Nucleic acid extraction device and operating method therefor
Inventors
Kim, Sung Woo • KIM, Eun Sub • JUNG, Song Gyun • Byun, Jae Young • Kim, Duck Joong • KIM, Jin Pyung
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11643645-B2
Publication Date
2023-05-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
One aspect of the present invention provides a nucleic acid extraction device. The nucleic acid extraction device includes a container which stores each of a cleaning solution and an eluting solution, a water level sensor configured to detect amounts of the cleaning solution and the eluting solution which are stored in the container, a tube sensor configured to sense a sample tube disposed on a sample tube accommodation portion, and an operation initiation portion configured to determine whether the cleaning solution and the eluting solution which are necessary for a nucleic acid extraction operation are provided on the basis of the number of such sample tubes which is sensed by the tube sensor and the amounts of the cleaning solution and the eluting solution which are sensed by the water level sensor.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a rotatively driven nucleic acid extraction device that stores a cleaning solution and an eluting solution in a container and uses a water level sensor to detect the amounts of the cleaning solution and the eluting solution stored in the container. A tube sensor senses one or more sample tubes disposed on a plurality of sample tube accommodation portions, and an operation initiation portion determines whether the cleaning solution and the eluting solution necessary for a nucleic acid extraction operation are provided based on the sensed number of the one or more sample tubes and the sensed amounts of the cleaning solution and the eluting solution.
The device includes a first rack and a second rack arranged relative to each other, and a rotation-driving portion configured to rotate each of the first rack and the second rack. The rotation-driving portion positions the one or more sample tubes of the first rack above cleaning solution accommodation portions or elution tube accommodation portions of the second rack and performs a cleaning operation or an elution operation while rotating the first rack and the second rack.
The invention integrates sensing and mechanically controlled synchronized rotation with operation scheduling. It initiates the nucleic acid extraction operation when the cleaning solution and the eluting solution are determined to be provided, and performs a cleaning operation while synchronizing and rotating the first rack and the second rack, and then performs an elution operation while synchronizing and rotating the first rack and the second rack.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover four main inventive features: sensor-based verification of cleaning and eluting solution availability, a rotatable two-rack arrangement that positions sample tubes above cleaning and elution portions with cleaning and elution operations performed during rotating and aligning, initiation of nucleic acid extraction based on sensed provision and rack alignment, and a pressurizing portion for transferring pressurized air to the sample tubes.
Sensor-based solution availability determination
An operation initiation portion configured to determine whether the cleaning solution and the eluting solution which are necessary for a nucleic acid extraction operation are provided based on a number of the one or more sample tubes which is sensed by the tube sensor and the amounts of the cleaning solution and the eluting solution which are sensed by the water level sensor.
Two-rack rotating positioning for cleaning and elution
A first rack on which the plurality of sample tube accommodation portions are disposed to be spaced apart along a perimeter thereof, and a second rack disposed below the first rack and on which a plurality of elution tube accommodation portions is disposed to be spaced apart along a perimeter thereof and a plurality of cleaning solution accommodation portions are each disposed between the plurality of elution tube accommodation portions along the perimeter thereof; and a rotation-driving portion configured to rotate each of the first rack and the second rack, wherein the rotation-driving portion positions the one or more sample tubes of the first rack above the plurality of cleaning solution accommodation portions or the plurality of elution tube accommodation portions of the second rack and performs a cleaning operation or an elution operation, respectively, while rotating the first rack and the second rack.
Initiating extraction operation based on sensed provision and rack alignment
Initiating the nucleic acid extraction operation when the cleaning solution and the eluting solution are determined to be provided, wherein the initiating of the nucleic acid extraction operation comprises rotating and aligning a first rack and a second rack to allow the one or more sample tubes accommodated on the first rack to be located above cleaning solution accommodation portions of the second rack and performing a cleaning operation while synchronizing and rotating the first rack and the second rack, and then rotating and aligning the first rack and the second rack to allow the one or more sample tubes accommodated on the first rack to be located above elution tubes of the second rack and performing an elution operation while synchronizing and rotating the first rack and the second rack.
Pressurized-air transfer via elastic support and vertical driving
A pressurizing portion comprising one or more pressurizing nozzles configured to transfer pressurized air to the one or more sample tubes, an elastic support portion connected to the one or more pressurizing nozzles through an elastic member, and a vertical driving portion configured to vertically move the elastic support portion.
The claims center on sensing cleaning and eluting solution availability, rotating and aligning a first rack and second rack for cleaning and elution operations, initiating nucleic acid extraction based on the sensed provision of solutions, and transferring pressurized air to the sample tubes through a pressurizing portion.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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