JP2017090154A - Cleaning tank and dispenser including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cleaning tank for efficiently cleaning a lot of chips in short time, and a dispenser including the same.SOLUTION: A cleaning tank used for a dispenser including a dispensation head having a lot of nozzles extended downward comprises: a storage vessel part 32 for storing a cleaning liquid; a division member 34 for dividing the storage space of the storage vessel part 32 into an upper space SU and a lower space SL; an upper space flow passage F1 communicated to the upper space SU and the outside of the storage vessel part 32; and a lower space flow passage F2 communicated to the lower space SL and the outside of the storage vessel part 32. In the division member 34, arranged are a lot of insertion holes H opened to the upper space SU and the lower space SL and inserting a lot of chips mounted at the tip of each nozzle of the dispensation head in the vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing tank used in a clinical laboratory, a pharmaceutical company, a hospital, and the like, and a dispensing apparatus equipped with the same.

  In general, a dispensing apparatus used in a pharmaceutical company or the like often has a large number of nozzles arranged in the dispensing head so as to be aligned vertically and horizontally so that a large number of dispensing can be performed at a time. Each nozzle is provided with a replaceable tip at the nozzle tip.

  The number of chips corresponding to each nozzle of the dispensing head is set in a chip case aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions and placed on the dispensing table. In recent years, the amount of specimens and test reagents used for measurement has become smaller, the measurement time has been shortened, the rationalization of examinations, and the processing of large quantities of specimens have been required. Plates with 16 x 24 384 wells (well pitch 4.5 mm) have been used as the number of treatments. In addition, 32 x 48 1536 wells (well pitch pitch 2.25 mm) with an increased number of wells have been used. Plates are also used.

  For example, the dispensing head is capable of sliding and moving up and down in the horizontal direction. Therefore, in order to attach the tip to the entire tip of the dispensing nozzle (nozzle attached to the dispensing head), the tip of each nozzle of the dispensing head and each tip of the tip case move up and down by sliding movement of the dispensing head. Then, the dispensing head is lowered, and the tip of each nozzle is inserted into each chip. After the insertion is completed, the device is configured such that the tip is attached to the entire tip of each nozzle by raising it again (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-247201 A

  By the way, in such a dispensing apparatus, a large number of chips arranged and mounted in the dispensing apparatus are immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid is repeatedly cleaned and re-sucked into and discharged from the chip. May be used.

  However, when a large number of used chips are immersed in a cleaning solution and cleaned in this way, there are the following problems. This problem becomes more prominent as the number of wells in the plate when using the chip is larger (that is, 1536 wells than 384 wells).

  Samples are mixed in the cleaning solution sucked into and out of the chip. Therefore, if the cleaning liquid sucked into the chip is discharged into the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank, the sample is mixed as contamination in the entire cleaning liquid and adheres to other chips, so the cleaning liquid is discharged from the chip. It is necessary to replace the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank with an unused one every time. Therefore, the cleaning efficiency is poor and the cleaning work takes time.

  Further, when the chip is lifted from the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid remains at the lower end of the chip due to surface tension. For this reason, it is necessary to wipe off the cleaning liquid with a towel or the like, which increases the work time of the cleaning work.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the washing tank which can wash | clean many chips | tips efficiently in a short time, and a dispensing apparatus provided with the same.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a cleaning tank according to the present invention is a cleaning tank used in a dispensing device having a dispensing head having a number of nozzles extending downward, and a storage container portion for storing a cleaning liquid. A partition member that divides the storage space of the storage container portion into an upper space and a lower space, an upper space flow path that communicates with the upper space and the outside of the storage container portion, the lower space, and the A lower space flow path that communicates with the outside of the storage container portion, and the sorting member opens to the upper space and the lower space, and is attached to the tip of each nozzle of the dispensing head. A large number of insertion holes through which a large number of chips are inserted in the vertical direction are arranged.

  A dispensing apparatus according to the present invention includes the cleaning tank according to claim 1.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the washing tank which can wash | clean many chips | tips efficiently in a short time, and a dispensing apparatus provided with the same can be provided.

1 is an overall perspective view of a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining that nozzles are arranged on the lower surface side of the dispensing head in the dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In one Embodiment of this invention, it is a perspective view which shows having mounted | worn the tip case to the dispensing table. 1 is a perspective view showing a head frame in an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a perspective view of the washing tank which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is the elements on larger scale of the washing tank which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. (A)-(d) is a top view of a washing tub concerning one embodiment of the present invention, a side sectional view of arrow AA, a side sectional view of arrow BB, and arrow C, respectively. It is a back sectional view of -C.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described and embodiments of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a dispensing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “this embodiment”) includes a main body support frame 12 and a head frame 14 supported by the main body support frame 12. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, a dispensing head 16 is inserted into the head frame 14 in the horizontal direction and is detachably supported. In the dispensing head 16, nozzles 18 protruding to the lower surface side are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. In the center of the nozzle 18, an intake / exhaust port for sucking and discharging air is opened. A tip T (see FIG. 3) can be detachably attached to each nozzle 18. As the chip T, a chip made of a plastic material can be used.

  In addition, the dispensing device 10 includes a dispensing table 28 on which the tip case 26 is installed. In the chip case 26, a large number of chips T that are fitted to the tips of the nozzles 18 are arranged vertically and horizontally. In this chip case 26, the vertical and horizontal intervals between adjacent chips T are set in accordance with the vertical and horizontal intervals between adjacent nozzles 18.

  And the dispensing apparatus 10 is equipped with the washing tank 30 (refer FIG. 5, FIG. 6) for wash | cleaning the chip | tip T. FIG. The cleaning tank 30 includes a storage container portion 32 that stores the cleaning liquid, and a sorting member 34 that partitions the storage space of the storage container portion 32 into an upper space SU and a lower space SL.

  A large number of insertion holes H are arranged in the sorting member 34 so as to open in the upper space SU and the lower space SL and to be inserted in the vertical direction of the large number of chips T attached to the tips of the nozzles 18 of the dispensing head 16. Has been.

  In the present embodiment, a chamfered portion HC is formed at the opening edge HM on the upper end side of the insertion hole H (see FIG. 5B). Note that a chamfered portion may also be formed at the opening edge on the lower end side of the insertion hole H.

  The cleaning tank 30 communicates with the upper space channel F1 that communicates with the upper space SU and the outer space on the side wall of the storage container portion 32, and the lower space SL that communicates with the outer space on the side wall side of the storage container portion 32. Side space flow path F2.

  In the present embodiment, the cleaning tank 30 has an inclined plate portion 38 for suppressing the undulation of the cleaning liquid flowing into the upper space SU on the outlet side of the upper space flow path F1.

  In the present embodiment, joint members 42 and 44 are attached to the side wall of the cleaning tank so that the cleaning tank 30 can be connected to an external pipe (pipe for supplying and discharging the cleaning liquid). The joint member 42 is located on the extension of the upper space flow path F1, and the joint member 44 is located on the extension of the lower space flow path F2.

  In addition, the cleaning tank 30 has an electrode member 46 (see FIG. 5) for detecting the upper limit of storage of the storage container portion 32 (that is, the fullness of the cleaning liquid). The electrode member 46 is attached so as to be detachable by a knob member 48. When the knob member 48 is loosened, the entire electrode block 46 into which the electrode member 46 under the electrode member is press-fitted can be removed.

(Function, effect)
Hereinafter, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, unused (or cleaned) chips T are arranged in a chip case 26, and the chip case 26 is placed on a dispensing table 28.

  Then, the head frame 14 is moved by moving the main body support frame 12, and the dispensing head 16 is positioned directly above the tip case 26.

  Then, the head frame 14 is lowered by lowering the main body support frame 12 by the head frame lifting mechanism. As a result, the tip mounting state in which the tip of each nozzle 18 of the dispensing head 16 is fitted to each tip T is obtained.

  Then, by raising the main body support frame 12, the chip T is moved upward in a state where the chip T is mounted on each nozzle 18 until the lower end of the chip is positioned above the upper surface of the chip case.

  Thereafter, the main body support frame 12 is moved to the position just above the chip case on which the sample to be aspirated, which is placed on the dispensing table 28, is arranged. Then, the head frame 14 is lowered by lowering the main body support frame 12. As a result, the tip of each tip T of the dispensing head 16 reaches each sample, and the sample can be aspirated into the tip.

  Then, after each sample T is aspirated, the head frame 14 is lifted, moved further in the horizontal direction, and each sample is discharged at a predetermined position. 12 is moved, and the dispensing head 16 is moved to the position just above the cleaning tank 30 in which a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid is stored in advance, that is, each chip T is moved. Then, a chip inner side cleaning step and a chip outer side cleaning step described below are performed.

  In the chip inside cleaning step, first, the main body support frame 12 is lowered (that is, the head frame 14 is lowered) while air is sucked from the nozzles 18 in each chip T. As a result, each chip T continues to descend while the cleaning liquid is absorbed into the chip from the tip TP of each chip T that has reached the cleaning liquid, and each chip T is inserted from the tip TP into each insertion hole H of the cleaning tank 30. (A cleaning liquid suction process in the chip in the chip inner cleaning process).

  Then, the descent of the head frame 14 is stopped at a predetermined height position where the tip portion TP of each chip T does not reach the lower space SL. Then, the air from each nozzle 18 is sent out and the cleaning liquid is discharged from the chip T and sucked from the lower space flow path F2, so that the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 30 including the cleaning liquid in the chip T is sucked and discharged. (Cleaning liquid discharge process in the chip inside cleaning process). As a result, the inside of the chip is cleaned.

  Thereafter, a chip outer side cleaning process is performed. In this chip outside cleaning step, the used cleaning liquid is sucked from the lower space flow path F2 while supplying the unused cleaning liquid to the upper space flow path F1. Then, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 30 is sucked out and discharged from the lower space flow path F2 (cleaning liquid discharging step in the chip outer side cleaning step). As a result, the outside of the chip is cleaned.

  As described above, in the cleaning tank 30 of the present embodiment, the storage space is divided into the upper space SU and the lower space SL by the sorting member 34 in which a large number of insertion holes H penetrating in the vertical direction are formed. Yes. Then, the cleaning liquid can be supplied from the upper space flow path F1 communicating with the upper space SU, and the cleaning liquid can be sucked and discharged from the lower space flow path F2 communicating with the lower space SL. Therefore, since the discharge rate of the cleaning liquid is significantly faster than the conventional case, the time required for cleaning can be greatly reduced.

  Here, when the cleaning liquid is sucked from the lower space flow path F2 in a state where each chip T is inserted through the respective insertion hole H, the cleaning liquid in the lower space SL is discharged even if the cleaning liquid in each chip T is discharged. The amount mixed into the cleaning liquid in the upper space is extremely small.

  In addition, the cleaning tank 30 has an inclined plate portion 38 for suppressing the ripple of the cleaning liquid flowing into the upper space SU on the outlet side of the upper space flow path F1. Therefore, in the upper space SU, problems such as increased contamination due to the swell of the cleaning liquid are largely eliminated.

  Further, a chamfered portion HC is formed at the opening edge HM on the upper end side of the insertion hole H. Thereby, when the chip T is inserted into the insertion hole H, the tip portion TP of the chip T is easily guided to the insertion hole H even if the chip T is bent.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the cleaning tank 30 includes an electrode member 46 for detecting the storage upper limit of the storage container portion 32. Thereby, it is possible to reliably avoid the storage exceeding the storage upper limit with a simple additional component.

  In this embodiment, in both the chip inner cleaning process and the chip outer cleaning process, the cleaning liquid is sucked and discharged from the lower space flow path F2 in the cleaning liquid discharging process. Therefore, the amount of cleaning liquid remaining at the tip TP (chip bottom end) of the chip T after discharging the cleaning liquid is greatly reduced as compared with the conventional example in which the chip T is pulled up, and the cleaning liquid adhering to the tip TP is removed from the towel. The conventional work of wiping with, for example, becomes unnecessary.

  In the cleaning liquid suction step into the chip, the tip TP of the chip T reaches the cleaning liquid and sucks the cleaning liquid while sucking air, so that the degree of diffusion of the specimen adhering to the tip TP into the cleaning liquid is conventional. Compared to

  In addition, it is preferable to implement such a chip | tip inner side washing | cleaning process and a chip | tip outer side washing | cleaning process in several cycles (for example, 2 to 3 times). Thereby, a cleaning degree can be made higher. In the second and subsequent times, the chip T may be filled with the cleaning liquid without raising the chip T from the cleaning tank 30 when performing the chip inner side cleaning step, thereby further shortening the working time.

  Further, when storing the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 30 in advance, the cleaning liquid is stored to a height that does not exceed the upper end of the insertion hole H of the sorting member 34 (that is, the height at which the cleaning liquid does not overflow to the upper space SU), The cleaning liquid may be sucked into each chip while the chip T is inserted into the insertion hole H from above. This further reduces the amount of cleaning liquid in the insertion hole flowing into the adjacent insertion hole at each insertion hole, thereby further ensuring that contamination from the sample of another chip is mixed and attached to the chip. Can be prevented. At that time, the cleaning liquid may be supplied from the upper space flow path F1 while sucking the cleaning liquid into each chip, thereby sufficiently preventing the amount of the cleaning liquid from being insufficient.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which there is one upper space flow path F1 has been described, but a plurality of upper space flow paths F1 may be provided. As a result, the cleaning liquid can flow more uniformly in the upper space SU. Further, even if there are a plurality of inlets to the upper space SU of the upper space flow path F1, the same effect can be obtained.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment was described, these embodiment is an illustration for materializing the technical idea of this invention, Comprising: Material, shape, structure, arrangement | positioning, etc. of a component are specified to the said embodiment. However, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Dispensing apparatus 16 Dispensing head 18 Nozzle 30 Washing tank 32 Storage container part 34 Sorting member 38 Inclined plate part 46 Electrode member F1 Upper space flow path F2 Lower space flow path H Insertion hole HC Chamfering part HM Opening edge SU Upper space SL Lower space T Tip TP Tip

Claims (5)

A washing tank used in a dispensing apparatus having a dispensing head having a number of nozzles extending downward,
A storage container for storing the cleaning liquid;
A dividing member for dividing the storage space of the storage container portion into an upper space and a lower space;
An upper space flow path communicating with the upper space and the outside of the storage container portion;
A lower space flow path communicating with the lower space and the outside of the storage container portion;
With
The sorting member has a plurality of insertion holes that are open in the upper space and the lower space and through which a large number of chips attached to the tips of the nozzles of the dispensing head are inserted vertically. A cleaning tank characterized by having   The cleaning tank according to claim 1, further comprising an inclined plate portion on the outlet side of the upper space flow path for suppressing undulation of the cleaning liquid flowing into the upper space.   The cleaning tank according to claim 1, wherein a chamfered portion is formed at an opening edge on an upper end side of the insertion hole.   The cleaning tank according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising detection means for detecting a storage upper limit of the storage container section.   A dispensing apparatus comprising the cleaning tank according to claim 1.

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