JP6818377B1 - Cuvette electrode chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safe and compact chamber for a cuvette electrode in which the cuvette electrode can be easily attached and detached.
SOLUTION: The desorption assisting mechanism includes at least a cuvette electrode holder 20 on which a cuvette electrode C is mounted to receive an electric pulse and a desorption assisting mechanism 30 that changes the mounting position of the mounted cuvette electrode C for desorption. Reference numeral 30 denotes a first lever member 31 and a second lever member 32 rotatably linked to each other via a connecting shaft 33, and the first lever member 31 includes an operation unit 312 to which the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is applied. The second lever member 32 has an action unit 324 that transmits the attachment / detachment assisting operation Op1 to the attached cuvette electrode C, and is attached according to the operation amount of the attachment / detachment assisting operation Op1 applied to the operation unit 312. The mounting position of the cuvette electrode C is changed.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cuvette electrode chamber for electroporation electrical gene transfer into cells. In particular, the present invention relates to the structure of a cuvette electrode chamber that transmits an electric pulse generated by an electroporator to cells in a cell suspension in a cuvette electrode.

Since the voltage of the electric pulse generated by the electroporator is high in the conventional cuvette electrode chamber, the operator mistakenly attaches or detaches the cuvette electrode to or from the cuvette electrode chamber by about 1V to 3,000V. To prevent electric shock, a lid is provided to cover the cuvette electrode with the insertion / removal point attached, and the lid has a switch function to shut off the power supply. When the lid is opened, the electrical connection is released and when the lid is closed, the electrical connection is made. There was something that allowed us to establish.
However, since such a cuvette electrode chamber incorporates a switch mechanism in the lid, the overall size tends to be large, which is inconvenient to handle. When electroporation is performed, it is often performed while adjusting various parameters such as arranging various devices on a laboratory table and measuring the electrical resistance of the sample, which requires space saving and can be handled with one hand. It was desired.

In addition, small size ones have been proposed, but the structure of the lid has become complicated because the switch mechanism is incorporated in the lid. In addition, when attaching and detaching the cuvette electrode, it is necessary for the operator to manually insert and remove the cuvette electrode into and out of the electrode of the socket-shaped cuvette electrode chamber (Patent Document 1).

Therefore, in the present invention, the switch mechanism is not incorporated in the lid, and a compact cuvette electrode attachment / detachment assist mechanism is provided in the cuvette electrode chamber so that the cuvette electrode is not touched in the work of inserting / removing the cuvette electrode. We devised a mechanism that allows the cuvette electrode to be attached and detached from the electrode chamber.

Special Table 2005-520542

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a safe, easy-to-use and compact chamber for a cuvette electrode.

In the present invention, under the above-mentioned problems, the inventor diligently studies, examines the attachment / detachment assist mechanism, and when the operator performs the attachment / detachment operation of the cuvette electrode, the electrode under the cuvette electrode becomes the operator. It is designed to be moved to a position where it is not exposed.

[Operating principle]
The cuvette electrode has a rectangular parallelepiped shape of approximately 12 mm square and a height of more than 50 mm, and the lower two surfaces of the cuvette electrode are exposed to the outside as electrodes (see FIG. 8). When mounting this cuvette electrode in the cuvette electrode chamber, the cuvette electrode is inserted from the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode into the cuvette electrode holder of the cuvette electrode chamber so that the cuvette electrode holder sandwiches and holds the electrode portion of the cuvette electrode. Push the head of the cuvette electrode holder to the stroke end.
However, when pulling out the cuvette electrode, if you pinch and pull the lid of the cuvette electrode, the holding power is strong depending on the state of sandwiching the holder of the cuvette electrode, and only the lid of the cuvette electrode comes off and the cell suspension inside is contaminated ( There is a risk of contamination. On the other hand, if the body portion of the cuvette electrode is grasped and pulled, not only is it difficult to pull in the mounted state, but also the electrode portion of the cuvette electrode may be touched before attachment / detachment. For this reason, there is a device that pushes out the cuvette electrode by a mechanical device in order to pinch the body portion and make it easy to take out the cuvette electrode.
However, in such a device, the cuvette electrode may pop out of the cuvette electrode chamber with excessive force when the eject button is pressed strongly.
Therefore, in the present invention, a mechanical device has been further developed so that the cuvette electrode does not pop out and is compact enough to be handled with one hand.
Specifically, it is as follows.

(Solution 1)
The present invention has been proposed to achieve the above object, and has the following configuration.
That is, it is a chamber for a cuvette electrode for transmitting an electric pulse to a cell suspension liquid housed in a cuvette electrode provided with a pair of electrodes to perform electroporation of cells, and the cuvette electrode is attached to receive the electric pulse. The cuvette electrode holder is provided with at least a desorption assisting mechanism for moving the position of the mounted cuvette electrode in order to desorb the mounted cuvette electrode, and the cuvette electrode holder is equipped with an input terminal for receiving the electric pulse. A first rod that holds a cuvette electrode and has a holder electrode pair that transmits an electric pulse received at the input terminal to the electrode pair, and the attachment / detachment assist mechanism is rotatably linked to each other via a connecting shaft. A member and a second lever member are provided, the first rod member has an operation unit to which a detachment assist operation is applied, and the second rod member has an action of transmitting the detachment assist operation to a mounted cuvette electrode. It is characterized in that it has a portion, and the cuvette electrode to which the acting portion is mounted is moved according to the operation amount of the attachment / detachment assisting operation applied to the operation portion to facilitate the attachment / detachment.

As a result, since the two lever members are combined, it is possible to determine the pressing force of the attachment / detachment assisting operation applied to the operating portion and the moving range of the acting portion while increasing the degree of freedom in arranging the operating portion and the cuvette electrode holder in the cuvette electrode chamber. ..
Therefore, the cuvette electrode can be moved to a position where it can be easily attached and detached within a range where the cuvette electrode is not exposed while holding the cuvette electrode according to the amount of operation, so that the cuvette electrode does not pop out. As a result, it is possible to provide a compact cuvette electrode chamber in which the mounted cuvette electrode can be safely and easily attached and detached.

(Solution 2)
In the above-mentioned cuvette electrode chamber, the first lever member forms a rectangular frame structure so that the operation portion and the first lever support shaft are parallel to each other, and the connecting shaft is the operation portion and the operation portion. It is arranged so as to be bridged over the frame structure so as to be parallel to the first lever support shaft, and the second lever member and the cuvette electrode holder are arranged so as to be surrounded by the first lever member forming the frame structure. It is preferable that it is.

As a result, the operation unit and the cuvette electrode holder can be compactly arranged inside the housing by using the two levers, so that a more compact chamber for the cuvette electrode can be provided.

(Solution 3)
Further, in the above-described cuvette electrode chamber, a housing for accommodating the cuvette electrode holder and the attachment / detachment assisting mechanism, a chamber lid for covering the cuvette electrode mounted so as to project to the outside of the housing, and a chamber lid. The operation unit is further provided, and moves between an operation standby position that protrudes to the outside of the housing and enables the attachment / detachment assisting operation and a retracting position that retracts to the housing and makes the attachment / detachment assisting operation impossible. The working part can attach the cuvette electrode to the housing so that the cuvette electrode is mounted on the holder electrode pair and the mounting position for receiving electroporation and the electrode pair are not exposed to the outside of the housing. It can be moved outward to move between the attachment / detachment standby position and the attachment / detachment standby position, and the chamber lid can be moved to and from the housing even if the cuvette electrode is in the attachment position or the attachment / detachment standby position. An openable / closable lid made of a non-conducting material that can be covered between them, and when the cuvette electrode is mounted at the mounting position, the operating portion moves to the operation standby position as the acting portion moves. When the desorption assisting operation is applied to the operation unit and the operation unit moves to the retracted position, the cuvette electrode preferably moves to the desorption standby position.

As a result, the cuvette electrode mounting operation corresponds to a full stroke from the mounting position of the working portion to the attachment / detachment standby position, and the attachment / detachment assist operation is a full stroke from the operation standby position of the operation portion to the retracted position.
Therefore, when the cuvette electrode is attached, the attachment / detachment assisting operation becomes possible and electroporation becomes possible. After that, when the operation portion is pushed to the stroke end to complete the attachment / detachment assisting operation, the cuvette electrode moves to the attachment / detachment standby position. Therefore, the electrodes of the cuvette can be more easily attached and detached after the electroporation is completed.

(Solution 4)
Further, the cuvette electrode holder further includes a cable inlet or a connection port for connecting to a power source for supplying an electric pulse, the entrance is arranged at the rear of the housing, and the operation portion is on the housing. It is arranged in the front part of the surface and is provided at a position lower than the insertion port in the height direction, and is arranged side by side in the order of the operation unit, the insertion port, the insertion port or the connection port from the front side of the housing. Is preferable.

Since the first lever member and the second lever member of this example have a high degree of freedom in arrangement, the position of the first lever support shaft of the first lever member can be taken high. For this reason, it is possible to create a space in the housing for the cable to pass to the input terminal of the cuvette electrode holder under the first lever support shaft, and the cable inlet for connecting to the power supply that supplies electric pulses is provided in the housing. It is now possible to place it at the bottom of the rear surface.
As a result of ensuring such a degree of freedom of arrangement, the operation unit, the insertion port, the insertion port, or the connection port can be arranged in this order from the front side of the housing.
As a result, the cuvette electrode chamber of this example is safe and compact even when installed on a narrow desk, and is easy to install and operate.

(Solution 5)
Further, it is preferable that the attachment / detachment standby position is provided corresponding to the position of the operation stroke end of the operation unit.

As a result, the stroke end can be pushed all at once during the operation, and the attachment / detachment assisting operation can be performed without being bothered by the force applied by the operator. A stopper can be placed at the stroke end to limit the extrusion stroke, and the cuvette electrode holder can be maintained at the stroke end to securely hold the cuvette electrode.

With the above configuration, the present invention can provide a safe and easy-to-use compact chamber for cuvette electrodes.

It is a perspective view of the appearance of the chamber 100 for a cuvette electrode which is an example of this invention. A cuvette is attached, indicating that the lid is open. It is an exploded perspective view of the chamber 100 for a cuvette electrode which is an example of this invention. FIG. 3A is a partially enlarged view of the exploded perspective view of FIG. FIG. 3B shows a schematic front view of the spring electrode 22a constituting the holder electrode pair 22. It is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example which shows the state that the attached cuvette electrode C is lifted to the attachment / detachment standby position P21. It is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example which shows the state that the mounted cuvette electrode C is lifted to the attachment / detachment standby position P21. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example showing a state in which the cuvette electrode C is mounted at the mounting position P22 and the acting portion 324 is pushed down. It is a schematic vertical sectional view of the chamber 100 for a cuvette electrode of this example which shows the state in which the cuvette electrode C is mounted at the mounting position P22, and the action part 324 is pushed down. FIG. 8A is a front view of an example of the cuvette electrode C used in the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example, and FIG. 8B is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Outline of chamber for cuvette electrode>
(appearance)
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the appearance of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example. The figure shows a state in which the cuvette electrode C is attached to the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example and the chamber lid 50 is opened.
As shown in the figure, the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example covers the cuvette electrode holder 20 and the housing 40 for accommodating the attachment / detachment assisting mechanism 30, and the cuvette electrode C when the cuvette electrode C is attached. It is provided with a chamber lid 50 that can be opened and closed.
The cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example is intended for the operator to attach the cuvette electrode C and to attach / detach the attached cuvette electrode C safely and easily after the necessary electroporation is completed. Is.
For convenience of explanation, in this specification, front and rear, left and right, and top and bottom are defined as shown in FIG. That is, the side with the operation unit 312 of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example is called the front, the side with the insertion port 41b is called the rear, the left side is left from the front side to the rear side, and the direction in which the cuvette electrode C is mounted is downward. , The direction of attachment and detachment is called the top.

(Disassembled perspective view)
FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the chamber 100 for the cuvette electrode of this example.
The housing 40 houses the cuvette electrode holder 20 supported by the base 34 and the attachment / detachment assist mechanism 30 inside. An openable and closable chamber lid 50 that covers the mounted cuvette electrode C is provided on the upper portion of the housing 40. A cable 60 for supplying an electric pulse is drawn inside the housing 40.
A metal bottom plate 43 is provided on the lower surface of the base 34 in order to increase mechanical strength, and a rubber cushion 44 is provided on the bottom plate 43 to prevent slipping and insulate the installation surface. The bottom plate 43 is fixed to the housing 40 together with the base 34 with housing screws 45. The bottom plate 43 is preferably made of stainless steel to prevent rust.
Hereinafter, the housing 40, the chamber lid 50, the cuvette electrode holder 20 inside the housing 40, and the attachment / detachment mechanism 30 will be described in order.

<Housing>
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 40 has a three-dimensional shape in which the front side is low and the rear side is high, and is substantially rectangular when viewed in a plan view, that is, from the upper side. The corners are all rounded. The housing 40 is preferably made of a resin and is a flame-retardant polycarbonate resin.
The housing 40 houses the cuvette electrode holder 20 and the detachable mechanism 30 inside the housing 40. Further, a cable 60 for supplying an electric pulse used for electroporation from the outside is drawn into an input terminal 21 inside the cable 60.
The housing 40 has an tilting operation panel 42 that gently inclines from the rear side to the front side on the upper portion thereof, and an operation table 41 that projects upward on the rear side upper portion. An operation table panel 41a is provided on the upper surface of the operation table 41, and an insertion port 41b for mounting a cuvette electrode C is opened in the center thereof for electroporation.
At the intermediate portion between the front end of the housing 40 and the operation table 41, an operation portion 312 is provided so that the tilt operation panel 42 can project from the opening 42a toward the outside of the housing 40 and retract toward the inside of the housing. The operation unit 312 is an operation unit 312 of the attachment / detachment mechanism 30 described later.
The insertion port 41b of the operation table panel 41a is substantially rectangular according to the cross-sectional shape of the cuvette electrode C (see FIG. 8), and can be attached to the cuvette electrode holder 20 housed in the housing 40. The insertion port 41b is provided with a tapered portion 41c (see FIGS. 2, 4, etc.) on the entrance side so that the cuvette electrode C can be reliably and easily mounted, and the electrode pair Ce is a holder electrode. A guide groove 41d for guiding the protrusion C3 provided on the cuvette electrode C so as to make correct contact with the pair 22 is provided (see FIG. 2).

<Lid>
The housing 40 is provided with a chamber lid 50 that covers the operation table panel 41a. The chamber lid 50 is provided at the rear end of the operation table panel 41a so as to be openable and closable via a hinge 51 which is an opening / closing mechanism of the chamber lid 50. The hinge 51 has a click spring 53 inside a hinge cover 52 fixed by a hinge screw 54, and can maintain an open / closed state at an arbitrary position.
For the chamber lid 50, a non-conductive member having electrical insulation, for example, a polycarbonate resin can be adopted. The chamber lid 50 is used because an electric pulse is applied to the cuvette electrode C when electroporation is applied as described later. Therefore, the operator can cover the attached cuvette electrode C by closing the chamber lid 50. This is to prevent accidental contact. A transparent polycarbonate resin can be used so that the state of the cuvette electrode C can be seen even when the chamber lid 50 is closed. In addition, it is desirable that it is flame-retardant so that it does not easily burn even when heat is applied.

The height of the chamber lid 50 is adjusted so that the cuvette electrode C does not come into contact with the chamber lid 50 even when the cuvette electrode C attached by the attachment / detachment mechanism 30 described later is set to the attachment / detachment standby position P21 when the chamber lid 50 is closed. decide. Therefore, the chamber lid 50 is an openable / closable lid that can cover the cuvette electrode C even if it is in the mounting position P22 or the attachment / detachment standby position P21. In this way, the chamber lid 50 is closed from the start to the end of electroporation, and after the electroporation is finished and the cuvette electrode C is moved to the attachment / detachment standby position P21, the operator opens the chamber lid 50 and the cuvette electrode C. Can be easily and safely taken out.
The hinge 51 has a lid open position (see FIG. 6) in which the chamber lid 50 is rotated by about 90 degrees from the lid closing position (see FIG. 4) so that the operator can easily attach / detach the cuvette electrode C to the cuvette electrode chamber 100. Can be. It may be held in the lid open position, and may be further rotated 180 degrees from the lid closed position.

<Inside the housing>
(Base)
The cuvette electrode holder 20 and the attachment / detachment mechanism 30 are assembled and housed in the housing 40 on the base 34. The base 34 is preferably made of a polycarbonate resin and is flame-retardant. The assembled base 34 is covered with the housing 40 and is screwed to the housing 40 together with the bottom plate 43.

Further, a cable 60 for supplying an electric pulse required for electroporation is drawn into the housing 40 and electrically connected to an input terminal 21 provided on the base 34 and fixed to the base 34. The cable 60 is connected to an electroporator (not shown) when electroporation is performed.

<Cuvette electrode holder>
The cuvette electrode holder 20 of this example holds the input terminal 21 and the mounted cuvette electrode C to receive the electric pulse, and electrodes the electric pulse supplied from the electroporator (not shown) received at the input terminal 21. It is provided with a holder electrode pair 22 that transmits to the Ce.
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the holder electrode pair 22 is arranged so that two spring electrodes 22a formed by bending a copper plate face each other and stand up from the base 34. A mounting port 42b to which the cuvette electrode C is mounted is formed between the two spring electrodes 22a. The spring electrode 22a is not limited to a copper plate as long as it is a conductive material.
The spring electrode 22a has a spring electrode base portion 22a3 bent in an L shape, a first bent portion 22a1 bent in a hairpin shape, and a second bent portion 22a2 bent inward at an obtuse angle.

Each spring electrode base 22a3 is connected to the input terminal 21 and fixed to the spring electrode support 34c of the base 34 with screws, and the first bent portion 22a1 is formed at a position extending toward the tip side from the spring electrode base 22a3. Has been done. The first bent portion 22a1 is formed by being bent like a hairpin toward the other facing spring electrode 22a. The same applies to the other spring electrode 22a that opposes it. The hairpin-shaped and doubled portions of the two spring electrodes 22a form a mounting port 42b into which the cuvette electrode C is inserted and mounted.
The second bent portion 22a2 is formed by being bent at an obtuse angle so as to be separated from the other spring electrode 22a facing the first bent portion 22a1 at a portion extending further toward the tip end side. In the second bent portion 22a2, when the cuvette electrode C is inserted from the mounting port 42b, the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C crosses the second bent portion 22a2 and comes into contact with the spring electrode 22a and the electrode portion Cea at the mounting position P22. When mounted, the electrode pair Ce and the holder electrode pair 22 can be electrically connected, and at the same time, mechanical holding is performed.
Since each spring electrode 22a is formed by being doubly bent, its elasticity makes it possible to reliably contact the electrode portion Cea, and the durability of insertion / removal can be improved.

As described above, the holder electrode pair 22 has two facing spring electrodes 22a, and the cuvette electrode C can be sandwiched and held between them. Each spring electrode 22a comes into contact with each electrode portion Cea of the corresponding electrode vs. Ce and is electrically connected.
As will be described later, the stroke of the attachment / detachment assisting operation is set so that the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C does not exceed the second bent portion 22a2 when the cuvette electrode C is moved to the attachment / detachment standby position P21. This is to hold the cuvette electrode C and prevent the cuvette electrode C from popping out during the desorption assisting operation.

<Detachment mechanism>
The attachment / detachment mechanism 30 includes a first lever member 31 and a second lever member 32 that are supported by a base 34 and rotatably linked to each other via a connecting shaft 33 that is a connecting member.
The action of the desorption mechanism 30 is as follows. That is, when the cuvette electrode C is moved for attachment / detachment, the operating force applied to the first lever member 31 is transmitted to the cuvette electrode C mounted via the second lever member 32, and vice versa. When the cuvette electrode C is mounted, the operating force applied to the cuvette electrode C is transmitted to the first lever member 31 via the second lever member 32.

(Arrangement of attachment / detachment mechanism)
As shown in FIG. 3, the first lever member 31 has a rectangular frame frame shape, and the arm 32b of the second lever member 32 extends obliquely from the plate-shaped second lever body 32a.
The first lever member 31 is arranged so as to surround the second lever member 32 and the cuvette electrode holder 20.

(Leverage function)
The first lever member 31 and the second lever member 32 each perform the function of a lever. Lever generally has a point of effort, a fulcrum and a point of action. The point of effort is the point where the force is applied, and the point of action is the point where the force acts. When the lever moves the moment of force by rotating the lever with the fulcrum as a fixed center, the point of action moves and the rotational moment can be transmitted. This is the function of leverage.
Therefore, the magnitude of the force and the moving distance can be changed depending on the positional relationship between the force point, the fulcrum point, and the action point. For example, a small force can be applied to the force point to obtain a large force at the point of action, or the moving distance of the point of effort and the moving distance of the point of action can be adjusted.
When the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 of the cuvette electrode C and the attachment operation Op2 of the cuvette electrode C, which will be described later, are added to the attachment / detachment mechanism 30, the first lever member 31 and the second lever member 32 linked by the connecting shaft 33 each function as a lever. As expected, the attachment / detachment mechanism 30 operates.

(1st lever member)
The first lever member 31 has an operation unit 312 to which the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is applied. The operation unit 312 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is connected to two lever elements 311. Each lever element 311 is connected to an end portion of the first lever support shaft 313. The first lever member 31 has a substantially rectangular frame shape as a whole by connecting the operation unit 312, the two lever elements 311 and the first lever support shaft 313.
Each lever element 311 has a first lever through hole 314 near the operation unit 312. A connecting shaft 33 is arranged to penetrate through the first lever through hole 314 and is rotatably coupled to the second lever through hole 323 at one end of the second lever member 32. The base 34 is provided with a retaining 34a in order to regulate the axial movement of the connecting shaft 33.
The first lever support shaft 313 is rotatably supported by the first lever support shaft support portion 34d provided on the rear side of the base 34. The position of the support shaft supported by the first lever support shaft support portion 34d in the height direction is higher than the height of the input terminal 21 along the inclination of the operation panel. Therefore, the cable 60 of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example can be pulled in from the rear surface of the housing 40 under the first lever support shaft 313, and the attachment / detachment assist mechanism 30 and the cuvette electrode holder 22 can be compactly stored in the housing 40. It is possible to do. At the same time, the operation unit 312 of the tilt operation panel 42 can be arranged at a low position on the front side of the tilt operation panel 42, and the operator can hold the wrist when pushing down the operation unit 312 of the cuvette electrode holder 100 of this example. Since it can be operated while attached to the installation surface, it is easy to use and does not get tired easily.
A stopper 312a is provided on the lower surface of the operation unit 312, and when the operation unit 312 is pushed down by the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1, it comes into contact with the base 34 to determine its stroke end.
As described above, the first lever member 31 has an operation portion 312 to which the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is applied at one end, and has a first lever support shaft 313 at the other end, and the connecting shaft 33 is arranged in the middle thereof. It is rotatably coupled to one end of the second lever member 32.

(2nd lever member)
The second lever member 32 has a plate-shaped second lever body 32a and an arm 32b extending from the plate-shaped second lever body 32a. The arm 32b has an acting portion 324 at its tip, and the acting portion 324 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the mounted cuvette electrode C. Therefore, the acting unit 324 can transmit the attachment / detachment assisting operation Op1 to the cuvette electrode C to push up the cuvette electrode C. Further, when the cuvette electrode C is mounted, the acting portion 324 with which the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C abuts can be pushed down.
A second lever through hole 323 is formed on the side of the second lever body 32a opposite to the arm 32b, and a connecting shaft 33 is passed through the second lever main body 32a so as to be rotatably connected to the first lever member 31.
A second lever support shaft 322 is arranged in the second lever through hole 323 and is rotatably supported by the base 34. On the other hand, a second lever support shaft 322 is arranged on the arm 32b side of the second lever main body 32a and is rotatably supported by the second lever support portion 34b of the base 34.
As described above, the second lever member 32 has an action portion 324 that transmits the attachment / detachment assisting operation Op1 to the cuvette electrode C at the other end, and the second lever support shaft 322 is arranged in the middle thereof.

(Leverage function of the first lever member and the second lever member)
The first lever member 31 and the second lever member 32 have a lever function as a whole, and move the cuvette electrode C to which the action unit 324 is mounted according to the operation amount of the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 applied to the operation unit 312. ..

(Leverage function in detachment assistance operation)
Next, the lever functions when the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 and the attachment operation Op2 are performed will be described.
When the detachment assisting operation Op1 is applied to the operating portion 312 of the first lever member 31, the acting portion 324 of the second lever member 32 starts from the mounting position P22 while maintaining the cuvette electrode C held by the holder electrode pair 22. It moves to the attachment / detachment standby position P21.
In this case, in the first lever member 31, the operation unit 312 to which the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is applied is the force point, the first lever support shaft 313 is the fulcrum, and the action point is the first lever through hole 314, and the attachment / detachment assist to the connecting shaft 33. The operation Op1 is transmitted to the second lever member 32 via the connecting shaft 33.
In the second lever member 32, the second lever through hole 323 to which the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is transmitted via the connecting shaft 33 serves as a force point, the second lever support shaft 322 serves as a fulcrum, and the action portion 324 serves as a fulcrum. The attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is transmitted to C.

(Leverage function in mounting operation)
On the other hand, when the mounting operation Op2 is applied to the working portion 324 of the second lever member 32 via the cuvette electrode C, the operating portion 312 of the first lever member 31 moves from the retracted position P11 to the operation standby position P12.
In this case, in the second lever member 32, the acting portion 324 to which the mounting operation Op2 is applied is the force point, the second lever supporting shaft 322 is the fulcrum, and the acting point is the connecting shaft 33 passed through the second lever through hole 323. The mounting operation Op2 is transmitted to the first lever member 31 via the connecting shaft 33.
In the first lever member 31, the connecting shaft 33 passed through the first lever through hole 314 serves as a force point, the first lever support shaft 313 serves as a fulcrum, the operation unit 312 serves as an action point, and the mounting operation Op2 is transmitted to the operation unit 312. Then, the operation unit 312 moves to the operation standby position P12.

(Cuvette electrode and electrode pair of cuvette electrode)
FIG. 8 shows the cuvette electrode C used in the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example.
The cuvette electrode C is a container for containing cell suspension Cs in the cuvette electrode C and applying an electric pulse to electroporate the cells. The structure has become a de facto standard, and the one used in the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example has a structure as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the cuvette electrode C has an electrode pair Ce composed of each electrode portion Cea arranged to face each other with a constant gap G, and a cell suspension between the gap G while fixing these. It is composed of a cuvette portion C2 having an upper opening forming a space for storing the turbid liquid Cs, and an openable and closable cuvette lid C1 for closing the upper opening of the cuvette portion C2. The electrode-to-Ce of this example can be die-cast from an aluminum alloy. The cuvette portion C2 is an insulator. It is desirable that it is a transparent resin.
The cuvette portion C2 made of an insulator is formed so as to fix the electrode pair Ce with a constant gap G and to create a space inside for accommodating the cell suspension Cs continuous with the gap G.
FIG. 8B shows the end face of the cross section. Each electrode portion Cea of the electrode vs. Ce has an approximately H-shaped cross section, and when electric pulses having different polarities are output to the outer electrode surfaces thereof, the inner electrodes face each other via the cell suspension Cs. An electric field corresponding to an electric pulse is formed between the electrode surfaces of the above. This electric field allows the cells in the cell suspension Cs to be electroporated.

<Detachment assistance operation and mounting operation>
Hereinafter, the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 and the attachment operation Op2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.
4 and 6 are schematic cross-sectional perspective views of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example, and FIG. 4 shows a state in which the mounted cuvette electrode C is lifted to the attachment / detachment standby position P21, and FIG. , The cuvette electrode C is mounted on the mounting position P22, and the working portion 324 is pushed down. 5 and 7 are schematic vertical sectional perspective views of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the mounted cuvette electrode C is lifted to the attachment / detachment standby position P21. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the cuvette electrode C is mounted on the mounting position P22 and the acting portion 324 is pushed down.

(Mounting operation)
The mounting operation Op2 refers to an operation of moving the cuvette electrode C to the mounting position P22 of this example so as to be sandwiched between the spring electrodes 22a of the holder electrode pair 22 in order to carry out electroporation.
6 and 7 show a state in which the cuvette electrode C is mounted at the mounting position P22. The mounting operation Op2 has been started and is in a completed state. In the initial state before mounting the cuvette electrode C that starts the mounting operation Op2, the cuvette electrode C and the cuvette chamber 100 of this example are separated as shown in FIG. The mounting operation Op2 starts from this state.
First, the operator inserts the cuvette electrode C into the insertion port 41b provided in the housing 40 with the electrode pair Ce exposed at the lower part of the side surface of the cuvette electrode C facing downward. The tapered portion 41c of the insertion port 41b is provided with a guide groove 41d through which the protrusion C3 of the cuvette electrode C passes. When inserting the cuvette electrode C, the protrusion C3 of the cuvette electrode C is inserted so as to pass through the guide groove 41d. In this way, the cuvette electrode C can be inserted in the direction in which the electrode pair Ce and the holder electrode pair 22 are in correct contact with each other.

Next, when the cuvette electrode C is inserted in the correct direction, the cuvette electrode C is inserted into the mounting port 42b formed by the holder electrode pair 22 of the holder electrode pair 22 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cuvette electrode C passes through the attachment / detachment standby position P21. Upon passing through, the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C comes into contact with the acting portion 324 of the second lever member 32, and thereafter pushes down the acting portion 324. When the operating unit 324 is pushed down, the operating unit 312 that is interlocked at the same time starts moving from the retracted position P11 to the operation standby position P12. As shown in FIG. 5, at the retracted position P11, the operation unit 312 retracts inside the housing 40, and the upper surface thereof is substantially flush with the tilting operation panel 42 of the housing 40. At this retracted position P11, the stopper 312a abuts on the base 34, and the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 described later cannot be performed.

When the cuvette electrode C is further inserted, the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C abuts on the insertion bottom surface 23 provided on the base 34. This state is the state in which the cuvette electrode C shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has moved to the mounting position P22.
At this mounting position P22, as shown in FIG. 6, the working portion 324 of the second lever member 32 moves to the evacuation space 35 provided in the base 34 while being in contact with the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C. Further, the electrode pair Ce is electrically connected in contact with the second bent portion 22a2 of each electrode portion Cea, and is mechanically held together with the insertion bottom surface 23 of the base 34.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the operation unit 312 moves to the operation standby position P12 in conjunction with the action unit 324. The operation unit 312 of the operation standby position P12 protrudes from the tilt operation panel 42 of the housing 40 and is in a state where the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 described later can be performed.

At the mounting position P22, the cuvette electrode C is sandwiched between the holder electrode pairs 22 and held by the cuvette electrode holder 20. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example in the state of being mounted. After that, when the electric pulse is supplied from the electroporator (not shown) to the holder electrode pair 22 via the cable 60 after the chamber lid is closed, the electric pulse is supplied into the cuvette electrode C via the electrode pair Ce and the electroporation. It becomes possible to ration. It is desirable that the chamber lid 50 be closed during electroporation.

(Detachment assistance operation)
After the electroporation is completed, the cuvette electrode C attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 is performed.
The attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 refers to an operation in which the operator moves the cuvette electrode C mounted at the mounting position P22 to the attachment / detachment standby position P21.
6 and 7 show a state in which the mounting operation Op2 is completed and the cuvette electrode C is mounted at the mounting position P22 as described above. Regardless of FIG. 6, after the electroporation is completed, the chamber lid 50 is opened and the cuvette electrode C is taken out after performing the desorption assisting operation Op1.
As shown in FIG. 7, at the mounting position P22, the operation unit 312 is in the operation standby position P12 and protrudes from the tilting operation panel 42 of the housing 40 so that the attachment / detachment assist operation Op1 can be performed. Further, the working portion 324 is in contact with the bottom surface of the cuvette electrode C.

When the attachment / detachment assisting operation Op1 is applied to the operation unit 312 in the states of FIGS. 6 and 7, the action unit 324 pushes up the attached cuvette electrode C and moves it from the attachment position P22 to the attachment / detachment standby position P21. The operation unit 312 moves from the operation standby position P12 to the evacuation position P11, and when the stopper 312a of the operation unit 312 comes into contact with the base 34, the stroke ends. This state is the attachment / detachment standby position P21 of the cuvette electrode C.
As described above, the cuvette electrode C is maintained in a state of being sandwiched between the holder electrode pairs 22 at the attachment / detachment standby position P21 and held by the cuvette electrode holder 20. Therefore, even if the operation unit 312 is moved to the stroke end, the cuvette electrode C does not jump out of the housing 40 with excessive force and stops at the stroke end of the operation unit 312.

As described above, due to the functions of the stopper 312a and the insertion bottom surface 23, the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example has a full stroke from the operation standby position P12 of the operation unit 312 to the retracted position P11 from the mounting position P22 of the operation unit 324. It corresponds to the full stroke to the attachment / detachment standby position P21.
Further, since the attachment / detachment assist mechanism 30 and the cuvette electrode holder 20 are arranged, a compact cuvette electrode chamber C can be provided.

Further, since the first lever member 31 and the second lever member 32 have a high degree of freedom in arrangement, the position of the first lever support shaft 313 of the first lever member 31 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to create a space for the cable 60 to pass under the first lever support shaft 313, and the lead-in port 46 of the cable 60 for connecting to the power supply for supplying the electric pulse is arranged in the lower part of the rear surface of the housing 40. be able to.

As described above, in the cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example, since the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the first lever member 31 and the second lever member 32 is secured, the operation unit 312, the insertion port 41b, and the insertion port are sequentially arranged from the front side of the housing 40. The cuvette electrode chamber 100 can be arranged in the order of 46, and is easy to operate and compact even when installed on a narrow desk in a laboratory.
The service port 46 may be a connection port for receiving a cable from a power source. In that case, an internal cable for connecting the connection port and the input terminal 21 may be provided.

The cuvette electrode chamber 100 of this example can be applied not only for performing electroporation electrical gene transfer but also for receiving various electric pulses.

C: Cuvette electrode C1: Cuvette lid C2: Cuvette part C3: Protrusion Ce: Electrode pair Cea: Electrode part Cs: Cell suspension G: Gap Op1: Detachment assisting operation Op2: Mounting operation P11: Retracting position P12: Operation standby position P21: Detachment standby position P22: Mounting position

100: Cuvette electrode chamber 20: Cuvette electrode holder 21: Input terminal 22: Holder electrode pair 22a: Spring electrode 22a1: First bent portion 22a2: Second bent portion 22a3: Spring electrode base 23: Insertion bottom surface

30: Detachment mechanism 31: 1st lever member 311: Lever element 312: Operation unit 312a: Stopper 313: 1st lever support shaft 314: 1st lever through hole 32: 2nd lever member 32a: 2nd lever body 32b: Arm 322: Second lever support shaft 323: Second lever through hole 324: Action part 33: Connecting shaft 34: Base 34a: Retaining 34b: Support part 34c: Spring electrode support part 34d: First lever support shaft support part 35 : Evacuation space

40: Housing 41: Operation table 41a: Operation table panel 41b: Insertion port 41c: Tapered portion 41d: Guide groove 42: Inclined operation panel 42a: Opening 42b: Mounting port 43: Bottom plate 44: Rubber cushion 45: Housing screw 46: Entrance 50: Chamber lid 51: Hinge 52: Hinge cover 53: Click spring 54: Hinge screw 60: Cable

Claims (5)

A cuvette electrode chamber for transmitting electric pulses to a cell suspension housed in a cuvette electrode equipped with a pair of electrodes to electroporate cells.
It is provided with at least a cuvette electrode holder to which the cuvette electrode is mounted to receive an electric pulse and a detachment assist mechanism for moving the position of the mounted cuvette electrode to be detached.
The cuvette electrode holder includes an input terminal that receives the supply of the electric pulse and a holder electrode pair that holds the mounted cuvette electrode and transmits the electric pulse received at the input terminal to the electrode pair.
The attachment / detachment assist mechanism includes a first lever member and a second lever member rotatably linked to each other via a connecting shaft.
The first lever member has an operation unit to which a detachment assisting operation is applied.
The second lever member has an action unit that transmits the attachment / detachment assisting operation to the mounted cuvette electrode.
A chamber for a cuvette electrode that moves a cuvette electrode to which the action unit is mounted to a attachment / detachment standby position according to the amount of operation of the attachment / detachment assist operation applied to the operation unit. The cuvette electrode chamber according to claim 1.
The first lever member forms a rectangular frame structure so that the operation portion and the first lever support axis are parallel to each other.
The connecting shaft is arranged so as to be bridged over the frame structure so as to be parallel to the operating portion and the supporting shaft.
The cuvette electrode chamber in which the second lever member and the cuvette electrode holder are arranged so as to be surrounded by the first lever member forming the frame structure. The cuvette electrode chamber according to claim 1 or 2.
The cuvette electrode holder, a housing for accommodating the attachment / detachment assisting mechanism, and a chamber lid for covering the cuvette electrode mounted so as to project to the outside of the housing are further provided.
The housing comprises an insertion slot for inserting the cuvette electrode into the cuvette electrode holder.
The operation unit can move between an operation standby position that protrudes to the outside of the housing and enables the detachment assisting operation, and a retracted position that retracts to the housing and disables the detachment assisting operation. ,
The working portion directs the cuvette electrode to the outside of the housing at a mounting position for mounting the cuvette electrode on the holder electrode pair and receiving electroporation, and within a range where the electrode pair is not exposed to the outside of the housing. It is possible to move between the detachable standby position and the detachable standby position.
The chamber lid is an openable / closable lid made of a non-conducting material capable of covering the cuvette electrode with the housing even when the cuvette electrode is in the mounting position or the attachment / detachment standby position.
When the cuvette electrode is mounted at the mounting position, the operating unit moves to the operation standby position as the acting unit moves, and the detachment assisting operation is applied to the operating unit to cause the operating unit to move. A cuvette electrode chamber in which the cuvette electrode moves to the detachable standby position when moved to the retracted position. The cuvette electrode chamber according to claim 3 .
In addition, it is equipped with a cable inlet or connection port for connecting to a power source that supplies electrical pulses.
The entrance or connection port is located at the rear of the housing.
The operation unit is arranged at the front portion of the upper surface of the housing and is provided at a position lower in the height direction than the insertion port, and the operation unit, the insertion port, the insertion port or the connection port are arranged in this order from the front side of the housing. Cuvette electrode chambers arranged side by side. The cuvette electrode chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The attachment / detachment standby position is a cuvette electrode chamber provided corresponding to the position of the operation stroke end of the operation unit.

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