JP2009156717A - Analyzing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an analyzing apparatus that obtains a required acceleration, even if a trace amount of fluid is mixed and stirred, in a short time, in comparison with conventional analyzing apparatuses. <P>SOLUTION: The analyzing apparatus comprises a first drive means (71) for rotating a turntable (101) on which an analysis device is set; a second drive means (72) which selectively engages with the first driving means (71), and imparting reciprocating movement to the analyzing device; and a third drive means (73) for making the first and second drive means (71) move relatively, (72) to a location at which they are engaged and a location at which they are not engaged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an analyzer for analyzing an analysis device containing a sample solution collected from a living organism or the like by transferring it toward a measurement chamber by centrifugal force.

  Conventionally, as a method for analyzing a liquid collected from a living organism or the like, a method for analyzing using a device for analysis in which a liquid channel is formed is known. The analytical device can control the fluid using a rotating device, and utilizes centrifugal force to dilute the sample liquid, measure the solution, separate the solid component, transfer and distribute the separated fluid, Since a solution and a reagent can be mixed, various biochemical analyzes can be performed.

  The analytical device 50 described in Patent Document 1 that transfers a solution using centrifugal force injects a sample liquid as a specimen into the measuring chamber 52 from an injection port 51 by an insertion instrument such as a pipette as shown in FIG. After the sample liquid is held by the capillary force of the measuring chamber 52, the sample liquid is transferred to the separation chamber 53 by the rotation of the analyzing device. An analytical device that uses such centrifugal force as a power source for liquid feeding can be used as a preferred shape because microchannels for liquid feeding control can be arranged radially by using a disk shape, and no wasted area is generated. It is done.

The sample solution and the diluting solution are mixed and stirred by accelerating / decelerating or rotating forward and backward in the same rotation direction of the turntable on which the analysis device 50 is set.
JP 7-500910 Gazette

  However, in the conventional configuration, the inertial force of the analytical device and the response of the driving device are problems, and sufficient acceleration for mixing and stirring cannot be obtained in a short time. This is the current situation.

This is particularly noticeable in the case of mixing a very small amount of fluid, and there is a case where mixing and stirring are insufficient even if sufficient time is spent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an analyzer capable of obtaining necessary acceleration even in a shorter time compared with the conventional method when mixing and stirring a small amount of fluid.

  The analysis apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is an analysis apparatus in which an analysis device having a microchannel structure for transferring a sample liquid toward a measurement chamber by centrifugal force is set, and the analysis device is set A first driving means having a turntable and a first motor for rotationally driving the turntable, and a lever that is supported so as to be swingable in a tangential direction of the turntable and that selectively engages with the first driving means. And a second driving means having a second motor that swings and drives the lever to reciprocate the analyzing device, and a position where the first driving means and the second driving means are engaged with each other. A third driving unit that relatively moves to a position where the first driving unit and the second driving unit are engaged by the third driving unit; With rocking bar, characterized in that said first driving means and the second driving means is provided and control means for controlling the timing of energization of the second motor to approach.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the analyzer according to the first aspect, the first gear portion is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the turntable of the first driving means, and the lever of the second driving means is formed at the tip of the lever. A second gear portion that meshes with the first gear portion is formed.

  The analyzer according to claim 3 of the present invention is the analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the first motor is an outer rotor type motor, the first gear portion is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer rotor, and the second drive A second gear portion that meshes with the first gear portion is formed at the tip of the lever of the means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the analyzer according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the control means is relatively moved to a position where the first drive means and the second drive means are engaged. In this case, the swinging frequency of the lever is a first frequency: f1, and the swinging frequency of the lever after the first driving means and the second driving means are engaged is the second frequency: In the case of f2, “f1 <f2” is set.

  The analyzer according to claim 5 of the present invention is the analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control means is configured such that the first drive means and the second drive means are driven by the third drive means. When the first motor and the second driver are separated from each other in a relative movement to a position where they are not engaged, the first motor is controlled so as to restrict rotation at a timing when the second motor is energized. The present invention is characterized in that the energization state of the drive means to the first motor is controlled.

  According to this configuration, by engaging the second driving means with the first driving means, the analysis device set in the first driving means is given a reciprocating motion. The required acceleration can be obtained even in a short time compared to the case of mixing and stirring the sample solution and the diluted solution by accelerating / decelerating, rotating forward or reverse in the same rotation direction of the motor of the driving means. Further, since the control means controls the energization timing to the second motor so that the first driving means and the second driving means come close while swinging the lever, the first driving means And the second driving means can be alleviated, and a stable engagement state can be obtained.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an analyzer of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
8 to 10 show the analytical device.
8A and 8B show a state where the protective cap 2 of the analytical device 1 is closed and an open state. FIG. 9 shows an exploded state with the lower side in FIG. 8A facing upward, and FIG. 10 shows an assembly drawing thereof.

  This analytical device 1 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 includes a base substrate 3 having a microchannel structure having fine irregularities on the surface, a cover substrate 4 covering the surface of the base substrate 3, and a diluent. Are composed of four parts including a diluent container 5 that holds a protective cap 2 and a protective cap 2 for preventing sample liquid scattering.

The base substrate 3 and the cover substrate 4 are joined with the diluent container 5 and the like set therein, and the protective cap 2 is attached to the joined substrate.
By covering the openings of several concave portions formed on the upper surface of the base substrate 3 with the cover substrate 4, a plurality of storage areas and a flow channel of a microchannel structure that connects between the storage areas are formed. . 11 is a diluting liquid container housing unit, 23 is a separation cavity, 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d are air holes, 28 is an overflow channel, 29 is an overflow cavity, 31 is a reference measurement chamber, 33 is a capillary cavity, and 34 is The connecting channel, 36 is an overflow cavity, 37 is a capillary channel, 38 is a metering channel, 40 is a measurement chamber, and 41 is a connecting channel.

  Necessary ones of the storage areas are loaded with reagents necessary for various analyses. One side of the protective cap 2 is pivotally supported so that it can be opened and closed by engaging with the shafts 6 a and 6 b formed on the base substrate 3 and the cover substrate 4. When the sample liquid to be examined is blood, the gap between the flow paths of the microchannel structure on which the capillary force acts is set to 50 μm to 300 μm.

  The outline of the analysis process using this analytical device 1 is that the sample solution is spotted on the analytical device 1 in which a diluent is set in advance, and at least a part of the sample solution is diluted with the diluent, and then measurement is performed. It is what.

This analysis device 1 is set on the turntable 101 of the analysis apparatus 100 shown in FIGS.
A groove 102 is formed on the upper surface of the turntable 101, and is formed on the rotation support portion 15 and the protective cap 2 formed on the cover substrate 4 of the analysis device 1 when the analysis device 1 is set on the turntable 101. The rotation support portion 16 thus engaged engages with and accommodates the groove 102.

  When the analysis device 1 is set on the turntable 101 and the door 103 of the analyzer is closed before the turntable 101 is rotated, the set analysis device 1 is moved to the movable piece 104 provided on the door 103 side. As a result, the position on the rotation axis of the turntable 101 is pressed against the turntable 101 by the biasing force of the spring 105, and the analysis device 1 is integrated with the turntable 101 rotated by the rotation driving means 106. Rotate. Reference numeral 107 denotes an axial center of the turntable 101 during rotation.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the analyzer 100.
The analysis apparatus 100 includes a rotation drive unit 106 for rotating the turntable 101, an optical measurement unit 108 for optically measuring the solution in the analysis device 1, and a rotation speed and a rotation direction of the turntable 101. And a control means 109 for controlling the measurement timing of the optical measurement means, a calculation part 110 for processing a signal obtained by the optical measurement means 108 and calculating a measurement result, and a result obtained by the calculation part 110 are displayed. And a display unit 111 for doing so.

  The rotation driving means 106 not only rotates the analyzing device 1 around the rotation axis 107 in a predetermined direction at a predetermined rotation speed via the turntable 101 but also centers the rotation axis 107 at a predetermined stop position. The analyzing device 1 can be swung by reciprocating left and right in a predetermined amplitude range and cycle.

  The optical measurement means 108 includes a laser light source 112 (which may be a light emitting diode) for irradiating the measurement unit of the analysis device 1 with a specific wavelength light, and of the laser light emitted from the laser light source 112 for analysis. And a photodetector 113 that detects the amount of transmitted light that has passed through the device 1.

  The analysis device 1 is rotationally driven by the turntable 101 so that the sample solution taken in from the injection port 13 is rotated around the rotation axis 107 located on the inner periphery of the injection port 13. The solution is transferred inside the analysis device 1 using the centrifugal force generated in this way and the capillary force of the capillary channel provided in the analysis device 1.

1 to 4 show details of the rotation driving means 106 in the analyzer 100.
The first driving means 71 for giving the rotational motion to the set analytical device 1 is attached to the outer rotor type first motor 71a and the output shaft of the first motor 71a, and the analytical device 1 is set. And the turntable 101. A first gear portion 74 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 101.

  In addition to the first driving means 71, the rotation driving means 106 performs a reciprocating motion of the turntable 101 at a predetermined stop position to the left and right with a predetermined amplitude range and period around the rotation axis 107. A second driving means 72 that selectively engages the first driving means 71 and reciprocates the analyzing device 1, and a position where the first driving means 71 and the second driving means 72 are engaged (FIG. 1). (B)) is provided with a third drive means 73 for relative movement to a position (FIG. 1 (a)) that is not engaged. In this embodiment, the second driving means 72 is moved with respect to the first driving means 71.

The 2nd drive means 72 and the 3rd drive means 73 are comprised as shown in FIGS.
A second motor 72a, a third motor 73a, and the like are attached to the chassis 75 to which the first motor 71a is attached. A support shaft 78 is attached to a support table 77 that is slidably attached to the chassis 75 in the direction of arrow 76 (see FIGS. 1A and 2).

  A lever 79 is pivotally supported on the support shaft 78. A second gear portion 80 that can mesh with the first gear portion 74 of the turntable 101 is formed at one end of the lever 79 on the turntable 101 side. A recess 81 is formed at the other end of the lever 79. An eccentric cam 83 attached to the output shaft 82 of the second motor 72a is engaged with the recess 81. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the lever 79 removed from the support shaft 78.

With this configuration, when the second motor 72a is energized, the lever 79 swings between the solid line position and the virtual line position via the eccentric cam 83.
The third driving means 73 includes the third motor 73a attached to the chassis 75, the worm 85 attached to the output shaft 84 of the third motor 73a, and the worm 85 attached to the chassis 75 so as to be rotatable. And a rack 87 that is formed on the support table 77 and meshes with the worm wheel 86. A tension coil spring 88 is interposed between the support table 77 and the chassis 75 so that backlash between the worm wheel 86 and the rack 87 is reduced.

  Since it comprised in this way, until the detection switch 91 detects the support table 77 as shown in FIG.1 (b), it supplies with electricity to the 3rd motor 73a, and the worm wheel 86 is shown to the arrow 89 direction (refer Fig.1 (a)). 1, the support table 77 in which the rack 87 meshes with the worm wheel 86 slides so as to approach the turntable 101, and as shown in FIG. 1B, as shown in FIG. 80 engages with the first gear portion 74 of the turntable 101, and when the second motor 72a is maintained in the energized state in this state, the turntable 101 is driven to swing by the lever 79 in the tangential direction of the turntable 101. Therefore, by increasing the rotation speed of the second motor 72a, it is sufficient to stir a small amount of fluid in the analytical device 1 even in a short time. The speed can be obtained by a short time.

  As shown in FIG. 11, output signals from the control means 109 to the first motor 71a, the second motor 72a, and the third motor 73a when mixing and stirring are performed as shown in FIGS. In this case, the control means 109 is configured as shown in FIG.

  Specifically, the control means 109 that has detected the stirring and mixing instruction during the stop period of the first motor 71a supplies the second motor 72a to the first motor 73a before energizing the third motor 73a to perform normal rotation. Start energization. As a result, the lever 79 is swung between the solid line position and the virtual line position by the eccentric cam 83.

  After the energization of the second motor 72a is started, the control means 109 energizes the third motor 73a to cause normal rotation. As a result, the support table 77 approaches the turntable 101. Energization of the third motor 73a ends when the detection switch 91 detects the support table 77 as shown in FIG.

  Thus, when the support table 77 approaches the turntable 101, the second gear 80 at the tip of the lever 79 approaches the first gear portion 74 of the turntable 101 while swinging in the tangential direction of the turntable 101. Therefore, even if the peak portion of the second gear 80 and the peak portion of the first gear portion 74 collide, the peak portion of the second gear 80 is moved to the first gear by the swinging of the second gear 80. It is possible to reliably mesh with the troughs of the portion 74, and to realize stable mixing and stirring of the analytical device 1.

  The rotational speed of the second motor 72a when the first gear portion 74 and the second gear portion 80 are moved to a position where the first gear portion 74 and the second gear portion 80 are engaged with each other is as follows. Is set to be lower than the rotation speed of the second motor 72a after the engagement of the first gear portion 74 and the second gear portion 80 is moved to a position where the first gear portion 74 and the second gear portion 80 are engaged. When the oscillation frequency is the first frequency: f1, and the oscillation frequency of the lever 79 after the first gear portion 74 and the second gear portion 80 are engaged is the second frequency: f2. , “F1 <f2”.

  In the operation of separating the second gear 80 from the first gear 74 as shown in FIG. 1A from the state shown in FIG. 1B, the control means 109 shows the rotation of the rotor of the first motor 71a. 12 to 14 are implemented in a regulated state.

  FIG. 13 shows a schematic connection when the first motor 71a is an outer rotor type three-phase brushless motor. The first motor 71a includes a rotor 2 that is magnetized with two poles, an N pole and an S pole.

  The first motor 71a includes a stator 125 around which drive coils U, V, and W5 are wound. The drive coils U, V, and W are Y-connected and wound around three salient pole portions of the stator. The three salient pole portions are arranged at intervals of 120 °.

  The hall elements A, B, and C are arranged at positions shifted by 60 degrees from the drive coils U, V, and W, respectively, and the polarity of the magnet field of the opposing rotor 124 (N pole or S pole). And a signal having a level corresponding to the detected polarity is generated. Specifically, an “H” level signal is generated when the N pole is detected, and an “L” level signal is generated when the S pole is detected. The controller 120 includes a rotor position detector 121 and a power driver 122.

  When a normal rotation command is given from the microcomputer 123, the rotor position detector 121 has six drive coils U, V, and W corresponding to the output patterns of the hall elements A, B, and C of the first motor 71a. A drive signal pattern corresponding to one of the two polarity patterns is generated.

  The drive signal pattern generated by the rotor position detector 121 is advanced in order to rotate the rotor 124, and an advanced rotating magnetic field is generated in the drive coils U, V, and W. Therefore, the rotor 124 of the first motor 71a is rotated by the advance rotation magnetic field during normal rotation.

  The power driver 122 supplies an excitation current having an energization pattern corresponding to the drive signal pattern generated by the rotor position detector 121 to the drive coils U, V, and W. Specifically, the power driver 122 switches on / off of the switching element according to the drive signal pattern generated by the rotor position detector 121 to switch the excitation phase of the stator of the first motor 71a. That is, a positive potential and a negative potential are respectively applied to the two-phase drive coil determined according to the drive signal pattern generated by the rotor position detector 121, and an exciting current is passed through the two-phase drive coil.

  14 (i) to (vi) show the relationship between the six polarity patterns of the drive coils U, V, and W and the position of the rotor 124. FIG. The drive coils U, V, and W are wound so as to be magnetized to the N pole when a positive potential is applied and to the S pole when a negative potential is applied. Here, the positive potential is applied. If the positive pole phase, negative potential applied negative pole phase, and phase in which no excitation current flows are determined, the position of the rotor 124 is determined at one position of one rotation of the rotor 124. That is, the N pole and the S pole of the phase magnetized by the exciting current and the permanent magnet of the rotor 124 are attracted and balanced to determine the position of the rotor 124. Further, the current position of the rotor 124 can be detected from the output patterns of the Hall elements A, B, and C.

  When the second motor 72a shown in FIG. 12 is energized, no excitation current is applied to any of the drive coils U, V, W of the first motor 71a. 101 is mixed and stirred left and right by the swing of the lever 79.

  Further, when the control means 109 reverses the third motor 73a and separates the second gear portion 80 from the first gear portion 74, the microcomputer 123 determines from the output patterns of the Hall elements A, B, and C. FIG. 12 shows the turntable 101 and the analyzing device 1 by detecting the current position of the rotor 124 and applying excitation current to appropriate two phases of the drive coils U, V, and W. i) to (vi) are configured to be locked in any of the nearest states, and when the second gear portion 80 is separated from the first gear portion 74, the sample solution inside the analytical device 1, etc. It is possible to avoid a situation where the liquid moves from a predetermined position.

  Alternatively, the control means 109 causes the microcomputer 123 to output the Hall elements A, B, and C before the third motor 73a is rotated forward to engage the second gear portion 80 with the first gear portion 74. The current position of the rotor 124 is memorized by memorizing the pattern, and memorized when the third motor 73a is reversely rotated to separate the second gear part 80 from the first gear part 74. The position of the analyzing device 1 is determined by applying excitation current to the appropriate two phases of the drive coils U, V, and W so that the output pattern of the placed Hall elements A, B, and C is the same. However, since the liquid does not change before and after the mixing and stirring operation, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the liquid such as the sample liquid inside the analyzing device 1 moves from a predetermined position.

  In the above embodiment, the lever 79 of the second driving means 72 is moved closer to the turntable 101. However, the first turntable 101 is moved closer to the lever 79 of the second driving means 72. , The second gear portions 74 and 80 are meshed with each other and agitated and swung, or the turntable 101 of the first driving means 71 and the lever 79 of the second driving means 72 are brought close to each other to make the first and first The analysis device 1 can be agitated and swung by meshing the two gear portions 74 and 80, and the third driving means 73 is moved to a position where the lever 79 and the turntable 101 are engaged with each other. It can be said that this can be realized by relatively moving the first driving means 71 and the second driving means 72.

  In each of the above embodiments, the analysis device 1 is agitated and swung by the engagement of the first gear portion 74 of the turntable 101 and the second gear portion 80 of the lever 79. Without providing the second gear portion 80, the first gear portion 74 of the turntable 101 is brought into contact with a member having friction received at one end of the lever 79 to engage the turntable 101 and the lever 79. This can be realized even if configured as described above.

  In each of the above embodiments, the second driving means 72 is engaged with and driven by the first gear portion 74 provided on the turntable 101, but the outer rotor 90 of the first motor 71a is driven. The first gear portion 74 is formed on the outer periphery, and the second gear portion 80 of the second driving means 72 is engaged with the first gear portion 74 or the second driving means 72 that is driven to swing is the first motor. It is also possible to abut the outer peripheral portion of the outer rotor 90a of 71a and cause the analyzing device 1 to reciprocate left and right with a predetermined amplitude range and period around the rotation axis 107.

  The present invention can perform mixing and stirring of an analysis device used for component analysis of a liquid collected from a living organism in a short time, and maintains analysis accuracy and contributes to improvement of analysis efficiency.

The top view of the state from which engagement with the 1st drive means of the rotational drive means of the analyzer of embodiment of this invention and a 2nd drive means was cancelled | released, and a 1st drive means and a 2nd drive means Plan view of the engaged state The perspective view of the rotation drive means of the embodiment Side view of the rotation driving means of the same embodiment The top view of the state which removed the lever of the 2nd drive means of the embodiment The perspective view of the state which opened the door of the analyzer of the embodiment Cross-sectional view of the relevant part with the analysis device set in the analyzer Block diagram of the analyzer of the same embodiment FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the analytical device according to the embodiment of the present invention with the protective cap closed and opened. Exploded perspective view of the analysis device of the same embodiment A perspective view of the analytical device with the protective cap closed as seen from the back Connection diagram of control means and first to third motors of same embodiment Waveform diagram of output signal of control means of same embodiment Detailed connection diagram of control means and first motor of same embodiment Explanatory drawing of the rotational drive state of the 1st motor of the embodiment Partially cutaway perspective view of analysis device of Patent Document 1

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Analytical device 2 Protective cap 3 Base substrate 4 Cover substrate 5 Diluent container 6a, 6b Shaft 11 Diluent container accommodating part 13 Inlet 15, 16 Rotation support part 23 Separation cavity 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d Air hole 28 Overflow Flow channel 29 Overflow cavity 31 Reference measurement chamber 33 Capillary cavity 34 Connection channel 36 Overflow cavity 37 Capillary channel 38 Metering channel 40 Measurement chamber 41 Connection channel 71 First drive means 71a First motor 72 First 2 driving means 72a second motor 73 third driving means 73a third motor 74 first gear part 75 chassis 76 sliding direction of the support table 77 77 support table 78 support shaft 79 lever 80 second gear part 81 Concave portion 82 Output shaft of second motor 72a 83 Eccentric force 84 Output shaft of third motor 73a 85 Worm 86 Worm wheel 87 Rack 88 Pulling coil spring 90 Outer rotor of first motor 71a 91 Detection switch 100 Analyzing device 101 Turntable 102 Groove 103 Door 104 Movable piece 105 Spring 106 Rotation drive Means 107 Rotational axis 108 Optical measurement means 109 Control means 110 Operation part 111 Display part 112 Laser light source 113 Photo detector 120 Controller 121 Rotor position detector 122 Power driver 123 Microcomputer 124 Rotor 125 Stator A, B, C Hall elements U, V , W Drive coil

Claims (5)

An analysis apparatus in which an analysis device having a microchannel structure for transferring a sample liquid toward a measurement chamber by centrifugal force is set,
A first drive means having a turntable on which an analysis device is set and a first motor for rotationally driving the turntable;
A lever that is swingably supported in a tangential direction of the turntable and that selectively engages with the first driving means, and a second motor that reciprocates the analysis device by driving the lever to swing. A second driving means;
Third driving means for relatively moving to a position where the first driving means and the second driving means are engaged and a position where they are not engaged;
When the third driving means is moved relative to a position where the first driving means and the second driving means are engaged, the first driving means and the second driving means are swung while the lever is swung. And an analysis device provided with control means for controlling the timing of energization of the second motor so that the drive means approaches. Forming a first gear portion on the outer periphery of the turntable of the first driving means;
The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a second gear portion that meshes with the first gear portion is formed at a tip of the lever of the second driving means. The first motor is an outer rotor type motor, and a first gear portion is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer rotor,
The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a second gear portion that meshes with the first gear portion is formed at a tip of the lever of the second driving means. The control means;
The swing frequency of the lever in the case of relative movement to the position where the first drive means and the second drive means are engaged is a first frequency: f1,
When the swing frequency of the lever after the first driving means and the second driving means are engaged is set to a second frequency: f2,
“F1 <f2”
The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the analyzer is set as follows. Control means,
When the third driving unit moves the first driving unit and the second driving unit to a position where they do not engage with each other, the first driving unit and the second driving unit are separated from each other. The timing of energizing the second motor is configured to control the energization state of the first driving means to the first motor so as to restrict rotation. Analysis equipment.

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