System for automatically performing separation or purification of biological materials

Abstract

A system for automatically performing the operations of separating and purifying a variety of biological materials for processing nucleic acids or biological materials from biological samples using solid materials. A base plate, a carriage attachment frame assembly including a frame and a plurality of mounting units, a magnetic bar assembly including a frame, a base plate transport unit, a carriage attachment frame assembly transport unit, a magnetic bar transport unit, and a control unit are utilized. A predetermined number and a small amount of samples can be selectively processed in accordance with a user's needs.

1 . A system for processing nucleic acids or biological materials from biological samples using solid materials, with a desired number of kits, comprising:
 a base plate on which the desired number of containers with a series of chambers can be selectively installed in accordance with a test object;   a carriage attachment frame assembly including a frame through which a plurality of holes are formed in accordance with a predetermined arrangement of the containers installed on the base plate, and a plurality of mounting means which are formed on a bottom surface of the frame correspondingly to the mounting means of the carriages such that the carriages of the kits can be selectively attached to or detached from the frame in accordance with the predetermined arrangement;   a magnetic bar assembly including a frame with a plurality of magnetic bars attached to a bottom surface of the frame to correspond to the holes formed through the frame of the carriage attachment frame assembly;   a base plate transport unit for horizontally moving the base plate on which the containers have been selectively arranged;   a carriage attachment frame assembly transport unit for vertically moving the carriage attachment frame assembly to mix or stir buffers and biological samples in the chambers;   a magnetic bar transport unit for vertically moving the magnetic bars of the magnetic bar assembly through the holes and inside passages of the carriages; and   a control unit for controlling the transport units in accordance with a predetermined separation and processing procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the solid materials are magnetic beads used for collecting or transferring the nucleic acids or biological materials. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting means is a magnet. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the length of each of the magnetic bars of the magnetic bar assembly is greater than a distance from a top surface of the frame of the carriage attachment frame assembly to a lowermost end of the inside passage, whereby the carriage can be detached from the carriage attachment frame assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the carriage attachment frame transport unit and the magnetic bar assembly transport unit are driven in synchronization with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transport units include motors and belts or gears.