JP2013088160A - Fixing structure for detection chip of flow-through cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure in which compressibility of an elastic member can be fixed by preventing a detection chip which is mounted to a flow-through cell from being deposited to a counter surface.SOLUTION: A fixing structure for a detection chip is constituted by providing, on a substrate, a piezoelectric element of which both the sides or one side is immersed in a solution. In the fixing structure, the substrate is fixed by vertically holding a terminal portion of the substrate, excluding the piezoelectric element on the substrate.

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow-through cell for use in detecting or measuring a substance in a solution, and in particular, fixing a detection chip of a flow-through cell whose detection method is a quartz crystal microbalance method (hereinafter referred to as “QCM”). The present invention relates to a structure and a flow-through cell using the same.

Conventionally, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose that a detection chip for detecting the presence of a specific molecule in a sample solution is provided on a substrate to constitute a detection chip and used as a flow-through cell. .
Patent Document 1 describes a detection chip configured by arranging a circular crystal resonator on a square substrate and sealing the periphery thereof.
In Patent Document 2, a crystal resonator is disposed in a circular concave portion of a lower member, a rectangular cell chamber seal member that is slightly smaller than the outer shape of the crystal resonator is disposed on the crystal resonator, and an upper member is disposed thereon. A flow-through cell having a structure in which the upper member and the lower member are pressed and fixed by metal fittings provided on both sides is described.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-295923 discloses a structure for easily attaching a detection chip to a cell simply by disposing the detection chip in a flow-through cell and moving a lid downward.
The detailed structure of the flow-through cell described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-295923 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the figure, the upper mold 2 can be opened and closed by a hinge 3 so that the upper mold 2 can overlap the lower mold 1.
A concave portion 1a having a square shape in plan view is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 1, and a total of two pins 4 are erected at diagonal positions in the concave portion 1a. A support member 5 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed in the recess 1a. The support member 5 is formed of a substantially rectangular plate material, and is provided with through holes 5h and 5h through which the pins 4 and 4 are inserted. Further, a through hole 5a is provided in the upper and lower surface direction of the support member 5, and a flange 5b is formed toward the center of the through hole 5a for supporting the bottom surface of the detection chip 6 on the lower surface side. The detection chip 6 is configured by providing a concave portion that is slightly smaller than the outer dimension of the substrate 6b on the upper surface of the substrate 6b such as a printed wiring board, and arranging a detection element 6a such as a crystal resonator. Then, a ring-shaped seal member 13 is provided on the outer periphery of the detection element 6 a and is sandwiched between the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2.

However, in the structure of Patent Document 1 described above, when the upper surface side of the detection element sticks to the inner wall ceiling of the cell and is pressed from the lower side to the upper side of the detection element, the sealing material provided around the detection element There is a problem that the compression rate changes and the cell capacity does not become constant.
Further, in the structure of Patent Document 2, since the detection element is pressed and fixed by the upper and lower members, there is a problem in that the compression rate of the seal member changes depending on the pressing force at the time of fixing and the cell capacity is not constant. is there.
The structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-295923 also has a problem that the detection chip 6 sticks to the bottom surface of the cell constituent member 10 (cell upper member) provided with the introduction port and the discharge port by the seal member 13.

Special Table 2004-523150 Publication (Figs. 4 and 5) JP-A-8-75628 (FIGS. 3 and 13)

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure capable of preventing the detection chip attached to the flow-through cell from sticking to the opposing surface and making the compression rate of the elastic member constant.

The detection chip fixing structure of the flow-through cell according to the present invention is a detection chip fixing structure configured by providing, on a substrate, a piezoelectric element that is immersed in a solution on both sides or one side. In addition, the end portion of the substrate excluding the piezoelectric element on the substrate is sandwiched and fixed from above and below.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fixing structure for the detection chip of the flow-through cell according to the first aspect, a compression adjusting member is provided on the upper surface of the end of the substrate.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a flow-through cell includes the detection chip fixing structure according to the first or second aspect.

According to the present invention, since the end portion of the substrate excluding the piezoelectric element is sandwiched and fixed from above and below, the seal member disposed on the upper surface side of the detection chip can be attached to the cell upper member which is the opposing surface. Therefore, the detection chip can be easily detached.
In addition, since the compression adjustment member is provided on the upper surface of the end portion of the substrate, the seal member is uniformly compressed regardless of the pressure by the elastic member such as a spring when the upper mold 2 overlaps the lower mold 1, and the flow path is It can be prevented from being blocked by the sealing member and the cell capacity can be kept constant.

Illustration of conventional structure of flow-through cell Explanatory drawing of the support member arranged in the flow-through cell Explanatory drawing of one embodiment of the present invention Plan view of substrate 6b of the same embodiment

The flow-through cell shown in FIG. 3 is configured to be opened and closed by a hinge 3 so that the upper mold 2 can overlap the lower mold 1.
A concave portion 1a having a square shape in plan view is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 1, and a total of two pins 4 are erected at diagonal positions in the concave portion 1a. A support member 5 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed in the recess 1a. The support member 5 is formed of a substantially rectangular plate material, and is provided with through holes 5h and 5h through which the pins 4 and 4 are inserted. Further, a through hole 5a is provided in the upper and lower surface direction of the support member 5, and a flange 5b is formed on the lower surface side toward the center of the through hole 5a, and the bottom surface of the detection chip 6 is supported by the flange 5b. . Accordingly, the concave portion in the present invention includes both a bottomed concave portion and a concave portion obtained by a through hole. The detection chip 6 is configured by providing a concave portion on the upper surface of a substrate 6b such as a printed wiring board and disposing a detection element 6a such as a crystal resonator in the concave portion. As shown in FIG. 4, a grip portion 14 (A or B) is provided at the outer peripheral end portion of the upper surface of the substrate 6b outside the concave portion. As shown in FIG. 3, the flange portion 5b and the seal member are provided. 13, the substrate 6b is sandwiched from above and below. The gripping portion 14 is made of, for example, polymethyl methacrylate, fluororesin, polyether ether ketone, polydimethylsiloxane, or the like, and is a compression adjusting member that prevents the seal member from being compressed more than necessary and keeps the compression of the seal member constant. Also plays a role as. In addition, you may comprise the holding | grip part 14 integrally with the board | substrate 6b.
The material constituting the substrate is not particularly limited, but can be composed of glass epoxy resin, paper phenol, paper epoxy, paper bakelite, Teflon (registered trademark), ceramics, or the like.
In the first embodiment, the upper die 2 is provided with a solution introduction port 8 and a discharge port 9 urged toward the lower die 1 via an elastic member 7 such as a spring on the lower surface of the upper die 2 main body. The member 10 is provided. In order to prevent the member 10 from popping out, a flange 2a is provided on the inner periphery of the concave portion provided in the lower surface of the upper die 2 main body. The lower mold 1 may have a configuration in which a support member 5 biased in the direction of the upper mold 2 via an elastic member 7 such as a spring is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 1 main body. Inside the member 10 provided with the introduction port 8 and the discharge port 9 on the lower surface, an introduction path 11 for guiding the solution from the outside of the cell to the introduction port 8 and the solution from the discharge port 9 are discharged to the outside of the cell. A discharge path 12 is formed.
When the upper mold 2 is overlapped with the lower mold 1, a detection unit is opened at the outer periphery of the introduction port 8 and the discharge port 9 on the upper mold 2 side in order to seal the upper part of the detection unit of the detection chip 6. A seal member 13 is provided. The material of the seal member is not particularly limited as long as it is compressed and prevents leakage of the solution. For example, silicone rubber, fluororesin packing material, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, gel seal material, waterproof sponge material, etc. Can be used.
As the material of the member 10 provided with the introduction port 8 and the discharge port 9, for example, a resin such as PMMA, fluororesin, or PEEK can be used.

  With the above structure, the support member 5 is fixed by the pin 4 of the recess 1a of the lower mold 1 in a state where the detection chip 6 is disposed on the upper surface of the support member 5, and the upper mold 2 is closed. In order for the member 10 provided with 9 to store the solution above the detection chip 6, a space whose outer periphery is sealed by the seal member 13 can be formed. Therefore, the operation of aligning the introduction port 8 and the discharge port 9 above the detection unit becomes easy. In addition, when replacing the detection chip 6 having an outer dimension of about several millimeters, which is difficult to handle by itself, it is extremely quick to remove the support member 5 without removing the detection chip 6 directly from the lower mold 1. Work becomes possible.

In the structure described above, the pin 4 is erected in the recess 1a of the lower mold 1 and the through holes 5h and 5h for allowing the pin 4 to be inserted through the support member 5 are provided. When the member 5 is joined to the member 10 having the introduction port and the discharge port, it is not always necessary if there is an accuracy that does not hinder the flow path condition in practice.
Further, although not shown, the upper die 2 or the lower die 1 needs to be provided with wiring for energizing the detection chip 6.
Further, in the present embodiment, the lower mold 1 and the upper mold 2 are connected by the hinge 3, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this connection method, and is separated from the lower mold 1 at a position above the lower mold 1. The upper mold 2 may be supported by a free slider.
In the above description, the seal member 13 is provided on the outer periphery of the detection chip 6. However, the seal member 13 may be provided on the member 10 having the introduction port and the discharge port. Moreover, there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the material which comprises the sealing member 13, For example, a polymeric elastic material can be used.
In addition, the measuring apparatus of the present invention can be composed of a known pump, a crystal oscillation circuit, a network analyzer, etc. used for a flow-through cell.

1 Lower mold 2 Upper mold 3 Hinge 4 Pin 5 Support member (cell lower member 1)
6 Detection Chip 7 Elastic Member 8 Introduction Port 9 Discharge Port 10 Cell Constituent Member (Cell Upper Member) With Inlet and Discharge Port
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Introduction path 12 Discharge path 13 Seal member 14 Gripping part (compression adjustment member; cell lower member 2)

Claims (3)

  A detection chip fixing structure configured by providing on a substrate a piezoelectric element immersed on both sides or one side in a solution, and sandwiching an end of the substrate excluding the piezoelectric element on the substrate from above and below A structure for fixing a detection chip of a flow-through cell, characterized by being fixed.   2. The detection structure for fixing a flow-through cell detection chip according to claim 1, wherein a compression adjusting member is provided on an upper surface of an end of the substrate.   A flow-through cell comprising the detection chip fixing structure according to claim 1.

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