JP5175778B2 - Liquid feeding device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid delivery apparatus that delivers a minute amount of liquid to a desired site.

  For example, in the medical field, a micro liquid feeding apparatus that feeds a liquid for analysis to a tester by a minute amount, for example, an amount on the order of μl is used. Such a liquid feeding device includes a tank containing a liquid, a micro flow channel extending from the tank to the detection unit, a return flow extending from the detection unit to the tank, and a micro pump provided in the return flow channel. And a microvalve that opens and closes the microchannel (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  A general microvalve employs a system in which a structure for mechanically opening and closing a flow path using an electromagnetic switch is miniaturized as much as possible, like an electromagnetic valve used for general piping. This electromagnetic open / close valve is roughly classified into two types, that is, when the electromagnet is energized, but is not energized, in a so-called normal state, the flow path is in an open state or in a closed state. For example, when the application of the micro liquid feeder is a microchip used for an inspection device or the like, the inspection object flows by itself into the flow path due to the self-running action of the micro flow path. It is desirable that the road is closed and normally closed.

  In a normally closed electromagnetic valve, the valve is always pressurized to a closed position by a spring or the like, and the flow path is closed when the electromagnet is not energized. When the electromagnet is energized, the operating rod is actuated to generate a thrust that overcomes the spring and the valve is opened.

JP 2008-145320 A

  However, the electromagnetic on-off valve as described above is not suitable for minimization, and has a considerably large, complicated, and expensive structure as compared with the micro flow path. In the case of a normally closed type, a pressurizing mechanism such as a spring is required, and a stronger electromagnet is required to overcome the spring together. Therefore, the electromagnetic on-off valve has a large and complicated structure, which increases the manufacturing cost, and is not suitable for use in a disposable liquid delivery device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid feeding device that can be used for a disposable device and that can deliver liquid at low cost and stably.

A liquid feeding device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a base material, an inspection unit formed on the base material and capable of mounting an inspection device, a microchannel formed on the base material and guiding liquid to the inspection unit. A valve mechanism that is provided in the middle of the microchannel and opens and closes the microchannel,
The valve mechanism includes an annular valve seat provided in the microchannel formed on the base material, a diaphragm formed on the base material so as to be deformable from the outside, and positioned facing the valve seat, a valve installation surface on the opposite side to the diaphragm opposite the valve seat, said the valve surface and the mounting surface in contact with the valve seat has a bottom in contact is elastically deformable formed, the bottom Abutting on the installation surface, the valve surface is elastically pressed against the valve seat, and is disposed in the micro flow path, closes the micro flow path, and from the outside via the diaphragm And a valve body that is elastically deformed when pressed and the valve surface is separated from the valve seat and opens the minute flow path.

  According to the above-described configuration, by using the microvalve structure in the microchannel, it is possible to control liquid feeding that is normally closed and inexpensive, and it is possible to provide a liquid feeding device that is easy to use and disposable.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a liquid feeding unit of a liquid feeding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid feeding unit along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a valve body of a valve mechanism provided in the liquid feeding unit. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the valve mechanism. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the valve mechanism is pressed from the outside of the unit and the valve is opened. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a valve mechanism of a liquid feeding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a valve mechanism of a liquid delivery device according to a modification of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, a liquid feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a liquid-feeding unit of the liquid-feeding device according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a valve mechanism portion of the liquid-feeding unit, and FIG. 3 shows a valve body. A perspective view and FIG. 4 are plan views showing a valve installation portion.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid feeding device includes a liquid feeding unit 10 and a pressurizing mechanism 50 to be described later that drives the liquid feeding unit. The liquid feeding unit 10 is detachably connected to the pressurizing mechanism 50.

  The liquid feeding unit 10 includes, for example, a base material 12 formed in a rectangular plate shape, and four support legs 26 erected at four corners on the lower surface side of the base material 12. For example, the inspection part 14 which consists of a rectangular-shaped recessed part opened to the upper surface side of the base material is formed in the longitudinal direction one end part of the base material 12. As shown in FIG. An inspection device 16, for example, a DNA chip is mounted on the upper surface side of the substrate 12 so as to cover the inspection unit 14.

  In the base material 12, a micro flow path (micro flow path) 18 that is in airtight communication with the inspection unit 14 is formed. The base material 12 is configured by laminating three rectangular flow path plates 20, 21, and 22, respectively. The flow path plates 20, 21, and 22 are each formed to have a thickness of, for example, 2 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm, and are bonded to each other with an adhesive. The micro flow path 18 includes a micro flow path 18 a formed between the flow path plate 20 and the flow path plate 21, and a micro flow path formed between the flow path plate 21 and the flow path plate 22. 18b. The microchannel 18 is formed with a diameter of 0.3 mm × 0.3 mm, for example. The minute channel 18 a communicates with the injection port 19 formed in the base material 12, and the minute channel 18 b communicates with the inspection unit 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a valve mechanism 30 is provided between the micro flow paths 18 a and 18 b, and the middle part of the micro flow path 18 is shielded or opened by the valve mechanism, and the liquid in the micro flow path 18 is Flow is controlled.

  A circular through hole 32 is formed in the flow path plate 21 located in the intermediate layer, and the micro flow paths 18 a and 18 b communicate with each other through the through hole 32. The valve mechanism 30 includes an annular valve seat 34 formed on the flow path plate 21 around the through hole 32 and a valve body 36 that opens and closes the micro flow path 18 in cooperation with the valve seat. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the valve body 36 has, for example, a truncated conical upper part 36a and a cylindrical bottom part 36b coaxial with the upper part, and the outer peripheral surface of the upper part 36a is a valve. A surface 36c is formed. The bottom portion 36b has a circular bottom surface, and a circular recess 38 having a smaller diameter than the bottom surface is formed. The valve body 36 is preferably made of a material softer than the material of the flow path plates 20, 21, and 22, and for example, silicone rubber or fluorine rubber may be used. Thereby, the valve body 36 can be elastically deformed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a part of the flow path plate 22 is formed in a thin shape having a thickness of 0.2 mm, for example, and constitutes a diaphragm 40 that can be deformed by applying pressure from the outside. The diaphragm 40 faces the valve seat 34 and the through hole 32 with a gap. The diameter d of the diaphragm 40 is, for example, 4 to 5 mm. A cylindrical projection 41 is formed at the center of the inner surface of the diaphragm 40 and faces the through hole 32. The flat surface at the top of the valve body 36 is slightly in contact with the protrusion 41.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flow path plate 20 has a flat valve installation surface 44 that faces the valve seat 34 and is located on the opposite side of the diaphragm 40. The valve installation surface 44 defines a part of the minute flow path 18a. The valve body 36 is disposed in the microchannel 18 in a state where the bottom surface abuts on the valve installation surface 44 and the valve surface 36c is elastically pressed against the valve seat 34, and closes the microchannel.

  That is, when the flow path plates 20, 21, 22 are joined with an adhesive or the like, the valve body 36 is incorporated into the base material 12 by a work process such as embedding between the flow path plates 20, 21. When incorporating, a pressure is applied to the valve body 36. The valve surface 36c of the valve body 36 comes into contact with the valve seat 34 of the flow path plate 21 with a predetermined pressure by the action of the pressurization, and the micro flow path 18 is closed in a normal state. As will be described later, when the diaphragm 40 is pushed and deformed from the outside into the base 12 by the pressurizing mechanism 50, the valve body 36 is crushed and elastically deformed via the protrusion 41, and the valve surface 36c is changed to the valve seat 34. And the microchannel 18 is opened. In addition, a communication groove 45 is formed on the installation surface 44 of the flow path plate 20, and the inside of the recess 38 of the valve body 36 and the minute flow path 18 a communicate with each other via the communication groove 45.

Next, the operation of the liquid delivery device configured as described above will be described.
Further, the liquid feeding unit 10 is attached to the pressurizing mechanism 50. The valve mechanism 30 does not include a drive mechanism such as an electromagnetic switch. Therefore, the microchannel 18 is opened and closed using a pressurizing mechanism 50 having a pressurizing rod 51 installed outside as shown in FIGS. Therefore, the pressurizing mechanism such as the pressurizing rod 51 need not be disposable.

  Normally, the valve body 36 of the valve mechanism 30 is pressed against the valve seat 34 and is in a closed state. The micro channels 18a and 18b are blocked by the valve body 36 and are in a closed state. In order to open the valve mechanism 30, the central portion of the diaphragm 40 is pressurized from the outside of the liquid feeding unit 10 by the pressurizing rod 51 of the pressurizing mechanism 50 and deformed inward so as to bend. The valve body 36 is deformed by pushing the upper surface of the valve body 36 through the protrusion 41 attached to the diaphragm 40.

  The valve body 36 has a recess 38 formed on the bottom surface that contacts the installation surface 44 of the flow path plate 20. Therefore, when the valve body 36 is pressurized from the upper surface, the portion of the recess 38 is preferentially deformed, and the entire valve body 36 operates. As a result, the valve surface 36c of the valve body 36 is separated from the valve seat 34 of the flow path plate 21, the through hole 32 is reliably opened, and the micro flow path 18a and the micro flow path 18b are connected. Thereby, for example, the liquid sent from the injection port 19 to the microchannel 18 a is guided to the microchannel 18 b through the through hole 32 and further sent to the DNA chip 16. Thus, the flow of the liquid in the microchannel 18 is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the valve mechanism 30.

  When the pressure in the microchannel 18 increases, it is desirable that the sealing performance of the valve body 36 is high. In FIG. 2, when the internal pressure of the microchannel 18 a increases, the pressure or hydraulic pressure is applied to the recess 38 formed on the bottom surface of the valve body 36 via the communication groove 45 formed on the installation surface 44. Will be applied. Therefore, the entire valve body 36 is lifted and the valve surface 36 c of the valve body 36 is pressed against the valve seat 34. Therefore, the sealing performance of the valve mechanism 30 improves as the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18a increases.

  On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18b increases, the sealing performance of the valve mechanism 30 depends on the pressure applied between the valve surface 36c of the valve body 36 and the valve seat 34. Therefore, the characteristics of the valve mechanism configured as described above are close to those of the check valve, and can be used as a check valve with an opening / closing mechanism by optimizing the pressurization described above.

  According to the valve mechanism of the liquid feeding unit 10 and the liquid feeding device configured as described above, only a minute valve body is built in the minute flow path, and a mechanism for opening and closing the valve needs to be mounted on the liquid feeding unit side. Disappear. Therefore, a very inexpensive microvalve mechanism can be realized, and a liquid feeding unit or microchip that can be easily disposed of can be realized. In addition, since the valve mechanism is normally closed, when used in a microchip or the like, the liquid flow into the microchannel due to the self-running effect can be suppressed. As a result, a liquid feeding unit that is very convenient to use can be obtained.

  From the above, by using the microvalve structure in the micro flow path, it is possible to control liquid feeding that is normally closed and inexpensive, and it is possible to provide a liquid feeding device that is easy to use and disposable.

  Next, a liquid feeding unit of the liquid feeding device according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a valve mechanism portion of a liquid feeding unit according to the second embodiment. According to the second embodiment, as a measure for reliably preventing the back flow of the liquid against the internal pressure generated from the direction opposite to the liquid feeding direction, that is, the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18b on the tester side, Two mechanisms are arranged side by side.

  That is, the valve mechanism 30 having the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above is provided between the microchannel 18a and the microchannel 18b. Another valve mechanism 60 is provided in series with the valve mechanism 30 with respect to the microchannel 18.

  The flow passage plate 21 is formed with a circular through hole 62 that constitutes a part of the minute flow passage 18a. The valve mechanism 60 includes an annular valve seat (second valve seat) 64 formed on the flow path plate 21 around the through hole 62 and a valve body that opens and closes the micro flow path 18 in cooperation with the valve seat 64. (Second valve body) 66. The valve seat 64 is provided on the upstream side of the micro flow path 18 with respect to the valve seat 34 of the valve mechanism 30.

  The valve body 66 has, for example, a truncated conical upper part 66a and a cylindrical bottom part 66b coaxial with the upper part, and the outer peripheral surface of the upper part 66a forms a valve surface 66c. The bottom 66b has a circular bottom surface, and a circular recess 68 having a smaller diameter than the bottom surface is formed. The valve body 66 is preferably made of a material softer than the material of the flow path plates 20, 21, and 22, and for example, silicone rubber or fluorine rubber may be used. Thereby, the valve body 66 can be elastically deformed.

The valve body 66 is disposed in the micro flow path 18a in a state where the bottom surface abuts on the valve installation surface 44 and the valve surface 66c is elastically pressed by the valve seat 64, and closes the micro flow path. That is, when the flow path plates 20, 21, and 22 are joined with an adhesive or the like, the valve body 66 is incorporated into the base material 12 by an operation process such as embedding between the flow path plates 20 and 21. When assembled, a pressure is applied to the valve body 66. The valve surface 66c of the valve body 66 comes into contact with the valve seat 64 of the flow path plate 21 with a predetermined pressure by the action of the pressurization, and the micro flow path 18 is closed in a normal state.
In the second embodiment, the other configuration of the liquid feeding device is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the liquid feeding device configured as described above, when the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18a rises during liquid feeding, the valve surface 66c of the valve body 66 in the valve mechanism 60 is pressurized and the valve body 66 is elastically displaced. The surface 66c is separated from the valve seat 64, and the minute flow path 18a is opened. Thereby, the liquid passes through the through-hole 62 from the microchannel 18a and is sent to the valve mechanism 30 side. And by the pressurizing rod 51 of the pressurizing mechanism 50 described above, the valve mechanism 30 is opened and the through hole 32 is reliably opened, and the microchannel 18a and the microchannel 18b are connected. As a result, the liquid sent from the micro flow path 18 a is guided to the micro flow path 18 b through the through hole 32 and further sent to the DNA chip 16. Thus, the flow of the liquid in the microchannel 18 is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the valve mechanism 30.

  On the other hand, when the pressure in the micro flow path 18b rises, the valve surface 36c of the valve body 36 in the valve mechanism 30 is pressurized and the valve body 36 is elastically displaced, so that the valve surface 36c is separated from the valve seat 34 and the micro flow path. 18b is opened. Thereby, the liquid passes through the through hole 32 from the micro flow path 18b and is sent to the valve mechanism 60 side. At this time, the sealing performance of the valve body 66 of the other valve mechanism 60 is desired to be high. When the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18 b rises, atmospheric pressure or hydraulic pressure is applied to the recess 68 formed on the bottom surface of the valve body 66 via the communication groove 70 formed on the installation surface 44. Become. Therefore, the entire valve body 66 is lifted and the valve surface 66 c of the valve body 66 is pressed against the valve seat 64. Therefore, the sealing performance of the valve mechanism 60 improves as the internal pressure of the micro flow path 18b increases. Thereby, the backflow of the liquid is prevented.

  According to the valve mechanism of the liquid feeding unit 10 and the liquid feeding device configured as described above, as in the first embodiment described above, the microvalve structure is used in the microchannel, so that it is always closed and inexpensive. Liquid feeding control becomes possible, and a liquid feeding device that is easy to use and disposable can be provided. Further, by providing another valve mechanism in series, the back flow of the liquid from the inspector side to the inflow side can be reliably prevented by the other valve mechanism.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.
For example, as in the modification shown in FIG. 7, the valve surfaces 36c of the valve bodies 36 and 66 are not limited to a truncated cone shape, and may have other shapes, for example, a hemispherical shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Liquid feeding unit, 12 ... Base material, 14 ... Inspection part, 16 ... Inspection device,
18, 18a, 18b ... micro flow path, 19 ... injection port, 20, 21, 22 ... flow path plate,
30, 60 ... valve mechanism, 32, 62 ... through hole, 34, 64 ... valve seat,
36, 66 ... valve body, 35c ... valve surface, 38, 68 ... recess,
40 ... Diaphragm, 50 ... Pressure mechanism

Claims (8)

A substrate;
An inspection part formed on the substrate and capable of being attached with an inspection device;
A micro-channel formed in the base material and guiding a liquid to the inspection unit;
Provided in the middle of the microchannel, and a valve mechanism for opening and closing the microchannel,
The valve mechanism includes an annular valve seat provided in the microchannel formed on the base material, a diaphragm formed on the base material so as to be deformable from the outside, and positioned facing the valve seat, a valve installation surface on the opposite side to the diaphragm opposite the valve seat, said the valve surface and the mounting surface in contact with the valve seat has a bottom in contact is elastically deformable formed, the bottom Abutting on the installation surface, the valve surface is elastically pressed against the valve seat, and is disposed in the micro flow path, closes the micro flow path, and from the outside via the diaphragm A valve body that elastically deforms when pressed and the valve surface is separated from the valve seat and opens the micro flow path;
A liquid feeding device comprising:   The valve body has a recess formed in the bottom portion and opposed to the installation surface, and the valve mechanism is formed in the installation surface and communicates with the inside of the recess of the valve body and the microchannel. The liquid feeding device according to claim 1, which has a groove.   The valve body constitutes a check valve that maintains a closed state with respect to the flow in the first direction from the installation surface side toward the valve seat in the minute flow path, and is open with respect to the flow in the reverse direction. The liquid feeding device according to claim 1.   3. The liquid feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a valve surface of the valve body is formed in a truncated cone shape, and the bottom portion is formed in a cylindrical shape coaxial with the truncated cone. The valve mechanism includes an annular second valve seat provided on the upstream side of the valve seat in the minute flow path formed on the base material, and a valve installation surface positioned opposite to the second valve seat. And a bottom face that abuts against the second valve seat, and a bottom part that abuts against the valve installation surface. The bottom part abuts against the installation surface, and the valve surface is the second valve. 2. A second valve body disposed in the microchannel in a state of being elastically pressed by a seat and closing the microchannel with respect to the flow in the reverse direction. The liquid feeding device described.   6. The liquid delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the valve surface of the second valve body is formed in a truncated cone shape, and the bottom portion is formed in a cylindrical shape coaxial with the truncated cone.   The liquid feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a valve surface of the valve body is formed in a spherical shape.   The liquid feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is a DNA chip.

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