Tube Cassette Unit and Liquid Conveyance Device Using the Same

Abstract

A tube cassette unit including a flexible conveying tube, a discharge nozzle inserted into one end of the conveying tube and a relay pipe inserted into the other end, a discharge side holding part for coupling and holding the one end of the conveying tube to the discharge nozzle, and an introduction side holding part for coupling and holding the other end of the conveying tube to the relay pipe is used, where the discharge side holding part and the introduction side holding part are removably attached with the conveying tube of the tube cassette wound and extended on at least two rollers of a rotating body arranged with a plurality of rollers at equidistance in the circumferential form, and a closed space is formed in the conveying tube by the roller pressed against the conveying tube, and the closed space is moved to convey the liquid by the rotation of the rotating body.

1 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A liquid conveying device comprising: 
 a rotating body, configured with a lateral axis as a rotating axis and rotatable with the rotating axis as a center, arranged with at least three rollers at equidistance in a circumferential form with the rotating axis as the center;    a tube cassette unit including a flexible conveying tube, a relay pipe to which a liquid introduction side end of the conveying tube is inserted, an introduction side holding part for holding the relay pipe, a discharge nozzle inserted to a liquid discharge side end of the conveying tube and a fixed discharging side holding part for holding the discharge nozzle;    a tube cassette attachment unit for removably attaching the introduction side holding part and the discharge side holding part with the conveying tube wound to at least two rollers out of the rollers of the rotating body and extended to an extent a closed space is formed in the conveying tube and with a distal end of the discharge nozzle facing the lower side;    a rotating body drive mechanism for rotating the rotating body with the rotating axis as the center to change a contacting position of the at least two rollers and the conveying tube and moving the closed space towards a liquid discharge side end side; and    a movement mechanism, arranged on a lower side of the discharge side holding part and the rotating body, for movably holding a container for receiving liquid discharged from the discharge nozzle.    
     
     
         26 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein a side opposite a side contacting the roller of a position the conveying tube is wound to the roller of the rotating body is released as a conveying tube attachment and detachment space.  
     
     
         27 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the tube cassette attachment unit attaches the tube cassette unit so that the conveying tube is wound to at least three rollers to continuously form a plurality of closed spaces.  
     
     
         28 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the introduction side holding part is configured to couple and hold the liquid introduction side end of the conveying tube to the first pipe body, and the discharge side holding part is configured to couple and hold the discharge side end of the conveying tube to the second pipe body.  
     
     
         29 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 28 , wherein the introduction side holding part includes an introduction side pipe holding member through which the first pipe body is passed for fixing and a coupling member, integrally coupled with the introduction side pipe holding member, for pressing and holding one end of the conveying tube as an insertion site of the first pipe on an outer surface of the first pipe body; and 
 the discharge holding member includes a plate shaped discharge side pipe holding member through which the second pipe body is passed for fixing for fixing and a plate shaped coupling member, integrally coupled with the discharge side pipe holding member, for pressing and holding the other end of the conveying tube or an insertion site of the second pipe to an outer surface of the second pipe body.    
     
     
         30 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 29 , wherein the coupling member of the introduction side holding part is a plate shaped body including a through hole fittable with the first pipe body, the through hole being configured so as to gradually narrow from an insertion surface towards a back surface so that an inner diameter dimension of the insertion surface of a side into which the first pipe body is inserted becomes greater than an outer diameter dimension of the first pipe body fixed to the introduction side pipe holding member, and so that an inner diameter dimension of the back surface of the insertion surface becomes substantially the same as the outer diameter dimension of the first pipe body; and 
 the coupling member of the discharge side holding part is a plate shaped body including a through hole fittable with the second pipe body, the through hole being configured so as to gradually narrow from an insertion surface towards a back surface so that an inner diameter dimension of the insertion surface of a side into which the second pipe body is inserted becomes greater than an outer diameter dimension of the second pipe body fixed to the discharge side pipe holding member, and so that an inner diameter dimension of the back surface of the insertion surface becomes substantially the same as the outer diameter dimension of the second pipe body.    
     
     
         31 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the introduction side holding part includes an introduction side pipe holding member for holding the first pipe body so as to be freely movable in the axis direction, and a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the first pipe body in the axis direction thereof with respect to the introduction side pipe holding member.  
     
     
         32 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 31 , wherein the first pipe body includes a flange part arranged projecting to a periphery at an intermediate position in the axis direction; 
 the introduction side pipe holding member includes a through hole to be fitted with the first pipe body; and    the position adjustment mechanism includes a screw hole arranged at the flange part or at a position facing the flange part of the introduction side pipe holding member, and an adjustment screw screw-fit to the screw hole to adjust a distance between the flange part and the introduction side pipe holding member in the axis direction.    
     
     
         33 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the tube cassette unit further includes, 
 a liquid supply pipe communicating with a liquid storage part for storing a liquid; and    an introducing tube communicating with the conveying tube by inserting the liquid supply pipe into one end thereof and the other end side of the first pipe body into the other end thereof.    
     
     
         34 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the tube cassette unit includes a plurality of the conveying tubes arranged parallel in a band shape, first pipe bodies inserted into liquid introduction side ends of all the conveying tubes, introduction side holding parts for holding the first pipe bodies, second pipe bodies inserted into liquid discharge side ends of all the conveying tubes, and discharge side holding parts for holding the second pipe bodies; and 
 all the conveying tubes are wound to the at least two rollers of the rotating body to form closed spaces, the closed spaces being simultaneously moved towards the liquid discharge side end side with a rotation of the rotating body.    
     
     
         35 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 34 , wherein the rollers are arranged so as to be parallel to the rotating axis.  
     
     
         36 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 35 , wherein the rotating body includes a plurality of cylindrical rollers formed extending perpendicular to two circular discs and rotatable with the axis as the center between the two circular discs arranged parallel to each other at a distance.  
     
     
         37 . The liquid conveying device according to  claim 25 , wherein the rotating body drive mechanism includes a rotation angle detection part for detecting a rotation angle of the rotating body, and a rotation angle controlling part for controlling the conveying amount of the liquid by controlling the rotation angle of the rotating body detected by the rotation angle detection part.  
     
     
         38 . A tube cassette unit removably attached to a liquid discharge device including a rotating body, configured with a lateral axis as a rotating axis and rotatable with the rotating axis as a center, arranged with at least three rollers at equidistance in a circumferential form with the rotating axis as the center, for applying press-rolling action to conveying tubes with the rollers to convey liquid to discharge nozzles and discharge from the discharge nozzles to a microtiter plate, the tube cassette unit comprising: 
 a plurality of flexible conveying tubes arranged in parallel in a band shape and wound to the at least two rollers of the rotating body while being extended from upper sides;    a plurality of relay pipes serving as a first pipe body and having one ends respectively inserted to one ends of the plurality of the conveying tubes;    a plurality of discharge nozzles serving as a second pipe body, respectively inserted to the other ends of the plurality of conveying tubes, and arranged according to a pitch of wells in one column arranged in the microtiter plate;    a single introduction side holding part for holding the relay pipes, configured to be removably attached to the liquid discharge device;    a single discharge side holding part for holding the discharge nozzles, configured to be removably attached to the liquid discharge device;    a plurality of introducing tubes having one ends respectively inserted to the other ends of the plurality of relay pipes to respectively communicate with the conveying tubes, for suctioning the liquid from the other ends; and    a gripping part used in pulling the introduction side holding part to extend the conveying tubes after the discharge side holding part is attached to the liquid discharge device.    
     
     
         39 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of discharge nozzles are arranged at a pitch same as or at a pitch integral multiples of a pitch of adjacent wells of the microtiter plate.  
     
     
         40 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 38 , wherein the introduction side holding part includes an introduction side pipe holding member through which the relay pipe is passed for fixing, and a coupling member integrally coupled with the introduction side pipe holding member, for pressing and holding one ends of the conveying tubes as insertion sites of the relay pipes on outer surfaces of the relay pipes; and 
 the discharge side holding part includes a plate shaped discharge side pipe holding member through which the discharge nozzles is passed for fixing, and a plate shaped coupling member, integrally coupled with the discharge side pipe holding member, for pressing and then holding the other ends of the conveying tubes as an insertion sites of the discharge nozzles on an outer surfaces of the discharge nozzles.    
     
     
         41 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 40 , wherein the coupling member of the introduction side holding part is a plate shaped body including a through hole fittable with the relay pipes, the through hole being configured so as to gradually narrow from an insertion surface towards a back surface so that an inner diameter dimension of the insertion surface of a side into which the relay pipes are inserted becomes greater than an outer diameter dimensions of the relay pipes fixed to the introduction side pipe holding member, and so that an inner diameter dimension of the back surface of the insertion surface becomes substantially the same as the outer diameter dimensions of the relay pipes; and 
 the coupling member of the discharge side holding part is a plate shaped body including a through hole fittable with the discharge nozzles, the through hole being configured so as to gradually narrow from an insertion surface towards a back surface so that an inner diameter dimension of the insertion surface of a side into which the second pipe body is inserted becomes greater than an outer diameter dimension of the discharge nozzles fixed to the discharge side pipe holding member, and so that an inner diameter dimension of the back surface of the insertion surface becomes substantially the same as the outer diameter dimension of the discharge nozzle.    
     
     
         42 . A tube cassette unit removably attached to a liquid discharge device including a rotating body, configured with a lateral axis as a rotating axis and rotatable with the rotating axis as a center, arranged with at least three rollers at equidistance in a circumferential form with the rotating axis as the center, for applying press-rolling action to conveying tubes with the rollers to convey liquid to discharge nozzles, and discharge from the discharge nozzles to a microtiter plate, the tube cassette unit comprising: 
 a plurality of flexible conveying tubes arranged in parallel in a band shape and wound to the at least two rollers of the rotating body while being extended from the upper sides;    a plurality of relay pipes serving as a first pipe body and having one ends respectively inserted to one ends of the plurality of the conveying tubes;    a plurality of discharge nozzles respectively serving as a second pipe body, respecting inserted to the other ends of the plurality of conveying tubes, and arranged according to a pitch of wells in one column arranged in the microtiter plate;    an introduction side holding part, removably attached to the liquid discharging device and including an introduction side holding member for holding the plurality of relay pipes so as to be movable in an axis direction, and a position adjustment mechanism for individually adjusting the position of the relay pipes in the axis direction with respect to the introduction side pipe holding member;    a single discharge side holding part for holding the discharge nozzles and configured to be removably attached to the liquid discharge device;    a plurality of introducing tubes having one ends respectively inserted to the other ends of the plurality of relay pipes to respectively communicate with the conveying tubes, for suctioning the liquid from the other ends; and    a gripping part used in pulling the introduction side holding part to extend the conveying tubes after the discharge side holding part is attached to the liquid discharge device.    
     
     
         43 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 42 , wherein the relay pipe includes a flange part arranged projecting to a periphery at an intermediate position in the axis direction; 
 the introduction side pipe holding member includes a through hole in which the relay pipe is fitted; and    the position adjustment mechanism includes a screw hole arranged at the flange part or at a position facing the flange part of the introduction side pipe holding member, and an adjustment screw screwed into the screw hole to adjust a distance between the flange part and the introduction side pipe holding member in the axis direction.    
     
     
         44 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 42 , wherein 
 the discharge nozzle includes a contacting part for contacting to the discharge side holding part at the intermediate position in the axis direction; and    the discharge side holding part includes a plate shaped discharge side pipe holding member including a through hole with which the discharge nozzle is fitted, and a fixing member for fixing the discharge nozzle in an inserted state until the contacting part of the discharge nozzles contacts the discharge side pipe holding member.    
     
     
         45 . The tube cassette unit according to  claim 44 , wherein the contacting part is constructed as a flange part arranged so as to contact a surface facing the introduction side holding part of the discharge side pipe holding member.  
     
     
         46 . A tube cassette unit according to  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of discharge nozzles is arranged at a pitch same as or at a pitch integral multiples of a pitch of the adjacent wells of the microtiter plate.