Abstract: A fuel cell device has a small and compact structure as a whole. The fuel cell device employs a fuel cell (e.g., direct methanol fuel cell of an MEA structure) using liquid fuel. Diluted liquid fuel is prepared by diluting the liquid fuel (methanol-contained liquid in the case of DMFC) with dilution liquid, and is supplied to the fuel cell. A first pump unit stacked on the fuel cell supplies the diluted liquid fuel to the fuel cell while diluting the liquid fuel by mixing the liquid fuel and the dilution liquid together. A second pump unit stacked on the fuel cell collects liquid (water usable as dilution liquid in DMFC) produced by an electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell.

Abstract: A microchip having: two flow path substrates having flow paths in a shape of a groove formed on one side of each substrate thereof; and a communication hole substrate on which a communication hole is formed to communicate the flow paths of the two substrates each other; wherein the two substrates are bonded in a way that the surfaces, on which the flow paths in the shape of the groove formed, face each other, having the communication hole substrate therebetween.

Abstract: In case of performing a reaction between reacting material and reagent by bringing the reagent in contact with the reacting material through flowing the reagent into a reaction flow channel in which the reaction material which reacts with the reagent is carried on a wall surface of the reaction flow channel of a microchip, the reaction is expedited efficiently by passing the reagent to the reacting material. The reagent 30a is flowed such that a peripheral portion of a gas-liquid interface at a front end of the reagent moves back and forth on the wall surface of the reaction flow channel 10 when the reaction is performed.

Abstract: A microreactor capable of reaction between a sample and a mixed reagent containing a mixture of multiple reagents, which microreactor avoids the interposition of air between driving solution and reagents and realizes high-precision controlling of the timing of mixing of reagents and other liquids, the mixing ratio of liquids, the pressure for liquid feeding, etc. Further, there is provided a method of liquid feeding making use of the same. Accordingly, a flow path branched at the position of an inlet from a flow path through which an opening communicating with an external pump communicates with the inlet is provided with an air evacuation flow path with its terminal open outward. Further, the flow path resistance of the air evacuation flow path for a liquid is made greater than the flow path resistance, for the liquid, of a flow channel from the reagent storage chamber to a reagent feed-out flow path.

Abstract: A testing chip includes (1) a first chip having a micro flow path that stores reagent; upstream-side opening provided on upstream-side of the micro flow path; downstream-side opening provided on downstream-side of the micro flow path; and one or more sealing members in a small thickness stuck to at least one surface of the first chip to seal the upstream-side opening and the downstream-side opening until the testing chip is used and (2) a second chip having a micro flow path for mixing and reaction between reagent and a specimen and detecting the reaction; and an opening provided on upstream-side of the micro flow path, wherein, when the testing chip is used, the first and second chips are superimposed on each other so that the downstream-side opening of the first chip and the opening of the second chip are positioned on each other.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a microchip inspection system in which an amount of driving liquid filled in a flow path between a micropump and a microchip is kept constant. Also disclosed is a microchip inspection system possessing a micropump by which driving liquid is injected into a microchip from a flow path; a driving liquid sensing device by which a sensing signal is output by sensing presence or absence of the driving liquid at a predetermined position of the flow path; and a pump driving control section by which the driving liquid is moved to a position based on the predetermined position as a reference position by driving the micropump in response to the sensing signal obtained from the driving liquid sensing device.

Abstract: There is described a microchip inspection system, which makes it possible not only to correct the influence of the viscosity change of the liquid, but also to accurately conduct the liquid conveyance controlling operation. The microchip inspection system includes: a micro pump to inject a driving liquid from a liquid flow path into a microchip; a liquid temperature adjusting section to adjust a liquid temperature of the driving liquid; a driving liquid detecting section to detect presence or absence of the driving liquid at two predetermined positions located in the liquid flow path, so as to output detection signals; a fluid velocity calculating section to calculate a fluid velocity based on the detection signals outputted by the driving liquid detecting section; and a liquid temperature controlling section to control the liquid temperature adjusting section, based on the fluid velocity calculated by the fluid velocity calculating section.

Abstract: A method and a device are provided which can mix two liquids faster at a precise mixing ratio. The method for mixing at least two liquids transported in respective channels includes transporting, of the two liquids, a liquid having a low mixing rate intermittently in one of the channels, and transporting, of the two liquids, a liquid having a high mixing rate so as to join the liquid having a low mixing rate from both sides of the channel for the liquid having a low mixing rate.

Abstract: There is described a micro total analysis chip, which makes it possible not only to stabilize the liquid transportation amount and the liquid conveying velocity of the sample liquid, but also to improve the accuracy of analysis. The chip includes: a first connecting section to connect with a first liquid conveying device; a sample liquid injecting section coupled to a downstream side of the first connecting section; a first sample liquid conveying path coupled to a downstream side of the sample injecting section; a second connecting section to connect with a second liquid conveying device; a sample liquid reservoir coupled to the second connecting section and a downstream side of the first sample liquid conveying path, to accommodate the sample liquid; and a second sample liquid conveying path coupled to a downstream side of the sample liquid reservoir, so that the sample liquid is conveyed downstream.

Abstract: A micro total analysis chip including: a main flow chip for feeding a liquid; and a divided flow path for dividing and feeding the liquid at a predetermined division ratio, each divided path of the plurality of divided paths having a high flow path narrower than a preceding part and a subsequent part of the each divided path, wherein a flow portion of a first divided path in the divided paths satisfies and expression of: R×Q>?×L/S, where, Q is a flow rate of the first divided path, S is a sectional area and L is a sectional circumferential length of a flow path of other divided path of the plurality of divided paths, and ? is a surface tension liquid.

Abstract: A micro total analysis chip including: a main flow path for feeding a liquid; and a divided flow path branched into a plurality of divided paths for dividing and feeding the liquid fed from the main flow path at a predetermined division ratio, wherein a ratio of flow path resistance between each of the divided paths is approximately equal to a reciprocal of the predetermined ratio with which the liquid is divided and fed to the each of the divided paths.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a microchip exhibiting no scattering of stored reagent together with reduced size, which is capable of rapidly mixing the reagent when used. Also disclosed is a microchip possessing a reaction section in which reaction with a reagent or a specimen supplied from a flow path is conducted via heat, wherein the reaction section possesses a storage section to store the reagent in advance, and the reagent previously stored in the storage section is sealed with a material which generates phase transition from a solid phase to a liquid phase between a storage temperature and a reaction temperature.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a micro-reactor, equipped with a high-precision liquid feed system of simple structure, capable of high-precision analysis of at least one item. The present invention provides a micro-reactor for biological substance inspection including a sample storage section, a reagent storage section, a sample pre-processing section, a micro-pump connecting section and a branched minute flow path. And a sample pre-processed by the sample pre-processing section is fed into the minute flow path branched off into at least two parts by a micro-pump and a liquid dividing section, and on the downstream side of each of the branched minute flow paths, the sample is fed to a flow path constituting a reaction site, and then to a flow path constituting the detection site, thereby providing simultaneous measurement of a plurality of items of a sample.

Abstract: A fluid transportation system includes: a micropump provided with a chamber and a diaphragm driven by an actuator; fluid communication sections communicating with both ends of the chamber of the micropump; a pressure absorbing section that is provided at least one of the fluid communication sections so as to absorb or reduce a fluid vibration pressure; and a narrow section that is provided at a position further than the pressure absorbing section from the chamber so as to narrow a flow path cross-section, wherein, when R represents a flow path resistance value of the narrow section and C represents an acoustic capacitance value of the pressure absorbing section, a value obtained by multiplication between R and C is not smaller than a driving cycle period value of the micropump.

Abstract: A testing chip includes (1) a first chip having a micro flow path that stores reagent; upstream-side opening provided on upstream-side of the micro flow path; downstream-side opening provided on downstream-side of the micro flow path; and one or more sealing members in a small thickness stuck to at least one surface of the first chip to seal the upstream-side opening and the downstream-side opening until the testing chip is used and (2) a second chip having a micro flow path for mixing and reaction between reagent and a specimen and detecting the reaction; and an opening provided on upstream-side of the micro flow path, wherein, when the testing chip is used, the first and second chips are superimposed on each other so that the downstream-side opening of the first chip and the opening of the second chip are positioned on each other.

Abstract: A testing chip that analyzes a specimen includes: a reagent storage section; a mixing and reaction flow channel to perform a series of operations to mix a specimen and aqueous reagent, make the specimen and reagent react with each other, and detect the reaction; and a liquid feed control section provided between an outlet flow channel of the reagent storage section and the inlet of the mixing and reaction flow channel. Herein, aqueous reagent, lipophilic liquid, and aqueous liquid having greater surface tension than that of the aqueous reagent are disposed in the reagent storage section in this order toward the outlet flow channel, the aqueous liquid being stored in contact with the liquid feed control section; and aqueous liquid passes the micro flow path of the liquid feed control section by applying a liquid feed pressure higher than or equal to a predetermined pressure to the reagent storage section.

Abstract: A system including an inspection chip equipped with at least a pump connection having a flow path opening for interconnecting to a micro-pump, a flow path through which a fluid flows, and a fluid mixing section for joining and mixing two or more fluids, and including a system body equipped with at least a base body, a chip connection having a flow path opening for interconnecting to the inspection chip, a micro-pump unit in the base body including micro-pumps in substantially the same shape, a detection processor and a controller for controlling at least the functions of the micro-pump unit and the detection processor, and the joining amount ratio is adjusted to set the mixing ratio of two fluids to be joined in the fluid mixing section to be approximately m:n (not 1:1) by making the drive voltages of the micro-pumps substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: A micro integrated analysis system includes a testing chip, system main body and heat insulating section. The chip has a pump connecting section to communicate with micro pumps; a mixing flow path for mixing a specimen and reagent and for reaction processing by heating; and a testing flow path for performing a predetermined test of a mixed solution heated and processed for reaction. The system main body has a holding section to hold the testing chip; micro pumps for injecting a specimen and reagent; a heating section for heating the mixing flow path; and a detection section for performing a test in the testing flow path. The heat insulating section insulates flow path portions continuing from both an inlet end and outlet end of a heated flow path area of the mixing flow path, from heat of the heating section so as to prevent a rise in temperature.

Abstract: At the joining section where two flow paths join, a reverse flow preventing means is installed in one flow path on the upstream side of the joining section and the flow path resistance of the reverse flow preventing means is set so as to be larger than the overall flow path resistance which is the total flow path resistance of the upstream and downstream sides of the joining section in the other flow path.

Abstract: An analyzer for analysis of a specimen in a testing chip that includes a micropump connecting section that is connected with a micropump to take in liquid from the micropump and includes a micro flow channel in which a reagent and the specimen are mixed so as to react with each other, the analyzer including: a mounting section for mounting the testing chip attachably and detachably thereto; a micropump unit that has a testing chip connecting section to be connected with the micropump connecting section of the testing chip which is mounted on the mounting section, and feeds liquid to the testing chip through the testing chip connecting section; and a pressing mechanism that presses the micropump connecting section and the testing chip connecting section against each other, the connecting sections being connected with each other.