TWI728885B - Light guide module and biological detection equipment using the light guide module - Google Patents

Abstract

A light guide module and a biological detection equipment using the light guide module are provided. The biological detection equipment includes a main body and a detection device. The detection device includes a detection engine and a light guide module. The detection engine includes an exciting light source configured to provide exciting light to the light guide module. The light guide module includes a lower light guide portion, an upper light guide portion and an electric heating sheet. The lower light guide portion includes plural lower light guide channels passing through the lower light guide portion. The upper light guide portion is disposed on the lower light guide portion. The upper light guide portion includes plural upper light guide channels passing through the upper light guide portion and aligned with the lower light guide channels to form plural main light guide channels. The electric heating sheet is disposed between the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion. The electric heating sheet has at least one gap. The gap is aligned with the main light guide channels to allow the main light guide channels to pass through the gap.

Description

Light guide module and biological detection equipment using the light guide module

The present invention relates to a light guide module and biological detection equipment using the light guide module. In particular, it relates to a light guide module with temperature control function and biological detection equipment using the light guide module.

Fluorescence imaging technology is often used to detect components in biological samples, such as blood, urine, or saliva samples of humans or animals, to find out the characteristics of the samples in certain aspects (such as diseases). Due to the limited amount of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) available, fluorescence imaging technology often fails to produce effective detection results. In order to increase the amount of DNA available, a DNA fragment amplification reaction (hereinafter referred to as DNA amplification reaction) is usually performed first, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or isothermal amplification reaction (isothermal amplification) To increase the amount of DNA available, and then use laser light to excite the sample, so that the components in the sample can be analyzed by fluorescence reaction.

One aspect of the present invention provides a light guide module and a biological detection device using the light guide module. This biological detection device can be used to perform biological detection methods, such as the polymerase chain reaction/constant-temperature nucleic acid amplification reaction described above, to detect and analyze samples.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned light guide module includes a lower light guide portion, an upper light guide portion, and an electric heating sheet. The lower light guide part includes a plurality of lower light guide channels, wherein the lower light guide channel penetrates the lower light guide part. The upper light guide part is arranged on the lower light guide part, wherein the upper light guide part includes a plurality of upper light guide channels, and the upper light guide channel penetrates the upper light guide part and is aligned with the lower light guide channel to form a plurality of main guides Light channel. The electric heating sheet is arranged between the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion, wherein the electric heating sheet has at least one gap, and the gap is aligned with the main light channel so that the main light channel passes through the gap of the electric heating sheet.

In some embodiments, the lower light guide part and the upper light guide part are glass, and the lower light guide channel and the upper light guide channel are light guide structures carved inside the glass.

In some embodiments, the lower light guide part includes a plurality of first light guide rods, and the first light guide rods are disposed in the plurality of first through holes of the lower light guide part to form the lower light guide channel. The upper light guide part includes a plurality of second light guide rods, and the second light guide rods are arranged in the plurality of second through holes of the upper light guide part to form an upper light guide channel.

In some embodiments, the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion are aluminum alloy.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned biological detection equipment includes a body and a detection device. The main body has an accommodating space to accommodate the carrier plate. The detection device is arranged in the accommodating space. The detection device includes a light guide module and a detection source. The light guide module is used for receiving the excitation light and projecting the excitation light to at least one target container in the experiment container. The light guide module includes a lower light guide part, an upper light guide part and an electric heating sheet. The lower light guide part includes a plurality of lower light guide channels, wherein the lower light guide channel penetrates the lower light guide part. The upper light guide part is arranged on the lower light guide part, wherein the upper light guide part includes a plurality of upper light guide channels, and the upper light guide channel penetrates the upper light guide part and is aligned with the lower light guide channel to form a plurality of main guides The light channel transmits the excitation light to the target container. The electric heating sheet is arranged between the upper light guide part and the lower light guide part to heat the target container, wherein the electric heating sheet has at least one gap, and the gap is aligned with the main light channel so that the main light channel passes through the gap of the electric heating sheet. The detection source includes an excitation light source, wherein the excitation light source is used to provide the aforementioned excitation light to the light guide module.

In some embodiments, the lower light guide part and the upper light guide part are glass, and the lower light guide channel and the upper light guide channel are light guide structures carved inside the glass.

In some embodiments, the lower light guide part includes a plurality of first light guide rods, and the first light guide rods are disposed in the plurality of first through holes of the lower light guide part to form the lower light guide channel. The upper light guide part includes a plurality of second light guide rods, and the second light guide rods are arranged in the plurality of second through holes of the upper light guide part to form an upper light guide channel.

In some embodiments, the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion are aluminum alloy.

In some embodiments, the detection source further includes an image capturing device, which is used to capture an image of the target container through the light guide module.

In some embodiments, the detection source further includes an optical detection device, which is used to capture the fluorescent signal excited by the target container through the light guide module.

In order to make the above-mentioned features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, the following specific embodiments are described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Regarding the "first", "second", etc. used in this article, they do not specifically refer to the order or sequence, but only to distinguish elements or operations described in the same technical terms.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic structural diagram of a biological detection device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The biological detection equipment 100 includes a main body 110, a rail device 120, a detection device 130 and a sliding cover 140. The main body 110 has a side wall 112 which defines an accommodating space CA for accommodating the carrier plate SP. The carrier plate SP is used to carry the experimental container TU, such as a test tube containing a DNA sample. After the carrier plate SP is placed in the accommodating space CA, the sliding cover 140 can seal the accommodating space CA for DNA amplification reaction and DNA detection. In this embodiment, the carrier plate SP has 6×8 through holes to carry 48 experimental containers TU, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, the carrier plate SP may have a through hole of 4 or a multiple of 4 to carry an experimental container of 4 or a multiple of 4. For example, the carrying tray SP may have 12×8 through holes to carry 96 experimental containers TU.

In this embodiment, the detection device 130 is a movable detection device, which can detect 1×8 experimental containers TU. For example, the rail device 120 is installed on the side wall 112, and the detection device 130 is installed on the rail device 120, so that the detection device 130 can move in the direction of the plane of the carrier plate SP through the rail device 120, and each detection can be checked. 1X8 experimental containers TU for testing. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, the detection device 130 can detect 3×8 experimental containers TU. Or, the track device 120 can be omitted, so the detection device 130 is designed to have a larger size to cover all the experimental containers TU to detect them.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the detection of the experimental container TU by the detection device 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the detection source 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The detection device 130 includes a detection source 150 and a light guide module 160. The detection source 150 is used to detect the experimental container TU through the light guide module 160. As shown in FIG. 3, the detection source 150 can be, for example, the device disclosed in the Republic of China Patent No. 1577484. Specifically, the detection source 150 includes an excitation light source 151, a beam splitting unit 152, a zoom lens group 153, a vision module unit 154, and a control unit 155. The vision module unit 154 includes an imaging lens group 154a and an image capturing device 154b. The imaging lens group 154a is disposed between the beam splitting unit 152 and the image capturing device 154b to facilitate light imaging, and the image capturing device 154b is used to capture the image.

The excitation light source 151 is used to provide excitation light LA, and the light splitting unit 152 is arranged on the transmission path of the excitation light LA, so that the excitation light LA can be transmitted to the variable zoom lens group 153 through the light splitting unit 152. In this embodiment, the excitation light source 151 may be, for example, a laser light source, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. The control unit 155 is electrically connected to the zoom lens group 153 to adjust the focal length of the zoom lens group 153 and project the excitation light LA to the light guide module 160. Then, the light guide module 160 projects the excitation light LA to the experiment container TU to excite the sample therein.

Specifically, when the detection device 130 detects the experimental container TU, the detection device 130 will move to the top of the experimental container TU to be detected (hereinafter referred to as the target container) according to the user's setting, and then the detection source 150 will emit excitation The light LA is directed to the light guide module 160, and the excitation light LA is projected to the target container through the light guide module 160 to excite the sample therein. Then, the fluorescent reaction of the target container can be transmitted back to the image capturing device 154b of the detection source 150 through the light guide module 160. In this way, the user can know the fluorescent reaction status of the target container. In one embodiment, the image capturing device 154b can be replaced by an optical sensing element, such as a photodiode (Photodiode) or a photomultiplier tube (Photomultiplier; PMT), to read the fluorescent signal.

In addition, the detection source 150 of this embodiment includes a filter 156, which is disposed between the imaging lens group 154a and the image capturing device 154b. Since the light incident on the imaging lens group 154a includes the excitation light LA and the fluorescent signal excited by the experimental container TU, this embodiment uses the filter 156 to exclude light other than the fluorescent signal, so that the image capturing device 154b can capture Take the fluorescent signal. In this embodiment, the filter 156 is an optical device that can allow light of a specific wavelength (such as fluorescent light) to pass through, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Please return to FIG. 2, the biological detection device 100 of this embodiment includes a heating module 170, which can be matched with the light guide module 160 to realize a temperature control function. The heating module 170 is arranged under the carrier plate SP to heat the bottom of the experimental container TU and control its temperature to facilitate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or isothermal amplification reaction (isothermal amplification). ). In this embodiment, the heating module 170 has a plurality of heating holes 170H whose shape matches the bottom of the experimental container TU, which is advantageous for the heating holes 170H to directly contact the bottom of the experimental container TU for heating. Similarly, the light guide module 160 also has a heating hole 160H whose shape matches the upper cover CAP of the experimental container TU, so that the light guide module 160 can contact the upper cover CAP of the experimental container TU through the heating hole 160H to provide heat preservation Features. It is worth mentioning that, similar to the detection device 130, the heating module 170 can also be designed to be movable to heat the target container.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the light guide module 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The light guide module 160 includes an upper light guide portion 162, a lower light guide portion 164 and an electric heating sheet 166. The upper light guide portion 162 is disposed on the lower light guide portion 164 and includes a plurality of upper light guide channels 162a. The upper light guide channel 162 a penetrates the upper light guide portion 162. The lower light guide portion 164 has a plurality of lower light guide channels 164 a and penetrates the lower light guide portion 164. Wherein, the upper light guide channel 162a is aligned with the lower light guide channel 164a to form a main light channel 168. In this way, the excitation light LA can be transmitted through the main light channel 168 to the experiment container TU under the light guide module 160.

In this embodiment, the upper light guide channel 162a of the upper light guide portion 162 has a smaller distance D1 when it is close to the upper surface, and a larger distance D2 when it is close to the lower surface. In this way, the upper light guide channels 162a are densely arranged on the upper surface of the upper light guide portion 162, so that the upper light guide portion 162 can efficiently receive the excitation light LA and transmit it to the lower light guide portion 164.

The electric heating sheet 166 is disposed between the upper light guide portion 162 and the lower light guide portion 164 to provide a heating function to heat the light guide module 160. For example, when the experimental container TU under the light guide module 160 needs to be kept warm, the electric heating sheet 166 will heat the upper light guide portion 162 and the lower light guide portion 164, which can increase the temperature of the light guide module 160, thereby improving the experiment The container TU has the effect of heat preservation. As shown in FIG. 5, the electric heating plate 166 has at least one gap 166H, and the gap 166H is aligned with the main light channel 168 so that the main light channel 168 can pass through the electric heating plate 166 through the gap 166H without being disturbed by the electric heating plate 166.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper light guide channel 162a and the lower light guide channel 164a are light guide structures formed by engraving the upper light guide portion 162 and the lower light guide portion. For example, the upper light guide portion 162 and the lower light guide portion 164 are made of insulating glass, and the upper light guide channel 162a and the upper light guide channel 162a and the lower light guide portion 164 as shown in FIG. 4 can be formed by the laser engraving technology. Lower light guide channel 164a.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the upper light guide channel 162a and the lower light guide channel 164a are made of metal. Through holes are formed in the upper light guide channel 162a and the lower light guide channel 164a, and the light guide plunger is inserted into the through hole to form the upper light guide channel 162a and the lower light guide channel 164a as shown in FIG. 4. The metal material may be aluminum alloy, for example, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field can make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to those defined by the attached patent application scope.

100: testing equipment 110: body 112: sidewall 120: Orbital device 130: detection device 140: Slide cover 150: detection source 151: Excitation light source 152: Spectroscopic unit 153: zoom lens group 154: Vision Module Unit 154a: imaging lens group 154b: Optical detection device 155: Control Unit 156: filter 160: light guide module 160H: heating hole 162: Upper light guide 162a: Upper light guide channel 164: Lower light guide 164a: Lower light guide channel 166: electric heater 166H: Clearance 168: Dominant light channel 170: Temperature control module 170H: heating hole CA: Housing space CAP: Upper cover D1: Spacing D2: Spacing LA: Excitation light MD: Mobile detection device SP: Carrier plate TU: Experimental container

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a biological detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the detection of the experimental container by the detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a detection source according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a light guide module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the structure of an electric heating sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

no

160: light guide module

160H: heating hole

162: Upper light guide

162a: Upper light guide channel

164: Lower light guide

164a: Lower light guide channel

166: electric heater

168: Dominant light channel

D1: Spacing

D2: Spacing

LA: Excitation light

Claims (10)

A light guide module suitable for a biological detection device, wherein the light guide module includes: The lower light guide part includes a plurality of lower light guide channels, wherein the lower light guide channels penetrate the lower light guide part; An upper light guide part is disposed on the lower light guide part, wherein the upper light guide part includes a plurality of upper light guide channels, the upper light guide channels penetrate the upper light guide part and are connected to the lower light guide channels Align to form a plurality of main optical channels; and An electric heating sheet is disposed between the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion, wherein the electric heating sheet has at least one gap, and the at least one gap is aligned with the main light channels so that the main light channels pass through Pass the at least one gap of the electric heating sheet. The light guide module according to claim 1, wherein the lower light guide portion and the upper light guide portion are glass, and the lower light guide channels and the upper light guide channels are light guide structures carved inside the glass . The light guide module according to claim 1, wherein: The lower light guide part includes a plurality of first light guide rods, and the first light guide rods are disposed in a plurality of first through holes of the lower light guide part to form the lower light guide channels; The upper light guide part includes a plurality of second light guide rods, and the second light guide rods are arranged in a plurality of second through holes of the upper light guide part to form the upper light guide channels. The light guide module according to claim 1, wherein the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion are aluminum alloy. A biological detection device is used to detect a plurality of experimental containers on a carrying plate, wherein the biological detection device includes: A body with an accommodating space for accommodating the carrier plate; A detection device is arranged in the accommodating space, wherein the detection device includes: A light guide module for receiving an excitation light and projecting the excitation light to at least one target container among the experimental containers, wherein the light guide module includes: The lower light guide part includes a plurality of lower light guide channels, wherein the lower light guide channels penetrate the lower light guide part; An upper light guide part is disposed on the lower light guide part, wherein the upper light guide part includes a plurality of upper light guide channels, the upper light guide channels penetrate the upper light guide part and are connected to the lower light guide channels Aligning to form a plurality of main light channels to transmit the excitation light to the at least one target container; and An electric heating sheet is disposed between the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion to heat the at least one target container, wherein the electric heating sheet has at least one gap, and the at least one gap is aligned with the main light channels , So that the main light channels pass through the at least one gap of the heating plate; A detection source includes an excitation light source, wherein the excitation light source is used to provide the excitation light to the light guide module. The biological detection device according to claim 5, wherein the lower light guide part and the upper light guide part are glass, and the lower light guide channels and the upper light guide channels are light guide structures carved inside the glass. The biological detection equipment according to claim 5, wherein: The lower light guide part includes a plurality of first light guide rods, and the first light guide rods are disposed in a plurality of first through holes of the lower light guide part to form the lower light guide channels; The upper light guide part includes a plurality of second light guide rods, and the second light guide rods are arranged in a plurality of second through holes of the upper light guide part to form the upper light guide channels. The biological detection device according to claim 5, wherein the upper light guide portion and the lower light guide portion are made of aluminum alloy. The biological detection device according to claim 5, wherein the detection source further includes an image capturing device for capturing an image of the at least one target container through the light guide module. The biological detection device according to claim 5, wherein the detection source further includes an optical detection device for capturing the fluorescent signal excited by the at least one target container through the light guide module.

Images