Fluid handling apparatus and fluid handling unit for use therein

Abstract

A fluid handling apparatus 10 has a plurality of fluid handling subassemblies 16 arrayed on a plate body 12. Each of the fluid handling subassemblies includes: an injecting section 26 for injecting a fluid; a fluidized section 28 for allowing the fluid to continuously flow downwards; a fluid housing chamber 30 for receiving the fluid from the fluidized section; a wall portion 20 formed between the fluid housing chamber and the fluidized section; slits 20b for allowing the fluid to enter the fluid housing chamber; and a surface-area increasing means 22 for increasing the area of a contact surface with the fluid in the fluidized section. The slits extend from a lower end positioned in the vicinity of the lower end of the fluidized section, to an upper end higher than the upper end of the fluidized section, for allowing the injecting section and fluidized section to be communicated with the fluid housing chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given herebelow and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiments of the invention. However, the drawings are not intended to imply limitation of the invention to a specific embodiment, but are for explanation and understanding only.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a fluid handling apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame and a fluid handling subassemblies supporting member of the apparatus body of the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the fluid handling subassemblies supporting member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state that fluid handling subassemblies are mounted on the fluid handling subassemblies supporting member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state that a lid member is removed from the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handing apparatus of FIG. 1, except for beads;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a cylindrical member of one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the cylindrical member of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a modified example of the cylindrical member of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of one of fluid handling subassemblies of the second preferred embodiment of a fluid handling apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a cylindrical member of one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the cylindrical member of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line XIX-XIX of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view showing a modified example of the cylindrical member of FIG. 17;

FIGS. 21A through 21I are illustrations for explaining the flow of a liquid sample when the liquid sample is injected into one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 22A through 22F are illustrations for explaining the flow of a washing solution and the remaining liquid sample when the washing solution is injected for washing the interior of one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus after the liquid sample is injected into and discharged from the one of the fluid handling subassemblies as shown in FIGS. 21A through 21I;

FIGS. 23A through 23F are illustrations for explaining the flow of the washing solution and the remaining liquid sample when the washing solution is sucked from the one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus after the washing solution is injected into the one of the fluid handling subassemblies of the fluid handling apparatus as shown in FIGS. 22A through 22F;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view showing one of fluid handling subassemblies of the third preferred embodiment of a fluid handling apparatus according to the present invention, which corresponds to FIG. 9 showing the state that the lid member is removed from the one of the fluid handling subassemblies in the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a graph showing the results of measurements of blank values in the measurements of absorbance using the fluid handling subassemblies in the first and third preferred embodiments;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing one of fluid handling subassemblies of the fourth preferred embodiment of a fluid handling apparatus according to the present invention, which corresponds to FIG. 7 showing the one of the fluid handling subassemblies in the first preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 27 is a graph showing the results of measurements of blank values in the measurements of absorbance using the fluid handling subassemblies in the first and fourth preferred embodiments.

Claims

1. A fluid handling apparatus comprising an apparatus body and a plurality of fluid handling subassemblies arranged on the apparatus body, each of the fluid handling subassemblies comprising: an injecting section for injecting a fluid;a fluidized section for receiving the fluid from the injecting section to allow the fluid to continuously flow downwards;a fluid housing chamber for receiving the fluid from the fluidized section;a wall portion formed between the fluid housing chamber and the injecting section and between the fluid housing chamber and the fluidized section;an opening, formed in the wall portion, for allowing the fluid to enter the fluid housing chamber; anda surface-area increasing means, arranged in the fluidized section, for increasing an area of a contact surface with the fluid in the fluidized section,wherein the opening extends from a lower end, which is positioned in the vicinity of the lower end of the fluidized section, to an upper end, which is higher than the upper end of the fluidized section, for allowing the injecting section and the fluidized section to be communicated with the fluid housing chamber.

2. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said opening is a slit which passes through said wall portion.

3. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said slit has an upper portion having a width which is wider than that of a lower portion of the slit.

4. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said opening has a lower end arranged at a level which is substantially equal to a bottom face of said fluid housing chamber.

5. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus body comprises a frame and a plurality of supporting members which are arranged on the frame so as to be substantially parallel to each other, each of the supporting members having a plurality of recessed portions which are arranged at regular intervals in a row, and each of said plurality of fluid handling subassemblies being mounted in a corresponding one of the recessed portions.

6. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fluidized section is arranged so as to surround said fluid housing chamber.

7. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of recessed portions comprises an upper recessed portion, and a lower recessed portion which is formed in a bottom face of said upper recessed portion, said fluidized section being formed between a partition wall member, which is inserted into each of said plurality of recessed portions, and said upper recessed portion, andsaid fluid housing chamber being surrounded by said partition wall member.

8. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein an extended recessed portion for extending said upper cylindrical recessed portion in substantially horizontal directions is formed in each of said plurality of recessed portions.

9. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface-area increasing means comprises a large number of fine particles filled in said fluidized section.

10. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface-area increasing means is a porous material.

11. A fluid handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a liquid injected into said injecting section flows in said fluidized section and said opening due to capillarity.

12. A fluid handling unit comprising a supporting member and a plurality of fluid handling subassemblies which are arranged on the supporting member at regular intervals in a row, each of said fluid handling subassemblies comprising: an injecting section for injecting a fluid;a fluidized section for receiving the fluid from the injecting section to allow the fluid to continuously flow downwards;a fluid housing chamber, formed so as to be surrounded by said fluidized section, for receiving the fluid from the fluidized section;a wall portion formed between the fluid housing chamber and the injecting section and between the fluid housing chamber and the fluidized section;an opening, formed in the wall portion, for allowing the fluid to enter the fluid housing chamber; anda surface-area increasing means, arranged in the fluidized section, for increasing an area of a contact surface with the fluid in the fluidized section,wherein the opening extends from a lower end, which is positioned in the vicinity of the lower end of the fluidized section, to an upper end, which is higher than the upper end of the fluidized section, for allowing the injecting section and the fluidized section to be communicated with the fluid housing chamber.

13. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said opening is a slit which passes through said wall portion.

14. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said slit has an upper portion having a width which is wider than that of a lower portion of the slit.

15. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said opening has a lower end arranged at a level which is substantially equal to a bottom face of said fluid housing chamber.

16. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said surface-area increasing means comprises a large number of fine particles filled in said fluidized section.

17. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said surface-area increasing means is a porous material.

18. A fluid handling unit as set forth in claim 12, wherein a liquid injected into said injecting section flows in said fluidized section and said opening due to capillarity.