Patent ID: 7688449

Claim:
Microchip testing device, comprising: a rotary drive source which is stoppable at a prescribed angle; a centrifugal rotor which is connected to a main shaft which is turned by the rotary drive source; a centrifugal direction switching mechanism for controlling a concentric rotatable object which is freely fitted on the main shaft; a planetary revolution object which engages the concentric rotatable object which is located on the centrifugal rotor; a chip holder which is turnable together with the planetary revolution object; a microchip which is held in the chip holder and which has a part for measuring absorbance; a light source from which light is radiatable into the part for measuring absorbance of the microchip; a detector which receives light from the part for measuring absorbance; and a controller which controls movements of the rotary drive source and the centrifugal direction switching mechanism and stopping at a location at which absorbance measuring is performed corresponding to a location of the light source and detector; wherein the centrifugal direction switching mechanism has the following switching operation modes: a centrifugation mode in which the concentric rotatable object is connected to the rotary drive source and the planetary revolution object is turned without autorotation; and a switching mode in which the concentric rotatable object is connected to a measurement chamber and the planetary revolution object is subjected to planetary motion in which it is turned with simultaneous autorotation by the rotary drive source.