JP5958452B2 - Inspection chip - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a test chip having a mixing part in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed.

  Conventionally, a test chip for testing a specimen such as a biological substance or a chemical substance is known. For example, one surface of the test chip disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with two liquid reagent holding units 104 and 105 for holding a liquid reagent and two liquid reagent measuring units 106 and 107 for measuring a liquid reagent. Yes. Each of the liquid reagent measuring units 106 and 107 has a quantitative surface that is a virtual surface where the liquid reagent overflows from the quantitative unit. In this test chip, the liquid reagent is injected from the liquid reagent holding unit 104 into the liquid reagent measuring unit 106 by applying a centrifugal force to the entrance direction of the liquid reagent measuring units 106 and 107. Further, the liquid reagent is injected from the liquid reagent holding unit 105 into the liquid reagent measuring unit 107. The volume of the liquid reagent injected into the liquid reagent measuring units 106 and 107 is quantified up to the quantitative surface.

JP 2009-258013 A

  Since two liquid reagent holding units 104 and 105 and two liquid reagent measuring units 106 and 107 are provided in one plane of the test chip disclosed in Patent Document 1, the test chip is arranged in the plane direction. There is a problem of increasing the size.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a test chip that can be miniaturized even when it has a plurality of quantification units for quantifying a sample or reagent and a plurality of supply units for supplying the sample or reagent to each quantification unit.

A test chip into which a sample and a reagent that are liquids are injected and rotated around a predetermined vertical axis, and includes a main body having a predetermined thickness, and a thin plate that seals the front and back surfaces, The front surface (front surface) and the back surface of the main body include a quantification unit that quantifies the sample or reagent, a supply unit that supplies the sample or the reagent to the quantification unit, and the sample and the reagent, respectively. A mixing unit to be mixed; a first guide unit for guiding the sample or the reagent toward the mixing unit; a surplus unit for storing the sample or the reagent made surplus in the quantification unit; and the surplus In the first guide part, which is a connection point between the second guide part that guides the sample or the reagent toward the side, the first guide part that communicates with the mixing part in the quantitative part, and in the quantitative part , In the surplus part Includes a second connecting portion is a connecting portion between the second guide portion for passing the said quantification unit which the front and back surfaces comprises the supply section, the first guide portion, and the second guide portion, When the rotation about the predetermined vertical axis is performed, the reagent is supplied from the opening of the reagent supply unit to the opening of the quantification unit, and the reagent remaining in the quantification unit is supplied to the second guide. Is connected to the surplus portion, and is connected to the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion on the front surface, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion on the back surface. min, wherein the there is overlap in the thickness direction of the test chip.

  According to the inspection chip, since the two fixed portions are respectively provided on the front surface and the back surface of the inspection chip, the inspection chip can be downsized in the surface direction. Further, there is a portion where a line segment connecting the first connection portion and the second connection portion on the front surface and a line segment connecting the first connection portion and the second connection portion on the back surface overlap in the thickness direction of the inspection chip. As a result, the test chip is rotated around the first axis, and when the specimen or reagent is quantified in each quantification unit on the front and back surfaces, the first connection unit and the first connection are formed on the front and back surfaces of the test chip. The quantitative surface for quantifying the specimen or reagent by connecting the two connecting portions can be made the same distance from the first axis. Therefore, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting perpendicularly to each quantification surface can be made the same, so that a decrease in quantification accuracy in each quantification unit can be reduced.

  The position of the first connection portion on the surface of the inspection chip and the position of the first connection portion on the back surface of the inspection chip may overlap in the thickness direction of the inspection chip.

The inspection chip is formed so that at least a part of each of the two quantitative portions overlaps each other when viewed in the direction from the front surface (front surface) to the back surface of the main body. When the volume ratio of the quantification part is A: B and A> B, the depth TA in the thickness direction of the quantification part with the volume ratio A is the quantification with the volume ratio B. When the thickness of the inspection chip is t, which is deeper than the depth TB in the thickness direction, t-TA-TB may be constant at least in the quantitative portion.

  The first guide portions on the front surface and the back surface of the inspection chip each include an inclined surface that expands and narrows the flow path with respect to the thickness direction of the inspection chip as it goes downstream, and the volume ratio is B. The width between the first connection portion and the second connection portion of the quantitative portion is narrower than the width between the first connection portion and the second connection portion of the quantitative portion with a volume ratio of A, The upstream side of each inclined surface is the first connecting portion, and the downstream end portion of the inclined surface is the fixed amount of the narrower one between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. Section, the straight line drawn from the second connecting portion parallel to the bottom surface of the supply portion on the first guide portion side is located on the opposite side of the quantitative portion from the intersection where the wall surface of the first guide portion intersects. May be.

  The depth of the quantitative portion on the surface side where the number of receiving portions for receiving the specimen or the reagent is larger on the downstream side of the first guide portion is the depth of the receiving portion for receiving the specimen or the reagent. You may make deeper than the depth of the said fixed part of a surface side.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the test | inspection system 3 containing the test | inspection apparatus 1 and the control apparatus 90. FIG. It is a front view of the test | inspection chip 2 of 1st embodiment. It is a rear view of the test | inspection chip 2 of 1st embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view in the X1-X2 line | wire of FIG. 2 of the test | inspection chip 2 of 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart of a centrifugation process. It is a state transition diagram of the test | inspection chip 2 in a centrifugation process. FIG. 7 is a state transition diagram of the test chip 2 continued from FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a state transition diagram of the test chip 2 continued from FIG. 7. It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view seen from the arrow direction in the X1-X2 line | wire of FIG. 2 of the test | inspection chip 2 of the modification of 2nd embodiment. It is the elements on larger scale of the front surface 201 of the test | inspection chip 2 of 1st embodiment. It is the elements on larger scale of the rear surface 202 of the test | inspection chip 2 of 1st embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a plane of the inspection apparatus 1 constituting the inspection system 3 and functional blocks inside the control apparatus 90.

<1. Schematic structure of inspection system 3>
A schematic structure of the inspection system 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The inspection system 3 of the present embodiment includes an inspection chip 2 that can store a sample and a reagent that are liquids, and an inspection apparatus 1 that performs an inspection using the inspection chip 2. When the inspection device 1 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the vertical axis A <b> 1 separated from the inspection chip 2, centrifugal force acts on the inspection chip 2. When the inspection apparatus 1 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the horizontal axis A2, the centrifugal direction, which is the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the inspection chip 2, is switched. In addition, since the inspection system 3 and the inspection apparatus 1 of this embodiment have a known structure as described in JP 2012-78107 A, in the following description, an outline of the structure of the inspection apparatus 1 will be described. To do.

<2. Structure of the inspection apparatus 1>
The structure of the inspection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, the upper side, the lower side, the right side, the left side, the front side of the paper surface, and the rear side of the paper surface in FIG. . In the present embodiment, the direction of the vertical axis A1 is the vertical direction of the inspection apparatus 1, and the direction of the horizontal axis A2 is the direction of the speed when the inspection chip 2 is rotated about the vertical axis A1. FIG. 1 shows a state where the top plate of the upper housing 30 of the inspection apparatus 1 is removed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inspection apparatus 1 includes an upper housing 30, a lower housing 31, an upper plate 32, a turntable 33, an angle changing mechanism 34, and a control device 90. The turntable 33 is a disk rotatably provided on the upper side of an upper plate 32 described later. The inspection chip 2 is held above the turntable 33. The angle changing mechanism 34 is a drive mechanism provided on the turntable 33. The angle changing mechanism 34 rotates the inspection chip 2 around the horizontal axis A2. The upper housing 30 is fixed to an upper plate 32 described later, and a measurement unit 7 that performs optical measurement on the inspection chip 2 is provided inside. The control device 90 is a controller that controls various processes of the inspection device 1.

  A schematic structure of the lower housing 31 will be described. The lower housing 31 has a box-shaped frame structure in which frame members are combined. An upper plate 32 that is a rectangular plate material is provided on the upper surface of the lower housing 31. A drive mechanism that rotates the turntable 33 around the vertical axis A1 is provided in the lower housing 31 as follows.

  A spindle motor 35 that supplies a driving force for rotating the turntable 33 is installed on the left side in the lower housing 31. A shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 protrudes upward, and a pulley 37 is fixed. A vertical main shaft 57 extending upward from the inside of the lower housing 31 is provided at the center of the lower housing 31. The main shaft 57 passes through the upper plate 32 and protrudes above the lower housing 31. The upper end portion of the main shaft 57 is connected to the center portion of the turntable 33.

  The main shaft 57 is rotatably held by a support member (not shown) provided immediately below the upper plate 32. A pulley 38 is fixed to the main shaft 57 below the support member. A belt 39 is stretched over the pulley 37 and the pulley 38. When the main shaft motor 35 rotates the shaft 36, the driving force is transmitted to the main shaft 57 via the pulley 37, the belt 39, and the pulley 38. At this time, the turntable 33 rotates around the main shaft 57 in conjunction with the rotation of the main shaft 57.

  A guide rail (not shown) extending in the vertical direction inside the lower housing 31 is provided on the right side in the lower housing 31. A T-shaped plate (not shown) is movable in the vertical direction in the lower housing 31 along the guide rail.

  The aforementioned main shaft 57 is a cylindrical body having a hollow inside. An inner shaft (not shown) is a shaft that can move in the vertical direction inside the main shaft 57. The upper end portion of the inner shaft passes through the main shaft 57 and is connected to the rack gear 43. A bearing (not shown) is provided at the left end of the T-shaped plate. Inside the bearing, the lower end portion of the inner shaft is rotatably held.

  A stepping motor 51 for moving the T-shaped plate up and down is fixed in front of the T-shaped plate. The shaft 58 of the stepping motor 51 protrudes rearward, that is, downward in FIG. A disc-shaped cam plate (not shown) is fixed to the tip of the shaft 58. A cylindrical projection (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the cam plate. The tip of the protrusion is inserted into a groove (not shown). The protrusion can slide in the groove. When the stepping motor 51 rotates the shaft 58, the protrusion moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the cam plate. At this time, the T-shaped plate moves up and down along the guide rail in conjunction with the protrusion inserted in the groove.

  The detailed structure of the angle changing mechanism 34 will be described. The angle changing mechanism 34 has a pair of L-shaped plates 60 fixed to the upper surface of the turntable 33. Each L-shaped plate 60 extends upward from a base portion fixed in the vicinity of the center of the turntable 33, and its upper end portion extends outward in the radial direction of the turntable 33. A rack gear 43 (not shown) fixed to the inner shaft is provided between the pair of L-shaped plates 60. The rack gear 43 is a metal plate-like member that is long in the vertical direction, and gears are respectively carved on both end faces.

  On the front end side in the extending direction of each L-shaped plate 60, a horizontal support shaft 46 having a gear 45 is rotatably supported. The support shaft 46 is fixed to the inspection chip 2 via a mounting holder (not shown). For this reason, the inspection chip 2 also rotates around the support shaft 46 in conjunction with the rotation of the gear 45. Between the gear 45 and the rack gear 43, a pinion gear 44 supported by an L-shaped plate 60 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis (not shown) is interposed. The pinion gear 44 meshes with the gear 45 and the rack gear 43, respectively. In conjunction with the vertical movement of the rack gear 43, the pinion gear 44 and the gear 45 are driven to rotate, and the inspection chip 2 is rotated about the support shaft 46.

  In the present embodiment, as the main shaft motor 35 rotationally drives the turntable 33, the inspection chip 2 rotates around the main shaft 57 that is a vertical axis, and a centrifugal force acts on the inspection chip 2. The rotation around the vertical axis A1 of the inspection chip 2 is referred to as revolution. On the other hand, as the stepping motor 51 moves the inner shaft up and down, the inspection chip 2 rotates about the support shaft 46 which is a horizontal axis, and the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the inspection chip 2 changes relatively. The rotation around the horizontal axis A2 of the inspection chip 2 is called autorotation.

  In a state where the T-shaped plate is lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 43 is also lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range. At this time, the inspection chip 2 is in a steady state where the rotation angle is 0 degree. Further, in the state where the T-shaped plate is raised to the uppermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 43 is also raised to the uppermost end of the movable range. At this time, the test | inspection chip 2 will be in the state rotated 180 degree | times centering on the horizontal axis line A2 from the steady state. That is, in this embodiment, the angle width that the test chip 2 can rotate is the rotation angle of 0 degrees to 180 degrees.

  The detailed structure of the upper housing 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper housing 30 has a box-like frame structure in which frame members are combined, and is installed on the upper left side of the upper plate 32. More specifically, the upper housing 30 is provided outside the range in which the inspection chip 2 is rotated as viewed from the main shaft 57 at the rotation center of the turntable 33.

  The measurement unit 7 provided inside the upper housing 30 includes a light source 71 that emits measurement light, and an optical sensor 72 that detects the measurement light emitted from the light source 71. The light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 are disposed on both the front and rear sides of the turntable 33 outside the rotation range of the inspection chip 2. In the present embodiment, the position on the left side of the main shaft 57 in the reciprocable range of the inspection chip 2 is the measurement position at which the inspection chip 2 is irradiated with the measurement light. When the inspection chip 2 is at the measurement position, the measurement light connecting the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 intersects the front surface and the rear surface of the inspection chip 2 substantially perpendicularly.

<3. Electrical configuration of control device 90>
The electrical configuration of the control device 90 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 90 includes a CPU 91 that performs main control of the inspection device 1, a RAM 92 that temporarily stores various data, and a ROM 93 that stores a control program. Connected to the CPU 91 are an operation unit 94 for a user to input instructions to the control device 90, a hard disk device 95 for storing various data and programs, and a display 96 for displaying various information. As the control device 90, a personal computer may be used, or a dedicated control device may be used.

  Further, a revolution controller 97, a rotation controller 98, and a measurement controller 99 are connected to the CPU 91. The revolution controller 97 controls the revolution of the inspection chip 2 by transmitting a control signal for rotating the spindle motor 35 to the spindle motor 35. The rotation controller 98 controls the rotation of the inspection chip 2 by transmitting a control signal for rotating the stepping motor 51 to the stepping motor 51. The measurement controller 99 performs the optical measurement of the inspection chip 2 by driving the measurement unit 7. Specifically, the measurement controller 99 transmits a control signal for executing light emission of the light source 71 and light detection of the optical sensor 72 to the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72. The CPU 91 controls the revolution controller 97, the rotation controller 98, and the measurement controller 99.

<4. Structure of inspection chip 2>
With reference to FIG.2 and FIG.3, the detailed structure of the test | inspection chip 2 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. In the following description, the upper, lower, left, right, front side, and back side of FIG. 2 are the upper, lower, left, right, front, and rear sides of the inspection chip 2, respectively. . The inspection chip 2 is given a centrifugal force by being rotated around the first axis, and the direction of the centrifugal force is changed by being rotated around a second axis different from the first axis. The

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inspection chip 2 has a square shape when viewed from the front as an example, and mainly includes a transparent synthetic resin plate 20 having a predetermined thickness. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface 201 of the plate member 20 is sealed with a sheet 291 made of a transparent synthetic resin thin plate. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear surface 202 opposite to the front surface 201 is sealed with a sheet 292 made of a transparent synthetic resin thin plate. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a liquid flow path 25 is formed between the plate material 20 and the sheet 291 and between the plate material 20 and the sheet 292 so that the liquid sealed in the inspection chip 2 can flow. Has been. The liquid channel 25 is a recess formed at a predetermined depth on the front surface 201 side and the rear surface 202 side of the plate material 20, and extends in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, which is the thickness direction of the plate material 20. The sheets 291 and 292 seal the flow path forming surface of the plate material 20. The sheets 291 and 292 are not shown except for FIGS.

  The liquid channel 25 includes the sample quantification channel 11, the reagent quantification channels 13 and 15, the first connection channel 301, the second connection channel 331, the mixing unit 80, the measurement unit 81, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the reagent fixed amount flow path 13 is provided in the upper left part of the front surface 201. The sample quantitative flow path 11 is provided on the right side of the reagent quantitative flow path 13 in the front surface 201. As shown in FIG. 3, the reagent fixed amount flow path 15 is provided in the upper left part on the rear surface 202 side. The mixing unit 80 is provided in the lower right part of the front surface 201. The mixing unit 80 is a flow channel on the right side of an end 315 (described later) and an inlet 306 (described later) that is connected to a passage 117 (described later) and extends downward. The measurement unit 81 is a lower part of the mixing unit 80.

  A configuration common to the reagent quantitative channels 13 and 15 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the reagent quantification channels 13 and 15 are respectively provided with an inlet 130, a reagent holding unit 131, a supply unit 132, a reagent quantification unit 134, a first guide unit 138, and a second guide unit 137. The third guide part 139 and the surplus part 136 are included. The reagent holding part 131 is provided in the upper left part of the test chip 2. The reagent holding part 131 is a recess that opens upward. The injection port 130 penetrates the plate member 20 from the upper part of the reagent holding part 131 toward the upper side part 21 of the test chip 2. The inlet 130 is a part where the first reagent 18 or the second reagent 19 is injected into the reagent holding part 131. The reagent holding part 131 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13 is a part where the first reagent 18 injected from the injection port 130 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13 is stored. The reagent holding part 131 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 15 is a part where the second reagent 19 injected from the injection port 130 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 15 is stored. The second reagent 19 of the present embodiment is a reagent that is mixed after the first reagent 18 and a specimen 17A described later are mixed. In the following description, the first reagent 18 and the second reagent 19 are collectively referred to as “reagent 16” when not specified either.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the supply unit 132 is a flow channel that extends downward from the upper right portion of the reagent holding unit 131. The lower end part of the supply part 132 is connected with the 3rd guide part 139 which is a channel | path with which the flow path was narrowly formed. A wall portion 27 is provided between the reagent holding unit 131 and the supply unit 132. A wall 27 extends obliquely upward to the right from the left side 23 toward the upper side 21. A reagent quantitative unit 134 is provided below the third guide unit 139. The third guide unit 139 guides the reagent 16 to the reagent quantitative unit 134. The reagent quantification part 134 is a part where the reagent 16 is quantified, and is a concave part recessed in the lower left.

  The reagent quantification unit 134 is connected to the mixing unit 80 through the first connection channel 301 and is connected to the surplus unit 136 through the second guide unit 137. The end of the reagent quantification unit 134 on the mixing unit 80 side is referred to as a first connection unit 141. The end of the reagent quantification unit 134 opposite to the mixing unit 80 is referred to as a second connection unit 142. A surface connecting the first connection portion 141 and the second connection portion 142 is a reagent fixed amount surface 146. The reagent quantification surface 146 is a virtual surface that is the position of the upper surface of the reagent 16 when the reagent 16 is quantified by the reagent quantification unit 134. Therefore, the volume of the liquid channel 25 below the reagent quantification surface 146 is the quantification amount in the reagent quantification unit 134.

  From the upper part of the reagent fixed amount unit 134, the second guide unit 137 extends obliquely downward to the left. That is, the second guide portion 137 extends from the second connection portion 142 toward the surplus portion 136. The second guide unit 137 is a flow path through which the reagent 16 overflowing from the reagent quantitative unit 134 moves. A reagent surplus part 136 is provided at the lower left of the reagent quantification part 134. The reagent surplus part 136 is a part in which the reagent 16 that has moved through the second guide part 137 is accommodated, and is a concave part provided downward and rightward from the lower end part of the second guide part 137.

  The first connection channel 301 will be described. In the following description, the reagent quantitative unit 134 of the reagent quantitative channel 13 is referred to as a reagent quantitative unit 134A, and the reagent quantitative unit 134 of the reagent quantitative channel 15 is referred to as a reagent quantitative unit 134B. The first connection channel 301 is a channel that is formed on the front surface 201 and connects the reagent quantitative unit 134A and the mixing unit 80. The first connection channel 301 extends obliquely upward to the right from the upper part of the reagent quantitative unit 134A, extends downward from the right end part, and further extends to the right from the lower end part. The first connection channel 301 is formed by a first wall surface 302 and a second wall surface 303. The first wall surface 302 is a wall surface facing the reagent quantitative unit 134A and extending toward the mixing unit 80 side. The first wall surface 302 extends from the lower end of the third guide portion 139 to a right end portion 314 that forms an inflow port 306 described later. The second wall surface 303 is a wall portion facing the first wall surface 302. The second wall surface 303 extends from the first connection portion 141 of the reagent quantitative unit 134A to a right end 313 that forms an inflow port 306 described later.

  The first connection channel 301 includes a partial receiver 304, a reagent receiver 305, and an inflow port 306. The partial receiving unit 304 is a part that holds a part of the first reagent 18 quantified by the reagent quantification unit 134A. The partial receiver 304 is provided on the right side of the reagent quantitative unit 134A and on the reagent quantitative unit 134A side from a merging hole 351 described later. The partial receiving portion 304 is a concave portion that opens in the left direction from the first connection portion 141 toward the second connection portion 142. The partial receiving unit 304 has a capacity smaller than that of the reagent quantitative unit 134A.

  Of the second wall surface 303, the wall surface connected to the first connection portion 141 of the reagent quantitative unit 134 </ b> A is referred to as a reagent flow channel wall surface 308. That is, the reagent channel wall surface 308 is connected to the reagent quantitative unit 134A in the first connection channel 301 and forms a part of the first connection channel 301. The reagent channel wall surface 308 is third guided by a virtual surface 320 which is a virtual surface obtained by extending the reagent metering surface 146 of the reagent metering channel 13 to the right side on the mixing unit 80 side in parallel with the reagent metering surface 146. It is inclined to the part 139 side. More specifically, the reagent channel wall surface 308 includes a first wall surface 308A and a second wall surface 308B. The first wall surface 308 </ b> A extends obliquely upward to the right from the first connection portion 141, and is connected to the second wall surface 308 </ b> B at the connection portion 309. The second wall surface 308B extends obliquely upward to the right from the connection portion 309. An imaginary line 311 drawn from the first end 310 on the side of the mixing unit 80 in the reagent channel wall surface 308 in the direction perpendicular to the reagent channel wall surface 308 is the first connection flow on the reagent quantitative unit 134A side from the partial receiving unit 304. Intersects the part of the road 301.

  The reagent receiving unit 305 is provided below the partial receiving unit 304 between the partial receiving unit 304 and the mixing unit 80. The reagent receiving part 305 is a concave part having an upper opening on the partial receiving part 304 side, and is a part for holding the first reagent 18 that moves downward after being held by the partial receiving part 304. The reagent receiving part 305 is formed by the wall surface 303A, the wall surface 303B, and the wall surface 303C of the second wall surface 303. The wall surface 303 </ b> A is a wall surface that extends vertically on the right side of the reagent surplus portion 136 of the reagent fixed amount flow path 13. The wall surface 303B is a wall surface extending in the right direction from the lower end of the wall surface 303A. The right end portion of the wall surface 303 </ b> B is located on the lower left side of the mixing unit 80. The wall surface 303C is a wall surface extending obliquely upward to the right from the right end portion of the wall surface 303B.

  The inflow port 306 is formed by the right end portion 313 of the wall surface 303C and the right end portion 314 of the first wall surface 302 positioned above the right end portion 313. The inflow port 306 is located on the left side of the mixing unit 80 and is a part for allowing the reagent 16 to flow into the mixing unit 80.

  A confluence hole portion 351 is provided at the center in the left-right direction at the lower end of the first connection channel 301. The merge hole 351 is a hole that penetrates the plate member 20 in the front-rear direction and joins the second connection channel 331 to the first connection channel 301. Of the lower end portion 352 on the second wall surface 303 side in the joining hole portion 351 and the upper end portion 353 facing the end portion 352, the end portion 352 is left and right along the wall surface 303 </ b> B of the second wall surface 303. Extend in the direction. The end portion 353 is along the first wall surface 302.

  The second connection channel 331 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the second connection channel 331 is a channel that is formed on the rear surface 202 and extends from the reagent quantitative unit 134 </ b> B toward the mixing unit 80 and connects the reagent quantitative unit 134 </ b> B and the mixing unit 80. The second connection channel 331 includes four reagent receiving portions 341, 342, 343, and 344. The reagent receiving parts 341 to 344 are parts that receive the second reagent 19 quantified by the reagent quantifying part 134B. The reagent receiving part 341 is a concave part that is located on the upper right side of the reagent fixed quantity part 134B and opens to the left. The reagent receiving part 342 is a recessed part that is located on the lower left side of the reagent receiving part 341 and opens upward. The reagent receiving part 343 is a recessed part that is located on the lower right side of the reagent receiving part 342 and opens to the left. The reagent receiving part 344 is a recessed part that is located below the reagent receiving part 343 and opens upward.

  The second connection channel 331 extends obliquely upward to the right from the reagent determination unit 134B and is connected to the reagent receiver 341, and extends obliquely downward to the left from the reagent receiver 341 and is connected to the reagent receiver 342. The second connection channel 331 extends obliquely upward to the right from the reagent receiving part 342, extends downward from the right end, and is connected to the reagent receiving part 343. The second connection channel 331 extends obliquely downward to the left from the reagent receiving part 343 and is connected to the reagent receiving part 344. The right end portion of the reagent receiving portion 344 is connected to the merge hole portion 351 and is connected to the first connection flow path 301 on the front surface 201 side.

  The specimen quantification channel 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample fixed amount flow path 11 includes an injection port 110, a sample holding unit 111, a sample supply unit 112, a sample guide unit 113, a separation unit 124, a channel 125, a channel 127, a sample surplus unit 126, and a second. A supply unit 123, a specimen quantification unit 114, a passage 115, a passage 117, and a second surplus unit 116 are included. The sample holding unit 111 is provided on the right side of the supply unit 132 of the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13. The sample holder 111 is a recess that opens upward. The injection port 110 penetrates the plate member 20 from the upper part of the specimen holding part 111 toward the upper side part 21 of the test chip 2. The injection port 110 is a part where the sample 17 is injected into the sample holding unit 111. The sample holding unit 111 is a part where the sample 17 injected from the injection port 110 is stored. The specimen 17 of the present embodiment is a liquid containing components such as blood, plasma, blood cells, bone marrow, urine, vaginal tissue, epithelial tissue, tumor, semen, saliva, or foodstuff. The sample supply unit 112 is a flow path extending downward from the upper right part of the sample holding unit 111. The lower end of the sample supply unit 112 is connected to a sample guide unit 113 which is a passage having a narrow channel.

  A separation unit 124 is provided below the sample guide unit 113. The sample guide unit 113 guides the sample 17 to the separation unit 124. The separation unit 124 is a part where components contained in the specimen 17 are separated. The separation part 124 is a recess that opens upward and tilts diagonally downward to the right. The separation unit 124 centrifuges the specimen 17 into a component having a small specific gravity and a component having a large specific gravity by the action of centrifugal force. In the following description, as shown in FIG. 6C, a component having a small specific gravity of the sample 17 separated in the separation unit 124 is referred to as a sample 17A, and a component having a large specific gravity is referred to as a sample 17B.

  The connecting channel 120 extends obliquely upward to the right from the center in the vertical direction on the right side surface of the separation unit 124, and the upper end of the connecting channel 120 is connected to the upper end of the component holding unit 121. The component holding unit 121 is a storage unit that holds the sample 17A and a part of the sample 17B separated by the separation unit 124. Further, the width of the flow path of the connection flow path 120 is narrower than the width of the flow path of the passage 127 described later. Therefore, the specimen 17A flows out to the passage 127 before flowing into the connection channel 120. Therefore, the possibility that the sample 17A flows into the component holding unit 121 before the passage 127 can be reduced.

  From the upper part of the separation part 124, the passage 125 extends obliquely to the left and the passage 127 extends obliquely upward to the right. The passage 125 extends to the specimen surplus portion 126 provided on the lower left side of the separation portion 124. The sample surplus portion 126 is a portion where the sample 17 overflowing from the separation portion 124 is stored, and is a recess provided in the right direction and the downward direction from the lower end portion of the passage 125.

  The passage 127 is connected to the second supply unit 123. The second supply unit 123 is a flow path that extends downward from the upper right portion of the passage 127. The lower end of the 2nd supply part 123 is connected with the 2nd guide part 128 which is a channel | path with which the flow path was narrowly formed. Below the second guide unit 128, a sample quantitative unit 114 is provided. The second guide unit 128 guides the sample 17A to the sample determination unit 114. The sample quantification unit 114 is a part that quantifies the sample 17A, and is a recess that opens upward.

  The sample quantification unit 114 is connected to the mixing unit 80 through the passage 117 and is connected to the second surplus unit 116 through the passage 115. The end of the sample determination unit 114 on the mixing unit 80 side is referred to as a first sample end 118. The end of the sample determination unit 114 opposite to the mixing unit 80 is referred to as a second sample end 119. That is, the passage 115 extends from the second specimen end 119 to the second surplus portion 116. A surface connecting the first sample end portion 118 and the second sample end portion 119 is a sample determination surface 129. The sample quantification surface 129 is a virtual surface serving as the position of the upper surface of the sample 17A when the sample 17A is quantified by the sample quantification unit 114. Therefore, the volume of the liquid channel 25 below the sample quantification surface 129 is the quantification amount in the sample quantification unit 114.

  From the upper part of the sample determination unit 114, the passage 115 extends obliquely to the left and the passage 117 extends obliquely upward to the right. A second surplus part 116 is provided at the lower left of the sample quantification part 114. The passage 115 is connected to the second surplus portion 116. The second surplus part 116 is a part where the specimen 17A overflowing from the specimen quantification part 114 is stored. The second surplus portion 116 is a recess provided in the right direction from the lower end portion of the passage 115. The passage 117 is connected to the mixing unit 80.

  A wall surface provided on the mixing unit 80 side of the sample quantitative unit 114 and connected to the sample quantitative unit 114 is referred to as a sample flow channel wall surface 312. The sample flow channel wall surface 312 is inclined toward the second guide unit 128 side from a virtual surface 321 that extends the sample determination surface 129 to the right side that is the mixing unit 80 side in parallel with the sample determination surface 129. More specifically, the sample channel wall surface 312 extends obliquely upward to the right from the first sample end 118 of the sample determination unit 114. A virtual plane parallel to the sample channel wall surface 312 in the mixing unit 80 is referred to as a virtual plane 317. The position of the virtual surface 317 is such that the volume of the region 318 surrounded by the virtual surface 317 and the lower part of the mixing unit 80 that is farther from the virtual surface 317 than the virtual channel 317 and the virtual surface 317 is The position is equal to the differential capacity obtained by subtracting the capacity of the partial receiving unit 304 from the capacity. A virtual line 316 drawn from the end portion 315 of the sample channel wall surface 312 on the mixing unit 80 side in a direction perpendicular to the sample channel wall surface 312 intersects the virtual surface 317.

  The dotted lines shown in FIGS. 3 and 11 indicate the flow path of the front surface 201. As shown in FIG. 11, a line segment 146A connecting the first connection portion 141A and the second connection portion 142A on the front surface 201, and a line segment 146 connecting the first connection portion 141B and the second connection portion 142B on the rear surface 202, Are overlapped in the thickness direction of the inspection chip 2. As a result, when the test chip 2 is rotated about the vertical axis A and the reagents 18 and 19 are quantified in the reagent quantification units 134 on the front surface 201 and the back surface 202, the test chip 2 extends from the vertical axis A to each quantification surface 146. The distance can be the same. Therefore, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting perpendicularly to each quantification surface 146 can be made the same, and the decrease in quantification accuracy in each quantification unit 146 can be reduced.

Further, the position of the first connection portion 141 </ b> A on the front surface 201 and the position of the first connection portion 141 </ b> B on the rear surface 202 overlap in the thickness direction of the inspection chip 2 on the front surface 201 and the rear surface 202 of the inspection chip 2. With this configuration, the distance from the vertical axis A1 that is the axis of revolution to the first connecting portion 141A of the front surface 201 is the same as the distance from the vertical axis A1 to the first connecting portion 141B of the rear surface 201. Accordingly, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting on the reagents 18 and 19 injected from the supply unit 132 in the direction of the first connection portion 141 of the reagent quantification unit 134 before the centrifugal force acts on each quantitation surface 146 vertically. Are the same, and the liquid can be fed in the same manner. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a decrease in quantitative accuracy in the two reagent quantitative units 134.

  The mixing unit 80 extends downward on the right side of the end 315 and the inflow port 306. The mixing unit 80 is connected to the sample quantifying unit 114 via the passage 117. The mixing unit 80 is connected to the reagent quantitative unit 134A via the first connection channel 301. The mixing unit 80 is connected to the reagent quantification unit 134B via the second connection channel 331. In the mixing unit 80, the sample 17A quantified in the sample quantification unit 114, the first reagent 18 quantified in the reagent quantification unit 134A, and the second reagent 19 quantified in the reagent quantification unit 134B are mixed. When optical measurement described later is performed, the measurement light is transmitted to the measurement unit 81 that forms the lower part of the mixing unit 80.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the structure of the longitudinal section of the test chip 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the test chip 2 has a thickness t, and the volume A, which is the quantitative amount of the reagent in the reagent quantitative unit 134A on the front surface 201 side, is the quantitative amount of the reagent in the reagent quantitative unit 134B on the rear surface 202 side. More than a certain volume B, the ratio between the volume of the reagent quantitative unit 134A and the volume of the reagent quantitative unit 134B on the rear surface 202 side is A: B. The depth TA in the thickness direction of the reagent quantitative unit 134A with the volume ratio on the front surface 201 side is deeper than the depth TB in the thickness direction of the reagent quantitative unit 134B with the rear surface 202 side, and t-TA -TB is constant in at least the reagent quantification unit 134A and the reagent quantification unit 134B. Moreover, the thickness T1 between each reagent fixed_quantity | quantitative_assay part and the thickness T2 between each 1st guide part 138 are formed in the same thickness.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 11, the width L1 between the first connection portion 141 and the second connection portion 142B of the reagent quantitative unit 134B on the rear surface 202 side of the volume B is the front surface of the volume ratio A. It is formed narrower than the width L2 between the first connection part 141 and the second connection part 142A of the reagent quantification part 134A on the 201 side.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the first guide portion 138 </ b> A of the front surface 201 of the inspection chip 2 has an inclined surface 144 </ b> A that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction of the inspection chip 2 so that the flow path becomes narrower toward the mixing portion 80. Is provided. The first guide portion 138B on the rear surface 202 of the test chip 2 is provided with an inclined surface 144B that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction of the test chip 2 so that the flow path expands toward the mixing unit 80.

  Upstream sides of the inclined surface 144A and the inclined surface 144B are the first connection portions 141, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3, 10, and 11, in the reagent quantification unit 134 </ b> B on the narrower side between the first connection unit 141 and the second connection unit 142, that is, the rear surface 202 of the test chip 2, the supply unit An intersection point 307 is an intersection where a straight line 153 drawn from the second connecting portion 142B parallel to the bottom surface 132B on the first guide portion 138B side of the 132 intersects the wall surface 308B of the first guide portion 138B. The downstream end 390 of the inclined surface 144B is located on the opposite side of the reagent quantification unit 134B from the intersection 307. Therefore, when the reagent 19 moves from the shallower side of the first guide unit 138B to the deeper direction, the reagent 19 gains momentum and the mixing unit 80 from the first guide unit 138B at the start of injection of the reagent 19 into the reagent quantitative unit 134B. The outflow in the direction can be reduced.

In the thickness direction of the test chip 2, the reagent quantification unit 134B having the smaller volume is shallower than the reagent quantification unit 134A having the larger volume, and the first guide unit 138 is deeper than the reagent quantification unit 134B having the smaller volume. Therefore, the sample and the reagent easily flow out to the first guide unit 138A when the sample and the reagent are injected into the reagent quantitative unit 134A. However, by providing the inclined surface 144A, the reagent 18 held by the first guide unit 138A is retained. By being introduced into the reagent quantitative unit 134A, the reagent 18 is reduced from flowing out of the first guide unit 138A.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the first guide part 138A connected to the reagent fixed amount part 134A having a volume ratio of A, the thickness of the test chip 2 of the first guide part 138A downstream from the first connection part 141 is increased. The depth Ta is shallower than the depth TA. In the first guide part 138B connected to the reagent quantification part 134B whose volume ratio is B, the depth Tb in the thickness direction of the test chip 2 of the first guide part 138B going downstream from the first connection part 141 is the depth. Deeper than TB. Therefore, each reagent 16 quantified by the two reagent quantification units 134 having different capacities can be fed in a similar manner by bringing the depths of the first guide units 138 closer to each other.

<5. Other structures of inspection chip 2>
As shown in FIG. 1, the support shaft 46 extending from the L-shaped plate 60 is vertically connected to the center of the rear surface of the plate member 20 via a mounting holder (not shown). As the support shaft 46 rotates, the inspection chip 2 rotates around the support shaft 46. When the inspection chip 2 is in the steady state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper side 21 and the lower side 24 are orthogonal to the direction of gravity G, the right side 22 and the left side 23 are parallel to the direction of gravity G, and The left side portion 23 is disposed closer to the main shaft 57 than the right side portion 22. In a state where the inspection chip 2 in the steady state is arranged at the measurement position, the inspection apparatus 1 performs inspection by optical measurement by allowing the measurement light connecting the light source 71 and the optical sensor 72 to pass through the measurement unit 81.

<6. Example of inspection method>
An inspection method using the inspection apparatus 1 and the inspection chip 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample 17 is injected from the injection port 110 and placed in the sample holding unit 111. The first reagent 18 is injected from the inlet 130 of the reagent quantitative flow path 13 and is disposed in the reagent holding part 131 of the reagent quantitative flow path 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the second reagent 19 is injected from the inlet 130 of the reagent quantitative channel 15 and is arranged in the reagent holding part 131 of the reagent quantitative channel 15. The arrangement method of the first reagent 18, the second reagent 19, and the specimen 17 is not limited. For example, holes are opened at positions corresponding to the sample holding unit 111 and the reagent holding unit 131 in the sheets 291 and 292, and the user injects the sample 17, the first reagent 18, and the second reagent 19 from the holes, You may seal and seal. In addition, the first reagent 18 and the second reagent 19 may be arranged in advance in the reagent holding portions 131 of the reagent quantitative flow paths 13 and 15 and sealed with sheets 291 and 292, respectively. In this case, a hole may be opened in the sheet 291 at a position corresponding to the sample holding part 111 of the sample fixed amount flow path 11, and the user may inject the sample 17 from the hole, and further seal and seal.

  The user attaches the inspection chip 2 to a mounting holder (not shown) and inputs a processing start command from the operation unit 94. As a result, the CPU 91 executes the centrifugal process shown in FIG. 5 based on the control program stored in the ROM 93. The inspection apparatus 1 can inspect two inspection chips 2 at the same time. For convenience of explanation, a procedure for inspecting one inspection chip 2 will be described below. In the following description, the steady state of the inspection chip 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is referred to as a rotation angle of 0 degree, and the state rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the steady state is referred to as a rotation angle of 90 degrees. In the following description, when the CPU 91 rotates the inspection chip 2 from 0 degree to 90 degrees, the inspection chip 2 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front. Further, when the CPU 91 rotates the inspection chip 2 from 90 degrees to 90 degrees, the inspection chip 2 rotates clockwise as viewed from the front.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 91 reads the motor drive information stored in advance in the HDD 95, sets the drive information of the spindle motor 35 in the revolution controller 97, and sets the drive information of the stepping motor 51 in the rotation controller 98. (S1). At this time, the test chip 2 is in a steady state and has a rotation angle of 0 degree as shown in FIGS. Next, the CPU 91 shown in FIG. 1 controls the revolution controller 97 to start driving the spindle motor 35 (S2). As a result, the inspection chip 2 having a rotation angle of 0 degrees revolves. The spindle motor 35 increases the rotation speed of the turntable 33 to the speed V based on an instruction from the revolution controller 97. The speed V is, for example, 3000 rpm. When the turntable 33 is rotated at this speed V, a centrifugal force X of several hundred G acts on the inspection chip 2. The CPU 91 maintains the rotation speed of the spindle motor 35 at the speed V (S3). As shown in FIG. 6A, centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the left side 23 toward the right side 22. The reagent 16 moves from the reagent holding unit 131 to the supply unit 132 by the action of the centrifugal force X. The sample 17 moves from the sample holding unit 111 to the sample supply unit 112. In the following description, the rotation speed of the turntable 33 is assumed to be constant at the speed V, but the value of the speed V may be changed during the centrifugal process.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51 to rotate the inspection chip 2 to a rotation angle of 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 6B (S4). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the upper side portion 21 toward the lower side portion 24. Due to the action of the centrifugal force X, the reagent 16 flows from the supply unit 132 to the reagent quantitative unit 134 via the third guide unit 139. The excess reagent 16 in the reagent quantitative unit 134 flows to the reagent surplus unit 136 via the second guide unit 137. The centrifugal force X acts in the direction perpendicular to the reagent fixed amount surface 146. Thereby, the reagent 16 for the capacity of the reagent quantification unit 134 is quantified. Further, the sample 17 flows from the sample supply unit 112 to the separation unit 124 via the sample guide unit 113. The excess specimen 17 in the separation unit 124 flows to the specimen surplus part 126 via the passage 125. Therefore, the sample 17 corresponding to the volume of the separation unit 124 remains in the separation unit 124. The capacity of the separation part 124 is the capacity of the liquid flow path 25 below the virtual surface 148 extending in the right direction from the end part 147 on the passage 125 side in the separation part 124 shown in FIG.

  The CPU 91 maintains the rotation speed of the spindle motor 35 at the speed V for a predetermined time (S5). Thereby, the centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the upper side portion 21 toward the lower side portion 24 for a predetermined time. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6C, in the separation unit 124, the components of the sample 17 are separated into the sample 17A and the sample 17B. For example, when the specimen 17 is blood, blood cells having a large specific gravity accumulate on the side in which the centrifugal force X acts, and plasma having a small specific gravity accumulates on the side opposite to the direction in which the centrifugal force X acts. That is, the specimen 17B, which is a blood cell in blood, and the specimen 17A, which is plasma, are separated.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51, and as shown in FIG. 7D, rotates the inspection chip 2 up to a rotation angle of 0 degrees (S6). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the left side 23 toward the right side 22.

  When the posture of the test chip 2 changes to the state shown in FIG. 7D, the first reagent 18 corresponding to the capacity of the partial receiver 304 remains in the partial receiver 304. Further, the first reagent 18 corresponding to the difference volume obtained by subtracting the capacity of the partial receiving unit 304 from the capacity of the reagent quantifying unit 134A is stored in the mixing unit 80. The second reagent 19 quantified in the reagent quantification unit 134B moves to the reagent receiving unit 341. In addition, the specimen 17A moves to the second supply unit 123 through the passage 127. The sample 17A remaining in the separation unit 124 and a part of the sample 17B move to the component holding unit 121 via the connection channel 120.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51 to rotate the inspection chip 2 up to a rotation angle of 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 7E (S7). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts from the upper side portion 21 toward the lower side portion 24. Due to the action of the centrifugal force X, the specimen 17A flows from the second supply section 123 to the specimen quantification section 114 via the second guide section 128. The sample 17A remaining in the sample determination unit 114 flows to the second surplus unit 116 via the passage 115. The centrifugal force X acts in a direction perpendicular to the specimen quantification surface 129. Thereby, the sample 17A corresponding to the volume of the sample quantification unit 114 is quantified. In addition, the first reagent 18 held in the partial receiver 304 moves to the reagent receiver 305. Further, the second reagent 19 held in the reagent receiving part 341 moves to the reagent receiving part 342.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51 to rotate the inspection chip 2 to the rotation angle of 0 degrees as shown in FIG. 7F (S8). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the left side 23 toward the right side 22.

  The centrifugal force X acts in the process of changing the posture of the test chip 2 from the state shown in FIG. 7E to the state shown in FIG. 7F and the posture of the test chip 2 shown in FIG. The first reagent 18 and the specimen 17A are mixed, and a first mixed liquid 261 is generated as shown in FIG. Further, the second reagent 19 moves from the reagent receiving part 342 to the reagent receiving part 343.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51, and as shown in FIG. 8G, rotates the inspection chip 2 to a rotation angle of 90 degrees (S9). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the inspection chip 2 from the upper side portion 21 toward the lower side portion 24. The second reagent 19 moves from the reagent receiving part 343 to the reagent receiving part 344. The second reagent 19 that has moved to the reagent receiving part 344 joins the first connection channel 301 formed on the front surface 201 via the joining hole part 351.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51 to rotate the inspection chip 2 to a rotation angle of 0 degrees as shown in FIG. 8H (S10). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the test chip 2 from the left side 23 toward the right side 22. Due to the action of the centrifugal force X, the second reagent 19 moves to the mixing unit 80 and merges with the first mixed solution 261. By the action of the centrifugal force X, a second mixed liquid 262 in which the first reagent 18, the second reagent 19, and the specimen 17A are mixed is generated.

  Next, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive and control the stepping motor 51 to rotate the inspection chip 2 to a rotation angle of 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 8I (S11). As a result, the centrifugal force X acts on the inspection chip 2 from the upper side portion 21 toward the lower side portion 24. Due to the action of the centrifugal force X, the second mixed liquid 262 moves to the measuring unit 81.

  Although not shown in FIG. 8, after S <b> 11 is executed, the CPU 91 controls the rotation controller 98 to drive the stepping motor 51. The CPU 91 rotates the inspection chip 2 until the rotation angle is 0 degree (S12). Further, the CPU 91 controls the revolution controller 97 to stop the rotation of the spindle motor 35 (S12). Therefore, the revolution of the inspection chip 2 is completed. Centrifugation is terminated.

  After execution of the centrifugal process, the CPU 91 controls the revolution controller 97 to rotate and move the inspection chip 2 to the angle of the measurement position. When the measurement controller 99 shown in FIG. 1 causes the light source 71 to emit light, the measurement light passes through the second mixed liquid 262 stored in the measurement unit 81. The CPU 91 performs optical measurement of the second liquid mixture 262 based on the change amount of the measurement light received by the optical sensor 72, and acquires measurement data. CPU91 calculates the measurement result of the 2nd liquid mixture 262 based on the acquired measurement data. The inspection result of the second mixed liquid 262 based on the measurement result is displayed on the display 96 shown in FIG. In addition, the measuring method of the 2nd liquid mixture 262 is not restricted to an optical measurement, Another method may be sufficient.

<7. Main actions and effects of this embodiment>
As described above, the measurement in the present embodiment is performed. According to the inspection chip 2 according to the above aspect, since the two fixed portions 134A and 134B are respectively provided on the front surface 201 and the rear surface 202 of the inspection chip 2, the inspection chip 2 can be downsized in the surface direction. Further, a line segment 146A connecting the first connection part 141 and the second connection part 142 on the front surface 201 of the inspection chip 2 and a line segment 146B connecting the first connection part 141 and the second connection part 142 on the back surface 202 are provided. There is an overlapping portion in the thickness direction of the inspection chip. As a result, the test chip 2 is rotated about the vertical axis A1, and when the reagent is quantified in each quantification unit 134 on the front surface 201 and the rear surface 202, the first on the front surface 201 and the rear surface 202 of the test chip 2 is measured. The fixed surface 146 for connecting the connecting portion 141 and the second connecting portion 142 and quantifying the reagent can be set at the same distance from the vertical axis A1. Therefore, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting perpendicularly to each quantification surface 146 can be made the same, and the decrease in quantification accuracy in each quantification unit 146 can be reduced.

  Further, according to the inspection chip 2 according to the above aspect, the position of the first connection portion on the surface of the inspection chip and the position of the first connection portion on the back surface of the inspection chip overlap in the thickness direction of the inspection chip. Accordingly, the distance from the vertical axis A1 that is the axis of revolution to the first connection portion 141A of the front surface 201 is the same as the distance from the vertical axis A1 to the first connection portion 141B of the rear surface 201. Therefore, when a reagent is injected from the supply unit 132 to the reagent quantitative unit 134, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting on the first connection unit 141 before the centrifugal force acts on each quantitative surface 146 vertically. Can be made the same on the front surface 201 and the rear surface 202 of the inspection chip 2. Therefore, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting on the reagent injected from the supply unit 132 toward the first connection unit 141 of the reagent fixed amount unit 134 becomes the same, and the liquid can be fed in the same manner. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a decrease in quantitative accuracy in the two reagent quantitative units 134.

  According to the test chip according to the above aspect, when the ratio of the volumes of the two quantification units is A: B and A> B, the ratio of the volumes in the thickness direction of the reagent quantification unit 134A with A is A. The depth TA is a reagent quantification unit 134B having a shallow depth TB on the back side of the reagent quantification unit 134A that is deeper than the depth TB in the thickness direction of the reagent quantification unit 134B having a volume ratio of B. Therefore, the inspection chip can be downsized in the surface direction. Further, since t-TA-TB is constant in the reagent quantification unit 134, the wall thickness between the two quantification units can be made uniform, and the dent caused by molding shrinkage can be reduced.

According to the test chip 2 according to the above aspect, in the thickness direction of the test chip 2, the reagent quantification unit 134B having the smaller volume is shallower than the reagent quantification unit 134A having the larger volume, and the first guide unit 138 has a smaller volume. It is deeper than the reagent quantification unit 134B.
Therefore, the reagent tends to flow out to the first guide unit 138A when the sample and the reagent are injected into the reagent quantitative unit 134A. However, by providing the inclined surface 144A, the reagent held by the first guide unit 138A is introduced into the reagent quantitative unit 134A, thereby reducing the outflow of the reagent from the first guide unit 138A. In addition, on the rear surface 202, the slope 144B has a straight line 153 drawn from the first connecting portion 141 parallel to the bottom surface 132B, which is a vertically downward surface of the supplying portion 132, and a wall surface of the first guiding portion. It is formed from the intersecting point 307 intersecting with 308B to the side opposite to the reagent quantitative unit 134B. Therefore, when the reagent is injected into the reagent quantification unit 134B, the specimen or reagent flows out of the first guide unit 138B by the inclined surface 144B having this length until the centrifugal force acts on the quantification surface 146 vertically. Is reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the first reagent 18 is an example of the “reagent” in the present invention. The second reagent 19 is an example of the “additional reagent” in the present invention. The reagent quantitative unit 134A is an example of the “quantitative unit” in the present invention. The reagent quantitative unit 134B is an example of the “quantitative unit” in the present invention. The front surface 201 is an example of the “front surface” of the present invention, and the rear surface 202 is an example of the “back surface” of the present invention.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change is possible. For example, the first reagent 18 may be changed to a specimen. In addition, the measurement unit 81 is a lower part of the mixing unit 80, but may be provided separately from the mixing unit 80.

  Note that four of the reagent receiving portions 341 to 344 provided in the second connection channel 331 on the rear surface 202 of the test chip 2 is one of the first reagents 18 quantified in the front surface 201 reagent quantification unit 134A. More than two, which is the number of partial receiving portions 304 and reagent receiving portions 305 that are receiving portions capable of receiving the portion. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line X1-X2 of FIG. 2 of the test chip 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, on the downstream side of the first guide portion 138, the depth of the reagent quantification portion 134B on the rear surface 202 side, which is the surface having the larger number of receiving portions for receiving the sample or reagent, is The depth of the reagent quantification unit 134A on the front surface 201, which is the surface having the smaller number of receiving units for receiving the sample or the recording reagent, may be used. That is, the depth TB of the reagent quantitative unit 134B may be deeper than the depth TA of the reagent quantitative unit 134A.

  The number of reagent receivers provided in the two-connection channel 331 includes a partial receiver 304 and a reagent which are receivers capable of receiving a part of the first reagent 18 quantified in the front surface 201 reagent quantitative unit 134A. More than two, which is the number of receiving portions 305. The reagent quantification unit 134B on the side of the surface 202 having the larger number of receiving parts needs to secure a sufficient capacity of the reagent injected into each receiving part. By increasing the depth of the reagent quantification unit 134B, the capacity of the reagent quantification unit 134B is increased, and the capacity of the reagent is ensured. Therefore, the inspection chip 2 can be reduced in size in the surface direction without increasing the area of the fixed quantity portion.

  In addition, the reagent fixed amount flow channel 15 and the second connection flow channel 331 are formed on the rear surface 202 side, and the reagent fixed amount flow channel 13 and the first connection flow channel 301 are formed on the front surface 201. However, the present invention is not limited to this. . For example, the reagent fixed amount flow path 15, the second connection flow path 331, the reagent fixed amount flow path 13, and the first connection flow path 301 may be formed on the front surface 201. In this case, the first connection flow path 301 and the second connection flow path 331 may join at the flow path of the front surface 201 instead of joining at the joining hole portion 351. Further, the reagent quantitative flow channel 15 and the second connection flow channel 331 may not be provided in the test chip 2.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in this embodiment, the reagent quantification unit 134A on the front surface 201 of the test chip 2 and the reagent quantification unit 134A on the rear surface 202 quantitate the reagent, but either one of the reagent quantification units is used for sample quantification. May be.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Test | inspection apparatus 2 Test | inspection chip | tip 17,17A, 17B Sample 18 1st reagent 19 2nd reagent 20 Plate material 80 Mixing part 114 Sample fixed part 128 Second guide part 129 Sample fixed surface 134, 134A, 134B Reagent fixed part 137 Second guide Part 138 First guide part 139 Third guide part 140 Second end part 141 First connection part 142 Second connection part 144A, 144B Inclined surface 146 Reagent determination surface 201 Front surface 202 Rear surface 307 Intersection

Claims (5)

A test chip into which a liquid sample and reagent are injected and rotated around a predetermined vertical axis ,
A main body having a predetermined thickness, and a thin plate for sealing the front surface and the back surface,
The front surface (front surface) and the back surface of the main body are each a quantification unit that quantifies the specimen or reagent,
A supply unit for supplying the specimen or the reagent to the quantitative unit;
A mixing unit in which the specimen and the reagent are mixed ;
A first guide for guiding the sample or the reagent toward the mixing unit;
A surplus part for accommodating the sample or the reagent that is surplus in the quantification part ;
A second guide for guiding the specimen or the reagent toward the surplus side;
In the quantification unit, a first connection unit that is a connection point with the first guide unit communicating with the mixing unit;
In the quantification unit, a second connection part which is a connection point with the second guide part communicating with the surplus part ,
With
When the quantitative unit, the supply unit, the first guide unit, and the second guide unit provided on the front and back surfaces rotate around the predetermined vertical axis, the reagent supply unit is opened. The reagent is supplied to the opening of the quantification unit from, and the reagent that has been surplus in the quantification unit is guided by the second guide and can be accommodated in the surplus unit,
A line connecting the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion in the surface, there is a portion where the line segment, overlap in the thickness direction of the test chip connecting with said first connecting portion in the rear surface and the second connecting portion Inspection chip characterized by that.   The position of the said 1st connection part in the surface of the said test | inspection chip and the position of the said 1st connection part in the back surface of the said test | inspection chip overlap in the thickness direction of the said test | inspection chip. Inspection chip. The two quantitative portions are formed so that at least a part of each other overlaps when viewed from the front surface (front surface) of the main body in the direction of the back surface,
When the ratio of the volumes of the two quantification parts is A: B and A> B,
The depth TA in the thickness direction of the quantitative portion with a volume ratio A is deeper than the depth TB in the thickness direction of the quantitative portion with a volume ratio B,
When the thickness of the inspection chip is t,
The test chip according to claim 1, wherein t-TA-TB is constant at least in the quantification unit. Each of the first guide portions on the front surface and the back surface of the inspection chip includes an inclined surface that inclines the flow path with respect to the thickness direction of the inspection chip as it goes downstream,
The width between the first connection part and the second connection part of the quantitative part with a volume ratio of B is between the first connection part and the second connection part of the quantitative part with a volume ratio of A. Narrower than the width of
The upstream side of each inclined surface is each of the first connection portions,
The downstream end of the inclined surface is
In the fixed portion of the narrower width between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, a straight line drawn from the second connection portion parallel to the bottom surface of the supply portion on the first guide portion side is The inspection chip according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inspection chip is located on an opposite side of the quantification unit from an intersecting point with a wall surface of the first guide unit.   The depth of the quantitative portion on the surface side where the number of receiving portions for receiving the specimen or the reagent is larger on the downstream side of the first guide portion is the depth of the receiving portion for receiving the specimen or the reagent. The inspection chip according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inspection chip is deeper than a depth of the quantitative portion on the surface side.

Images