Electrode unit fixing mechanism, electrode unit fixing method, electroporation device, and electroporation method

Abstract

In the present invention, in a state in which a spring mechanism and a support member sandwich an electrode unit, a first terminal moves and presses the electrode unit, whereby the electrode unit separates from the support member and is sandwiched between the spring and the first terminal, and then a second terminal contacts a second electrode.

Description

Electrode Unit Fixing Mechanism, Method for Fixing Electrode Unit, Electroporation Device, and Electroporation Method 【0001】 The present invention relates to an electrode unit fixing mechanism used in an electroporation device, a method for fixing an electrode unit used in an electroporation device, an electroporation device, and an electroporation method. 【0002】 Conventionally, there is an electroporation device that uses electroporation, which is a technique for introducing substances into cells by creating pores in the cell membrane using electric pulses. 【0003】 In this type of electroporation device, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a first electrode is provided on one surface of a plate-shaped electroporation device (hereinafter also referred to as an electrode unit), and a second electrode is provided on the other surface facing the one surface. A suspension containing a bio-derived substance and a bioactive substance flows between the first electrode and the second electrode, and by applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, pores are formed in the cell membrane of the bio-derived substance contained in the suspension, and the bioactive substance is introduced into the bio-derived substance. 【0004】 WO2023 - 223931 【0005】 By the way, in the above electroporation device, the thickness of the electroporation device may be different. In this case, if the distance between the first terminal for applying a voltage to the first electrode and the second terminal for applying a voltage to the second electrode is constant, it may not be possible to fix the electroporation device between the first terminal and the second terminal. Therefore, in a conventional electroporation device, it is not possible to perform electroporation by fixing electroporation devices with different thicknesses. 【0006】 Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when using an electroporation device including an electrode unit having one surface and the other surface facing the one surface, a main object is to provide an electrode unit fixing mechanism capable of fixing electrode units with different thicknesses. 【0007】 In other words, the present invention relates to an electrode unit fixing mechanism for use in an electroporation apparatus comprising an electrode mounting member having one surface and another surface which is the back surface of the one surface, to which a pair of electrodes are attached, and an electrode unit having a first electrode provided on the one surface which is one of the electrodes, and a second electrode provided on the other surface which is the other electrode, wherein the electrode unit fixing mechanism comprises a spring mechanism that presses against the other surface, a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism, and a pair of clamping members that clamp the electrode unit, wherein from a temporary fixing position where the spring mechanism and the support member clamp the electrode unit, the first clamping member presses the electrode unit while contacting the first electrode, thereby isolating the electrode unit from the support member and the spring mechanism and the first terminal clamp the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the other clamping member. 【0008】 With this configuration, the electrode unit moves away from the support member and becomes sandwiched between the spring mechanism and the first terminal as the first terminal presses against the first electrode, starting from a temporary fixed position where the spring mechanism and support member sandwich the electrode unit. This allows electrode units of different thicknesses to be fixed within the range of the spring's expansion and contraction. The electrode unit then moves to a voltage application position where the second terminal contacts the second electrode, allowing the electrode unit to be sandwiched and fixed according to its thickness. In this state, electroporation can be performed by fixing electrode units of different thicknesses by applying a voltage between the first and second electrodes. In addition, since the first terminal presses against the electrode unit against the spring's pressing force, the electrode unit can be stably fixed by the spring and the first terminal. 【0009】 It is preferable that the electrode unit is moved between the temporary fixing position and the voltage application position while the spring mechanism and the first terminal are sandwiching the electrode unit. 【0010】With this configuration, when the electrode unit moves between the temporarily fixed state and the voltage application position, the electrode unit is held in place by the spring mechanism and the first terminal, so the electrode unit can be moved while remaining fixed. 【0011】 To facilitate insertion of the electrode unit between the spring and the support member, the electrode unit is inserted between the spring and the support member through an insertion opening formed between the spring mechanism and the support member, and it is preferable that the spring constituting the spring mechanism has an expanding shape, with the distance between it and the support member increasing as it approaches the insertion opening. 【0012】 Specifically, the spring is a pair of leaf springs that are curved toward the support member, and the second terminal is provided between the pair of leaf springs. 【0013】 With this configuration, the leaf spring presses the electrode unit against the support member or the first terminal and curves toward the support member, allowing for temporary fixing of the electrode unit and easy insertion of the electrode unit, thereby reducing the number of parts in the electroporation apparatus. Furthermore, compared to a configuration with a single spring, the spring is composed of a pair, allowing for stable fixing of the electrode unit and ensuring reliable contact between the second electrode and the second terminal provided between the pair of leaf springs. 【0014】 In order to facilitate insertion of the electrode unit between the spring mechanism and the support member, it is preferable that the electrode unit is inserted between the spring mechanism and the support member through an insertion opening formed between the spring mechanism and the support member, and that the support member has a tapered portion formed thereon where the distance between it and the spring mechanism increases as it approaches the insertion opening. 【0015】 Specifically, the support members are a pair of columnar shapes, and the first terminal is provided between the pair of support members and moves from between the pair of support members toward one of the surfaces to push the electrode unit. 【0016】With this configuration, since the support members are made up of a pair, the electrode unit can be stably temporarily fixed between the spring and the support members compared to the case where there is only one support member. In addition, since the first terminal moves from between the pair of support members toward one surface and presses against that surface, the electrode unit can be stably fixed to the first terminal and the spring even when the electrode unit is separated from the support members. 【0017】 Preferably, the electrode unit is rectangular in shape and further includes guide members that contact the side and bottom surfaces of the electrode unit and guide the electrode unit to move in the direction in which the first terminal pushes the electrode unit. 【0018】 With this configuration, the guide member contacts the side and bottom surfaces of the electrode unit and guides the electrode unit to move in the direction in which the first terminal pushes the electrode unit, thus preventing the electrode unit from shifting position when it moves. 【0019】 The guide member has a side guide surface that is adjacent to or in contact with the side surface of the electrode unit and guides that side surface, and the side guide surface extends to a predetermined height so that the electrode unit is inserted from an insertion opening formed above the spring mechanism and the support member. With this configuration, since the side guide surface extends to a predetermined height so that the electrode unit is inserted from an insertion opening formed above the spring mechanism and the support member, the electrode unit is inserted downward from the insertion opening. As a result, the electrode unit is prevented from being inserted from the side of the spring mechanism. In addition, if the spring mechanism is a leaf spring, the electrode unit is prevented from being inserted from the side of the leaf spring, so that the leaf spring is not damaged. 【0020】 The aforementioned side guide surface extends at least to the electrode contact position where the electrode unit contacts the spring mechanism. With this configuration, it is possible to reliably prevent the electrode unit from being inserted from the side of the spring mechanism. 【0021】The first terminal moves in a straight line, and in a state in which the spring and the support member temporarily fix the electrode unit, the first electrode, the second electrode and the second terminal are arranged on the straight line through which the first terminal moves. 【0022】 With this configuration, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the second terminal are located on a straight line through which the first terminal moves linearly. Therefore, by simply moving the first terminal linearly, the first terminal and the second terminal can be brought into contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively. 【0023】 The spring mechanism is provided on both sides of the contact portion that contacts the first terminal of the first electrode, and the support member is provided on both sides of the contact portion that contacts the second terminal of the second electrode. 【0024】 With this configuration, in the temporarily fixed state of the electrode unit, the spring mechanism presses both sides of the contact portion of the second electrode that contacts the second terminal, and the support member supports both sides of the contact portion of the first electrode that contacts the first terminal. Therefore, when the first terminal moves toward the first electrode, it is possible to prevent the first and second electrodes from shifting. Furthermore, when the first terminal contacts the first electrode and the electrode unit moves, the spring mechanism presses both sides of the contact portion of the second electrode that contacts the second terminal, thus preventing the second electrode from shifting. 【0025】 The region in which the spring mechanism contacts the other surface includes the center of the contact portion that contacts the second terminal of the second electrode in the height direction, and the region in which the support member contacts the one surface includes the first electrode in the height direction. 【0026】 With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the first electrode and the second electrode from wobbling between the spring mechanism and the support member when the electrode unit is temporarily fixed and when the first terminal presses against the electrode unit. 【0027】The first electrode is fixed in a recess formed on one surface of the electrode mounting member, and the second electrode is fixed in a recess formed on the other surface of the electrode mounting member. A sample channel through which the suspension flows is formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a sealing member is interposed between the first electrode and the one surface and between the second electrode and the other surface to prevent the suspension from leaking out of the sample channel. 【0028】 In this configuration, the first electrode and the second electrode are fixed in the recess, and a sealing member is interposed between the first electrode and one surface and between the second electrode and the other surface to prevent the suspension from leaking from the sample channel. This improves the sealing performance of the channel and each electrode, and prevents liquid leakage from the sample channel. Furthermore, even when the first electrode and the second electrode are fixed in the recess, the first terminal moves, so that the first terminal pushes the electrode unit while in contact with the first electrode, and moves to a voltage application position where the second terminal contacts the second electrode, and electroporation can be performed by applying a voltage. 【0029】 The electrode unit has a sheath flow supply path that supplies a sheath flow flowing outside the suspension to the sample flow path. Parts of the first electrode and the second electrode are flow path exposed portions that are exposed to and in contact with the sample flow path, while the other portions are non-exposed portions that are not exposed to the flow path. Part of the non-exposed portion is a contact portion that contacts the terminals in order to supply current to the electrodes. The flow path exposed portion has a thickness that differs from the 【0030】With this configuration, even if there are parts of different thicknesses within a single electrode unit, the spring constituting the temporary fixing mechanism can fix these parts of different thicknesses within the range of expansion and contraction. 【0031】A method for fixing an electrode unit used in an electroporation apparatus, characterized in that the electrode unit is temporarily fixed by sandwiching it with a spring mechanism and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism, and from the temporary fixed position, the electrode unit is moved to a voltage application position where the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit and the second electrode contacts the second terminal by pressing it. The electroporation apparatus comprises an electrode mounting member having one surface and the other surface which is the back surface of the first surface, to which a pair of electrodes are attached; an electrode unit having a first electrode provided on the one surface and which is one of the electrodes, and a second electrode provided on the other surface and which is the other electrode; a temporary fixing mechanism comprising a spring mechanism and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism; and a first terminal and a second terminal for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. The apparatus is characterized in that, from a temporary fixing position where the spring mechanism and the support member sandwich the electrode unit, the first terminal pushes the electrode unit while contacting the first electrode, causing the spring constituting the spring mechanism to press against the other surface and isolate the electrode unit from the support member, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the second terminal. The electroporation method in the electroporation apparatus is characterized by temporarily fixing the electrode unit by sandwiching it between a mechanism that presses the other surface and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism, and then moving the electrode unit from the temporary fixing position where the spring mechanism and the support member are sandwiching the electrode unit by pushing the electrode unit while bringing the first terminal into contact with the first electrode, thereby isolating the electrode unit from the support member and sandwiching the electrode unit between the spring mechanism and the first terminal, and moving the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode is in contact with the second terminal, and then applying a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal to perform electroporation. 【0032】 With this configuration, the same effects and benefits as those obtained with the electrode fixing mechanism used in the electroporation apparatus described above can be obtained. 【0033】 Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode unit fixing mechanism for fixing an electrode unit used in an electroporation apparatus that performs electroporation by applying a voltage between a first electrode and a second electrode, the apparatus comprising a plate-shaped electrode unit, the electrode unit fixing mechanism comprising a spring mechanism and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism, a first terminal integrally formed with the first electrode, and a second terminal provided opposite to the first terminal and integrally formed with the second electrode, wherein the first terminal pushes the electrode unit from a temporary fixing position where the spring and the support member sandwich the electrode unit, thereby isolating the electrode unit from the support member and the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the electrode unit. 【0034】 According to the present invention, when using an electroporation apparatus equipped with an electrode unit having one surface and the other surface facing that surface, it is possible to provide an electrode unit fixing mechanism that can fix electrode units of different thicknesses. 【0035】 This is a schematic diagram showing an electroporation apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing the electroporation apparatus in the same embodiment in a top view. This is a diagram showing the electroporation apparatus in the same embodiment in a front view. This is a diagram showing the arrangement of each component before inserting the electrode unit in a side view in the same embodiment. This is a diagram showing the movement of the first terminal in a side view in the same embodiment. This is a diagram showing the fixing of the electrode unit in a side view in the same embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing an electroporation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram showing an electroporation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 【0036】 An electroporation apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that, for the sake of clarity, some parts of the following diagrams may be omitted or exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The same reference numerals are used for identical components, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. 【0037】 <Device Configuration> The electroporation apparatus 100 of this embodiment applies a voltage by electrical pulse to a suspension containing, for example, a bioactive substance and cells, thereby creating pores in the cell membrane and introducing the substance into the cell. 【0038】 Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the electroporation apparatus 100 includes an electrode mounting member 21 which is plate-shaped and to which a pair of electrodes are attached, and an electrode unit 2 which has a first electrode 22 provided on one surface 2a of the electrode mounting member 21 and is one of the electrodes, and a second electrode 23 provided on the other surface 2b which is the back surface of the first surface 2a and is the other electrode. The electrode unit fixing mechanism for fixing the electrode unit 2 includes a temporary fixing mechanism 3 for temporarily fixing the electrode unit 2, and a first terminal 4 and a second terminal 5 which contact the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23, respectively, and apply a voltage between them. The configuration of each part will be described below. 【0039】Electrode unit 2 is connected to a container (not shown) containing a suspension via piping P, and electroporation is performed by applying a voltage to the suspension while the suspension is flowing inside. In this embodiment, a sample channel (not shown) through which the suspension flows is formed between the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23. Here, a sealing member (not shown) is interposed between the first electrode 22 and one surface 2a and between the second electrode 23 and the other surface 2b to prevent the suspension from leaking from the sample channel. Here, the sealing member is, for example, an O-ring. In this embodiment, the electrode mounting member 21 is generally rectangular in shape, but the shape of the electrode mounting member 21 is not limited to a rectangle as long as it is plate-shaped and does not change while temporarily fixed by the temporary fixing mechanism 3. Also, although the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 are rectangular in shape, the shapes of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 are not particularly limited. 【0040】 In this embodiment, one surface 2a of the electrode mounting member 21 has a recess 2a1 to which the first electrode 22 is fixed, and a flat support member contact surface that contacts the support member 32, which will be described later. The other surface 2b of the electrode mounting member 21 has a recess 2b1 to which the second electrode 23 is fixed, and a flat spring contact surface that contacts the spring 31, which will be described later. The recesses 2a1 and 2b1 are provided facing each other, and as a result, the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 are also provided facing each other. The support member contact surface and the spring contact surface are provided parallel to each other, but they do not have to be provided parallel to each other. 【0041】The electrode unit 2 may have a sheath flow supply passage (not shown) that supplies sheath flow flowing outside the suspension to the sample flow passage. The sheath flow supply passage is formed obliquely to the sample flow passage in a plane cut by the thickness direction from one surface 2a to the other surface 2b and the axis of the sample flow passage. In this plane, the introduction port into which the sheath flow is introduced is provided downstream of the introduction port into which the suspension is introduced, so that the sheath flow joins from outside the suspension. Parts of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 are flow-exposed portions that are exposed to and in contact with the sample flow passage, while the other portions are non-exposed portions that are not exposed to the flow passage, and a portion of the non-exposed portion is a contact portion that contacts the first terminal 4 or the second terminal 5 in order to supply current to the electrode. The flow-exposed portions of each electrode are provided facing each other. The outer edges of each contact portion are the edges of recesses 2a1 and 2b1. The sheath fluid supply passage is formed in a sheath fluid supply member (not shown) provided on one surface 2a and the other surface 2b of the electrode mounting member 21. The sheath fluid supply member is also plate-shaped and is installed to cover approximately half of the exposed flow channel. 【0042】 In this embodiment, the sheath fluid supply channel is formed on the outside of the sample flow channel. As a result, the thickness from one surface 2a to the other surface 2b of the flow channel exposed portion of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 (the sum of the thickness of the electrode mounting member 21 and the sheath fluid supply member) and the thickness from one surface 2a to the other surface 2b of the outer edge (recessed edge) of the contact portion of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 (the thickness of the electrode mounting member 21 only) are different from each other. Specifically, the thickness at the outer edge (recessed edge) of the contact portion of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 is smaller than the thickness at the flow channel exposed portion of the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23. 【0043】The temporary fixing mechanism 3 is composed of a spring 31 which is a spring mechanism and a support member 32 provided opposite to the spring 31, and temporarily fixes the electrode unit 2 by sandwiching it between the spring 31 and the support member 32. Here, the temporary fixing state means a state where the spring 31 and the support member 32 temporarily fix the electrode unit 2 so that the electrode unit 2 can move toward the second terminal 5 when the first terminal 4 described later presses the electrode unit 2. Specifically, the spring mechanism contacts the other surface 2b, and the support member 32 contacts the one surface 2a to form a temporary fixing state. Also, in the present embodiment, the position of the electrode unit 2 in the temporary fixing state is referred to as the temporary fixing position. At this temporary fixing position, the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 are each separated from the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23. 【0044】 The spring mechanism is provided opposite to the other surface 2b of the electrode unit 2 and presses the other surface 2b of the electrode unit 2. In the present embodiment, it presses against the spring contact surface. Specifically, the spring mechanism presses against the spring contact surface when (1) temporarily fixing the electrode unit 2 between the support member 32, (2) when the electrode unit 2 moves from the temporary fixing position to the voltage application position described later, and (3) when the electrode unit 2 is located at the voltage application position described later. Also, the region where the spring mechanism contacts the other surface 2b includes the center of the contact portion of the second electrode 23 in the height direction. 【0045】 The spring 31 forms an insertion port into which the electrode unit 2 is inserted between it and the support member 32, and has an expanding shape in which the space between it and the support member 32 expands toward the insertion port. Here, the spring 31 is a leaf spring that is curved so that the central portion bulges toward the support member 32. In the present embodiment, the insertion port is formed above the spring 31 and the support member 32, but it is not limited to this, and it may be formed on the side of the spring 31 and the support member 32. Also, the upper end portion of the spring 31 is located at a position lower than the upper surface of the electrode mounting member 21 so that the electrode unit 2 can be easily removed, but it is not limited to this. 【0046】In this embodiment, the spring 31 is a pair of leaf springs, and the pair of leaf springs are respectively attached to a pair of elongated attachment members 6 extending upward. As shown in FIG. 2, the distance between the pair of leaf springs is approximately equal to or greater than the width of the concave portion 2b1. Specifically, the pair of leaf springs are provided on both sides of the contact portion of the second electrode 23. More specifically, the pair of leaf springs are arranged to be line-symmetrical with respect to the center line of the contact portion of the second electrode 23 in the height direction. Although the pair of leaf springs have the same curved shape, they do not have to be the same shape. 【0047】 The support member 32 is fixed to a base such as the upper surface of a housing C having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example, and supports one surface 2a in a state where the spring 31 is pressing the other surface 2b. Specifically, the support member 32 has a substantially quadrangular prism shape, and in a state where the spring 31 is pressing the spring contact surface, the side wall of the support member 32 contacts the support member contact surface, whereby the electrode unit 2 is temporarily fixed. Note that the support member 32 is not limited to having a substantially quadrangular prism shape, and may have other shapes such as a plate-like member or a cylindrical member. Further, the region where the support member 32 contacts one surface 2a includes the first electrode 22 in the height direction. 【0048】 The support member 32 is formed with a tapered portion having a tapered shape in which the distance from the spring 31 increases as it approaches the insertion port. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the tapered portion is formed at the upper part of the support member 32, and more specifically, is provided to face the leaf spring above the central portion of the leaf spring having a curved shape. With such a configuration, the distance between the spring 31 and the support member 32 gradually increases upward at the upper part of the support member 32, and the distance between the spring 31 and the support member 32 is maximized at the upper end portion of the support member 32. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the support member 32 is located lower than the upper surface of the electrode attachment member 21 so that the electrode unit 2 can be easily removed, but it is not limited to this. 【0049】In this embodiment, there is a pair of support members 32, and the pair of support members 32 are provided facing each other on a pair of leaf springs. As shown in Figure 2, the distance between the pair of support members 32 is approximately the same as or greater than the width of the recess 2a1. In this embodiment, the pair of support members 32 are provided on both sides of the contact portion that contacts the first terminal 4 of the first electrode 22. More specifically, the pair of support members 32 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line of the contact portion of the first electrode 22 in the height direction. As a result, the pair of support members 32 are provided facing each other on a pair of springs 31. The pair of support members 32 are identical in shape, but they do not have to be the same shape. 【0050】 The first terminal 4 presses the electrode unit 2 by contacting the first electrode 22, and at the voltage application position described later, it contacts the first electrode 22, thereby applying a voltage between it and the second terminal 5. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the first terminal 4 is provided between a pair of support members 32 and is positioned opposite one surface 2a of the electrode unit 2 and the spring 31. In this embodiment, the first terminal 4 has a rectangular shape that fits into the recess 2a1 of the electrode unit 2. The width of the first terminal 4 is smaller than the distance between the pair of support members 32 and is approximately the same as or less than the width of the recess 2a1. 【0051】 In this embodiment, the electroporation apparatus 100 further includes a moving mechanism 7 that moves the first terminal 4 toward one surface 2a. Specifically, when the moving mechanism 7 moves the first terminal 4, the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2, allowing the electrode unit 2 to move toward the second terminal 5. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 7 is an actuator, but it may also be a mechanism that allows the user to move the first terminal 4. 【0052】Specifically, the moving mechanism 7 includes, for example, an electric motor (not shown) which is a drive source, for example, a screw feed mechanism (not shown) which converts the rotation of the electric motor into linear motion for driving, and a pressing member 71 to which the first terminal 4 is attached and which presses the first terminal 4. The pressing member 71 is, for example, a rectangular prism shape which fits into the recess 2a1 of the electrode unit 2, and the first terminal 4 is attached to the tip side of the pressing member 71. The width of the pressing member 71 is smaller than the distance between the pair of support members 32 and is approximately the same as or less than the width of the recess 2a1, and in this embodiment it is slightly smaller than the width of the first terminal 4, but is not limited to this. 【0053】 The moving mechanism 7 is controlled by a control device (not shown) based on the force with which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2. The control device is a so-called computer equipped with a CPU, memory, communication interface, input / output interface, and driver for driving the moving mechanism 7 (not shown), and controls the moving mechanism 7 through the cooperation of its peripheral devices according to a program pre-stored in memory. 【0054】 Specifically, the control device acquires a current value indicating the driving force of the moving mechanism 7 and controls the moving mechanism 7 by corresponding this current value to the force with which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2. More specifically, when the current value exceeds a predetermined value, the control device stops driving the moving mechanism 7, and the movement of the first terminal 4 stops. Here, the predetermined current value is, for example, the current value when the second terminal 5 contacts the second electrode 23, and the electrode unit 2 is sandwiched between the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5, causing the force with which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2 to increase. Note that the control device does not necessarily have to stop the moving mechanism 7 based on the current value. 【0055】The second terminal 5 contacts the second electrode 23 when a voltage is applied between it and the first terminal 4. In addition, the second terminal 5 stops the moving mechanism 7 by contacting the second electrode 23. Specifically, the second terminal 5 is provided facing the first terminal 4 and the support member 32. In this embodiment, the second terminal 5, like the first terminal 4, has a rectangular shape that fits into the recess 2b1 of the electrode unit 2. The width of the second terminal 5 is smaller than the distance between the pair of springs 31, and is approximately equal to or less than the width of the recess 2b1. 【0056】 As shown in Figure 2, the second terminal 5 is attached to a receiving member 9 provided between a pair of mounting members 6. The receiving member 9 is a rectangular prism shape that fits into a recess 2b1 of the electrode unit 2, and the second terminal 5 is attached to the tip side of the receiving member 9. The width of the receiving member 9 is smaller than the distance between the pair of springs 31 and is approximately equal to or less than the width of the recess 2b1. In this embodiment, it is slightly smaller than the width of the second terminal 5, but is not limited to this. 【0057】 With the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 in contact with the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23, respectively, a voltage is applied between the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 to perform electroporation. The applied voltage may be, but is not limited to, a pulse voltage from a power supply (not shown). 【0058】Furthermore, the electroporation apparatus 100 of this embodiment includes a guide member 8 that contacts the side and bottom surfaces of the electrode unit 2 and guides the movement of the electrode unit 2 in the direction in which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2. As shown in Figure 3, the guide member 8 is block-shaped and has a side guide surface 8a, which is a surface that contacts the side surface of the electrode unit 2 and guides that side surface, and a bottom guide surface 8b, which is a surface that contacts the bottom surface of the electrode unit 2 and guides that bottom surface. The side surface of the electrode unit 2 referred to here is the surface that defines the thickness of the electrode unit 2, and specifically, it is the surface that rises from the peripheral edges of one surface 2a and the other surface 2b of the electrode mounting member 21. The side guide surface 8a and the bottom guide surface 8b are provided extending from the spring 31 to the support member 32, but they may also be provided in a part between the spring 31 and the support member 32. 【0059】 In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the guide members 8 form a pair that are positioned opposite each other with their side guide surfaces 8a facing each other. The distance between the pair of side guide surfaces 8a is approximately equal to the width of the electrode mounting member 21. 【0060】 <Method for fixing electrode unit 2> Next, the method for fixing electrode unit 2 in the electroporation apparatus 100 in this embodiment will be described. 【0061】 As a prerequisite, as shown in Figure 4, the spring 31, support member 32, moving mechanism 7, and guide member 8 are fixed on the same plane. Here, the plane on which the spring 31, support member 32, moving mechanism 7, and guide member 8 are provided is, for example, the top surface of a rectangular parallelepiped housing C that houses a control device or the like. 【0062】When a user inserts the electrode unit 2 between the spring 31 and the support member 32 from above, the spring 31 and the support member 32 temporarily fix the electrode unit 2 in place, as shown in Figure 1. Here, in order to prevent the electrode unit 2 from shifting position when the electrode unit 2 is moved, the electrode unit 2 is inserted until its bottom surface contacts the bottom guide surface 8b of the guide member 8. However, the position in which the electrode unit 2 is inserted may be limited to a position where the bottom surface of the electrode unit 2 is away from the bottom guide surface 8b. 【0063】 In the temporary fixing position of the electrode unit 2, as shown in Figure 2, the first terminal 4, the second terminal 5, and the recesses 2a1 and 2b1 of the electrode unit 2 are aligned in the same straight line when viewed from above. Furthermore, the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 are isolated from the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23. 【0064】 Next, when the drive source of the moving mechanism 7 is activated, the pushing member 71 pushes the first terminal 4, causing the first terminal 4 to move from between the support members 32 toward the recess 2a1. As shown in Figure 5, when the first terminal 4 contacts the first electrode 22 and pushes the electrode unit 2, the electrode unit 2 moves toward the second terminal 5 against the pressing force of the spring 31. As a result, the electrode unit 2 is isolated from the support members 32, releasing the temporary fixing state of the electrode unit 2 by the spring 31 and the support members 32, while the electrode unit 2 is sandwiched between the spring 31 and the first terminal 4. 【0065】 With the first terminal 4 pressing against the electrode unit 2, the electrode unit 2 is guided by the guide member 8 and moves toward the second terminal 5. Specifically, the side and bottom surfaces of the electrode unit 2 move toward the second terminal 5 along the side guide surface 8a and bottom guide surface 8b of the guide member 8, respectively. 【0066】As the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2 further, causing the electrode unit 2 to move further, as shown in Figure 6, the electrode unit 2 moves to a voltage application position where the second electrode 23 contacts the second terminal 5. When the electrode unit 2 is sandwiched between the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5, the current value corresponding to the force with which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2 increases. When the current value exceeds a predetermined value, the control device stops driving the movement mechanism 7, thereby stopping the movement of the first terminal 4. 【0067】 When the movement of the first terminal 4 stops, the electrode unit 2 is fixed in place by being sandwiched between the first terminal 4, the spring 31, and the second terminal 5, as shown in Figure 6. 【0068】 <Effects of this embodiment> With this electrode unit fixing mechanism, the electrode unit 2 moves away from the support member 32 and is sandwiched between the spring 31 and the first terminal 4 as it pushes the electrode unit 2 from a temporary fixing position where the spring 31 and the support member 32 are sandwiching the electrode unit 2. This allows electrode units 2 of different thicknesses to be fixed within the range of expansion and contraction of the spring 31. The electrode unit 2 then moves to a voltage application position where the second terminal 5 is in contact with the second electrode 23. This allows the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 to be in contact with the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23, respectively, depending on the thickness of the electrode unit 2. Therefore, by applying a voltage between the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23, the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 can be used to fix electrode units 2 of different thicknesses and perform electroporation. In addition, since the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2 against the pressing force applied by the spring 31, the electrode unit 2 can be stably fixed by the spring 31 and the first terminal 4. 【0069】 <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. 【0070】In the above embodiment, the first electrode 22 and the second electrode 23 were fixed to the electrode mounting member 21, but they do not have to be fixed to the electrode mounting member 21. For example, the distance between the first electrode 22 and / or the second electrode 23 may be adjustable by the accumulated force of the spring 31 or the force with which the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2. 【0071】 In the above embodiment, the spring 31 and the support member 32 were shaped such that the distance between them increased as they approached the insertion opening. However, in order to make it easier to insert the electrode unit 2 into the insertion opening, it is sufficient if at least one of the spring 31 and the support member 32 is shaped such that the distance between it and the other increases as it approaches the insertion opening. 【0072】 In the above embodiment, the spring 31 was a leaf spring that curved so that its central portion bulged toward the support member 32, but it is not limited to this, and any spring that provides energy to the electrode unit 2, such as a coil spring, is acceptable. Even with this, the electroporation apparatus 100 can fix electrode units 2 of different thicknesses. 【0073】 In the above embodiment, both the spring 31 and the support member 32 were paired, but it is sufficient to provide at least one of each. 【0074】 In the above embodiment, the electroporation apparatus 100 further included a guide member 8, but it does not have to include a guide member 8. Even without this, the electroporation apparatus 100 can fix electrode units 2 of different thicknesses. 【0075】 In the above embodiment, recesses 2a1 and 2b1 were formed in the electrode mounting member 21, but recesses 2a1 and 2b1 are not required. 【0076】 In the above embodiment, the electrode mounting member 21 was plate-shaped, but it is not limited to this and may be cylindrical or in other shapes. 【0077】In the above embodiment, before electroporation, the electrode unit 2 was sandwiched between the spring mechanism, which is the spring 31 and the first terminal 4, and moved from the temporary fixed position to the voltage application position. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, after electroporation, the electrode unit 2 may be sandwiched between the spring mechanism, which is the spring 31 and the first terminal 4, and moved from the voltage application position to the temporary fixed position. 【0078】 In addition to the above embodiment, for example, as shown in Figure 7, the first terminal 4 may be formed integrally with the first electrode 22, and the second terminal 5 may be formed integrally with the second electrode 23. In this case, the first terminal 4 pushes the electrode unit 2 from its temporary fixing position, causing the electrode unit 2 to come into contact with the second electrode 23. Therefore, electroporation can be performed with electrode units 2 of different thicknesses fixed in place. 【0079】 In the above embodiment, the spring 31, which is part of the spring mechanism, directly pressed against the spring contact surface of the electrode mounting member 21, but it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the spring mechanism 31 may include a spring 31a and a pressing member 31b interposed between the spring 31a and the spring contact surface to press against the spring contact surface of the electrode mounting member 21. In this case, when the electrode unit 2 is in a temporary fixed position or when the electrode unit 2 moves between the temporary fixed position and the voltage application position, the accumulated force of the spring 31a, which is the force that causes the spring 31a to expand and contract toward the support member 32 or the first terminal 4, is transmitted to the pressing member 31b, and the pressing member 31b presses against the spring contact surface. 【0080】In the above embodiment, the side guide surface 8a was adjacent to or in contact only with the lower part of the side surface of the electrode unit 2, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 9, the side guide surface 8a may extend to a predetermined height so that the electrode unit 2 is inserted through an insertion opening formed above the spring mechanism and the support member 32. Here, the predetermined height is the height of the electrode contact position where the spring mechanism contacts the electrode unit 2, and specifically, the height of the electrode contact position is approximately the same as the height of the temporary fixing position and / or voltage application position of the spring mechanism. More specifically, the spring 31 is a leaf spring that is curved so that its central portion bulges toward the support member 32, and the predetermined height refers to at least the height of the central portion of the spring 31. The side guide surface 8a may extend to a height greater than or equal to the height of the central portion of the spring 31. 【0081】 In Figure 9, of the pair of guide members 8, the side guide surface 8a of the guide member 8 closer to the user when the user fixes the electrode unit 2 extends from the bottom guide surface 8b to a predetermined height. Furthermore, a notch is formed at the upper end of the side guide surface 8a of the guide member 8 that extends to the predetermined height, to guide the insertion of the electrode unit 2 between the spring 31 and the support member 32 from the insertion opening. Note that the side guide surfaces 8a of both guide members 8 may extend from the bottom guide surface 8b to a predetermined height. Also, the notch formed at the upper end of the guide member 8 may be formed on both guide members 8, on only one of the guide members 8, or not on either guide member 8. 【0082】 In the above embodiment, the electrode unit fixing mechanism was used in the electroporation apparatus 100, but the electrode unit fixing mechanism may be provided in the electroporation apparatus 100. That is, the electroporation apparatus 100 may include an electrode unit 2, a temporary fixing mechanism 3, a first terminal 4, and a second terminal 5. 【0083】 Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways, as long as it does not contradict its spirit. 【0084】According to the present invention, when using an electrode unit having one surface and the other surface facing that surface, it is possible to provide an electroporation apparatus that can fix electrode units of different thicknesses. 【0085】 100... Electroporation device 2... Electrode unit 21... Electrode mounting member 22... First electrode 23... Second electrode 2a... One side 2b... Other side 3... Temporary fixing mechanism 31... Spring 32... Support member 4... First terminal 5... Second terminal 7... Moving mechanism 8... Guide member

Claims

1. An electrode unit fixing mechanism for use in an electroporation apparatus having an electrode mounting member having one surface and the other surface which is the back surface of the one surface, to which a pair of electrodes are attached, and an electrode unit having a first electrode provided on the one surface which is one of the electrodes, and a second electrode provided on the other surface which is the other electrode, the electrode unit fixing mechanism comprising: a spring mechanism that pushes the other surface, a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism, and a temporary fixing mechanism comprising: a first terminal and a second terminal for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the electrode unit is separated from the support member by the first terminal pushing the electrode unit from a temporary fixing position where the spring mechanism and the support member sandwich the electrode unit, and the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the second terminal.

2. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit between the temporary fixing position and the voltage application position.

3. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrode unit is inserted through an insertion opening formed between the spring mechanism and the support member and is inserted between the spring mechanism and the support member, and the spring constituting the spring mechanism has an expanding shape such that the distance between it and the support member increases as it approaches the insertion opening.

4. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the spring is a pair of leaf springs curved toward the support member, and the second terminal is provided between the pair of leaf springs.

5. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrode unit is inserted between the spring mechanism and the support member through an insertion opening formed between the spring mechanism and the support member, and the support member has a tapered portion formed thereon, the distance between it and the spring mechanism increases as it approaches the insertion opening.

6. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the support members are a pair of columnar shapes, the first terminal is provided between the pair of support members and moves from between the pair of support members toward one of the surfaces to push the electrode unit.

7. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the electrode unit is in the shape of a rectangular plate, and further comprises guide members that contact the side and bottom surfaces of the electrode unit and guide the electrode unit to move in the direction in which the first terminal pushes the electrode unit.

8. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the guide member has a side guide surface which is adjacent to or in contact with the side surface of the electrode unit and guides the side surface, and the side guide surface extends to a predetermined height so that the electrode unit is inserted from an insertion opening formed above the spring mechanism and the support member.

9. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the side guide surface extends at least to the electrode contact position where the electrode unit contacts the spring mechanism.

10. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first terminal moves linearly, and in a state in which the spring mechanism and the support member temporarily fix the electrode unit, the first electrode, the second electrode and the second terminal are arranged on the straight line in which the first terminal moves linearly.

11. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the spring mechanism is provided on both sides of the contact portion that contacts the second terminal of the second electrode, and the support member is provided on both sides of the contact portion that contacts the first terminal of the first electrode.

12. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the region in which the spring mechanism contacts the other surface includes the center of the contact portion that contacts the second terminal of the second electrode in the height direction, and the region in which the support member contacts the one surface includes the first electrode in the height direction.

13. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first electrode is fixed in a recess formed on one surface of the electrode mounting member, the second electrode is fixed in a recess formed on the other surface of the electrode mounting member, a sample channel through which a suspension flows is formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a sealing member is interposed between the first electrode and the one surface and between the second electrode and the other surface to prevent the suspension from leaking from the sample channel.

14. The electrode unit fixing mechanism according to claim 13, wherein the electrode unit has a sheath flow supply path formed therein for supplying a sheath flow that flows outside the suspension to the sample flow path, a portion of the first electrode and the second electrode is a flow path exposed portion that is exposed to and in contact with the sample flow path, the other portion is a non-exposed portion that is not exposed to the flow path, a portion of the non-exposed portion is a contact portion that contacts the terminal in order to supply current to the electrode, and the thickness of the flow path exposed portion from one surface to the other surface and the thickness of the contact portion from one surface to the other surface are different from each other because the sheath flow supply path is formed outside the sample flow path.

15. A method for fixing an electrode unit used in an electroporation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the method comprising: temporarily fixing the electrode unit by sandwiching it between a spring mechanism that presses against the other surface and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism; and moving the electrode unit from the temporarily fixed position to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the second terminal by pushing the electrode unit while bringing the first terminal into contact with the first electrode, thereby isolating the electrode unit from the support member and sandwiching the electrode unit between the spring mechanism and the first terminal.

16. An electrode unit fixing mechanism for use in an electroporation apparatus that performs electroporation by applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, comprising: an electrode mounting member having one surface and the other surface being the back surface of the first surface, to which a pair of electrodes are attached; an electrode unit having a first electrode provided on the one surface and being one of the electrodes, and a second electrode provided on the other surface and being the other electrode, the electrode unit fixing mechanism comprising: a spring mechanism that presses the other surface; a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism; a first terminal formed integrally with the first electrode; and a second terminal provided opposite to the first terminal and formed integrally with the second electrode, An electrode unit fixing mechanism characterized in that, from a temporary fixing position in which the spring mechanism and the support member sandwich the electrode unit, the first terminal pushes the electrode unit while contacting the first electrode, thereby isolating the electrode unit from the support member, and the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position in which the second electrode contacts the electrode unit.

17. An electroporation apparatus comprising: an electrode mounting member having one surface and the other surface which is the back surface of the one surface, to which a pair of electrodes are attached; an electrode unit having a first electrode provided on the one surface which is one of the electrodes, and a second electrode provided on the other surface which is the other electrode; a temporary fixing mechanism comprising a spring mechanism for pressing the other surface against something, and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism; and a first terminal and a second terminal for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the electrode unit is separated from the support member by the first terminal pushing the electrode unit from a temporary fixing position where the spring mechanism and the support member sandwich the electrode unit, and the spring mechanism and the first terminal sandwich the electrode unit, and the first terminal moves the electrode unit to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the second terminal.

18. An electroporation method in an electroporation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising: temporarily fixing the electrode unit by sandwiching it between a mechanism that presses the other surface and a support member provided opposite to the spring mechanism; moving the electrode unit from the temporarily fixed position to a voltage application position where the second electrode contacts the second terminal by pressing the electrode unit while bringing the first terminal into contact with the first electrode; and performing electroporation by applying a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal.

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