JPH0342368Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field This invention relates to an improvement of an electrolyte supply structure in a capillary isotachophoresis device.

(b) Conventional technology Generally, in a capillary type isotachophoresis device,
Because the inner diameter of the electrophoresis tube is small, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, it is known that even if small air bubbles enter the tube, it will interfere with analysis. It is known that many bubbles are generated in the electrolyte when the temperature of the electrolyte changes rapidly.

Conventionally, as a countermeasure to this problem, the electrolyte is supplied from above to the electrolyte supply section that supplies the electrolyte to the electrophoresis section, and discharged from the bottom, and air bubbles in the electrolyte are removed between this supply and the discharge. A bubble trap was installed.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in the above method, if the electrolyte is supplied into the bubble trap when there is no electrolyte in the bubble trap, the electrolyte will not accumulate in the bubble trap. In some cases, the air inside the bubble trap may not be sufficiently trapped because it is directly discharged from the bubble trap, or the air in the bubble trap may be contained in the electrolyte and supplied to the electrophoresis section along with the electrolyte due to slight external factors. It was hot.

This idea was made in view of the above circumstances,
The purpose of this is to store the electrolyte in the bubble trap when no electrolyte is contained in the bubble trap so that the bubbles in the electrolyte can be completely removed at all times.

(d) Means for solving the problem This device is a capillary type isotachophoresis device, which consists of an electrophoresis section and an electrolyte supply section, and the electrolyte supply section supplies an electrolyte to the electrophoresis section. an electrolytic solution supply path for supplying the electrolytic solution, a flow path opening/closing valve that is interposed in this electrolytic solution supply path in order from the electrophoresis section side, and a liquid feeding pump that can be operated to feed liquid in forward and reverse directions; A bubble trap is interposed in the electrolyte supply path between the flow path on-off valve and has an electrolyte distribution port from the liquid sending pump side at the top and an electrolyte discharge port toward the flow path on-off valve side at the bottom; A channel opening/closing valve operating means outputs an operating signal for closing the channel opening/closing valve to the channel opening/closing valve operating means, and also outputs a positive direction liquid feeding operating signal to the liquid feeding pump to supply the electrolyte to the bubble trap. After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, a reverse liquid transfer operation signal is output to the liquid transfer pump to remove the bubbles in the bubble trap toward the liquid transfer pump, and after a predetermined period of time, the flow path opening/closing valve is opened and operated. and control means for outputting an activation signal to supply the electrolytic solution in the bubble trap to the electrophoresis section via the flow path opening/closing valve.

(E) Function This device operates the liquid feeding pump in the forward direction by closing the flow path opening/closing valve, and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the liquid feeding pump operates in the reverse direction, and then after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Afterwards, the flow path opening/closing valve is released to operate the liquid feeding pump in the forward direction.

(f) Examples This invention will be described in detail below based on examples shown in the figures. Note that this invention is not limited thereby.

As shown in FIG. 1, the capillary isotachophoresis device 1 includes an electrophoresis section 2 and an electrolyte supply section 3.

The electrophoresis section 2 has the same structure as the conventional one,
4 is a terminal electrode tank, the rear is a leading electrode tank, 6 and 7 are electrodes, 8 and 8 are membranes, 9 is an electrophoresis tube, 10 is a sample injection part, and 11 is a detector.

The electrolyte supply section 3 includes an electrolyte supply path 12, a flow path opening/closing valve 13, a liquid feed pump 14, a bubble trap 15,
It consists of a channel opening/closing valve operating means 16 and a control means 17.

The electrolyte supply path 12 has a flow path switching valve 18 connected to the terminal electrode tank 4, the leading electrode 5, and the migration tube 9.
The other end is inserted into the electrolyte reservoir 19. A channel opening/closing valve 13, a bubble trap 15, and a liquid sending pump 14 are provided in this order from the electrophoresis section 1 side of the supply channel 12.

The liquid feeding pump 14 is a straining pump capable of feeding liquid in forward and reverse directions. - side bubble trap 15 is
An electrolyte supply port 20 is provided above and an electrolyte discharge port 21 is provided.
It consists of a cylindrical container with a lower part.

The channel opening/closing valve operating means 16 consists of a pulse motor and is electrically connected to the channel opening/closing valve 13. The control means 17 consists of a microcomputer and is electrically connected to the channel opening/closing valve operating means 16 and the liquid sending pump 14. ing.

Next, the operation of the device 1 will be explained.

First, the flow path opening/closing valve 13 is closed by a flow path closing signal from the control means 17. Then the control means 17
The liquid feeding pump 14 is activated by the forward liquid feeding operation signal from
Operate to send liquid in the forward direction. At this time, the inside of the bubble trap 15 is pressurized, but as long as the liquid sending pressure of the liquid sending pump 14 exceeds the pressure inside the bubble trap 15, the electrolytic solution is sent into the bubble trap 15. Collects at the inner bottom. And 1-2
After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, when the liquid feeding pressure of the liquid feeding pump 14 and the pressure within the bubble trap 15 match, the feeding of the electrolytic solution is stopped. Therefore, the control means 17
The liquid feeding pump 14 is activated by the reverse liquid feeding operation signal from
is operated in the opposite direction for about 30 seconds to remove the air inside the bubble trap 15 and return the inside of the bubble trap 15 from the pressurized state to the initial pressure state. Next, the flow path opening/closing valve 16 is opened by the flow path opening signal from the control means 17, and at the same time, the liquid feeding pump 14 is operated to feed the electrolyte in the forward direction by the positive direction liquid feeding operation signal from the control means 17. The liquid is delivered.

By configuring the device 1 in this way, it is possible to send the electrolytic solution from which air bubbles have been completely removed to the electrophoresis section 2.

(g) Effects of the device This device is designed to collect electrolyte in the bubble trap and then send the electrolyte toward the electrophoresis section when there is no electrolyte in the bubble trap. Therefore, it is possible to constantly send the electrolytic solution from which air bubbles have been completely removed to the electrophoresis section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the capillary type isotachophoresis apparatus according to this invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Capillary isokinetic electrophoresis device, 2... Electrophoresis section, 3... Electrolyte supply section, 12... Electrolyte supply channel, 13... Channel opening/closing valve, 14... Liquid sending pump,
15... Bubble trap, 16... Channel opening/closing valve operating means, 17... Control means, 20... Electrolyte supply port, 21... Electrolyte discharge port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Consisting of an electrophoresis section and an electrolyte supply section, the electrolyte supply section includes an electrolyte supply channel that supplies electrolyte to the electrophoresis section, and an electrolyte supply channel that is interposed in this electrophoresis section in order from the electrophoresis section side. A channel opening/closing valve and a liquid feeding pump capable of feeding liquid in forward and reverse directions, and an electrolytic solution supplying port from the liquid feeding pump side interposed in the electrolyte supply path between the liquid feeding pump and the channel opening/closing valve. A bubble trap located above and having an electrolyte discharge port toward the channel opening/closing valve side below; a channel opening/closing valve operating means; and an operation for causing the channel opening/closing valve operating means to operate to close the channel opening/closing valve. At the same time, the electrolyte is supplied to the bubble trap by outputting a forward direction liquid transfer operation signal to the liquid transfer pump, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, a reverse direction liquid transfer operation signal is output to the liquid transfer pump to supply electrolyte to the bubble trap. removes the air bubbles to the liquid feeding pump side, and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, outputs an actuation signal to the flow path opening/closing valve operating means to open and operate the flow path opening/closing valve, and outputs a forward direction liquid feeding operation signal to the liquid feeding pump. and a control means for supplying the electrolyte in the bubble trap to the electrophoresis section via a channel opening/closing valve.