TWI611833B - Biochemical reactor - Google Patents

Description

Biochemical reactor

The present invention relates to a reactor, and in particular to a biochemical reactor having a Fresnel lens.

Many biochemical reactions require the relevant equipment to allow the reaction to be carried out at a specific temperature, and the progress of the reaction is monitored by the relevant equipment. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used as an example. The bottom of the test tube containing the reagent is heated by a heating device, so that the reagent generates thermal convection by a temperature gradient, so that the reagent performs a polymerase chain reaction in an appropriate temperature range, and further, a reagent for reacting in a test tube After a certain wavelength of light is irradiated, the reagent will emit different degrees of fluorescence at different stages as the reaction progresses, and the fluorescence is guided to a sensing device for monitoring, when the fluorescence reaches a predetermined value, The representative PCR has been completed.

In addition to the above-mentioned heating device and sensing device, a biochemical reactor for performing PCR has a glass convex lens disposed directly under each test tube to concentrate the fluorescent light in each test tube, and then, after convergence. Each of the fluorescent light beams is again reflected by a plane mirror located under the convex lens and inclined to the sensing device for monitoring. However, the convex lens used in the conventional biochemical reactor has a considerable thickness, which is not only bulky, but also when the heating device When the test tube is heated, the high temperature generated is also transmitted to the air below the test tube, so that the temperature of the air below the test tube is also increased, and when these temperatures are high, the air containing moisture contacts the relatively low temperature. In the case of a convex lens, the hot air condenses on the convex lens into a mist, so that the convex lens is fogged closer to one side of the bottom of the test tube. Even after a period of time, the temperature on both sides of the convex lens gradually reaches equilibrium, close to the side of the test tube. The fog beads will gradually fade away, but the convex lens itself has a considerable volume or thickness, so it takes a while for the fog lens to completely retreat after the temperature of the convex lens is increased.

In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies, it is an object of the present invention to provide a biochemical reactor which can be used to converge a lens of a test tube to quickly eliminate fogging and is not easily deformed by heat.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a biochemical reactor for accommodating a plurality of test tubes, the biochemical reactor comprising a casing, a test tube rack, a fixing base, a lens holder and a Fresnel lens. The inside of the casing is disposed for the test tubes. The fixing seat is disposed inside the casing and under the test tube rack. The fixing base has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the test tubes, and the lens holder is disposed inside the casing. And located under the fixing seat, the lens holder has a top plate, and a plurality of perforations are located at the top plate and are corresponding to the test tubes. The Fresnel lens is disposed between the top plate of the lens holder and the fixing seat.

The thickness of the Fresnel lens is much thinner than that of the conventional convex lens, so even if the Fresnel lens is heated and fogged near one side of the bottom of the test tube, the temperature of the Fresnel lens as a whole can be quickly balanced with the hot air. Therefore, the mist beads will quickly dissipate, and the upper and lower sides of the Fresnel lens are respectively clamped by the fixing seat and the top plate of the lens holder, so that the Fresnel lens can be prevented from being deformed by heat.

1‧‧‧ biochemical reactor

10‧‧‧ Shell

12‧‧‧掀盖

14‧‧‧ openings

2‧‧‧test tube

20‧‧‧ test tube rack

30‧‧‧ Fixed seat

32‧‧‧through hole

40‧‧‧ lens holder

42‧‧‧ upper

421‧‧‧ top board

423‧‧‧Perforation

425‧‧‧Limited wall

44‧‧‧Flat mirror

46‧‧‧ lower

50‧‧‧ Fresnel lens

1 is a perspective view of a biochemical reactor according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is another perspective view of a biochemical reactor according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a biochemical reactor of the first embodiment of the present invention. a partial perspective view; Fig. 4 is a partial exploded view of the biochemical reactor of the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a lens holder of a biochemical reactor according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the biochemical reactor of the first embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 5 are a biochemical reactor 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention for accommodating a plurality of test tubes 2, the biochemical reactor 1 comprising a casing 10, a test tube holder 20, a fixing base 30, and a lens holder. 40, and a Fresnel lens 50.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the housing 10 has a cover 12 and an opening 14 . The cover 12 can be rotatably opened and closed over the opening 14 . The tubes 2 are accommodated through the opening 14 . In the biochemical reactor 1.

The test tube rack 20 is disposed inside the outer casing 10 and is used for the test tubes 2 to be placed. The portion of the test tube rack 20 is exposed to the opening 14 , that is, the test tubes 2 are placed through the opening 14 . The test tube rack 20.

The fixing base 30 is disposed inside the outer casing 10, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the fixing base 30 is located under the test tube holder 20. The fixing base 30 has a through hole 32 corresponding to the plurality of test tubes 2 at a plurality of positions. The through holes 32 are accommodated in the bottom of the test tubes 2.

The lens holder 40 is disposed inside the housing 10 and below the fixing base 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the lens holder 40 has an upper portion 42, a plane mirror 44, and a lower portion 46. The upper portion 42 and the lower portion 46 The flat mirrors 44 are disposed obliquely between the upper portion 42 and the lower portion 46. The upper portion 42 has a top plate 421, and a plurality of perforations 423 are located on the top plate 421 at positions corresponding to the test tubes 2, and The wall 425 extends upwardly from opposite sides of the top plate 421. The two ends of the two limiting walls 425 are slightly curved and curved toward each other.

The Fresnel lens 50 can be made of, but not limited to, a glass or plastic material, and is disposed between the top plate 421 of the lens holder 40 and the fixing base 30. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, The fringe lens 50 is clamped between the lens holder 40 and the fixing base 30. The top edge of the two limiting walls 425 abuts against the fixing base 30, and the top plate 421 to the top of the limiting wall 425 The height of the edge is substantially equal to the thickness of the Fresnel lens 50. In other words, the lower portion of the fixing base 30 is substantially adjacent to the top edge of the Fresnel lens 50 and the two limiting walls 425, so the Fresnel The lens 50 is limited by the fixing seat 30 and is limited by the top plate 421 . The two sides of the Fresnel lens 50 are constrained by the two limiting walls 425 of the lens holder 40 . The Fresnel lens 50 . The four corners are respectively limited by the arcuate ends of the two limiting walls 425. The above structure is for limiting the Fresnel lens 50 at a predetermined position, so that the Fresnel lens 50 is fixed and not tilted. Curved deformation.

When the biochemical reactor 1 performs a biochemical reaction such as PCR, the fluorescent light emitted by the reagents in each of the test tubes 2 passes through the through holes 32 of the fixing base 30 and is concentrated by the Fresnel lens 50 into a fluorescent light beam. After the light beam passes through the perforations 423 of the lens holder 40, it is reflected by the mirror 44 of the lens holder 40 to a sensing device (not shown) to track the progress of the PCR reaction; when the tubes 2 are heated, The high temperature of the test tube 2 itself is also transmitted to the air below the test tubes 2, so that the temperature of the air below the test tubes 2 is also increased, and when these temperatures are high and the air containing moisture contacts the test tube 2 When the Fresnel lens 50 has a relatively low temperature, although the hot air initially condenses on one side of the Fresnel lens 50 to cause fogging, since the Fresnel lens 50 is thin and small in size, it is itself It can achieve thermal balance with hot air in a short time. If it is made of plastic material, its thermal equilibrium speed is faster than that of glass material, so the fog beads located on the Fresnel lens 50 can quickly disappear. Above and below the Fresnel lens 50 Due to the limit, it is possible to avoid deformation due to heat.

According to the spirit of the present invention, the structure of the above embodiment may be changed. For example, the limiting wall 425 of the upper portion 42 of the lens holder 40 may be omitted. In this case, the Fresnel lens 50 is subjected to the fixing base 30 and The top plate 421 of the lens holder 40 is clamped and restrained. Alternatively, the number of the limiting walls 425 may be changed as needed. For example, the limiting wall 425 may be located only on one side of the top plate 421 or on the four sides of the top plate 421. The top edge of the second limiting wall 425 may not abut the fixing seat 30, that is, the height of the second limiting wall 425 may be adjusted according to requirements, but the effect of limiting the Fresnel lens 50 is required; the Fresnel The lens 50 may be disposed only between the fixing base 30 and the lens holder 40 without being attached to the fixing base 30. In this case, once the Fresnel lens 50 is deformed by heat, it may still be at least The fixing portion 30 is partially attached to the fixing seat 30 and is limited by the fixing seat 30.

It is to be understood that the above description is only illustrative of the embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is intended to be included in the scope of the invention.

2‧‧‧test tube

20‧‧‧ test tube rack

30‧‧‧ Fixed seat

32‧‧‧through hole

40‧‧‧ lens holder

421‧‧‧ top board

423‧‧‧Perforation

425‧‧‧Limited wall

50‧‧‧ Fresnel lens

Claims (5)

A biochemical reactor for accommodating a plurality of test tubes, comprising: a casing; a test tube rack disposed inside the casing for placing the test tubes; and a fixing base disposed inside the casing and located in the test tube Under the frame, the fixing seat has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the test tubes; a lens holder is disposed inside the casing and under the fixing seat, the lens holder has a top plate, and a plurality of perforations are located on the top plate and are located at a position The test tubes correspond to each other; and a Fresnel lens is disposed between the top plate of the lens holder and the fixed seat. The biochemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the lens holder has at least one limiting wall extending upwardly from the top plate for restricting the Fresnel lens to a predetermined position. The biochemical reactor of claim 2, wherein the limiting wall is attached to the fixing seat. The biochemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the Fresnel lens is sandwiched between the lens holder and the mount. The biochemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the Fresnel lens is made of a plastic material.