JP2007225337A - Analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an analyzer constituted so as to miniaturize a reaction container by reducing the diameter of the luminous flux entering the reaction container and capable of extremely reducing the amount of a specimen or reagent. <P>SOLUTION: The analyzer 1 is equipped with a light source 8b which emit lights with a plurality of wavelengths and irradiates the sample held in a container 7 with a measuring light and constituted so as to measure the absorbance of the sample. A parabolic mirror pair for condensing the light emitted from the light source to irradiate the container is arranged between the light source 8b and the container 7 and constituted by arranging two pairs of parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e and parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h. The light source 8b is a xenon lamp. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an analyzer.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an analyzer for analyzing a biological sample (specimen) such as blood dispenses and reacts a specimen and a reagent in a reaction container, and optically measures the liquid sample after the reaction, thereby measuring the component concentration of the specimen. Etc. (see, for example, Patent Document 1). At this time, the analyzer disclosed in Patent Document 1 condenses the measurement light emitted from the light source on the reaction container with a lens, and after the transmitted light transmitted through the reaction container is spectrally separated by a reflection diffraction grating, The component concentration of the specimen is analyzed based on the absorbance obtained by measuring the light of the specific wavelength with a photodetector.

JP 2001-91455 A

  By the way, the analyzer of patent document 1 uses the light of the wavelength band ranging from 340-800 nm as measurement light, and uses the lens as a condensing optical system. For this reason, the measurement light generates chromatic aberration in which the beam diameter of the light beam differs for each wavelength. In this case, since the glass materials that transmit the light in the above wavelength band without chromatic aberration are limited, it is difficult to correct the chromatic aberration, and the analyzer can make a small spot by narrowing the light beam incident on the reaction vessel. could not.

  On the other hand, analysis devices have been attracting attention for a small amount of sample and a small amount of reagent. In this case, if the light beam incident on the reaction container cannot be narrowed down due to the chromatic aberration of the measurement light, the reaction container also becomes larger along with this, so that there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the amount of the specimen or reagent.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides an analyzer that can reduce the size of a reaction container by reducing the diameter of a light beam incident on the reaction container, thereby reducing the amount of a specimen or reagent. With the goal.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an analyzer according to claim 1 includes a light source that emits light of a plurality of wavelengths and irradiates a sample held in a container with measurement light, and the sample In the analyzer for measuring the absorbance of the above, a parabolic mirror pair for condensing the light emitted from the light source and irradiating the container is disposed between the light source and the container. To do.

  Moreover, the analyzer according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the above invention, two pairs of parabolic mirrors are arranged.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the above invention, the light source is a xenon lamp.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the analyzer according to the above invention, wherein the branching means for branching the measurement light incident on the container from the optical path formed by the parabolic mirror pair, and the light quantity of the branched branching light are measured. And measuring means for correcting the light quantity of the light source based on the measured light quantity of the branched light.

  In the analyzer according to the present invention, a pair of parabolic mirrors that collect light emitted from the light source and irradiate the container is disposed between the light source and the container. Chromatic aberration and spherical aberration can be eliminated and the diameter can be reduced, thereby providing an effect of providing an analyzer capable of reducing the size of the reaction container and reducing the amount of specimen and reagent.

(Embodiment 1)
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an analyzer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of the photometry unit of the automatic analyzer of FIG. 1 together with the control unit.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic analyzer 1 includes a sample table 3, a sample sentence dispensing mechanism 5, a reaction table 6, a photometric unit 8, a cleaning device 11, a reagent dispensing mechanism 12, and a reagent table 13 on a work table 2. Is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the sample table 3 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow by the driving means, and a plurality of storage chambers 3 a are provided on the outer periphery at regular intervals along the circumferential direction. In each storage chamber 3a, a sample container 4 storing a sample is detachably stored.

  The sample dispensing mechanism 5 is means for dispensing the sample into the reaction container 7, and sequentially dispenses the sample from the plurality of sample containers 4 in the sample table 3 into the reaction container 7.

  The reaction table 6 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1 by a driving means different from that of the sample table 3, and a plurality of storage chambers 6a are provided on the outer periphery at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. In each storage chamber 6a, a reaction container 7 for reacting a sample with a reagent is detachably stored.

  The reaction container 7 is a container that holds and reacts a liquid sample containing a specimen and a reagent, and is a transparent material that transmits 80% or more of the light contained in the measurement light (340 to 800 nm) emitted from the light source unit 8, For example, it is a rectangular cylindrical container using glass including heat-resistant glass, synthetic resin such as cyclic olefin and polystyrene.

  The photometric unit 8 is a part that optically measures the liquid sample held in the reaction vessel 7, and as shown in FIG. 2, the light source 8b, the first parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e, the second parabolic mirror. 8g and 8h, a beam splitter 8i, third parabolic mirrors 8m and 8n, a slit plate 8r, a concave diffraction grating 8s, a light receiving sensor 8t, and the like.

  The light source 8b is turned on by the power source 8a, and a bright xenon lamp having a small bright spot is used. The first parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e, the second parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h, and the third parabolic mirrors 8m and 8n are condensing optical systems each paired with an off-axis parabolic mirror. In the drawing, it is drawn like a plane mirror for simplicity. On the optical axis Ao connecting the light source 8b and the first parabolic mirror 8d, as shown in FIG. 2, a diaphragm plate 8c for restricting the spread of the measurement light emitted from the light source 8b is arranged. In addition, a pinhole is formed on the optical axis Ao connecting the first parabolic mirror 8e and the second parabolic mirror 8g to reduce the bright spot of the light source 8b reflected by the first parabolic mirror 8e. A light shielding plate 8f is arranged. Here, if the light emitted from the light source 8b can be focused and applied to the reaction vessel 7, the first parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e and the second parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h are elliptical mirrors and other general types. A concave mirror may be used.

  Here, the aperture plate 8c is provided with an opening in the center, and an image formed by the first parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e is formed between the second parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h between the light source 8b and the slit plate 8r. To be arranged. When the diaphragm plate 8c is arranged in this manner, an increase in the tilt angle of the chief ray is suppressed, so that an increase in size of the parabolic mirrors, particularly the third parabolic mirrors 8m and 8n, can be suppressed.

  2 and 3, the beam splitter 8i is disposed on the optical axis Ao connecting the second parabolic mirror 8h and the third parabolic mirror 8m, and receives measurement light incident on the reaction vessel 7. The light is branched from the optical path formed by the second parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h and the third parabolic mirrors 8m and 8n and is incident on the photodiode 8j. The photodiode 8j is a measuring unit that measures the light amount of the branched light emitted from the light source 8b and branched by the beam splitter 8i, and outputs an optical signal related to the light amount to the control unit 16. The control unit 16 feedback-controls the output of the power supply 8a based on the output from the photodiode 8j, and corrects the light amount fluctuation of the measurement light emitted from the light source 8b. The third parabolic mirrors 8m and 8n collect the measurement light transmitted through the beam splitter 8i on the slit of the slit plate 8r.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the slit plate 8r is disposed on the optical axis Ao connecting the third parabolic mirror 8n and the concave diffraction grating 8s. The concave diffraction grating 8s disperses the measurement light emitted from the slit plate 8r by diffraction, and condenses the light on the light receiving sensor 8t for each spectroscopic spectrum. The light receiving sensor 8 t measures the measurement light separated by the concave diffraction grating 8 s for each spectrum, and outputs an optical signal related to the light amount to the control unit 16. As such a light receiving sensor 8t, a light receiving element array in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged along the spectrum direction, a CCD sensor, a CMOS sensor, or the like can be suitably used.

  The cleaning device 11 includes a discharge nozzle (not shown). The liquid sample after completion of the reaction is sucked from the reaction container 7 by the discharge nozzle and discarded into a waste container (not shown) to clean the inside of the reaction container 7. To do. The washed reaction container 7 is again used for analysis of a new specimen.

  The reagent dispensing mechanism 12 is a means for dispensing a reagent into the reaction container 7, and dispenses the reagent from the predetermined reagent container 14 of the reagent table 13 to the reaction container 7 sequentially.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the reagent table 13 is provided with a plurality of fan-shaped storage chambers 13 a along the circumferential direction, and is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow by driving means different from the reaction table 6. In each storage chamber 13a, the reagent container 14 is detachably stored. Each of the plurality of reagent containers 14 is filled with a predetermined reagent corresponding to the inspection item, and a barcode label (not shown) for displaying information on the stored reagent is attached to the outer surface.

  Here, on the outer periphery of the reagent table 13, as shown in FIG. The reading device 15 reads information such as the reagent type, lot, and expiration date recorded on the barcode label attached to the reagent container 14 and outputs the information to the control unit 16.

  The control unit 16 is connected to the sample dispensing mechanism 5, the photometry unit 8, the cleaning device 11, the reagent dispensing mechanism 12, the reading device 15, the analysis unit 17, the input unit 18, the display unit 19, and the like. A microcomputer or the like having a storage function for storing is used. The control unit 16 controls the operation of each unit of the automatic analyzer 1 and regulates the analysis work when the reagent lot or expiration date is out of the installation range based on the information read from the barcode label record. Thus, the automatic analyzer 1 is controlled or a warning is issued to the operator. Further, the control unit 16 obtains the absorbance of the liquid material for each predetermined spectrum based on the light amounts output from the photodiodes 8j and 8t, and corrects the light amount fluctuation of the measurement light emitted from the light source 8b of the photometry unit 8. It also serves as a correction means.

  The analysis unit 17 analyzes the component concentration of the specimen from the absorbance of the liquid sample in the reaction container 7 obtained by the control unit 16 and outputs the analysis result to the control unit 16. The input unit 18 is a part that performs an operation of inputting inspection items and the like to the control unit 16, and for example, a keyboard, a mouse, or the like is used. The display unit 19 displays analysis contents, alarms, and the like, and a display panel or the like is used.

  In the automatic analyzer 1 configured as described above, the sample dispensing mechanism 5 applies the sample from the plurality of sample containers 4 on the sample table 3 to the reaction container 7 conveyed along the circumferential direction by the rotating reaction table 6. Dispense sequentially. The reaction container 7 into which the sample has been dispensed is transported to the vicinity of the reagent dispensing mechanism 12 by the reaction table 6, and the reagent is dispensed from a predetermined reagent container 14. The reaction container 7 into which the reagent has been dispensed reacts with the reagent and the sample being stirred while being conveyed along the circumferential direction by the reaction table 6, and passes through the photometric unit 8. At this time, part of the measurement light incident on the reaction vessel 7 is absorbed by the liquid sample, and the measurement light transmitted without being absorbed is split by the concave diffraction grating 8s. The light of the measured measurement light is measured for each spectrum by the light receiving sensor 8t, and the absorbance is calculated by the control unit 16 based on the outputs of the photodiodes 8j and 8t. The analysis unit 17 analyzes the component concentration of the specimen based on the absorbance obtained by the control unit 16. Then, after the analysis, the reaction container 7 is used for the analysis of the specimen again after the liquid sample after the reaction is discharged by the cleaning device 11 and cleaned.

  At this time, the photometry unit 8 condenses the light emitted from the light source 8b between the light source 8b and the reaction vessel 7 and irradiates the reaction vessel 7 with two pairs of paraboloid mirrors, That is, the first parabolic mirrors 8d and 8e and the second parabolic mirrors 8g and 8h are arranged. For this reason, the photometry unit 8 can image light with a small spot diameter free from chromatic aberration and spherical aberration over the entire wavelength region of the measurement light in the approximate center of the pinhole of the light shielding plate 8f and the reaction vessel 7. Accordingly, the area of the portion through which the measurement light passes through the reaction vessel 7 can be reduced while maintaining the optical path length required for the measurement of the liquid sample held in the reaction vessel 7, so that the reaction vessel 7 can be reduced in size. In addition, the automatic analyzer 1 can reduce the amount of samples and reagents.

  In addition, the photometry unit 8 branches the measurement light incident on the reaction vessel 7 by the beam splitter 8i and monitors it with the photodiode 8j, and the control unit 16 feedback-controls the output of the power source 8a, thereby measuring the light source 8b to emit Corrects fluctuations in the amount of light. For this reason, since the light quantity of the measurement light which the photometry part 8 radiate | emits the light source 8b is stable, the optical path length in the reaction container 7 can be shortened. Therefore, since the reaction container 7 can reduce the dimension along the optical path length as well as the area of the portion through which the measurement light is transmitted, further miniaturization and further miniaturization of the specimen and the reagent are possible. For example, the optical path length can be set to about 1 mm, which is not present.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the automatic analyzer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The automatic analyzer 1 according to the first embodiment analyzes the liquid by receiving the measurement light emitted from the light source with the light receiving sensor. On the other hand, the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment separates the ultraviolet light from the measurement light emitted from the light source, and measures the liquid using the ultraviolet light and the visible light. The automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the automatic analyzer 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the configuration of the photometric unit is partially different. For this reason, the automatic analyzer of the second embodiment uses the same reference numerals for the same components as those of the automatic analyzer 1 of the first embodiment, and uses the drawings of the photometry unit to explain the different parts. To do.

  In addition to the photometric unit 8 of the first embodiment, the photometric unit 20 includes a dichroic mirror 8k and a photodiode 8l between the beam splitter 8i and the photodiode 8j, as shown in FIG. A dichroic mirror 8p and a photodiode 8q are provided between 8n and the slit plate 8r, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, the dichroic mirror 8k reflects the ultraviolet light from the measurement light branched by the beam splitter 8i to be incident on the photodiode 8l, and transmits the visible light to the photodiode 8j. Let On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the dichroic mirror 8p reflects the ultraviolet light from the measurement light reflected by the third parabolic mirror 8m to enter the photodiode 8q, and transmits the visible light. Then, the light is condensed on the slit of the slit plate 8r.

  The photodiodes 8 l and 8 q measure the amount of light in the ultraviolet region branched by the dichroic mirrors 8 k and 8 p and output an optical signal related to the amount of light to the control unit 16. For this reason, the control unit 16 obtains the absorbance of light in the visible region of the liquid sample based on the light amount output from the photodiodes 8j and 8t, as well as the light amount of ultraviolet light output from the photodiodes 8l and 8q. Based on this, the absorbance of light in the ultraviolet region of the liquid sample is obtained.

  Here, the light source 8b thermally expands due to heat generated by lighting, and the optical axis of the measurement light to be emitted fluctuates with time. Therefore, the light component in the ultraviolet region fluctuates in an unstable manner as compared with the light in the visible region. To do. For this reason, the automatic analyzer of the second embodiment separately obtains only the absorbance of light in the ultraviolet region, thereby suppressing the variation in absorbance due to the unstable variation of the light component. Absorbance is calculated. When a bright xenon lamp having a small bright spot is used as the light source 8b, the light component of 400 nm or less rapidly decreases and the gains of the photodiodes 8l and 8q change greatly. For example, based on light of 340 nm or less. Next, the absorbance of light in the ultraviolet region is obtained.

  As described above, the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment measures the component concentration and the like of the specimen using ultraviolet light by separately obtaining only the absorbance of the ultraviolet light that fluctuates in an unstable manner. In addition to the effect that the reaction vessel 7 can be miniaturized and the amount of the specimen and reagent can be reduced, a highly reliable measurement value can be obtained.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the detail of the photometry part of the automatic analyzer of FIG. 1 with a control part. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A of the photometry unit shown in FIG. 2. It is a block diagram which shows the detail of the photometry part of the automatic analyzer of Embodiment 2 with a control part. It is the B section enlarged view of the photometry part shown in FIG. It is the C section enlarged view of the photometry part shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic analyzer 2 Work table 3 Specimen table 4 Specimen container 5 Specimen dispensing mechanism 6 Reaction table 7 Reaction container 8 Photometric part 8b Light source 8d, 8e First parabolic mirror 8g, 8h Second parabolic mirror 8i Beam splitter 8j, 8l Photodiode 8k Dichroic mirror 8m, 8n Third parabolic mirror 8p Dichroic mirror 8q Photodiode 8s Concave diffraction grating 8t Light receiving sensor 11 Cleaning device 12 Reagent dispensing mechanism 13 Reagent table 14 Reagent container 15 Reader 16 Control unit 17 Analyzing unit 18 Input unit 19 Display unit 20 Photometric unit

Claims (4)

In an analyzer that emits light of a plurality of wavelengths, includes a light source that irradiates measurement light to a sample held in a container, and measures the absorbance of the sample.
A parabolic mirror pair that collects light emitted from the light source and irradiates the container is disposed between the light source and the container.   2. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein two pairs of paraboloid mirrors are arranged.   The analyzer according to claim 2, wherein the light source is a xenon lamp. Branching means for branching measurement light incident on the container from an optical path formed by a parabolic mirror pair;
Measuring means for measuring the amount of branched branched light;
Correction means for correcting the light amount fluctuation of the light source based on the measured light amount of the branched light;
The analyzer according to claim 3, further comprising:

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