ANALYZING DEVICE, ANALYZING APPARATUS USING THE DEVICE, AND ANALYZING METHOD

• US 20100255589A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saiki, Hiroshi, Sugimoto, Hirofumi, Kijima, Tomohiro, Okada, Kenji, Tagashira, Kouzou, Shiraishi, Masahito
• Granted Patent: US 9,134,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150061 Means for enhancing collection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150251 Collection chamber divided into at least two compartments, e.g. for division of samples injection syringes having more than one chamber A61M5/19; syringes for injection of two or more media A61M5/2448, A61M5/284; sample preparation for further analysis A61B5/150755
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150755 Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/06 Fluid handling related problems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0883 : Serpentine channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 : capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 : centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 : surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5021 : Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes centrifuges B04B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 : Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0449 : using centrifugal transport of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/07 : Centrifugal type cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 : Food
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 : provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/111666 : Utilizing a centrifuge or compartmented rotor

Abstract

A capillary cavity 19 and an inlet 13 protruding circumferentially outward from an axial center 107 are connected by a guide section 17 formed so as to extend circumferentially inward and on which a capillary force acts. A sample liquid collected from a leading end of the inlet 13 is transferred to a separation cavity 23. A bent section 22 and a recess 21 are formed at a connected section of the guide section 17 and the capillary cavity 19 so as to change the direction of a passage.

Claims

1. An analyzing device having a microchannel structure that is rotationally driven around an internally set axial center and transfers a sample liquid towards an internal measurement spot by a centrifugal force accompanying the rotational drive, and which is used for reading involving accessing a reactant at the measurement spot, the analyzing device comprising:

an inlet protruding circumferentially outward from the axial center and which collects the sample liquid from a leading end of the inlet;

a guide section formed so as to extend circumferentially inward from the inlet and in which a capillary force acts;

a capillary cavity as a sample measuring section that quantitatively measures, by a capillary force, a fixed amount of the sample liquid collected from the inlet via the guide section; and

a receiving cavity that accepts the sample liquid transferred from the capillary cavity, wherein

a bent section forming a recess and which changes the direction of a passage is formed at a connected section of the guide section and the capillary cavity.

2. The analyzing device according to claim 1, wherein

a protective cap that holds sample liquid scattered from the guide section is provided outside the inlet.

3. The analyzing device according to claim 1, wherein

a cavity opened to air is formed beside a base section of the guide section, the bent section, and the capillary cavity.

4. The analyzing device according to claim 1, wherein

the bent section is formed on a same circumference as the capillary cavity or formed circumferentially inward of the capillary cavity with respect to the axial center.

5. An analyzing apparatus on which the analyzing device according to claim 1 having collected a sample liquid is to be set, the analyzing apparatus comprising:

a rotation driving unit that rotates the analyzing device around an axial center; and

an analysis unit that accesses and analyzes a reactant inside the analyzing device based on a solution transferred by the rotation driving unit, wherein

a sample liquid in the capillary cavity can be transferred to the receiving cavity by a rotation of the rotation driving unit.

6. An analyzing method using the analyzing device according to claim 1, the analyzing method comprising:

rotating the analyzing device around the axial center set inside the analyzing device, breaking a sample liquid spot-applied to an inlet of the analyzing device at the bent section, and transferring only the sample liquid held in the capillary cavity to the receiving cavity;

mixing at least a portion of the transferred sample liquid with a reagent; and

accessing a reactant at the measurement spot at a timing where the measurement spot exists at a reading position.

7. An analyzing device having a microchannel structure that is rotationally driven around an internally set axial center and transfers a sample liquid towards an internal measurement spot by a centrifugal force accompanying the rotational drive and which is used for reading involving accessing a reactant at the measurement spot, wherein

a sample liquid spot-applied to an inlet protruding circumferentially outward from the axial center is connected to the measurement spot via a guide section formed so as to extend circumferentially inward from the inlet and in which a capillary force acts, and

a liquid reservoir that temporarily holds the sample liquid before being suctioned into the guide section is formed at a leading end of the guide section.

8. An analyzing device that suctions a sample liquid spot-applied to an inlet by a capillary force of a measurement spot and which is used for reading involving accessing a test object at the measurement spot, wherein

a liquid reservoir that temporarily holds the sample liquid before suction is formed at a connected section of the inlet and the measurement spot.

9. An analyzing device comprising

a microchannel having:

a sample measuring section made up of a capillary channel and which quantitatively measures a fixed amount of a sample liquid to be analyzed; and

a receiving section connected to the sample measuring section and which accepts the fixed amount of sample liquid measured by the sample measuring section and causes a reaction between the sample liquid and a reagent, wherein

a partition wall that splits a channel in a width direction is formed in a capillary channel at a connected section of the sample measuring section and the receiving section.

10. The analyzing device according to claim 9, wherein

the partition wall is formed high towards the receiving section.

11. An analyzing device comprising

a microchannel having:

a sample measuring section made up of a capillary channel and which quantitatively measures a fixed amount of a sample liquid to be analyzed; and

a receiving section connected to the sample measuring section and which accepts the fixed amount of sample liquid measured by the sample measuring section and causes a reaction between the sample liquid and a reagent, wherein

an inclined face is formed so that a capillary channel at a connected section of the sample measuring section and the receiving section widens towards the receiving section.

12. The analyzing device according to claim 11, wherein

regarding heights of the sample measuring section and the receiving section at a connected plane of the sample measuring section and the receiving section, the height of the receiving section is greater than the height of the sample measuring section.

13. An analyzing device, wherein

a cover substrate is superimposed on a base substrate on which a groove to become a channel is formed and a capillary cavity is formed inside, a spot application section is provided whose proximal end is connected to the capillary cavity and whose leading end protrudes from the cover substrate, and

the leading end of the spot application section is formed in a hemispherical shape protruding in a direction that separates from a channel forming face of the base substrate.

14. The analyzing device according to claim 13, wherein

a wall face of the capillary cavity is subjected to hydrophilic treatment.

15. The analyzing device according to claim 13, wherein

a rib is provided that is lower than the spot application section and which surrounds the spot application section with a gap in between.

16. An analyzing device comprising:

a first inlet for collecting a sample liquid, a first capillary cavity connected to the first inlet and which is capable of collecting a sample liquid by a capillary force via the first inlet, and a holding chamber in communication with the first capillary cavity and which accepts the sample liquid in the first capillary cavity transferred by a centrifugal force generated by a rotation around an axial center;

a second inlet for collecting a sample liquid that differs from the sample liquid collected by the first inlet; and

a second capillary cavity in communication with the second inlet and the holding chamber and which is capable of collecting a sample liquid by a capillary force via the second inlet.

17. The analyzing device according to claim 16, wherein

the first capillary cavity and the second capillary cavity are coupled to each other.

18. The analyzing device according to claim 16, wherein

a continuous cavity with a gap in which a capillary force does not act and which communicates with air is provided on one lateral face of the first capillary cavity.

19. A sample liquid analyzing method used by an analyzing device that comprises:

a first capillary cavity connected to a first inlet for collecting a sample liquid and which is capable of collecting a sample liquid by a capillary force;

a holding chamber in communication with the first capillary cavity and which accepts the sample liquid in the first capillary cavity transferred by a centrifugal force generated by a rotation around an axial center;

a second inlet for collecting a sample liquid that differs from the sample liquid collected by the first inlet; and

a second capillary cavity coupled with the second inlet and the holding chamber and which is capable of collecting a sample liquid by a capillary force via the second inlet, wherein

when injecting a sample liquid directly into the analyzing device, the sample liquid is injected from the first inlet and supplied to the holding chamber,

when injecting a sample liquid via a sample injection tool, the sample liquid is injected from the second inlet and supplied to the holding chamber via the second capillary cavity, and

reading is performed by accessing a sample liquid transferred from the holding chamber to a measurement chamber.

20. An analyzing device having one end of a supplying capillary channel opened at a spot application section formed so as to protrude from an analyzing device main body, the supplying capillary channel connected to a microchannel structure formed inside the analyzing device main body, a sample liquid applied to the spot application section suctioned by a capillary force of the supplying capillary channel, and the analyzing device used for reading in which a suctioned solution is accessed, wherein

a leading end of the spot application section is formed as an inclined face, and the end of the supplying capillary channel is opened on the inclined face.

21. The analyzing device according to claim 20, wherein

a closure prevention recess that communicates with the one end of the supplying capillary channel is formed on the inclined face.

22. The analyzing device according to claim 20, wherein

the analyzing device main body on which the spot application section is protrudingly formed comprises

a base substrate on which an internal recess to become the microchannel structure is formed and

a cover substrate to be bonded to the base substrate and which closes an opened face of the internal recess,

a length of a protrusion of the base substrate forming the spot application section is shorter than a length of a protrusion of the cover substrate forming the spot application section, and a width of the cover substrate forming the spot application section is narrower than a width of the base substrate forming the spot application section.

23. An analyzing device having one end of a supplying capillary channel opened at a spot application section formed on an analyzing device main body, the supplying capillary channel connected to a microchannel structure formed inside the analyzing device main body, a sample liquid applied to the spot application section suctioned by a capillary force of the supplying capillary channel and a capillary force of a holding chamber formed inside the analyzing device main body, and the analyzing device used for reading in which a suctioned solution is accessed, wherein

a filling confirmation region with a gap that is smaller or greater than a gap of the holding chamber in which a capillary force acts is formed on a trailing end of the holding chamber.

24. The analyzing device according to claim 23, wherein

a confirmation window is formed on the analyzing device main body in correspondence to the filling confirmation region.

25. The analyzing device according to claim 23, wherein

the analyzing device main body is configured by bonding a cover substrate with a base substrate having formed on a bonding face with the cover substrate an internal recess that makes up the holding chamber and covering respective opening faces of the internal recess of the holding chamber with the cover substrate, and

a gap that is smaller than the gap of the holding chamber in which a capillary force acts provided on the trailing end of the holding chamber is formed between a leading end of a protrusion that protrudes towards the cover substrate from a side of the base substrate and the cover substrate.

26. The analyzing device according to claim 23, wherein

the analyzing device main body is configured by bonding a cover substrate with a base substrate having formed on a bonding face with the cover substrate an internal recess that makes up the holding chamber and covering respective opening faces of the internal recess of the holding chamber with the cover substrate, and

a gap that is greater than the gap of the holding chamber in which a capillary force acts provided on the trailing end of the holding chamber is formed between a bottom of a recess that penetrates on a side of the base substrate towards an opposite side to the cover substrate and the cover substrate.