KR102419672B1 - Microfludic device including at least one microfluidic structure and method for analyzing sample supplied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic device and a sample analysis device using the microfluidic device. According to an embodiment, the microfluidic device may include a rotating body; at least one microfluidic structure disposed in the rotating body at preset intervals; and a waste chamber formed further outward in a radial direction than the at least one microfluidic structure in the rotating body and connected to each of the at least one microfluidic structure. including, wherein the microfluidic structure includes: a solution chamber receiving a solution injected through a solution inlet and sharing the received solution with other adjacent microfluidic structures through a first sharing channel; a sample chamber located in the rotating body, more radially outward than the solution chamber, and accommodating the sample injected through an air vent that is opened to the outside; and a siphon channel having one end connected to the sample chamber and the other end connected to the waste chamber, thereby transferring the sample and the solution to the waste chamber. may include

Description

A microfluidic device including at least one microfluidic structure and a method for analyzing a sample supplied thereto

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic device including at least one microfluidic structure and a sample analysis device using the microfluidic device. More particularly, it relates to a microfluidic device for diagnosing a target antigen in a sample, and a sample analysis device for performing a method for analyzing a sample supplied thereto.

In order to diagnose diseases of viruses such as influenza virus, premature ejaculation virus, and corona virus, technologies for analyzing proteins or genomes in samples are being developed. The development of technology to do this is required.

Microfluidic devices capable of performing a biological or chemical reaction by manipulating a small amount of fluid have been used in order to quickly perform on-site diagnosis of these pathogens. The microfluidic device may include a microfluidic structure disposed in a body having various shapes, such as a chip or a disk. By using the microfluidic device to diagnose various pathogens on the spot, it is possible to quickly block pathogens, thereby reducing human casualties and economic losses.

However, general microfluidic devices have a limitation in that it is difficult to process multiple samples simultaneously on one chip due to space constraints. There was a limit that took a lot of time.

Therefore, there is a need for developing a microfluidic device capable of effectively analyzing various types of samples without a separate manual operation and a sample analysis device using the microfluidic device.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2019-0077748

According to an embodiment, a microfluidic device capable of moving a sample based on the rotation of a rotating body may be provided.

Also, according to an embodiment, a sample analysis device capable of diagnosing a target antigen in a sample using the microfluidic device may be provided.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure for achieving the above-described technical problem, a microfluidic device includes a rotating body; at least one microfluidic structure disposed in the rotating body at preset intervals; and a waste chamber formed further outward in a radial direction than the at least one microfluidic structure in the rotating body and connected to each of the at least one microfluidic structure. Including, wherein the microfluidic structure includes: a solution chamber for receiving a solution injected through the solution inlet and sharing the received solution with other adjacent microfluidic structures through a first sharing channel; a sample chamber located in the rotating body, more radially outward than the solution chamber, and accommodating the sample injected through an air vent that is opened to the outside; and a siphon channel having one end connected to the sample chamber and the other end connected to the waste chamber, thereby transferring the sample and the solution to the waste chamber. may include

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic structure includes: a manual valve having one end connected to the solution chamber and providing solutions accommodated in the solution chamber to the sample chamber based on a rotational force generated by the rotating body; may further include.

According to an embodiment, the waste chamber may further include a super absorbent polymer (Super Absorbent Polymer) for absorbing the sample and the solution in the waste chamber.

According to an embodiment, the first sharing channel is formed in a zigzag shape in the circumferential direction in the rotation body, and the rotation body is when the solution in the solution chamber is shared with each of the solution chambers in the other microfluidic structures. up to, so as not to move to the sample chamber, it can be stopped or rotated.

According to an embodiment, the sample chamber may be connected to a second sharing channel for sharing the samples injected through the air vent with other adjacent microfluidic structures.

According to an embodiment, the rotating body stops so that the rotational force generated by the rotating body acting on at least some channels in the siphon channel becomes smaller than the capillary force generated in the at least some channels, so that the in the collection chamber The sample and the solution may be allowed to initiate movement into the siphon channel.

According to an embodiment, a surface in the sample chamber may be pre-coated with a primary antibody capable of binding to a target material in the sample.

According to an embodiment, the solution chamber includes, through the solution inlet, a solution containing a secondary antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme for enzymatic immunodiagnosis is attached, a solution containing a chromogenic substrate, and a target material in the sample Among them, a solution for washing the target material not bound to the primary antibody may be obtained.

According to an embodiment, the at least one microfluidic structure is arranged in the rotation body in a circumferential direction about a rotation axis of the rotation body, and the rotation body is rotated in advance about at least one rotation axis rotated by water, and the sample and the solution may be moved in the microfluidic structure based on a rotational force generated as the rotating body rotates.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above technical problem, the microfluidic device; a first driving unit rotating the microfluidic device along the rotation axis; a second driving unit for moving an injection device for injecting the sample and the solution into the microfluidic device along a preset driving shaft; a supply unit that stores samples and solutions to be provided to the injection device and selectively provides the stored samples and solutions to the injection device; and a control unit configured to control the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the supply unit to move the sample and the solutions in the microfluidic structure in a preset path. A sample analysis device comprising a may be provided.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above technical problem, using the microfluidic device and the sample analysis device, a computer recording a program for executing a method for analyzing an injected sample in a computer A readable recording medium may be provided.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to effectively analyze various samples in one microfluidic device.

According to an embodiment, it is possible to quickly and accurately analyze a target antigen in a large amount of samples in a point-of-care diagnosis.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a process of analyzing a sample by a microfluidic device and a sample analysis device using the microfluidic device according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing a structure of a microfluidic device in which a plurality of microfluidic structures are disposed, according to an exemplary embodiment.
3 is a view for explaining the structure of a microfluidic structure according to an embodiment.
4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
5 is a diagram for explaining the operation and structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
6 is a diagram for explaining the operation and structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
7 is a diagram for explaining the specifications of each component of the sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
8 is a diagram illustrating a process of analyzing a sample by a microfluidic device and a sample analyzing device using the microfluidic device according to an exemplary embodiment;
9 is a block diagram of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
10 is a block diagram of a sample analysis apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.
11 is a block diagram of a server connected to a sample analysis device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Terms used in this specification will be briefly described, and the present disclosure will be described in detail.

The terms used in the present disclosure have been selected as currently widely used general terms as possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure, but these may vary depending on the intention or precedent of a person skilled in the art, the emergence of new technology, and the like. In addition, in a specific case, there is a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning will be described in detail in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the contents of the present disclosure, rather than the simple name of the term.

In the entire specification, when a part "includes" a certain element, this means that other elements may be further included, rather than excluding other elements, unless otherwise stated. In addition, terms such as "...unit" and "module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented as hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement them. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in several different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And in order to clearly explain the present disclosure in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a process of analyzing a sample by a microfluidic device and a sample analysis device using the microfluidic device according to an exemplary embodiment;

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic device 1000 includes a rotatable rotating body 152 , at least one microfluidic structure 102 and 104 disposed at preset intervals within the rotating body 152 , and within the rotating body. may include a waste chamber 124 formed further outward in a radial direction than the at least one microfluidic structure and connected to each of the at least one microfluidic structure. More specifically, the rotating body 152 may include a region 122 in which the microfluidic structure is formed, which is separated from the space in which the waste chamber 124 is formed in the rotating body 152 .

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic device 1000 may include microfluidic structures disposed at preset intervals inside the area in which the waste chamber 124 is formed in a radial direction. The microfluidic structure may be disposed in the circumferential direction within the rotation body 152 with respect to at least one rotation shaft 113 . In addition, the microfluidic structure may move the sample and solutions in the microfluidic structure based on the rotational force and the rotational direction of the rotating body 152 .

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic structures 102 and 104 receive a solution injected through a solution inlet (not shown), and share the received solution with other adjacent microfluidic structures through the first sharing channel 130 . The solution chamber 123, the sample chamber 128 for receiving the sample injected through the air vent 129 opened to the outside, which is located further outward in the radial direction than the solution chamber in the rotating body 152, and one end It may include a siphon channel 132 connected to the sample chamber and the other end connected to the waste chamber to deliver the sample and the solution to the waste chamber 124 .

According to an embodiment, one end of the microfluidic structures 102 and 104 is connected to the solution chamber 123, and the solutions accommodated in the solution chamber 123 are transferred to the sample chamber based on the rotational force generated by the rotating body. A manual valve 125 provided at 128 may be further included.

The structure of the microfluidic structure will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 3 to be described later.

The microfluidic device 1000 may include the above-described at least one microfluidic structure, and may move a sample and a solution in the microfluidic structure while rotating along a predetermined rotation axis 113 . The microfluidic device 1000 according to the present disclosure may be coupled to the sample analysis device 2000 and used in an automated sample analysis process under the control of the sample analysis device 2000 .

According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 pre-stores a sample containing a target material corresponding to an antigen to be detected, a washing solution, an elution solution, and a reaction solution for detecting the target antigen in the storage unit 134 . can be saved The sample analysis apparatus 2000 extracts the sample, the washing solution, the elution solution, and the reaction solution stored in the storage unit 134 from the storage unit 134 , and injects the extracted sample, the washing solution, the elution solution, and the reaction solution into the inlet 137 . ) may be injected into the chambers in the microfluidic device 1000 .

The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may control the sample or solution in the microfluidic apparatus to move by rotating the microfluidic apparatus 1000 into which the sample or solution is injected according to a preset number of rotations and a rotation direction.

That is, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may detect target substances included in various types of samples by moving the samples and solutions in the microfluidic apparatus 1000 including at least one microfluidic structure.

According to an embodiment, the target substances may correspond to a target nucleic acid having genetic information, a target antigen, a target RNA, or a target DNA. Unlike a typical sample analysis device, the sample analysis device 2000 may rapidly and accurately detect target substances in a sample injected into the microfluidic device by automatically supplying pre-stored samples and solutions to the microfluidic device.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the microfluidic device and the sample analysis device for controlling the microfluidic device move a sample containing a target antigen, an antibody, or a solution containing an enzyme in the microfluidic device, so that the enzyme It can also be used for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and by moving the sample or solution in the microfluidic device, it can be used for other chemical or biological tests for detecting and reacting target substances in the sample, of course.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing a structure of a microfluidic device in which a plurality of microfluidic structures are disposed, according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic device 1000 may include a plurality of microfluidic structures 210 arranged in a circumferential direction with respect to a rotation axis. According to an embodiment, the microfluidic structures 210 may be arranged at preset intervals within the rotation body 220 .

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic structures may share a sample or solutions stored in a chamber in an adjacent microfluidic structure through at least one shared channel 218 . For example, the microfluidic structure 210 may share samples or solutions stored in a chamber in the microfluidic structure adjacent to both sides of the microfluidic structure 210 . The microfluidic structures adjacent to the microfluidic structure 210 may be connected to other microfluidic structures in the same manner. According to an embodiment, all microfluidic structures in the rotating body 220 may be connected to each other through at least one shared channel 218 .

According to an embodiment, the solution chambers in the microfluidic structure 210 are connected to the solution chambers in other microfluidic structures through the shared channel 218 , and one end of the solution chambers in each of the microfluidic structures 210 has a manual valve. (Passiv valve) can be connected. Accordingly, the solutions stored in the solution chambers 212 of the present disclosure may be restricted from moving to the sample chamber connected to the other end of the manual valve until the solution chambers in the other microfluidic structure are filled.

The microfluidic structure 210 may be positioned further in the radial direction than the waste chamber 222 formed to be spaced apart from the edge of the rotating body 220 by a predetermined distance. As described above, the microfluidic structure 210 includes a washing solution or a reaction solution for detecting a target material through the solution inlet (eg, a solution containing a secondary antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached, a solution containing a chromogenic substrate, a solution chamber 212 for accommodating a cleaning solution, etc.), a sample chamber 214 positioned radially outward from the solution chamber, and a siphon channel connecting the sample chamber 214 and the waste chamber 222 ( 216) may be included.

According to an embodiment, the microfluidic device 1000 may include 30 microfluidic structures. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may vary depending on the type of sample and solution to be analyzed, the analysis method, the size of the rotating body, the size of the microfluidic structure, and the like.

3 is a view for explaining the structure of a microfluidic structure according to an embodiment.

According to one embodiment, the microfluidic structure 310 receives the solution injected through the solution inlet, and shares the solution with the solution chamber in other microfluidic structures adjacent through the first shared channel 338 ( 332), the sample chamber 334, which is located more radially outward in the rotation body than the solution chamber 332, and receives the sample injected through the air vent 346 opened to the outside, one end of the solution chamber ( a manual valve 341 connected to 332 , the other end connected to the sample chamber 334 , and a siphon channel 336 for moving the sample or solutions in the sample chamber 334 to the waste chamber 348 . can

The microfluidic structures 310 may be arranged at preset intervals on the rotating body as described above in FIG. 1 , and each siphon channel 336 of the microfluidic structures arranged on the rotating body is located on the rotating body. It may be coupled to a waste chamber 348 . In addition, the waste chamber 348 may be formed at a predetermined distance from the edge of the rotating body 352 constituting the microfluidic device. According to an embodiment, the rotating body 352 is made of PMMA material and may be provided in the form of a disk.

The solution chamber 332 may be connected to the shared channel at one end, and the other end of the solution chamber may be connected to the manual valve 341 . According to an embodiment, the solution chamber 332 includes a washing solution for washing antigens not captured by the antibody pre-coated in the sample chamber, a solution containing an antibody to which a coloring enzyme is attached for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, and color development. A solution comprising a substrate may be accommodated.

The manual valve 341 has a first channel 342 formed in an area similar to the area passing through the inlet of the manual valve 341 and a portion of the first channel having a larger area than the area passing through the inlet of the manual valve 341 A second channel 343 may be included. According to another embodiment, in addition to the second channel 343 formed in a part of the first channel with an area wider than the area passing through the manual valve inlet, it is wider than the area passing through the manual valve inlet, but A third channel 344 formed in a portion of the first channel with an area smaller than an area passing through the second channel may be further included. However, according to an embodiment, the above-described third channel may be formed similarly to an area passing through the first channel. According to an embodiment, the surface of the manual valve 341 may be hydrophobic.

For example, the manual valve 341 causes a fluid passing through the first channel 342 and the second channel 343 due to the difference in area between the first channel 342 and the second channel 343 in the manual valve. The radii of the interface of can be made to be different from each other, and the solution in the solution chamber 332 can be restricted from moving to the sample chamber 334 through the capillary force generated due to the difference in the radii of the two interfaces.

In addition, in the manual valve 341 , not only the difference in area between the first channel 342 and the second channel 343 in the manual valve 341 , but also at least a part of the area in the manual valve is hydrophobically treated, so that in the solution chamber 332 . A greater resistance force may be secured to prevent the solution from moving into the sample chamber 334 . The characteristic that at least some channels in the manual valve 341 are provided to be larger than the area through which the manual valve inlet passes and the resistance generated by the hydrophobic material treated on the inner surface of the solution chamber 332 is caused by the rotation of the rotating body. It may be set to move to the sample chamber according to a predetermined rotational force generated.

More specifically, the solution chamber 332 in the microfluidic structure 310 may be located close to the rotation axis of the rotation body on which the microfluidic structure 310 is mounted. Accordingly, when the rotating body rotates about the rotating shaft, the rotational force generated by the rotation may be generated in the solution chamber 332 in the direction of the manual valve 341 . Since the inlet area of the manual valve 341 is narrower than that of the solution chamber 332 , solutions in the solution chamber 332 may move to the inlet of the manual valve 341 due to a difference in capillary pressure.

The solution moved to the inlet of the manual valve 341 passes through a portion of the first channel 342 formed with an area similar to the passage area of the inlet of the manual valve 341 , and then is wider than the first channel 342 . The inlet of the second channel formed by the area may be reached. At this time, since the second channel has a larger area than the first channel, the difference between the capillary force corresponding to the interface of the solution formed in the direction of the first channel and the capillary force corresponding to the interface of the solution formed in the direction of the second channel will occur

Since the second channel may have an interface having a larger radius than that of the first channel, a capillary force corresponding to the interface of the second channel may be formed to be larger. Therefore, the net capillary force generated according to the sum of the capillary force generated at the interface of the second channel and the capillary force corresponding to the interface of the first channel does not move the solutions in the solution chamber 332 to the sample chamber 334 . resistance can be formed.

Accordingly, the solutions stored in the solution chamber 332 may move to the sample chamber 334 based on the rotational force generated by the rotation of the rotating body and the resistance force provided by the manual valve 341 . According to an embodiment, the manual valve 341 moves the solutions injected into the solution chamber 332 to the sample chamber 334 based on the second rotational force generated by the rotating body rotating at the second rotational speed. can According to an embodiment, the second rotational force may be provided equal to or greater than the resistance force provided by the manual valve 341 .

In addition, due to the manual valve 341 connected to one end of the solution chamber 332 and the first shared channel 338 connected to the solution chambers in other microfluidic structures at the other end of the solution chamber, the solution chamber ( As described above, the solutions stored in the 332 may not pass through the manual valve 341 to the sample chamber 334 until the solutions in the solution chamber in the other microfluidic structure are filled.

In addition, according to an embodiment, the first sharing channel 338 connected to one end of the solution chamber 332 to share solutions in other microfluidic structures in a circumferential direction within the rotation body in which the microfluidic structures are located. It may be formed in a zigzag shape. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it may be formed in other forms for sharing solutions between microfluidic structures.

The sample chamber 334 may receive a sample including at least one target material. According to an embodiment, the sample chamber 334 may be connected to the air vent 346 to be connected to an external space of the sample chamber. The sample chamber 334 may receive a sample from the outside through the air vent 346 . As will be described later, when the sample chamber 334 is coupled to the sample analysis device 2000 , the sample may be acquired from the inlet of the sample analysis device through the air vent 346 .

According to another embodiment, the sample chamber 334 may be connected to a second sharing channel for sharing the samples injected through the air vent 346 with the sample chamber 334 in another adjacent microfluidic structure. Also, according to an embodiment, the second shared channel may be formed in a zigzag shape similar to the first shared channel. However, according to an embodiment, unlike the solution chamber, the sample chamber 334 may not be connected to the sample chambers in other microfluidic structures through a shared channel.

According to an embodiment, antibodies complementary to a target material (eg, a target antigen, a genome) in the sample may be pre-coated in the sample chamber 334 . According to an embodiment, the inner surface of the sample chamber 334 may include a predetermined well region to which the antibodies are immobilized. When the sample chamber 334 obtains a sample through the air vent, antigens capable of complementary binding to the antibody in the sample may be bound to the pre-coated antibody.

In addition, the sample chamber 334 obtains a washing solution for washing substances other than the antigen bound to the antibody immobilized on the inner surface from the solution chamber, and the uncaptured target substance (eg, antigen) and impurities together with the washing solution. may pass through the siphon channel 336 to the waste chamber 348 . According to an embodiment, the sample chamber 334 may further obtain a solution containing an antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached and a solution containing a chromogenic substrate through the solution chamber 332 . In the sample chamber 334 , an antigen bound to an antibody immobilized in advance and an antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached may form a conjugate, and a chromogenic reaction may be induced by the action of a chromogenic substrate on the chromogenic enzyme linked to the conjugate.

In the sample chamber 334, antigens, impurities, washing solutions, and other reaction solutions for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent test that are not captured by the antibody are transferred to the siphon channel 336 according to the rotational operation of the rotating body on which the microfluidic structure 310 is mounted. ) can begin to flow into

The siphon channel 336 connected to one end of the sample chamber 334 may be positioned more radially outward than the sample chamber 334 on the rotating body, and more outward than the siphon channel 336 . It is connected to the waste chamber located in the The siphon channel 336 may move solutions based on a capillary force provided by the siphon channel and a rotational force generated by a rotating body in which the microfluidic structure 310 is located.

More specifically, a sample obtained by the sample chamber 334 through the air vent 346 may be filled up to the outlet portion 339 of the siphon channel 336 connected to the waste chamber 348 . For example, the samples discharged through the inlet of the sample analysis device 2000 are the other end of the siphon channel 336 by the injection pressure generated by the syringe pump of the sample analysis device 2000, and the waste chamber 348 ) can be filled up to the outlet portion 339 discharged to. When the rotation of the rotating body starts, the samples filling the siphon channel 336 may move to the waste chamber 348 by the rotational force.

For example, the samples may be injected into the sample chamber 334 in a state in which the rotating body is stopped, and from among the injected samples, an antigen (eg, a target material) bound to an antibody coated in advance in the sample chamber 334 . The remaining antigens and impurities contained in the sample may be filled up to the outlet 339 of the siphon channel. After a predetermined time elapses for a reaction between the antigens in the sample and the antibodies pre-coated in the sample chamber, when the rotating body rotates, antigens not bound to the pre-coated antibody in the sample chamber 334 and Impurities migrate to the waste chamber 348 .

In addition, as described above, the solutions moved from the solution chamber 332 to the sample chamber 334 through the manual valve 341 by the second rotational force generated as the rotating body rotates at the second rotational speed are transferred to the siphon channel. You can move up to some channel part of According to an embodiment, the solutions moving to the sample chamber 334 through the manual valve 341 by the second rotational force may move to at least a partial channel portion 337 in the siphon channel. According to an embodiment, the solutions injected into the sample chamber 334 through the manual valve 341 are located at a portion corresponding to the height at which the sample chamber 334 is filled with the solution, the partial channel portion 337 in the siphon channel. ) can be filled.

Solutions filled up to some channel portion 337 in the siphon channel may be moved to an outlet portion 339 in the siphon channel as the rotating body stops for a preset time, and the solutions start flowing into the waste chamber 348 When done, the rotating body in which the microfluidic structure 310 is located can rotate again at high speed.

According to an embodiment, the first washing solution for washing the target material, the second washing solution, and the solution including the antibody to which the chromogenic enzyme is attached, which have passed through the manual valve 341 and moved to the sample chamber 334 . And the reaction solutions for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, such as a solution containing a chromogenic substrate, may be filled up to a portion 337 in the siphon channel located at a portion corresponding to the height at which the solution is filled in the sample chamber 334, and then As the rotating body stops, the capillary force in the siphon channel part 337 becomes greater than the rotating force of the rotating body, and thus it may be moved to the waste chamber 348 .

The waste chamber 348 is formed to be spaced apart from the edge portion of the disk-shaped substrate 352 by a predetermined distance, and is connected to each of at least one microfluidic structure to pass through each siphon channel of the at least one microfluidic structure. It is possible to store the sample or solution to be moved. In addition, according to an embodiment, the waste chamber 124 further includes a super absorbent polymer (SAP) capable of absorbing a sample and a solution in the waste chamber, thereby effectively absorbing the sample and the solution. .

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the sample analysis device 2000 on which the microfluidic device 1000 is mounted includes a first driving unit 520 that rotates the microfluidic device 1000 along a predetermined rotation axis, the sample and the sample along a preset driving shaft. A second driving unit 540 for moving an injection device for injecting a solution, a supply unit 560 for storing a sample and a solution to be provided to the injection device, and a supply unit 560 for selectively providing the stored sample and solutions to the injection device, and the first driving unit , a control unit (not shown) for controlling the second driving unit and the supply unit may be included.

However, not all illustrated components are essential components, and the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may be implemented by more components than the illustrated components, and the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may be implemented with fewer components. may be implemented. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 is formed such that, among the components of the above-described sample analysis apparatus 2000 , the first driving unit 520 , the second driving unit 540 , and the control unit (not shown) are located therein. It may further include a first housing 572 that is formed and a second housing 574 that selectively exposes the microfluidic device by being connected to the first housing 572 so as to be able to open and close. Also, according to another embodiment, the sample analysis device 200 may further include a network interface (not shown) for communicating with other electronic devices and a camera (not shown) for acquiring an image of the microfluidic device. have.

5 is a diagram for explaining the operation and structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 , the sample analysis device 2000 includes a first driving unit 520 for rotating the microfluidic device 1000 along a predetermined rotation axis, and for injecting a sample and a solution along a preset driving shaft. The second driving unit 540 for moving the injection device may include a supply unit 560 that stores the sample and solution to be provided to the injection device, and selectively provides the stored sample and solution to the injection device. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 , the characteristics of the configuration of each sample analysis device will be described in more detail.

The first driving unit 520 is a first control signal obtained from a rotation member (not shown) coupled to the microfluidic device 1000 and rotatably installed along with the microfluidic device along a rotation axis of the microfluidic device and the control unit. Based on the , a spindle motor 632 for rotating the rotating member in a predetermined rotation direction and rotation speed may be included. The spindle motor 632 may rotate at a preset number of rotations and a rotation direction under the control of the controller, thereby causing the microfluidic device 1000 to rotate. The first driving unit 520 may rotate the rotating body by differently setting the number of rotations and the direction of rotation according to the type of the solution injected from the injection device or the progress of the reaction process using the solution and the sample.

The second driving unit 540 includes at least one guide shaft 620 , one end of the driving shaft is connected to the first driving member 622 to which the injection mechanism 621 is fastened, and the other end of the driving shaft 623 , and the driving shaft is rotated at a predetermined angle. It may include a second driving member 624 that transmits a driving force to the driving shaft to rotate at intervals and a step motor 626 that rotates the second driving member 624 by a predetermined angle. The second driver 540 may inject a sample or a solution into a predetermined chamber in the microfluidic device under the control of the controller.

The first driving member 622 may be connected to one end of the driving shaft 623 so that the injection mechanism 621 is fixed. According to an embodiment, the first driving member 622 may be formed integrally with the driving shaft 623 or may be formed detachably. The driving shaft 623 may be connected to the second driving member 624 to obtain rotational force by the step motor.

The at least one guide shaft 620 may be located at an upper end of the step motor 626 , and the first driving member 622 , the driving shaft 623 , the injection mechanism 621 and the second in the second driving unit 540 . A guide path for the driving member 624 to move in the vertical direction may be provided. According to an embodiment, the guide shafts 620 may be spaced apart from each other at a preset interval, and a thread for coupling with the ball screw member may be formed on at least one of the guide shafts. In addition, at least one guide shaft 620 may be formed of three, but is not limited thereto.

The second driving member 624 may include a through hole through which the at least one guide shaft 620 passes and a ball screw member contacting a surface formed in the through hole. The second driving member may move along the at least one guide shaft while the ball screw member and the still threads formed on the at least one guide shaft are in close contact with each other. In addition, the second driving member 624 may transmit a driving force by the step motor 626 to the injection mechanism 621 via the driving shaft 623 . For example, the second driving member 624 may cause the driving shaft 623 connected to one end to rotate at a predetermined angular interval, thereby allowing the injection mechanism to move at a predetermined angular interval.

The supply unit 560 includes a storage unit 642 in which samples and solutions are separated and stored, a supply channel 646 in which samples and solutions are separated from the storage unit, and an injection channel 619 or an injection device among the supply channels ( It may include a port valve 649 for selecting a supply channel to be connected to 621 and a syringe pump 644 for pumping the sample and solution stored in the storage unit 642 .

The storage unit 642 may include various storage means for separately storing samples and solutions. For example, the storage unit 642 may include a sample storage unit for storing a sample, a washing solution storage unit for storing a washing solution, and an elution solution storage unit for storing an elution solution for separating a target material. However, according to another embodiment, the storage unit may further include a storage unit for storing a solution containing antibodies to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached or for storing a solution containing a chromogenic substrate. Also, according to an embodiment, each storage unit in the storage unit 642 may further include a connection hole through which the providing channel communicates.

The providing channel 646 may be connected to connection holes of storage chambers in which each sample and solutions of the storage unit 642 are stored. The provision channel 646 may be obtained by separating the samples and solutions stored in the storage unit 642 . One end of the supply channel 646 may be connected to the storage unit 642 , and the other end of the supply channel 646 may be connected to the port valve 649 .

The port valve 649 may select one of the supply channels through which the samples and solutions stored in the storage unit 642 move, and connect the selected supply channel to the injection device 621 . According to another embodiment, the port valve 649 may select one of the plurality of supply channels, and connect the selected supply channel to the injection channel connected to the injection device 621 . According to an embodiment, the port valve 649 may be formed of 8 ports connectable to 8 supply channels, but is not limited thereto, and the number of connectable ports may vary depending on the number of samples and solutions required for sample analysis. may vary.

The syringe pump 644 may be discharged through the injection device by pumping the samples and solutions stored in the storage unit. For example, the syringe pump may include a step motor in the syringe pump, and the step motor may be connected to a rack on which the cylinder pump is installed, thereby converting the rotational motion of the step motor into a linear motion of the syringe pump. According to an embodiment, the syringe pump 644 may discharge the sample, the washing solution, and the elution solution stored in the storage unit 642 through the injection device based on the control of the controller.

According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 includes heating units 632 and 634 and the first driving unit that surround at least a portion of the first driving unit in a cylindrical shape in an outer direction of the first driving unit under the microfluidic device. It may further include linear guides (636, 638) for aligning the position of the heating part in the outer direction.

For example, the sample analysis device 2000 controls the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the microfluidic device, so that when predetermined samples and solutions are injected into the microfluidic device, the heating unit ( By controlling 632 and 634 , temperatures of the samples and solutions in the microfluidic device 1000 may be constantly maintained. In addition, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may use a linear guide to align the positions of the heating units under the first driving unit, thereby constantly maintaining the temperatures of the chambers in which the samples and solutions in the microfluidic apparatus 1000 are stored. Accordingly, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may provide an appropriate temperature required for extraction and reaction of the target material.

6 is a diagram for explaining the operation and structure of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 6 , the configuration of the sample analysis device related to the second driving unit will be described in detail.

The second driving unit 540 may include a step motor 722 , and the step motor 722 may transmit a driving force to the driving shaft 704 through the second driving member 702 . According to an embodiment, the driving shaft 704 may be driven in a predetermined axial direction (eg, the z-axis direction) based on the driving force transmitted from the second driving member 702 . First driving members 706 and 726 for fixing the injection mechanism 728 may be formed at one end of the driving shaft 704 . The second driving unit controls the second driving member 702 , the driving shaft 704 , the first driving members 706 and 726 , and the injection mechanism 728 to move in a predetermined axial direction, thereby moving the microfluidic device 1000 into the microfluidic device 1000 . Samples and solutions can be injected.

According to an embodiment, the second driving unit uses at least one guide shaft 724 disposed at a preset interval, the first driving member 706 , 726 , the driving shaft 704 , the injection mechanism 728 , and the second driving unit 728 . 2 When the driving member moves in the Z-axis direction, a reference axis for vertical movement may be provided.

In addition, according to an embodiment, the first driving unit may be positioned between the first heating unit 708 and the second heating unit 710 formed in a sectoral or cylindrical shape, and as described above, the spindle motor and rotation member 712 may be included. The rotating member may rotate according to a predetermined number of rotations under the control of the spindle motor.

7 is a diagram for explaining the specifications of each component of the sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the total length 802 in the longitudinal direction of the second driving unit 540 of the sample analysis device is 27 cm, the width 804 in the transverse direction of the housing in which the step motor is located is 7 cm, and the longitudinal length of at least one guide shaft 806 may be 15 cm, the length 808 of the drive shaft is 14 cm, the width 809 of the supply part for supplying the sample and solution is 10 cm, and the diameter 810 of the heating part under the microfluidic device is 13 cm. In addition, according to an embodiment, the vertical length 814 of the first driving unit of the sample analysis device is 10 cm, the diameter 812 is 5.5 cm, and the total length 816 in which at least one guide shaft is arranged at preset intervals. is 7 cm, the horizontal length 818 of the supply unit for supplying the sample and the solution may be 5 cm, and the vertical length 820 may be provided as 26 cm.

However, the specifications of the sample analysis device 2000 and the microfluidic device 1000 according to the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the amount of the sample and solution to be analyzed, the analysis speed, the analysis accuracy, and the location where the analysis is performed, etc. may vary depending on the conditions of

8 is a diagram illustrating a process of analyzing a sample by a microfluidic device and a sample analyzing device using the microfluidic device according to an exemplary embodiment;

According to an embodiment, a process in which the sample analysis apparatus 2000 analyzes a sample using the microfluidic apparatus 1000 will be described in detail. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may quantitatively measure the amount and presence of a target material (eg, a target antigen) in a sample using the microfluidic apparatus 1000 .

The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may rotate the rotating body of the microfluidic device coupled to the sample analysis apparatus in a preset number of rotations and a rotation direction about at least one rotation axis. The sample analysis device 2000 may allow the sample and the solution injected into the microfluidic device 1000 to move within at least one microfluidic structure in the microfluidic device based on a rotational force generated as the rotating body rotates. . The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may control samples or solutions to move in different directions by controlling at least one of a rotation direction and a rotation speed of the rotating body.

According to an embodiment, the sample injected by the sample analysis device 2000 into the microfluidic device 1000 may include a target material to be analyzed (eg, a target antigen) and impurities other than the target material. In addition, the solution injected by the sample analysis device 2000 into the microfluidic device 1000 is a washing solution for washing substances other than a target substance (eg, a target antigen), a reaction solution for enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, and color development It may include a solution containing an antibody to which an enzyme is attached, and a solution containing a chromogenic substrate.

In S902 , the microfluidic device 1000 including at least one microfluidic structure through which a sample and a solution are moved may be coupled to the sample analyzing device 2000 . In S904 , the sample analysis device 2000 may inject a sample into the sample chamber 904 of the microfluidic device 1000 coupled to the rotating member of the sample analysis device. For example, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject samples previously stored in the storage unit by connecting an injection device to an air vent connected to the sample chamber 904 . According to an embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 3 , the samples injected into the sample chamber 904 may be filled up to the outlet portion of the siphon channel 906 connected to the waste chamber. According to an embodiment, the sample injected by the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may include a target antigen to be detected.

According to an embodiment, antibodies capable of complementary binding to a target antigen may be pre-coated in the sample chamber 904 . For example, in a state in which the rotating body is stopped, the samples containing the target antigen injected into the sample chamber 904 are transferred to the end of the siphon channel (eg, the portion where the outlet channel of the siphon channel closest to the waste chamber is located). After injection, a preset incubation time (eg, about 30 minutes) may be provided. When the incubation is completed, target antigens in the sample may be bound to the antibody pre-coated in the sample chamber 904 . In addition, target antigens not bound to the antibody and other impurities may be present in the sample chamber 904 , except for the target antigens bound to the antibody.

In S906 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject the sample into the sample chamber so that the sample is filled to the end of the siphon channel connected between one end of the sample chamber and the waste chamber. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject a sample into the sample chamber and the siphon channel while the rotating body is stopped. In S906 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may wait for a predetermined incubation time after injecting the sample into the sample chamber and the siphon channel. During the incubation time, target substances in the sample injected by the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may be bound to the antibody previously stored in the sample chamber.

In S908, the sample analysis device 2000 rotates the rotating member according to the first rotational speed, whereby the sample containing target antigens and impurities stored in the sample chamber 904 and the siphon channel and not captured by the pre-coated antibody. can be moved to the waste chamber.

In S910 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject a solution into the solution chamber 910 of the microfluidic apparatus 1000 . For example, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject a washing solution for washing target antigens and other impurities not bound to the antibody in the sample chamber 904 into the solution chamber 910 . As described above, a manual valve for preventing the solutions of the solution chamber from moving to the sample chamber until all solution chambers in the other microfluidic structures are filled with one end of the solution chamber 910 may be coupled to one end of the solution chamber 910 .

In S912 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may rotate the rotating member according to the second rotational speed so that the cleaning solutions stored in the solution chamber may pass through the manual valve to move to the sample chamber. While the rotating body rotates according to the second rotational speed, the solutions that have passed through the manual valve and have moved to the sample chamber 904 may move to some channel portions of the siphon channel. According to an embodiment, the solutions moved to the sample chamber through the manual valve by the second rotational force may be moved to a portion of the siphon channel positioned at a portion corresponding to the height at which the sample chamber is filled with the solution.

When the solution is partially filled in the siphon channel, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may stop the rotation of the rotation member for a preset time and then rotate the rotation member alternately in both directions. For example, when the solution is moved to a portion of the siphon channel while rotating the rotating member according to the second rotation speed, the sample analysis device 2000 stops the rotating member for a very short time and then the microfluidic device 1000 ) can be shaken.

The sample analysis device 2000 may shake the microfluidic device by rotating the rotating member alternately in both directions, so that the washing solutions in the sample chamber separate target antigens and impurities not bound to the antibody on the sample chamber. can

In S914 , the sample analysis device 2000 lowers the rotational speed of the rotating member so that the washing solutions containing target antigens and impurities that are not bound to the antibody on the sample chamber 904 are injected into the siphon channel 914 , or , it is possible to temporarily stop the rotating member. As the capillary force provided by the siphon channel 914 becomes greater than the rotational force of the rotating body, the washing solutions containing target antigens and impurities that are not bound to the antibody in the sample chamber 904 prevent injection into the siphon channel. can start

In S916 , the sample analysis device 2000 stops the rotating member for a preset time so that the washing solutions including target antigens and impurities not bound to the antibody in the sample chamber 904 move to the waste chamber 961 . , the rotating member may be rotated again according to the third rotational speed. In S916 , a purified antibody-antigen complex may be present on the sample chamber 904 .

More specifically, the cleaning solutions injected into the sample chamber 904 do not move to the end of the siphon channel by the shaking operation of the sample analysis device 2000 in a state in which the siphon channel is partially filled, While positioned in at least a part of the siphon channel and the sample chamber 904, antigens and impurities that are not bound to the antibody in the sample chamber are separated. The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may alternately rotate the rotating member in both directions for a predetermined time, and then stop the rotating member for a preset time. According to an embodiment, the sample analyzing apparatus 2000 may stop the rotating member for a longer period of time than the rotating member is stopped before performing the shaking operation.

When the sample analysis device 2000 stops the rotating member, the washing solutions filled to at least a portion of the siphon channel, impurities contained in the washing solution, and antigens not bound to the antibody are discharged from the siphon channel due to the capillary force of the siphon channel. part can be moved. When the washing solutions in the siphon channel, impurities contained in the washing solution, and antigens that are not bound to the antibody start moving to the waste chamber, the sample analysis device 2000 may move the rotating member again according to the third rotation speed. .

According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 repeats the washing process from S910 to S916 a predetermined number of times using different washing solutions (eg, the second washing solution, the third washing solution, and the fourth washing solution). You may. For example, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may repeat the washing process 4 times using the first washing solution, the second washing solution, the third washing solution, and the fourth washing solution. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

In S918 , the sample analysis device 2000 may inject a solution containing an antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test into the solution chamber 918 of the microfluidic device 1000 . For example, the sample analysis device 2000 includes a secondary antibody capable of binding target antigens bound to a primary antibody precoated on the sample chamber 904 and a chromogenic enzyme linked to the secondary antibody. solution can be injected (conjugate injection). According to an embodiment, the primary antibody and the secondary antibody may be prepared as the same type of antibody.

In S920 , the sample analysis device 2000 rotates the rotating member of the microfluidic device 1000 according to the second rotation speed so that the solutions stored in the solution chamber, including the secondary antibody to which the chromogenic enzyme is attached, are transferred to the manual valve. It can be moved to the sample chamber 920 by passing through. While the rotating member rotates according to the second rotational speed, the solutions containing the secondary antibody to which the chromogenic enzyme is attached, which have passed through the manual valve and have moved to the sample chamber 920, may move up to some channel portions of the siphon channel. According to an embodiment, the solutions moved to the sample chamber through the manual valve by the second rotational force may be moved to a portion of the siphon channel positioned at a portion corresponding to the height at which the sample chamber is filled with the solution.

When the solution is partially filled in the siphon channel, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may stop the rotation of the rotation member for a preset time and then rotate the rotation member alternately in both directions. For example, while the sample analysis device 2000 rotates the rotating member according to the second number of rotations, when the solutions are moved to a portion of the siphon channel, the rotating member is stopped for a very short time, and then the microfluidic device 1000 ) can be shaken.

The sample analysis device 2000 may shake the microfluidic device by rotating the rotating member alternately in both directions, whereby the secondary antibody to which the chromogenic enzyme is connected in the sample chamber is immobilized in the sample chamber. And it can be made to be linked to the conjugate of a primary antibody.

In S922 , the sample analysis device 2000 , in the solution injected in S918 , not linked to a conjugate of the antigen and the primary antibody immobilized in the sample chamber 920 , the chromogenic enzyme-linked secondary antibodies and the secondary antibody After the rotating member is stopped for a preset time so that the solutions containing these can pass through the siphon channel 922 and move to the waste chamber 924 , the rotating member may be rotated again according to a third rotational speed. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may stop the rotating member for a longer time than the stop time before shaking the rotating member.

As the rotating member stops, the capillary force acts more on the solution filled up to some channels in the siphon channel, so that the secondary antibodies and the secondary antibodies connected to the chromogenic enzyme that are not linked to the antigen and the primary antibody conjugate The containing solutions may be transferred to the outlet portion of the siphon channel. When the solutions start to move to the waste chamber 924 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may rotate again according to the third rotation speed.

According to an embodiment, although not shown in FIG. 8 , the sample analysis device 2000 performs the steps S918 to S924, and then generates a secondary antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is linked, which is not linked to the antigen-primary antibody conjugate. A washing process for washing may be further performed. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may perform operations S910 to S916 again after operation S924.

In S926 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may inject a solution including a chromogenic substrate into the solution chamber 926 . For example, the sample analysis device 2000 may inject a solution containing a chromogenic substrate capable of reacting with a secondary conjugate to which a chromogenic enzyme is connected.

In S928 , the sample analysis device 2000 rotates the rotating member of the microfluidic device 1000 according to the second rotation speed, so that the solutions including the chromogenic substrate stored in the solution chamber 926 pass through the manual valve to pass the sample. may be moved to chamber 982 . The chromogenic substrates that have moved to the sample chamber 928 may cause a chromogenic reaction 932 by reacting with the secondary conjugate to which the chromogenic enzyme is attached, as in step S932 to be described later.

According to an embodiment, while the rotating member rotates according to the second rotational speed, the solution containing the chromogenic substrate that has passed through the manual valve and has moved to the sample chamber 928 may move to some channel portions of the siphon channel. According to an embodiment, the solutions including the chromophoric substrate moved to the sample chamber through the manual valve by the second rotational force generated by the rotating member are siphon channels located in portions corresponding to the height at which the sample chamber is filled with the solution. It can be moved up to a part of When the solution containing the chromogenic substrate is filled up to a portion of the above-described siphon channel, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may stop the rotation of the rotation member for a preset time and then rotate the rotation member alternately in both directions.

For example, when the sample analysis device 2000 rotates the rotating member according to the second rotational speed, when the solution containing the chromogenic substrate is moved to a portion of the siphon channel, the rotating member is stopped for a very short time and then , the microfluidic device 1000 may be shaken. The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may induce a color reaction by reacting the color-generating substrate with the color-generating enzyme through the shaking process of the sample chamber.

In S930, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the sample analysis device 2000 is rotated so that the solutions containing the chromogenic substrate in the sample chamber 928 can pass through the siphon channel 930 and move to the waste chamber 932. After stopping the member for a preset time, the rotating member may be rotated again according to the third rotation speed. According to an embodiment, the sample analysis device 2000 stops the rotating member for a longer time than the stop time before shaking the rotating member, so that a part of the siphon channel and the solution containing the chromogenic substrate stored in the sample chamber are transferred to the waste chamber. can start the movement of The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may rotate the rotating member according to the third rotational speed when the solutions including the chromogenic substrate start moving to the waste chamber.

In S932 , the sample analysis device 2000 may wait for a time required for the reaction with the chromogenic substrate and the chromogenic enzyme on the sample chamber 928 . According to an embodiment, the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may acquire the first image by photographing the microfluidic device at preset time intervals in order to purify the color reaction according to the reaction with the color substrate and the color enzyme. The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may extract a second image of the sample chamber from the first image and analyze color information in the extracted second image to quantify the progress of the reaction.

As described above, the sample analysis device 2000 includes a sample containing the target antigen in the microfluidic device 1000 , a washing solution for washing antigens and impurities that are not bound to the antibody on the sample chamber, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. By injecting other reaction solutions for (ELISA) and rotating the microfluidic device 100 at a predetermined number of rotations and rotational directions, reactions occurring within a plurality of microfluidic structures in the microfluidic device can be effectively induced.

In addition, as described above, although not shown in FIG. 8 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 acquires a first image by photographing images of the microfluidic device at a preset time interval, and a sample in the obtained first image Second images of the chamber region may be extracted, and the progress of the reaction may be automatically analyzed based on changes in color values of the extracted second images.

9 is a block diagram of a sample analysis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

10 is a block diagram of a sample analysis apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may include a processor 1300 , a memory 1700 , a first driving unit 1810 , a second driving unit 1820 , and a supply unit 1920 . However, not all illustrated components are essential components. The sample analysis apparatus 2000 may be implemented by more components than the illustrated components, or the sample analysis apparatus 2000 may be implemented by fewer components.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the sample analysis apparatus 2000 according to an embodiment includes a driving unit 1800 including a processor 1300 , a first driving unit 1810 , and a second driving unit 1820 ; In addition to the memory 1700 and the supply unit 1920, the user input interface 1100, the output unit 1200, the sensing unit 1400, the network interface 1500, the A/V input unit 1600, the heating unit 1940, and A linear guide 1960 may be further included.

The user input interface 1100 means a means for a user to input a sequence for controlling the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . For example, the user input interface 1100 includes a key pad, a dome switch, and a touch pad (contact capacitive method, pressure resistance film method, infrared sensing method, surface ultrasonic conduction method, red There may be a mechanical tension measurement method, a piezo effect method, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like, but is not limited thereto. The user input interface 1100 may receive a user input sequence for a screen output by the sample analysis apparatus 2000 on a display. Also, the user input interface 1100 may receive a touch input of a user who touches the display or a key input through a graphic user interface on the display.

The output unit 1200 may output an audio signal, a video signal, or a vibration signal, and the output unit 1200 may include a display unit 1210 , a sound output unit 1220 , and a vibration motor 1230 . have.

The display unit 1210 includes a screen for displaying and outputting information processed by the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . In addition, the screen is an image of a collection chamber in the microfluidic device or reaction chambers connected to the distribution chamber, and may be used to analyze the results of biological or chemical reactions occurring in the reaction chamber or the collection chamber.

The sound output unit 1220 outputs audio data received from the network interface 1500 or stored in the memory 1700 . Also, the sound output unit 1220 outputs a sound signal related to a function performed by the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . The vibration motor 1230 may output a vibration signal. For example, the vibration motor 1230 may output a vibration signal corresponding to outputs of functions performed by the electronic device 1000 .

The processor 1300 generally controls the overall operation of the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . For example, the processor 1300, by executing programs stored in the memory 1700, the user input unit 1100, the output unit 1200, the sensing unit 1400, the network interface 1500, the A/V input unit ( 1600), etc. can be controlled in general. In addition, the processor 1300 may execute the programs stored in the memory 1700 to perform the functions of the sample analysis apparatus 2000 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 .

Specifically, the processor 1300 may acquire a user input of touching the screen of the sample analysis apparatus 2000 by controlling the user input unit. According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the microphone to acquire the user's voice. The processor 1300 may execute an application for moving a sample and a solution in the microfluidic device based on a user input, or may execute an application for measuring the progress of a reaction to a target material in the collection chamber. In addition, other user inputs may be further acquired through an application executed by the processor 1300 .

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 executes at least one instruction related to the sample analysis method stored in the memory 1700 , thereby performing a sample analysis process for samples of the microfluidic device coupled to the sample analysis device 2000 . can be done automatically.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the first driving unit to rotate the microfluidic device along the rotation axis. Also, according to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the second driving unit that moves the injection device so that the sample and the solution are injected into the microfluidic device along a preset driving shaft.

In addition, according to an embodiment, the processor 1300 controls a supply unit for storing samples and solutions to be provided to the injection device, so that the stored samples and solutions (washing solution, reaction solutions for ELISA reaction) are transferred to the injection device. may be provided selectively.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the rotating member to rotate according to the first rotational direction and the first rotational speed, thereby causing the rotating member to generate the first rotational force. According to another embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the rotation member to rotate according to the first rotation direction and the second rotation speed, thereby controlling the rotation member to generate the second rotation force along the first rotation direction. have.

According to another embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the rotation member to rotate according to the second rotation direction and the first rotation speed, thereby controlling the rotation member to generate the first rotation force in the second rotation direction. . However, according to another embodiment, the processor 1300 controls the rotation member to rotate according to the second rotation direction and the second rotation speed, so that the rotation member generates a second rotation force along the second rotation direction. You may. The first rotational speed, the second rotational speed, the first rotational force according to the first rotational speed, and the second rotational force according to the second rotational speed described in the present disclosure are, in order to explain the sample analysis method described above in each figure. It is an arbitrarily selected term, and may be set to a different value for each step of each drawing.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the second driving member in the second driving unit to move up and down along at least one guide axis. In addition, the processor 1300 controls the step motor so that the second driving member in the second driving unit rotates at a predetermined angular interval, so that the injection device connected to one end of the driving shaft is located above or on the side of the predetermined flow structure in the microfluidic device. can be controlled to do so.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control the heating unit positioned under the sample analysis device to which the microfluidic device 1000 is fastened to maintain a temperature required for the reaction of the sample. In addition, the processor 1300 may control the linear guide for aligning the positions of the heating units in the outer direction of the first driving unit to control the heating units to provide uniform thermal energy to the microfluidic device.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may control one of the supply channels connected to the storage unit to be connected to the injection channel of the injection device by controlling the port valve in the supply unit. In addition, the processor 1300 may control the syringe pump, so that after the supply channel connected to the storage unit is connected to the injection channel, the solution or samples stored in the storage unit are discharged to the injection device through the supply channel and the injection channel. have.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 may acquire an image of the microfluidic device at a preset time interval by controlling a camera in the sample analysis device. Also, the processor 1300 may transmit information about the image acquired from the camera to another external device connected to the sample analysis apparatus.

According to an embodiment, the processor 1300 identifies a reaction chamber area in the image of the microfluidic device obtained through the camera, and based on the color value of the image for the identified reaction chamber area, chemical occurring in the reaction chamber area Alternatively, the course of a biological response may be quantified. For example, when a solution including an antibody bound to a target material (eg, a target antigen), an antibody bound to a chromogenic enzyme, and a chromogenic substrate capable of reacting with the chromogenic enzyme is included in the sample chamber, the processor 1300 may acquire images of the sample chamber area by photographing the sample chambers at preset time intervals, and analyze the progress of the ELISA reaction based on the amount of change in color values in the acquired image.

According to another embodiment, the processor 1300 transmits images about the sample chamber acquired at a preset time interval to an external device, and configures a network interface to receive an analysis result based on the images received by the external device. You can also control it.

The sensing unit 1400 may detect a state around the sample analysis apparatus 2000 and transmit the sensed information to the processor 1300 . The sensing unit 1400 includes an acceleration sensor 1420, a temperature/humidity sensor 1430, an infrared sensor 1440, a gyroscope sensor 1450, a barometric pressure sensor 1470, a proximity sensor 1480, and an RGB sensor (illuminance sensor) 1490, but is not limited thereto. Since a function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from the name of a person skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The network interface 1500 may include one or more components that allow the sample analysis device 2000 to communicate with other devices (not shown) and the server 4000 . The other device (not shown) may be a device such as a sample analysis device, a computing device capable of acquiring an image and analyzing a color value of the acquired image, or a sensing device, but is not limited thereto. For example, the network interface 1500 may include a wireless communication interface 1510 , a wired communication interface 1520 , and a mobile communication unit 530 .

The wireless communication interface 1510 includes a short-range wireless communication unit, a Bluetooth communication unit, a near field communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, and an infrared (IrDA) data association. ) may include a communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, etc., but is not limited thereto. The wired communication interface 1520 may connect the server 2000 or the sample analysis device 2000 by wire.

The mobile communication unit 1530 transmits/receives a radio signal to and from at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal may include various types of data according to transmission/reception of a voice signal, a video call signal, or a text/multimedia message.

According to an embodiment, the network interface 1500 may transmit images captured by the microfluidic device to the server under the control of the processor. In addition, the network interface 1500 may receive the analysis result regarding the degree of progress of the reaction in the sample chamber from the server.

The A/V (Audio/Video) input unit 1600 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 1610 , a microphone 1620 , and the like. The camera 1610 may obtain an image frame such as a still image or a moving image through an image sensor in a video call mode or a shooting mode. The image captured through the image sensor may be processed through the processor 1300 or a separate image processing unit (not shown). For example, the camera module 1610 may acquire images of the sample chambers according to a predetermined photographing cycle.

The microphone 1620 receives an external sound signal and processes it as electrical voice data. For example, the microphone 1620 may receive an acoustic signal from an external device or a user. The microphone 1620 may receive a user's voice input. The microphone 1620 may use various noise removal algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal.

The memory 1700 may store a program for processing and controlling the processor 1300 , and may store data input or output to the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . Also, the memory 1700 may store various driving instructions required for the sample analysis apparatus 2000 to control the first and second drivers. In addition, the memory 1700 allows the sample analysis device 2000 to extract a sample or solution from the supply unit, inject the extracted sample or solution into the microfluidic device, and rotate the microfluidic device in a predetermined rotation direction and rotation speed. By doing so, various instructions necessary for automatically performing a sample analysis process may be included.

The memory 1700 may include a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (eg, SD or XD memory), and a RAM. (RAM, Random Access Memory) SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk , may include at least one type of storage medium among optical disks.

Programs stored in the memory 1700 may be classified into a plurality of modules according to their functions, for example, may be classified into a UI module 1710 , a touch screen module 1720 , a notification module 1730 , and the like. .

The UI module 1710 may provide a specialized UI, GUI, or the like that interworks with the sample analysis apparatus 2000 for each application. The touch screen module 1720 may detect a touch gesture on the user's touch screen and transmit information about the touch gesture to the processor 1300 . The touch screen module 1720 according to some embodiments may recognize and analyze a touch code. The touch screen module 1720 may be configured as separate hardware including a controller.

The notification module 1730 may generate a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . Examples of events generated by the sample analysis device 2000 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, schedule notification, and the like. The notification module 1730 may output a notification signal in the form of a video signal through the display unit 1210 , may output a notification signal in the form of an audio signal through the sound output unit 1220 , and the vibration motor 1230 . It is also possible to output a notification signal in the form of a vibration signal through

The driving unit 1800 may include a first driving unit 1810 and a second driving unit 1820 . Each configuration of the driving unit 1800 may correspond to each of the first driving unit 520 and the second driving unit 540 described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 , so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The supply unit 1920 may store samples and solutions to be provided to the injection device, and may allow the stored samples and solutions to be provided to the injection device through a specific providing channel. Each configuration of the supply unit 1920 may correspond to the port valve 649, the supply channel 646, and the storage unit 642 described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 , so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The heat generating unit 1940 may provide an appropriate temperature for the reaction of the sample and the solutions in the microfluidic device by generating thermal energy in the lower part of the microfluidic device. The linear guide 1960 can supply thermal energy to the microfluidic device 1000 uniformly by aligning the positions of the heating units positioned under the microfluidic device when predetermined samples and solutions are injected into the microfluidic device. have. Since the heating unit 1940 and the linear guide 1960 may correspond to the heating units 632 and 634 and the linear guides 636 and 638 described above in FIG. 6 , respectively, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

11 is a block diagram of a server connected to a sample analysis device according to an exemplary embodiment.

The server 4000 may include a network interface 4100 , a database 4200 , and a processor 4300 . The network interface 4100 may correspond to the network interface 1500 of the sample analysis apparatus 1000 illustrated in FIG. 11 . For example, the network interface 4100 receives images of sample chambers in the microfluidic device from the sample analysis device 2000 or transmits information on the sample chamber image analysis result determined by the server 4000 to the sample analysis device ( 2000) can also be sent.

The database 4200 may correspond to the memory 1700 of the sample analysis apparatus 2000 shown in FIG. 10 . For example, the database 4200 may include first images of the microfluidic device received from the sample analysis device 2000, second images of sample chambers generated by preprocessing the first images, and the Information on an immune diagnosis result determined by analyzing color information in the first images and the second images may be stored.

Also, according to an embodiment, the database 4200 may be configured based on the color values of the sample chambers obtained from images of the sample chambers, the amount of change with respect to the reaction time of the color values, and the amount of change of the color value for each sample chamber. Information on the determined concentration of the target substance may be further stored.

The processor 4300 typically controls the overall operation of the server 4000 . For example, the processor 4300 may control the DB 4200 and the network interface 4100 in general by executing programs stored in the DB 4200 of the server 4000 . In addition, the processor 4300 may perform some of the operations of the sample analysis apparatus 2000 of FIGS. 1 to 10 by executing programs stored in the DB 4100 . For example, the processor 4300 acquires first images of the microfluidic device while an immune response to target substances in the sample chambers in the sample analysis device 2000 occurs, and reacts from the acquired first images Second images of the chambers may be acquired, and color information of the sample chambers may be identified from the second images. Also, the processor 4300 may identify the concentration of the target material extracted in the sample chambers based on the obtained color information, and transmit information on the concentration of the identified target material to the sample analysis apparatus 2000 . .

The method according to an embodiment may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be specially designed and configured for the present disclosure, or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software.

In addition, according to the embodiment, a computer program apparatus including a recording medium storing a program for performing another method may be provided. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magnetic such as floppy disks. - includes magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improved forms of the present disclosure are also provided by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. belong to the scope of the right.

Claims (18)

rotating body;
at least one microfluidic structure disposed in the rotating body at preset intervals; and
a waste chamber formed further outward in a radial direction than the at least one microfluidic structure in the rotating body and connected to each of the at least one microfluidic structure; including,
The microfluidic structure is
a solution chamber receiving a solution injected through the solution inlet and sharing the received solution with other adjacent microfluidic structures through a first shared channel;
a sample chamber located in the rotating body, more radially outward than the solution chamber, and accommodating the sample injected through an air vent that is opened to the outside; and
a siphon channel having one end connected to the sample chamber and the other end connected to the waste chamber, thereby transferring the sample and the solution to the waste chamber; A microfluidic device comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic structure
a manual valve having one end connected to the solution chamber and providing solutions accommodated in the solution chamber to the sample chamber based on a rotational force generated by the rotating body; The microfluidic device, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 1, wherein the waste chamber is
Microfluidic device, characterized in that it further comprises a super absorbent polymer (Super Abosrbent Polymer) for absorbing the sample and the solution inside the waste chamber. According to claim 1,
The first shared channel is formed in a zigzag shape in the circumferential direction in the rotation body, and the rotation body is the sample chamber until the solution in the solution chamber is shared with each of the solution chambers in the other microfluidic structures. A microfluidic device, characterized in that it is stopped or rotated so as not to move to The method of claim 1, wherein the sample chamber is
The microfluidic device, characterized in that it is connected to a second shared channel for sharing the samples injected through the air vent with other adjacent microfluidic structures. According to claim 1, wherein the rotating body
By stopping for a preset time such that the rotational force generated by the rotating body acting on at least a part of the channel in the siphon channel is smaller than the capillary force generated in the at least part of the channel, the sample and the solution are transferred to the siphon channel A microfluidic device, characterized in that it initiates movement into the According to claim 1,
A surface in the sample chamber is pre-coated with a primary antibody capable of binding to a target material in the sample,
The solution chamber includes, through the solution inlet, a solution containing a secondary antibody to which a chromogenic enzyme is attached for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a solution containing a chromogenic substrate, and a target material in the sample, A microfluidic device, characterized in that to obtain a solution for washing the target material not bound to the primary antibody. According to claim 1,
The at least one microfluidic structure is arranged in the rotation body in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis of the rotation body,
The rotating body rotates at a preset number of rotations about at least one rotating shaft, and the sample and the solution are moved in the microfluidic structure based on a rotational force generated as the rotating body rotates. , a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device of claim 1;
a first driving unit rotating the microfluidic device along a rotation axis;
a second driving unit for moving an injection device for injecting the sample and the solution into the microfluidic device along a preset driving shaft;
a supply unit that stores samples and solutions to be provided to the injection device and selectively provides the stored samples and solutions to the injection device; and
a control unit configured to control the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the supply unit to move the sample and the solutions in the microfluidic structure to a preset path; A sample analysis device comprising a. The method of claim 9, wherein the first driving unit
a rotation member fastened to the microfluidic device and rotatably installed together with the microfluidic device along a rotation axis of the microfluidic device; and
a spindle motor for rotating the rotating member in a predetermined rotation direction and rotation speed based on a first control signal obtained from the control unit; A sample analysis device comprising a. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second driving unit
at least one guide axis spaced apart at a preset interval;
a first driving member to which the injection mechanism is fastened to one end of the driving shaft;
a second driving member connected at the other end of the driving shaft and transmitting a driving force to the driving shaft so that the driving shaft rotates at a predetermined angular interval; and
a step motor for rotating the second driving member; A sample analysis device comprising a. The method of claim 11, wherein the second driving member,
a through hole through which the at least one guide shaft passes; and
a ball screw member in contact with a surface formed in the through hole; further comprising,
The sample analysis apparatus, characterized in that the ball screw member and the screw thread formed on the at least one guide shaft move along the at least one guide shaft in a state in which they are in close contact. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sample analysis device is
a heating part cylindrically surrounding at least a portion of the first driving part in an outer direction of the first driving part under the microfluidic device; and
a linear guide for aligning a position of the heat generating unit in an outer direction of the first driving unit; The sample analysis device, characterized in that it further comprises. 10. The method of claim 9,
The sample includes a target material to be analyzed,
The solution is a sample analysis device, characterized in that it comprises a washing solution for washing the remaining substances except for the target substance and a reaction solution for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent test. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the supply unit
a storage unit in which the sample, the washing solution, and the reaction solution are stored separately;
a supply channel connected to the storage unit and separately obtained from the storage unit for the sample, the washing solution, and the reaction solution;
a port valve for selecting a channel to be connected to the injection device from among the supply channels under the control of the controller; and
a syringe pump for moving the sample, the washing solution and the reaction solution from the reservoir to the injection device; A sample analysis device comprising a. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the storage unit
a sample storage unit for storing the sample;
a washing solution storage unit for storing the washing solution; and
a reaction solution storage unit for storing the reaction solution; including,
The sample storage unit, the washing solution storage unit, and the reaction solution storage unit further include a connection hole through which the providing channel communicates, the sample analysis device. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sample analysis device is
a first housing in which the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the control unit are located; and
a second housing connected to the first housing to be opened and closed, thereby selectively exposing the microfluidic device; The sample analysis device, characterized in that it further comprises. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sample analysis device is
a camera for acquiring images of the microfluidic device at preset time intervals; and
a network interface for transmitting information about the image acquired from the camera to an external device connected to the sample analysis device; The sample analysis device, characterized in that it further comprises.

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