Patent ID: 7351378
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: C12N,G01N

Abstract:
1. A nucleic acid extraction apparatus including: a shaker; a centrifugal separator; a supplier for large beads and another supplier for small beads; a liquid chemical supply mechanism for supplying a liquid chemical; an arm for conveying a specimen or a tube having therein the specimen; and control means, wherein the control means is constructed to perform a control operation for shaking the tube supplied with particles each having a large particle diameter and the specimen, putting the tube through the centrifugal separator to separate a material containing a nucleic acid from the specimen, shaking the tube supplied with the separated material containing the nucleic acid and particles each having a small particle diameter, and putting the tube through the centrifugal separator to crush the material containing the nucleic acid and extract the nucleic acid, wherein the supplier for large beads has a rotating member formed with a cavity portion having a capacity corresponding to a quantity of supplied particles and disposed in a supply path, the supply path is extending in a vertical direction and connecting to a passage underlying a storage unit for storing particles to be supplied, and particle agitating means is provided rotatably in said storage unit, so that large beads are filled in the cavity portion in a case that the rotating member rotates and the passage underlying a storage unit connects to the cavity portion formed in the rotating member, and then large beads fall to be supplied through the supply path when the rotating member rotates and the cavity portion formed in the rotating member connects to the supply path positioned under the cavity portion; and wherein the supplier for small beads has a measurement unit for measuring the quantity of the supplied particles, a supply unit provided under the measurement unit, a particle storage unit provided over the measurement unit, a sheet unit formed on a boundary between the particle storage unit and the measurement unit, a valve constructed to be vertically movable, open said sheet unit and close an inlet of said supply unit when it moves downward and close said sheet unit and open the inlet of said supply unit when it moves upward, and means for vertically moving the valve, so that small beads flow into the measurement unit in case that the valve moves downward and open said sheet unit, and then small beads are fallen and supplied from supply unit when the valve moves upward and open the inlet of the supply unit.