JP3305295B2 - Membrane fixing device in DNA array automatic production equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for attaching and fixing a DNA-attached membrane to a specified position on a suction tank without moving or detaching the membrane. The remainder relates to a membrane fixing device in a DNA array automatic preparation device which can remove a membrane very easily.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional membrane fixing device in an automatic DNA array preparing apparatus has a tip end of a suction tube 31 connected to an opening at the lower surface of a dispensing nozzle group of a DNA solution automatic dispensing machine (not shown). Above the concave suction tank 32 is provided a suction plate 34 in which a number of small suction holes 33 are formed at equal intervals. A porous sheet 35 is fixed on the suction plate 34 by an apparatus. It is formed so that a nylon membrane 36, which is a sheet on which DNA is adhered, can be placed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional membrane fixing device, the membrane 36 is simply placed on the porous sheet 35, and a suction pump (not shown) is connected to the inside of the suction tank 32 through the suction pipe 31. The air is sucked, and the membrane 36 is sucked by the suction force.
Since the movement and detachment of the membrane 36 are merely prevented, the membrane 36 must be manually positioned and placed on the porous sheet 35 each time, and there is a problem that it takes time and effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to securely place and fix a membrane without moving or detaching a membrane to a predetermined position on a suction tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide a membrane fixing device in a DNA array automatic production device which can easily remove the membrane after attaching.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a suction tank for mounting and fixing a membrane is formed so that an upper suction tank can be covered and fixed on a lower suction tank.
At the outer edge of the square bottom plate, an outer wall plate is protruded in a square frame shape, and a suction recess surrounded by the outer wall plate is provided,
An upright piece higher than the outer wall plate is provided around the inner edge portion of the outer wall plate, and a tip of a suction pipe is formed so as to be connected to the suction recess so as to be open. A magnet sheet made of a square frame-shaped rubber magnet or a magnetic metal plate is fixed to the upper end surface of a square frame-shaped fitting plate that slides and fits on the outer side surface, and a large number of ventilation openings are provided in the fitting plate. Attaching and fixing a receiving plate provided with, and fixing a perforated plate provided with a large number of minute suction holes on the receiving plate, and forming a rectangular frame-shaped rubber magnet or a magnetic metal plate on the magnet sheet. The holding magnet sheet is formed by fixing the holding magnet sheet so as to be able to be adsorbed and peeled off.Furthermore, a membrane is placed on the perforated plate of the upper suction tank, and the holding magnet sheet is pressed from the outer edge of the membrane. Absorb on magnet sheet Then, the membrane is placed and fixed on the upper suction tank, and the lower portion fixed to the stage on the lower front side of the dispensing nozzle group of the DNA solution automatic dispenser or the pin group of the pin type spotter for attaching DNA. The above problem is solved by mounting the bottom surface of the fitting plate of the upper suction tank on the upper end surface of the outer wall plate of the suction tank, and fixing the upper suction tank to the lower suction tank with a crown. Was solved.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 4, a membrane fixing device of the present invention comprises a dispensing nozzle of a known DNA solution automatic dispenser 1. In the present invention, the suction tank 3 is formed so as to be separable into a lower suction tank 4 and an upper suction tank 5, and the upper suction tank is provided on the lower suction tank 4. 5 is used with the crown fixed. In FIG. 4, the DNA solution automatic dispenser 1 and the dispensing nozzle group 2 are shown, but instead of the DNA solution automatic dispenser 1, a known pin-type spotter for attaching DNA is used. And a well-known pin group may be used instead of the dispensing nozzle group 2.

The lower suction tank 4 is provided with an outer wall plate 7 projecting in a rectangular frame shape from the outer edge of a square bottom plate 6 to provide a suction recess 8 surrounded by the outer wall plate 7. An upright piece 9 higher than the outer wall plate 7 is provided around the inner edge of the outer wall plate 7, and a packing plate 10 made of sponge rubber or the like is provided around the upper end surface of the outer wall plate 7 and fixed. , And suction tube 1
1 is formed so as to be connected to the suction recess 8 by opening. In addition, in the figure which shows embodiment of this invention, although the packing board 10 is arrange | positioned, it is preferable that this is provided, but it is not always necessary and even if the packing board 10 is not provided, The object of the present invention can be sufficiently achieved.

On the other hand, the upper suction tank 5 to be crowned and fixed on the lower suction tank 4 is provided with a rectangular frame-shaped fitting plate 12 so that the upper suction tank 5 can be fitted in sliding contact with the outer surface of the upright piece 9. A rectangular frame-shaped magnet sheet 13 made of a rubber magnet or a magnetic metal plate or the like is fixed to the upper end surface of the fitting plate 12, and a receiving plate 15 having a large number of ventilation openings 14 is fixed to the fitting plate 12. Further, a perforated plate 17 provided with a large number of fine suction holes 16 made of a synthetic resin plate or a metal plate is placed and fixed on the receiving plate 15 and the magnet sheet 1 is fixed.
One side edge of a rectangular frame-shaped holding magnet sheet 18 made of a rubber magnet or a magnetic metal plate or the like is fixed on the magnet sheet 13 so as to be able to be attracted and separated therefrom. In the drawings showing the embodiment of the present invention, one side edge of the holding magnet sheet 18 is fixed to the magnet sheet 13 so as not to be separated, but is used without being fixed. May be.

Then, a nylon membrane 19 is placed on the perforated plate 17 and the magnet sheet 13, and the holding magnet sheet 18 is attracted to the magnet sheet 13 on the fitting plate 12 from the outer edge of the membrane 19. By doing so, the membrane 19 is sandwiched between the magnet sheet 13 and the holding magnet sheet 18 and is mounted and fixed at a predetermined position on the upper suction tank 5 without moving or detaching.

The operation of the suction tank 3 having the above structure will be described. The lower suction tank 4 is provided on the lower front surface of the dispensing nozzle group 2 of the DNA solution automatic dispenser 1 as shown in FIG. Stage 2 installed movably in the X-Y axis direction
Fixed to 0. Then, the pressing magnet sheet 18 of the upper suction tank 5 is pushed up to remove the magnet sheet 13.
The state of adsorption to the membrane is released, and the membrane 19 is moved to the perforated plate 17.
The membrane 19 is placed and fixed on the perforated plate 17 by adsorbing the holding magnet sheet 18 to the magnet sheet 13. Thereafter, the inner surface of the fitting plate 12 of the upper suction tank 5 in which the membrane 19 is fixed on the perforated plate 17 is fitted while slidingly contacting the outer surface of the standing piece 9 of the lower suction tank 4, and By placing the bottom surface of the fitting plate 12 on the upper surface, the upper suction tank 5 is crowned and fixed on the lower suction tank 4.

Then, air in the lower and upper suction tanks 4 and 5 is sucked from a suction pump (not shown) through the suction pipe 11 and the suction force causes the air to flow through the ventilation opening 14 and the minute suction hole 16. Aspirating the membrane 19 of the plate 17;
The movement and detachment of the membrane 19 are completely prevented. Thereafter, a DNA solution is dropped onto the membrane 19 through the dispensing nozzle group 2 to form a DNA array.

After the DNA array is manufactured, both ends of the upper suction tank 5 are attached to, for example, an arm clamp 23 on the lower surface of an arm 22 protruding from the tip of a DNA array transfer robot 21 as shown in FIG. Pinch and lift through
In addition, a plurality of the upper suction tanks 5 thus sandwiched are stacked on a stocker 24 and stocked. Then, the stocker 24 in which a predetermined number of the upper suction tanks 5 are stacked is carried to a measuring / analyzing device, and the holding magnet sheet 18 is pushed up to take out the membrane 19, which is set in the measuring / analyzing device for measurement analysis.

As a matter of course, the upper suction tank 5 can be manually removed from the lower suction tank 4 without using the DNA array transfer robot 21.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a large number of upper suction tanks 5 must be prepared in advance. However, the membrane 19 is not touched by hand at the stage of attaching DNA, and the membrane 19 is measured and analyzed at the time of measurement / analysis. Since it is removed, work efficiency can be improved.

[0015]

According to the present invention as described above, the membrane is securely placed and fixed in advance without moving or detaching it to a predetermined position in the upper suction tank, and the upper suction tank is simply dispensed with the DNA solution automatically. The position of the membrane can be adjusted simply by fixing it on the lower suction tank provided on the lower front surface of the dispensing nozzle group of the injection machine or on the lower front surface of the pin group of the pin type spotter for attaching DNA. D
NA can be attached. Further, since the membrane is removed at the time of measurement / analysis without touching the membrane at the stage of preparing the DNA, the working efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a membrane fixing device in a DNA array automatic production device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a membrane fixing device in the DNA array automatic production device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a use state of a membrane fixing device in the DNA array automatic production apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a membrane fixing device in a conventional DNA array automatic production device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 DNA solution automatic dispenser, 2 dispensing nozzle group, 3
Suction tank, 4 Lower suction tank, 5 Upper suction tank, 6
Bottom plate, 7 outer wall plate, 8 suction recess, 9 upstanding piece, 11 suction pipe, 12 fitting plate, 13 magnet sheet, 14 ventilation opening, 15 receiving plate, 16
Micro suction hole, 17 perforated plate, 18 magnet sheet for holding, 19 membrane, 20 stages.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A suction tank for mounting and fixing a membrane is formed so that an upper suction tank can be covered and fixed on a lower suction tank. The lower suction tank has a rectangular shape on an outer edge of a square bottom plate. An outer wall plate is protruded in a frame shape to provide a suction recess surrounded by the outer wall plate, and a standing piece higher than the outer wall plate is provided around an inner edge of the outer wall plate, and suction is performed. The top end of the pipe is formed so as to be continuous with the suction recess, and the upper suction tank is formed on the upper end surface of a square frame-shaped fitting plate that slides and fits on the outer surface of the standing piece. A magnet sheet made of a rubber magnet or a magnetic metal plate or the like is fixed, and a receiving plate provided with a large number of ventilation openings is fixedly mounted on the fitting plate, and a large number of minute suction holes are provided on the receiving plate. A perforated plate is fixed, and a square frame-shaped rubber magnet or Is formed by fixing a holding magnet sheet made of a metal plate or the like so as to be adsorbable and peelable. Further, a membrane is placed on a perforated plate of the upper suction tank, and an outer edge of the membrane is placed on the perforated plate. A holding magnet sheet is attracted onto the magnet sheet, the membrane is placed and fixed on the upper suction tank, and a dispensing nozzle group of a DNA solution automatic dispenser, or a pin type spotter for attaching DNA. The bottom surface of the fitting plate of the upper suction tank is placed on the upper end surface of the outer wall plate of the lower suction tank fixed to the front lower surface stage of the pin group, and the upper suction tank is covered with the lower suction tank. A membrane fixing device in a DNA array automatic preparation device, which is fixed.