Thermocycling inspection device and chip holder

A thermocycling inspection device comprising:

• an inspection chip having a sample introducing port and a sample discharge port in a central portion of the inspection chip, and a plurality of sample flow passages radially extending from the sample introducing port a chip holder, the inspection chip configured to fix a reagent to the plurality of sample flow passages by capillary action, the inspection chip is accommodated in the chip holder, and
• a specimen is inspected by polymerase chain reaction using the chip holder, and
• a thermocycler that heats and cools the inspection chip,
• a detector that takes a picture of the inspection chip,
• the thermocycler having an upper surface, wherein the chip holder is disposed on the upper surface of the thermocycler,
• a pair of slide rails that moves the thermocycler including the chip holder such that an optical axis of the detector and an optical axis of the sample introducing port match with each other when the thermocycler heats or cools the inspection chip or when a picture of the inspection chip is taken by the detector,
• wherein the chip holder further includes:
• a chip-accommodating saucer configured to accommodate the inspection chip therein,
• a holder configured to hold the chip-accommodating saucer at a central portion of the holder, the holder having an upper surface comprising a ring-shaped recess, positioning recesses and fixing holes, and
• a chip-pressing device configured to press the inspection chip accommodated in the chip-accommodating saucer against the chip-accommodating saucer, and
• the ring-shaped recess is formed around an outer periphery of the chip-accommodating saucer,
• the positioning recesses are continuous with the ring-shaped recess,
• each of the fixing holes are formed in a portion of a positioning recess of the positioning recesses,
• the chip-pressing device comprising a ring portion, positioning legs, fixing projections and chip pressing legs,
• the ring portion is mounted on the ring-shaped recess,
• the positioning legs are mounted on the positioning recesses,
• each of the fixing projections is fitted into a corresponding fixing hole of the fixing holes,
• the ring portion is mounted on the ring-shaped recess and the positioning legs are mounted on the positioning recesses, thereby the chip-pressing device is positioned on the holder, and
• the fixing projections are fitted into the fixing holes, the chip-pressing device is fixed to the holder.