Flow path device, and testing device and testing method using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330156-B2
Application number	US-202017432759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 2, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Provided are a flow path device capable of rapidly performing a drug sensitivity test, and a testing device and a testing method using the same. A flow path device adjusted for observing a test solution existing in a well plate having a well includes: a plate-shaped main body having a main surface; and an insertion body provided in the main body, the insertion body extending along a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the main body, the insertion body configured to be inserted into the well. The insertion body includes a pore having a dimension capable of sucking up the test solution in the well, and the main body includes an observation flow path which communicates with the pore and extends along a direction in plane with the main surface of the main body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow path device adjusted for observing a test solution existing in a well in a well plate, the flow path device comprising:
a plate-shaped main body having an upper surface and a lower surface as main surfaces; and
an insertion body provided in the main body, the insertion body extending along a direction perpendicular to the main surfaces of the main body, the insertion body having a pore, the insertion body being configured to be inserted into the well, wherein
the pore has a dimension capable of sucking up the test solution in the well by capillarity,
the pore extends from a tip of the insertion body to a first position between the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body, and
the main body includes:
an observation flow path which extends from a first end to a second end within a plane parallel to the main surfaces, the observation flow path having a predetermined flow path length, wherein the first end of the observation flow path communicates with a portion of the pore at the first position; and
an exhaust hole extending from the second end of the observation flow path to the upper surface of the main body in a direction orthogonal to the observation flow path, wherein the exhaust hole is connected to an opening communicating with an outside of the flow path device.

2. The flow path device according to claim 1 , wherein
the main body includes a first plate and a second plate, and
the observation flow path is formed at an interface between the first plate and the second plate.

3. The flow path device according to claim 2 , wherein
the observation flow path is one of a plurality of the observation flow paths, the plurality of the observation flow paths being arranged adjacent to each other in a predetermined area to form an observation part, and
the insertion body is one of a plurality of the insertion bodies, and flow path lengths from respective tips of the plurality of the insertion bodies to the observation part are set to be equal.

4. The flow path device according to claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of observation flow paths of the observation part are arranged in parallel.

5. A testing device comprising:
a table which has optical transparency;
a light source which is arranged below the table; and
a microscope which is arranged above a test container positioned on the table, wherein
the test container includes a well plate and the flow path device arranged on the well plate and according to claim 1 , and
the table is movable in at least one of an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction.

6. A testing method, wherein
a flow path device adjusted for observing a test solution existing in a well in a well plate includes
a plate-shaped main body having an upper surface and a lower surface as main surfaces, and
an insertion body provided in the main body, the insertion body extending along a direction perpendicular to the main surfaces of the main body, the insertion body being configured to be inserted into the well,
the insertion body includes a pore having a dimension capable of sucking up the test solution in the well by capillarity, the pore extending from a tip of the insertion body to a first position between the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body, and
the main body includes:
an observation flow path which extends from a first end to a second end within a plane parallel to the main surfaces, the observation flow path having a predetermined flow path length, wherein the first end of the observation flow path communicates with a portion of the pore at the first position; and
an exhaust hole extending from the second end of the observation flow path to the upper surface of the main body in a direction orthogonal to the observation flow path, wherein the exhaust hole is connected to an opening communicating with an outside of the flow path device, the method comprising:

preparing the flow path device in which the observation flow path communicates with the pore and making the test solution in the well;
superposing the flow path device on the well plate and immersing the insertion body in the test solution;
moving the test solution to at least the observation flow path; and
observing the observation flow path with a microscope.

Assignees

• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Iwata Hiroshi

Classifications

• G01N21/11

  Filling or emptying of cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N21/13

  Moving of cuvettes or solid samples to or from the investigating station {(handling materials for automatic analysis G01N35/00)} · CPC title

• G01N21/05

  Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10) · CPC title

• G01N21/03

  Cuvette constructions · CPC title

• G02B21/26

  Stages; Adjusting means therefor · CPC title