embodiment 6) FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the liquid introduction portion 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 6, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views sequentially showing a state where the protruding portion 66 provided on the lid portion 50 is fitted into the liquid storage portion 41. Note that these drawings show a cross section in a state where the liquid receiving portion 40 is sealed with the lid portion 50.

[0079] In the inspection chip 1 according to the present invention, the lid portion 50 of the liquid introduction portion 30 is not limited to a configuration in which the base portion 51 and the protruding portion 52 protruding from one surface of the base portion 51 are integrally provided, and these base portion and protruding portion may be provided separately.

[0080] That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, in the inspection chip 1 according to this embodiment, in the lid portion 50 that seals the liquid receiving portion 40, the lid body 61 as the base portion and the protruding portion 66 are provided separately, and the protruding portion 66 is held by the lid body 61.

[0081] The lid body (base portion) 61 includes a cover portion 62 that covers the upper portion of the liquid receiving portion 40 and a holding portion 63 that holds a separate protruding portion 66, and these cover portion 62 and holding portion 63 are integrally provided. The cover portion 62 includes a disk-shaped upper surface portion 621 that is placed so as to contact the upper surface of the liquid receiving portion 40, and a rib portion 622 that protrudes downward in the drawing from the upper surface portion 621 toward the liquid receiving portion 40. A knob portion 64 that protrudes outward is provided on the rib portion 622.

[0082] The holding portion 63 is provided convexly upward from the upper surface portion 621 at a substantially central portion of the lid body 61. The holding portion 63 is provided with a substantially cylindrical inner wall portion 631, a locking recess 632 provided at the upper edge portion of the inner wall portion 631, and a fitting recess 633 into which the protruding portion 66 is fitted. The inner wall portion 631 is disposed at a substantially central portion of the lid body 61, and a hole portion that penetrates inside and outside the lid body 61 is formed inside thereof. The locking recess 632 locks the protruding portion 66. The fitting recess 633 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the inner wall portion 631 and is formed in a concave shape that is open downward in the drawing toward the liquid receiving portion 40.

[0083] In the holding portion 63, a part of the protruding portion 66 is disposed inside the inner wall portion 631 and in the fitting recess 633, and the locking portion 664 of the protruding portion 66 is locked in the locking recess 632. Thereby, the protruding portion 66 is held by the holding portion 63 of the lid body 61.

[0084] The protruding portion 66 integrally includes a main body portion 661, a cylindrical portion 662 that extends upward from the main body portion 661, and a fitting convex portion 665 provided outside the cylindrical portion 662. The main body portion 661 is sized to be placed over the liquid receiving portion 40 and can close the opening 411 of the liquid storage portion 41. The lower surface (the surface facing the liquid storage portion 41) of the main body portion 661 is formed in a gently convex curved surface shape.

[0085] The cylindrical portion 662 of the protruding portion 66 is fitted inside the inner wall portion 631 of the holding portion 63. A locking portion 664 protruding outward is provided at the tip of the cylindrical portion 662. This locking portion 664 is locked to the locking recess 632 of the holding portion 63. The inside of the cylindrical portion 662 is formed in a bottomed shape recessed in the direction of the liquid storage portion 41 and serves as a pressing portion 663. The fitting convex portion 665 extends upward from the outer edge portion of the main body portion 661 and is fitted into the fitting concave portion 633. The protruding portion 66 is provided in a protruding state such that the main body portion 661 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41.

[0086] The lid body 61 and the liquid receiving portion 40 are coupled by a connecting portion 60 and are configured to be openable and closable. A knob portion 64 protrudes from the side of the lid body 61 opposite to the connecting portion 60. When attaching the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40, the knob portion 64 can be gripped and fitted so that the cover portion 62 covers the liquid receiving portion 40.

[0087] On the other hand, the liquid receiving portion 40 is integrally provided with a connecting portion 42, a first fixing portion 45, a second fixing portion 46, and an abutting portion 47 in the liquid storage portion 41, and is provided in a shape protruding upward from the main body portion 20 of the inspection chip 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the first fixing portion 45 protruding downward from the connecting portion 42 and the second fixing portion 46 provided outside the liquid storage portion 41 are respectively engaged with the recesses on the upper surface of the main body portion 20, and the liquid receiving portion 40 is fixed to the main body portion 20.

[0088] The abutting portion 47 of the liquid receiving portion 40 is a portion covered by the upper surface portion 621 of the cover portion 62 of the lid body 61, and is formed with concavo-convex shapes corresponding to the inner surface shape of the upper surface portion 621 so as to be positioned with each other. The second fixing portion 46 extends downward from the outer peripheral portion of the abutting portion 47 toward the main body portion 20. A protrusion may be provided at the lower end portion of the second fixing portion 46 and configured to lock to the main body portion 20.

[0089] The liquid storage portion 41 has an opening 411 at the upper part, and the inner surface 414 is formed in a tapered shape with a downward gradient toward the connection portion 42. A contact portion 47 is provided so as to project outward around the opening 411. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41 is a first gradient portion 418 having a gradient close to a substantially cylindrical shape on the upper side via a step portion 417, and a second gradient portion 419 formed in a funnel shape with a gentler gradient than the first gradient portion 418 on the lower side via the step portion 417. A connection portion 42 that connects the liquid storage portion 41 and the microchannel 21 is provided at the lowermost part of the second gradient portion 419. The connection portion 42 has a connection port 422 that connects to the upstream end of the microchannel 21.

[0090] Thereby, the liquid receiving portion 40 is provided so as to project on the main body portion 20 with the liquid storage portion 41 as the center. A cavity is formed between the outer surface side of the liquid storage portion 41 and the second fixing portion 46.

[0091] The liquid receiving portion 40 and the lid body 61 are preferably integrally formed of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), polystyrene resin (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS), etc. The liquid receiving portion 40 and the lid body 61 may be formed of the same resin material or different resin materials.

[0092] On the other hand, the protruding portion 66 of the lid portion 50 is preferably formed of an elastically deformable resin material such as polyolefin resin and elastomer. For example, resin materials suitable for forming the protruding portion 66 include polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), styrene-based elastomer, olefin-based elastomer, polyester-based elastomer, polyurethane-based elastomer, and the like.

[0093] Since the protruding portion 66 is provided separately from the lid body 61, the protruding portion 66 is made movable so as to protrude with respect to the lid body 61, and is further capable of detaching from the lid body 61.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 9, the main body portion 661 of the protruding portion 66 is formed to have an outer diameter that substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the opening 411 of the liquid storage portion 41, or an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the opening 411. Further, the fitting convex portion 665 of the protruding portion 66 is formed to have an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the opening 411, and is fitted into the fitting concave portion 633 while being elastically deformed in a bent shape with respect to the main body portion 661.

[0095] Unlike the first embodiment and the like, in this embodiment, the protruding portion 66 is held by the lid body 61 and is provided in a state where a part of the main body portion 661 protrudes downward from the upper surface portion 621 of the lid body 61. In this state, since the protruding portion 66 is movable downward, it can be fitted into the liquid storage portion 41 from the opening 411. Since the protruding portion 52 has elasticity, it can be deformed in the process of being fitted into the liquid storage portion 41, and is configured to be hermetically fitted while being in close contact with the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0096] As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, when the protruding portion 52 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, it abuts against the first gradient portion 418 and the second gradient portion 419 of the liquid storage portion 41 to deform the overall shape and come into close contact with the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41. When the lid portion 50 is attached to the liquid receiving portion 40 and the protruding portion 66 is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, an airtight space is formed in the liquid storage portion 41. Further, by causing the protruding portion 66 to enter the liquid storage portion 41, the airtight space is narrowed, and the liquid 70 can be pushed out into the microchannel 21. Note that when the protruding portion 66 is completely accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41, it may or may not abut against the lowermost portion of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0097] As a method for introducing a liquid using the inspection chip 1 according to the present embodiment, the liquid 70 is injected into and stored in the liquid storage section 41 of the liquid receiving section 40. Next, the knob portion 64 of the lid portion 50 is gripped and attached to the liquid receiving section 40 (attachment step). As shown in FIG. 9, the rib portion 622 of the lid body 61 is fitted above the second fixing portion 46 of the liquid receiving section 40, and the cover portion 62 is attached so as to cover the contact portion 47. The protruding portion 66 is held by the holding portion 63 of the lid body 61, and the locking portion 664 of the protruding portion 66 is locked to the locking recess 632 of the lid body 61. The opening 411 of the liquid storage section 41 is closed by the protruding portion 66.

[0098] Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the rod-shaped body 80 is inserted into the pressing portion 663 of the protruding portion 66 and pressed downward. As a result, the locking portion 664 of the protruding portion 66 is disengaged from the locking recess 632 of the lid body 61, and the fitting convex portion 665 is disengaged from the fitting recess 633. The cylindrical portion 662 moves downward while sliding inside the inner wall portion 631 of the lid body 61. The main body portion 661 enters the liquid storage section 41.

[0099] As the protruding portion 66 detaches from the lid body 61 and enters the liquid storage section 41, the gas present in the liquid storage section 41 is pushed downward. The fitting convex portion 665 of the protruding portion 66 enters while deforming so that the outer surface is in close contact with the first gradient portion 418 of the liquid storage section 41. The liquid 70 in the liquid storage section 41 is pushed out into the microchannel 21 through the connection port 422.

[0100] By further pressing the pressing portion 663, as shown in FIG. 11, the protruding portion 66 is further deformed and fitted into the liquid storage section 41. For example, the main body portion 661 of the protruding portion 66 can also be deformed so as to be in close contact with the second gradient portion 419 of the liquid storage section 41. The liquid 70 introduced into the microchannel 21 is fed from the microchannel 21 to the downstream microchannel 23 via the reaction section 25 (see FIG. 1).

[0101] Figs. 12 and 13 schematically show other examples of the liquid introduction portion 30 of the inspection chip 1 according to Embodiment 6. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid introduction portion 30, and Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the protruding portion 66 is fitted into the liquid storage portion 41. In Figs. 12 and 13, the same components as those in the form shown in Fig. 9 are denoted by common reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted below.

[0102] Even in the form shown in Fig. 12, the protruding portion 66 is provided separately from the lid body 61 and is detachable from the lid body 61. A through hole 634 through which the cylindrical portion 662 of the protruding portion 66 is inserted is provided in the holding portion 63 of the lid body 61. Further, the lid body 61 is not provided with the inner wall portion 631 shown in Fig. 9 and is formed with a simpler structure. In this case, the protruding portion 66 includes a sealing protrusion 666 formed by rising on the outer peripheral portion of the main body portion 661 and is in close contact with the inner surface 611 of the lid body (base portion) 61. The locking portion 664 of the cylindrical portion 662 is locked to the upper edge portion of the through hole 634 of the holding portion 63. Thereby, the protruding portion 66 is held by the lid body 61.

[0103] Furthermore, the lid body 61 includes a positioning portion 65 that is fitted into the opening 411 of the liquid storage portion 41. As shown in Fig. 12, the positioning portion 65 protrudes from the holding portion 63 of the lid body 61 in the direction of the liquid receiving portion 40 (downward in Fig. 12) and is accommodated in the liquid storage portion 41. When the lid portion 50 is attached to the liquid receiving portion 40, the tip portion (lower end portion) of the positioning portion 65 enters the liquid storage portion 41 and abuts against and stops at an engaging portion 48 provided as a step portion on the inner surface 414. Thereby, the lid portion 50 is properly positioned and attached to the liquid receiving portion 40.

[0104] In addition, on the inner surface 414 of the liquid storage portion 41, a first gradient portion 418, a step portion 417, and a second gradient portion 419 are provided below the positioning portion 65. As shown in Fig. 12, the upper first gradient portion 418 may be provided in a funnel shape with a gentler gradient than the second gradient portion 419.

[0105] In this case, as the liquid introduction method, the liquid 70 is injected and stored in the liquid receiving portion 40, and the lid portion 50 is attached to the liquid receiving portion 40 while fitting the positioning portion 65 into the liquid storage portion 41. Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the rod-shaped body 80 is inserted into the pressing portion 663 of the protruding portion 66 and pressed downward. As a result, the locking portion 664 of the protruding portion 66 is disengaged from the through hole 634 of the lid body 61, and the protruding portion 66 becomes movable. The protruding portion 66 slides while the sealing protrusion 666 is in close contact with the inner surface 611 of the lid body 61 and enters the liquid storage portion 41. The liquid 70 is pushed out into the microchannel 21. Since the protruding portion 66 has elasticity, it can be further pressed and deformed from the state shown in FIG. 13, and the main body portion 661 can also be deformed so as to be in close contact with the second gradient portion 419 of the liquid storage portion 41.

[0106] As described above, also in the inspection chip 1 according to the present embodiment, by attaching the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40 and pressing the protruding portion 66, the liquid 70 can be easily introduced into the microchannel 21. Thereby, the liquid 70 can be quickly fed into the microchannels 21, 22, and 23, and the analysis of the liquid 70 can be accelerated. Note that the protruding portion 66 is not limited to being provided separately from the lid body 61. For example, the protruding portion 66 may be integrally provided with the lid body 61 via a telescopic portion or the like so that the protruding portion 61 is movable with respect to the lid portion 61.

[0107] In the inspection chip 1 according to the first to sixth embodiments, in any form, the liquid receiving portion 40 can be sealed only by a simple operation of attaching the lid portion 50 to the liquid receiving portion 40. At this time, the gas sealed in the liquid storage portion 41 is pushed out by the protruding portion 52, so that the liquid 70 in the liquid storage portion 41 can be pushed out into the microchannel 21 and quickly introduced.

[0108] Note that the present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from its spirit or main features. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in every respect and should not be construed in a limiting sense. The technical scope of the present invention is not defined by the above-described embodiments alone, but is based on the claims and is not restricted by the text of the specification. Further, modifications and variations within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-107246. By reference thereto, the content thereof is incorporated into this application.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0109] 1 Inspection chip 20 Main body portion 21, 22, 23 Microchannels 211 Liquid inlet 24 Gas generation portion 25 Reaction portion 26 Analysis portion 30 Liquid introduction portion 40 Liquid receiving portion 41 Liquid storage portion 411 Opening 412 Bottom 413 Connection port 414 Inner surface 415 Outer surface 416 Locked portion 418 First gradient 419 Second gradient 42 Connection portion 421 Connection channel 422 Connection port 43 Male screw portion 44 Female screw portion 50 Lid portion 51 Base portion 52 Protruding portion 521 Outer surface 522 Sealing protrusion 523 Tapered portion 53 Outer peripheral wall portion 531 Locking portion 54 Recessed portion 55 Female screw part 56 Male screw part 60 Connecting part 61 Cover body (base part) 62 Cover part 63 Holding part 65 Positioning part 66 Protruding part 661 Body part 662 Cylindrical part 663 Pressing part 664 Locking part 665 Fitting convex part 666 Sealing protrusion 70 Liquid

Claims

1. An inspection chip having a main body portion provided with a microchannel and a liquid introduction portion for introducing a liquid into the microchannel, wherein the liquid introduction portion includes a liquid receiving portion into which the liquid is injected and a lid portion capable of sealing the liquid receiving portion, the liquid receiving portion has a liquid storage portion having an opening at the upper portion and a connection portion connecting the liquid storage portion and the microchannel, the lid portion includes a protruding portion that can be fitted from the opening and protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed, and a base portion that holds the protruding portion, the protruding portion is provided so as to be movable relative to the base portion and is capable of entering the liquid storage portion in an airtight manner, the lid portion is attached to the liquid receiving portion, and the liquid in the liquid storage portion is extruded into the microchannel through the connection portion. An inspection chip characterized by this.

2. In the inspection chip according to Claim 1, the liquid storage portion has a gradient at the bottom, the connection portion connects the lowermost portion of the bottom and the microchannel. An inspection chip characterized by this.

3. In the inspection chip according to Claim 1 or 2, the protruding portion has a shape in which at least a part thereof contacts the inner surface of the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed. An inspection chip characterized by this.

4. In the inspection chip according to Claim 1, the protruding portion is provided separately from the base portion and is detachable from the base portion. An inspection chip characterized by this.

5. In the inspection chip according to Claim 4, the protruding portion includes a locking portion that can be locked to the base portion. An inspection chip characterized by this.

6. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, the protruding portion includes a pressing portion recessed in the direction of the liquid storage portion. An inspection chip characterized by this.

7. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, the base portion has a positioning portion that can be fitted into the opening and protrudes so as to be accommodated in the liquid storage portion. An inspection chip characterized by this.

8. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, the protruding portion is capable of sliding in an airtight manner within the liquid storage portion when the liquid receiving portion is sealed. An inspection chip characterized by this.

9. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, The inspection chip is characterized in that the protruding portion includes a sealing protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer surface and adheres to the inner surface of the liquid storage portion.

10. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, the inspection chip is characterized in that the protruding portion is provided so as to be elastically deformable.

11. In the inspection chip according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, the inspection chip is characterized in that the liquid introduction portion is provided in the main body portion such that the liquid storage portion protrudes from the main body portion.

12. In the inspection chip according to Claim 11, a locked portion to which the lid portion is locked is provided on the outer surface of the liquid storage portion, the inspection chip is characterized in that a locking portion that locks to the locked portion is provided on the lid portion.

13. A liquid introduction method using an inspection chip having a liquid introduction portion connected to a microchannel, wherein the liquid introduction portion includes a liquid receiving portion into which liquid is injected and a lid portion that seals the liquid receiving portion, the lid portion includes a protruding portion that protrudes, and the protruding portion is provided so as to be movable with respect to the base portion of the lid portion, a step of injecting and storing liquid in the liquid receiving portion, and a mounting step of mounting the lid portion on the liquid receiving portion, wherein in the mounting step, the liquid receiving portion is sealed with the lid portion, the protruding portion is pressed to cause the protruding portion to enter the liquid receiving portion, and the gas in the liquid receiving portion is pushed out to the microchannel by the entry of the protruding portion, thereby introducing liquid into the microchannel.

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