Liquid leakage prevention mechanism, liquid leakage prevention method, and electroporation device

Abstract

This liquid leakage prevention mechanism comprises a first tray which, when a liquid sample leaks from a chamber or a pipe, receives the leaked liquid sample, and a second tray which is provided below the first tray and which further receives the liquid sample when the liquid sample leaks from the first tray.

Description

Liquid leakage prevention mechanism, liquid leakage prevention method, and electroporation device 【0001】 The present invention relates to a liquid leakage prevention mechanism used in an electroporation device, a liquid leakage prevention method used in the electroporation device, and an electroporation device. 【0002】 Conventionally, there is an electroporation device that uses electroporation, a technique for introducing substances into cells by creating pores in the cell membrane with electric pulses. 【0003】 This type of electroporation device supplies a liquid sample through a tube to an electroporation chamber (hereinafter also referred to as a chamber) having a first electrode and a second electrode, as shown in, for example, Patent Document 1. By applying a pulsed voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode, the liquid sample is electroporated in the electroporation chamber. 【0004】 WO2021-081381 【0005】 By the way, in the above electroporation device, the electroporation chamber and the tube are attached to the side wall of a device body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Therefore, if the liquid sample leaks from the electroporation chamber or the tube, there is a risk that the liquid sample will flow through the side wall of the device body and leak outside the electroporation device. 【0006】 Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the main problem is to provide a liquid leakage prevention mechanism used in an electroporation device to prevent the liquid sample from leaking to an unintended place. 【0007】In other words, the electroporation apparatus of the present invention is a liquid leakage prevention mechanism used in an electroporation apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes, a chamber having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored, and piping for supplying or discharging the liquid sample to or from the chamber, characterized in that it comprises a first tray provided below the chamber and the piping for holding or passing the liquid sample, and a second tray provided below the first tray for holding the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray. 【0008】 In this configuration, the second tray is positioned below the first tray and holds any liquid sample that leaks from the first tray. Therefore, if a liquid sample leaks from the chamber or piping, the first tray first holds or allows the liquid sample to pass through, and the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray is then held by the second tray. Consequently, the liquid sample leaking from the chamber or piping is caught in two stages by the first and second trays, preventing it from leaking to unintended locations other than the first and second trays. In particular, with regard to liquid samples used in electroporation, there is a concern that unintended leakage could lead to a biohazard. However, since the liquid sample is caught in two stages by the first and second trays, the occurrence of a biohazard can be prevented. 【0009】 It is preferable that the first tray has a recess formed therein. 【0010】 With this configuration, since a recess is formed in the first tray, the amount of liquid sample that can be received by the first tray can be increased compared to when the first tray is flat, and sensors or the like can be housed in the recess. In addition, liquid sample leaking from the chamber or piping can be collected in the recess, allowing the leaked liquid sample to be collected at the intended location on the first tray. 【0011】 Specifically, the piping is provided with a sensor for measuring the state of the liquid sample, and the bottom surface of the recess is formed below the sensor in the first tray. 【0012】With this configuration, any leaked liquid sample is caught at the bottom of a recess formed beneath the sensor, thus preventing the sensor from being contaminated by the leaked liquid sample. 【0013】 Preferably, a through hole is formed in the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir, so that the liquid sample accumulated in the liquid reservoir flows to the second tray through the through hole. 【0014】 With this configuration, the liquid sample in the liquid reservoir flows to the second tray through the through-hole, preventing the liquid sample from overflowing from the reservoir and further preventing the liquid sample from leaking unintended. 【0015】 It is preferable that the opening edge of the recess constituting the liquid reservoir is chamfered. 【0016】 With this configuration, the opening edges of the recesses that form the liquid reservoir are chamfered, so when installing piping on the first tray, the piping is less likely to get caught on the opening edges, thus preventing damage to the piping. 【0017】 One example is a first tray that is configured to be movable relative to the second tray so as to leave the top of the second tray open. 【0018】 With this configuration, the first tray is movable relative to the second tray so as to leave the top of the second tray open. Therefore, when cleaning the second tray, the user can easily clean the second tray by moving the first tray away from the second tray. 【0019】 Specific embodiments of the configuration in which the first tray is movable relative to the second tray so as to open the top of the second tray include configurations that are openable and closable, slidable, or detachable relative to the second tray. 【0020】 The first tray preferably comprises a flat bottom wall and side walls that are erected on the periphery of the bottom wall. 【0021】With this configuration, the first tray has a flat bottom wall and side walls that are erect on the periphery of the bottom wall, so that the liquid sample received by the first tray can be stored in the storage space formed by the bottom wall and the side walls. 【0022】 The system further comprises a control device used in electroporation, which is composed of electronic components, and it is preferable that the control device is located below the second tray. 【0023】 With this configuration, it is preferable to position the control device at the bottom so that it does not get in the way during tasks such as cleaning the chamber. Since leaked liquid samples are collected in two stages, in the first and second trays, it is possible to prevent the control device from malfunctioning due to liquid samples coming into contact with it. 【0024】 A method for preventing liquid leakage in an electroporation apparatus having a pair of electrodes, a chamber having a channel formed between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows, and piping for supplying the liquid sample to the chamber, characterized in that a second tray is provided below the first tray, the liquid sample is held or passed through by the first tray, and the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray is held by the second tray. The electroporation apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a pair of electrodes, a chamber having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored, piping for supplying or discharging the liquid sample to or from the chamber, a first tray provided below the chamber and the piping for holding or passing through the liquid sample that has leaked from the chamber or the piping, and a second tray provided below the first tray for holding the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray. 【0025】 With this configuration, the same effects and benefits as the above-described liquid leakage prevention mechanism can be obtained. 【0026】 According to the present invention, a leak prevention mechanism can be provided for use in an electroporation apparatus, which prevents liquid samples from leaking to unintended locations. 【0027】A schematic diagram of an electroporation apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. A front view in the same embodiment when the first tray closes the top of the second tray. A front view in the same embodiment when the first tray is open above the second tray. A partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the liquid reservoir in the same embodiment. A partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the liquid reservoir in another embodiment. 【0028】 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 drawings 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. 【0029】 <Device Configuration> The electroporation apparatus 100 of this embodiment applies a voltage by electrical pulse to a liquid sample containing, for example, a bioactive substance and cells, thereby creating pores in the cell membrane and introducing the substance into the cell. 【0030】 Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the electroporation apparatus 100 comprises a pair of electrodes (not shown), a chamber 2 having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored, a pipe 3 for supplying or discharging the liquid sample to or from the chamber 2, and a sensor 4 provided in the pipe 3 for measuring the state of the liquid sample. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism used in the electroporation apparatus 100 comprises a first tray 5 provided below the chamber 2 and pipe 3 for holding or passing the liquid sample, and a second tray 6 provided below the first tray 5 for holding the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray 5. The configuration of each part will be described below. 【0031】 Each pair of electrodes is connected to a pair of terminals T that are electrically connected to a power supply (not shown), and is mounted on two opposing surfaces of a plate-shaped chamber 2. There may be multiple pairs of electrodes. 【0032】Chamber 2 comprises an inlet port (not shown) into which a liquid sample is supplied, an outlet port (not shown) into which the liquid sample is discharged, and an internal channel (not shown) connected to the inlet port and the outlet port. The internal channel is positioned on the pair of electrodes mentioned above, and when a liquid sample is supplied from the inlet port to the internal channel, the liquid sample is electroporated in the internal channel by applying a pulse voltage between the pair of electrodes. The electroporated liquid sample is discharged from the outlet port. In this embodiment, chamber 2 is generally rectangular in shape, but the shape of chamber 2 is not particularly limited. 【0033】 The piping 3 is, for example, a flexible tube made of resin or the like. Specifically, the piping 3 includes a supply pipe 31 that supplies a liquid sample to the chamber 2 by being routed along a predetermined path on the first tray 5 from a container (not shown) containing the liquid sample, and a discharge pipe 32 that discharges the liquid sample from the chamber 2 by being routed along a predetermined path on the first tray 5. The supply pipe 31 is connected to the inlet port of the chamber 2, and the discharge pipe 32 is connected to the outlet port of the chamber 2. As shown in Figure 1, a valve V and / or fittings (not shown) are provided in the flow path formed by the piping 3, but the valve V and fittings are not necessarily provided. Furthermore, the piping 3 only needs to have at least the supply pipe 31 and does not need to have the discharge pipe 32. 【0034】 Sensor 4 is installed in contact with or without contact with the pipe 3 and measures the state of the liquid sample flowing through the pipe 3. Here, the state of the liquid sample refers to the temperature of the liquid sample, the pressure of the liquid sample, the flow rate of the liquid sample, and / or the flow velocity of the liquid sample. In this embodiment, sensor 4 is, for example, a pressure sensor installed radially across the pipe 3. 【0035】The first tray 5 is for receiving liquid samples leaking from the chamber 2 or piping 3. In this embodiment, the first tray 5 is generally plate-shaped, and specifically comprises a flat bottom wall 51 and side periphery walls 52 that are erected on the periphery of the bottom wall 51. Liquid samples leaking from the chamber 2 or piping 3 are stored in the internal space formed by the upper surface of the bottom wall 51 and the inner walls of the side periphery walls 52. Here, the first tray 5 constitutes the upper surface of the housing 7, which is generally rectangular in shape. As shown in Figure 2, when the first tray 5 covers the top of the second tray 6, the chamber 2, piping 3 and sensor 4 are arranged above the first tray 5. Note that the first tray 5 is not limited to being generally plate-shaped, but may also have other shapes, such as a generally box shape with a flat bottom or a generally bowl shape with a curved bottom. 【0036】 In this embodiment, the first tray 5 is configured to be movable relative to the second tray 6 so as to open the top of the second tray 6. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, one side of the bottom surface of the first tray 5 is connected to the upper end of the side wall of the housing 7 via a hinge member B. As a result, the first tray 5 is configured to be openable and closable relative to the second tray 6, and as shown in Figure 3, the top of the second tray 6 is opened when the first tray 5 tilts relative to the second tray 6 around the hinge member B. Note that although the chamber 2 is removed in Figure 3, the first tray 5 may be opened and closed relative to the second tray 6 with the chamber 2 attached. 【0037】 Furthermore, a liquid reservoir 8 is formed in the first tray 5, which is a recess where any liquid sample that leaks from the chamber 2 or piping 3 can accumulate. The liquid reservoir 8 is a space formed by the bottom surface of the recess and side walls that rise up from the periphery of the bottom surface. In this embodiment, the opening edge of the recess constituting the liquid reservoir 8 is chamfered, and specifically, the upper end of the side wall constituting the liquid reservoir 8 is smoothly connected to the bottom wall 51 of the first tray 5. Note that the chamfered opening edge of the recess may be the entire opening edge or only a part of the opening edge. 【0038】Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 8 is formed directly below the sensor 4 in the first tray 5, and is formed to cover the area below the sensor 4 when the sensor 4 is attached to the piping 3. In Figure 4, the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 8 is formed below the sensor 4, but it may also be formed below the chamber 2, piping 3, fittings and / or valve V. 【0039】 A through-hole h is formed in the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 8. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, one through-hole h is formed such that it is located directly below the sensor 4 when the sensor 4 is attached to the piping 3. The width of the through-hole h is preferably large enough for a connector or wire connected to the control device 9, which will be described later, to pass through, but is not limited to this. The through-hole h does not have to be located directly below the sensor 4, and multiple through-holes h may be formed in the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 8. 【0040】 The second tray 6 receives the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray 5. Specifically, when the amount of liquid sample that has leaked out of the first tray 5 exceeds the amount that the second tray 6 can store, the excess liquid sample is guided from the first tray 5 to the second tray 6 and held in place. In this embodiment, the second tray 6 receives more leaked liquid sample than the first tray 5, but the amount of liquid sample that the second tray 6 receives may be less than the amount of liquid sample that the first tray 5 receives. Specifically, the second tray 6 is generally box-shaped, and more specifically, it comprises a flat bottom wall 61 and side peripheral walls 62 that are erected on the periphery of the bottom wall 61. The liquid sample that has leaked out of the first tray 5 is stored in the internal space formed by the upper surface of the bottom wall 61 and the inner walls of the side peripheral walls 62. The bottom wall 61 is a rectangular flat plate that is approximately the same size as or slightly smaller than the first tray 5. Furthermore, the second tray 6 is not limited to being roughly box-shaped, but may also be of other shapes, such as roughly plate-shaped or roughly bowl-shaped with a curved bottom. 【0041】The side peripheral wall 62 is provided over the entire side periphery of the bottom wall 61 and is attached to the inner wall of the housing 7 so that the upper surface of the bottom wall 61 is horizontal. Also, in a top view, the side peripheral wall 62 of the second tray 6 is located inside the side peripheral wall 52 of the first tray 5. As a result, the liquid sample leaked from the chamber 2 or the pipe 3 is first received by the first tray 5. 【0042】 As shown in FIG. 2, the second tray 6 is disposed directly below the first tray 5 so as to cover the lower surface of the first tray 5. Specifically, the entire upper surface of the bottom wall 61 covers the lower surface of the first tray 5. 【0043】 Further, the electroporation device 100 includes a control device 9 that is used for electroporation and is composed of electronic components. The control device 9 is a so-called computer including a CPU, a memory, a communication interface, an input / output interface, a driver, etc., which are not shown, and controls various devices by the cooperation of its peripheral devices according to a program stored in the memory in advance. 【0044】 In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control device 9 is housed in the housing 7 and is provided below the second tray 6 in the internal space of the housing 7. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower surface of the bottom wall 61 covers the control device 9 so that the second tray 6 closes the internal space of the housing 7. With such a configuration, in a top view when the first tray 5 opens above the second tray 6, the second tray 6 is visible while the control device 9 is not visible. 【0045】 <Liquid leakage prevention method> Next, the liquid leakage prevention method in the electroporation device 100 of the present embodiment will be described. 【0046】 First, the first tray 5 is closed with respect to the second tray 6 so that the lower surface of the first tray 5 covers above the second tray 6. With the upper surface of the first tray 5 being horizontal, the user disposes the chamber 2, the pipe 3, and the sensor 4 above the first tray 5. 【0047】Next, when the supply of the liquid sample to the chamber 2 is started from a container (not shown) containing the liquid sample through the pipe 3, the liquid sample may leak from the chamber 2 or the pipe 3. For example, the liquid sample may leak due to a poor connection between a joint (not shown) and the pipe 3, or the pipe 3 may be damaged and the liquid sample may leak when the pressure sensor sandwiches the pipe 3. The bottom surface of the liquid reservoir portion 8 is positioned below a portion where there is a high risk of leakage of the liquid sample, such as the pipe 3 provided with such a joint and a pressure sensor, so that the liquid reservoir portion 8 is formed in the first tray 5. 【0048】 When the liquid sample leaks from the chamber 2 or the pipe 3, the leaked liquid sample is stored in a storage space formed by the bottom wall 51 and the side wall 52 of the first tray 5. The amount that cannot be stored in the storage space formed by the bottom wall 51 and the side wall 52 of the first tray 5 is stored in the liquid reservoir portion 8. 【0049】 And the amount that cannot be stored in the liquid reservoir portion 8 is further received by the second tray 6. Specifically, the liquid sample accumulated in the liquid reservoir portion 8 flows into the second tray 6 through the through-hole h, and the upper surface of the bottom wall 61 of the second tray 6 receives the liquid sample that has passed through the through-hole h. Thereby, the liquid sample leaked from the chamber 2 or the pipe 3 is first received by the first tray 5, and the liquid sample that cannot be received by the first tray 5 is received by the bottom wall 61 and stored in an internal space formed by the bottom wall 61 and the side peripheral wall 62. 【0050】<Effects of this embodiment> According to the liquid leakage prevention mechanism of this embodiment, the second tray 6 is provided below the first tray 5 and holds the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray 5. Therefore, if a liquid sample leaks from the chamber 2 or piping 3, the first tray 5 first holds or allows the liquid sample to pass through, and the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray 5 is held in the second tray 6. Thus, the liquid sample leaked from the chamber 2 or piping 3 is caught in two stages by the first tray 5 and the second tray 6, preventing the liquid sample from leaking to unintended locations other than the first tray 5 and the second tray 6. In particular, if a liquid sample used in electroporation leaks to an unintended location, there is a concern that a biohazard may occur. However, since the liquid sample is caught in two stages by the first tray 5 and the second tray 6, the occurrence of a biohazard can be prevented. 【0051】 <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. 【0052】 In the above embodiment, the entire upper surface of the bottom wall 61 covered the lower surface of the first tray 5, but a part of the upper surface of the bottom wall 61 may cover the lower surface of the first tray 5. 【0053】 In the above embodiment, the second tray 6 was provided in the internal space of the housing 7, but the second tray 6 may also be located on the bottom surface of the housing 7. Even in this case, the second tray 6 can still receive liquid samples that leak from the first tray 5. 【0054】In the above embodiment, the first tray 5 is configured to be openable and closable relative to the second tray 6, but the first tray 5 only needs to be configured to be movable relative to the second tray 6 so as to open the top of the second tray 6. For example, the first tray 5 may be configured to be slidable so as to be able to move horizontally relative to the second tray 6 without changing its orientation, or it may be configured to be detachable from the second tray 6. Here, sliding movement of the first tray 5 relative to the second tray 6 means, for example, that a rail is formed on the side of the second tray 6 and the first tray 5 moves along that rail. Furthermore, detachable from the second tray 6 means that, for example, the first tray 5 is fixed to the second tray 6 by a locking mechanism such as a locking pin and / or a fixing mechanism such as a screw mechanism, and that the fixing by the fixing mechanism can be released. 【0055】 In the above embodiment, the control device 9, which is composed of electronic components, is housed in the housing 7. However, the control device 9 may be located below the second tray 6 and may not be housed in the housing 7. 【0056】 In the above embodiment, the liquid reservoir 8 was formed in the first tray 5, but the liquid reservoir 8 does not necessarily have to be formed in the first tray 5. 【0057】 In the above embodiment, a through hole h was formed in the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 8, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, by forming a through hole h that penetrates the first tray 5 in the thickness direction in the plane of the first tray 5, the liquid sample leaking from the first tray 5 may be further received by the second tray 6. Alternatively, the through hole h may be formed in the side wall of the liquid reservoir 8. 【0058】 Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a damming portion S may be formed rising from the opening edge of the through-hole h to block the liquid sample flowing from the liquid reservoir portion 8 to the through-hole h. As a result, the liquid sample accumulated in the liquid reservoir portion 8 is first stored in the space formed by the damming portion S and the liquid reservoir portion 8, thereby increasing the amount of liquid sample that can be received by the first tray 5. 【0059】Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways, as long as it does not contradict its spirit. 【0060】 According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent liquid samples from leaking unintended into other locations in an electroporation apparatus. 【0061】 100... Electroporation apparatus 2... Chamber 3... Piping 4... Sensor 5... First tray 6... Second tray 7... Housing 8... Liquid reservoir 9... Control device

Claims

1. A liquid leakage prevention mechanism used in an electroporation apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes, a chamber having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored, and piping for supplying or discharging the liquid sample to or from the chamber, the mechanism comprising: a first tray provided below the chamber and the piping for holding or allowing the liquid sample leaked from the chamber or the piping to pass through; and a second tray provided below the first tray for holding the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray.

2. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a recess is formed in the first tray.

3. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a sensor provided in the piping for measuring the state of the liquid sample, wherein the bottom surface of the recess is formed below the sensor in the first tray.

4. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the recess is a liquid reservoir where the liquid sample accumulates, a through hole is formed in the bottom surface of the liquid reservoir, and the liquid sample accumulated in the liquid reservoir flows to the second tray through the through hole.

5. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the opening edge of the recess is chamfered.

6. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first tray is configured to be movable relative to the second tray so as to leave the top of the second tray open.

7. The leak prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first tray is configured to be openable and closable, slidable, or detachable from the second tray.

8. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first tray comprises a flat bottom wall and a side wall that is erected on the periphery of the bottom wall.

9. The liquid leakage prevention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a control device used in electroporation and composed of electronic components, wherein the control device is provided below the second tray.

10. A method for preventing liquid leakage in an electroporation apparatus having a pair of electrodes, a chamber having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored, and a pipe for supplying the liquid sample to the chamber, wherein a first tray is provided below the chamber and the pipe, a second tray is provided below the first tray, and when the liquid sample leaks from the chamber or the pipe, the leaked liquid sample is held or passed through by the first tray, and the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray is held by the second tray.

11. An electroporation apparatus comprising: a pair of electrodes; a chamber having a space between the pair of electrodes through which a liquid sample flows or is stored; piping for supplying or discharging the liquid sample to or from the chamber; a first tray provided below the chamber and the piping for holding or passing through the liquid sample leaked from the chamber or the piping; and a second tray provided below the first tray for holding the liquid sample that has passed through the first tray.

Images