Patent Description:
With the improvement of the living standard of people, pesticide residues, viruses, nutritional elements or other aspects of some edible food materials are usually required to be tested in daily life, so as to qualitatively or quantitatively obtain the conditions of the food materials. For example, due to the pesticide abuse problem, fruits, vegetables and agricultural and sideline products purchased daily by people may have the problem of excessive pesticide residue content, and if the problem of excessive pesticide residue content of the foods cannot be found in time, great harm may be caused after they are ingested by people. For another example, currently advocated breast feeding is best feeding for infants only when breast milk has normal nutritional value, but in cases of diseases, medicine taking, surgery or other cases of the mother, the milk secreted by the mother may have reduced content of nutritional elements and even produce viruses, thereby affecting the growth and health of the infants.

Prior art <CIT> provides improved systems, devices, and methods for analyzing a large number of sample compounds contained in standard multi-well microtiter plates or other array structures. The multi-well plates travel along a conveyor system to a test station having a microfluidic device. At the test station, each plate is removed from the conveyor and the wells of the multi-well plate are sequentially aligned with an input port of the microfluidic device. After at least a portion of each sample has been input into the microfluidic channel system, the plate is returned to the conveyor system. Pre and/or post testing stations may be disposed along the conveyor system, and the use of an X-Y-Z robotic arm and novel plate support bracket allows each of the samples in the wells to be input into the microfluidic network through a probe affixed to a microfluidic chip. A clamshell structure having a hinged lid can releasably support the chip while providing and/or accommodating the electrical, optical, structural, and other interface connections between the microfluidic device and the surrounding system.

<CIT> teaches a system for the automated analysis of liquid samples having one or more processing units for reaction between the samples and one or more reagents to thereby obtain reaction products. Disclosed also are a sample unit for supplying the samples to the one or more processing units; a reagent unit equipped with plural reagent vessels containing one or more reagents for mixing with the samples; a distribution unit for distributing fluids including the one or more reagents provided with plural distribution lines, at least some of which are connected to the reagent vessels and the one or more processing units; and at least one analytical unit for analyzing the samples based on the reaction products, in which the analytical unit may include at least one detector for detecting the reaction products.

Among testing methods, the method for testing by using a microfluidic biochip is rapid, the size is small, and the method is suitable for household use. However, sample loading of the existing microfluidic biochip is required to be manually operated by a user, and use is quite troublesome; or a sample liquid is required to be delivered to the microfluidic biochip by means of a complicated sample liquid delivering device, and the structure and control logic are quite complicated.

In summary, the independent claim <NUM> defines the scope of the invention and the dependent claims <NUM>-<NUM> defines preferred implementations of the invention.

An object of a first aspect of the present invention is to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide a control method for a microfluidic testing system, which facilitates sample loading and has a high automation degree.

A further object of the first aspect of the present invention is to automatically prepare a sample liquid to improve the accuracy of the concentration and quantity of the sample liquid.

Another object of the first aspect of the present invention is to improve the automation degree thereof to enhance the user experience.

An object of a second aspect of the present invention is to provide a microfluidic testing system operating according to any one of the above-mentioned control methods.

An object of a third aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a microfluidic testing system operating according to any one of the above-mentioned methods.

In the control method for a microfluidic testing system according to the present invention, the sample stage is automatically controlled to move from the initial position to the testing position after the sample cup holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage; at the testing position, the sample liquid in the sample cup is in contact with the sample inlet of the microfluidic biochip, thereby realizing sample loading of the microfluidic biochip. A user only needs to place the sample cup onto the sample stage, and no other operations are needed, thus, the sample loading operation is convenient, the degree of automation is high, the method is time-saving and labor-saving, and the usage experience of the user is improved.

Further, in the control method according to the present application, before the sample stage is controlled to move, the buffer liquid is automatically injected into the sample cup when the sample cup storing the sample is placed on the sample stage, and is mixed with the sample to generate the sample liquid, thus omitting the process that the user manually prepares the sample liquid, avoiding the problem that the quantity or concentration of the sample liquid is not well controlled due to manual preparation of the sample liquid, improving the accuracy of the concentration and quantity of the sample liquid, and laying a foundation for the accuracy of a testing result.

Further, in the control method according to the present application, whether the microfluidic biochip is mounted is automatically detected before the sample cup is placed on the sample stage, and if no, the prompt information is sent to prompt the user to mount the microfluidic biochip, such that the user can conveniently and rapidly mount the microfluidic biochip before the sample cup is placed. Further, in the control method according to the present application, whether other articles (for example, a sample cup left in a previous test or other articles placed on the sample stage by the user) exist on the sample stage is automatically detected before detecting whether the microfluidic biochip is mounted, and if yes, the prompt information for emptying the sample stage is sent out, such that the user can perform operations according to the prompt information, thus improving the automation degree of the microfluidic testing system, and improving the use experience of the user.

According to the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with drawings, those skilled in the art will better understand the aforementioned and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention.

Some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with reference to the drawings. Identical reference numerals in the drawings represent identical or similar components or parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:.

The present application firstly provides a control method for a microfluidic testing system, which is used for qualitatively or quantitatively testing a preset testing parameter of a sample liquid. The preset testing parameter may be, for example, a pesticide residue parameter for indicating whether a pesticide residue content exceeds the standard and/or a specific value of the pesticide residue content, a nutrient parameter for indicating whether a nutritional element meets the standard and/or a specific content of the nutritional element, a specific substance parameter for indicating whether a specific harmful substance (for example, a specific virus) exceeds the standard and/or a specific content thereof, or the like.

The control method for a microfluidic testing system can be generally divided into two parts of sample loading and testing. First, the sample loading part is specifically described below.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of the microfluidic testing system suitable to be used according the method of the present invention, and for ease of understanding, a sample cup <NUM> is also shown in <FIG>. The microfluidic testing system <NUM> includes a microfluidic biochip <NUM>, a sample stage <NUM> for placing the sample cup, and a lifting mechanism <NUM> for driving the sample stage to move, and the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is provided with a sample inlet <NUM> for receiving a sample liquid.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method not forming part of the present invention; referring to <FIG>, the control method includes: starting the lifting mechanism <NUM> when the sample cup holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, and controlling the lifting mechanism <NUM> to move the sample stage <NUM> from an initial position to a testing position where the sample liquid in the sample cup comes into contact with the sample inlet <NUM>.

That is, the control method may include the following steps:.

It can be understood that when the sample stage <NUM> is located at the initial position, a certain distance exists between the sample cup and the sample inlet <NUM>, and the sample liquid in the sample cup cannot be in contact with the sample inlet <NUM>. A user places the sample cup on the sample stage <NUM> when the sample stage <NUM> is located at the initial position, so as to avoid structural interference with the microfluidic biochip <NUM> or inconvenient placement of the sample cup when the user places the sample cup on the sample stage <NUM>. Specifically, the sample liquid in the sample cup may be manually added into the sample cup by the user, or automatically prepared in the sample cup by the microfluidic testing system. The sample liquid can be a to-be-tested liquid, a liquid obtained by diluting the to-be-tested liquid, a liquid obtained by dissolving a to-be-tested substance on a solid sample into a buffer liquid, a liquid obtained by mashing a food material with relatively high water content, or the like.

In the control method for a microfluidic testing system the lifting mechanism <NUM> is automatically controlled to move the sample stage <NUM> from the initial position to the testing position after the sample cup holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage <NUM>; at the testing position, the sample liquid in the sample cup is in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, thereby realizing sample loading of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. A user only needs to place the sample cup onto the sample stage, and no other operations are needed, thus, the sample loading operation is convenient, the degree of automation is high, the method is time-saving and labor-saving, and the usage experience of the user is improved.

According to the invention, the microfluidic testing system <NUM> further includes a buffer liquid driving device <NUM>. <FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, the step S30 of judging whether the sample cup holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage <NUM> -may specifically includes:.

That is, in the control method according to the present application, before the sample stage <NUM> is controlled to move, the buffer liquid is automatically injected into the sample cup when the sample cup storing the sample is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, and is mixed with the sample to generate the sample liquid. That is, after the buffer liquid is mixed with the sample, a to-be-tested substance on the sample is dissolved into the buffer liquid to form the sample liquid, thus omitting the process that the user manually prepares the sample liquid, avoiding the problem that the quantity or concentration of the sample liquid is not well controlled due to manual preparation of the sample liquid, improving the accuracy of the concentration and quantity of the sample liquid, and laying a foundation for the accuracy of a testing result.

Specifically, in step S31, whether the sample cup holding the sample is placed on the sample stage <NUM> may be judged by judging whether the weight of the article borne on the sample stage <NUM> is within a preset range. For example, when the weight of the article borne on the sample stage <NUM> is zero, it is considered that no article is placed on the sample stage <NUM>. When the weight of the article borne on the sample stage <NUM> is greater than a second preset weight value and less than a third preset weight value, it is considered that only an empty sample cup is placed on the sample stage <NUM>. When the weight of the article borne on the sample stage <NUM> is greater than a third preset weight value and less than a fourth preset weight value, it is considered that the sample cup holding the sample is placed on the sample stage <NUM>. When no article is placed on the sample stage <NUM> or only the empty sample cup is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, the prompt information for prompting the placement of the sample may be sent.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, in some embodiments, after the sample cup holding the sample is placed on the sample stage <NUM> and before the buffer liquid driving device is started, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

It may be appreciated that, in general, the sample is extracted at will by the home user, for example, a small vegetable leaf is torn off at will, and therefore, in order to guarantee the accuracy of a measurement result, the quantity of the buffer liquid input into the sample cup is required to be matched with the quantity of the sample, so as to generate the sample liquid with a proper concentration. In the present application, the weight of the sample is automatically obtained, and the buffer liquid with the target quantity is automatically calculated and output according to the weight of the sample, such that the user can conveniently take the sample at will, and the accuracy of the testing result can be guaranteed.

In some embodiments, an oscillation device is further provided on the sample stage <NUM>. <FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, after stopping the buffer liquid driving device <NUM> and before controlling the sample stage <NUM> to move from an initial position to a testing position thereof, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

Thus, the to-be-tested substance on the sample can be promoted to be fully dissolved into the buffer liquid, so as to form the sample liquid with a proper concentration, thus avoiding the problem that the testing result is inaccurate due to an over low concentration of the sample liquid. Specifically, the first preset duration may be a preset oscillation time which can allow the to-be-tested substance on the sample in the sample cup to be sufficiently dissolved into the buffer liquid according to experimental verification.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, before judging whether the sample cup holding a sample is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

That is, in the control method according to the present application, whether the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is mounted is automatically detected before detecting whether the sample cup is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, and if no, the prompt information is sent to prompt the user to mount the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, such that the user can conveniently and rapidly mount the microfluidic biochip <NUM> before the sample cup is placed. Specifically, after the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is mounted to the mounting position thereof, a corresponding trigger switch may be triggered, such that the trigger switch generates a trigger signal for indicating that the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is mounted in place, and it may be determined that the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is inserted into the mounting position thereof according to the trigger signal.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, before judging whether the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is inserted into a mounting position thereof, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

That is, in the control method according to the present application, whether other articles (for example, a sample cup left in a previous test or other articles placed on the sample stage by the user) exist on the sample stage is automatically detected before detecting whether the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is mounted, and if yes, the prompt information for emptying the sample stage is sent out, such that the user can perform operations according to the prompt information, thus improving the automation degree of the microfluidic testing system, and improving the use experience of the user.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of the control method according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, after controlling the sample stage <NUM> to move from an initial position to a testing position thereof, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

In some embodiments, the microfluidic testing system <NUM> further includes a sample liquid driving device <NUM>, and the sampling operation of step S52 may specifically include:.

In some embodiments, the sample liquid driving device <NUM> may form a negative pressure in the microfluidic biochip <NUM> by pumping air outwards, such that the sample liquid in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> enters the interior of the microfluidic biochip under the action of the negative pressure. Specifically, the sample liquid driving device <NUM> may be a micro injection pump, and includes a driving motor, an injector, a lead screw, a slider, a piston, or the like. The quantity of displacement of the piston within the injector is positively correlated to the quantity of the sample liquid entering the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. Therefore, the quantity of the sample liquid entering the microfluidic biochip <NUM> can be determined by detecting the position of the piston by a position sensor.

In these embodiments, the step of judging whether the quantity of the sample liquid in the microfluidic biochip <NUM> reaches a preset sample liquid volume value may specifically include:.

In the control method according to the present invention, the testing part may be started to be executed after the sampling operation is completed, and the testing part is specifically described below.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of testing of the microfluidic biochip in an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, in some embodiments, after the sampling operation is finished, the control method according to the present invention further includes:
step S62: controlling the sample liquid driving device <NUM> to periodically and repeatedly perform a liquid pushing and drawing operation, where the liquid pushing and drawing operation includes a liquid pushing action for promoting the sample liquid in the microfluidic biochip to flow towards the sample inlet <NUM> and a liquid drawing action for promoting the sample liquid in the microfluidic biochip to flow away from the sample inlet <NUM>.

Since driving forces applied to the sample liquid by the liquid pushing action and the liquid drawing action have opposite directions, the sample liquid can be promoted to repeatedly flow back and forth in the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, thereby facilitating mixing between the sample liquid and a reagent, improving the mixing effect of the sample liquid and the reagent, facilitating a full reaction between the sample liquid and the reagent, and improving the accuracy of the testing result.

Further, after returning the sample stage <NUM> to the initial position thereof and before controlling the sample liquid driving device to periodically and repeatedly perform a liquid pushing and drawing operation, the control method according to the present invention further includes:
step S61: controlling the sample liquid driving device <NUM> to perform a liquid drawing action for promoting the sample liquid in the microfluidic biochip <NUM> to continue to flow towards the interior of the microfluidic biochip, so as to form a preset space margin in a section of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> close to the sample inlet <NUM>, the preset space margin being used for accommodating the sample liquid pushed out by the sample liquid driving device <NUM> when the sample liquid driving device <NUM> performs the liquid pushing action. Thus, the problem of contamination due to a small quantity of the sample liquid being pushed out from the sample inlet <NUM> when the sample liquid driving device <NUM> performs the liquid pushing action can be avoided.

Certainly, in other embodiments, the control method according to the present invention may not include step S61, and it is only required to perform the liquid drawing action first and then the liquid pushing action when the sample liquid driving device <NUM> performs the liquid pushing and drawing operation. Thus, a preset space margin can be also reserved in the section of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> close to the sample inlet <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic sectional diagram of the microfluidic biochip suitable to be used according the method of the present invention. The microfluidic biochip <NUM> has the sample inlet <NUM> for receiving the sample liquid, a communication port <NUM> communicated with the sample liquid driving device <NUM>, and a testing pool <NUM> and a reaction pool <NUM> formed inside the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, the testing pool <NUM> being configured to hold a testing reagent, and the reaction pool <NUM> being configured to hold a reaction reagent. The sample inlet <NUM>, the reaction pool <NUM>, the testing pool <NUM>, and the communication port <NUM> are sequentially communicated through a micro-channel <NUM>, thereby forming a main channel. For a specific sample liquid or for some specific testing parameters of the sample liquid, the sample liquid may be required to react with the reaction reagent first and then react with the testing reagent, and a testing mechanism tests a solution after the final reaction to obtain preset testing parameters of the specific sample liquid, thus avoiding a reaction or mutual influence between the reaction reagent and the testing reagent, and improving the accuracy of the testing result. For example, when the microfluidic testing system <NUM> is required to be used to test pesticide residue parameters of the sample liquid, an enzyme inhibition rate method is preferred, and since pesticide residue content is qualitatively tested in the method, the testing speed is higher, and the method is more suitable for household use. At this point, the reaction reagent and the testing reagent for the microfluidic biochip <NUM> may be an enzyme reagent and a color developing agent respectively. The reaction pool <NUM> is configured to allow the sample liquid to react with the enzyme reagent therein, and the sample liquid after the reaction with the enzyme reagent flows into the testing pool <NUM> to react with the color developing agent in the testing pool <NUM>.

In these embodiments, in the sampling operation, the sample liquid driven by the sample liquid driving device <NUM> flows into the reaction pool <NUM> through the sample inlet <NUM>, and when the sample liquid flowing into the reaction pool <NUM> reaches the preset sample liquid volume value, the sampling operation is completed. Meanwhile, the step S62 of controlling the sample liquid driving device <NUM> to periodically and repeatedly perform a liquid pushing and drawing operation may specifically include:
controlling the sample liquid driving device <NUM> to periodically and repeatedly perform a second liquid pushing and drawing operation until the number of the second liquid pushing and drawing operations reach a second preset number. The second liquid pushing and drawing operation includes a second liquid pushing action for promoting the sample liquid to flow towards the sample inlet <NUM> and a second liquid drawing action for promoting the sample liquid to flow towards the reaction pool <NUM>. Thus, mixing of the sample liquid and the reaction reagent is promoted, the mixing effect of the sample liquid and the reaction reagent is improved, and the full reaction between the sample liquid and the reaction reagent is facilitated. The second preset number is a preset number for enabling the sample liquid and the reaction reagent to be uniformly mixed according to experimental verification.

Further, in the same second liquid pushing and drawing operation, the quantity of the sample liquid pushed out by the sample liquid driving device <NUM> performing the second liquid pushing action is the same as the quantity of the sample liquid drawn in by the sample liquid driving device performing the second liquid drawing action. Thus, the final quantity of the sample liquid in the reaction pool <NUM> can be guaranteed to be kept unchanged, and it is avoided that due to large error accumulation caused by executing the second liquid pushing and drawing operation multiple times, the quantity of the sample liquid flowing to the testing pool <NUM> is affected and thus the accuracy of the testing result is affected.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of testing of the microfluidic biochip in another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, in some embodiments, after controlling the sample liquid driving device <NUM> to periodically and repeatedly perform a second liquid pushing and drawing operation, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

Since driving forces applied to the sample liquid by the first liquid pushing action and the first liquid drawing action have opposite directions, the sample liquid can be promoted to repeatedly flow back and forth in the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, thereby facilitating mixing between the sample liquid and the testing reagent, improving the mixing effect of the sample liquid and the testing reagent, facilitating the full reaction between the sample liquid and the testing reagent, and improving the accuracy of the testing result.

Further, in the same first liquid pushing and drawing operation, the quantity of the sample liquid pushed out by the sample liquid driving device <NUM> performing the first liquid pushing action is the same as the quantity of the sample liquid drawn in by the sample liquid driving device performing the first liquid drawing action. Thus, the final quantity of the sample liquid in the testing pool <NUM> can be guaranteed to be kept unchanged, and it is avoided that due to large error accumulation caused by executing the first liquid pushing and drawing operation multiple times, the accuracy of the testing result is affected.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram of testing of the testing pool by the testing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the testing mechanism <NUM> may include a light source and a photosensitive element arranged on two opposite sides of the testing pool <NUM> respectively; a step of testing the testing pool <NUM> by the testing mechanism <NUM> includes:.

Taking the testing of the pesticide residue parameter of the sample liquid by the microfluidic testing system <NUM> as an example, the reaction reagent held in the reaction pool <NUM> may be an enzyme reagent, and the testing reagent held in the testing pool <NUM> may be a color developing agent. After the sample liquid enters the reaction pool <NUM>, pesticide residues in the sample liquid react with the enzyme reagent using the principle that a pesticide may inhibit the activity of enzyme. The solution after the reaction enters the testing pool <NUM>. Light emitted from the light source <NUM> is irradiated to the testing pool <NUM>, and light transmitted through the testing pool <NUM> is introduced into the photosensitive element <NUM>, which facilitates judgment of the change in an absorbance in the testing pool <NUM> using the stable light intensity signal received by the photosensitive element <NUM>, and then facilitates calculation of a pesticide residue inhibition rate.

It may be understood that the relatively stable light intensity signal can be received only after the sample liquid and the testing reagent fully react, and the preset testing parameter of the sample liquid calculated according to the stable light intensity signal is relatively accurate. Therefore, whether the sample liquid and the testing reagent fully react can be judged by judging whether the light intensity signal is stable. If the sample liquid and the testing reagent have fully reacted, the sample liquid driving device <NUM> is not required to go on performing the first liquid pushing and drawing operation, and the first liquid pushing and drawing operation may be stopped in time to reduce energy consumption. If the relatively stable light intensity signal is not received yet after the number of the first liquid pushing and drawing operations reaches the first preset number, the sample liquid and the testing reagent may not fully react, for example, the testing reagent loses efficacy or other reasons occur; at this point, timely stopping of the first liquid pushing and drawing operation may reduce energy consumption, prompt information is sent to remind the user that this test is invalid or fails, and the user can conveniently make corresponding measures in time.

In some embodiments, the control method according to the present invention further includes:.

Thus, the testing pool <NUM> may be guaranteed to always have a relatively constant temperature before a testing operation is performed, thus facilitating the sufficient reaction of the sample liquid and the testing reagent.

In some embodiments, after stopping the first liquid pushing and drawing operation of the sample liquid driving device <NUM>, the control method according to the present invention further includes:
turning off the light source and stopping the heating module. This step may occur before or after step S819.

It should be noted that the starting operation of the heating module, the temperature acquisition of the heating module, and the temperature control of the heating module are continuously performed during the whole testing process, so as to ensure that the testing pool <NUM> has a relatively constant temperature range all the time during the whole testing process.

In some embodiments, after the step S819 of calculating the preset testing parameter of the sample liquid according to the light intensity signal, the control method according to the present invention further includes:
step S820: displaying the testing result including calculated preset testing parameter information on a display apparatus. The display apparatus may be, for example, a display screen, or a color indicator lamp, or include both a display screen and a color indicator lamp.

The microfluidic testing system <NUM> may include a microfluidic biochip <NUM> for providing testing conditions and testing environments, a sample stage <NUM> for placing a sample cup, a lifting mechanism <NUM> for driving the sample stage <NUM> to move, a sample liquid driving device <NUM> for driving a sample liquid to flow, a buffer liquid driving device <NUM> for driving a buffer liquid to flow into the sample cup, a testing mechanism <NUM> for performing a testing operation, and a buffer liquid bottle <NUM> for storing the buffer liquid. The sample stage <NUM> may be located below the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, such that the sample liquid in the sample cup thereon is in contact with a sample inlet <NUM> located at the bottom of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. The lifting mechanism <NUM> is adjacently provided on a transverse side of the sample stage <NUM>, so as to drive the sample stage <NUM> to move up and down. The buffer liquid driving device <NUM> may be provided on one side of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> in the transverse direction and located above the lifting mechanism <NUM>, the sample liquid driving device <NUM> may be provided on the other side of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> in the transverse direction, and the buffer liquid bottle <NUM> is located on the side of the sample liquid driving device <NUM> away from the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. Thus, the size features of each module in the vertical direction and the transverse direction can be fully utilized, such that the layout of the modules is more compact, and the occupied space is reduced as far as possible. Moreover, the modules are only arranged side by side in the vertical direction and the transverse direction, such that the thickness of the microfluidic testing system <NUM> in the front and rear direction is reduced as far as possible, and the microfluidic testing system is more suitable for being integrated on a refrigerator.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of the refrigerator; the refrigerator <NUM> includes the microfluidic testing system <NUM> so as to integrate the microfluidic testing system <NUM> on the refrigerator <NUM>. The refrigerator <NUM> is frequently used in daily life, and mainly configured to store food materials, and when the microfluidic testing system <NUM> is integrated on the refrigerator <NUM>, a user can conveniently perform a testing operation of a food material sample by using the microfluidic testing system <NUM>.

Further, the refrigerator <NUM> further includes a cabinet <NUM> and a door <NUM>, the cabinet <NUM> defines a storage space therein, and the door <NUM> is connected to the cabinet <NUM> and configured to open and/or close the storage space. The microfluidic testing system <NUM> is preferably provided on the door <NUM>, such that the operation is convenient, an original storage space in the cabinet <NUM> cannot be occupied, and the storage capacity of the refrigerator <NUM> cannot be influenced. The microfluidic testing system <NUM> may be electrically connected to an electrical control device of the refrigerator <NUM>, so as to provide power for the microfluidic testing system <NUM> by the electrical control device and/or to allow signals to be transmitted between the electrical control device and the microfluidic testing system <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A control method for a microfluidic testing system, the microfluidic testing system comprising a microfluidic biochip (<NUM>), a sample stage (<NUM>) for placing a sample cup (<NUM>), and a lifting mechanism (<NUM>) for driving the sample stage (<NUM>) to move, the microfluidic biochip (<NUM>) being provided with a sample inlet (<NUM>) for receiving a sample liquid, and the control method comprising:
starting the lifting mechanism (<NUM>) after the sample cup (<NUM>) holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage (<NUM>), and controlling the lifting mechanism (<NUM>) to move the sample stage (<NUM>) from an initial position to a testing position where the sample liquid in the sample cup (<NUM>) comes into contact with the sample inlet (<NUM>), wherein the microfluidic testing system further comprises a buffer liquid driving device (<NUM>), and wherein before starting the lifting mechanism (<NUM>), the control method further comprises a step of judging whether the sample cup (<NUM>) holding the sample liquid is placed on the sample stage (<NUM>), and the step specifically comprises:
judging whether the sample cup (<NUM>) holding a sample is placed on the sample stage (<NUM>); and
if yes, starting the buffer liquid driving device (<NUM>), and driving a buffer liquid to flow into the sample cup (<NUM>) by the buffer liquid driving device (<NUM>), such that the buffer liquid is mixed with the sample in the sample cup (<NUM>) to generate the sample liquid.