US 12,325,026 B2
Integrated nucleic acid processing apparatus
Jing Geng, Taoyuan (TW); Yang Liu, Taoyuan (TW); Song-Bin Huang, Taoyuan (TW); Chien-Ting Liu, Taoyuan (TW); Yen-You Chen, Taoyuan (TW); Po-Lin Chou, Taoyuan (TW); and Chih-Yang Chen, Taoyuan (TW)
Assigned to Delta Electronics, Inc., Taoyuan (TW)
Filed by Delta Electronics, Inc., Taoyuan (TW)
Filed on May 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/743,229.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/188,746, filed on May 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 202210468988.9 (CN), filed on Apr. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2022/0362780 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 7/00 (2006.01); A61B 10/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/02 (2006.01); B03C 1/01 (2006.01); B03C 1/28 (2006.01); G01N 1/02 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 7/52 (2013.01) [A61B 10/0045 (2013.01); A61B 10/0096 (2013.01); B01L 3/0227 (2013.01); B01L 3/0234 (2013.01); B01L 3/5029 (2013.01); B03C 1/01 (2013.01); B03C 1/288 (2013.01); G01N 1/02 (2013.01); G01N 35/1002 (2013.01); B01L 2300/021 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0829 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0832 (2013.01); B01L 2300/1805 (2013.01); G01N 2001/028 (2013.01); G01N 35/0098 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated nucleic acid processing apparatus, comprising:
a first operation area, comprising
a sampling tube carrying board for placing a plurality of sampling tubes;
a pipette tip carrying board for placing at least one tip rack with a plurality of pipette tips accommodated therein;
two extraction plate carrying boards, wherein each of the extraction plate carrying boards are configured to carry a plurality of nucleic acid extraction plates and each of the nucleic acid extraction plates has a plurality of magnetic rod sleeves disposed therein;
a barcode scanner for scanning a plurality of barcodes on the plurality of sampling tubes;
a pipettor module configured to combine the pipette tips so as to transfer samples in the plurality of sampling tubes to at least one of the plurality of nucleic acid extraction plates;
a cover opening and closing module for opening and closing a plurality of covers of the plurality of sampling tubes; and
a visual identification module comprising a camera for capturing an image inside the first operation area,
wherein the sampling tube carrying board, the pipette tip carrying board and the two extraction plate carrying boards are respectively mounted on a rail for moving in an X-axis direction,
wherein the pipettor module and the visual identification module are configured to move in a Y-axis direction and a Z-axis direction;
a second operation area comprising two extraction regions arranged in upper and lower positions, each of the two extraction regions comprising: a magnetic rod holder for mounting thereon a plurality of magnetic rods; and
a magnetic rod sleeve connector holder for mounting thereon a plurality of magnetic rod sleeve connectors configured to connect with the plurality of magnetic rod sleeves disposed in the plurality of nucleic acid extraction plates; and
a separation wall for separating the first operation area from the second operation area and having two door sheets spatially corresponding to the two extraction regions,
wherein the two extraction plate carrying boards are spatially corresponding to the two door sheets and arranged in upper and lower positions, the two extraction plate carrying boards configured to move from the first operation area to the second operation area as the two door sheets are opened, such that a plurality of nucleic acid extraction operations are configured to be performed and isolated using the plurality of magnetic rods, the plurality of magnetic rod sleeve connectors and the plurality of magnetic rod sleeves in the second operation area as the two door sheets are closed.