GB2124509A

GB2124509A - Mixing a sample and a reagent together

Info

Publication number: GB2124509A
Application number: GB08319976A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sannosuke Sanuki; Hideyuki Morikawa
Original assignee: Sanuki Kogyo KK; Seiko Instruments Inc
Current assignee: Sanuki Kogyo KK; Seiko Instruments Inc
Priority date: 1982-07-26
Filing date: 1983-07-25
Publication date: 1984-02-22
Also published as: GB2124509B; GB8319976D0; DE3326940A1; FR2530819B1; JPS5919857A; JPH0332749B2; FR2530819A1

Abstract

Apparatus for mixing a sample and a reagent together comprising: a turntable (2) with a driving mechanism (3) and means (4, 5) for stopping the turntable (2) at desired positions; supports (6) disposed around the periphery of the turntable (2) for supporting reaction vessels (1); reaction vessels (1); supply nozzles (11, 12) for depositing quantities of the sample and the reagent onto different parts of the internal wall of each reaction vessel (1) positioned in the supports (6) and elevator means (9a, 9b) for moving the supply nozzles (11, 12) towards and away from the reaction vessel (1); the internal wall of each reaction vessel (1) being shaped so that the quantities of the sample and the reagent converge on one another and are mixed together when rotation of the turntable (2) causes them to move towards a closed end of the reaction vessel (1) under the influence of centrifugal force; and control means for controlling rotation and stopping of the turntable (2) and operation of the supply nozzles (11, 12) in accordance with a predetermined program to effect automatically mixing of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessels (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of mixing a sample and a reagent together and apparatus therefor This invention relates to a method of mixing a sample and a reagent together and apparatus therefor. Onb application of the invention is the reaction of a trace sample of blood with a suitable reagent to determine the blood type.

A flat, glass plate equipped with a shallow reaction recess or recesses has conventionally been used to carry out a reaction test on a trace sample such a blood. The sample and the reagent are placed on the plate and are mixed in the recess for reaction. Prior art methods such as this must be carried out completely manually and a great deal of labour and time are involved in handling the plate, charging the reagents, and mixing the reagents so the prior art methods cannot be carried out efficiently.

Although the present invention is primarily directed to any novel integer or step, or combination of integers or steps, herein disclosed and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings, nevertheless, according to one particular aspect of the present invention to which, however, the invention is in no way restricted, there is provided a method of mixing a sample and a reagent together comprising the steps of: depositing a quantity of the sample and the reagent at separate positions onto the internal wall of a reaction vessel; and rotating the reaction vessel so as to move the sample and the reagent deposited therein towards a closed end of the reaction vessel by centrifugal force, the internal wall of the reaction vessel being shaped so that the quantities of the sample and the reagent converge on one another and are mixed together as they move towards the closed end.

Preferably, a plurality of reaction vessels are disposed at intervals around the periphery of a turntable which is provided with means for rotating it and stopping it at desired positions, and supply nozzles are provided to deposit the quantities of the sample and the reagent onto the internal wall of each reaction vessel stopped in a desired position, the apparatus being controlled in accordance with a predetermined program to effect automatically the mixing of the sample and the reagent.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for mixing a sample and a reagent together comprising: a turntable with a driving mechanism for rotating it and means for stopping the turntable at desired positions; a plurality of supports disposed at intervals around the periphery of the turntable for supporting reaction vessels; a plurality of reaction vessels for positioning in the supports; supply nozzles for depositing quantities of the sample and the reagent onto different parts of the internal wall of each reaction vessel positioned in the supports and means for moving the supply nozzles towards and away from the reaction vessel, the internal wall of each reaction vessel being shaped so that the quantities of the sample and the reagent converge on one another and are mixed together when rotation of the turntable causes them to move towards a closed end of the reaction vessel under the influence of centrifugal force; and control means for controlling rotation and stopping of the turntable and operation of the supply nozzles in accordance with a predetermined program to effect automatically mixing of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessels.

The supports may be pivotably mounted in the turntable so as to be able to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the radial direction of the turntable.

The means for stopping the turntable at desired positions may comprise a disc arranged to rotate with the turntabie and a sensor for detecting through-holes in the disc.

Preferably, the tip of each supply nozzle is bent so that when the nozzle is positioned within a reaction vessel the tip contacts the internal wall thereof.

A plurality of supply nozzles for supplying a plurality of different reagents to be mixed together may be provided.

The control means may comprise a microcomputer.

The present invention will now be illustrated, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a turntable of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view of a reaction vessel of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 when a reagent is being added thereto.

The terms "upper", "lower", "top", and "bottom" etc. used in the following description are to be understood to refer to directions in the accompanying drawings.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises a turntable 2 which supports reaction vessels 1 around its periphery. The turntable 2 may be rotated by a motor 3 and the rotation is detected by a disc 4 attached to a shaft 3a of the motor 3 and a sensor 5. The disc 4 may be provided with through-holes which are detected by the sensor 5.

The turntable can be stopped at desired positions and can be rotated at high speed by the motor 3.

Reaction vessel supports 6 are disposed at intervals around the periphery of the turntable 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each reaction vessel support 6 comprises a pair of support pins 7 on which support rings 8 are pivotably mounted, the axes of the pins 7 lying perpendicular to the radial direction of the turntable 2.

The reaction vessels 1 are in the form of a test tube as shown in Figure 3 and are suspended from and supported by the support rings 8.

Support disc 1 Oa and lOb, which may be independently moved up and down by vertical driving means 9a, and 9b, are disposed above the turntable 2.

A sample drop nozzle or supply nozzle 11 and a plurality of reagent drop nozzles or supply nozzles 12 are mounted on the support disc 1 Oa and the support disc 1 Ob, respectively, in positions corresponding to different stop positions of the reaction vessels 1. The nozzles 11 and 1 2 communicate with a sample storing vessel 14 and a reagent storing vessel 15, respectively, via determination pumps 1 3. The nozzles 11 and 1 2 may be moved towards and away from the reaction vessels 1 by the driving means 9a and 9b, respectively. The nozzles 11 and 1 2 are arranged so as to contact the internal walls of the reaction vessels 1 in different places when they are lowered by the driving means 9a and 9b.By this means, contamination of the nozzles due to contact with a reagent previously deposited by another nozzle is avoided.

The tip 1 a and 1 2a of each of the nozzles 11 and 12 is bent so as to face the internal walls of the reaction vessels 1 so that when the nozzles are lowered into the reaction vessels 1, the tips thereof contact the internal walls of the reaction vessels 1.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described. First, a sample and a reagent are placed into respective storing vessels 14, and 1 5 and empty reaction vessels 1 are positioned around the turntable 2. The sample drop nozzle 11 is first lowered to add a quantity of the sample drop by drop onto the internal wall of a reaction vessel 1. If several kinds of reaction are necessary, this step is repeated in other reaction vessels by sequentially turning the turntable 2.

The reagent drop nozzle 12 is then lowered so as to add a quantity of the reagent drop by drop onto the internal walls of the reaction vessels 1 into which the sample has been deposited.

Severai kinds of reagent may be stored in separate reagent storing vessels 1 5 and these may be added to different reaction vessels 1 by turning the turntable 2 to the desired positions. If only a trace sample is available, this may be manually charged into a reaction vessel 1, which may then be positioned in the turntable 2.

After the sample and the reagents are added in the manner described above, the turntable 2 is rotated at a high speed. This causes the reaction vessels 1 to tilt away from the axis of rotation of the turntable 2 about the pins 7 and the sample and the reagent inside the reaction vessels are moved towards the bottom end of the reaction vessels 1 by centrifugal force. The bottom or closed end of the reaction vessels 1 is tapered as shown in Figure 3, so the sample and reagent converge on one another and mix with each other as they move towards the bottom of the reaction vessel 1 under the influence of centrifugal force.

Addition of the sample and reagent by the pumps and nozzles, and rotation of the turntable are carried out sequentially under the control of an automatic control mechanism incorporating a micro-computer in accordance with a predetermined program.

The embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings employs reaction vessels which tilt under the action of centrifugal force when the turntable is rotated. However, an arrangement could be used in which the support rings 8 always hold the reaction vessels 1 at an angle to the axis of rotation of the turntable 2.

The method described above is particularly useful when many different kinds of samples are to be reacted with the same reagent such as in the hematoscopy of a group of subjects. The method described simplifies the inspection work and improves the efficiency thereof.

Claims

1. A method of mixing a sample and a reagent together comprising the steps of: depositing a quantity of the sample and the reagent at separate positions onto the internal wall of a reaction vessel; and rotating the reaction vessel so as to move the sample and the reagent deposited therein towards a closed end of the reaction vessel by centrifugal force, the internal wall of the reaction vessel being shaped so that the quantities of the sample and the reagent converge on one another and are mixed together as they move towards the closed end.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which a plurality of reaction vessels are disposed at intervals around the periphery of a turntable which is provided with means for rotating it and stopping it at desired positions, and supply nozzles are provided to deposit the quantities of the sample and the reagent onto the internal wall of each reaction vessel stopped in a desired position, the apparatus being controiled in accordance with a predetermined program to effect automatically the mixing of the sample and the reagent.

3. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. Apparatus for mixing a sample and a reagent together comprising: a turntable with a driving mechanism for rotating it and means for stopping the turntable at desired position; a plurality of supports disposed at intervals around the periphery of the turntable for supporting reaction vessels; a plurality of reaction vessels for positioning in the supports; supply nozzles for depositing quantities of the sample and the reagent onto different parts of the internal wall of each reaction vessel positioned in the supports and means for moving the supply nozzles towards and away from the reaction vessel, the internal wall of each reaction vessel being shaped so that the quantities of the sample and the reagent converge on one another and are mixed together when rotation of the turntable causes them to move towards a closed end of the reaction vessel under the influence of centrifugal force; and control means for controlling rotation and stopping of the turntable and operation of the supply nozzles in accordance with a predetermined program to effect automatically mixing of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessels.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the supports are pivotably mounted in the turntable so as to be able to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the radial direction of the turntable.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5 in which the means for stopping the turntable in desired positions comprises a disc arranged to rotate with the turntable and a sensor for detecting through-holes in the disc.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 in which the tip of each supply nozzle is bent so that when the nozzle is positioned within a reaction vessel the tip contacts the internal wall thereof.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 comprising a plurality of supply nozzles for supplying a plurality of different reagents to be mixed with the sample.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8 in which the control means comprises a microcomputer.

10. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of reacting a trace sample characterised in that reaction vessels having the shape of a bottomed cylinder of a small diameter are suspended from and support by the peripheral portion of a turntable capable of being rotated at a high speed, in such a manner as to be able to freely rock in the radial direction of said turntable, trace sample and reagent are charged into said reaction vessels along the inner surface thereof and said turntable is then rotated at high speed so that the sample and the reagent charged into said vessels are gathered at the bottom of said vessels and mixed and stirred.

12. Any novel integer or step or combination of integers or steps, hereinbefore described, irrespective of whether the present claim is within the scope of, or relates to the same or a different invention from that of, the preceding claims.