JP2000088844A - Inspection device for blood separated by specific gravity - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To certainly detect fibrin contained in a blood separated by a specific gravity and to solve a harmful influence by fibrin by irradiating a blood separated by a specific gravity and filled in a transparent container and detecting a difference of a color distribution of a supernatant by a photo-sensor. SOLUTION: A light source 4 of an inspection device A irradiates a light to a blood 6 separated by a specific gravity from obliquely above a transparent container 1 and a reflection light of the blood 6 is received by a photo-sensor provided with many receiving elements such as photodiodes arranged. Fibrin contained in a supernatant 6A and each liquid surface of the supernatant 6A and a hemocyte 6B are detected from a color difference such as a hue, a purity, a light and shade and so on. A driving mechanism 8 vertically moves a moving base 10 and moves the base 10 from the transparent container 1 to the above of a plurality of separators 3 and then moves a nozzle 2 through the moving base 10. At this time, a plurality of light emitting diodes having different luminescent colors are used as the light source 4. Fibrin and each liquid surface 7A, 7B can be more exactly detected by irradiating the blood 6 while changing the light to a plurality of colors.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a test apparatus mainly used in connection with a blood dispensing apparatus or an analyzing apparatus, and more particularly, to a method for separating blood collected from a human body by centrifugation or the like. The present invention relates to a test apparatus for separating fibrin contained in a supernatant by separating the supernatant into blood cells.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Blood collected from a human body is placed in a transparent container made of glass or the like and centrifuged. The centrifuged blood is separated into a supernatant and blood cells due to a difference in specific gravity. The supernatant is plasma or serum.

[0003] The blood separated in this state is dispensed into a plurality of separators using a dispensing device or the like for examination, or is examined by an analyzer. The dispensing device inserts a nozzle into blood, aspirates blood with the nozzle, and dispenses the blood to a separator. The dispenser aspirates the supernatant such as serum or plasma and dispenses the supernatant to the separator. The nozzle for sucking the supernatant liquid has its tip inserted below the surface of the supernatant liquid and sucks the supernatant liquid.

[0004] The dispensing device dispenses blood separated by specific gravity as follows. The nozzle is slowly inserted below the level of the supernatant. In this state, after the nozzle sucks a predetermined amount of the supernatant, the nozzle is raised. The lower end of the nozzle is moved to the separator, and the sucked supernatant is supplied to the separator. This step is repeated to dispense the supernatant into a plurality of separators.

[0005]

In the above process, when the supernatant and the blood cells are dispensed, the nozzle for aspirating the blood separated by the specific gravity may be clogged, and the dispensing cannot always be performed efficiently. Further, even in an analyzer that aspirates and analyzes the centrifuged blood by using a nozzle without dispensing the blood, the nozzle that suctions the supernatant may be clogged. This is because blood that is not sufficiently centrifuged does not completely coagulate, and blood from patients with impaired coagulation system may contain fibrin in the supernatant even when the blood is sufficiently separated. Because there is. In particular, in actual tests, specific gravity cannot be sufficiently separated due to the rapid centrifugation.
The fact is that the fibrin is contained in the supernatant. Fibrin is distributed like a cloud in the supernatant and causes clogging of the nozzle. When the nozzle of the dispenser sucks the fibrin, the fibrin is clogged and the supernatant cannot be accurately dispensed to the separator. Also, the nozzle of the analyzer cannot be inspected if the fibrin is clogged. In particular, since the nozzle of the analyzer is not so easily exchangeable as the nozzle of the dispenser, if the nozzle is clogged, the subsequent inspection cannot be performed.

[0006] Furthermore, the dispensing apparatus and the analyzer for dispensing the supernatant and the blood cells have a drawback that it is difficult to efficiently dispense or analyze the blood separated by specific gravity in a short time. This is because it takes time to detect the level of the supernatant.
In particular, the boundary between the supernatant and the blood cells, or in other words, the level of the blood cells is very difficult to detect, and may not be accurately detected. This is because the liquid level of blood cells is detected by a slight difference in the suction pressure of the nozzle. If the level of the supernatant and the blood cells cannot be detected, the amount of the supernatant cannot be accurately detected.

[0007] The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving such disadvantages. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a blood-separated blood test apparatus capable of reliably detecting fibrin contained in blood separated by specific gravity and eliminating the adverse effects of the fibrin.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for testing a blood whose specific gravity has been separated, which can quickly and accurately detect the blood cells of the blood whose specific gravity has been separated and the level of the supernatant. .

[0009]

The apparatus of the present invention is a test apparatus which is mainly incorporated in a dispensing apparatus or an analyzing apparatus or used in connection with such an apparatus. This is a device that detects fibrin. This test apparatus irradiates light to the filled blood 6 with the transparent container 1 filled with the blood separated in specific gravity in a vertical position,
The difference in the color distribution of the supernatant 6A is detected by the optical sensor 5,
It is characterized in that the fibrin in the supernatant 6A is detected.

In the inspection apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, the optical sensor 5 detects a change in the color of the blood 6 in the vertical direction to detect the positions of the liquid levels 7A and 7B between the supernatant and the blood cells. .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the optical sensor 5 detects a change in the color of the blood 6 in the vertical direction to detect the position of the liquid level 7A of the supernatant.

Further, the inspection apparatus according to claim 4 of the present invention,
The transparent container 1 and the optical sensor 5 are housed in a dark box 11 whose inner surface is blackened to absorb light.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below exemplify an inspection apparatus for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the inspection apparatus as follows.

Further, in this specification, in order to make it easy to understand the claims, the numbers corresponding to the members shown in the embodiments will be referred to as “claims” and “ In the column of “means”. However, the members described in the claims are not limited to the members of the embodiments.

The inspection apparatus of the present invention is built in a dispensing apparatus or an analyzer, or is not built in these apparatuses.
Used in connection with these devices. The test apparatus of the present invention detects fibrin in blood separated by specific gravity. Also,
In addition to the supernatant, fibrin, the level of the supernatant or blood cells is detected. The transparent container in which the fibrin is detected clogs the nozzle of the dispensing device or the analyzer, and should not be inspected by the dispensing device or the analyzer. Further, the test apparatus inputs a supernatant or blood cell level signal to a dispensing apparatus or an analyzer. The dispensing device or the analyzer controls the vertical movement position of the nozzle based on the input liquid level signal. An inspection device built in or connected to the dispensing device or the analyzer prevents clogging of the nozzle of the dispensing device or the analyzer, and speeds up the movement of the nozzle of the dispensing device or the analyzer.

However, the use of the inspection apparatus of the present invention is not limited to those used together with a dispensing apparatus or an analyzer. For example, it can be used for an apparatus that detects fibrin in blood separated by specific gravity and selects a transparent container containing fibrin.

FIG. 1 shows an inspection device A used for a dispensing device B. The apparatus in this figure includes a dispensing device B and an inspection device A. The dispensing device B inserts the nozzle 2 into the blood 6 separated in the transparent container 1 and separated by specific gravity, aspirates the blood 6 with the nozzle 2, and dispenses the blood 6 from the transparent container 1 to the plurality of separators 3. The dispensing apparatus includes a nozzle 2, a driving mechanism 8 for moving the nozzle 2, and a suction pump (not shown) connected to the nozzle 2.

The inspection apparatus A includes a light source 4 for irradiating the transparent container 1 with light, an optical sensor 5 for receiving light reflected by the blood 6 in the transparent container 1, and a supernatant 6 based on a signal from the optical sensor 5.
A liquid level 7A and the liquid level 7 between the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B
B and a control circuit 9 for detecting the fibrin contained in the supernatant 6A and controlling the drive mechanism 8 of the dispensing device B.

The transparent container 1 and the optical sensor 5 are housed in a dark box 11 whose inner surface is blackened to absorb light. This is to prevent external light from causing a detection error.

The nozzle 2 is provided with a driving mechanism 8 so as to be detachable.
Of the moving table 10. This is because when the blood 6 to be sucked changes, the nozzle 2 is also replaced. The driving mechanism 8
A vertical moving mechanism 8A for moving the moving table 10 up and down, and a horizontal moving mechanism 8B for moving the moving table 10 from the transparent container 1 to above the plurality of separators 3 are provided. The vertical movement mechanism 8A and the horizontal movement mechanism 8B are driven by the control circuit 9,
The nozzle 2 is moved via the moving table 10. The vertical moving mechanism 8A and the horizontal moving mechanism 8B are electric cylinders that move vertically or horizontally while detecting the moving position of the moving table 10. The vertical moving mechanism and the horizontal moving mechanism may be all mechanisms that can move the moving table up and down or horizontally in place of the electric cylinder.

The light source 4 irradiates light toward the blood 6 in the transparent container 1. The light source 4 is a light emitting diode, a light bulb, a flash, or the like. The light source 4 irradiates the blood 6 preferably by focusing light. Since light emitting diodes having a lens for focusing light are commercially available, it is not necessary to use a lens or the like for focusing light. Bright bulbs and flashes can also be used without focusing the light. The light source 4 irradiates light toward the blood 6 from obliquely above the transparent container 1 as shown in FIG. 1, or irradiates light from directly above the transparent container 1 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the device in which the light source 4 irradiates the transparent container 1 with light from directly above, a part of the supernatant liquid 7A that shines strongly in a triangular shape is observed. The liquid level 7A of the supernatant is
Curved in the center concave by surface tension, light reflected on the curved liquid surface,
This is because they are refracted and focused. Therefore, the device that irradiates the transparent container 1 with light from directly above can detect the liquid level 7A of the supernatant very reliably.

The light source is switched to a plurality of colors instead of a single color, and irradiates blood to detect fibrin and liquid level more accurately. As a light source that emits a plurality of colors, a plurality of light emitting diodes having different emission colors are used. For example, blood can be irradiated with full-color light by using light-emitting diodes of three colors of red, blue, and green as a light source. This is because the color can be freely changed by changing the light emission intensity of the light emitting diode.
The plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged close to each other,
The light is radiated toward the blood, or the light is radiated toward the blood at a different position.

The plurality of light emitting diodes change the color at a certain timing and irradiate the blood to detect fibrin and the liquid level. This method detects fibrin and the liquid surface a plurality of times with different colors to more accurately detect them. In addition, the light emission intensity of the plurality of light emitting diodes can be adjusted to a color that can most accurately detect the fibrin and the liquid surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light source irradiates blood from a single point or irradiates blood from a plurality of points. The light source that irradiates the blood from a plurality of points irradiates the blood with light from above and below the transparent container, or irradiates the blood with light from above and below, or from below and back. Fibrin can be detected more accurately by irradiating light from a local area, instead of irradiating the blood uniformly with light from the entire outer periphery. This is because the difference in color becomes clear depending on the shading of a fibrin or the like.

Further, an inspection apparatus using a dark box does not necessarily need to use a light source. This is because a through-hole is opened in the dark box, and light can be applied to the blood from the through-hole.

The optical sensor 5 receives light reflected by the blood 6 or transmitted through the blood. The optical sensor 5 detects the presence or absence of fibrin, and the liquid levels 7A and 7B of the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B based on the difference in color such as hue, purity, and brightness of the light reflected or transmitted from the blood 6. .

The optical sensor 5 of the device shown in FIG. 1 has a large number of light receiving elements such as photodiodes and phototransistors arranged. A large number of light receiving elements are provided in the transparent container 1
It is arranged up and down along. The light receiving element receives the light in the horizontal direction and detects the intensity of the light in the vertical direction of the blood 6.

The light receiving element outputs a signal having a voltage level proportional to the intensity of the received light. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the output levels of a large number of light receiving elements arranged vertically along the transparent container 1 change as shown in FIG.
Above the liquid surface 7A of the supernatant 6A, there is no light reflection by the blood 6, and the output level of the light receiving element is the lowest. Since the portion of the supernatant 6A reflects a little light from the light source 4, the output level of the light receiving element becomes slightly higher. Light source 4 in transparent container 1
When the light is irradiated from directly above, the output level of the light receiving element at the liquid level 7A of the supernatant 6A increases as shown by the chain line in the figure. The blood cell 6B portion reflects light more strongly than the supernatant 6A, and the output level of the light receiving element that receives light in this portion becomes even higher. As described above, since the output level of the light receiving element changes between the supernatant 6A and the blood cell 6B, the liquid levels 7A and 7B of the supernatant 6A and the blood cell 6B can be detected at the output level of the light receiving element.

Further, when the supernatant 6A contains fibrin, the output level of the light receiving element that receives the reflected light of the supernatant 6A fluctuates. This is because the reflectance and transmittance of light differ between the fibrin and the supernatant 6A. Therefore, when the output level of the light receiving element in the portion determined as the supernatant 6A fluctuates more than a predetermined level, it is determined that the supernatant 6A contains fibrin.

The device shown in FIG. 2 uses a television camera for the optical sensor 5. The television camera is focused on the blood 6. The TV camera projects the whole blood,
The blood density difference is converted into an electric signal and output.

The image signal output from the television camera is
The treatment is performed as follows, and the liquid surface 7 of the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B is processed.
A and 7B are detected. As shown by the chain line in FIG. 4, the video signal levels at positions where the portion where the transparent container 1 is projected is cut vertically are compared to detect the liquid surface positions of the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B. The video signal level at this position changes as shown in FIG. The video signal level slightly increases in the portion of the supernatant 6A. In particular, when the light source 4 irradiates light from directly above the transparent container 1, the video signal level has a peak value at the liquid level 7A of the supernatant 6A. Supernatant 6 due to change in video signal level
The liquid level 7A of A is detected. Furthermore, the liquid level 7B of the blood cell 6B
, The video signal level is further increased. This is because the reflectance of the blood cell 6B is high. Therefore, the position of the liquid surface 7B of the supernatant 6A and the blood cell 6B can be detected by comparing the video signal levels.

Further, when the supernatant 6A contains fibrin, the video signal level fluctuates in the supernatant 6A as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the fluctuation of the video signal level of the supernatant 6A is larger than a predetermined level, it is determined that the supernatant 6A contains fibrin.

A device using a color television camera as the optical sensor 5 detects a change in the RGB video signal level,
The liquid levels 7A and 7B of the supernatant 6A and blood cells 6B can be detected more accurately, and the fibrin contained in the supernatant 6A can be detected more accurately.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 6 uses a light-receiving element such as a photodiode or a phototransistor as the optical sensor 5 and scans the light-receiving element up and down along the transparent container 1 so as to fill the blood filled in the transparent container 1. The liquid surface position of No. 6 is detected.

The output level of the optical sensor 5 shown in this figure changes as shown in FIG. The output level is slightly higher in the supernatant 6A and further higher in the blood cells 6B. Therefore, the liquid level 7 of the supernatant 6A and the blood cell 6B depends on the output level difference.
The positions of A and 7B can be detected. When the light source is irradiated from directly above the transparent container, the output level of the supernatant at the liquid level increases as shown by the chain line in the figure. Further, the presence or absence of fibrin can be detected by the fluctuation of the output level of the supernatant.

The control circuit 9 detects the liquid surface positions of the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B, controls the drive mechanism 8, moves the nozzle 2 as follows, and dispenses the blood 6. (1) Transparent container 1 filled with blood 6 separated by specific gravity
At a predetermined position of the dark box 11. (2) The light source 4 irradiates the transparent container 1 with light while the movable table 10 is raised to a position where it does not interfere. (3) The optical sensor 5 receives the reflected light from the transparent container 1. The liquid level 7A of the supernatant 6A and the liquid level 7B between the supernatant 6A and the blood cells 6B are detected from the difference in the color of the light received by the optical sensor 5. Furthermore, it is also determined whether or not the supernatant 6A contains fibrin. (4) If the supernatant 6A contains fibrin, replace it with another transparent container 1. This is because if the nozzle 2 sucks the fibrin, it may be clogged. (5) If it is determined that there is no fibrin in the supernatant 6A,
The control circuit 9 controls the driving mechanism 8 to lower the movable table 10 until the lower end of the nozzle 2 is inserted into the supernatant 6A. The moving table 10 descends to the position where the lower end of the nozzle 2 is inserted below the liquid level 7A of the supernatant liquid 6A and stops. In this state, the suction pump is operated to suck the supernatant 6A. (6) After raising the moving table 10, the moving table 10 is moved in the horizontal direction, and the lower end of the nozzle 2 is moved to the upper surface of the separator 3. In this state, the sucked supernatant 6A is dispensed to the separator 3. This step is repeated several times, and the supernatant 6A is dispensed to the plurality of separators 3. When the supernatant is dispensed to a plurality of separators, the amount of the supernatant is detected from the level of the supernatant and the blood cells, and control is performed so that the blood cells are not dispensed.

The blood to be tested by the above-described test apparatus can be more clearly separated at a specific gravity by adding a separating agent. The separating agent has a specific gravity between the supernatant and the blood cells, and is a liquid or beads that are not dissolved in the supernatant and the blood cells. Make the fluid and blood cell levels more clear.

The above inspection apparatus is used for a dispensing apparatus. The dispensing device having the inspection device having this structure can quickly and surely dispense the blood separated in specific gravity to a plurality of separators. With the transparent container in a vertical position, light is applied to the filled specific gravity separated blood, and the color change of blood in the vertical direction is detected by an optical sensor to detect the liquid level of the blood. This is because the blood is aspirated and dispensed by inserting a nozzle deeper than the liquid level position. Further, by detecting the liquid level of the blood cells, the blood cells can also be efficiently dispensed to the separator.

However, although not shown, the inspection apparatus of the present invention can be used independently without being used in a dispensing apparatus, or can be built in an analyzer or used in connection with an analyzer.

[0041]

The test apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that fibrin contained in blood separated by specific gravity can be reliably detected, and the adverse effects of fibrin can be eliminated. It irradiates the blood separated by specific gravity with light, detects the reflected light and transmitted light of the blood with an optical sensor, detects the difference in color distribution of the supernatant, and detects the fibrin contained in the supernatant. It is. For this reason, the feature that the clogging of the nozzle due to the fibrin contained in the supernatant liquid can be completely eliminated by using the testing device of the present invention for pretreatment of the device for aspirating blood with the nozzle is realized.

Further, the inspection apparatus according to claims 2 and 3 of the present invention has a feature that the blood cells of the blood separated from the specific gravity and the liquid level of the supernatant can be detected quickly and accurately. That is, the device of the present invention detects a change in the color of blood in the vertical direction with an optical sensor, and detects the liquid surface position of the supernatant and blood cells, or
This is because the level of the supernatant is detected.

Further, in the inspection apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transparent container and the optical sensor are housed in a dark box that blackens the inner surface and absorbs light. There is a feature that can be detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a change in output level detected by the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a detection position of a transparent container projected by the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in a video signal level detected by the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing a change in output level detected by the device shown in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Inspection device B: Dispensing device 1: Transparent container 2: Nozzle 3: Separator 4: Light source 5: Optical sensor 7A: Liquid level of the supernatant 7B: Liquid level between the supernatant and blood cells 6: Blood 6A ... Supernatant 6B
… Blood cells 8… drive mechanism 8A… up and down movement mechanism 8B…
Horizontal movement mechanism 9 Control circuit 10 Moving table 11 Dark box

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yuichi Kokiyoshi 41-1, Chiyogamaru, Ohara-machi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture (72) Inventor, Kazuki Shibasaki 24, Enomachi, Fujimi-shi, Saitama Prefecture Fujimi New Life 301 F-term (Reference) 2G045 AA01 AA13 BB10 CA01 CA25 DA39 FA05 FA11 FA17 FA19 GC02 GC06 GC10 GC11 GC12 HA09 JA01 JA07

Claims (4)

[Claims] An apparatus for testing blood (6) separated in specific gravity contained in a transparent container (1), wherein the transparent container (1) filled with blood separated in specific gravity is placed in a vertical position and filled. Irradiating the blood (6) with light, detecting a difference in the color distribution of the supernatant (6A) with an optical sensor (5), and detecting fibrin in the supernatant (6A). Test equipment for separated blood. 2. An optical sensor (5) detects a change in the color of blood (6) in a vertical direction, and detects the liquid levels (7A) and (7B) of the supernatant and blood cells.
2. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position of the blood is detected. 3. The specific gravity according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor (5) detects a change in color of the blood (6) in a vertical direction to detect the position of the liquid level (7A) of the supernatant. Test equipment for separated blood. 4. The transparent container (1) and the light sensor (5) are housed in a dark box (11) that has a black inner surface and absorbs light.
An apparatus for testing blood separated by specific gravity as described in (1).