JP2005321306A - Sample agitating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sample agitating apparatus capable of uniformly agitating a sample such as blood in a container without dispersing or discharging the sample as splashes to the outside and achieving both a compact size and simplification in the apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus for agitating the sample in the cylindrical sample container is provided with at least three rollers rotatably in contact with the outer edge side surface of the sample container mounted to a sample container holding means; a biasing means for bringing the rollers into contact with the outer edge side surface of the sample container in such a way as to move forward and backward; a rotation driving source for providing a rotation driving force in forward and backward directions for at least one roller; and a control means for controlling the rotation driving source. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device for stirring a sample in a cylindrical sample container, and more particularly to a stirring device for stirring a sample such as a blood sample collected in a sample container such as a blood collection tube by rotary stirring.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a whole blood analyzer that measures glycohemoglobin A _1c in blood using a high-performance liquid chromatograph (also referred to as HPLC) as a marker for testing for diabetes, which is clinically used.

In these apparatuses, a blood collection tube containing blood collected from a patient or the like is used for measurement, but a single-row multi-collection blood collection rack that holds a plurality of blood collection tubes arranged in a row is often used. . Then, when the blood collection tube in the blood collection rack is used in the analyzer for analyzing the whole blood, it is desirable to agitate the blood sample to make it uniform. This is because, when measuring glycated hemoglobin A _1c in such blood by HPLC, and many glycated hemoglobin A _1c are present in the blood cell portion of the blood, also, the glycated hemoglobin A _1c is a difference by young and old blood cells It is known that it is desirable to agitate the blood collection tube before sampling to avoid the effects of blood cell life.

  For this reason, conventionally, in an apparatus for stirring the blood collection tube held in the blood collection tube rack, a rotating method for rotating the blood collection tube in the horizontal direction or a method for mixing by overturning has been employed.

  Among these, in the stirring method in which the blood collection tube is rotated in the horizontal direction, the cap of the blood collection tube is grasped by a nail or the like, and the blood collection tube is pulled up from the inside of the blood collection tube rack and then rotated, or the blood collection tube is grasped. There is a method of stirring in a rotating rack. In this method, since the mechanism for gripping the blood collection tube exists above the blood collection tube, it is difficult to reduce the size of the apparatus. In addition, the inversion mixing method requires a mechanism for moving the blood collection tube or rack up and down, and there are problems that the processing time becomes long and the apparatus space becomes large.

  For example, when a liquid such as blood is stirred, the outer periphery of the container containing the liquid is brought into contact with the stirring member, and the solution inside the container is stirred through the contact (for example, see Patent Document 1). The container is held by a gripping part composed of a rubber roller, and the rubber roller is rotated to rotate the container and stir the solution contained therein (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Such a method has been used in which the stopper is held between the upper arm with a roller, the container is rotated by rotating the roller, and the solution contained therein is stirred (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

  However, in any of these methods, it is possible to suppress a sample such as blood contained in a container from being scattered and discharged to the outside as a droplet, and to homogenize the blood sample for proper measurement. There is nothing that can fully satisfy the requirements of clinical sites, such as a whole blood sample, and a simple structure that can contribute to operability and cost savings. Was long-awaited.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-26181 (FIG. 1)

JP-A-6-323971 (FIG. 2) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-55815 (FIG. 3)

  The present invention solves the problems existing in the conventional stirring device as described above, and can uniformly stir the sample without scattering the sample such as blood in the container and releasing it as a droplet to the outside. Alternatively, an object of the present invention is to provide a sample stirring device that can also be simplified.

  As a result of studying to solve the above-described problems, a rotating disk having a rotation drive unit is brought into contact with the outer periphery of a blood collection tube main body placed with a slight gap in a blood collection tube rack, and the rotational driving force is transmitted to the blood collection tube. It is found that the blood sample in the blood collection tube can be agitated, and that the blood sample can be agitated without scattering the blood sample inside the blood collection tube by performing forward and reverse rotation even at a low speed. Thus, the present invention has been completed.

  That is, according to the present invention, at least three rollers that turnably abut on the outer edge side surface of a cylindrical sample container placed on a rack, and an urging force that abuts the roller on the outer edge side surface of the sample container so as to advance and retreat. An apparatus for agitating the sample in the sample container, comprising: a means; a rotational drive source that applies a rotational driving force to at least one of the rollers in a forward and reverse direction; and a control means that controls the rotational drive source.

  Moreover, in the apparatus concerning this invention, it becomes a preferable aspect by the control means controlling a rotational drive source so that the rotational speed of a sample container may be 800-1300 rotations per minute.

  In the apparatus according to the present invention, the control means controls the rotational drive source so that the number of rotations of the sample container in one continuous direction is 20 or less and the reversal in the forward and reverse directions is repeated 30 times or more. This is a preferred embodiment.

  Moreover, in the apparatus concerning this invention, it becomes a preferable aspect that the rotational drive source is a motor which gives a rotational drive force to the said rotation body in the forward / backward direction.

  Moreover, in the apparatus concerning this invention, it becomes a preferable aspect because a sample is a blood sample and a sample container is a blood collection tube.

  Moreover, in the apparatus concerning this invention, it becomes a preferable aspect by making the biasing means into a spring.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

  The apparatus of the present invention comprises at least three rollers, urging means for abutting the rollers so as to be able to advance and retreat, a rotational drive source for applying rotational drive force to at least one of the rollers in forward and reverse directions, and the rotational drive source. Control means for controlling.

  Here, the roller provided in the device of the present invention is a roller that contacts the outer edge side surface of a container containing a sample such as a blood sample measured by the device of the present invention so as to be rotatable. The shape is not particularly limited as long as it can be pivotally contacted with the sample container, but it may have a shape that can rotate the sample container, such as a disk shape or a cylindrical shape. An aluminum disk or the like can be used. In addition, in order to cause friction with the sample container, it is preferable to cover the roller outer peripheral portion with a silicone rubber or the like at a portion that can come into contact with the sample container. Furthermore, when the shape of the roller is a disk or a cylinder, it is desirable that the diameter of the rotating disk is larger than that of the blood collection tube in order to efficiently transmit the driving force to the blood collection tube.

  Further, it is preferable that at least one of the rollers is provided with a shaft member for receiving a rotational driving force from a rotational driving source described later and transmitting the rotational force to the sample container. For example, as a roller (rotating body) connected to a rotation driving source, a configuration in which a rotating disk is provided in which a shaft member made of aluminum or the like is provided perpendicular to the roller at the rotation center of the roller can be exemplified.

  In addition, a plurality of rollers (rotors) arranged on the opposite side across a rack holding a blood collection tube serving as a sample container with respect to the roller directly connected to the rotation drive source, the sample container can be used during stirring. At least three or more points are brought into contact with each other and can be rotated more stably, and it is possible to avoid scattering of a sample such as blood in the sample container to the outside of the container. These at least three rollers may be brought into contact with substantially the same height position of the sample container in order to suppress non-side movement during rotation of the sample container.

  Usually, the sample container to be rotated is transferred by a sample container holding means such as a blood collection tube rack, and is stirred while being placed on the sample container holding means in order to further enhance the holding stability of the sample container. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the sample container itself from suddenly jumping in the lateral direction during stirring for some reason.

  Further, the sample container holding means holds the sample container until the measurement of the sample is completed after the sample container from which a sample such as blood has been collected is placed on the sample container holding means. In carrying in, in order to simplify the structure, it is good to set it as the aspect which cross-feeds a sample container holding means with a carrying-in apparatus.

  The urging means provided in the device of the present invention is for abutting the roller so as to be able to advance and retreat, and is usually constituted by an elastic body having elasticity such as a spring and rubber. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a spring from the viewpoint of durability. This urging means allows the roller that contacts the sample container to be moved forward and backward when the sample container to be stirred is transported to the stirring device of the present invention. At the same time, the sample container contacts the roller. During this time, the roller is pressed against the outer peripheral portion of the sample container to provide a rotational driving force. As a result, the sample container can be stirred with a certain margin even if the size and diameter of the sample container are different from each other without being idle.

  The rotational drive source provided in the apparatus of the present invention is a drive source that applies a rotational drive force to at least one of the above-described rollers in the forward and reverse directions, and as a result, rotates the sample container and stirs the sample therein. is there. In the present invention, in stirring the sample, it is preferable to strictly control the scattering of the sample and the stirring efficiency. Therefore, it is preferable to have a mechanism that enables rotation in the forward and reverse directions. It is desirable to use a motor capable of controlling the rotation speed, particularly a pulse motor.

  The control means provided in the apparatus of the present invention is provided to control the rotational drive source, and known means such as a pulse motor control mechanism can be used as appropriate. In particular, in the stirring of the sample by the stirring device of the present invention, in order to prevent the splash of the sample from scattering and to obtain sufficient stirring efficiency, the rotational speed of the rotational drive source, for example, the motor is set to a certain level or forward and reverse. It is preferable to have a mechanism that can be rotated and that can repeat forward and reverse inversion in a certain number of times or more, and that can be transmitted to a rotational drive source by an electric signal or the like.

  In particular, in stirring the sample container, the sample in the sample container is scattered from the container by controlling the rotation drive source so that the rotation speed of the sample container is 800 to 1300 rotations per minute by the control means. It can be stirred. In addition, the sample driving speed is controlled so that the number of rotations in one continuous direction of the sample container is 20 or less and the reversal of the forward / reverse direction is repeated 30 times or more, thereby improving the stirring efficiency of the sample and its scattering. Can also be avoided. For this reason, it is preferable that the control means is set so that the rotation drive source can be stirred under such conditions.

  In the device of the present invention, when the sample container rotates, it may float upward. In that case, a rise prevention plate for preventing the sample container from rising, such as an aluminum plate, may be provided above the sample container so that the sample container is not detached from the sample container holding means when the sample container is rotated. Good. The shape and material can be arbitrarily changed depending on the device configuration and the like.

  Next, the operation of the stirring device of the present invention (hereinafter abbreviated as the present device) will be described in detail.

  A rack on which a sample container such as a blood collection tube is placed is usually carried into the apparatus of the present invention from the lateral direction. This carry-in is automatically performed by a lateral feed device having a power source.

  The device of the present invention is provided with a sensor for specifying a position where a sample container such as a blood collection tube is placed, and the position specified by the sensor is a roller (hereinafter referred to as a rotation) that operates in conjunction with the rotation drive source. The roller interlocked with the drive source is referred to as a drive roller) and the other two or more rollers (hereinafter, a roller other than the roller interlocked with the rotational drive source is referred to as a support roller) until the sample is brought into contact with the sample. Transverse the container.

  While the sample container is laterally fed to the specified location, the outer peripheral portion of the driving roller such as a rotating disk and the support roller are pressed against the outer peripheral portion of the sample container by elastic biasing means. .

  Since the outer peripheral portion of the drive roller and the support roller are in contact with each other by the force of the urging means, the outer peripheral portion of the drive roller and the support roller are the same regardless of the diameter of the sample container such as a blood collection tube. Can contact the container.

  The position where the drive roller is pressed is the side surface of the sample container main body between the top of the rack and the top of the sample container. By making contact with the side surface of the sample container main body, it is possible to easily adjust the height of the drive roller during installation.

  After the outer periphery of the sample container and the outer periphery of the drive roller are in contact, the drive roller is driven to rotate the sample container. At this time, the sample container rotates in the direction opposite to that of the driving roller due to the frictional resistance of the substance covered by the outer periphery of the driving roller.

  When the drive roller is rotated, if the initial speed is increased, a slip may occur at the contact point between the rotating disk and the blood collection tube, and the blood collection tube may not rotate. In order to avoid this, it is preferable to adopt a method in which the initial rotational speed is slowed and the rotational speed is gradually increased.

  When rotating the sample container, stirring is also possible by rotating it at a high speed in a certain direction. However, if the sample container is rotated at a high speed, the sample container cap will be damaged if the sample container cap is damaged. May be scattered. For this reason, in the present invention, when the sample container is rotated, both the driving roller and the support roller are brought into contact with the side surface of the sample container to give a rotational driving force, so that the sample container can be rotated without the cap of the sample container. The structure that can do.

  The stirring device of the present invention is particularly useful for stirring blood. As can be seen in the examples below, aqueous solutions colored with pigments and blood (whole blood) differ in their properties, especially in viscosity, and blood agitation must be performed without sufficient control during agitation. In this case, the sample may scatter from the container or a sufficient stirring effect may not be obtained. Therefore, in the present invention, it is found that the rotation speed and the rotation time in the same rotation direction are important as the control conditions of the rotation drive source by the above control means, and further, the rotation is performed while reversing the rotation in the forward and reverse directions. It was found that there was a sufficient stirring effect and sample scattering suppression effect.

  More specifically, when the rotation conditions under which the blood sample is sufficiently scattered without being scattered are studied, the factors that affect the scattering of the sample are the rotation speed and the rotation time in the same direction (hereinafter referred to as the movement distance). In addition, it is possible to reduce the rotational speed and the moving distance by performing forward and reverse rotation. The factor that affects the stirring of the blood sample is the rotational speed and the number of forward / reverse rotations (hereinafter referred to as the number of repetitions). From such knowledge, it is possible to sufficiently stir without generating splashes by suppressing the rotation speed and increasing the number of repetitions.

  By stirring the sample by controlling such factors, the liquid level of the blood sample in the sample container does not rise to the upper part (淵) of the sample container, and the liquid level is lowered by the next reverse rotation. . After this, the liquid level of the blood sample again rises to the top, but the rotation direction is reversed again, so that the scattering of the blood sample can be avoided as described above.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily agitate a sample such as a blood sample in a sample container placed on a rack, and it is easy to shorten the processing time and the apparatus size. Further, since the risk of the sample being scattered around can be reduced, the risk of droplet infection at the clinical site can be reduced.

  Implementation of the present invention will be described with reference to the configuration of a stirring device. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the scope of the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the present invention. The agitating device includes a transverse feed device 2 for transversely feeding the blood collection rack 1, a pulse motor 3 for generating rotational driving force, and a rotating disk 4 (corresponding to a driving roller) connected thereto via an aluminum shaft 14 penetrating the center of the disk. ), A spring 5 connected to the pulse motor, two rotors (corresponding to support rollers) 6 and 7, and springs 8 and 9 connected to the rotor. In addition, the blood collection tube rack 1 has a rack hole 12 on which the blood collection tube 10 is placed, and there is also an aluminum plate 11 installed above the blood collection tube 10 to be agitated.

  FIG. 2 shows an apparatus configuration diagram in which the ascent prevention plate 11 is removed and the apparatus of the present invention is viewed from above. The arrangement of the rotating disk 4 (corresponding to the driving roller) having the rotational driving force and the two rotors 6 and 7 (corresponding to the supporting roller) is symmetrically installed when viewed from the horizontal direction. Further, the outer peripheral portion of the rotating disk 4 (corresponding to the driving roller) and the outer peripheral portions of the two rotors 6 and 7 (corresponding to the supporting roller) are arranged so as to contact the outer peripheral portion of the blood collection tube 10.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device of the present invention. When viewed in the vertical direction, the rotary disk 4 (corresponding to the drive roller) and the two rotors 6 and 7 (corresponding to the support roller) are installed below the top of the blood collection tube 10.
The rotating disk 4 is connected to the pulse motor 3 by a rotating shaft 14 and conducts rotational driving force.

  The rotating disk 4 is a disk made of aluminum having a diameter of 40 mm and a thickness of 5 mm and coated with a silicone rubber having a thickness of 5 mm. The two rotating rotors 6 and 7 have a piece having a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 8 mm. The mold is covered with 1 mm thick rubber.

  Next, the operation of the actual stirring device will be described.

  A hole 12 for holding the blood collection tube 10 is opened in the blood collection tube rack 1. The diameter of the hole 12 is larger than the diameter of the blood collection tube 1.

  The blood collection tube held in the hole 12 is carried into the stirrer by the lateral feed device 2. During the lateral feed, the blood collection tube sensor 13 specifies the position where the blood collection tube 10 placed on the blood collection tube rack 1 is held. The transverse feeding device 2 of the transport system feeds the blood collection tube rack 1 until the specified position of the blood collection tube 10 contacts the rotary disk 4 and the rotor positions 6 and 7.

  When the blood collection tube 10 held in the blood collection rack 1 is sent to a predetermined position, the rotating disk 4 and the rotors 6 and 7 are pressed against the blood collection tube 10 by the elasticity of the springs 5, 8, and 9, and the blood collection tube The outer peripheral portion of 10 is sandwiched between the outer peripheral portion of the rotating disk 4 covered with silicon rubber and the outer peripheral portions of the two rotating bodies 6 and 7. At this time, the side surfaces of the blood collection tube 10 and the hole 12 of the blood collection tube rack 1 may be in contact with each other.

  Here, the rotating disk 4 rotates and the blood collection tube 10 is rotated. Since the rotating disk 4 repeatedly rotates in the forward and reverse directions for a certain time, the blood collection tube 10 also repeats forward and reverse rotation. At this time, the blood collection tube 10 slightly rises from the blood collection tube rack 1, but does not come out of the blood collection tube rack 1 by the rise prevention plate 11.

  Next, the aqueous solution containing the pigment in the sample container (Benoject II, 13φ × 75 mm length, 5 mL blood collection tube) was stirred under predetermined conditions to test whether or not droplets were generated. The stirring conditions are shown in Table 1 as starting speed (rpm: rotation / min), rotation speed (rpm: rotation / min), acceleration (ms: time to move from the starting speed to the rotation speed), and rotation speed (round). It was. In addition, as a result, the presence or absence of droplets is shown in Table 1.

表１において、加速が５０ｍｓで、回転数が１８ｒｏｕｎｄのとき、２３８８ｒｐｍでは飛沫物はなかったが、２６５４ｒｐｍになると飛沫物が発生した。つぎに、加速を５００ｍｓと緩やかな変化とすることにより、回転速度を５３０８ｒｐｍにまで上げた場合でも、飛沫物の発生を回避することができた。回転数に関しては、回転速度が２１２３ｒｐｍと低速であっても、回転数を３５ｒｏｕｎｄまで上げると飛沫物が発生した。

In Table 1, when the acceleration was 50 ms and the rotation speed was 18 rounds, there were no splashes at 2388 rpm, but splashes were generated at 2654 rpm. Next, by making the acceleration moderately change to 500 ms, it was possible to avoid generation of splashes even when the rotational speed was increased to 5308 rpm. Regarding the rotational speed, even if the rotational speed was as low as 2123 rpm, splashing was generated when the rotational speed was increased to 35 rounds.

Next, blood (whole blood) was put into the same sample container and stirred under predetermined conditions to test whether or not droplets were generated. At the same time, it was mixed separately, and the total glycohemoglobin A _1c concentration was measured by HPLC. Based on the fact that the peak total area (T. Area) was 1150 (s · mV), whether or not stirring was completed confirmed. The stirring conditions are: start-up speed (rpm: rotation / min), rotation speed (rpm: rotation / min), acceleration (ms: time to move from start-up speed to rotation speed), rotation speed (round), number of repetitions (times And are shown in Table 2. As a result, T.W. Table 2 shows Area (s · mV), presence / absence of droplets, and noise state.

表２から、色素の水溶液の場合には飛沫物の飛散が発生しなかった、回転速度２０００回転程度の条件においても飛沫は発生しており、血液の場合には飛沫が発生しやすくなることが認められた。また、８００〜１３００ｒｐｍの回転速度、反復数３０回以上の場合には、飛沫物はなく、かつ、総グリコヘモグロビンＡ_１ｃ濃度（Ｔ．Ａｒｅａ）から、ほぼ撹拌も十分にできていることが認められた。

From Table 2, in the case of the aqueous solution of the dye, the splash was not generated even under the condition of the rotation speed of about 2000 rotations, and in the case of blood, the spray is likely to be generated. Admitted. In addition, when the rotational speed is 800 to 1300 rpm and the number of repetitions is 30 times or more, it is recognized that there is no splash and that the total glycohemoglobin A _1c concentration (T. Area) is sufficiently stirred. It was.

  Therefore, by rotating the blood collection tube under conditions of 800 to 1300 rpm and the number of repetitions of 30 times or more, the blood sample in the blood collection tube that has been subjected to centrifugation can be brought into a substantially uniform state, and the cap of the blood collection tube It was confirmed that the blood sample did not scatter from the blood collection tube even when the was removed.

It is a composition perspective view of the present invention. It is the top view which looked at the present invention which removed the rise prevention board from the upper part. It is the side view which looked at the present invention from the side.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Blood collection rack 2 Blood collection lateral feed device 3 Pulse motor 4 Disk 5 Spring 6 Rotor 7 Rotor 8 Spring 9 Spring 10 Blood collection 11 Aluminum plate 12 Hole 13 of the blood collection rack for placing the blood collection tube Contact sensor 14 Aluminum shaft

Claims (6)

At least three rollers rotatably contacting the outer edge side surface of the cylindrical sample container placed on the sample container holding means; and urging means for abutting the roller on the outer edge side surface of the sample container so as to advance and retreat An apparatus for agitating a sample in the sample container, comprising: a rotation drive source that applies a rotational drive force to at least one of the rollers in forward and reverse directions; and a control unit that controls the rotation drive source. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the rotation drive source so that the rotation speed of the sample container is 800 to 1300 rotations per minute. The control means controls the rotational drive source so that the number of rotations in one continuous direction of the sample container is 20 or less and the repetition in the forward and reverse directions is repeated 30 times or more. 2. The apparatus according to 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotational driving source is a motor that applies rotational driving force to the rotating body in forward and reverse directions. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample is a blood sample and the sample container is a blood collection tube. 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is a spring.

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