JP2005270729A - Chip holder for microchemical system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chip holder for a microchemical system which has excellent operability of attaching a microchemical system chip and prevents chipping/cleavage from occurring on the edge of the microchemical system chip. <P>SOLUTION: This chip holder 4 for the microchemical system mounts and fixes the microchemical system chip 3 (micro chip) provided with a flow path 2 therein. The chip holder 4 for microchemical system is provided with a mounting part 40 for mounting the micro chip 3 and two pressing parts 42 that press both sides of the micro chip 3 with a specified pressure from above by using a toggle mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a chip holder for a microchemical system, and in particular, a microchemical system chip for feeding a sample solution into a microchemical system chip by connecting tubes to the inlet and outlet of the microchemical system chip. Regarding the holder.

  Conventionally, integration technology for performing chemical reactions in a minute space has attracted attention from the viewpoints of high-speed chemical reactions, reactions in minute amounts, on-site analysis, etc. Is underway.

  One of the chemical reaction integration techniques is a so-called microchemical system that performs mixing, reaction, separation, extraction, detection, and the like of a sample solution in a fine channel. Examples of reactions performed in this microchemical system include diazotization reaction, nitration reaction, antigen-antibody reaction and the like, and examples of extraction and separation include solvent extraction, electrophoretic separation, column separation and the like. Microchemical systems may be used with only a single function, such as for separation purposes only, or may be used in combination.

  Among the functions described above, an electrophoresis apparatus for analyzing a very small amount of protein, nucleic acid, or the like has been proposed as an object only for separation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This apparatus includes a chip for microchemical system (hereinafter simply referred to as “microchip”) composed of two glass substrates bonded to each other. Since these glass substrates are plate-shaped, the cross-section is circular or square. Compared to glass capillary tubes, it is hard to break and easy to handle.

  The microchip in the microchemical system is held by various chip holders for microchemical systems (hereinafter simply referred to as “chip holders”).

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the chip holder 10 is composed of two glass substrates 10a and 10b, and these two glass substrates 10a and 10b are screwed together with a microchip 11 placed between them. By doing so, the microchip 11 is fixed (for example, refer patent document 2).
JP-A-8-178897 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-1102

  However, since the conventional chip holder 10 is for screwing the microchip 11, the mounting operability of the microchip 11 to the chip holder 10 is poor and the shape of the microchip 11 depends on the force of tightening the screw 12. There is a problem of bending, chipping or cracking.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a chip holder for a microchemical system that has good operability for mounting a chip for a microchemical system and can prevent chipping and cracking at the end of the chip for a microchemical system. is there.

  The chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 1 is a connection part for connecting a tube to an inlet and an outlet of a chip for a microchemical system; a mounting part for mounting the chip for a microchemical system; In a microchemical system chip holder comprising: a pressing unit that fixes the microchemical system chip at a position where the microchemical system chip mounted on the mounting unit is pressed; The microchemical system chip placed above is pressed using a toggle clamp.

  The microchemical system chip holder according to claim 2 is characterized in that in the microchemical system chip holder according to claim 1, the connection portion is formed integrally with the pressing portion.

  The microchemical system chip holder according to claim 3 is the microchemical system chip holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tube has a joint portion for connecting to the connection portion at a tip thereof. The pressing part presses the microchemical system chip through a soft member at the bottom of the part.

  The microchemical system chip holder according to claim 4 is the microchemical system chip holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the microchemical system chip mounted on the mounting portion is the above-described chip holder. When being pressed by the pressing portion, the positions of the inlet and the outlet and the distal end position of the tube connected to the connecting portion are configured to coincide with each other.

  The microchemical system chip holder according to claim 5 is the microchemical system chip holder according to claim 4, wherein the mounting portion is in contact with three edges of the microchemical system chip placed above. A positioning unit is provided.

  The microchemical system chip holder according to claim 6 is the microchemical system chip holder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the microchemical system chip is a plurality of independent chips. The chip is composed of a chip, and the pressing unit includes a first pressing unit that presses one of a plurality of chips that constitute the microchemical system chip placed above, and the microchemical system chip placed above. And a second pressing portion that presses another one of the plurality of chips to be configured.

  According to the microchemical system chip holder of claim 1, the pressing unit provided in the microchemical system chip holder presses the microchemical system chip mounted on the mounting unit using the toggle clamp. The microchemical system chip can be fixed with a constant pressure only by lever operation, the microchemical system chip is easily mounted on the microchemical system chip holder, and the chip of the microchemical system chip is missing. -It is possible to prevent cracks from occurring.

  According to the chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 2, since the connection portion is configured integrally with the pressing portion, when the same sample solution is fed to a different chip for microchemical system, the connection portion starts from the connection portion. It is not necessary to remove the tube, and the operation can be simplified.

  According to the chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 3, the tube has a joint portion for connecting to the connection portion at the tip, and the pressing portion is connected to the microchemical via the soft member at the bottom of the joint portion. Since the pressure is applied to the system chip, the pressing portion can be brought into close contact with the surface of the microchemical system chip, and the sample solution can be prevented from leaking from the pressing portion.

  According to the microchemical system chip holder according to claim 4, when the microchemical system chip mounted on the mounting portion is pressed by the pressing portion, the connection portion is positioned at the inlet and the outlet. Since the tip positions of the tubes connected to the connection portion coincide with each other, the sample solution can be reliably fed into the microchemical system chip. Further, it is possible to prevent the microchemical system chip from moving on the microchemical system chip holder during liquid feeding.

  According to the microchemical system chip holder according to claim 5, since the mounting portion includes the three chip positioning portions that come into contact with the edges of the mounted microchemical system chip, the position of the connecting portion and the inlet Alternatively, the position of the discharge port can be adjusted more accurately.

  According to the chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 6, the pressing portion includes a first pressing portion that fixes one of the plurality of chips constituting the mounted microchemical system chip by pressing, and the mounting portion. And a second pressing part that fixes another one of the plurality of chips constituting the placed microchemical system chip by pressing, so that the microchemical system chip can be separated into two chips. In this case, it is possible to remove or replace the other chip while maintaining the feeding of the sample solution with one chip.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a chip holder for a microchemical system (hereinafter referred to as “chip holder”) according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) shows a plan view and (b) shows a partial cross section. The figure is shown.

  In FIG. 1, a chip holder for microchemical system (hereinafter simply referred to as “chip holder”) 4 includes a chip for microchemical system (hereinafter simply referred to as “microchip”) having a flow path 2 having a width of 100 μm and a depth of 50 μm. 3 is mounted, and the microchip 3 is mounted / fixed. The mounting portion 40 for mounting the microchip 3 and both sides of the microchip 3 are fixed from above using a toggle mechanism. And two pressing portions 42 to be pressed.

  The mounting unit 40 includes three protrusions 40a, 40b, and 40c that position the microchip 3, a chip fixing screw 40d that fixes the position of the positioned microchip 3, and a pressing tool 40e.

  2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the pressing unit in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 2A illustrates a method of installing a tube on the pressing unit, and FIG. 2B illustrates a sample solution from a tube installed on the pressing unit. A method for feeding liquid into the flow path of the chip will be described.

  In FIG. 2, the pressing portion 42 performs a pressing operation and a pressing release operation of the pressing member 20 by a swinging operation, and a pressing member 20 made of a metal member such as stainless steel or aluminum or a hard resin member that presses the microchip 3. An operation lever 21 and a toggle member 22 connected to the pressing member 20 and the operation lever 21 are provided.

  A plurality of screw holes 23 are formed in the pressing member 20, and the pitch of the screw grooves formed on the inner wall of the screw hole is the same as that of the pressing member 20 at the tip of the tube 5. It is made according to the pitch of the thread groove formed on the outer wall (FIG. 2 (a)). Thereby, the tube 5 can be easily connected to the pressing part 42.

  Further, the bottom of the joint 50 is filled with an O-ring rubber 51 which is a soft member (FIG. 2A). Only the O-ring rubber 51 is in contact with the surface of the chip 3 so as to contact the microchip. 3 is pressed. As a result, the joint 50 can be brought into close contact with the surface of the microchip 3, and the sample solution can be prevented from leaking from the joint 50. The pressing member 20 may be pressed against the microchip 3 by bringing both the O-ring rubber 51 and the pressing member 20 into contact with the surface of the microchip 3 at the same time. In this case, when a soft member such as a resin film or a rubber sheet is attached to the bottom surface of the pressing member 20, problems such as cracking of the microchip 3 during pressing can be prevented.

  Moreover, the position of this screw hole 23 is formed so that it may correspond with the position of the through-hole 31 (injection port, discharge port) of the microchip 3 pressed by the press part 42 (FIG.2 (b)). Thereby, the sample solution can be reliably sent from the tip of the tube 5 inserted into the predetermined screw hole 23 to the flow path 2 through the through hole 31. Further, it is possible to prevent the microchip 3 from moving on the chip holder 4 during liquid feeding.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram used for explaining a microchip fixing method and a fixing release method by the chip holder in FIG. 1.

  3 shows only the structure on the right side of the chip holder 4 in FIG. 1, the microchip 3 is fixed to the chip holder 4 on the left side in the drawing by the same procedure described below. The

  In FIG. 3, first, the microchip 3 of FIG. 1 is mounted on the mounting portion 40 of the chip holder 4, and one wall surface thereof is brought into contact with the protrusions 40a, 40b, 40c to position the microchip 3. . Thereafter, the positioned microchip 3 is fixed by tightening the chip fixing screw 40d and the pressing fixture 40e. Thereby, the position of the screw hole 23 and the position of the through hole 31 of the microchip 3 can be matched more accurately.

  Next, of the screw hole 23 formed in the pressing member 20, the sample solution is sent to the screw hole 23 located at a position corresponding to the through hole 31 (FIG. 2B) formed in the microchip 3. After the tube 5 is connected, the operation lever 21 of the pressing portion 42 is lowered and the microchip 3 is pressed by the pressing member 20.

  Thereafter, a valve (not shown) connected to the tube 5 is opened, and the sample solution is sent from the tube 5 to the flow path 2 in the microchip 3.

  In this embodiment, the tube 5 is connected to the predetermined screw hole 23 in advance before pressing, but the tube 5 is connected to the desired screw hole 23 after pressing the microchip 3 with the pressing member 20. May be.

  In order to release the fixation of the microchip 3 to which the sample solution is being fed from the microchip 3, first, the valve (not shown) is closed and the liquid feeding is stopped, and then the operation lever of the pressing unit 42 is operated. 21 is lifted up to release the pressure on the microchip 3 by the pressing member 20.

  Thereafter, the positioning screw 40d and the pressing fixture 40e of the chip positioning portion 40c are loosened to release the positioning of the microchip 3, and then the microchip 3 is removed from the chip holder 4.

  As described above, according to the fixing method of the microchip 3, the pressing member 20 presses the microchip 3 placed on the placing portion 40 using the toggle clamp 22, so that the operation lever 21 is simply lowered. The microchip 3 can be fixed with a constant pressure, the operability of attaching the microchip 3 to the chip holder 4 is good, and chipping and cracking of the end of the microchip 3 can be prevented. Further, according to the method for releasing the fixation of the microchip 3 according to the microsystem according to the present invention, the screw hole 23 is formed in the pressing member 20 and is configured integrally with the pressing portion 42. When the liquid is fed to the chip 3, it is not necessary to remove the tube 5 from the screw hole 23, and the operation can be easily performed.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the microchip 3 is configured to be pressed by the pair of pressing portions 42 at both ends thereof, but two pairs of pressing portions 42 are provided on both sides of the microchip 3. You may comprise so that the microchip 3 may be pressed.

  As a result, when the microchip 3 is configured to be separated into two chips, the other chip can be removed or replaced while maintaining the feeding of the sample solution with one chip.

It is the schematic which shows the structure of the chip | tip holder for microchemical systems which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) shows a top view, (b) shows a fragmentary sectional view. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the press part in FIG. 1, (a) shows the method of installing a tube in a press part, (b) shows the sample solution from the tube installed in the press part to the flow path of a microchip. The method of liquid feeding is shown. It is a figure used for demonstrating the fixing method and fixing release method of a microchip by the chip holder in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the conventional chip holder.

Explanation of symbols

2 Flow path 3 Microchip 4 Chip holder 20 Press member 21 Operation lever 22 Toggle clamp 42 Press part

Claims (6)

  A connecting portion for connecting a tube to the inlet and outlet of the microchemical system chip, a mounting portion for mounting the microchemical system chip, and a microchemical system chip mounted on the mounting portion. In a chip holder for a microchemical system comprising a pressing portion for fixing the microchemical system chip at a position where the microchemical system chip is placed by pressing, the pressing portion is a microchemical device previously described using a toggle clamp. A chip holder for a microchemical system, wherein the chip for a system is pressed.   2. The chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 1, wherein the connection part is configured integrally with the pressing part.   The tube has a joint portion for connecting to the connection portion at a tip thereof, and the pressing portion presses the microchemical system chip through a soft member at a bottom portion of the joint portion. The chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 1 or 2.   When the microchemical system chip placed on the placement part is pressed by the pressing part, the positions of the injection port and the discharge port coincide with the tip position of the tube connected to the connection part. The chip holder for a microchemical system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the chip holder is configured as described above.   5. The chip holder for a microchemical system according to claim 4, wherein the mounting portion includes three chip positioning portions that are in contact with the edges of the microchemical system chip placed on the surface. The microchemical system chip described above is composed of a plurality of independent chips,
The pressing portion includes a first pressing portion that presses one of a plurality of chips that constitute the microchemical system chip placed above, and a plurality of chips that constitute the microchemical system chip placed above. A chip holder for a microchemical system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a second pressing portion that presses the other one.

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