JP2001153791A - Photo detecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speed up measurement by a photo detecting apparatus without increasing costs by controlling a light intensity measurement condition to be proper based on a light intensity level of an object to be measured which is monitored beforehand. SOLUTION: The photo detecting apparatus is composed of a photodiode 72 for monitoring a light intensity level of an object to be detected beforehand at a monitor position A set to the upstream of a measurement position B where a light intensity of the object is to be measured, a control means (a control unit and an attenuation filter 75) for controlling the light intensity measurement condition to be proper based on the light intensity level monitored by the photodiode 72, and a photomultiplier tube(PMT) for measuring the light intensity at the measurement position B under the light intensity measurement condition controlled to be proper by the control means. The measurement is carried out only once at the measurement position B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photodetector for measuring the light intensity of an object to be detected, which is used in an analyzer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photodetector used for an analyzer or the like, a photomultiplier tube (PMT),
A photodiode, a CCD, or the like is used, and the light intensity of light emission or fluorescence from an object to be detected (measurement object) is measured by such a light detection element.

When such light intensity is measured, if the light intensity of the object to be detected is too high, the light intensity may exceed the measurement range of the light detecting element. In this case, since the light intensity measurement conditions are inappropriate, the light intensity data obtained by the measurement is also inappropriate. Further, if an object having a high light intensity is measured, the light detection element may be damaged.

[0004] In order to avoid the above-mentioned problems, in the conventional photodetector, when measuring an object having unknown light intensity, first, a light-attenuating filter provided in the photodetector is used. Light emission or fluorescence from the object having an unknown light intensity is made incident on the light detection device through the light intensity measurement of the object with the light intensity of the object being sufficiently reduced, and then, Based on the measurement result, if dimming is necessary, the dimming state is adjusted so as to be appropriate, and then the light intensity is measured again. As a result, a wide measurement range is ensured.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional photodetecting device, two or more light detections including a measurement for acquiring data for adjusting a dimming state and an actual measurement are performed for one object. Since the strength measurement is required, it is against the actual situation that the measurement is required to be speeded up. In addition, if the photodetector including the photomultiplier tube and the neutral density filter as the photodetector is installed at both the monitor position and the measurement position, the measurement can be speeded up. A large increase in cost is caused in the entire apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The present invention is directed to controlling the light intensity measuring conditions based on the light intensity level of the object to be measured in advance so as to be appropriate. It is another object of the present invention to provide a photodetector capable of speeding up the measurement without increasing the cost.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light detecting apparatus for measuring the light intensity of an object to be detected, wherein the light intensity is detected in advance before the measurement is performed. Monitoring means for monitoring the light intensity level of the object; control means for optimizing and controlling the light intensity measurement conditions based on the light intensity level monitored by the monitoring means; and light intensity measurement conditions controlled by the control means. And measuring means for measuring the light intensity.

In the first invention, when the light intensity of the object is measured by the light detection device, the monitor means monitors the light intensity level of the object before performing the measurement.
The control means optimizes and controls the light intensity measurement condition based on the monitored light intensity level, and the measurement means performs the light intensity measurement under the light intensity measurement condition under the optimized control. Only one time is required, and the measurement can be speeded up. Further, the monitoring means can be used as long as it can monitor the light intensity level of the detected object. Therefore, instead of a photomultiplier tube which is expensive, large, and weak to incident light of excessive light intensity, Since an inexpensive photodetector (for example, a photodiode) having a simple structure can be used, the cost of the entire apparatus does not increase.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as the monitor means, the light intensity level of the detected object at a monitor position located upstream of the measurement position of the measurement means cooperates with the measurement means. An optical fiber having a predetermined inner diameter to be monitored is used, and the light intensity level of the object monitored by the optical fiber is stored in the storage means.

In the second invention, the monitor means has a predetermined inner diameter for monitoring the light intensity level of the object at a monitor position located upstream of the measurement position of the measurement means in cooperation with the measurement means. Using optical fiber,
Since the light intensity level of the object monitored by the optical fiber is stored in the storage means, the monitoring means for monitoring the light intensity level of the object to be used for the control of optimizing the light intensity measurement conditions is inexpensive and structured. Can be simple.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an analyzer incorporating a photodetector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an analyzer such as an immunological analyzer or a biochemical analyzer. The analyzer 1 includes a reaction container transfer unit 20, a sample supply unit around a reaction turntable 10 disposed in the center. 30, the first reagent supply unit 40, the second reagent supply unit 50, and the measurement unit 60 are arranged and configured as shown in the drawing.

The analyzer 1 further includes a control unit (not shown), and a display for outputting various information such as analysis data obtained as a result of the inspection.
It can be configured to include an output unit (not shown) such as a printer. Each of the above-described components is controlled to operate in an order corresponding to a predetermined analysis item under the control of the control unit. The control unit includes a computer as a device controller, an input circuit for various input information, an arithmetic processing circuit (CPU), a control program executed by the arithmetic processing circuit, measurement data, various arithmetic results, and the like. A storage circuit (RAM, ROM) for storing
An output circuit for transmitting a control signal to a controlled object, including a mechanical unit such as the reaction turntable 10 described above, can be used.

In FIG. 1, a reaction turntable 10 is constituted by a perfect circular table, and a plurality of reaction vessels 11 are held on the same circumference near the outer periphery thereof and transferred at a predetermined operation timing. The rotation direction (in the illustrated example, the counterclockwise direction) and the amount of rotation are controlled.

The reaction container transfer section 20 includes a reaction container stocker 21 and a transfer device 22. The reaction vessel 11 stopped at the position where the stocker 21 is taken out is transferred to the transfer device 2.
By 2, it is supplied to a predetermined position of the reaction turntable 10. The reaction container 11 used in the present embodiment is, for example, a rectangular cuvette, and a specimen and a reagent can be sequentially dispensed into the reaction container 11 supplied to the reaction turntable 10.

The sample supply section 30 is a supply section for supplying a sample to the reaction container 11, and has a sample holding section 32 capable of holding a plurality of sample containers 31 containing samples, and a dispensing apparatus having a nozzle section on the distal end side. (Probe) 33. Dispenser 3
For example, when the sample holding unit 32 is sequentially conveyed from left to right in the figure, a sample is sucked by the nozzle unit from the sample container 31 on the holding unit 32 and a predetermined amount is taken out, as shown by an arrow in the drawing. To transfer it to the reaction vessel 11 on the reaction turntable 10 to dispense the sample.

The first reagent supply section 40 is a supply section for supplying the first reagent to the reaction vessel 11, and has a round reagent turntable 41 and a dispenser (probe) 42 having a nozzle at the tip end. And On the reagent turntable 41, a reagent storage container (first reagent storage container) 43 storing various first reagents corresponding to a plurality of desired analysis items is held at a position on the outer circumference. Can be. In this case, an enzyme-labeled reagent is arranged as the first reagent. The dispenser 42 dispenses a predetermined amount of the reagent from the corresponding reagent container 43 under the instruction and control of the control unit, and performs dispensing. Therefore, by the rotation of the reaction turntable 10, the reaction container 11 transferred to the corresponding position facing the first reagent supply unit 40 and stopped,
A first reagent can be provided.

The second reagent supply section 50 is a supply section for supplying a second reagent to the reaction vessel 11, and includes a round reagent turntable 51 and a dispenser (probe) 52 having a nozzle at the tip end. And On the reagent turntable 51, a reagent storage container (second reagent storage container) 53 storing various second reagents corresponding to a plurality of desired analysis items is held at a position on the outer circumference. Can be. In this case, a luminescent reagent is arranged as the second reagent. The dispenser 52 dispenses a predetermined amount of the reagent from the corresponding reagent container 53 under the instruction and control of the control unit, and performs dispensing. Therefore, by the rotation of the reaction turntable 10, the second reaction container 11 transferred to the corresponding position facing the second reagent supply unit 50 and stopped,
Reagents can be supplied.

The measuring section 60 is a means for measuring the light intensity of an object to be detected (measurement object in a test solution). In the present embodiment, the light emitting intensity value based on the light emitting reaction by the enzyme labeling reagent and the light emitting reagent is measured. It shall be measured. In this case, the measuring unit 60 measures the light intensity of the self-emission from the test solution, but it is also possible to measure the light intensity other than the self-emission. For example, when measuring fluorescence generated from an object to be detected (a measurement object in a test solution), a reagent arranged in a reagent container is used as a fluorescence measurement reagent, and excitation light from a fluorescence generating means such as a xenon lamp is used. It is assumed that the test solution is irradiated so that fluorescence is generated from the test solution.

The analyzer 1 basically dispenses a sample by a sample supply unit 30, dispenses a first reagent by a first reagent supply unit 40, and dispenses a second reagent by a second reagent supply unit 50. Is dispensed, and the measurement is performed by the measurement unit 60 to perform the inspection.

By the way, when the light intensity of the object to be detected is measured by the measuring unit 60, if light having an excessive light intensity level exceeding the measurement range is incident on the light detecting element of the measuring unit 60, the measured light emission There is a problem that the reliability of the intensity value is reduced or the photodetector is damaged. In order to avoid this inconvenience, in the prior art, first, measurement is performed using a filter of the maximum extinction ratio in order to obtain data for optimizing the extinction ratio of incident light to the photodetector,
Next, since the emission intensity is actually measured using the filter selected based on the data obtained by the measurement, at least two measurements are performed, thereby realizing the demand for speeding up the measurement. Can not.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, if the luminescence intensity level of the object is known before the luminescence intensity is actually measured, the object is set to a dimmed state using a filter corresponding to the luminescence intensity level. Because the light intensity measurement conditions are optimized by this, it is sufficient to perform the measurement only once in the dimmed state, and a monitoring mechanism that monitors the light intensity level of the detection object in advance is provided. It is provided on the upstream side of the light detecting element of the measuring unit 60. As the monitor mechanism,
It is sufficient to have a function of monitoring the light intensity level of the object, so that it is not necessary to use a photomultiplier tube (PMT) capable of measuring the light intensity value of the object with high accuracy. However, a simple and inexpensive photodetector (a photodiode, an optical fiber described later, or the like) can be used. in this case,
As compared with the case where a photomultiplier tube is also used for the monitor mechanism, it is possible to greatly reduce the cost increase of the entire apparatus. Hereinafter, each configuration example of the measuring unit 60 of the present embodiment, which has a light intensity level monitoring function in addition to the dimming function and the light emission intensity measuring function, will be described in detail.

[Structure Example 1] The measuring section 60 of Structure Example 1 shown in FIG. 2 uses a flow cell as a measuring cell, and a pipe 71 for guiding the test solution in the reaction vessel 11 into the measuring section 60.
A photodiode 72 installed near a monitor position A of the pipe 71, and a flow cell 73 provided at a measurement position B of the pipe 71 (the measurement position B is located downstream of the monitor position A). It comprises a syringe 74 for aspirating and draining a test solution via a pipe 71, and a dimming filter device 75 and a photomultiplier tube (PMT) 76 provided sequentially on the side of the flow cell 73. As the neutral density filter device 75, “a filter table in which a plurality of filter members having different neutral density values (for example, three types of filter members with neutral density = 100%, 50%, and 0%) are arranged on a circumference is used. A filter device having a structure in which a filter having a desired dimming rate is selectively stopped at the measurement position B by being rotationally driven by a driving motor, or a plurality of filter members having different dimming rates (for example, a dimming rate of 100 %, 50%, and 0% filter members) are arranged on a straight line, and the filter assembly is driven forward and backward by a driving motor to selectively stop a filter having a desired dimming rate at the measurement position B. Filter Device "
Shall be used. A flow cell may be provided at the monitor position A of the pipe 71 as needed.

Next, the operation of monitoring the light intensity level and the operation of measuring the light emission intensity in the measuring section 60 of the first embodiment will be described. When the test solution in the reaction container 11 is sucked by the syringe 74, the test solution flows through the pipe 71 and reaches the monitor position A. At this time, the light intensity level of the measurement object (object to be detected) in the test solution is monitored by the photodiode 72, and the obtained light intensity level data is input to the control unit. Thereafter, before the test solution flowing through the pipe 71 reaches the measurement position B, the control unit causes the filter of the dimming rate filter suitable for the light intensity level data to be selected from the filter members of the dimming filter device 75. Move the member to measurement position B
In this case, the light intensity measurement condition (dimming condition) for the detection target is optimized.

Under the optimized light intensity measurement conditions as described above, when the test solution flowing in the pipe 71 reaches the measurement position B and is decelerated in the flow cell 73, the photomultiplier 7
6 allows the luminous intensity value of the object to be measured to be measured immediately through a filter member having a dimming rate suitable for the light intensity level data. In this case, since it is not necessary to perform measurement using a filter of the maximum extinction ratio for acquiring data for optimizing the extinction ratio of the light incident on the photomultiplier tube 76, the measurement can be performed only once. be able to. Therefore,
The test solution flowing in the pipe 71 does not stay in the flow cell 73, and the measurement is speeded up.

[Configuration Example 2] The measuring section 60 of Configuration Example 2 shown in FIG. 3 is different from the measuring section 60 of Configuration Example 1 in that the photodiode 72 installed near the monitor position A of the pipe 71 is replaced by a monitor position. An optical fiber 77 having a predetermined inner diameter with both ends opened at each of A and the measurement position B, and a shutter 78 disposed between the measurement position B side opening of the optical fiber 77 and the flow cell 73 are used. The portion is configured in the same manner as the measuring section 60 of the configuration example 1.
As the optical fiber 77, the light intensity of the incident light is reduced to about 1 /
It is assumed that a material having a predetermined inner diameter that reduces light to 100 is used. However, light may be reduced to about 1/100 by selecting a material or the like forming an optical fiber, or a light reducing filter is interposed. You may do so. When the light emitted from the object is incident on the photomultiplier tube 76 from the shutter 78 via the filter device 75, it is not always necessary to pass the light through the flow cell 73.

Next, the operation of monitoring the light intensity level and the operation of measuring the light emission intensity in the measuring section 60 of the configuration example 2 will be described. When the test solution in the reaction container 11 is sucked by the syringe 74, the test solution flows through the pipe 71 and reaches the monitor position A. At this time, a shutter 7 that is controlled to release light emitted from a measurement target (detection target) in the test solution during a monitor operation.
When light 8 enters the photomultiplier tube 76 through the filter device 75, the optical fiber 77 and the photomultiplier tube 76 cooperate to monitor the light intensity level of the object. In this case, no matter what filter member is selected in the filter device 75, the photomultiplier tube 76
Will be reduced by at least about 1/100, and the monitored light intensity level data will be input to the control unit and stored in the storage circuit in the control unit. . Thereafter, until the test solution flowing in the pipe 71 reaches the measurement position B, the shielding of the shutter 78 is controlled to prevent the stray light from entering from the optical fiber 77, and the neutral density filter device 75 is controlled by the control unit. By stopping a filter member having a dimming rate suitable for the light intensity level data at the measurement position B from among the filter members described above, the light intensity measurement condition (dimming condition) for the object is optimized. Will be.

Under the optimized light intensity measurement conditions as described above, when the test solution flowing in the pipe 71 reaches the measurement position B and is decelerated in the flow cell 73, the photomultiplier tube 7
6 allows the luminous intensity value of the object to be measured to be measured immediately through a filter member having a dimming rate suitable for the light intensity level data. In this case, since it is not necessary to perform measurement using a filter of the maximum extinction ratio for acquiring data for optimizing the extinction ratio of the light incident on the photomultiplier tube 76, the measurement can be performed only once. be able to. Therefore,
The test solution flowing in the pipe 71 does not stay in the flow cell 73, and the measurement is speeded up.

[Structure Example 3] The measuring section 60 of Structure Example 3 shown in FIG. 4 branches the test solution supply system provided only by one system in the measuring section 60 of Structure Example 1 into a plurality (three systems in the illustrated example). The filter device 75 is omitted by making each system correspond to a different dimming rate. That is, a switching valve (for example, an electromagnetic switching valve) 79 is provided at a predetermined position downstream of the monitoring position A of the pipe 71 for guiding the test solution in the reaction vessel 11 into the measuring section 60. Include pipes 80-1 to 80-3 and a flow cell 81
Three independent test solution supply systems consisting of -1 to 81-3 and syringes 82-1 to 82-3 are connected. The other parts are configured in the same manner as the measuring unit 60 of the above configuration example 1.

Each of the flow cells 81-1 to 81-3 has a predetermined dimming rate (for example, dimming rate = 100%, 50%).
%, 0%) so as to obtain a colored flow cell. In the third configuration example, the photomultiplier tube 76 includes the flow cells 81-
The measurement positions B-1 to B-3 of 1 to 81-3 are arranged at positions where measurement can be performed in common. In the configuration example 3, the photodiode 72 is used as the light detection element for monitoring the light intensity level. However, as in the configuration example 2, a pair of optical fibers and a shutter may be used.

The light intensity level monitoring operation of the measuring section 60 of the third configuration example is the same as that of the first configuration example, but the emission intensity measurement operation is slightly different from that of the first configuration example. That is, in the third configuration example, instead of performing control to select a filter member having a dimming rate suitable for the light intensity level data in the dimming filter device 75 of the first configuration example, the control unit performs Control to switch the switching valve 79 is performed so that a test solution supply system having a flow cell with a dimming rate suitable for data is selected.

[Structure Example 4] The measuring section 60 of Structure Example 4 shown in FIG. 5 uses the reaction vessel 11 transferred from the reaction turntable 10 as a measuring cell, and a photometric section 91.
A photomultiplier tube 92 and a neutral density filter device 93 (the same as the neutral density filter device 75 are used) provided at a measurement position B in the photometric unit 91; , And a transfer mechanism 95 for transferring the reaction vessel 11. In this case, the monitor position A is not limited to the vicinity of the reaction vessel 11 on the reaction turntable 10 and may be any position upstream of the measurement position B, for example, between the reaction turntable 10 and the measurement unit 60. May be an arbitrary position on the transfer path. In place of the photodiode 94, an optical fiber having a predetermined inner diameter with both ends opened at the monitor position A and the measurement position B, a cover for covering the optical fiber, and an opening at the measurement position B side of the optical fiber. Alternatively, a shutter disposed between the photomultiplier tubes 92 may be used. In this case, the monitor position A side opening of the optical fiber is:
In order to prevent stray light from entering, it is arranged near the reaction vessel 11 on the reaction turntable 10.

Next, a light intensity level monitoring operation and a light emission intensity measuring operation in the measuring section 60 of the configuration example 4 will be described. Before the reaction container 11 is transferred to the measurement position B, the light intensity level of the measurement target (detection target) in the test solution is measured at the monitor position A upstream of the measurement position B by the photodiode 9.
4 and input the obtained light intensity level data to the control unit. Thereafter, until the reaction vessel 11 on the reaction turntable 11 is transferred into the photometric unit 71 by the transfer mechanism 95, the control unit converts the light intensity level data from the filter member of the neutral density filter device 93 to the light intensity level data. By stopping the filter member having an appropriate extinction ratio at the measurement position B, the light intensity measurement condition (dimming condition) for the detection target is optimized.

Under the above-described optimized light intensity measurement conditions, when the reaction vessel 11 is transferred to the measurement position B as shown by the arrow in the figure, the photomultiplier tube 92 is suitable for the light intensity level data. The light emission intensity value of the detected object can be immediately measured via the filter member having the reduced extinction ratio.
In this case, since it is not necessary to perform measurement using a filter of the maximum extinction ratio for acquiring data for optimizing the extinction ratio of the light incident on the photomultiplier tube 92, the measurement can be performed only once. be able to. Therefore, the transfer of the reaction container 11 does not stay, and the measurement is speeded up. After completion of the measurement of the luminescence value, the reaction container 11 in the photometric unit 91 is transferred as shown by the arrow in FIG.
Shall be disposed of.

In the above configuration examples 1 to 4, the measuring unit 60
In the above, the case where the light intensity of the self-luminous light from the measurement target (detected object) in the test solution was described, but it is necessary to measure the fluorescence generated from the measurement target (detected object) in the test solution. Is also possible. In that case, in addition to providing the fluorescence generating means such as a xenon lamp in addition to the constituent elements of the above configuration examples 1 to 4, as a flow cell or a reaction vessel, when the excitation light is irradiated from the fluorescence generation means to the test solution, It is assumed that a structure that allows the generated fluorescence to be incident on a photomultiplier tube or the like is used.

[0035]

As described above, according to the photodetector of the present invention, a wide light intensity range can be ensured and rapid measurement can be performed without complicating the configuration of the device and increasing the cost. Become. Therefore, the measurement time required for the light intensity measurement can be significantly reduced as compared with the above-described conventional technology, and high-speed mass processing of the apparatus can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an analyzer incorporating a photodetector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a configuration example 1 of a measurement unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a configuration example 2 of a measurement unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a configuration example 3 of a measurement unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of Configuration Example 4 of a measurement unit according to the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 analyzer 10 reaction turntable 11 reaction container 20 reaction container transfer unit 21 reaction container stocker 22 transfer unit 30 sample supply unit 31 sample container 32 sample holding unit 33 dispenser (probe) 40 first reagent supply unit 41 reagent turntable 42 dispenser (probe) 43 first reagent container 50 second reagent supply unit 51 reagent turntable 52 dispenser (probe) 53 second reagent container 60 measuring unit 71 piping 72,94 photodiode 73 flow cell 74 syringe 75, 93 Neutral density filter device 76, 92 Photomultiplier tube (PMT) 77 Optical fiber 78 Shutter 79 Switching valve 80-1 to 80-3 Piping 81-1 to 81-3 Flow cell 82-1 to 82-3 Syringe 91 Photometry unit 95 Transfer mechanism 96 Waste box A Monitor position B Measurement position

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A light detecting device for measuring the light intensity of an object, a monitor means for monitoring a light intensity level of the object before performing the measurement, and a light intensity level monitored by the monitor means. A light detecting device comprising: a control unit for optimizing and controlling light intensity measuring conditions based on the light intensity; and a measuring unit for performing light intensity measurement under the light intensity measuring conditions controlled and optimized by the control unit. . 2. An optical fiber having a predetermined inner diameter, as said monitor means, which monitors a light intensity level of an object at a monitor position located upstream of a measurement position of said measurement means in cooperation with said measurement means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light intensity level of the object monitored by the optical fiber is stored in a storage means.
The photodetector according to any one of the preceding claims.