JPH0235945B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for performing automatic chemical analysis, and in particular, it is capable of quickly transferring the entire amount of a test solution in a U-shaped reaction tube into a measurement container without wasting it, and is capable of eliminating contaminants. The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that generates fewer problems.

Conventionally, various automatic chemical analyzers have been proposed in which a test liquid is transferred to a measurement container such as a flow cell to measure a reaction state. In this type of automatic analysis, it is necessary to sufficiently stir and mix the test solution consisting of the sample and reagent before measurement, and to hold it at a constant temperature for a certain period of time. In this type of automatic chemical analyzer, for example, a U-shaped reaction tube is immersed in a constant temperature bath to measure constant temperature, and then an appropriate reaction solution is added as required, and the test solution is aspirated into a measurement container and measured. The applicant has developed something that does this. Such devices require a certain amount of test liquid for measurement;
Furthermore, since the amount of test solution that can be stored in the U-shaped reaction tube is limited, a test solution transfer means for transporting the test solution in the U-shaped reaction tube to the measurement container is important.

Such a test liquid transfer device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-8034. According to this specification, in order to aspirate the test liquid necessary for measurement into a flow cell provided in the measurement section, a sample suction pipe is connected to one end of the flow cell, and a sample suction/discharge device is connected to the other end of the flow cell. Connect the other end of the sample suction pipe to U.
While inserted into the U-shaped reaction tube, the suction/discharge device is operated to suck the test liquid in the U-shaped reaction tube into the flow cell, and predetermined measurements are performed. However, in an apparatus having such a configuration, the amount of test liquid in the U-shaped reaction tube is limited, and it is not possible to aspirate all the test liquid contained in the U-shaped reaction tube. On the other hand, the inside of the flow cell is cleaned by inhaling a test solution, and as the amount of test solution inhaled decreases, contamination in the flow cell increases. Also, U
There is also a method of inhaling the test solution by sending air through the thin tube section of the shape-shaped reaction tube to push the test solution up to the large diameter section.
The behavior of the test liquid is unstable and there is a risk of air being sucked into the flow cell. Therefore, in order to reduce contamination, it is necessary to increase the amount of test liquid to be inhaled, which has the drawback of increasing the amount of reagent and running costs. Furthermore, since the stroke of raising and lowering the suction pipe is long, it is difficult to increase the speed of the device or simplify the mechanism.

Another example of such a liquid transfer device is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 18911/1983. According to this specification, a large number of approximately U-shaped reaction tubes each consisting of a cup portion and a thin tube portion are arranged on a rotary table placed above a constant temperature liquid bath,
Air is blown from the thin tube part of these reaction tubes,
The test solution in the reaction tube can be stirred, heated, and transferred by suctioning air and test solution.
Then, one end of the thin tube section is attached and fixed to a rotary table, and a suction thin tube that is displaced along the same axis as the axis of the thin tube section of this reaction tube is provided above it, and the other end of this thin tube section is for liquid suction. Connect devices. An elastic member is fixed to one end of the capillary portion of the reaction tube and the capillary tube for suction which face each other, and they are brought into pressure contact through the elastic member so that the holes of both tubes are connected airtightly, and the liquid suction device is driven. The test solution in the reaction tube can be transferred to the flow cell. In order to complete the connection between the two, this elastic member is provided with a ring-shaped protrusion with a diameter larger than the diameter of the capillary tube, or as an elastic chip piece that is also larger than the diameter of the capillary tube, and maintains an airtightness even if the two are slightly misaligned. It is now possible to connect them.

However, the diameters of both tubes are small, and they must be connected by pressing on the same straight line, making it mechanically difficult to position both in the radial and circumferential directions on the rotary table. This has the disadvantage that the device becomes complicated. In addition, contamination is likely to occur at the connection, and if there is even a slight leak between the two, it becomes difficult to aspirate the test liquid, and outside air is sucked in, creating bubbles.

Furthermore, although the test liquid is aspirated from the thin tube part of the U-shaped reaction tube and guided to the flow cell, the test liquid may adhere to the inner wall of the conduit or flow cell, or may pass through the flow cell and be sucked into the suction device. If the amount of test solution is small, there is a drawback that a sufficient amount of test solution cannot be supplied into the flow cell.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to eliminate the entire test solution from being wasted by a simple mechanism when transferring the test solution from the U-shaped reaction tube to the measurement container without increasing the amount of test solution used for measurement. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer having a liquid transfer device suitably configured so as to be able to transfer the liquid reliably without any problems, to increase the speed of the device, and to reduce contamination.

The present invention includes a rotary table disposed rotatably, a plurality of U-shaped reaction tubes mounted on the rotary table, each having a large diameter portion at one end and a small diameter portion at the other end, and the rotary table. above the
an elevating table disposed so as to be movable up and down in the direction of the rotational axis of the rotary table; and an elevating table disposed on the elevating table at a position corresponding to the passage path of the large-diameter portion of the U-shaped reaction tube; A crimping device having a cap that is brought into close contact with the large-diameter portion, a tube communicating with the cap of the crimping device for supplying air or liquid, and a position close to the passage path of the small-diameter portion of the U-shaped reaction tube. A measurement container is placed in the small diameter part of the U-shaped reaction tube and is connected to the large diameter part of the U-shaped reaction tube through the cap of the crimping device. The apparatus is characterized by comprising a test liquid transfer tube that guides the test liquid sent from the small diameter part to the measurement container by supplying air or liquid to the part.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an example of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention, showing a state in which an elevating table is lowered. A hollow inner wall 2 is provided at the center of the constant temperature bath 1 and extends perpendicularly to the surface of the constant temperature liquid 3, and a disc-shaped rotary table 5 is rotatably fitted to the tip 4 of the hollow inner wall 2. A vertically slidable column 6 is inserted inside the inner wall 2. An elevating table 8 is fixed to a tip 7 of a support 6, so that the elevating table 8 also moves up and down as the support 6 moves up and down. A large number of U-shaped reaction tubes 9 are radially fixed to the rotary table 5 so that both ends thereof penetrate through the rotary table 5 and protrude from the upper surface. This U-shaped reaction tube 9 has a wide opening 10 on the outer circumference side of the rotary table and a narrow opening part 1 on the inner circumference side.
1, and a hollow needle 1 at the tip of the narrow mouth part 11.
2 is mounted perpendicularly to the rotary table, and these joints are sealed to prevent liquid leakage. Further, when the lifting table 8 is raised and the rotary table 5 is rotated, the needle 12 is prevented from interfering with the lifting table 8. A gear 13 is provided on the outer periphery of the rotary table 5,
It meshes with gear 14. The gear 14 is connected to the shaft 17 of a motor 16 disposed on the collar 15 of the thermostatic oven 1, so that the rotary table 5 can be rotated intermittently by the rotation of the motor 16. On the other hand, holes 18 and 19 are provided in the lifting table 8 at positions corresponding to the centers of the wide opening 10 and the narrow opening 11 of the U-shaped reaction tube 9, respectively. Hole 1 on lifting table 8
Place the crimping device 21 of the air supply tube 20 at position 8,
A measurement container 2 is placed at the position of the hole 19 on the lifting table 8.
2 will be provided. The crimping device 21 has a hole 24 in the upper part of the outer case 23, and a hollow cap 25 that loosely fits into the hole 24 and the hole 18 is biased downward by a spring 26 and a ring 27 embedded in the cap 25. The lower end of the cap 25 is shaped like a flange with a ring-shaped rubber 28 that comes into contact with the wide opening 10 of the U-shaped reaction tube 9.
An air supply tube 20 is fitted into the upper end of the tube 5. The measurement container 22 is formed into a cylindrical shape from a transparent material, and its lower part is closed with a membrane 29 made of rubber elastic material. When the lifting table 8 is lowered, the needle 12 pierces the membrane 29 made of rubber elastic material, and The tip is arranged so as to protrude above the membrane 29. Further, a light source 30 is arranged on the left side of the measurement container 22, and the light flux emitted from the light source 30 is transmitted through the test liquid 31 in the measurement container 22, and a light receiving element 32 is arranged on the right side of the measurement container 22.
It is possible to receive light and perform predetermined measurements.

According to the automatic analyzer having such a configuration, a predetermined sample and reagent are dispensed into a predetermined U-shaped reaction tube 9 by a dispensing mechanism (not shown) while the elevating table 8 is raised. Next, the motor 16 turns the gears 14 and 13 to rotate the rotary table 15 and transport the U-shaped reaction tube 9 to the test liquid suction position. Here, the elevating table 8 is lowered, the wide mouth part 10 of the U-shaped reaction vessel 9 is brought into contact with the ring-shaped rubber 28 of the cap 25, and compressed against the spring 26, and the wide mouth part 10 and the cap 25 are compressed. Connect them airtight. At the same time, the needle 12 provided in the narrow opening 11 of the U-shaped reaction container 9 is inserted into the reaction container 2.
The rubber elastic membrane 29 of No. 2 is pierced to protrude into the reaction vessel 22. The needle 12 is a membrane 2 made of rubber elastic material.
9 and connect airtightly. In this state, air tube 2
0, air is sent in and the test liquid 31 in the U-shaped reaction tube 9 is pushed up into the measurement container 22. If air is continued to be supplied thereafter, the test liquid 31 in the reaction container 22 can be stirred. Therefore, the air is supplied through the wide mouth part 10.
Further, the test liquid does not leak from the contact portion between the rubber elastic membrane 29 and the needle 12, and the entire test liquid 31 can be reliably transferred into the reaction container. In addition, since the measurement container 22 is provided near the U-shaped reaction tube 9, the length of the needle 12 is short, and the amount of test liquid that adheres to the inside of the needle 12 can be reduced, thereby reducing contamination. . Further, even after the test liquid is transferred, if air is continued to be supplied, the test liquid 31 in the measurement container 22 can be stirred by air bubbles.

To measure the transferred test liquid 31, the light beam emitted from the light source 30 passes through the test liquid in the measurement container 22 and is received by the light receiving element 32, and the physical, chemical, and other characteristics of the test liquid 31 are measured. . This measurement may be performed with the lifting table 8 lowered and air supply stopped, or may be performed with the lifting table 8 raised as required. At this time, the lifting table 8 is raised,
Even when the needle 12 is removed from the membrane 29 made of rubber elastic material, the elasticity of the membrane 29 automatically closes the hole where the needle passes, and the test liquid 31 does not leak out. Further, depending on the measurement item, the measurement may be performed while the elevating table 8 is lowered and air is continuously supplied and stirred. According to an automatic analyzer having such a configuration, the transfer and agitation of the test liquid can be accomplished by the same mechanism, and the test liquid is less likely to adhere to the vicinity of the mouth of the measurement container, making it easier to clean the measurement container.

Figure 2 A, B, C and D are the base and U of Figure 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of connection with the wide-mouthed portion of the letter-shaped reaction tube. The shapes of the cap and the wide opening of the U-shaped reaction tube can be modified in various ways. For example, in FIG. 2A, the former tip 34 has a tapered side surface 35, and the side surface 35 fits into the opening of the latter. In FIG. 2B, the lower surface of the tip 36 of the former is provided with a recess having a tapered inner wall 37 that narrows inwardly so that the tapered inner wall 37 fits into the opening of the latter. In FIG. 2C, the outer diameter of the former is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the latter, and a chamfered portion 38 is provided at the tip of the former. Further, this chamfered portion 38 is made to fit into a tapered portion 39 provided in the latter opening. In FIG. 2D, a ring-shaped recess is provided at the tip of the former concentrically with the central axis thereof, and an O-ring 40 is attached thereto. The latter has a tapered portion 39 as in FIG. 2C, and the former and the latter are airtightly connected via an O-ring 40.

According to the above configuration, even if the positioning accuracy of both is not very good, it is possible to reliably connect them.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the automatic analyzer according to the present invention. For the sake of simplicity, the same parts as in FIG. 1 are represented by the same reference numerals, and explanations of similar structures and operations will be omitted. A pillar 41 having a circular cross section is vertically provided in the center of the constant temperature bath 1 and extends to the surface of the constant temperature liquid 3. The rotary table 5 is rotatably fitted into the stepped portion 42 of the support column 41, and a fixed table 43 is fixed to the tip thereof. Only a measurement container 44 made of a transparent material is placed on the fixed table 43. Base 2
5 and its attachment/detachment device 21 are attached to a separately provided elevating table 45. The elevating table 45 is moved up and down by a drive device (not shown). In addition, the reaction tube 46 used in this example extends the narrow end 11 of the U-shaped reaction tube 9 shown in FIG. The rotary table 5
sticks to. According to the automatic analyzer having such a configuration, the measurement container 44 is installed on the fixed table 43 near the reaction tube and does not move up and down, and compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. The entire test solution can be quickly transferred into the measurement container without providing any equipment.

As is clear from the above description, the automatic analyzer of the present invention has the following effects.

(1) Since the reaction tube and measurement container are placed close to each other, the distance to transfer the test solution is shortened, and the amount of test solution adhering to the solution transfer tube is also small, so the amount of test solution stored in the reaction tube can be reduced. It is possible to reduce contamination without increasing it. Furthermore, since the temperature of the test liquid decreases little, measurement accuracy is improved.

(2) Since pressure is applied from the large diameter part of the U-shaped reaction tube and the test solution is pushed out from the small diameter part, almost the entire amount of the test solution can be transferred to the measurement container without wasting it, so the amount of test solution is very small. can reduce running costs.

(3) Since the test liquid is pushed out from the small diameter part by applying pressure from the large diameter part of the reaction tube, air is not sucked in from the pressurized side of the reaction tube, and there is no risk of air bubbles being drawn into the test liquid.

(4) The stroke of the lifting and lowering operation is short, so high speed can be achieved.

(5) The connection part, which must be kept airtight, has a large diameter, so the positioning accuracy is rough but good.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned example, and many modifications and changes are possible.
For example, as a means to push the test solution into the measurement container, it is possible to use not only air but also other gases, and any liquid that does not mix with the test solution or that does not affect the measurement even if mixed can be used. Good too. In addition, if you install a cap at a location other than the test liquid suction position on the lifting table and connect the air tube and reaction tube, and draw air from the air tube in the opposite direction, air can be sucked in from the narrow mouth side of the reaction tube. The test solution can be stirred within the reaction tube. Furthermore, instead of just one measuring container, a plurality of measuring containers may be prepared and used alternately. Furthermore, when cleaning the reaction tube, by sending cleaning water from the air supply tube, the entire inside of the reaction tube can be cleaned without splashing the cleaning water around.

In order to improve the temperature accuracy of the test solution, it is desirable to make the reaction tube from glass, but since it is expensive, it is also possible to make it from plastic.In this case, the cost can be reduced by blow molding, and the thin part of the tube is thicker than the thick part. Since the wall is thinner, it is convenient for controlling the temperature of the test liquid because it allows for a balance between the contact area with the constant-temperature liquid and the wall thickness.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an example of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2A, B, C, and D show the state of connection between the cap in FIG. 1 and the wide opening of the U-shaped reaction tube. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the automatic analyzer according to the present invention. 1... Constant temperature bath, 2... Inner wall, 3... Constant temperature liquid, 5
... Rotating table, 6 ... Support, 8 ... Lifting table, 9 ... U-shaped reaction tube, 10 ... Thick mouth part, 1
1... Narrow opening, 12... Needle, 13, 14... Gear, 16... Motor, 18, 19... Hole, 20...
... Air supply tube, 22 ... Measurement container, 25 ... Cap, 26 ... Spring, 28 ... Ring-shaped rubber, 29
... Rubber elastic film, 30 ... Light source, 31 ... Test liquid, 32 ... Light receiving element, 40 ... O ring, 43
...Fixed table, 44...Measurement container, 45...
Elevating table, 46...reaction tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rotary table arranged to be freely rotatable, a plurality of U-shaped reaction tubes mounted on the rotary table, each having a large diameter portion at one end and a small diameter portion at the other end, and rotation of the rotary table. An elevating table is arranged to be movable up and down in the axial direction, and the elevating table is arranged at a position corresponding to the passage path of the large-diameter portion of the U-shaped reaction tube, and the elevating table is arranged to move upward and downward in the large-diameter portion as the elevating table descends. A crimping device having a cap that is brought into close contact with the cap, a tube communicating with the cap of the crimping device for supplying air or liquid, and a position of the elevating table close to the passage path of the small diameter portion of the U-shaped reaction tube. A measurement container is placed in the small diameter part of the U-shaped reaction tube and is connected to the large diameter part of the U-shaped reaction tube through the cap of the crimping device. 1. An automatic analyzer comprising: a test liquid transfer tube that guides a test liquid sent from the small diameter part to the measurement container by supplying air or liquid to the part.