JP4338595B2 - Sample analysis incubation equipment - Google Patents

Description

  In the incubation apparatus for sample analysis, in particular, in the sample analysis apparatus, the temperature distribution of the wells is made uniform over the entire range of the microplate when incubating the sample previously stored in a plurality of wells formed on the microplate. The present invention relates to an incubation apparatus for sample analysis that is suitable for application.

  Conventionally, in a sample analyzer for performing an enzyme immunoassay or the like, a microplate having a plurality of wells (holes) as reaction containers is used. In this microplate, a predetermined reagent is applied in advance to each well and solid-phased, and the specimen is analyzed by supplying the specimen to each well and reacting the specimen with the reagent.

  In such a sample analyzer, when analyzing a sample using the microplate, it is important to proceed the reaction of the sample in each well and the reagent under the same temperature condition. It is necessary to maintain the microplate at a constant temperature over the entire range. As an incubation apparatus used for such a purpose, there is one as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

  An example of a conventional incubation apparatus will be described below. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing the incubation apparatus in use, and FIG. 6 is a ZZ sectional view thereof.

  This incubation apparatus includes a heating / cooling unit 10 made of a Peltier element, an aluminum heat transfer plate 12 mounted on the heating / cooling unit 10, and a heat sink ( The heat transfer plate 12 is provided with a floor 12A having a flat upper surface, and a microplate P having a predetermined shape and size is placed on the mounting table 12A. It has become so.

  In this incubation apparatus, as shown in the drawing, a microplate P in which a plurality of wells (holes) W (for example, 8 × 12) are formed on a mounting table 12A of a heat transfer plate 12 is mounted. In addition, the reaction of the specimen supplied to each well W can be promoted by maintaining the predetermined temperature cooled or heated by the heating / cooling unit 10.

  Therefore, in order to cause the specimens supplied to all the wells W to react under the same temperature condition, the temperature distribution in the planar direction of the microplate P heated or cooled from the back surface in contact with the mounting table 12A of the heat transfer plate 12. It is important that the be uniform.

  However, in the conventional incubation apparatus, in the mounting table 12A of the heat transfer plate 12, the heat transfer is worse in the peripheral portion than in the central portion, and heat is easily radiated. Therefore, when the microplate P is mounted on the mounting table 12A. A temperature difference occurs between the well W-1 formed in the central portion and the well W-2 formed in the peripheral end portion.

  In order to prevent such a temperature drop at the peripheral edge of the microplate P, as shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral edge of the heat transfer plate 12 extends to the upper periphery of the mounting table 12A, and the extension A heat insulating wall is formed by the existing portion 12B.

JP 2003-93043 A

  However, even if the extension part 12B of the heat transfer plate 12 is formed up to the periphery of the mounting table 12A as described above, the heat radiation until the heat reaches the extension part 12B is large, so that sufficient heat retention is not necessarily performed. There was a problem that the effect could not be obtained.

  In order to prevent a temperature drop at the peripheral edge of the microplate P, it is conceivable to surround the outer periphery with a heat insulating member having a high thermal insulation effect so that heat does not escape, but the structure becomes complicated and the manufacture becomes difficult. On top of that, another problem arises because it causes an increase in cost.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and provides an incubation apparatus for sample analysis that has a high heat retention effect on the peripheral edge of the microplate without complicating the structure of the heat transfer plate. Let it be an issue.

  A heating / cooling unit; and a heat transfer plate mounted on the heating / cooling unit, the microplate is mounted on a mounting table formed on the heat transfer plate, and a plurality of plates formed on the microplate. In an incubation apparatus for sample analysis for heating or cooling a sample supplied in advance to a well, the inner end side is in contact with the heat transfer plate and the outer end portion is the mounting table described above around the mounting table of the heat transfer plate The above-described problem is solved by forming the heat insulating wall extending further upward with a high thermal conductive material having higher thermal conductivity than the material of the heat transfer plate.

  According to the present invention, since the heat insulating wall made of a material having higher thermal conductivity than the heat transfer plate is formed around the heat transfer plate, the heat transfer plate has a simple shape and its peripheral edge. Can effectively prevent heat from being released, so that the peripheral edge of the placed microplate P can be sufficiently warmed, and as a result, the microplate can be uniformly heated over the entire range. Is possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an incubation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an XX sectional view thereof, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a YY sectional view.

  As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the incubation apparatus of the present embodiment is made of Peltier element (heating / cooling means) 10 and aluminum made on the Peltier element 10 as in the case of FIG. A heat transfer plate 12 is provided. A microplate P is placed on the heat transfer plate 12, and a specimen supplied in advance to a plurality of wells W formed on the microplate P is heated or cooled. Is possible. A heat sink 14 is similarly attached to the back side of the Peltier element 10.

  In the present embodiment, the heat transfer plate 12 is formed in a simple shape including a mounting table 12A made of a flat surface with which the back surface of the microplate P can contact, and a low portion 12C formed around the mounting table 12A. Yes.

  Around the heat transfer plate 12, there is a heat retaining wall 16 whose inner end is in contact with the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 12 and whose outer end extends above the flat surface of the mounting table 12A. Is formed. The heat retaining wall 16 is fixed to the back surface of the heat transfer plate 12 with screws 15.

  The heat insulating wall 16 is formed of a high heat conductive material having higher heat conductivity than aluminum which is a material of the heat transfer plate 12. Specifically, this high thermal conductive material is a graphite sheet (trade name) 18 manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., which has excellent thermal conductivity in the sheet direction (plane direction) compared to the thickness direction. . Since this graphite sheet 18 has a thickness of about 0.1 mm and low strength, it is attached inside the reinforcing material 20 made of a predetermined shape plastic (for example, ABS resin) to form a heat insulating wall 16 as shown in the figure. Has been.

  In the incubation apparatus of the present embodiment, the lower reference numeral 16A in FIG. 1 is an open / close door used when the microplate P on the heat transfer plate 12 is taken in and out, and the open / close door 16A also functions as a heat insulating wall. As shown in the figure, the sheet material 22 is provided with a graphite sheet 18.

  Further, the lower end of the open / close door 16A is engaged with the front end of the heat transfer plate 12 via a spring (elastic body) 24, as schematically shown in the enlarged Y-Y section of FIG. Yes. Therefore, the microplate P can be easily opened and removed because it can be easily opened by being tilted forward, and can be easily returned to the closed state by the action of the spring 24. Further, since the spring 24 is thermally connected to the graphite sheet 18, heat transfer to the sheet 18 is also possible.

  In addition, when the microplate P is taken in and out (detached), since the low portion 12C having a low height is formed around the mounting table 12A on the heat transfer plate 12, a rod-shaped hand ( There is also an advantage that it is easy to insert and remove (not shown). In FIG. 3, reference numeral 26 denotes an upper lid used during incubation.

  In the above configuration, when the heat transfer plate 12 is heated by the action of the Peltier element 10, the heat is quickly transmitted through the graphite sheet 18.

  Therefore, in the conventional incubation apparatus, the temperature of the well W-2 positioned at the peripheral end is lower than the temperature of the well W-1 positioned at the center of the microplate P. In, since the graphite sheet 18 is excellent in thermal conductivity, radiant heat is transmitted from the outside to the well W-2, and the temperature difference from the well W-1 in the center is extremely small.

  According to this embodiment described in detail above, the entire periphery of the heat transfer plate 12 is surrounded by the graphite sheet 18 brought into contact with the back surface of the heat transfer plate 12, so that the peripheral edge portion is effectively kept warm. This makes it possible to keep the placed microplate P at a uniform temperature over the entire range.

  Further, since the heat transfer plate 12 can be made into a simple shape, the processing is simplified and the cost can be reduced.

  In addition, as a highly heat conductive material which comprises a heat insulating wall, it is not limited to the said graphite sheet, If it has a heat conductivity higher than the material which forms heat exchanger plate main bodies, such as aluminum, it will not specifically limit.

  Further, the structure of the heat insulating wall 16 may be configured so that it can be retracted outside by a hinge 28 or the like as shown in the partial sectional view of FIG.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the heat retaining effect on the peripheral edge of the microplate while simplifying the structure of the heat transfer plate.

  In addition, the conventional structure can be dealt with by providing a heat insulating area around it. In this case, however, the installation space is increased and the cost is increased. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the apparatus configuration can be made compact and the cost can be reduced.

The top view which shows typically the incubation apparatus of one Embodiment which concerns on this invention XX sectional drawing of the incubation apparatus of this embodiment YY enlarged partial sectional view of the incubation apparatus of the present embodiment Partial sectional view showing a modification of the present invention Plan view schematically showing a conventional incubation apparatus ZZ cross section of conventional incubation device

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Peltier element (heating and cooling means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Heat-transfer plate 12A ... Mounting stand 14 ... Heat sink 16 ... Insulation wall 18 ... Graphite sheet 20 ... Reinforcement material P ... Microplate W ... Well

Claims (3)

A heating / cooling unit; and a heat transfer plate mounted on the heating / cooling unit, the microplate is mounted on a mounting table formed on the heat transfer plate, and a plurality of plates formed on the microplate. In an incubation apparatus for sample analysis that heats or cools a sample supplied in advance to a well,
Around the heat transfer plate mounting table, a heat insulating wall whose inner end is in contact with the heat transfer plate and whose outer end extends above the mounting table is more thermally conductive than the material of the heat transfer plate. Incubation device for sample analysis, characterized in that it is made of a high thermal conductivity material.   2. The specimen analysis incubation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high thermal conductivity material is a graphite sheet.   3. The specimen analysis incubation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the graphite sheet is attached inside a reinforcing material having a predetermined shape.

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