Patent ID: 8333930
Filing Date: 2012-12-18
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. Reaction kit treatment equipment for treating a reaction kit, the reaction kit comprising a reaction plate having at least a reaction container for carrying out the reaction of a sample, an airtight cover for covering a space above the top surface of the reaction plate, a sample container provided in the space, and a dispensation tip attached to and held movably by the cover and arranged so that a distal end side thereof is located inside the space covered with the cover and a proximal end thereof is located outside the space to transfer liquid over the reaction plate, the dispensation tip being supported movably in an in-plane direction parallel to the top surface of the reaction plate and in a direction perpendicular to the top surface, wherein the airtight cover is fixed directly to the reaction plate so that the space is cut off from the outside environment, wherein the airtight cover has a cover main body and an upper cover, the cover main body having stiffness to maintain the shape of the cover and being provided integrally with the reaction plate, the upper cover being attached to the cover main body so as to be arranged above the top surface of the reaction plate, being formed of an airtight and flexible material, and holding and movably supporting the dispensation tip, wherein the upper cover is formed of a bellows film or a flexibly deformable film, allowing the movement of the dispensation tip by flexibly deforming of the film, and wherein the dispensation tip has a syringe for carrying out dispensation operation or a filter in the tip portion thereof, the dispensation tip preventing entry of foreign matter from the outside of the space through the dispensation tip and preventing release of a reaction product into the outside of the space through the dispensation tip, the reaction kit treatment equipment comprising: a reaction kit attachment section for attaching the reaction kit; a drive unit having a tip holder for engaging detachably with the proximal end of the dispensation tip and moving and driving the dispensation tip between the sample container and the reaction container only within the space to carry out dispensing operation of the sample from the sample container to the reaction container with the dispensation tip being held by the cover; means for detecting a reaction product in the reaction plate; and a control section for controlling at least the dispensation operation carried out by the drive unit and the detection operation carried out by the detection means.