JPH10296099A - Serially connected chip set - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the discharging of a liquid sample properly into a recessed part, even when a chip is thermally deformed by serially connecting the head parts and the liquid parts of chips at a specified interval in a single piece using connecting members and thereby saving a manual labor when the chip set is set into a chip holder. SOLUTION: This serially connected chip set is made up of chips 11 and plural pieces of connecting member 12 which connect the chips 11 at a specified interval, and the chips 11 and the connecting members 12 are made up of members of polypropylene, polycarbonate or heat-resistant silicone rubber. The connecting members 12 extend from the head parts 11a of the chips 11 to the areas near the tips of the liquid parts 11b, and curb a thermal deformation with the help of the connecting members 12, even when one of the chips 11 is easily susceptible of the thermal deformation, at the time of performing sterilization using an autoclave. Therefore, it is possible to mitigate the incidence of an error to be committed when nozzles are introduced into the chips 11 and prevent a liquid sample from spilling over a recessed part when the liquid sample is discharged into the recessed part in a microplate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coupled chip which is mounted on a nozzle such as a multiple pipettor and is used to dispense a large number of liquid samples at once at a predetermined interval.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the fields of biochemistry, biotechnology, medicine, clinical examination, etc., it is necessary to quantitatively dispense a liquid sample such as a reagent at a level of several milliliters to 1 microliter. A dispensing device such as a piston-type pipettor capable of accurately dispensing a fixed amount is used.

[0003] A tip of such a dispensing apparatus is mounted with a chip which sucks and discharges a liquid sample by directly touching the same, and mixing of the different liquid samples is prevented by exchanging tips.

[0004] In addition, from the viewpoint of improving the working efficiency, it is necessary to dispense a large number of the same liquid sample simultaneously. For example, when dispensing a liquid sample into a 96-well microplate,
A multiple pipettor having a plurality of nozzles provided at intervals of the 96-well microplate is used.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the structure of such a multiple pipettor. For convenience of explanation, only the plate 6 is shown in a sectional view. A tip insertion section 2 provided with a number of nozzles 3 is attached to the tip of the piston section 1. Then, a tip 20 is mounted on the nozzle 3.

As a result, the piston 5 is moved upward to suck the liquid sample into the tip 20, and then the multiple pipetter is moved onto the plate 6 to move the piston 5 downward. Thereby, a dispensing process of discharging the liquid sample to the recess 7 of the plate 6 is performed.

The mounting of the tip 20 on the nozzle 3 is performed as follows.
The tip 20 is set in the tip holder in advance, and then the dispensing device is moved in the direction of the tip 20 to move the nozzle 3 to the tip 2.
This is done by inserting it into 0.

[0008]

However, when a large number of nozzles 3 are inserted into and mounted on the chip 20, the chips 20 are set in a chip holder and sterilized under pressure (autoclave sterilization) in a predetermined temperature atmosphere. ), And then the mounting is performed, causing the following problems.

That is, there is a type in which the chip 20 bends due to thermal deformation due to heat. Such thermal deformation is not a general phenomenon but depends on individual differences. However, if such a tip 20a is present, the tip 20a cannot be properly mounted on the nozzle 3 as shown in FIG. , And even if it can be mounted, the tip 2 bent as shown in FIG.
There is a problem that the liquid sample discharged from Oa is not discharged to the predetermined recess 7. FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view when the chip 20 is broken to include the chip 20.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention reduces the trouble of setting the chip in the chip holder and, even if the chip is thermally deformed, causes the above-mentioned mounting error, breakage of the nozzle or the chip, the liquid sample, or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupled chip capable of preventing a disadvantage that the liquid is not properly discharged into a recess or the like.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to the present invention facilitates handling of a large number of chips which are mounted on a nozzle of a dispensing device and used for dispensing a liquid sample. The heads and liquid parts of a plurality of chips are connected to each other by a connecting member so as to prevent the occurrence of a mistake in mounting to a nozzle by mutually restricting thermal deformation received when the chips are heat-treated and sterilized. It is characterized by being integrally connected at intervals.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of the coupled chip according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

The coupled chip is formed of a plurality of chips 11 and a plurality of connecting members 12 for connecting the chips 11 at predetermined intervals, and the chips 11 and the connecting members 12 are made of a member such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or heat-resistant silicon rubber. Consists of

The connecting member 12 extends from the head 11a of the chip 11 to the vicinity of the tip of the liquid part 11b, and one of the chips 11 is susceptible to thermal deformation during autoclave sterilization or the like. Also, the thermal deformation is regulated by the connecting member 12.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce an insertion error when trying to insert the nozzle 3 into the chip 11, and when the liquid sample is discharged into a recess such as a 96-well microplate, the tip 11 contacts the side wall of the recess. This makes it possible to prevent inconveniences such as spilling and spilling of the liquid sample from the recess.

Since the connecting member 12 is made of polypropylene, polycarbonate, heat-resistant silicon rubber or the like as described above, it can be easily cut with scissors or a cutter. Therefore, chip 1 used
The connecting members 12 can be separated and used according to the number of the connecting members.

The present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and may be, for example, a connecting member as shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows a side view of the coupled chip.
FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 3A.

The coupled chip shown in FIG. 3 is connected by an upper connecting member 13 connecting the head 11a of the chip 11 and a lower connecting member 14 connecting the liquid portion 11b. As the material of each of the members 13 and 14, the above-described polypropylene, polycarbonate, heat-resistant silicon rubber, or the like is used.

By adopting such a separated configuration, there is an advantage that the amount of connecting members used is reduced.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of chips are integrated at a predetermined interval by a connecting member, so that even if the chips receive a deformation force, the deformation due to the deformation force is regulated as a whole. As a result, insertion errors when trying to insert the nozzle into the chip can be reduced, and when the liquid sample is discharged into the recess, the chip may come into contact with the side wall of the recess. Can be prevented from spilling out of the recess.

Further, since the connecting member is made of polypropylene, polycarbonate or heat-resistant silicon rubber of the same quality as the chips, it can be easily cut by scissors or a cutter, etc. The connecting member can be separated and used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a coupled chip applied to the description of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another configuration of the coupled chip.

FIG. 4 is a diagram applied to the description of the problem of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram applied to the description of the problem of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Chip 11a Head 11b Liquid part 12 Connecting member 13 Upper connecting member 14 Lower connecting member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A head inserted into a nozzle of a dispensing device,
The heads and the liquid parts of a number of chips each having a liquid part formed integrally with the head and having a liquid sample sucked therein are integrally connected at predetermined intervals by a connecting member. Coupling chip. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is formed of polypropylene, polycarbonate, or heat-resistant silicon rubber, and mutually restricts thermal deformation when the chip is sterilized. Coupling chip.