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 detected 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 people ingest the foods. 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.

<CIT> discloses smart home capable of detecting food safety. The smart home comprises a home body, a food safety detector and a microfluidic chip, wherein the food safety detector is embedded in the home body, and the microfluidic chip is detachably connected with the food safety detector. A food extraction solution is added to the microfluidic chip dropwise to have a series of biochemical reactions. The food safety detector performs the absorbance detection on biochemical reaction results, and outputs food safety detection results according to absorbance detection results. The smart home combines the food safety detector with the kitchen home body, and is not only small in size and convenient to operate but also capable of achieving on-site rapid detection of a plurality of food safety indicators.

However, an existing detection system is generally independent, occupies a space, and is inconvenient to store, and a user may forget to use a detection device after the detection device is stored, or does not take out the detection device for use due to bother. Therefore, in the prior art, the detection system for detecting pesticide residues is integrated in a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerator or a pesticide residue detection chamber is additionally provided in a storage space of the refrigerator, such that a large part of the storage space is occupied in either solution, and the use experience of the user is influenced.

An object of the present invention is to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide a refrigerator with a microfluidic detection system which does not occupy an original storage space.

A further object of the present invention is to keep good heat insulation performance of the refrigerator and improve the convenience of operation of the microfluidic detection system by a user.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the microfluidic detection system.

The present invention provides a refrigerator including all the features of the independent claim <NUM>.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is provided with the microfluidic detection system, such that the microfluidic detection system is not required to be independently stored, and does not occupy an indoor space. In addition, the refrigerator is a common household appliance, such that a user can conveniently and randomly utilize the microfluidic detection system on the refrigerator to meet requirements of detection, such as pesticide residue detection, nutritional element detection, breast milk detection, or the like, with convenient and rapid use. Meanwhile, the microfluidic detection system is provided on the door, such that the operation is convenient, the original storage space in the refrigerator body cannot be occupied, and the storage capacity of the refrigerator cannot be influenced.

Further, the operation stage opened forwards is formed on the housing of the microfluidic detection system, the sample stage is located in the operation stage, the hollowed window is provided on the front side of the door, and the operation stage is exposed on the front side of the door through the hollowed window of the door. That is, the operation stage is exposed, such that the user can conveniently carry out a series of operations in the operation stage without opening the door, such as taking and placing of the sample cup, replacement of the microfluidic biochip, or the like; on the one hand, the problem of serious cold leakage caused by an increase of the opening frequency of the door due to the arrangement of the microfluidic detection system can be avoided to guarantee the refrigerator to have a good heat insulation performance; on the other hand, the user is not required to open the door when performing the detection operation, thus improving the convenience of operation of the microfluidic detection system by the user.

Further, the door is provided with the pre-embedded box, and the microfluidic detection system has the housing; the microfluidic detection system is mounted on the door as a whole by arranging the corresponding structural connecting pieces and electrical connecting pieces on the pre-embedded box and the housing, such that the whole microfluidic detection system is connected with the refrigerator in terms of both structure and circuit. Thus, an assembly process of the microfluidic detection system is simplified, and the disassembly or maintenance of the microfluidic detection system is facilitated.

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 invention provides a refrigerator. <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of the refrigerator according to the present invention. Referring to <FIG>, the refrigerator <NUM> according to the present invention includes a refrigerator body <NUM> and a door <NUM>. The refrigerator body <NUM> internally defines a storage space for storing articles, and the door <NUM> is connected to the refrigerator body <NUM> and used for opening and/or closing the storage space.

The refrigerator <NUM> further includes a microfluidic detection system <NUM>, and the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is provided on the door <NUM>. The microfluidic detection system <NUM> is used for qualitatively or quantitatively detecting a preset detection parameter of a sample fluid; the preset detection 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.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of the microfluidic detection system in an embodiment of the present invention, <FIG> is a schematic exploded structural diagram of the microfluidic detection system in an embodiment of the present invention, <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of an internal structure of the microfluidic detection system in an embodiment of the present invention, and <FIG> is a schematic exploded structural diagram of the internal structure of the microfluidic detection system in an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of understanding, a sample cup <NUM> is also shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> includes a microfluidic biochip <NUM> and a detection mechanism <NUM>. It may be appreciated by those skilled in the art that specific selection of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> and the detection mechanism <NUM> used in the microfluidic detection system may vary when the preset detection parameter detected by the microfluidic detection system vary. For example, when the microfluidic detection system is used for pesticide residue detection, the microfluidic biochip <NUM> thereof can be a microfluidic pesticide residue detection chip capable of providing detection conditions for a pesticide residue fluid, and the detection mechanism <NUM> thereof can be a pesticide residue detection mechanism capable of detecting a pesticide residue parameter of the pesticide residue fluid.

<FIG> is a schematic sectional diagram of the microfluidic biochip in the present invention; the microfluidic biochip <NUM> has a sample inlet <NUM> formed in an end portion thereof, a communication port <NUM>, and a detection pool <NUM> formed in the microfluidic biochip, the sample inlet <NUM>, the detection pool <NUM>, and the communication port <NUM> being communicated in sequence by means of a microfluidic channel <NUM> to allow the sample fluid in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> to enter the microfluidic channel <NUM> and flow into the detection pool <NUM> by means of the microfluidic channel <NUM>. The microfluidic channel <NUM> in the present invention means a micro flow channel or a capillary flow channel having a flow area within a preset size range, so as to have a suitable capability of holding a fluid therein. The sample inlet <NUM> and the communication port <NUM> may be formed at the end portion of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. Further, the sample inlet <NUM> and the communication port <NUM> are preferably formed at different end portions of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>.

The detection mechanism <NUM> is used for detecting the detection pool <NUM>, so as to obtain the preset detection parameter of the sample fluid. The detection pool <NUM> is provided therein with a detection reagent in advance, or the detection reagent may be manually or automatically added to the detection pool <NUM>, such that the detection mechanism <NUM> detects the detection pool <NUM> after the sample fluid in the detection pool <NUM> reacts with the detection reagent therein.

The refrigerator <NUM> according to the present invention is provided with the microfluidic detection system <NUM>, such that the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is not required to be independently stored, and does not occupy an indoor space. In addition, the refrigerator <NUM> is a common household appliance, such that a user can conveniently and randomly utilize the microfluidic detection system <NUM> on the refrigerator <NUM> to meet requirements of detection, such as pesticide residue detection, nutritional element detection, breast milk detection, or the like, with convenient and rapid use. Meanwhile, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is provided on the door <NUM>, such that the operation is convenient, the original storage space in the refrigerator body <NUM> cannot be occupied, and the storage capacity of the refrigerator <NUM> cannot be influenced.

In a specific embodiment, when the detection mechanism <NUM> is a pesticide residue detection mechanism for detecting the pesticide residue parameter of the pesticide residue fluid, an enzyme inhibition rate method can be used to rapidly and qualitatively detect whether pesticide residues in the sample fluid exceed the standard. At this point, the microfluidic biochip <NUM> further includes a reaction pool <NUM> formed therein, and the reaction pool <NUM> is located on a main channel formed by sequentially communicating the sample inlet <NUM>, the detection pool <NUM>, and the communication port <NUM>, and is communicated between the sample inlet <NUM> and the detection pool <NUM>, such that the sample fluid firstly reacts with a reaction reagent in the reaction pool <NUM> and then flows into the detection pool <NUM>. The reaction pool <NUM> is communicated with the sample inlet <NUM> through the microfluidic channel <NUM>, and the reaction pool <NUM> is communicated with the detection pool <NUM> through the microfluidic channel <NUM>. The reaction reagent and the detection reagent for pesticide residue detection may be an enzyme reagent and a color developing agent respectively. The reaction pool <NUM> is configured to allow the sample fluid to react with the enzyme reagent therein, and the sample fluid after the reaction with the enzyme reagent flows into the detection pool <NUM> to react with the color developing agent in the detection pool <NUM>. The detection mechanism <NUM> may be selected as a photoelectric detection mechanism and may include a light source <NUM> and a photosensitive element <NUM> arranged on two opposite sides of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> respectively and directly facing the detection pool <NUM>, light emitted from the light source <NUM> is irradiated to the detection pool <NUM>, and light transmitted through the detection pool <NUM> is introduced into the photosensitive element <NUM>, which facilitates judgment of the change in an absorbance in the detection pool <NUM> using a light intensity signal received by the photosensitive element <NUM>, and then facilitates calculation of a pesticide residue inhibition rate. Further, the detection mechanism <NUM> further includes a heating sheet <NUM> for supplying heat to the detection pool <NUM> and a temperature controller <NUM> for controlling the heating power of the heating sheet <NUM> to be constant, such that the sample fluid and the detection reagent in the detection pool <NUM> can react sufficiently and rapidly.

The microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a sample stage <NUM> and a housing <NUM>. The sample stage <NUM> is used for placing the sample cup <NUM>, the sample cup <NUM> being used for containing the sample fluid. The housing <NUM> is provided with an operation stage <NUM> opened towards the front side thereof, and the sample stage <NUM> is at least partially located in the operation stage <NUM> to facilitate the user to perform operations of placing the sample cup <NUM>, taking out the sample cup <NUM>, or the like, in the operation stage <NUM>. A water disposal pan <NUM> located below the sample stage <NUM> may be provided in the operation stage <NUM> to receive a possibly dripping fluid, thereby preventing contamination of the operation stage <NUM>. At least some sections of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> and the detection mechanism <NUM> are arranged in the housing <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic exploded structural diagram of the door in the present invention. Further, referring to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, a hollowed window <NUM> is formed in the front side of the door <NUM>, and the operation stage <NUM> is exposed on the front side of the door <NUM> through the hollowed window <NUM>. That is, the operation stage <NUM> is exposed, such that the user can conveniently carry out a series of operations in the operation stage <NUM> without opening the door <NUM>, such as taking and placing of the sample cup <NUM>, replacement of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, or the like; on the one hand, the problem of serious cold leakage caused by an increase of the opening frequency of the door <NUM> due to the arrangement of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> in the refrigerator <NUM> can be avoided to guarantee the refrigerator <NUM> to have a good heat insulation performance; on the other hand, the user is not required to open the door <NUM> when performing the detection operation, thus improving the convenience of operation of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> by the user.

In some embodiments, the door <NUM> may include a panel <NUM> for forming a front portion thereof, a door liner <NUM> for forming a rear portion thereof, and a foamed heat insulation layer (not shown) provided between the panel <NUM> and the door liner <NUM>, and the hollowed window <NUM> is formed in the panel <NUM>. A pre-embedded box <NUM> is pre-embedded between the panel <NUM> and the door liner <NUM> before the foamed heat insulation layer is formed, and the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is provided in the pre-embedded box <NUM>. That is, the pre-embedded box <NUM> is pre-provided between the panel <NUM> and the door liner <NUM> before the door <NUM> is foamed, so as to reserve a space for mounting the microfluidic detection system <NUM> between the panel <NUM> and the door liner <NUM>.

Further, the pre-embedded box <NUM> is attached to a rear surface of the panel <NUM>, the front side of the pre-embedded box <NUM> is open and directly faces the hollowed window <NUM>, such that the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is allowed to be mounted in the pre-embedded box <NUM> from front to back through the hollowed window <NUM>, thus improving the mounting convenience of the microfluidic detection system <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> is provided with a first structural connecting piece <NUM> for being connected with the pre-embedded box <NUM>, and a first electrical connecting piece <NUM> for forming an electrical connection between the microfluidic detection system <NUM> and an electrical control device of the refrigerator <NUM>, so as to allow the microfluidic detection system <NUM> to be mounted to the door <NUM> as a whole. The pre-embedded box <NUM> is provided with a second structural connecting piece <NUM> matched and connected with the first structural connecting piece <NUM> and a second electrical connecting piece <NUM> electrically connected with the first electrical connecting piece <NUM>, and the second electrical connecting piece <NUM> is electrically connected with the electrical control device of the refrigerator <NUM>. Thus, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is mounted on the door <NUM> as a whole by arranging the corresponding structural connecting pieces and electrical connecting pieces on the pre-embedded box <NUM> and the housing <NUM>, such that the whole microfluidic detection system <NUM> is connected with the refrigerator <NUM> in terms of both structure and circuit. Thus, an assembly process of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is simplified, and the disassembly or maintenance of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is facilitated.

In some embodiments, the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is provided above the sample stage <NUM>, and the sample inlet <NUM> is located at the bottom of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. The sample stage <NUM> is configured to controllably or operably move up and down, such that the sample stage <NUM> is switched between a detection position allowing the sample fluid in the sample cup <NUM> placed on the sample stage to be in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> and an initial position at a preset distance below the detection position. Thus, sample loading of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is realized. The user is only required to place the sample cup <NUM> on the sample stage <NUM>, or after placing the sample cup <NUM> on the sample stage <NUM>, the user moves the sample stage <NUM> to a position where the sample fluid is in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, such that the sample loading operation is quite convenient, and time and labor are saved. In addition, in the present application, the sample stage <NUM> is configured to be movable, thus omitting complex structures, such as a sample fluid delivery pump, a delivery pipeline, a sampling needle, or the like, such that the microfluidic detection system <NUM> has a quite simple structure, and thus is suitable for being integrated on a refrigerator to facilitate family use. Meanwhile, the initial position is located at the preset distance below the detection position, and interference with the microfluidic biochip <NUM> or other structures can be avoided when the sample cup <NUM> is placed, thus further improving the convenience and comfort degree of operations.

Further, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a lifting mechanism <NUM> for driving the sample stage <NUM> to move up and down, such that the sample stage <NUM> is automatically switched between the detection position and the initial position. That is, the sample stage <NUM> may be automatically lifted and lowered by the lifting mechanism <NUM>. During sample loading, the user is only required to place the sample cup <NUM> on the sample stage <NUM> when the sample stage <NUM> is located at the initial position, and the lifting mechanism <NUM> can automatically lift the sample stage <NUM> to the detection position thereof without continuous participation of the user, thus improving the automation degree of the microfluidic detection system <NUM>. The initial position is located at the preset distance below the detection position, and the interference with the microfluidic biochip <NUM> or other structures can be avoided when the sample cup <NUM> is placed, thus further improving the convenience and comfort degree of operations.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of the lifting mechanism and the sample stage in a disassembled state in an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism <NUM> may include a lifting motor <NUM>, a transmission lead screw <NUM>, and a nut <NUM>. The lifting motor <NUM> is used to output a driving force. The transmission lead screw <NUM> is vertically provided and connected with an output shaft of the lifting motor <NUM> to be rotated under the driving of the lifting motor <NUM>. The transmission lead screw <NUM> penetrates through the nut <NUM>, and the nut is in threaded connection with the transmission lead screw <NUM> to move up and down along the transmission lead screw <NUM> with the rotation of the transmission lead screw <NUM>. The sample stage <NUM> is fixedly connected with the nut <NUM> so that the nut <NUM> drives the sample stage <NUM> to move up and down.

Further, the lifting mechanism <NUM> further includes a slide rail <NUM> and a slider <NUM>. The slide rail <NUM> is provided beside the transmission lead screw <NUM> in parallel with the transmission lead screw <NUM>, the slider <NUM> is movably provided on the slide rail <NUM>, and the sample stage <NUM> is fixedly connected with the slider <NUM>; thus, the sample stage <NUM> is guided to move up and down through the cooperation of the slide rail <NUM> and the slider <NUM>. Specifically, the slider <NUM> is driven to move synchronously when the sample stage <NUM> moves in the up-down direction under the action of a driving module, the slider <NUM> is limited on the slide rail <NUM>, and the slide rail <NUM> has guiding and limiting effects on the movement of the slider <NUM>, such that the sample stage <NUM> is indirectly guided and limited, the sample stage <NUM> is prevented from being shifted or jammed in a moving process, and the movement stability of the sample stage <NUM> is improved. Specifically, the sample stage <NUM> may include a horizontal connecting plate <NUM> through which the transmission lead screw <NUM> penetrates and which is fixedly connected with the nut <NUM>, and a vertical connecting plate <NUM> extending upwards perpendicular to the horizontal connecting plate <NUM>, the vertical connecting plate <NUM> being fixedly connected with the slider <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism <NUM> further includes a limit switch <NUM>, and the limit switch <NUM> is provided close to an upper portion of the transmission lead screw <NUM> to cause the lifting motor <NUM> to stop operation when the sample stage <NUM> moves upwards to touch the limit switch <NUM>. The position of the limit switch <NUM> is set such that the sample stage <NUM> is located at the detection position thereof when the lifting motor <NUM> stops operation under the trigger of the limit switch <NUM>. The sample stage <NUM> may be kept at the detection position thereof when the lifting motor <NUM> does not operate. In the present application, the detection position of the sample stage <NUM> is positioned by the limit switch <NUM>, the positioning is accurate, and the problem that the sample stage <NUM> exceeds the detection position thereof and continues to move to cause structural damage to the sample stage <NUM>, the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, or the like, can be avoided.

In some embodiments, the sample stage <NUM> may include a support stage <NUM> and an oscillator <NUM>. The support stage <NUM> is used for supporting the sample cup <NUM>. Specifically, the support stage <NUM> may be a horizontally placed support plate, and a groove for placing the bottom of the sample cup <NUM> therein may be provided on the support plate, so as to prevent the sample cup <NUM> from toppling or shaking during the moving process of the sample stage <NUM>, thereby improving the stability of the placement of the sample cup <NUM>. The support stage <NUM> is fixedly connected with the horizontal connecting plate <NUM>.

The oscillator <NUM> is provided on the support stage <NUM>, and is used to oscillate the sample cup <NUM> after the sample cup <NUM> is placed on the support stage <NUM>, such that a buffer fluid and a sample in the sample cup <NUM> are fully mixed, thereby fully dissolving a to-be-detected substance on the sample into the buffer fluid to obtain the sample fluid with a suitable concentration.

In some embodiments, the sample stage <NUM> further includes a weighing sensor <NUM>, and the weighing sensor <NUM> is provided below the support stage <NUM> for weighing the weight of the sample in the sample cup <NUM>, thereby allowing a buffer fluid driving device <NUM> to deliver a preset quantity of the buffer fluid matched with the weight of the sample to the sample cup <NUM>. In general, the sample is extracted at will by a 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 fluid input into the sample cup <NUM> is required to be matched with the quantity of the sample, so as to generate the sample fluid with a proper concentration. In the present application, the weight of the sample can be automatically and accurately obtained by the weighing sensor <NUM> provided below the support stage <NUM>, such that the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> is automatically controlled to input the matched quantity of the buffer fluid into the sample cup <NUM>, thus guaranteeing the accuracy of the measurement result, avoiding various problems of inconvenient use, a complex operation, a large error, or the like, caused by manual weighing of the sample by the user, and further improving the automation degree of the microfluidic detection system and the use experience of the user.

It should be noted that, in some alternative embodiments, the sample stage <NUM> may be fixed, and the microfluidic biochip <NUM> may be configured to be movable, which can also facilitate a sampling operation.

In some embodiments, the microfluidic biochip <NUM> is removably located above the sample stage <NUM>, and the sample inlet <NUM> is located at the bottom of the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. The microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a chip mounting mechanism <NUM> and a chip withdrawing mechanism <NUM>. The chip mounting mechanism <NUM> is provided in the housing <NUM> and used for supporting the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. The chip withdrawing mechanism <NUM> is used for operably releasing the support effect of the chip mounting mechanism <NUM> on the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, so as to release the microfluidic biochip <NUM> to enable the microfluidic biochip <NUM> to fall onto the sample stage <NUM> under the action of the gravity thereof. When the sample cup <NUM> is placed on the sample stage <NUM>, the microfluidic biochip <NUM> may be automatically dropped into the sample cup <NUM>, so as to be removed with the sample cup <NUM> for discarding. Preferably, the chip withdrawing mechanism <NUM> may be exposed on the front side of the housing <NUM>, and then exposed on the front side of the door <NUM> to facilitate the user to perform a chip withdrawing operation.

In some embodiments, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a buffer fluid bottle <NUM> and the buffer fluid driving device <NUM>. The buffer fluid bottle <NUM> is provided in the housing <NUM> and is used for containing the buffer fluid. The buffer fluid driving device <NUM> is provided in the housing <NUM> and is communicated with the buffer fluid bottle <NUM> to controllably drive the buffer fluid in the buffer fluid bottle <NUM> into the sample cup <NUM> placed on the sample stage <NUM>, such that the buffer fluid is mixed with the sample in the sample cup <NUM> to generate the sample fluid. Specifically, the buffer fluid bottle <NUM> is communicated with the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> through an inlet pipe <NUM>. An outlet pipe <NUM> of the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> extends to the sample stage <NUM>. This arrangement is adopted mainly for a solid sample as a detected sample, and the buffer fluid is required to dissolve the to-be-detected substance on the solid sample to form the sample fluid; or, the sample is a fluid sample, but has a too high concentration, and the sample is required to be diluted using the buffer fluid to produce the sample fluid. For example, during pesticide residue detection, the detected sample is usually a solid food residue piece, such as a skin, a leaf, or the like, the sample is required to be placed in the buffer fluid, and the pesticide residue on the sample is dissolved in the buffer fluid to form the sample fluid.

Specifically, the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> may be a peristaltic pump, a diaphragm pump or other suitable types of driving devices. The peristaltic or diaphragm pump generates large vibrations in the radial direction thereof when in operation, and in order to prevent the vibrations from being transmitted to the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, an elastic damping piece <NUM> may be provided on the radial outer side of the peristaltic or diaphragm pump. The elastic damping piece <NUM> may be fitted over the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> and supported in the housing <NUM> by the clamping effect of a bracket <NUM> and a fixed block <NUM>, and the fixed block <NUM> may be fixed on a support plate <NUM>.

The microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a sample fluid driving device <NUM> in sealed communication with the communication port <NUM> through a connecting pipeline <NUM> to impel the sample fluid in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> to flow into the microfluidic channel <NUM> and flow to the detection pool <NUM> by means of the microfluidic channel <NUM>. Specifically, the communication port <NUM>, the detection pool <NUM> and the sample inlet <NUM> are sequentially communicated to form the main channel, and the sample fluid driving device <NUM> can draw air outwards to form a negative pressure in the main channel, so as to promote the sample fluid in contact with the sample inlet <NUM> to enter the microfluidic channel and the detection pool <NUM> under the action of the negative pressure. Further, the sample fluid driving device <NUM> can be hermetically docked with the microfluidic biochip <NUM> by a sealed docking mechanism <NUM>, thereby ensuring that the sample fluid driving device <NUM> is hermetically communicated with the communication port <NUM>. Specifically, the sample fluid driving device <NUM> may be a micro injection pump.

In some embodiments, the microfluidic detection system <NUM> further includes a circuit board <NUM>, a display device <NUM>, and a switch button <NUM>, and the circuit board <NUM> is provided within the housing <NUM> and electrically connected with the first electrical connecting piece <NUM> on the housing <NUM>. The electrical components of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> are all electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM> directly or indirectly. The display device <NUM> is provided on the front side of the housing <NUM> and electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM> for displaying a detection result of the detection mechanism <NUM>. The switch button <NUM> is provided on the front side of the housing <NUM> and electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM> for activating and/or deactivating a detection function of the microfluidic detection system <NUM>. That is, the user can start, pause, or stop the detection function of the microfluidic detection system <NUM> by operating the switch button <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> includes a rear shell <NUM> at the rear side and a front panel <NUM> connected to the front side of the rear shell <NUM>. An accommodating cavity is defined between the rear shell <NUM> and the front panel <NUM> after the rear shell and the front panel are assembled. The support plate <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> are further provided in the accommodating cavity of the housing <NUM>. The support plate <NUM> is fixedly connected to the rear shell <NUM>, and at least a part of the structure of the lifting mechanism <NUM> (for example, the non-movable part of the lifting mechanism <NUM>) and the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> are fixed on the support plate <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> is fixedly connected to the front side of the support plate <NUM>, and the microfluidic biochip <NUM> and the sample fluid driving device <NUM> are directly or indirectly supported on the bracket <NUM>. Thus, the lifting mechanism <NUM>, the buffer fluid driving device <NUM>, the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, and the sample fluid driving device <NUM> can be stably supported by the support plate <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> in the accommodating cavity formed between the rear shell <NUM> and the front panel <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism <NUM> may be provided on the transverse side of the sample stage <NUM>, the buffer fluid 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 fluid driving device <NUM> is located on the other side of the microfluidic biochip <NUM> in the transverse direction, and the buffer fluid bottle <NUM> is located on a side of the sample fluid driving device <NUM> away from the microfluidic biochip <NUM>. For the microfluidic biochip <NUM>, the sample stage <NUM>, the lifting mechanism <NUM>, the buffer fluid driving device <NUM>, the sample fluid driving device <NUM> and the buffer fluid bottle <NUM> with such a layout, the size features of each module in the vertical direction and the transverse direction are 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 detection system <NUM> in the front and rear direction is reduced as far as possible, and therefore, after the microfluidic detection system <NUM> is integrated on the door <NUM>, the thickness of the door <NUM> is not increased, and the thickness of the heat insulation layer of the door <NUM> is not reduced greatly.

A partition <NUM> extending transversely may be provided between the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> and the lifting mechanism <NUM> to avoid that a leaked fluid possibly generated by the buffer fluid driving device <NUM> drops on the lifting mechanism <NUM> to affect the normal operation of the lifting mechanism <NUM>. The partition <NUM> may be fixed on the support plate <NUM>.

The refrigerator <NUM> according to the present application is a refrigerator in a broad sense, and includes not only a so-called refrigerator in a narrow sense, but also a storage device having a refrigerating function, for example, a refrigerating box, a freezer, or the like.

Claim 1:
A refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerator body (<NUM>) internally defining a storage space for storing articles;
a door (<NUM>) connected to the refrigerator body and used for opening and/or closing the storage space; and
a microfluidic detection system (<NUM>) which is provided on the door and comprises
a microfluidic biochip (<NUM>) having a sample inlet (<NUM>), a communication port (<NUM>), and a detection poc (<NUM>) formed in the microfluidic biochip, the sample inlet, the detection pool, and the communication port being communicated in sequence by means of a microfluidic channel (<NUM>) to allow a sample fluid in contact with the sample inlet to enter the microfluidic channel and flow into the detection pool by means of the microfluidic channel; and
a detection mechanism (<NUM>) used for detecting the detection pool to obtain a preset detection parameter of the sample fluid, wherein the detection pool is provided therein with a detection reagent in advance, or the detection reagent is manually or automatically added to the detection pool, such that the detection mechanism detects the detection pool after the sample fluid in the detection pool reacts with the detection reagent therein, wherein the microfluidic detection system further comprises:
a sample stage (<NUM>) for placing a sample cup, the sample cup being used for containing the sample fluid; and
a housing (<NUM>) provided with an operation stage (<NUM>) opened towards the front side thereof, the sample stage being at least partially located in the operation stage,
wherein a hollowed window (<NUM>) is formed in the front side of the door, and the operation stage is exposed on the front side of the door through the hollowed window, wherein the microfluidic detection system further comprises:
a sample fluid driving device (<NUM>) in sealed communication with the communication port to impel the sample fluid in contact with the sample inlet to flow into the microfluidic channel and flow to the detection pool by means of the microfluidic channel.