JP2011237325A - Inspection object acceptor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection object acceptor capable of suppressing mixing an unnecessary liquid into a liquid receiving section.SOLUTION: In an inspection chip 40, when a centrifugal force in a predetermined direction is applied to a specimen, the specimen which has been supplied from a specimen supply port is guided by an inspection supply passage 46 to a metering section 50. The metering section 50 meters a predetermined amount of the specimen due to the action of the centrifugal force. A surplus specimen flowing out from the metering section 50 is guided by a guide surface 53 to a surplus tank 54 and is stored in the surplus tank 54. The guide surface 53 is inclined toward a downstream side with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to a direction of the centrifugal force to be added when the specimen stored in the metering section 50 is made to flow out into a first flow passage 61 from the end of the surplus tank 54 side of the metering section 50.

Description

  The present invention relates to a test subject receiver for conducting chemical, medical, and biological tests.

  Conventionally, a test object receiver called a microchip or a test chip used for testing biological substances and chemical substances has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By using such a receptor to be examined, DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid), enzyme, antigen, antibody, protein, virus, cell, etc. can be detected or measured.

  As shown in FIG. 19, in the test chip disclosed in Patent Document 1, blood to be tested is injected into the inside from the opening 101 and rotated by a centrifugal separator. The blood injected into the test chip moves to the blood holding chamber 103 through the capillary slot 102 by the centrifugal force acting in the F0 direction, and further flows into the blood separation chamber 104 to be centrifuged. On the other hand, the reaction reagent flowing out from the reaction reagent chamber 105 and the diluent flowing out from the diluent chamber 106 flow into the reaction reagent metering chamber 107 and are mixed.

  Next, a centrifugal force acting in the F1 direction is generated by rotating the inspection chip by 90 °. Thereby, a part of the separated blood is transferred from the blood separation chamber 104 to the sample holding chamber 108, and the mixed reaction reagent is transferred from the reaction reagent measuring chamber 107 to the mixing chamber 109. Furthermore, by inverting the inspection chip by 90 °, a centrifugal force acting again in the F0 direction is generated. Thereby, the blood held in the sample holding chamber 108 is transferred to the sample measuring chamber 110, and the reaction reagent held in the mixing chamber 109 is transferred to the cuvette chamber 111. Finally, the blood held in the sample measuring chamber 110 and the reaction reagent held in the cuvette chamber 111 are mixed by performing 90 ° rotation and 90 ° inversion in order. Thereafter, the cuvette chamber 111 is irradiated with light from a light source (not shown) to measure the optical characteristics of the liquid in which the blood and the reaction reagent are mixed, thereby examining the blood.

JP 60-238760 A

  In the above inspection chip, in order to accurately measure the sample amount in the sample measuring chamber 110, an excessive sample flows out from the sample measuring chamber 110 to the sample overflow chamber 112. However, the wall surface continuously extending from the end portion on the sample overflow chamber 112 side in the sample measuring chamber 110 is substantially parallel to the direction orthogonal to the F0 direction. In other words, the upper surface of the partition wall (hereinafter referred to as the sample guide surface 113) extending from the open end of the sample measuring chamber 110 toward the sample overflow chamber 112 is substantially parallel to the direction orthogonal to the F0 direction. .

  Therefore, when the sample is transferred to the sample measurement chamber 110, the sample overflowing from the sample measurement chamber 110 does not flow into the sample overflow chamber 112 and tends to stay on the sample guide surface 113. When centrifugal force acting in the F1 direction is generated in this state, the sample remaining on the sample guide surface 113 joins the sample held in the sample measuring chamber 110. If it does so, the sample amount measured in the sample measurement chamber 110 will change, and there existed a possibility that an exact test result could not be obtained.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection object receiver that can suppress unnecessary liquid from being mixed into the liquid receiving portion.

  An inspection object receiver according to one aspect of the present invention is rotatably held at a position separated from a rotation axis, and inspects a liquid to be inspected by a centrifugal force generated at the time of rotation about the rotation axis. A supply port for supplying the liquid to the inside of the test target receiver, and the liquid supplied from the supply port when the centrifugal force is generated in the first direction. A first guide portion that guides downstream of the first direction; a liquid receiving portion that is a recess that receives the liquid guided through the first guide portion and can store a predetermined amount of the liquid; and When the predetermined amount of the liquid is stored in the liquid receiving portion and the centrifugal force is generated in the first direction, the excess liquid flowing out from the liquid receiving portion is transferred in the first direction. A second guide portion that guides downstream; and a lower portion in the first direction than the liquid receiving portion. A surplus portion that is provided on the side and stores the surplus liquid guided by the second guide portion, and the second guide portion extends from an end of the liquid receiving portion on the surplus portion side. It is a wall surface that extends and is orthogonal to a second direction that is the direction of the centrifugal force that is applied when the liquid stored in the liquid receiving portion flows out to a predetermined location different from the surplus portion. It extends so that it may incline in the downstream of said 2nd direction with respect to a perpendicular surface.

  According to this, when the centrifugal force in the first direction is applied to the test object receiver, the liquid supplied from the supply port is guided to the liquid receiver by the first guide part, and the liquid receiver receives a predetermined amount. Of liquid is stored. Since the excess liquid flowing out from the liquid receiving part is an unnecessary liquid that is not used for the inspection, it is guided to the excessive part by the second guide part and stored in the excessive part. The second guide part has a second direction which is a direction of centrifugal force applied when the liquid stored in the liquid receiving part flows out from the end on the surplus part side in the liquid receiving part to a predetermined location. It inclines downstream with respect to the orthogonal vertical plane. Therefore, even when a centrifugal force in the second direction is applied in a state where the liquid remains in the second guide portion, the remaining liquid is unlikely to flow back through the second guide portion, so unnecessary liquid is liquid. It can suppress mixing in a receiving part.

  In the inspection object receiver according to the above aspect, when the vertical surface is rotated from the side facing the second guide portion to the second guide portion among the angles formed by the second guide portion and the vertical surface. May be at least 5 ° or more. In this case, it is possible to suppress the unnecessary liquid from being mixed into the liquid receiving portion only by designing the angle θ to be at least 5 ° or more.

  In the test object receptacle according to the above aspect, the angle θ may be 10 ° or more when the viscosity of the liquid is less than 1 cP. In this case, it is possible to reliably suppress the unnecessary liquid from being mixed into the liquid receiving part in the test object receiver in which the liquid having a viscosity of less than 1 cP is used.

  In the test object receptacle according to the above aspect, the angle θ may be 15 ° or more when the viscosity of the liquid is 1 cP or more. In this case, it is possible to reliably suppress the unnecessary liquid from being mixed into the liquid receiving part in the test object receiver in which the liquid having a viscosity of 1 cP or more is used.

1 is a plan view of an inspection apparatus 1. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the inspection apparatus 1. FIG. It is the figure which expanded the angle change mechanism 19 shown in FIG. 4 is a plan view of an inspection chip 40. FIG. It is the elements on larger scale of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "0 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is the elements on larger scale of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "90 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is experiment data of the experiment example using the test | inspection chip 40 which uses plasma as a specimen. It is experiment data of the experiment example using the test | inspection chip 40 which uses a latex reagent as a test substance. It is experiment data of the experiment example using the test | inspection chip 40 which uses a buffer solution as a specimen. 3 is a flowchart of an inspection process executed by the inspection apparatus 1. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip 40 of the state with which the reagent was filled. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "0 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "30 degrees" of a centrifugal force direction. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "60 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "90 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is another top view of the test | inspection chip 40 which shows the state of the angle "0 degree" of a centrifugal force direction. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip | tip 80 which shows the state of the angle "0 degree" of a centrifugal force direction based on a modification. It is a top view of the test | inspection chip | tip 80 which shows the state of the angle "90 degree" of a centrifugal force direction based on a modification. It is a top view of the conventional test | inspection chip.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings to be referred to are used to explain technical features that can be adopted by the present invention, and are merely illustrative examples.

  In the present embodiment, the inspection apparatus 1 uses the inspection chip 40 that can store a liquid to be inspected (hereinafter referred to as a specimen) and a plurality of liquids (hereinafter referred to as reagents) mixed with the specimen. The case where a test | inspection is performed is illustrated. The inspection device 1 can switch the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the inspection chip 40 (hereinafter referred to as the centrifugal force direction) by changing the rotation angle of the inspection chip 40.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the schematic structure of the test | inspection apparatus 1 is demonstrated. In the following description, the upper, lower, right, and left sides in FIG. 1 are the right side, left side, front side, and rear side of the inspection apparatus 1, respectively. The upper, lower, right, and left sides in FIG. 2 are the upper, lower, front, and rear of the inspection apparatus 1, respectively. In addition, in order to make an understanding easy, in FIG. 2, the outer wall part 2 is shown with sectional drawing of the arrow direction in the AA line shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the turntable 3 and the chip holder 4 are shown in a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow in the YY line shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 2 shows the angle changing mechanism 19 in a simplified box shape, while FIG. 3 shows the detailed structure of the angle changing mechanism 19.

  The inspection apparatus 1 includes an outer wall portion 2 that is a cylindrical casing. Inside the outer wall 2, a turntable 3, which is a disk body having a smaller diameter than the outer wall 2, is rotatably provided. A pair of chip holders 4 are provided at both ends in the diameter direction of the turntable 3, that is, in the vicinity of the circumference of the turntable 3.

  As an example, the chip holder 4 is a box-shaped body having an outer shape formed of a bottom plate, an upper plate, and a side wall. Specifically, the chip holder 4 is a box-like member formed in a rectangular shape in plan view that is slightly larger than the test chip 40 so that the test chip 40 formed in rectangular shape in plan view can be accommodated therein. The chip holder 4 holds the inspection chip 40 at a position separated from the rotation center of the turntable 3 (that is, a shaft 6 described later). The inspector attaches the inspection chip 40 to the chip holder 4 from the rotation center side of the inspection apparatus 1 toward the centrifugal direction (in the example of FIG. 1, from the rotation center of the turntable 3 toward the direction indicated by the arrow A). Is possible.

  A motor 5 is provided at the lower part of the center of the turntable 3. The motor 5 includes a shaft 6 that extends upward from the motor 5 and is connected to the plane center of the turntable 3. As the motor 5 rotates the shaft 6, the turntable 3 also rotates about the shaft 6.

  The inspection apparatus 1 includes an angle changing mechanism 19 that changes the rotation angle of the chip holder 4 by rotating the chip holder 4 in the horizontal direction. The angle changing mechanism 19 can change the direction of centrifugal force acting on the chip holder 4 by changing the rotation angle of the chip holder 4 during the centrifugal operation of the inspection apparatus 1.

  The angle changing mechanism 19 includes a stepping motor 10, a gear 12, a gear 13, a pulley 15, a pulley 16, and a belt 17. The gear 12 is fixed to the shaft 11 of the stepping motor 10. The gear 13 is a reduction gear that meshes with the gear 12. The pulley 15 is fixed coaxially with the shaft 14 of the gear 13. The pulley 16 is fixed coaxially to the lower end portion of the shaft 18 that rotatably supports the chip holder 4. The belt 17 is stretched between the pulley 15 and the pulley 16.

  With the above configuration, when the shaft 11 of the stepping motor 10 rotates by a predetermined angle, the gear 12 rotates and the gear 13 meshing with the gear 12 rotates. As the gear 13 rotates, the pulley 15 fixed to the shaft 14 rotates. The rotation of the pulley 15 is transmitted to the pulley 16 by the belt 17, and the pulley 16 rotates by a predetermined angle. As a result, the axis | shaft 18 rotates a predetermined angle and the chip | tip holder 4 rotates a predetermined angle.

  In the present embodiment, when the turntable 3 is rotationally driven by the motor 5, the inspection chip 40 held by the chip holder 4 also rotates about the shaft 6 as a rotation center. The rotation of the inspection chip 40 around the axis 6 is called “revolution” of the inspection chip 40. On the other hand, when the chip holder 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle by the stepping motor 10, the inspection chip 40 held by the chip holder 4 also rotates by a predetermined angle around the shaft 18 as a rotation center. The rotation of the inspection chip 40 around the axis 18 is referred to as “rotation” of the inspection chip 40.

  The inspection device 1 is connected to a control device 70 provided outside the outer wall portion 2. The control device 70 incorporates a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., not shown, and controls various operations of the inspection device 1 (for example, rotation of the turntable 3 and rotation of the chip holder 4). The control device 70 is provided with an operation unit (not shown) for an inspector to instruct various operations of the inspection device 1.

  Between the turntable 3 and the outer wall 2, a light source 7 and a detector 8 that are vertically opposed are provided. The light source 7 irradiates the mixture (that is, reaction product) of the reagent and specimen generated in the test chip 40 with light from above the test chip 40. The detector 8 detects the light transmitted through the reaction product below the inspection chip 40. The control device 70 can perform various measurements based on the amount of received light detected by the detector 8. In addition, by providing the light source 7 and the detector 8 in the same direction with respect to the test chip 40, various measurements may be performed by detecting light reflected by the reaction product.

  A schematic structure of the inspection chip 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. Hereinafter, the upper, lower, right, and left sides in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described as the front, rear, right, and left sides of the test chip 40, respectively. Also, the front side and the back side of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 will be described as being above and below the inspection chip 40, respectively.

  In this embodiment, when the inspection chip 40 is used in the inspection apparatus 1, the inspector attaches the inspection chip 40 to the chip holder 4 so that the vertical direction of the inspection chip 40 coincides with the vertical direction of the inspection apparatus 1. To do. At this time, the inspector makes sure that the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 40 coincides with the centrifugal force direction (that is, the direction indicated by the arrow A), and the front side and the rear side of the inspection chip 40 are upstream and downstream in the centrifugal force direction. The inspection chip 40 is mounted on the chip holder 4 so as to match each side (see FIG. 1).

  The inspection chip 40 is a thin box-shaped body having a rectangular shape in plan view, the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction. The material of the inspection chip 40 is not particularly limited, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) , Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyarylate resin (PAR), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (ABS), vinyl chloride resin (PVC), polymethylpentene resin (PMP), polybutadiene resin (PBD), biodegradable polymer Organic materials such as (BP), cycloolefin polymer (COP), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) can be used. In addition, an inorganic material such as silicon, glass, or quartz may be used.

  The outer shape of the inspection chip 40 is configured by a synthetic resin plate 45 having a predetermined thickness. A sample inlet 41, a first reagent inlet 42, a second reagent inlet 43, and a third reagent inlet 44 are formed in the plate member 45 as a circular recess in plan view. The sample inlet 41, the first reagent inlet 42, the second reagent inlet 43, and the third reagent inlet 44 are formed side by side from the right side to the left side with a space therebetween.

  Although not shown, the upper surface of the inspection chip 40 is covered with a transparent synthetic resin lid (not shown). In the lid, openings are formed only at positions corresponding to the sample inlet 41, the first reagent inlet 42, the second reagent inlet 43, and the third reagent inlet 44, respectively. That is, only the sample inlet 41, the first reagent inlet 42, the second reagent inlet 43, and the third reagent inlet 44 are opened upward on the upper surface of the test chip 40.

  The sample insertion port 41 is a part into which a tester inputs a sample in order to supply the sample into the test chip 40. The first reagent inlet 42, the second reagent inlet 43, and the third reagent inlet 44 are used by the inspector to supply the first reagent, the second reagent, and the third reagent into the inspection chip 40, respectively. This is the site where these reagents are charged. Therefore, the examiner can put three reagents into one sample in the test chip 40 and mix these samples and reagents.

  A sample supply path 46, a first reagent supply path 47, a second reagent supply path 48, and a third reagent supply path 49 are formed in the plate material 45 in a groove shape. The sample supply path 46 is a sample flow path extending rearward from the sample input port 41. The first reagent supply path 47 is a first reagent flow path extending rearward from the first reagent inlet 42. The second reagent supply path 48 is a second reagent flow path extending backward from the second reagent inlet 43. The third reagent supply path 49 is a third reagent flow path extending backward from the third reagent inlet 44.

  The sample supply path 46, the first reagent supply path 47, the second reagent supply path 48, and the third reagent supply path 49 are each extended in parallel. That is, the extending direction of these supply paths is parallel to the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 40. At the rear ends of the sample supply path 46, the first reagent supply path 47, the second reagent supply path 48, and the third reagent supply path 49, an outlet having a narrow width is provided.

  On the rear side (the lower side in FIG. 4) of the sample supply path 46, a measuring unit 50 for measuring a predetermined amount of the sample supplied from the sample supply path 46 is formed. The measuring part 50 is a part that is formed between the first wall part 51 and the second wall part 52 and is recessed rearward in plan view. The second wall portion 52 is a wall portion having a wall surface 52A facing the outlet of the sample supply path 46 in the front-rear direction. The first wall portion 51 is a wall portion having a wall surface 51A continuously extending to the right side from the wall surface 52A. Specifically, the measuring unit 50 is formed of a wall surface 51A and a wall surface 52A, and is recessed in a V shape toward the rear in plan view.

  A first flow path 61 is formed in the plate material 45 in a groove shape along the outer edge of the second wall portion 52. The first flow path 61 is a flow path for guiding the sample measured by the measuring unit 50 to the first mixing tank 55 described later. On the other hand, the outflow path 60 is formed in the plate material 45 in a groove shape along the outer edge of the first wall portion 51. The outflow path 60 is a flow path for guiding the sample flowing out from the measuring unit 50 (that is, the surplus sample) to the surplus tank 54. The surplus tank 54 is a portion that is provided behind the first wall portion 51 and that is recessed rearward in plan view, and stores the specimen that has flowed out of the measuring unit 50.

  The angle formed between the extending direction of the wall surface 51A and the horizontal direction of the inspection chip 40 is the first angle θ1. More specifically, the first angle θ1 is parallel to the left-right direction with the intersection point of the line extending in the extending direction of the wall surface 51A and the line extending in the left-right direction of the test chip 40 as the rotation center in plan view. This is the angle when rotated clockwise until. In the present embodiment, the first wall portion 51 extends to the right front so that the first angle θ1 is at least an acute angle (for example, 20 °).

  On the other hand, the angle formed by the extending direction of the wall surface 52A and the horizontal direction of the inspection chip 40 is the second angle θ2. More specifically, the second angle θ <b> 2 is parallel to the left-right direction with the wall 52 </ b> A being parallel to the left-right direction with the intersection point between the line extending in the extending direction of the wall surface 52 </ b> A and the line extending in the left-right direction of the inspection chip 40 in plan view. It is an angle when rotating counterclockwise until. In the present embodiment, the second wall portion 52 is extended to the left front so that the second angle θ2 is at least an acute angle (for example, 15 °). The angles and lengths of the wall surfaces 51A and 52A in the extending direction may be determined according to the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit 50 within a range that satisfies the above conditions. Moreover, the measurement part 50 may be formed so as to be recessed in a shape different from the V shape in plan view, such as a U shape or a rectangular shape.

  A wall surface that continuously extends rearward from the right end portion (that is, the end portion on the surplus tank 54 side) of the wall surface 51 </ b> A in the first wall portion 51 is a guide surface 53. The guide surface 53 guides the specimen flowing out to the outflow path 60 toward the surplus tank 54. The guide surface 53 extends so as to incline toward the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction with respect to a vertical surface orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction that causes the sample measured by the measuring unit 50 to flow out to the first flow path 61. Will be described later.

  A first mixing tank 55 is formed on the rear side (the lower side in FIG. 4) of the first reagent supply path 47. The first mixing tank 55 is a portion that is formed between the third wall portion 56 and the wall portion extending rightward from the third wall portion 56 and is recessed rearward in plan view. The third wall portion 56 is a wall portion having a wall surface 56A facing the outlet of the first reagent supply path 47 in the front-rear direction. In the first mixing tank 55, the sample flowing out through the first flow path 61 and the first reagent supplied from the first reagent supply path 47 are mixed to generate a first mixed liquid. A second flow path 62 is formed in the plate material 45 in a groove shape along the outer edge of the third wall portion 56. The second flow path 62 is a flow path for guiding the first mixed liquid generated in the first mixing tank 55 to the second mixing tank 57 described later.

  The angle formed between the extending direction of the wall surface 56A and the horizontal direction of the inspection chip 40 is the third angle θ3. More specifically, the third angle θ3 is parallel to the left-right direction with the intersection point between the line extending in the extending direction of the wall surface 56A and the line extending in the left-right direction of the inspection chip 40 as viewed in plan. It is an angle when rotating counterclockwise until. In the present embodiment, the third wall portion 56 extends leftward and forward so that the third angle θ3 is an acute angle (for example, 45 °) that is at least larger than the second angle θ2.

  A second mixing tank 57 is formed on the rear side (the lower side in FIG. 4) of the second reagent supply path 48. The second mixing tank 57 is a portion that is formed between the fourth wall portion 58 and the wall portion extending rightward from the fourth wall portion 58 and that is recessed rearward in plan view. The fourth wall portion 58 is a wall portion having a wall surface 58A facing the outlet of the second reagent supply path 48 in the front-rear direction. In the second mixing tank 57, the first mixed liquid flowing out via the second flow path 62 and the second reagent supplied from the second reagent supply path 48 are mixed to generate a second mixed liquid. The A third flow path 63 is formed in the plate material 45 in a groove shape along the outer edge of the fourth wall portion 58. The third flow path 63 is a flow path for guiding the second mixed liquid generated in the second mixing tank 57 to the third mixing tank 59 described later.

  The angle formed between the extending direction of the wall surface 58A and the horizontal direction of the inspection chip 40 is the fourth angle θ4. More specifically, the fourth angle θ4 is parallel to the horizontal direction of the wall surface 58A with the intersection point between the line extending in the extending direction of the wall surface 58A and the line extending in the horizontal direction of the inspection chip 40 as viewed in plan. It is an angle when rotating counterclockwise until. In the present embodiment, the fourth wall portion 58 extends to the left front so that the fourth angle θ4 is an acute angle (as an example, 75 °) that is at least larger than the third angle θ3.

  A third mixing tank 59 is formed on the rear side (lower side in FIG. 4) of the third reagent supply path 49. The third mixing tank 59 is a portion that is provided on the rear side of the third reagent supply path 49 and that is recessed rearward in plan view. In the third mixing tank 59, the second mixed liquid flowing out through the third flow path 63 and the third reagent supplied from the third reagent supply path 49 are mixed to generate a third mixed liquid. The In the present embodiment, the measuring unit 50, the surplus tank 54, the first mixing tank 55, the second mixing tank 57, and the third mixing tank 59 are all formed as depressions with respect to the plate material 45.

  As described above, in the inspection chip 40, a plurality of mixing tanks (that is, the first mixing tank 55, the second mixing tank 57, and the third mixing tank 59) are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the extending angles of the wall portions (that is, the second wall portion 52, the third wall portion 56, and the fourth wall portion 58) of each mixing tank are formed at different angles. However, the extension angles (that is, the second angle θ2, the third angle θ3, and the fourth angle θ4) of the walls of each mixing tank are the wall surfaces (that is, the wall surfaces 52A, 56A, The wall surface 58A) has an acute angle with respect to the left-right direction of the test chip 40 so that the wall surface 58A extends to the left front. In the present embodiment, the second angle θ2, the third angle θ3, and the fourth angle θ4 are set to 15 °, 45 °, and 75 °, respectively.

  With reference to FIGS. 5-9, the detailed structure of the measurement part 50 vicinity is demonstrated. 7 to 9, “Angle” indicates the size of a fifth angle θ5 described later. “◯” indicates that there is no liquid ride on the guide surface 53. “X” indicates that there is liquid riding on the guide surface 53. The liquid riding on the guide surface 53 means a state in which the specimen placed on the guide surface 53 remains without flowing down from the guide surface 53.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, among the angles formed by the front-rear direction of the test chip 40 and the extending direction of the wall surface 51 </ b> A, the angle θ <b> 11 on the measuring unit 50 side is an acute angle. Of the angles formed by the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 40 and the extending direction of the wall surface 52A, the angle θ12 on the weighing unit 50 side is an acute angle. As in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, when a centrifugal force acting from the front side to the rear side of the test chip 40 is generated, the front-rear direction of the test chip 40 matches the centrifugal force direction. At this time, due to the action of the centrifugal force, the specimen is received by the measuring section 50 so as not to move backward after passing through the specimen supply path 46. Further, in the measuring unit 50, the specimen is stored up to a predetermined amount by the action of centrifugal force.

  The front-rear direction length (height) of the wall surface 51A is shorter (lower) than the front-rear direction length (height) of the wall surface 52A with reference to the front-rear direction position where the wall surface 51A and the wall surface 52A are connected. When a sample exceeding the volume up to the height of the wall surface 51A flows into the measuring unit 50, the surplus sample gets over the wall surface 51A (that is, overflows from the measuring unit 50 to the outflow path 60) and flows into the surplus tank 54. . In the surplus tank 54, surplus samples are stored by the action of centrifugal force. Therefore, the measuring unit 50 measures a predetermined amount of sample. The heights and angles of the wall surfaces 51A and 52A may be determined in advance according to a predetermined amount measured by the measuring unit 50 (that is, the volume of the measuring unit 50).

  The angle formed between the extending direction of the guide surface 53 and the vertical plane orthogonal to the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the test chip 40 is the fifth angle θ5. More specifically, the fifth angle θ5 has the guide surface 53 parallel to the vertical line with the intersection point between a line extending in the extending direction of the guide surface 53 and a vertical line orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction as viewed in plan view. This is the angle when rotated counterclockwise until As described above, since the guide surface 53 extends so as to incline to the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction with respect to the vertical plane orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction, the fifth angle θ5 is at least greater than 0 °.

  The magnitude of the fifth angle θ5 changes according to the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the inspection chip 40. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, when a centrifugal force is applied from the front side to the rear side of the test chip 40, the fifth angle θ <b> 5 is the extension direction of the guide surface 53 and the left and right sides of the test chip 40. It is the angle made with the direction. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when a centrifugal force is acting from the right side to the left side of the test chip 40, the fifth angle θ5 is the extension direction of the guide surface 53 and the front-rear direction of the test chip 40. The angle formed by

  As described above, the specimen that has flowed from the measuring unit 50 to the outflow path 60 is guided toward the surplus tank 54 by the guide surface 53. At this time, the extension angle of the guide surface 53 (that is, the fifth angle θ5) is determined in consideration of various factors so that the sample does not ride on the guide surface 53. In this embodiment, the case where the viscosity and centrifugal force of the specimen are used as elements for determining the fifth angle θ5 is illustrated.

  The inventor of the present application conducted an experiment for evaluating the liquid riding on the guide surface 53 by performing the centrifugal treatment of the inspection chip 40 with the inspection device 1. In this experiment, for example, the test chip 40 is centrifuged in the state shown in FIG. 1 to generate a centrifugal force acting from the front side of the test chip 40 toward the rear. Due to this centrifugal force, the sample input from the sample input port 41 moves to the measuring unit 50 via the sample supply path 46. The surplus sample exceeding the sample amount weighed by the measuring unit 50 overflows from the measuring unit 50 to the outflow path 60 and moves to the surplus tank 54 so as to slide down the guide surface 53. In this experiment, it was verified whether or not the specimen remained on the guide surface 53 by appropriately changing the fifth angle θ5, the viscosity of the specimen, and the centrifugal force.

  In the experimental example shown in FIG. 7, each test chip 40 having a fifth angle θ5 (5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °) having a different size and each containing “plasma” as a specimen. The above experiment was conducted. At this time, centrifugal forces (500G, 200G, and 100G) having different sizes were applied to the test chips 40, respectively. Then, the liquid riding of “plasma” on the guide surface 53 was evaluated for each combination of the centrifugal force and the fifth angle θ5. The viscosity of “plasma” is 1.7 to 2.0 cP.

  According to the above-described experiment, in the test chip 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “5 °”, even if the centrifugal force is any of “100G”, “200G”, and “500G”, the “plasma” liquid riding is performed. occured. In the test chip 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “10 °”, when the centrifugal force is “100 G” and “200 G”, the liquid riding of “plasma” occurs, while the centrifugal force is “500 G”. There was no “plasma” riding. In each of the test chips 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “15 °” and “20 °”, even if the centrifugal force is “100G”, “200G”, and “500G”, the “plasma” liquid riding is performed. Did not occur.

  In the experimental example shown in FIG. 8, each test chip has a fifth angle θ5 (5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °) having a different size and contains a “latex reagent” as a specimen. The above experiment was conducted for 40. At this time, centrifugal forces (500G, 200G, and 100G) having different sizes were applied to the test chips 40, respectively. And the liquid riding of the "latex reagent" with respect to the guide surface 53 was evaluated for every combination of centrifugal force and 5th angle (theta) 5. The viscosity of the “latex reagent” is 0.89 cP.

  According to the above-described experiment, in the test chip 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “5 °”, even if the centrifugal force is any of “100G”, “200G”, and “500G”, the “plasma” liquid ride is occured. In each inspection chip 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “10 °”, “15 °”, and “20 °”, the centrifugal force is “100G”, “200G”, and “500G”. The liquid loading of “latex reagent” did not occur.

  In the experimental example shown in FIG. 9, each test chip having a fifth angle θ5 (5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °) having a different size and each containing a “buffer solution” as a specimen. The above experiment was conducted for 40. Centrifugal forces (500G, 200G, 100G) of different magnitudes were applied to each test chip 40. And the liquid riding of the "buffer" with respect to the guide surface 53 was evaluated for every combination of centrifugal force and 5th angle (theta) 5. The viscosity of the “buffer solution” is 1.0 to 10.0 cP.

  According to the above-described experiment, in the test chips 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “5 °” and “10 °”, when the centrifugal force is “100G” and “200G”, the liquid ride of “buffer solution” occurs. On the other hand, when the centrifugal force was “500 G”, the “buffer solution” was not loaded. In each of the inspection chips 40 having the fifth angle θ5 of “15 °” and “20 °”, the “buffer solution” is mounted regardless of whether the centrifugal force is “100 G”, “200 G”, or “500 G”. Did not occur.

  Based on the experimental examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the fifth angle θ5 can be determined as follows. That is, in order to prevent liquid riding on the guide surface 53, it can be estimated that the fifth angle θ5 needs to be at least “5 °” or more. Further, when the viscosity of the sample is “1 cP” or more, if the fifth angle θ5 is at least “15 °” or more, the sample is placed on the guide surface 53 regardless of the magnitude of the centrifugal force during the centrifugation process. Can be estimated to be prevented. Therefore, the guide surface 53 is formed so that the fifth angle θ5 is equal to or greater than “15 °” in the test chip 40 in which a specimen (for example, plasma or buffer solution) having a viscosity of “1 cP” or greater is used. That's fine.

  Further, when the viscosity of the specimen is less than “1 cP” and the fifth angle θ5 is at least “10 °” or more, the specimen liquid rides on the guide surface 53 regardless of the magnitude of the centrifugal force during the centrifugal treatment. Can be estimated to be prevented. Therefore, in the test chip 40 in which a specimen (for example, a latex reagent or pure water) having a viscosity of less than “1 cP” is used, the guide surface 53 is formed so that the fifth angle θ5 is “10 °” or more. Just do it.

  As will be described later, when the inspection apparatus 1 is centrifuged, the angle between the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 40 and the centrifugal force direction (hereinafter referred to as the angle in the centrifugal force direction) is “0 °” (see FIG. 12). The inspection chip 40 is appropriately rotated so as to change to “90 °” (see FIG. 15). The greater the angle in the centrifugal force direction, the smaller the fifth angle θ5.

  In the present embodiment, the fifth angle θ5 is set based on the case where the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “90 °” so that liquid riding of the guide surface 53 is prevented even in the centrifugal state where the fifth angle θ5 is the smallest. It is set to be “15 °” or more. Specifically, the inclination of the guide surface 53 is defined so that the angle formed by the extending direction of the guide surface 53 and the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 40 is “15 °”. In other words, the guide surface 53 is rotated counterclockwise until the guide surface 53 is parallel to the left-right direction, with the intersection point between the line extending in the extending direction of the guide surface 53 and the line extending in the left-right direction of the inspection chip 40 in plan view. In this case, the angle is “105 °”.

  Therefore, in this test chip 40, if the angle in the centrifugal force direction is any of “0 °” (see FIG. 12) to “90 °” (see FIG. 15), only a specimen having a viscosity of less than “1 cP” can be used. In addition, it is possible to prevent the specimen from riding on the guide surface 53 even for the specimen having a viscosity of “1 cP” or more. Of course, the fifth angle θ5 can be appropriately selected as appropriate in accordance with the type of specimen, the magnitude of centrifugal force, and the like as long as the above conditions are satisfied.

  The inspection method using the inspection apparatus 1 and the inspection chip 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, and 10 to 17. In the following description, the state change of the inspection chip 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, and 11 to 17 as appropriate while explaining the operation of the inspector and the operation of the inspection apparatus 1 with reference to FIG. 10. To do.

  First, the examiner drops a sample into the sample insertion port 41 of the test chip 40. Similarly, the examiner drops the first reagent into the first reagent inlet 42, drops the second reagent into the second reagent inlet 43, and drops the third reagent into the third reagent inlet 44 (S11). ). As a result, the specimen and the first to third reagents are supplied into the test chip 40 (see FIG. 11).

  After the execution of step S11, the inspector ensures that the front-rear direction of the test chip 40 matches the centrifugal force direction, and the front side and the rear side of the test chip 40 match the upstream side and the downstream side of the centrifugal force direction, respectively. Then, the inspection chip 40 is set in the chip holder 4 (S12). Next, the inspector operates the operation unit (not shown) of the control device 70 to turn on the power of the inspection device 1 (S13). The CPU (not shown) of the control device 70 executes the centrifuge processing of the test chip 40 based on the control program stored in the ROM (not shown) (S14).

  In the centrifugation process (S14) of the test chip 40, first, the front-rear direction of the test chip 40 (the extending direction of the specimen supply path 46, the first reagent supply path 47, the second reagent supply path 48, and the third reagent supply path 49) and In a state where the angle formed with the direction of the centrifugal force is “0 °”, a revolution in which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the rear side of the inspection chip 40 is the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 12, the sample input from the sample input port 41 flows out to the measuring unit 50 via the sample supply path 46 by centrifugal force. In the measuring unit 50, as described above, a predetermined amount of specimen is stored, and a surplus specimen flows out into the surplus tank 54 and stored.

  At the same time, the first reagent introduced from the first reagent introduction port 42 flows out to the first mixing tank 55 via the first reagent supply path 47 by centrifugal force. The second reagent introduced from the second reagent introduction port 43 flows out to the second mixing tank 57 via the second reagent supply path 48 by centrifugal force. The third reagent introduced from the third reagent introduction port 44 flows out to the third mixing tank 59 via the third reagent supply path 49 by centrifugal force. The first reagent, the second reagent, and the third reagent are stored in the first mixing tank 55, the second mixing tank 57, and the third mixing tank 59, respectively, by the action of centrifugal force.

  Next, the tip holder 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, the tip holder 4 rotates counterclockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “30 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction is inclined 30 ° clockwise compared to the example shown in FIG. Of the angles formed by the front-rear direction of the test chip 40 and the extending direction of the wall surface 52A, the angle θ12 on the weighing unit 50 side is an obtuse angle, so the sample measured by the weighing unit 50 is on the distal side along the wall surface 52A. (That is, moves in the first flow path 61) and flows into the first mixing tank 55.

  However, in the state shown in FIG. 13, the angle θ13 on the first mixing tank 55 side is an acute angle among the angles formed by the centrifugal force direction and the extending direction of the wall surface 56A. Therefore, in the 1st mixing tank 55, the stored 1st reagent and the sample which flowed in from the 1st flow path 61 are mixed, and a 1st liquid mixture is produced | generated and stored. Similarly, among the angles formed by the centrifugal force direction and the extending direction of the wall surface 58A, the angle θ14 on the second mixing tank 57 side is an acute angle. Therefore, in the second mixing tank 57, the state in which the second reagent is stored is maintained.

  Next, the tip holder 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the tip holder 4 is rotated counterclockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “60 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction is inclined 60 ° clockwise compared to the example shown in FIG. Since the angle θ13 becomes an obtuse angle, the first mixed liquid generated in the first mixing tank 55 moves to the tip side along the wall surface 56A (that is, moves in the second flow path 62), and the second mixing tank Flow into 57. However, in the state shown in FIG. 14, the angle θ14 is an acute angle. Therefore, in the second mixing tank 57, the stored second reagent and the first mixed liquid flowing in from the second flow path 62 are mixed to generate and store the second mixed liquid.

  Next, the tip holder 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 15, the tip holder 4 rotates counterclockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “90 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction is inclined 90 ° clockwise compared to the example shown in FIG. Since the angle θ14 becomes an obtuse angle, the second mixed liquid generated in the second mixing tank 57 moves along the wall surface 58A to the tip side (that is, moves in the third flow path 63), and the third mixing tank It flows into 59. In the third mixing tank 59, the stored third reagent and the second mixed solution flowing in from the third flow path 63 are mixed to generate and store a third mixed solution.

  In this embodiment, even if the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “0 °”, “30 °”, “60 °”, or “90 °”, the guide surface 53 is in a vertical plane orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction. On the other hand, it is inclined downstream in the centrifugal force direction (that is, the fifth angle θ5 is at least larger than “0 °”). Thereby, when the centrifugal force is applied as described above, it is possible to suppress the surplus specimen from remaining on the guide surface 53 regardless of the centrifugal force direction. Therefore, the specimen and the liquid mixture thereof can be discharged to the prescribed flow path while reliably guiding the surplus specimen to the surplus tank 54. Furthermore, since the fifth angle θ5 is “15 °” or more regardless of the centrifugal force direction, it is possible to prevent the specimen from riding on the guide surface 53 regardless of the viscosity of the specimen, as shown in the above-described experimental data. .

  In addition, the guide surface 53 should just incline in the downstream of a centrifugal force direction with respect to the perpendicular surface orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction which makes a 1st flow path 61 flow out of a test substance at least. Specifically, when the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “30 °” (see FIG. 13), the fifth angle θ5 only needs to be at least larger than “0 °”. In other words, the guide surface 53 is rotated counterclockwise until the guide surface 53 is parallel to the left-right direction, with the intersection point between the line extending in the extending direction of the guide surface 53 and the line extending in the left-right direction of the inspection chip 40 in plan view. The angle in the case of making it should just be larger than "30 degree" at least.

  Accordingly, even when the specimen remains on the guide surface 53 and the angle in the centrifugal force direction changes from “0 °” (see FIG. 12) to “30 °” (see FIG. 13), it remains. Since it is difficult for the sample to flow back through the guide surface 53, it is possible to suppress the unnecessary sample from being mixed into the measuring unit 50. Furthermore, since the sample weighed by the weighing unit 50 does not easily flow out to the guide surface 53, it is possible to prevent the meniscus of the sample formed by the weighing unit 50 from being broken. As a result, the measurement error of the sample in the measurement part 50 can be reduced.

  Finally, the tip holder 4 is rotated so as to return to the original state. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the tip holder 4 rotates clockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “0 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction coincides with the rear side of the test chip 40 as in the example shown in FIGS. Due to the action of the centrifugal force, the third mixed liquid accumulates in the lower part of the third mixing tank 59 while being stirred.

  After execution of step S14, the rotation of the turntable 3 (that is, the revolution of the chip holder 4) is stopped, and the application of centrifugal force is terminated (S15). At this time, the turntable 3 is stopped at a predetermined rotational position so that the inspection chip 40 is positioned in the optical inspection section (S16). The optical inspection unit is a part that inspects the inspection chip 40 between the light source 7 and the detector 8 facing in the vertical direction. After execution of step S16, light is emitted from the light source 7 to the inspection chip 40. By detecting the light transmitted through the inspection chip 40 by the detector 8, the inspection result is measured (S17). Finally, the inspection result measured in step S17 is displayed on the screen (not shown) of the control device 70 (S18).

  As described above, according to the test chip 40 according to the present embodiment, when a centrifugal force of “0 °” is applied to the sample, the sample supplied from the sample inlet 41 is measured by the sample supply path 46 through the measuring unit. 50, the measuring unit 50 stores a predetermined amount of specimen. Since the surplus specimen flowing out from the measuring unit 50 is an unnecessary specimen that is not used for the examination, it is guided to the surplus tank 54 by the guide surface 53 and stored in the surplus tank 54. The guide surface 53 is relative to a vertical plane orthogonal to the direction of the centrifugal force applied when the sample stored in the measuring unit 50 flows out from the end on the surplus tank 54 side of the measuring unit 50 to the first flow path 61. And tilted downstream. Therefore, even when a centrifugal force of “30 °” is applied with the specimen remaining on the guide surface 53, the remaining specimen is unlikely to flow back through the guide surface 53, so an unnecessary specimen is placed in the weighing unit 50. It can suppress mixing in.

  In the above embodiment, the shaft 6 corresponds to the “rotating shaft” of the present invention, the specimen corresponds to the “liquid to be tested” of the present invention, and the test chip 40 corresponds to the “test target receiver” of the present invention. . The sample insertion port 41 corresponds to the “supply port” of the present invention. The sample supply path 46 corresponds to the “first guide part” of the present invention. The measuring unit 50 corresponds to the “liquid receiving unit” of the present invention. The guide surface 53 corresponds to the “second guide portion” of the present invention. The surplus tank 54 corresponds to the “surplus part” of the present invention. The fifth angle θ5 corresponds to the “angle θ” of the present invention.

  Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the present invention may be applied to a test chip 80 that centrifuges a specimen. Hereinafter, the upper, lower, right, and left sides in FIGS. 17 and 18 will be described as the front, rear, right, and left sides of the test chip 80, respectively. Further, the front side and the back side of the drawing in FIGS. 17 and 18 will be described as being above and below the inspection chip 80, respectively. Note that the hexagonal degree θ6 described later can be determined based on the above-described experimental data (see FIGS. 7 to 9), similarly to the fifth angle θ5.

  The outer shape of the inspection chip 80 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is configured by a synthetic resin plate material 89 having a predetermined thickness, similarly to the inspection chip 40 described above. A specimen insertion port 81 is formed in the plate member 89 as a circular recess in plan view. Although not shown, the upper surface of the test chip 80 is covered with a transparent synthetic resin lid (not shown) in which an opening is formed only at a position corresponding to the sample insertion port 81. A sample supply path 82 is formed in the plate material 89 in a groove shape. An outlet having a narrow width is provided at the rear end of the sample supply path 82. A centrifuge 90 for centrifuging the sample supplied from the sample supply path 82 is formed on the rear side of the sample supply path 82. The centrifuge 90 is a portion that is recessed in a U-shape to the left rear in plan view.

  A second flow path 85 is formed in the plate material 89 in a groove shape from one end side (left end side in FIG. 17) of the opening edge of the centrifuge 90 toward the left front. The second flow path 85 is a flow path for guiding the supernatant of the specimen separated by the centrifuge 90 to the test tank 86. The inspection tank 86 is a portion recessed rearward in a plan view, and the supernatant liquid guided through the second flow path 85 is stored. On the other hand, the first flow path 84 is formed in the plate material 89 in a groove shape from the other end side (the right end side in FIG. 17) of the opening edge of the centrifuge 90 to the rear. The first flow path 84 is a flow path that guides the specimen flowing out from the centrifuge 90 (that is, the surplus specimen) to the surplus tank 83. The surplus tank 83 is a portion that is provided behind the centrifuge 90 and is recessed rearward in plan view, and stores the specimen guided through the first flow path 84.

  A wall surface continuously extending rearward from the end of the centrifugal separator 90 on the surplus tank 83 side is a guide surface 93. The guide surface 93 guides the specimen that has flowed into the first flow path 84 toward the surplus tank 83. The angle formed by the extending direction of the guide surface 93 and the vertical plane orthogonal to the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the test chip 80 is the sixth hexagonal degree θ6. More specifically, the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 has the guide surface 93 parallel to the vertical line with the intersection point between a line extending in the extending direction of the guide surface 93 and a vertical line orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction as viewed in plan view. This is the angle when rotated counterclockwise until Since the guide surface 93 extends so as to incline toward the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction with respect to the vertical plane orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction, the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 is at least greater than 0 °.

  The magnitude of the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 varies depending on the direction of the centrifugal force applied to the inspection chip 80. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, when a centrifugal force is applied from the front side to the rear side of the test chip 80, the sixth hexagonal degree θ 6 is determined by the extending direction of the guide surface 93 and the left and right sides of the test chip 80. It is the angle made with the direction. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 18, when a centrifugal force is acting from the right side to the left side of the test chip 80, the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 is determined by the extending direction of the guide surface 93 and the front-back direction of the test chip 80 The angle formed by

  As will be described later, when the inspection apparatus 1 is centrifuged, the inspection chip 80 is appropriately rotated so that the angle in the centrifugal force direction changes from “0 °” (see FIG. 17) to “90 °” (see FIG. 18). Is done. The greater the angle in the direction of centrifugal force, the smaller the hexagonal degree θ6. Further, in the inspection chip 80, the hexagonal degree is determined based on the case where the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “90 °” so that the guide surface 93 is prevented from riding in the centrifugal state where the hexagonal degree θ6 is the smallest. θ6 is set to be “15 °” or more. Specifically, the inclination of the guide surface 93 is defined so that the angle formed by the extending direction of the guide surface 93 and the front-rear direction of the inspection chip 80 is “15 °”.

  The inspection method using the inspection apparatus 1 and the inspection chip 80 is the same as that in FIG. First, the examiner drops a sample into the sample insertion port 81 of the test chip 80 (S11), and sets the test chip 80 in the chip holder 4 (S12). Next, when the inspector turns on the power of the inspection apparatus 1 (S13), the centrifuge processing of the inspection chip 80 is executed (S14).

  In the centrifugation process (S14) of the inspection chip 80, first, a revolution in which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds in a state where the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “0 °”. At this time, the rear side of the inspection chip 80 is the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 17, the sample input from the sample input port 81 flows out to the centrifuge 90 through the sample supply path 82 by centrifugal force. In the centrifuge 90, the specimen is stored up to a predetermined amount, and the surplus specimen flows out into the surplus tank 83 and stored. Further, in the centrifuge 90, the stored specimen is centrifuged by the action of centrifugal force.

  Next, the tip holder 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, the tip holder 4 rotates counterclockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “90 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. At this time, the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction is inclined 90 ° clockwise compared to the example shown in FIG. Of the specimens stored in the centrifugal separator 90, only the supernatant liquid flows out into the second flow path 85 and flows into the inspection tank 86.

  Finally, the tip holder 4 is rotated clockwise until the angle in the centrifugal force direction becomes “0 °”. In this state, a revolution to which a centrifugal force of 200 G is applied is performed for 10 seconds. Due to the action of the centrifugal force, the supernatant of the specimen accumulates in the lower part of the inspection tank 86. After execution of step S14, the rotation of the turntable 3 (that is, the revolution of the chip holder 4) is stopped, and the application of centrifugal force is terminated (S15). At this time, the turntable 3 is stopped at a predetermined rotational position so that the inspection chip 80 is positioned on the optical inspection unit (S16). After execution of step S16, measurement and display of the inspection result is performed (S17, S18).

  In the inspection chip 80 described above, the guide surface 93 is downstream in the centrifugal force direction with respect to the vertical plane orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction, regardless of whether the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “0 °” or “90 °”. (Ie, the hexagonal degree θ6 is at least greater than “0 °”). More specifically, the guide surface 93 is inclined to the downstream side in the centrifugal force direction with respect to a vertical surface orthogonal to the centrifugal force direction that causes the supernatant liquid to flow out from the centrifugal separator 90 to the second flow path 85. Specifically, when the angle in the centrifugal force direction is “90 °” (see FIG. 18), the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 is at least larger than “0 °”.

  As a result, even when the specimen remains on the guide surface 93 and the angle in the centrifugal force direction changes from “0 °” (see FIG. 12) to “30 °” (see FIG. 13), it remains. Since it is difficult for the sample to flow back through the guide surface 53, it is possible to suppress the unnecessary sample from being mixed into the measuring unit 50. Further, in the test chip 80, since the sixth hexagonal degree θ6 is “15 °” or more regardless of the centrifugal force direction, as shown in the above-mentioned experimental data, the liquid level of the sample on the guide surface 93 regardless of the viscosity of the sample. Can be prevented.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inspection apparatus 3 Turntable 4 Tip holder 6 Axis 19 Angle change mechanism 40 Inspection chip 41 Specimen inlet 46 Specimen supply path 50 Weighing part 51 First wall part 51A Wall surface 52 Second wall part 52A Wall surface 53 Guide surface 54 Surplus tank 80 Inspection chip 90 Centrifuge section

Claims (4)

An inspection object receiver that is rotatably held at a position separated from a rotation axis and inspects a liquid to be inspected by a centrifugal force generated at the time of rotation about the rotation axis,
A supply port for supplying the liquid to the inside of the test object receptacle;
A first guide portion for guiding the liquid supplied from the supply port to the downstream side in the first direction when the centrifugal force is generated in the first direction;
Receiving the liquid guided through the first guide part, and a liquid receiving part that is a recess capable of storing a predetermined amount of the liquid;
When the predetermined amount of the liquid is stored in the liquid receiving portion and the centrifugal force is generated in the first direction, the excess liquid flowing out from the liquid receiving portion is transferred to the first direction. A second guide portion for guiding to the downstream side of
A surplus part that is provided downstream of the liquid receiving part in the first direction and stores the surplus liquid guided by the second guide part;
The second guide portion is a wall surface extending from an end of the liquid receiving portion on the surplus portion side, and the liquid stored in the liquid receiving portion flows out to a predetermined location different from the surplus portion. A test object receiver, which extends so as to incline toward the downstream side of the second direction with respect to a vertical plane orthogonal to the second direction, which is the direction of the centrifugal force applied when performing the operation.   Of the angles formed by the second guide portion and the vertical surface, the angle θ when the vertical surface is rotated from the side facing the second guide portion to the second guide portion is at least 5 ° or more. The test object receiver according to claim 1, wherein the test object receiver is provided.   The inspection object receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the angle θ is 10 ° or more when the viscosity of the liquid is less than 1 cP.   The inspection object receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the angle θ is 15 ° or more when the viscosity of the liquid is 1 cP or more.

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