JP2016033454A - Inspection chip - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection chip that improves measurement accuracy by preventing contamination or damage of a measurement part.SOLUTION: A projection part 40 is pasted to a cover 291 between a right side part 22 of an inspection chip 2 and an injection port 110 so that the right side part 22, a right end part 401C and a left end part 401B are parallel to each other. Also, the projection part 40 is fixed on the cover 291 at a position different from an analyte quantification part 114 and a reagent quantification part 134 of the inspection chip 2. Consequently, even when the projection part 40 tenses the cover 291 to deflect it, the possibility that volumes of the analyte quantification part 114 and reagent quantification part 134 change can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a test chip including a measurement unit that measures a specimen or a reagent that has flowed through a flow path.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a test chip is known in which a sample or a reagent is quantified in a quantification unit, and light is passed through a measurement unit in which a liquid in which the sample and the reagent are mixed is stored to test the sample. For example, in the test chip disclosed in Patent Document 1, a channel is formed in a base material, and a sample holding unit, a reagent holding unit, a quantification unit, a mixing unit, a measurement unit, and the like are formed. The flow path is covered with a cover. In this test chip, the sample is injected and held in the sample holding unit, and the reagent is injected and held in the reagent holding unit. The inspection chip is mounted on a mounting holder of the inspection apparatus. The inspection chip is revolved by the inspection device and centrifugal force is applied, and the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the inspection chip is changed by rotating the inspection chip. Therefore, the sample is injected from the sample holding unit into the sample quantification unit and quantified, and the reagent is injected from the reagent holding unit into the reagent quantification unit and quantified. The quantified specimen and reagent are mixed in the mixing section, and light is passed through the measurement section to inspect the specimen.

JP 2014-81247 A

  In the above inspection chip, the user mounts the inspection chip on the mounting holder of the inspection apparatus. In this case, the user grasps the inspection chip. Further, when the user carries the inspection chip, the user holds the inspection chip. Therefore, it is not determined where the user holds the inspection chip. Therefore, when the user grasps the cover on the measurement unit, the cover has a fingerprint or the cover is damaged. Due to fingerprints or scratches on the cover on the measurement unit, the light passing through the measurement unit may be refracted or reflected, reducing the intensity of the light passing through the measurement unit and reducing the measurement accuracy. There was a problem that there was.

  The objective of this invention is providing the test | inspection chip which improves the measurement precision by the stain | pollution | contamination or damage of a measurement part being prevented.

  An inspection chip according to an aspect of the present invention is an inspection chip including a base material on which a flow path is formed, a measurement unit provided on the flow path, and a cover that covers a surface on which the flow path is formed. Further, a protrusion that protrudes from the outer shape of the inspection chip is provided on the cover, and the protrusion is fixed on the cover at a position different from the measurement part.

  Since the said inspection chip is provided with the protrusion part which protrudes from an external shape, when a user grasps | ascertains an inspection chip, a user grasps a protrusion part. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the surface of the cover facing the measurement part of the inspection chip is touched with a finger. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the surface of the cover facing the measurement unit is soiled or scratched. Therefore, a decrease in measurement accuracy can be reduced.

  The flow path may include a quantification unit for quantifying a specimen or a reagent, and the protrusion may be fixed on the cover at a position different from the quantification unit. In this case, since the protruding portion is fixed on the cover at a position different from that of the fixed amount portion, even if the cover is pulled by the protruding portion and bent when the protruding portion is gripped by the user, The possibility of changing the volume can be reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a decrease in quantitative accuracy in the quantitative unit.

  An inlet for injecting a specimen or a reagent; and the protrusion extends in a direction from the first surface toward the back surface of the base material facing the cover from the first surface. The second surface may be provided at a position different from the position facing the injection port. In this case, since the second surface of the protruding portion is not provided at a position facing the injection port, when the sample or reagent is injected from the injection port, the user avoids the protruding portion and the sample or reagent does not move. There is no need to change the way in which the inspection tip is gripped so as to be injected from the inlet. Therefore, the possibility that the user touches the measurement unit can be reduced.

  The flow path may include an injection portion into which the specimen or the reagent is injected from the injection port, and a portion of the protruding portion that overlaps the injection portion on the cover may be formed of a transparent member. In this case, the user can confirm the amount of the specimen or reagent in the injection portion through the transparent member of the protruding portion.

  The flow path may include an injection portion into which the specimen or the reagent is injected from the injection port, and a portion of the protrusion on the cover may be provided at a position that does not overlap the injection portion. In this case, since the part on the cover of the protrusion is provided at a position that does not overlap the injection part, the protrusion may obstruct visual inspection when the user checks the amount of the sample or reagent in the injection part. Never become.

  The tip of the protrusion on the cover may extend to a wall portion that forms the flow path. In this case, when the protruding portion is gripped by the user, the cover is pulled and bent by the tip of the protruding portion on the cover. However, since the tip of the projecting portion extends to the portion of the wall that forms the flow path, the risk of the surface of the cover on the side where the specimen or reagent flows can be reduced.

  The end of the protruding portion in the direction away from the inspection chip may have a shape along a concentric circle with the center of the base material being the center of the circle. In this case, when the inspection chip rotates, the possibility that the end portion of the protruding portion in the direction away from the inspection chip contacts the device that swings the inspection chip can be reduced.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the test | inspection system 3 containing the test | inspection apparatus 1 and the control apparatus 90. FIG. It is a front view of the test | inspection chip 2. FIG. It is a rear view of the test | inspection chip 2. FIG. It is a perspective view of the test | inspection chip 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a protrusion 40. FIG. It is a modification of the test | inspection chip 2. FIG. It is a modification of the inspection chip 2

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a plane of the inspection apparatus 1 constituting the inspection system 3 and functional blocks inside the control apparatus 90.

<1. Schematic structure of inspection system 3>
A schematic structure of the inspection system 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The inspection system 3 of the present embodiment includes an inspection chip 2 that can store a sample and a reagent that are liquids, and an inspection apparatus 1 that performs an inspection using the inspection chip 2. When the inspection device 1 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the vertical axis A <b> 1 separated from the inspection chip 2, centrifugal force acts on the inspection chip 2. When the inspection apparatus 1 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the horizontal axis A2, the centrifugal direction, which is the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the inspection chip 2, is switched. In addition, since the inspection system 3 and the inspection apparatus 1 of this embodiment have a known structure as described in JP 2012-78107 A, in the following description, an outline of the structure of the inspection apparatus 1 will be described. To do.

<2. Structure of the inspection apparatus 1>
The structure of the inspection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, the upper side, the lower side, the right side, the left side, the front side of the paper surface, and the rear side of the paper surface in FIG. . In the present embodiment, the direction of the vertical axis A1 is the vertical direction of the inspection apparatus 1, and the direction of the horizontal axis A2 is the direction of the speed when the inspection chip 2 is rotated about the vertical axis A1. FIG. 1 shows a state where the top plate of the upper housing 30 of the inspection apparatus 1 is removed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inspection apparatus 1 includes an upper housing 30, a lower housing 31, an upper plate 32, a turntable 33, an angle changing mechanism 34, and a control device 90. The turntable 33 is a disk rotatably provided on the upper side of an upper plate 32 described later. The inspection chip 2 is held above the turntable 33. The angle changing mechanism 34 is a drive mechanism provided on the turntable 33. The angle changing mechanism 34 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the horizontal axis A2. The upper housing 30 is fixed to an upper plate 32 described later, and a measurement unit 7 that performs optical measurement on the inspection chip 2 is provided inside. The control device 90 is a controller that controls various processes of the inspection device 1.

  A schematic structure of the lower housing 31 will be described. The lower housing 31 has a box-shaped frame structure in which frame members are combined. An upper plate 32 that is a rectangular plate material is provided on the upper surface of the lower housing 31. A drive mechanism that rotates the turntable 33 around the vertical axis A1 is provided in the lower housing 31 as follows.

  A spindle motor 35 that supplies a driving force for rotating the turntable 33 is installed on the left side in the lower housing 31. A shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 protrudes upward, and a pulley 37 is fixed. A vertical main shaft 57 extending upward from the inside of the lower housing 31 is provided at the center of the lower housing 31. The main shaft 57 passes through the upper plate 32 and protrudes above the lower housing 31. The upper end portion of the main shaft 57 is connected to the center portion of the turntable 33.

  The main shaft 57 is rotatably held by a support member (not shown) provided immediately below the upper plate 32. A pulley 38 is fixed to the main shaft 57 below the support member. A belt 39 is stretched over the pulley 37 and the pulley 38. When the main shaft motor 35 rotates the shaft 36, the driving force is transmitted to the main shaft 57 via the pulley 37, the belt 39, and the pulley 38. At this time, the turntable 33 rotates around the main shaft 57 in conjunction with the rotation of the main shaft 57.

  A guide rail (not shown) extending in the vertical direction inside the lower housing 31 is provided on the right side in the lower housing 31. A T-shaped plate (not shown) is movable in the vertical direction in the lower housing 31 along the guide rail.

  The aforementioned main shaft 57 is a cylindrical body having a hollow inside. An inner shaft (not shown) is a shaft that can move in the vertical direction inside the main shaft 57. The upper end portion of the inner shaft passes through the main shaft 57 and is connected to the rack gear 43. A bearing (not shown) is provided at the left end of the T-shaped plate. Inside the bearing, the lower end portion of the inner shaft is rotatably held.

  A stepping motor 51 for moving the T-shaped plate up and down is fixed in front of the T-shaped plate. The shaft 58 of the stepping motor 51 protrudes rearward, that is, downward in FIG. A disc-shaped cam plate (not shown) is fixed to the tip of the shaft 58. A cylindrical projection (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the cam plate. The tip of the protrusion is inserted into a groove (not shown). The protrusion can slide in the groove. When the stepping motor 51 rotates the shaft 58, the protrusion moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the cam plate. At this time, the T-shaped plate moves up and down along the guide rail in conjunction with the protrusion inserted in the groove.

  The detailed structure of the angle changing mechanism 34 will be described. The angle changing mechanism 34 has a pair of L-shaped plates 60 fixed to the upper surface of the turntable 33. Each L-shaped plate 60 extends upward from a base portion fixed in the vicinity of the center of the turntable 33, and its upper end portion extends outward in the radial direction of the turntable 33. A rack gear 43 (not shown) fixed to the inner shaft is provided between the pair of L-shaped plates 60. The rack gear 43 is a metal plate-like member that is long in the vertical direction, and gears are respectively carved on both end faces.

  On the front end side in the extending direction of each L-shaped plate 60, a horizontal support shaft 46 having a gear 45 is rotatably supported. The support shaft 46 is fixed to the inspection chip 2 through a mounting holder 61. For this reason, the inspection chip 2 also rotates around the support shaft 46 in conjunction with the rotation of the gear 45. Between the gear 45 and the rack gear 43, a pinion gear 44 supported by an L-shaped plate 60 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis (not shown) is interposed. The pinion gear 44 meshes with the gear 45 and the rack gear 43, respectively. In conjunction with the vertical movement of the rack gear 43, the pinion gear 44 and the gear 45 are driven to rotate, and the inspection chip 2 is rotated about the support shaft 46.

  In the present embodiment, as the main shaft motor 35 rotationally drives the turntable 33, the inspection chip 2 rotates around the main shaft 57 that is a vertical axis, and a centrifugal force acts on the inspection chip 2. The rotation around the vertical axis A1 of the inspection chip 2 is referred to as revolution. On the other hand, as the stepping motor 51 moves the inner shaft up and down, the inspection chip 2 rotates about the support shaft 46 which is a horizontal axis, and the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the inspection chip 2 changes relatively. The rotation around the horizontal axis A2 of the inspection chip 2 is called autorotation.

  In a state where the T-shaped plate is lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 43 is also lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range. At this time, the inspection chip 2 is in a steady state where the rotation angle is 0 degree. Further, in the state where the T-shaped plate is raised to the uppermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 43 is also raised to the uppermost end of the movable range. At this time, the test | inspection chip 2 will be in the state rotated 180 degree | times centering on the horizontal axis line A2 from the steady state. That is, in this embodiment, the angle width that the test chip 2 can rotate is the rotation angle of 0 degrees to 180 degrees.

  The detailed structure of the upper housing 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper housing 30 has a box-like frame structure in which frame members are combined, and is installed on the upper left side of the upper plate 32. More specifically, the upper housing 30 is provided outside the range in which the inspection chip 2 is rotated as viewed from the main shaft 57 at the rotation center of the turntable 33.

  The measurement unit 7 provided inside the upper housing 30 includes a light source 71 that emits measurement light, and an optical sensor 72 that detects the measurement light emitted from the light source 71. The light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 are disposed on both the front and rear sides of the turntable 33 outside the rotation range of the inspection chip 2. In the present embodiment, the position on the left side of the main shaft 57 in the reciprocable range of the inspection chip 2 is the measurement position at which the inspection chip 2 is irradiated with the measurement light. When the inspection chip 2 is at the measurement position, the measurement light connecting the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 intersects the front surface and the rear surface of the inspection chip 2 substantially perpendicularly.

<3. Electrical configuration of control device 90>
The electrical configuration of the control device 90 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 90 includes a CPU 91 that performs main control of the inspection device 1, a RAM 92 that temporarily stores various data, and a ROM 93 that stores a control program. Connected to the CPU 91 are an operation unit 94 for a user to input instructions to the control device 90, a hard disk device 95 for storing various data and programs, and a display 96 for displaying various information. As the control device 90, a personal computer may be used, or a dedicated control device may be used. The control device 90 may be built in the inspection device 1.

  Further, a revolution controller 97, a rotation controller 98, and a measurement controller 99 are connected to the CPU 91. The revolution controller 97 controls the revolution of the inspection chip 2 by transmitting a control signal for rotating the spindle motor 35 to the spindle motor 35. The rotation controller 98 controls the rotation of the inspection chip 2 by transmitting a control signal for rotating the stepping motor 51 to the stepping motor 51. The measurement controller 99 performs the optical measurement of the inspection chip 2 by driving the measurement unit 7. Specifically, the measurement controller 99 transmits a control signal for executing light emission of the light source 71 and light detection of the optical sensor 72 to the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72. The CPU 91 controls the revolution controller 97, the rotation controller 98, and the measurement controller 99.

<4. Structure of inspection chip 2>
With reference to FIG.2 and FIG.3, the detailed structure of the test | inspection chip 2 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. In the following description, the upper, lower, left, right, front side, and back side of FIG. 2 are the upper, lower, left, right, front, and rear sides of the inspection chip 2, respectively. .

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inspection chip 2 has a square shape including an upper side portion 21, a right side portion 22, a left side portion 23, and a lower side portion 24 when viewed from the front as an example, and has a predetermined thickness. Mainly a base material 20 made of a transparent synthetic resin plate. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface 201 of the base material 20 is sealed by a cover 291 made of a transparent synthetic resin thin plate. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear surface 202 opposite to the front surface 201 is sealed by a cover 292 made of a transparent synthetic resin thin plate. The covers 291 and 292 are affixed on the upper side portion 21, the right side portion 22, the left side portion 23 and the lower side portion 24, and on the end face of the partition wall portion constituting the flow path. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a liquid flow path 25 in which the liquid sealed in the inspection chip 2 can flow between the base material 20 and the cover 291 and between the base material 20 and the cover 292. Is formed. The liquid channel 25 is a recess formed at a predetermined depth on the front surface 201 side and the rear surface 202 side of the base material 20, and extends in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, which is the thickness direction of the base material 20. The covers 291 and 292 seal the flow path forming surface of the base material 20. A protrusion 40 described later is bonded to the covers 291 and 292 so as to protrude upward from the outer shape of the base material 20 by a predetermined length.

  The liquid channel 25 includes the sample quantification channel 11, the reagent quantification channels 13 and 15, the first connection channel 301, the second connection channel 331, the mixing unit 80, the measurement unit 81, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the reagent fixed amount flow path 13 is provided in the upper left part of the front surface 201. The sample quantitative flow path 11 is provided on the right side of the reagent quantitative flow path 13 in the front surface 201. As shown in FIG. 3, the reagent fixed amount flow path 15 is provided in the upper left part on the rear surface 202 side. The mixing unit 80 is provided in the lower right part of the front surface 201. The mixing unit 80 is an area including a flow path on the right side of an inflow port 306 described later, which is connected to a passage 117 described later and extends downward. The measurement unit 81 is a lower part of the mixing unit 80.

  A configuration common to the reagent quantitative channels 13 and 15 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the reagent quantification flow paths 13 and 15 include the injection port 130, the reagent injection part 131, the communication path 154, the first holding part 132, the second holding part 133, and the reagent quantifying part 134, respectively. 1st guide part 138, 2nd guide part 137, and reagent surplus part 136 are included. The reagent injection part 131 is provided in the upper left part of the test chip 2. The reagent injection part 131 is a recess that opens upward. The inlet 130 penetrates the base material 20 from the upper part of the reagent injection part 131 toward the upper side part 21 of the test chip 2. The inlet 130 is a part where the first reagent 18 or the second reagent 19 is injected into the reagent injection part 131. The reagent injection part 131 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13 is a part where the first reagent 18 injected from the injection port 130 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13 is stored. The reagent injection part 131 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 15 is a part where the second reagent 19 injected from the injection port 130 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 15 is stored. In addition, the 2nd reagent 19 of this embodiment is a reagent mixed after the 1st reagent 18 and the separation component mentioned later are mixed. In the following description, the first reagent 18 and the second reagent 19 are collectively referred to as “reagent 16” when not specified either.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first holding part 132 is a concave part that opens leftward, which is a direction that intersects the upward direction that is the opening direction of the reagent injection part 131. The first holding part 132 and the reagent injection part 131 are connected via a communication passage 154 extending in the left-right direction. The first holding part 132 includes a flow path extending downward from the right side portion of the communication path 154 on the left side, and is connected to the second holding part 133 via this flow path. A second holding part 133 is formed below the first holding part 132. The first holding portion 132 is a recess that forms the communication path 154.

  A first wall 27 is provided between the reagent injection part 131 and the first holding part 132. The first wall portion 27 extends obliquely upward to the right from the left side portion 23 toward the upper side portion 21 to form a reagent injection portion 131. A reagent quantitative unit 134 is provided below the second holding unit 133. The reagent quantification part 134 is a part where the reagent 16 is quantified, and is a concave part recessed in the lower left.

  The reagent fixed amount unit 134 is connected to the mixing unit 80 via the first guide unit 138 and the first connection channel 301, and is connected to the reagent surplus unit 136 via the second guide unit 137. The end on the mixing unit 80 side of the reagent quantitative unit 134 is referred to as a first end 141. The end of the reagent quantification unit 134 opposite to the mixing unit 80 is referred to as a second end 142. A surface connecting the first end portion 141 and the second end portion 142 is a reagent fixed amount surface 146. The reagent quantification surface 146 is a virtual surface that is the position of the upper surface of the reagent 16 when the reagent 16 is quantified by the reagent quantification unit 134. Therefore, the volume of the liquid channel 25 below the reagent quantification surface 146 is the quantification amount in the reagent quantification unit 134.

  From the upper part of the reagent fixed amount unit 134, the first guide unit 138 extends obliquely upward to the right. That is, the first guide portion 138 extends from the first end portion 141 toward the first connection channel 301. The first guide unit 138 is a flow path through which the first reagent 18 quantified by the reagent quantification unit 134 moves. The first guide portion 138 is formed of a bent fourth wall surface 145 connected to the first end portion 141, and a second wall surface 149 that faces the fourth wall surface 145 and that is the wall surface on the second holding portion 133 side. The

  From the upper part of the reagent fixed amount unit 134, the second guide unit 137 extends obliquely downward to the left. That is, the second guide part 137 extends from the second end part 142 toward the reagent surplus part 136. The second guide unit 137 is a flow path through which the reagent 16 overflowing from the reagent quantitative unit 134 moves. A reagent surplus part 136 is provided at the lower left of the reagent quantification part 134. The reagent surplus part 136 is a part in which the reagent 16 that has moved through the second guide part 137 is accommodated, and is a concave part provided downward and rightward from the lower end part of the second guide part 137. In the second guide portion 137, a third wall surface 144 extends from the second end portion 142 of the reagent fixed amount portion 134A in the direction of the reagent surplus portion 136. The reagent 16 overflowing from the reagent quantitative unit 134A flows on the third wall surface 144 and flows into the reagent surplus unit 136.

  The first connection channel 301 will be described. In the following description, the reagent quantitative unit 134 of the reagent quantitative channel 13 is referred to as a reagent quantitative unit 134A, and the reagent quantitative unit 134 of the reagent quantitative channel 15 is referred to as a reagent quantitative unit 134B. The first connection channel 301 is a channel formed on the front surface 201 and connecting the first guide part 138 and the mixing part 80. The first connection channel 301 extends obliquely downward to the right from the tip 310 of the fourth wall surface 145 of the first guide 138 and further extends to the right from the lower end. The first connection channel 301 is formed by the seventh wall surface 302 and the eighth wall surface 303. The seventh wall surface 302 extends from the distal end portion 310 of the fourth wall surface 145 of the first guide portion 138 to a right end portion 313 that forms an inflow port 306 described later. The eighth wall surface 303 is a wall surface facing the seventh wall surface 302 and extending to the mixing unit 80 side. The first connection channel 301 includes a reagent receiving unit 305 and is connected to the inflow port 306.

  The reagent receiver 305 is provided on the lower side 24 side of the first connection channel 301 and is connected to the inflow port 306. The inflow port 306 is formed by the right end portion 313 of the seventh wall surface 302 and the right end portion 314 of the eighth wall surface 303 positioned above the right end portion 313. The inflow port 306 is located on the left side of the mixing unit 80 and is a part for allowing the reagent 16 to flow into the mixing unit 80.

  A confluence hole portion 351 is provided on the left side of the reagent receiving portion 305. The joining hole 351 is a hole that penetrates the base material 20 in the front-rear direction and joins the second connecting channel 331 to the first connecting channel 301.

  The second connection channel 331 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the second connection channel 331 is formed on the rear surface 202 and extends from the reagent quantification unit 134B to the merging hole 351 side, and is a channel that connects the reagent quantification unit 134B and the merging hole 351. is there. The second connection channel 331 includes two reagent receiving portions 341 and 342. The reagent receiving parts 341 and 342 are parts that receive the second reagent 19 quantified by the reagent quantifying part 134B. The second connection channel 331 extends obliquely upward to the right from the reagent determination unit 134B and is connected to the reagent receiver 341, and extends obliquely downward to the left from the reagent receiver 341 and is connected to the reagent receiver 342. The right end portion of the reagent receiving portion 342 is connected to the merge hole portion 351 and is connected to the first connection channel 301 on the front surface 201 side.

  The specimen quantification channel 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample fixed amount flow path 11 includes an injection port 110, a sample injection unit 111, a first sample holding unit 112, a sample guide unit 113, a separation unit 124, a channel 125, a channel 127, a sample surplus unit 126, A second sample holding unit 123, a sample determination unit 114, a passage 115, a passage 117, and a second surplus unit 116 are included. The sample injection part 111 is provided on the right side of the first holding part 132 of the reagent fixed amount flow path 13. The specimen injection unit 111 is a recess that opens upward. The injection port 110 penetrates the base material 20 from the upper part of the specimen injection part 111 toward the upper side part 21 of the test chip 2. The injection port 110 is a part where the sample 17 is injected into the sample injection unit 111. The specimen injection unit 111 is a part where the specimen 17 injected from the injection port 110 is stored. The specimen 17 of the present embodiment is a liquid containing components such as blood, plasma, blood cells, bone marrow, urine, vaginal tissue, epithelial tissue, tumor, semen, saliva, or foodstuff. The first sample holding unit 112 and the sample injection unit 111 are connected via a communication path extending in the left-right direction. The first sample holder 112 is a recess that opens in the direction of the sample injector 111. A lower end portion of the first sample holding unit 112 is connected to a sample guide unit 113 which is a passage having a narrow channel.

  A separation unit 124 is provided below the sample guide unit 113. The sample guide unit 113 guides the sample 17 to the separation unit 124. The separation unit 124 is a part where components contained in the specimen 17 are separated. The separation unit 124 centrifuges the specimen 17 into a component having a small specific gravity and a component having a large specific gravity by the action of centrifugal force. In the following description, a component having a small specific gravity of the specimen 17 separated by the separation unit 124 is referred to as a separation component, and a component having a large specific gravity is referred to as a residual component.

  From the upper part of the separation part 124, the passage 125 extends obliquely to the left and the passage 127 extends obliquely upward to the right. The passage 125 extends to the specimen surplus portion 126 provided on the lower left side of the separation portion 124. The specimen surplus part 126 is a part where the specimen 17 overflowing from the separation part 124 is stored.

  The passage 127 is connected to the second sample holding unit 123. A sample quantitative unit 114 is provided below the second sample holding unit 123. The specimen quantification unit 114 is a part that quantifies the separated component, and is a recess that opens upward. As shown in FIG. 2, a wall 128 is provided between the first sample holder 112 and the second sample holder 123. The cover 291 is also attached to the wall portion 128 with an adhesive material not shown.

  The sample quantification unit 114 is connected to the mixing unit 80 through the passage 117 and is connected to the second surplus unit 116 through the passage 115. The end on the mixing unit 80 side of the sample quantitative unit 114 is referred to as a first sample quantitative unit end 118. The end of the sample quantitative unit 114 opposite to the mixing unit 80 is referred to as a second sample quantitative unit end 119. A surface connecting the first sample quantitative portion end 118 and the second sample quantitative portion end 119 is a sample quantitative surface 129. The sample quantification surface 129 is a virtual surface serving as the position of the upper surface of the separation component when the separation component is quantified by the sample quantification unit 114. Therefore, the volume of the liquid channel 25 below the sample quantification surface 129 is the quantification amount in the sample quantification unit 114. The sample quantification unit 114 is formed below the sample quantification surface 129 and shallower than the upper side. The second surplus part 116 is a part where the separated component overflowing from the specimen quantification part 114 is stored.

  The mixing unit 80 is connected to the sample quantifying unit 114 via the passage 117. The mixing unit 80 is connected to the reagent quantitative unit 134A via the first connection channel 301. The mixing unit 80 is connected to the reagent quantification unit 134B via the second connection channel 331. In the mixing unit 80, the separated component quantified in the sample quantification unit 114, the first reagent 18 quantified in the reagent quantification unit 134A, and the second reagent 19 quantified in the reagent quantification unit 134B are mixed. When optical measurement described later is performed, the measurement light is transmitted to the measurement unit 81 that forms the lower part of the mixing unit 80.

  Next, the protrusion 40 provided on the test chip 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. When the user grasps the inspection chip 2, the protruding portion 40 is a portion that can be grasped by a tool such as a finger or tweezers. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protruding portion 40 is provided in parallel with the right side portion 22 and protrudes from the upper side portion 21 by a certain length. In addition, the protrusion length of the protrusion part 40 should just be the length which can be grasped with instruments, such as a user's finger | toe or tweezers. As an example, the protrusion 40 has a width of 6 mm in the left-right direction, and protrudes 7 mm upward from the upper side 21.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the detail of the structure of the protrusion part 40 is demonstrated. The protruding portion 40 includes first surfaces 401 and 402 and a second surface 403. The first surface 401 includes an upper end 401A, a left end 401B, a right end 401C, and a lower end 401D. The left end 401B and the right end 401C are parallel, and the right end 401C is shorter than the left end 401B. The upper end 401A is the upper end of the first surface 401. The upper end 401A is orthogonal to the left end 401B and the right end 401C. The lower end 401D connects the lower ends of the left end 401B and the right end 401C, and is inclined downward from the right end 401C toward the left end 401B. A connecting portion between the lower end portion 401D and the right end portion 401C is formed in an arc shape. A connecting portion between the lower end portion 401D and the left end portion 401B is also formed in an arc shape.

  The first surface 402 includes an upper end portion 402A, a left end portion (not shown), a right end portion 402C, and a lower end portion 402D. The first surface 402 faces the first surface 401 and has the same shape as the first surface 401. The second surface 403 is a rectangular plane that connects the upper end portion 401 </ b> A of the first surface 401 and the upper end portion 402 </ b> A of the first surface 402. As shown in FIG. 4, the second surface 403 extends from the first surface 401 in a direction toward the rear surface of the base material 20 to which the cover 291 is attached.

  As an example, the protrusion 40 is formed by bending a light-transmitting film made of a synthetic resin and having a predetermined thickness. For example, the protrusion 40 is a transparent polyethylene terephthalate plate. A double-sided tape 401E with a double-sided acrylic adhesive is attached to the inner surface of the first surface 401 facing the first surface 402. The inner surface of the first surface 401 is affixed to the cover 291 of the inspection chip 2 with a double-sided tape 401E. Similarly, a double-sided tape 402E is attached to the inner surface of the first surface 402 facing the first surface 401. The inner surface of the first surface 402 is attached to the cover 292 of the inspection chip 2 with a double-sided tape 402E. The double-sided tapes 401E and 402E are desirably light transmissive. An example of the double-sided tape 401E, 402E is a double-sided tape with a transparent double-sided acrylic adhesive.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first side 401 of the protrusion 40 is arranged such that the right side 22, the right end 401 </ b> C, and the left end 401 </ b> B are parallel between the right side 22 of the test chip 2 and the injection port 110. Is attached to the cover 291. As an example, it is attached to the cover 291 so that the right wall surface 112D and the right end portion 401C of the first sample holder 112 of the test chip 2 are along. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 covers the right side 22 and the right end 402C and the left end 402B in parallel between the right side 22 and the injection port 110. 292 is pasted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end portion 401 </ b> D of the first surface 401 of the projecting portion 40 extends to a wall portion 128 formed between the first sample holding portion 112 and the second sample holding portion 123. Has been. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end portion 402 </ b> D of the first surface 402 of the protruding portion 40 extends to the wall portion 128. More desirably, the lower end portion 401D and the lower end portion 402D may be extended along the end portion of the wall portion 128 on the second sample holding portion 123 side.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protruding portion 40 is fixed on the covers 291 and 292 at a position different from the measuring portion 81 of the test chip 2. The “position different from the measurement unit 81” is a position where the first surfaces 401 and 402 of the protrusion 40 do not overlap the measurement unit 81 in the shortest distance direction from the front surface 201 to the rear surface 202 of the inspection chip 2.

  Further, the protruding portion 40 is fixed on the covers 291 and 292 at positions different from the sample quantitative portion 114 and the reagent quantitative portion 134 of the test chip 2. “A position different from the sample quantification unit 114 and the reagent quantification unit 134” means that the first surfaces 401 and 402 of the protrusion 40 are in the direction of the shortest distance from the front surface 201 to the rear surface 202 of the test chip 2. The position does not overlap the reagent quantification unit 134.

  Further, the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 is provided at a position different from the position facing the injection port 110. That is, the protrusion 40 is provided between the injection port 110 and the right side portion 22 so that the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 does not face the injection port 110. The “position different from the position facing the injection port 110” is a position where the injection port 110 is not covered with the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 and the injection port 110 is exposed, and a pipette (not shown) is connected to the injection port 110. This is a position where it can be inserted. In addition, the first surface 401 and the double-sided tape 401E (see FIG. 5) of the protruding portion 40 that overlaps the specimen injection unit 111 are formed of a transparent member as described above.

<5. Other structures>
As shown in FIG. 1, the support shaft 46 extending from the L-shaped plate 60 is vertically connected to the center of the rear surface of the base material 20 via a mounting holder 61. As the support shaft 46 rotates, the inspection chip 2 rotates around the support shaft 46. When the inspection chip 2 is in the steady state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper side 21 and the lower side 24 are orthogonal to the direction of gravity G, the right side 22 and the left side 23 are parallel to the direction of gravity G, and The left side portion 23 is disposed closer to the main shaft 57 than the right side portion 22. In a state where the inspection chip 2 in the steady state is arranged at the measurement position, the inspection apparatus 1 performs inspection by optical measurement by allowing the measurement light connecting the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 to pass through the measurement unit 81.

<6. Example of inspection method>
An inspection method using the inspection apparatus 1 and the inspection chip 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample 17 is injected from the injection port 110 and placed in the sample injection unit 111. The first reagent 18 is injected from the injection port 130 of the reagent fixed amount flow path 13 and is arranged in the reagent injection portion 131 of the reagent fixed amount flow path 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the second reagent 19 is injected from the inlet 130 of the reagent quantitative flow channel 15 and is arranged in the reagent injection part 131 of the reagent quantitative flow channel 15. The arrangement method of the first reagent 18, the second reagent 19, and the specimen 17 is not limited.

  The user grasps the protruding portion 40 of the inspection chip 2 with an instrument such as a finger or tweezers, attaches it to the mounting holder 61, and inputs a process start command from the operation unit 94. As a result, the CPU 91 executes centrifugal processing based on the control program stored in the ROM 93. Since the protruding portion 40 protrudes from the upper side portion 21 in the same vertical direction as the opening direction of the injection port 110, when the user grips the protruding portion 40 and places the inspection chip 2 on the mounting holder 61, the inspection chip 2 The downward direction and the vertical direction are unlikely to change. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the leakage of the sample 17 and the reagent 16 injected into the test chip 2 from the sample injection unit 111 and the reagent injection unit 131.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid channel 25 is an example of the “channel” in the present invention. The sample injection unit 111 and the reagent injection unit 131 are examples of the “injection unit” of the present invention. The first reagent 18 and the second reagent 19 are examples of the “reagent” in the present invention. The sample quantitative unit 114 and the reagent quantitative unit 134 are examples of the “quantitative unit” of the present invention. The lower end portions 401D and 402D of the protruding portion 40 are an example of the “tip portion of the protruding portion” in the present invention.

  As described above, in the inspection chip 2 of the above embodiment, the inspection chip 2 includes the protruding portion 40 that protrudes from the outer shape of the base material 20 as shown in FIGS. When the user grasps the inspection chip 2, the user grasps the protrusion 40. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the surfaces of the covers 291 and 292 facing the measurement unit 81 of the inspection chip 2 are touched by a finger. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the surfaces of the covers 291 and 292 facing the measurement unit 81 are dirty or scratched. In addition, a decrease in measurement accuracy can be reduced.

  Further, the protruding portion 40 is fixed on the covers 291 and 292 at a position different from the measuring portion 81 of the inspection chip 2. Therefore, there is no possibility that the protruding portion 40 covers the measurement portion 81 and affects the measurement result.

  Further, the protruding portion 40 is fixed on the covers 291 and 292 at positions different from the sample quantifying unit 114 and the reagent quantifying unit 134 of the test chip 2. Therefore, when the protrusion 40 is gripped by the user, even if the covers 291 and 292 are pulled and bent by the protrusion 40, the possibility that the volumes of the sample quantitative unit 114 and the reagent quantitative unit 134 change can be reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a decrease in quantitative accuracy in the sample quantitative unit 114 and the reagent quantitative unit 134.

  Further, the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 is provided at a position different from the position facing the injection port 110. Therefore, since the second surface 403 of the protrusion 40 is not provided at a position facing the injection port 110, the user avoids the protrusion 40 when the specimen 17 or the reagent 16 is injected from the injection port 110. There is no need to change the way of grasping the test chip 2 so that the sample 17 or the reagent 16 is injected from the injection port 110. Therefore, the possibility that the user touches the measuring unit 81 can be reduced.

  Further, the first surface 401 and the double-sided tape 401E (see FIG. 5) of the protrusion 40 that overlaps the specimen injection unit 111 are made of a transparent member. Therefore, the user can confirm the amount of the sample 17 in the sample injection unit 111 through the transparent first surface 401 and the double-sided tape 401E of the protrusion 40.

  The lower end portion 401D of the first surface 401 of the protruding portion 40 extends to a position along the wall portion 128 formed between the first sample holding portion 112 and the second sample holding portion 123. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end portion 402 </ b> D of the first surface 402 of the protruding portion 40 extends to a position along the wall portion 128. Therefore, when the protruding portion 40 is grasped by the user, the covers 291 and 292 are pulled and bent by the lower ends 401D and 402D of the protruding portion 40 on the covers 291 and 292, respectively. However, since the lower end portions 401D and 402D of the projecting portion 40 extend to a portion along the wall portion 128 that forms the flow path, the surface of the cover 291 that is attached to the end surface of the wall portion 128 swells. The fear can be reduced.

  When the user injects the sample 17 into the injection port 110 of the test chip 2, the pipette containing the sample 17 can be supported by using the protruding portion 40 as a guide member. Therefore, the sample 17 can be easily injected into the injection port 110 with a pipette.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change is possible. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the protruding portion 40 may be provided close to the right side portion 22 side so as not to overlap the sample injection portion 111. In this case, since the portion on the cover 291 of the protruding portion 40 is provided at a position that does not overlap the sample injecting portion 111, the protruding portion 40 is used when the user checks the amount of the sample 17 in the sample injecting portion 111. Will not interfere with visual inspection.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the end portion 404 of the protruding portion 40 in the direction away from the inspection chip 2 may have a shape along a concentric circle 161 with the center 160 of the base material 20 as the center of the circle. In this case, when the inspection chip 2 is held by the mounting holder 61 shown in FIG. 1, the center 160 passes through the horizontal axis A2 shown in FIG. As an example, the end 404 is cut out in an arc shape along the concentric circle 161. In this case, since the end portion 404 of the protruding portion 40 is cut out in an arc shape, the end portion 404 of the protruding portion 40 in a direction away from the inspection chip 2 at the time of rotation of the inspection chip 2 causes the inspection chip 2 to be separated. The possibility of coming into contact with the swinging inspection device 1 can be reduced. Note that the end 404 may be cut out in a straight line instead of an arc.

  The fixing position of the protrusion 40 is not limited to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may be any position on the covers 291 and 292 that do not overlap the measurement unit 81, the sample quantification unit 114, and the reagent quantification unit 134. Further, the protrusion 40 does not necessarily need to include both the first surface 401 and the first surface 402. The protrusion 40 may include either the first surface 401 or the first surface 402 and may be fixed to the inspection chip 2 on one surface. For example, when the protrusion 40 includes only the first surface 402, the first surface 402 is bonded to the cover 292, and the second surface 403 is directed from the upper end portion 402 </ b> A of the first surface 402 toward the cover 291. It may be extended. The second surface 403 may extend from the upper end portion 402 </ b> A of the first surface 402 in the direction opposite to the direction from the cover 292 to the cover 291. Further, the left end 401B and the right end 401C of the first surface 401 of the protrusion 40 do not necessarily have to be parallel. The left end portion and the right end portion 402C (not shown) of the first surface 402 are not necessarily parallel. An adhesive may be applied instead of the double-sided tapes 401E and 402E.

  When the liquid channel 25 is formed only on one surface of the inspection chip 2, the first surface 402 is directly on the back surface of the base material 20 where the liquid channel 25 of the inspection chip 2 is not formed. It may be pasted. Further, the protrusion 40 and the covers 291 and 292 may be made of an integral synthetic resin film. Moreover, the shape of the protrusion part 40 is not restricted to the said embodiment, What is necessary is just a shape which a user can grasp. Note that the first reagent 18 may be changed to a specimen. In addition, the measurement unit 81 is a lower part of the mixing unit 80, but may be provided separately from the mixing unit 80.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Test | inspection apparatus 2 Test | inspection chip 17 Sample 18 1st reagent 19 2nd reagent 20 Base material 25 Liquid flow path 40 Protrusion part 81 Measurement part 110 Inlet 111 Sample injection part 114 Sample fixed part 128 Wall part 131 Reagent injection part 134 Reagent fixed quantity Part 160 center 161 concentric circle 291 cover 292 cover 401 first surface 401D lower end 401E double-sided tape 402 first surface 402D lower end 402E double-sided tape 403 second surface 404 end

Claims (7)

A base material on which a flow path is formed;
A measurement unit provided in the flow path;
In the inspection chip comprising a cover that covers the surface on which the flow path is formed,
Provided with a protrusion protruding from the outer shape of the inspection chip on the cover,
The inspection chip, wherein the protrusion is fixed on the cover at a position different from the measurement unit. The flow path is
A quantification unit for quantifying the sample or reagent is provided,
The inspection chip according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is fixed on the cover at a position different from the quantitative portion. An inlet for injecting a sample or reagent;
The protrusion is a first surface along the cover;
A second surface extending in a direction from the first surface toward the back surface of the base material facing the cover;
The test chip according to claim 1, wherein the second surface is provided at a position different from a position facing the injection port. The flow path includes an injection portion into which the specimen or the reagent is injected from the injection port,
The inspection chip according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the protruding portion that overlaps the injection portion is formed of a transparent member on the cover. The flow path is
An injection part into which the specimen or the reagent is injected from the injection port;
The inspection chip according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the protrusion on the cover is provided at a position that does not overlap the injection portion.   6. The inspection chip according to claim 1, wherein a tip end portion of the protruding portion on the cover extends to a wall portion forming the flow path. The end part of the said protrusion part in the direction away from the said test | inspection chip has the shape in alignment with the concentric circle which made the center of the said base material the center of a circle | round | yen. Inspection chip.

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