Solution mixer, fluidic device, and solution mixing method

Abstract

A solution mixer comprising: a main flow path in which a solution circulates; at least one solution introduction flow path connected to the main flow path; and at least one solution discharge flow path connected to the main flow path, wherein the solution discharge flow path has at least one solution discharge flow path valve, and wherein the main flow path has at least one main flow path valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solution mixer comprising:
 a main flow path in which a solution circulates;   at least one solution introduction flow path connected to the main flow path; and   at least one solution discharge flow path connected to the main flow path,   wherein the solution discharge flow path has at least one solution discharge flow path valve, and   wherein the main flow path has at least one main flow path valve.   
     
     
         2 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 , which is configured to quantitatively determine the volume of a plurality of solutions and to circulate and mix the quantitatively determined plurality of solutions, in the main flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path has at least two main flow path valves, each of which is disposed such that at least one partial region of the main flow path, which is defined by closing any of the two main flow path valves, has a predetermined volume.   
     
     
         4 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path valve is disposed in the vicinity of the solution introduction flow path and/or in the vicinity of the solution discharge flow path.   
     
     
         5 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path has two main flow path valves, and   wherein the solution introduction flow path and the solution discharge flow path are connected to the main flow path in a region other than a partial region of the main flow path which is defined by closing the two main flow path valves.   
     
     
         6 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path has two main flow path valves, and   wherein two main flow path valves are disposed in the vicinity of the solution discharge flow path which is connected to the main flow path between the two main flow path valves.   
     
     
         7 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path includes a first flow path, a second flow path, and first and second connecting flow paths which respectively allow communication with the first flow path and the second flow path, and   wherein the main flow path valve is disposed in the first connecting flow path and/or the second connecting flow path.   
     
     
         8 . The solution mixer according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 two or more of the main flow paths,   wherein the adjacent main flow paths share the first flow path or the second flow path,   wherein at least one solution introduction flow path is connected to each of the main flow paths,   wherein at least one solution discharge flow path is connected to each of the main flow paths,   wherein a solution discharge flow path valve is disposed in each of the solution discharge flow paths, and   wherein at least one main flow path valve is disposed in each of the connecting flow paths.   
     
     
         9 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pump which circulates a solution in the main flow path. 
     
     
         10 . The solution mixer according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the pump includes at least three pump valves.   
     
     
         11 . The solution mixer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main flow path includes a detection unit that detects a substance in a solution.   
     
     
         12 . The solution mixer according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the substance in the solution is a biomolecule, and   wherein the detection unit includes a substrate to which a substance having affinity to the biomolecule is immobilized.   
     
     
         13 . A fluidic device comprising the solution mixer according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of mixing two types of solutions with each other using a solution mixer,
 wherein the solution mixer includes a main flow path in which a solution circulates, a solution introduction flow path connected to the main flow path, and a solution discharge flow path connected to the main flow path, in which the solution discharge flow path has at least one solution discharge flow path valve, the main flow path has at least one main flow path valve, and the at least one main flow path valve is disposed in the vicinity of the solution discharge flow path, and   wherein the method comprises   (A) sending a first solution to the main flow path from the solution introduction flow path, while the main flow path valve and the solution discharge flow path valve are open;   (B) closing the main flow path valve;   (C) sending a second solution to the main flow path from the solution introduction flow path;   (D) closing the solution discharge flow path valve; and   (E) circulating and mixing the first solution and the second solution by opening the main flow path valve.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein, in the solution mixer, the main flow path has two main flow path valves, and the solution introduction flow path and the solution discharge flow path are connected to the main flow path in a region other than a partial region of the main flow path which is defined by closing two main flow path valves,   wherein the step (A) is a step of sending a first solution to the main flow path from the solution introduction flow path, while the two main flow path valves and the solution discharge flow path valve are open,   wherein the step (B) is a step of closing the two main flow path valves, and   wherein the step (E) is a step of circulating and mixing the first solution and the second solution by opening the two main flow path valves.   
     
     
         16 . A method of mixing a plurality of solutions with each other using a solution mixer,
 wherein the solution mixer includes   a first flow path, a second flow path, and first and second connecting flow paths which respectively allow communication with the first flow path and the second flow path,   first and second solution introduction flow paths which are respectively connected to the first and second flow paths,   first and second solution discharge flow paths which are respectively connected to the first and second flow paths,   first and second solution discharge flow path valves which are respectively disposed in the first and second solution discharge flow paths, and   first and second main flow path valves which are respectively disposed in the first and second connecting flow paths, and   wherein the method comprises   (A) introducing a first solution into the first flow path from the first solution introduction flow path and introducing a second solution into the second flow path from the second solution introduction flow path, while the first and second main flow path valves are closed and the first and second solution discharge flow path valves are open; and   (B) circulating and mixing the first and second solutions by closing the first and second solution discharge flow path valves and opening the first and second main flow path valves.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the solution mixer further includes   a third flow path, and third and fourth connecting flow paths which respectively allow communication with the second and third flow paths,   a third solution introduction flow path which is connected to the third flow path,   a third solution discharge flow path which is connected to the third flow path,   a third solution discharge flow path valve which is disposed in the third solution discharge flow path, and   third and fourth main flow path valves which are respectively disposed in the third and fourth connecting flow paths, and   wherein the method further comprises   (C) introducing a third solution into the third flow path from the third solution introduction flow path, while the third solution discharge flow path valve is open, before or after the step (B); and   circulating and mixing the third solution with a mixed solution of the first and second solutions by closing the third solution discharge flow path valve and opening the third and fourth main flow path valves, after the steps (B) and (C).   
     
     
         18 . A method of mixing a plurality of solutions with each other using a solution mixer,
 wherein the solution mixer includes   two or more main flow paths, in which a solution circulates, each of the main flow paths including a first flow path, a second flow path, and first and second connecting flow paths which allow communication with the first flow path and the second flow path, and the two adjacent main flow paths sharing the first flow path or the second flow path,   at least one solution introduction flow path which is connected to each of the main flow paths, and   at least one solution discharge flow path which is connected to each of the main flow paths,   wherein each of the solution discharge flow paths has at least one solution discharge flow path valve,   wherein each of the connecting flow paths has at least one main flow path valve,   wherein each of the valves is disposed such that each partial region of the main flow paths which is defined by closing each of the valves has a predetermined volume, and   wherein the method comprises   respectively introducing a first solution and a second solution into the first flow path and the second flow path after closing the main flow path valves and the solution discharge flow path valves such that the first flow path and the second flow path of one main flow path are isolated from each other and from other flow paths;   circulating and mixing the first solution and the second solution by opening the main flow path valves such that the first flow path and the second flow path communicate with each other;   closing the main flow path valves and the solution discharge flow path valves such that, in a main flow path next to the one main flow path, a first or second flow path, which is not shared with the one main flow path, is isolated from other flow paths, and introducing a third solution into the isolated first or second flow path, and   circulating and mixing the third solution with a mixed solution of the first solution and the second solution by opening the main flow path valves such that the main flow path and the neighboring main flow path are allowed to communicate with each other.