JP2018200186A - Sample container support adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sample container support adapter which is held by a sample turntable or a sample rack for accommodating a sample container and supports a micro sample container, for which an analysis person may affix an identification information label without being conscious of a readable range of a label reading mechanism.SOLUTION: The sample container support adapter 1 for supporting a micro sample container 2 includes: a cylindrical portion 5; a bottom portion 7 integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 5; an opening portion 4 formed at an upper end of the cylindrical portion 5 and on which the micro sample container 2 is placed; and at least one mark formed on the side surface of the cylindrical portion 5 and indicating a position to which the identification information label 14 is to be affixed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for analyzing a sample such as blood or urine, and more particularly to a sample container support adapter used for a sample turntable or sample rack for holding a sample container and supporting a trace sample container.

  In an automatic analyzer, samples such as blood and urine are dispensed from a sample container to a reaction container, a reagent is dispensed from the reagent container to the reaction container, and the sample in the reaction container is allowed to react with the reagent. Done.

  There are a plurality of types of sample containers used in such an analysis, and they are roughly classified according to their sizes. An example of a sample container having a large capacity is a blood collection tube. There are a plurality of types of blood collection tubes depending on the difference in outer diameter and length, and those having an outer diameter of 13 mm or 16 mm and a length of 75 mm or 100 mm are generally used.

  On the other hand, a trace amount sample container is mentioned as an example of a sample container with a small capacity | capacitance. Because only a small amount of sample is collected from infants and the elderly, blood collection tubes may be too large to accommodate infant and elderly samples. Therefore, the trace sample container is used for accommodating a trace sample. The trace sample container is also used for accommodating a standard sample for preparing a calibration curve and a quality control sample. As the trace sample container, one having an outer diameter of about 12 to 18 mm and a length of about 25 to 35 mm is generally used.

  Generally, an identification information label for identifying a sample contained in the sample container is attached to the side surface of the sample container. The sample container to which the identification information label is affixed is held on a sample turntable or a sample rack that accommodates a plurality of sample containers, and is transferred between automatic analyzers or in an automatic analyzer. In the process of transferring the sample container, the identification information label attached to the sample container is read by the label reading mechanism. As the identification information label, a barcode label, RFID, or the like is used. When a barcode label is used, the label length is often about 40 to 70 mm.

  As described above, the sample container is selectively used depending on the subject to be inspected and the purpose of analysis. Therefore, a plurality of types of sample containers may be used in the analysis. In that case, since the trace sample container has a short main body, there is a problem that the person in charge of analysis cannot attach a barcode label to the trace sample container.

  In response to such a problem, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-5061 (Patent Document 1) proposes an adapter that supports a trace amount sample container. The adapter has a recess at the upper end, and the trace sample container is placed in the recess of the adapter. The length of the adapter main body is formed such that the height positions of the respective sample containers are aligned when the adapter on which the trace sample container is placed and the blood collection tube are aligned. Therefore, the side surface of the adapter has a length sufficient for the analyst to attach the barcode label, and the analyst can attach the barcode label of the micro sample container to the adapter.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-5061

  By the way, an area where the label reading mechanism can read information is determined. Therefore, when the person in charge of analysis attaches the identification information label to the adapter described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to attach the identification information label to a predetermined place that can be read by the label reading mechanism. However, the predetermined location is not shown on the adapter itself. Therefore, the person in charge of analysis has to attach the identification information label to the adapter in consideration of the predetermined place, and the work efficiency of the person in charge of analysis has been reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a support adapter for a micro sample container that allows an analyst to attach an identification information label without being aware of the predetermined location. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object of the present invention, the sample container support adapter of the present invention is held by a sample turntable or sample rack that accommodates a sample container, and supports a sample container for supporting a micro sample container. An adapter, wherein the adapter includes a cylindrical part, a bottom part integrally connected to the cylindrical part, and an opening part formed at an upper end of the cylindrical part on which a trace sample container is placed. And at least one mark formed on a side surface of the cylindrical portion and indicating a position where the identification information label is to be attached.

(A) Sectional drawing of the sample container support adapter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (B) The figure which shows a mode that the sample container support adapter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention supports a trace amount sample container. The figure which shows the sample rack with which the adapter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention was hold | maintained. The perspective view of the adapter with which the identification information label which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention was affixed. (A) The enlarged view and sectional drawing of the level | step-difference part vicinity of the adapter which concern on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (B) The modification regarding the level | step-difference part of the adapter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) The front view of the sample container support adapter which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (B) The right or left view of the sample container support adapter which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the adapter with which the identification information label which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention was affixed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(First embodiment)
1A and 1B are diagrams showing a sample container support adapter 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the adapter 1, and FIG. FIG.

  The adapter 1 shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) is used when a micro sample container 2 for storing a micro sample such as blood and urine, a standard sample, and a quality control sample is held in a sample rack 3. Used. The adapter 1 includes an opening 4, a cylindrical part 5, a step part 6, and a bottom part 7.

  The trace sample container 2 shown in FIG. 1B includes a trunk portion 8 in which a sample is accommodated, and a neck portion 9 having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the trunk portion 8. It is used by being placed in the opening 4 of the above.

  The opening part 4 is provided with a flange part 10 at the periphery thereof, and the flange part 10 is provided with a groove part 11 dug down on the inner peripheral side of the upper surface thereof. The groove portion 11 supports the neck portion 9 of the minute sample container 2 so that the minute sample container 2 is supported by the adapter 1. Further, the groove 11 serves to fix the neck 9 of the trace sample container 2. When a sample rack 3 to be described later is transferred by a sample transfer device (not shown), the groove 11 prevents the trace sample container 2 placed on the adapter 1 from being displaced.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing the sample rack 3 holding the blood collection tube 12 and the adapter 1 according to the first embodiment on which the trace amount sample container 2 is placed. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample rack 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is placed on a sample transfer device (not shown) that transfers a sample container. The sample rack 3 includes a plurality of sample container storage portions 13 for holding sample containers (five locations in FIG. 2), and the sample container storage portions 13 are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals in the long side direction of the sample rack 3. Has been placed. Since the outer diameter of a general blood collection tube 12 is 13 mm or 16 mm, the inner diameter of the sample container storage unit 13 is formed to be slightly over 16 mm. Therefore, the outer diameter of the adapter 1 is about 16 mm.

  The length L of the adapter 1 is preferably about 75 mm or about 100 mm. Since the length of the general blood collection tube 12 is 75 mm or 100 mm, the difference between the length L of the adapter 1 and the length of the blood collection tube 12 is reduced by forming such a length. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample rack 3 may hold a micro sample container 2 and a blood collection tube 12 together. In such a case, if the difference between the length L of the adapter 1 and the length of the blood collection tube 12 is large, the adjacent sample container comes into contact with the hand of the analyst when the analyst attaches or detaches the sample container. End up. Therefore, when the length L of the adapter 1 is formed to be about 75 mm or about 100 mm, an effect can be obtained that it is easy for an analyst to attach and detach the sample container.

  The adapter 1 is manufactured by injection molding, and the shape of the cylindrical part 5 is formed in a taper shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the cylindrical part 5 are formed so as to decrease from the upper part of the cylindrical part 5 to the lower part of the cylindrical part 5. The adapter 1 may be manufactured by cutting.

  The step portion 6 is formed in the lower portion of the cylindrical portion 5. The step 6 is provided as a mark indicating a position where an identification information label 14 such as a barcode label should be attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter 1 to which the identification information label 14 according to the first embodiment is attached. As shown in FIG. 3, the stepped portion 6 is formed at the same position as the lower limit position of the area that can be read by the label reading mechanism 15 or higher than the lower limit position so as to indicate the position of the lower end of the identification information label 14. Yes.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the step portion 6 of the adapter 1, and FIG. 4A is an enlarged view and a sectional view of the vicinity of the step portion 6 of the adapter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. ) Is a modification of the step portion 6 of the adapter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4A, the step portion 6 has a thickness T1 of the wall surface of the adapter 1 at the upper portion of the step portion 6 so as to be larger than a thickness T2 of the wall surface of the adapter 1 at the lower portion of the step portion 6. Is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the stepped portion 6 is such that the thickness T3 of the wall surface of the adapter 1 at the upper portion of the stepped portion 6 is smaller than the thickness T4 of the wall surface of the adapter 1 at the lower portion of the stepped portion 6. It may be formed as follows.

  The step portion 6 in the first embodiment is formed when the adapter 1 is injection molded. When the step portion 6 is formed by injection molding, the manufacturing process of the adapter 1 including the step portion 6 illustrated in FIG. 4B is compared with the manufacturing process of the adapter 1 including the step portion 6 illustrated in FIG. And complicated. Therefore, when the stepped portion 6 is formed by injection molding, the stepped portion 6 has a thickness T1 of the wall surface of the adapter 1 in the upper portion of the stepped portion 6 as in the first embodiment. It is desirable to form the adapter 1 so as to be larger than the wall thickness T2 of the adapter 1.

  In the first embodiment, the step portion 6 is formed on the adapter 1 as a mark indicating the position where the identification information label 14 is to be attached. However, the mark may be indicated by a seal or printing. In the first embodiment, the step portion 6 indicates the position of the lower end of the identification information label 14, but may indicate the position of the upper end, right end, or left end of the identification information label 14. You may form in multiple places.

  The bottom portion 7 is integrally connected to the cylindrical portion 5. A circular hole 16 is formed in the bottom 7. This is for facilitating cleaning of the adapter 1 even if a sample spills into the adapter 1. The shape of the hole 16 does not need to be circular, and the hole 16 may not be provided.

  The adapter 1 is made of ABS resin or polypropylene. When the adapter 1 is manufactured by injection molding, a material excellent in workability and rigidity as in the first embodiment is desirable.

  A method for using the adapter 1 configured as described above will be described below. First, the person in charge of analysis prepares the micro sample container 2 in which the sample to be analyzed is accommodated and the identification information label 14 related to the sample. Next, the person in charge of analysis affixes the identification information label 14 to the adapter 1. At that time, the person in charge of analysis pastes the identification information label 14 so that the position of the lower end of the identification information label 14 coincides with the position of the step portion 6 of the adapter 1. When the pasting of the identification information label 14 is completed in this way, the person in charge of analysis installs the adapter 1 in the sample rack 3, places the prepared trace sample container 2 on the adapter 1, and starts analysis.

  According to the adapter 1 of the first embodiment described above, since the lower limit position of the range that can be read by the label reading mechanism 15 is indicated on the side surface of the adapter 1, the person in charge of analysis can read the label reading mechanism 15. The identification information label 14 can be attached to the adapter 1 without being aware of the readable area. As a result, the work efficiency of the analyst is improved. Further, the identification information label reading failure error caused by the identification information label 14 sticking out of the readable area of the label reading mechanism 15 is reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
5A and 5B are views showing the sample container support adapter 1 according to the second embodiment, in which FIG. 5A is a front view of the adapter 1 and FIG. 5B is a right or left side view of the adapter 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adapter 1 to which the identification information label 14 according to the second embodiment is attached. 5 and 6 is different from the adapter 1 of the first embodiment in the configuration of the opening 4, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected to each component, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The opening 4 is provided with a flange portion 10 at the periphery thereof, and the flange portion 10 is provided with a groove portion 11 on the upper surface thereof as in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, two openings 17 are formed in the opening 4. The notch 17 serves to make it easier for the person in charge of analysis to pick up the minute sample container 2 when removing the minute sample container 2 from the adapter 1. Therefore, it is desirable that the two notches 17 are formed at positions that face the opening 4. The notch 17 also serves to indicate the upper limit position of the area that can be read by the label reading mechanism 15. Therefore, it is desirable that the position of the lower end of the notch 17 be formed at the same position as the upper limit position of the readable area of the label reading mechanism 15 or at a position lower than the upper limit position.

  A method for using the adapter 1 configured as described above will be described below. First, the person in charge of analysis prepares the micro sample container 2 in which the sample to be analyzed is accommodated and the identification information label 14 related to the sample. Next, the person in charge of analysis affixes the identification information label 14 below the notch 17 of the adapter 1. At that time, the person in charge of analysis pastes the identification information label 14 so that the position of the lower end of the identification information label 14 coincides with the position of the step portion 6 of the adapter 1.

  Next, the person in charge of analysis confirms that the upper end of the identification information label 14 does not exceed the position of the lower end of the notch 17. If the upper end of the identification information label 14 exceeds the position of the lower end of the notch 17, the identification information label 14 is too long, and the person in charge of analysis removes the identification information label 14 from the adapter 1 and discards it. Then, the person in charge of the analysis recreates the identification information label 14 having a length that can be accommodated from the step portion 6 of the adapter 1 to the position of the lower end of the notch 17, and again attaches the identification information label 14 to the adapter 1 in the same manner as described above. paste. When the pasting of the identification information label 14 is completed in this way, the person in charge of analysis installs the adapter 1 in the sample rack 3, places the prepared trace sample container 2 on the adapter 1, and starts analysis.

  According to the adapter 1 of the second embodiment described above, not only the lower limit position but also the upper limit position of the area that can be read by the label reading mechanism 15 is shown on the side surface of the adapter 1. Not only is the work efficiency improved, but the identification information label reading error error caused by the identification information label 14 sticking out of the readable area of the label reading mechanism 15 is further reduced.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the object on which the adapter 1 is held is the sample rack 3, but it may be a sample turntable having a function of holding the sample container in the same manner as the sample rack 3.

1: Adapter 2: Trace sample container 3: Sample rack 4: Opening part 5: Cylindrical part 6: Step part 7: Bottom part 8: Body part 9: Neck part 10: Gutter part 11: Groove part 12: Blood collection tube 13: Sample container Storage unit 14: Identification information label 15: Label reading mechanism 16: Hole 17: Notch L: Adapter length T1, T2: Wall thickness (upper step)
T3, T4: Wall thickness (lower step)

Claims (5)

In a sample container support adapter for supporting a micro sample container, which is held on a sample turntable or sample rack for containing a sample container,
The adapter includes a cylindrical portion,
A bottom portion formed integrally with the cylindrical portion;
An opening formed on the upper end of the cylindrical portion, on which a trace amount sample container is placed;
At least one mark formed on a side surface of the cylindrical portion and indicating a position where an identification information label is to be attached;
A sample container support adapter comprising: The sample container support adapter according to claim 1,
As the mark, the cylindrical portion has a step portion, and the step portion is formed at a position indicating at least one of an upper limit position and a lower limit position to which the identification information label is to be attached. Container support adapter. The sample container support adapter according to claim 2,
The sample container support adapter, wherein the step portion is formed such that a wall thickness of the adapter at an upper portion of the step portion is larger than a wall thickness of the adapter at a lower portion of the step portion. . In the sample container support adapter according to claims 1 to 3,
The sample container support adapter, wherein the opening has a notch as the mark, and a position of a lower end of the notch is formed at a position indicating an upper limit position to which the identification information label is to be attached. The sample container support adapter according to claim 4,
The notch is formed at two positions in the opening, and the notches are formed at positions facing each other.

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