JP2005099049A - Chemical analysis apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently stir a liquid to be measured, in a reaction vessel of a chemical analysis apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The chemical analysis apparatus comprises the reaction vessel, having an opening section and into which the liquid to be measured is injected, and a stirring means, having a sound source which has the liquid to be measured irradiated with sound waves from the outside of the reaction vessel to stir it. The sound source is constituted of a plurality of sound source elements 223 arranged into an array. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a chemical analyzer, and more particularly to a stirring technique for mixing a reagent and a sample in a reaction vessel.

  The chemical analyzer described in Patent Document 1 stirs the sample to be analyzed, the automatic sample dispensing mechanism for supplying the reagent to the reaction container, the automatic reagent dispensing mechanism, and the sample / reagent in the reaction container. Automatic stirring mechanism to make a homogeneous solution, measuring instrument to measure the physical properties of the sample during or after the reaction, automatic washing to suck and discharge the sample after the measurement and wash the reaction vessel It consists of a mechanism and a control mechanism that controls these operations. In particular, in the automatic stirring mechanism, the spatula or screw is automatically lowered to below the liquid level in the reaction vessel in order to stir the sample and the reagent, and a motor connected to the base of the spatula or screw is driven. Is used to stir the mixed solution of sample and reagent.

  Moreover, the chemical analyzer of Patent Document 2 describes a method in which a sample and a reagent are agitated and mixed in a non-contact manner using an acoustic flow of a liquid to be measured generated by irradiation of ultrasonic waves without using a spatula or a screw. Has been.

US Pat. No. 4,451,433 JP-A-8-146007

  In the first conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, since the liquid in each reaction vessel accommodated on the circumference of the turntable is batch-stirred using a spatula, a screw, or the like, the liquid after stirring is a spatula. Or sticks to the screw and is carried over to the next sample inspection (carry over). As a result, the next sample or reagent is contaminated, and there is a problem that an accurate analysis in the inspection is adversely affected.

  In addition, with the diversification of analysis items, testing is performed on many items at once, so the amount of sample allocated to testing for one item decreases, and expensive reagents are being used for testing. Therefore, there has been a demand for a chemical analyzer that can be inspected with a small amount of sample and reagent, that is, to reduce the amount of liquid to be measured required for the inspection. However, with a very small volume of the liquid to be measured, there is a problem that adhesion to the spatula described above increases the influence of volume change before and after stirring.

  In recent years, various other devices are being introduced into medical facilities where such chemical analyzers are installed, and further downsizing of the entire apparatus is desired. By the way, the main components governing the overall size of the apparatus are the dimensions of the respective turntables for storing the reaction containers and the sample / reagent bottles. As one of the measures to reduce the size of the entire apparatus while maintaining the processing speed, the dimensions of the reaction vessel were reduced, and the dimensions (diameter) of the turntable in which they were stored on the circumference were maintained. It is possible to make it smaller. However, when the reaction vessel is downsized, it becomes difficult to smoothly put the spatula into the reaction vessel due to the limitation of positioning accuracy with the current method of stirring the spatula, and the spatula itself does not enter the reaction vessel. Problems arise.

  In the non-contact stirring method using ultrasonic waves described in Patent Document 2, the problem of contamination between test samples is solved. Further, in this stirring method, the solution to be measured is stirred in a completely non-contact manner without using a spatula or a screw, so that no liquid adheres and the above-mentioned problem of the decrease in the liquid amount is solved. The basic principle of this agitation method is to irradiate sound waves from the outside of the reaction vessel and to give an appropriate sound field intensity distribution to the liquid to be measured in the reaction vessel to induce acoustic flow.

  By the way, if the liquid to be measured is made smaller, the reaction container itself is also miniaturized, and the surface area of the reaction container is also reduced. Therefore, the acoustic energy necessary for generating the acoustic flow is given to the liquid to be measured. It becomes difficult. In addition, in order to generate a circulating flow effective for agitation in the measured liquid by acoustic flow, it is necessary to form a sharp intensity distribution of the sound field inside the measured liquid. Then, efficient stirring in a short time becomes difficult due to problems such as a relative difference in intensity of the sound field in the container being reduced.

  An object of the present invention is to enable efficient stirring of a liquid to be measured in a reaction vessel of a chemical analyzer.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a reaction vessel having an opening and into which a liquid to be measured is injected, and a stirring means having a sound source that irradiates the liquid to be measured from the outside of the reaction vessel and stirs it. The sound source is formed by having a plurality of sound source elements arranged in an array.

  With such a configuration, a plurality of sound source elements arranged in an array can be driven independently, so that the direction of sound wave irradiation can be arbitrarily adjusted. That is, it can be realized by providing a sound source driving means for independently applying a voltage to each of the plurality of sound source elements and shifting the sound wave irradiation direction of the sound source by shifting the phase of the applied voltage.

  For example, the sound source driving means is arranged so that the center line of the sound wave irradiation range irradiated from the sound source to the liquid to be measured is inclined from the liquid phase side to the gas phase side with respect to the liquid surface of the liquid to be measured in the reaction vessel. It is preferable to shift the phase of the voltage. According to this, strong sound pressure acts obliquely near the gas-liquid interface due to strong sound waves near the center line of the sound wave irradiation range, and the swirl flow shown in FIG. 2B is generated by the sound pressure acting obliquely. The liquid to be measured can be effectively stirred with less acoustic energy.

  The sound source driving means preferably has a function of varying the intensity and frequency of sound waves generated from the sound source. According to this, the intensity | strength and frequency of a sound wave can be controlled according to the property of a to-be-measured liquid for every test | inspection item, and it can stir efficiently according to to-be-measured liquid.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the to-be-measured liquid in the reaction container of a chemical analyzer can be stirred efficiently.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An example of a chemical analyzer to which the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a chemical analyzer, and FIG. 2 is a non-invasive (non-contact) stirring device that is equipped in the chemical analyzer shown in FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the structure.

  The illustrated chemical analysis apparatus includes a reaction disk 101 storing a rectangular reaction vessel 102 having a rectangular horizontal cross section, and is placed under the reaction disk 101 with constant temperature water 214 and immersed in the constant temperature water 214. A constant temperature chamber 114 that maintains the constant temperature state, a sample turntable 103 that stores the sample cup 104, a reagent turntable 106 that stores the reagent bottle 105, and a sampling mechanism that dispenses the sample and the reagent into the reaction vessel 102, respectively. 107, reagent dispensing mechanism 108, stirring mechanism 109 for stirring the dispensed sample-reagent mixture (measuring solution) in the reaction vessel 102, reaction process of the sample-reagent mixture in the reaction vessel 102, and Photometric mechanism 110 that measures the absorbance after the reaction, cleaning mechanism 111 that cleans the reaction vessel 102 after the inspection (photometric measurement) is completed, and these components are operated in sequence at a predetermined timing. Controller 112 that collects and outputs the required data, and connected to controller 112, sets inspection items, starts / stops the device, processes the collected data, confirms adjustment of operation of each component, etc. It includes a console 113 that performs the above. The sampling mechanism 107 and the reagent dispensing mechanism 108 constitute sample / reagent supply means.

  Each of these components operates according to a program automatically created by the controller 112 based on information (analysis items and volume to be analyzed) set in advance from the console 113 before starting the examination.

  In the above configuration, the chemical analyzer operates as follows. First, a sample is dispensed from the sample cup 104 into the reaction vessel 102 by the sampling mechanism 107. Next, the turntable (reaction disk 101) storing the reaction container 102 rotates to the reagent dispensing position, and the reagent is dispensed from the reagent bottle 105 into the reaction container 102 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 108. Further, the reaction disk 101 rotates to a position where the stirring mechanism 109 is installed, and the sample and reagent in the reaction vessel 102 are stirred and mixed. The measurement is started from the time when the stirring is completed, and the sample / reagent mixture in the reaction container is aspirated by the cleaning mechanism 111 when the reaction is completed, and the cleaning process is performed. Such a series of processes is performed batchwise for a plurality of samples.

  Next, the stirring mechanism will be described using the reference example shown in FIG. FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the stirring mechanism, and the principle of stirring the object to be stirred (measurement liquid) 213 in the reaction vessel 212 in a non-contact manner will be described. The reaction vessel 203 (reaction vessel 102 in FIG. 1) stored in the reaction disc 212 (reaction disc 101 in FIG. 1) is automatically rotated and stopped by the program of the controller 112 while being immersed in the constant temperature water 214. When stopped at a position where the stirring mechanism is provided, ultrasonic waves are emitted from the stirring mechanism in accordance with a command from the controller 112.

  The stirring mechanism 109 includes a piezoelectric element driver 209 connected to the controller 112, a positioning mechanism 201 which is an irradiation position adjusting mechanism fixed to the inner wall of the thermostatic chamber 114 and connected to the controller 112, and a piezoelectric element mounted on the positioning mechanism 201. And a sound source 202 connected to a driver 209. The positioning mechanism 201 and the sound source 202 are immersed in the constant temperature water 214, and the piezoelectric element driver 209 is disposed outside the constant temperature bath 114. The positioning mechanism 201 can move the sound source 202 in the depth direction of the reaction vessel 203 and can change the angle formed by the sound wave irradiation direction with respect to the horizontal direction (can be turned). In the present invention, the liquid to be measured 213 is stirred by sound waves, and the stirring mechanism constitutes a sound wave generating means.

  The sound source 202 that is driven by the piezoelectric element driver 209 and emits ultrasonic waves is attached to the positioning mechanism 201 so that the irradiation direction and position can be automatically changed. In general, a sound wave emitted from a sound source travels with an intensity distribution (a mountain-shaped distribution in which the central part of the irradiation region is strong and the peripheral part gradually becomes weak) as shown by a curve 217 in FIG. 204 includes the liquid surface 205 in the reaction vessel 203, and the center line of the irradiation range of the sound wave is oblique to the liquid surface 205 in parallel or obliquely in the direction from the liquid phase side to the gas phase side. The position and the irradiation direction of the sound source 202 are automatically controlled by the positioning mechanism 201 so as to be incident on. The positioning mechanism 201 controls the position and irradiation direction of the sound source 202 based on the signal 206 of the position and irradiation direction of the sound source 202 instructed from the controller 112.

  When the object 213 in the reaction vessel 203 is irradiated with the sound wave in this way, the liquid near the liquid level flows most efficiently as indicated by the arrow 215 without being affected by the frictional force from the solid wall. As a result, a large whirling flow as indicated by an arrow 216 is generated inside the object to be stirred 213, and the object to be stirred 213 is stirred and mixed.

  According to the reference example of FIG. 2, since stirring is performed without putting a spatula or a screw inside the object to be stirred 213, there is no fear of reduction or contamination due to carry-over of the object to be stirred, and the object to be stirred 213 Since it is not necessary to insert a spatula or a screw inside, it is possible to reduce the size of the reaction vessel, that is, to reduce the amount of sample and reagent. By reducing the size of the reaction vessel, the reaction disk for storing the reaction vessel can be reduced in size without reducing the number of reaction vessels, and the chemical analyzer can be downsized as a whole. According to this example, the acoustic flow is induced by irradiating a sound wave from the outside of the reaction vessel disclosed in JP-A-8-146007 and giving an appropriate sound field intensity distribution to the liquid to be measured in the reaction vessel. Unlike the method, the measured liquid is stirred and mixed using the swirl flow induced by sound waves near the gas-liquid interface, so the reaction vessel is downsized and the measured liquid is measured even if the measured liquid becomes very small. It is possible to stir and mix the liquids and to stir with a smaller output.

  2 (a) and 2 (b) show a configuration in which sound waves are incident obliquely upward from the side surface of the reaction vessel 203. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), A reaction vessel having a wider upper opening may be used, and a sound wave may be incident obliquely from the bottom surface toward the liquid surface 218. Also in this case, if the liquid level 218 is included in the irradiation range 221 in which sound waves travel, the agitated object 213 in the vicinity of the liquid level 218 flows efficiently as indicated by an arrow 219. A whirling flow as indicated by an arrow 220 is generated inside, and the stirring target 213 is stirred and mixed.

  In addition, when the mechanical properties such as viscosity, density, and surface tension of the object to be stirred (measurement liquid) differ depending on the analysis item (inspection item), the frequency and power (intensity) of the sound wave that is most effective for stirring are also analyzed. There may be cases where each item is different. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the piezoelectric element driver 209 receives from the controller 112 the frequency information 207 and power information 208 most effective for stirring in each analysis item according to the properties of the liquid to be measured. Based on this, the sound source 202 is driven.

  Further, when the intensity of the radiated sound wave is increased, the liquid surface is ejected as indicated by an arrow 211 from the state of the liquid surface 210 in FIG. 2A by the same effect as the ultrasonic humidifier. 2) If the ultrasonic wave is irradiated under the condition that there is a reaction vessel wall ahead as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the scattered liquid dams the reaction vessel wall. It is not only avoided that the stirred object 213 jumps out of the reaction vessel 203, but the liquid hits the wall of the reaction vessel 203 and is pushed back, resulting in a swirling flow inside the stirred vessel 213. Resulting in stirring and mixing. As an example in which such an effect is positively utilized, there is a configuration as shown in FIGS.

  The difference between the configuration shown in FIG. 5 (a) and the configuration shown in FIG. 2 (a) is that the liquid of the agitated object 213 is applied to the sound wave 402 irradiated vertically downward from below by tilting the reaction vessel 401. The phase, the gas-liquid interface at the liquid level of the to-be-stirred object 213, and the reaction vessel wall are present in this order. In this case, a mechanism for adjusting the turn of the sound source 302 is not necessary (however, movement in the left-right direction (radial direction of the reaction disk 212) in the figure is possible).

  Similarly, another example in which the shape of the reaction vessel is changed will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration shown in FIG. 5 (b) is different from the configuration shown in FIG. 2 (a) and FIG. 5 (a) in that the reaction vessel 403 provided with a reaction vessel wall in a part of the upper opening is By irradiating the sound wave 404 vertically upward from below, the condition that these exist in the irradiation region in the order of liquid phase-gas-liquid interface-gas phase-reaction vessel wall is realized.

  Further, if the on / off operation of ultrasonic irradiation is repeated with an intensity within a range where the liquid does not scatter, the liquid level of the agitated object 213 in the reaction vessel 403 is the liquid levels 210 and 222 in FIG. As a result, the mass transfer in the object to be stirred 213 occurs, and even in this case, stirring and mixing are performed.

  At this time, instead of turning on / off the ultrasonic irradiation, the liquid to be measured can be stirred by changing the intensity with time, for example, changing the intensity of the ultrasonic wave from a certain intensity in a sine wave.

  In FIG. 2 (a), a sound wave emitted from one sound source is irradiated from one reaction vessel wall toward the liquid surface. For example, in the case of a rectangular reaction vessel having a square cross section, 4 The liquid surface may be deformed by causing the liquid surface to enter alternately from all of the two side surfaces and causing a similar change in the liquid surface.

  In these reference examples, the sound source 202 using a piezoelectric element is used as a means for generating an ultrasonic wave, but a sound source of another mechanism may be used.

  Next, a configuration of a sound source that is a characteristic part of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the above-mentioned reference example, the moving stage (positioning mechanism 201) is used to change the direction and position of the sound source. However, the sound sources are arranged independently, driven independently, and superposed on the individual sound waves. It goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even if the reaction vessel is irradiated with the sound wave. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, a sound source to be driven is selected as shown by an applied voltage 224 of each sound source for a sound source 223 in which independent sound sources are arrayed in the reaction vessel depth direction. As a result, the height of the sound source that actually emits the sound wave (the sound source position in the reaction vessel depth direction) can be changed as in the case of using the direct moving stage. A wavefront 225 in FIG. 3A represents the wavefront of the sound wave emitted from the selected sound source.

  Further, by shifting the phase of the voltage applied to each independent sound source of the sound source 226 in which the individual sound sources are arranged in an array as shown in FIG. Even if the direction in which the sound wave travels is changed as in the wavefront 228 without using the mechanical mechanism, it is possible to change the irradiation direction of the sound wave. That is, in the case of the sound sources 223 and 226 arranged in an array as shown in FIG. 3, the sound sources 223 and 226 arranged in an array form an irradiation position adjusting mechanism.

  In chemical analyzers, the reaction process of the stirring mixture and the absorbance after the reaction are measured after stirring, so the reaction vessel of the current chemical analyzer is an optically simple rectangular reaction vessel with a square horizontal section. It has been. However, in order to perform sufficient stirring from the viewpoint of the performance of the entire apparatus, it is not particularly necessary to limit the reaction vessel to such a rectangular shape even if it is somewhat disadvantageous for the measurement of absorbance. In the embodiments shown so far, an elongated rectangular reaction vessel is assumed, and an example of irradiation from the side has been shown in order to make sound waves enter the reaction vessel through a wider area toward the liquid surface. It was. However, as described above, when emphasis is placed on stirring from the viewpoint of the performance of the entire apparatus, in addition to (c) in FIG. May be incident.

  One of the features of the present invention is that the liquid phase of the stirring object, the gas-liquid interface at the liquid level of the stirring object, the gas phase, and the reaction container wall are present in this order with respect to the stirring object in the reaction vessel. However, another embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 4A shows an embodiment in which an auxiliary sound source from below is used in combination. The embodiment of FIG. 4 (a) is different from that of FIG. 2 (a) in that the side sound source 301 emits sound waves from the side to the reaction vessel and the sound waves are emitted from below to the bottom surface of the reaction vessel. By providing an auxiliary lower sound source 302 and using both in combination, the condition in which the liquid phase of the object to be stirred, the gas-liquid interface at the liquid level of the object to be stirred, and the reaction vessel wall exist in this order is realized. The side sound source 301 and the lower sound source 302 are both connected to the same controller 112, receive the frequency and power information 207 and 208 most effective for stirring for each analysis item from the controller 112, and based on that, the side sound source 301 and the lower sound source 302 It is driven by a pair of piezoelectric element drivers 209 that respectively drive the sound source 302.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 4 (a), the liquid level is relative to the original horizontal plane as shown in the figure by irradiating the ultrasonic wave 306 from the lower sound source 302 in a direction slightly shifted in the radial direction from the center of the reaction vessel 203. The liquid level 313 is partially lifted. If the sound wave 305 is irradiated from the side sound source 301 in this state, the liquid phase of the object to be agitated without being moved as shown in the example of FIG. It is possible to irradiate the sound wave in the direction in which the gas-liquid interface, the gas phase, and the reaction vessel wall in the liquid surface of the agitated material exist in this order.

  Under such a configuration, as described in the example of FIG. 2A, the liquid phase is deformed by turning on / off the sound source or changing the intensity of the sound wave with time, and stirring. Can be performed.

  Further, even when the intensity of the sound wave irradiated from the side is increased to disperse the liquid, the rotating flow 307 is generated in the liquid phase as in the case of FIG.

  FIG. 4B is a time chart showing the relationship between the rotation / stop of the reaction disk containing the reaction vessel and the irradiation timing of the sound source from below and from the side. As shown in sequence 308, sound waves are emitted from both sound sources (side sound source 301 and lower sound source 302) while the reaction disk is stopped. As for the timing of each irradiation, first, when the reaction vessel stops, as shown in the sequence 309, the sound wave 306 from the lower side is immediately irradiated to form an inclined liquid surface. Subsequently, as shown in a sequence 310, a sound wave 305 from the side is irradiated onto the inclined liquid surface 313, and the liquid to be measured in the reaction vessel 203 is stirred. At this time, irradiation from below may be continued until the side irradiation is completed as indicated by a sequence 311. In this case, an upward force acts on the object to be stirred, but this upward force also contributes as a torque against the counterclockwise rotation flow indicated by an arrow 307 in FIG.

  Note that the intensity of the sound wave may be constant as in the sequences 309, 310, and 311. However, as indicated in the sequence 312, the intensity of the sound wave may be changed with time.

  In these methods, the moving mechanism 303 is used for adjusting the arrangement of the side sound source 301, and the positioning mechanism 304 is used for adjusting the arrangement of the lower sound source 302. However, they are arranged in an array as shown in FIG. The same effect can be obtained by selectively driving the sound source to adjust the relative position of the sound source irradiated to the reaction vessel.

  FIG. 6A shows an embodiment in which an appropriate surface treatment or the like is applied to the inner wall of the reaction vessel 501 to increase the hydrophilicity between the object to be stirred (measurement liquid in the reaction vessel) and the inner wall. By applying such treatment to the inner wall, the wall surface is easily wetted, and the liquid surface 502 has a shape in which the central portion as shown in the figure is recessed and the portion in contact with the wall surface is raised. As a result, even if the sound wave is irradiated from the side, the liquid phase of the object to be stirred, the gas-liquid interface at the liquid level of the object to be stirred, the gas phase, the direction in which these exist, and the gas-liquid interface As a result, the sound wave is irradiated obliquely, and the same stirring and mixing as in the previous examples can be performed. In this case as well, only one sound source 504 is required, and only a linear moving stage 509 for adjusting the height is required for the positioning mechanism.

  In the previous embodiments or reference examples, the reaction vessel and the turntable were stopped at the position where the stirring mechanism was installed, and the stirring operation was performed during that time. Due to the effect of the force, the liquid level in the reaction vessel is tilted to one side like the liquid level 506 in FIG. At this time, if the sound wave 507 is irradiated from the side when the reaction vessel passes through the place where the sound source 508 is installed, the liquid phase of the object to be stirred and the liquid level of the object to be stirred are the same as in the previous examples. A sound wave is irradiated in the direction in which the gas-liquid interface, the gas phase, and the reaction vessel wall exist in this order and obliquely with respect to the gas-liquid interface, so that stirring and mixing can be performed. Even in this case, only one sound source 508 is required, and the positioning mechanism may be only the linear moving stage 510 for adjusting the height or the array-like sound source 223 as shown in FIG.

  In this chemical analyzer, the reagent is dispensed after the sample is dispensed, and the mixture is stirred and mixed. Even if the order is reversed, the same effect can be obtained.

  According to each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, as in the reference example shown in FIG. 2, stirring is performed without putting a spatula or a screw inside the stirring target 213. There is no risk of reduction or contamination due to carry-over of objects, and there is no need to put a spatula or a screw inside the object to be stirred 213, so the reaction vessel can be downsized, that is, the sample and reagent can be made in a very small amount. . By reducing the size of the reaction vessel, the reaction disk for storing the reaction vessel can be reduced in size without reducing the number of reaction vessels, and the chemical analyzer can be downsized as a whole. According to this embodiment, since the liquid to be measured is stirred and mixed using the swirl flow induced by sound waves in the vicinity of the gas-liquid interface, the reaction vessel is downsized, and even if the liquid to be measured becomes a very small amount, The liquid to be measured can be stirred and mixed, and the liquid to be measured can be stirred with a smaller acoustic output than when a sound field intensity distribution is given to the liquid to be measured to generate an acoustic flow.

  In the description so far, since the chemical analysis apparatus that maintains the constant temperature state of the reaction vessel by filling the constant temperature bath 114 with the constant temperature water 114 is assumed, a sound wave is irradiated from the outside of the reaction vessel and propagated in the constant temperature water 214. Although the transmission form in which sound waves are incident on the reaction vessel has been adopted, the method in which the acoustic transfer characteristic is not obtained is obtained in comparison with the case where the reaction vessel is immersed in the constant temperature water 214 to maintain the constant temperature state in the reaction vessel. In order to maintain a constant temperature state, an acoustic coupler 602 as shown in FIG. 7 is attached to the sound source 603, and when stirring, the sound wave from the sound source 603 is allowed to enter the reaction vessel 601 in close contact with the reaction vessel 601. Is possible.

  Further, the acoustic coupler 602 can perform not only the propagation of the sound wave but also a more efficient stirring by providing an acoustic lens function for controlling the sound wave.

  Further, if the stirring mechanism of the present chemical analyzer is used as a supplementary mechanism for the cleaning mechanism, the performance of the entire apparatus can be improved. As described above, the sample / reagent mixture after the completion of the reaction is sucked in the cleaning mechanism, and after the cleaning liquid is discharged into the reaction container, it is sucked again to clean the inner wall of the reaction container, and the reaction container is then used for the next inspection. used. If the stirring operation is performed by the stirring mechanism described so far after the cleaning liquid is discharged into the reaction container, a further cleaning effect can be obtained.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to more efficiently stir and mix the sample / reagent and to prevent carryover. In addition, more efficient stirring and mixing of the sample / reagent is possible, and the inspection itself can be performed with a smaller amount of sample / reagent. In addition, more efficient stirring and mixing of the sample / reagent is possible, and the entire apparatus can be made smaller.

1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a chemical analyzer according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applicable. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the principle of the stirring mechanism shown in FIG. It is a conceptual lineblock diagram of an array-like sound source of one embodiment of the present invention. It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view and operation | movement sequence of the stirring mechanism of other embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the stirring mechanism of other embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the stirring mechanism of other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the acoustic coupler of one Embodiment which couple | bonds the sound source of this invention with the reaction container.

Explanation of symbols

101,212 reaction disk
102, 203, 501, 601 reaction vessel
103 Sample turntable
104 sample cups
105 reagent bottles
106 Reagent turntable
107 Sampling mechanism
108 Reagent dispensing mechanism
109 Stirring mechanism
110 Metering mechanism
111 Cleaning mechanism
112 controller
113 Console
201, 304, 510 Positioning mechanism
202, 504, 508, 603 Sound source
204 Range of sound wave irradiation
205, 218, 502, 506 Liquid level
206 Sound source position and irradiation direction signals
209 Piezoelectric driver
210 Liquid level when sound waves are applied
213 Object to be stirred (measurement liquid)
214 constant temperature water
215, 219 Flow direction arrows
216, 220, 307 Arrows indicating swirl flow
222 Liquid level when no sound is applied
223 Array sound source
225, 228 wavefront
226 array sound source
227 Applied voltage
301 Side sound source
302 Lower sound source
303 Movement mechanism
305 Sound waves from the side
306 Sound wave from below
402, 404, 503, 507 sound wave
602 acoustic coupler

Claims (5)

  In the chemical analyzer, comprising: a reaction vessel having an opening and into which the liquid to be measured is injected; and a stirring means having a sound source for irradiating and stirring the liquid to be measured from outside the reaction vessel. Is formed by having a plurality of sound source elements arranged in an array.   2. The sound source driving means according to claim 1, further comprising sound source driving means for applying a voltage independently to each of the plurality of sound source elements and changing a sound wave irradiation direction of the sound source by shifting a phase of the applied voltage. Chemical analysis equipment.   The sound source driving means is configured such that a center line of a sound wave irradiation range irradiated from the sound source to the measured liquid is inclined from the liquid phase side to the gas phase side with respect to the liquid surface of the measured liquid in the reaction container. The chemical analysis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the phase of the voltage is shifted so as to escape.   The chemical analysis apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the sound source driving means has a function of varying the intensity and frequency of a sound wave generated from the sound source.   5. The chemical analysis apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sound source driving means automatically controls the intensity and frequency of sound waves for each inspection item according to the properties of the liquid to be measured.

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