JP2023026306A - Automatic analysis device and automatic analysis method - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve analysis precision.SOLUTION: An automatic analysis device includes: a storage part; a transfer part; a measurement part; and a static electricity removal part. The storage part stores a container for storing a sample to be analyzed. The transfer part transfers the container from the storage part. The measurement part injects the sample to the container transferred from the transfer part and measures liquid in the container. The static electricity removal part is provided in at least one of the storage part and the transfer part and removes static electricity of the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Embodiments disclosed in the specification and drawings relate to an automatic analysis device and an automatic analysis method.

In an automatic analyzer that analyzes a test sample (biological sample such as blood) (hereinafter referred to as a sample) collected from a subject, it is generally necessary to prepare an empty reaction container in advance. After providing the container to a work area such as a reaction disk, a liquid mixture of sample and reagents or injecting the sample into the reaction container performs various analyzes such as blood clotting analysis.

Therefore, an automated analyzer comprises a cuvette transporter and an analyzer with a reaction disk or the like. A cuvette transporter transports a cuvette, which is a reaction container used for sample analysis, to a reaction disk in the analyzer. The analyzer performs various analyzes on the sample by injecting the sample and reagents into the transported cuvette, or by injecting the sample into the transported cuvette and measuring the liquid in the cuvette.

Taking the analysis of blood coagulation as an example, FIG. 16 is an overall schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional automatic analyzer. The automated analyzer comprises a cuvette transporter 100' and an analyzer with a reaction disk 60'. A cuvette transport device 100' transports the cuvette 1' to the reaction disk 60'. As shown in FIG. 16, the cuvette transporting device 100′ transports the cuvette 1′, which is a container with one side open, to the reaction disk 60′, and as shown in the part surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. , a storage unit 10', an arrangement unit 20', and a transport unit 30', which are surrounded by dotted lines.

After the cuvette 1' is introduced into the storage unit 10', it is introduced into the placement unit 20' via the separator 40'. The arranging unit 20' aligns the cuvettes 1' in the same direction by the arranging device 50' in order to arrange the cuvettes 1' conveyed by the storage unit 10' in the downstream conveying unit 30'.

The cuvettes 1' arranged in the transport unit 30' in the arrangement unit 20' are transported to the reaction disk 60' by the rails 30A' of the transport unit 30', and the sample is injected into the cuvette 1' in the reaction disk 60'. Analysis is performed by With the structure described above, the cuvettes 1' thrown into the storage unit 10' at random can be automatically arranged and transported to the reaction disk 60'.

However, the cuvette 1' is made of a dust-prone material such as plastic. For example, in the automatic analyzer having the cuvette transport device 100′ described above, the cuvettes 1′ are randomly placed in the storage unit 10′ before entering the reaction disk 60′, and the cuvette transport device 100′ moves the cuvette 1′ to the reaction disk 60′. transported one by one. In this process, there is mutual friction between the cuvettes 1', between the cuvettes 1' and the storage unit 10', and between the cuvettes 1' and the placement unit 20'. For this reason, for example, the cuvette 1' made of a plastic material is likely to generate dust. may affect. Therefore, the generation of dust may reduce the accuracy of analysis. Removing dust in the cuvette is very important.

Also, the separator 40' moves vertically to subdivide the cuvettes 1' and supply them to the arrangement unit 20'. Specifically, the upper portion of the separator 40' is provided with a slope that is inclined toward the arrangement unit 20'. When the separator 40' is lowered to a lower position, some of the cuvettes 1' fall on the slope of the separator 40', and when the position of the separator 40' is raised, the cuvettes 1' fall on the separator 40'. It slides down the slope onto the placement unit 20'. In this process, the cuvettes 1' not in the separator 40' slide back into the storage unit 10'. At this time, the cuvette 1' collides with each part of the storage unit 10' multiple times, and dust is likely to be generated.

Similarly, the placement device 50' places the cuvette 1' by moving vertically. Also in this process, the cuvette 1' randomly slides down into the placement device 50'. For example, when the placement device 50' is lowered to a lower position, some cuvettes 1' fall into the placement device 50', and when the position of the placement device 50' rises, the cuvettes 1' do not fit into the placement device 50'. The cuvette 1' again slides back into the placement unit 20'. During this process, the cuvette 1' collides with each part of the placement unit 20' multiple times, which is likely to generate dust.

As described above, the cuvette transport apparatus 100' shown in FIG. 16 is likely to generate dust, and the generation of dust may reduce the analysis accuracy in the automatic analyzer.

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-18968

One of the embodiments disclosed in the specification and drawings is to improve analytical accuracy.

An automatic analyzer according to an embodiment includes a storage section, a transfer section, a measurement section, and a static electricity removal section. The storage part stores a container for storing a sample to be analyzed. The transfer section transfers the container from the storage section. The measurement unit injects the sample into the container transferred from the transfer unit, and measures the liquid in the container. The static remover is installed in at least one of the storage unit and the transfer unit, and removes static electricity from the container.

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2A is a bird's-eye view showing an example of a static elimination structure provided in a storage unit of a cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C is a perspective view showing an example of the static elimination structure of the storage unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view showing an example of a static electricity removing mechanism provided in the arrangement unit of the cuvette transporting device in the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a simple schematic diagram showing an example of a static electricity removal mechanism provided in the arrangement unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure (automatic analysis method) of the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing part of a static electricity removal structure as a modification of the static electricity removal structure provided in the storage unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment. 6B is a perspective view showing the static electricity removal structure of FIG. 6A. FIG. 7 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the arrangement unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the transport path of the transport unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a clamping unit of the transport unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a clamping unit of the transport unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10C is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a clamping unit of the transport unit of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure (automatic analysis method) of the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 14 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the cleaning mechanism of the cuvette transport device in the automatic analyzer according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 16 is an overall schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional automatic analyzer.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an automatic analysis device and an automatic analysis method will be described with reference to the drawings. Further, in each embodiment, substantially the same constituent members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is appropriately omitted.

In addition, when describing the embodiments, a blood coagulation analyzer is taken as an example of an automatic analyzer. The present embodiment may be applied as long as it is an apparatus that analyzes a sample (biological sample such as blood) collected from a specimen.

In addition, in each drawing, the structure is shown schematically for the convenience of explanation, and the specific dimensions of the parts and the proportional and positional relationships between different parts do not necessarily match the actual product. Appropriate modifications have been made.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment.

The blood coagulation analyzer as the automatic analyzer 200 has a cuvette transporter that automatically transports the cuvette 1 to the reaction disk. A liquid mixed with a reagent or a sample is injected, and various analyzes are performed on the sample in the cuvette 1 by the analysis mechanism of the automatic analyzer 200 . In this embodiment, other structures such as an injection mechanism and an analysis mechanism other than the cuvette conveying device may be known structures, and illustration and description thereof are omitted. In FIG. 1, only the structure related to the transportation of the cuvette 1 is shown and explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, an automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment includes a cuvette transport device 100. As shown in FIG. The cuvette transfer device 100 includes a storage unit 10 , a placement unit 20 and a transfer unit 30 that are connected in sequence, and transfers the cuvette 1 from the storage unit 10 to the reaction disk 60 via the placement unit 20 and transfer unit 30 .

The automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment further comprises an analyzer 70 having a reaction disk 60 and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the storage unit 10, the placement unit 20, the transport unit 30, and the analyzer 70. FIG. Here, the storage unit 10 is an example of the "storage section", and the arrangement unit 20 and the transport unit 30 are examples of the "transfer section". Also, the analyzer 70 is an example of a “measurement unit”, and by injecting a sample into the cuvette 1 transferred from the transfer unit (arrangement unit 20, transfer unit 30) and measuring the liquid in the cuvette 1, , analyze the sample.

The main structure of the storage unit 10 of the cuvette transporting device 100 is a casing with an upper opening, and an empty cuvette 1 is put into the storage unit 10 from the opening above the storage unit 10, and temporarily stored in the storage unit 10. stored properly. A slope inclined toward the placement unit 20 is formed on the bottom surface of the casing, so that the cuvette 1 moves toward the placement unit 20 in the casing.

Specifically, the storage unit 10 includes a casing 13 in which the cuvette 1 is stored, a separator, a movement mechanism for vertically moving the separator, and a casing for housing the separator and the movement mechanism. As a separator, for example, a separator 40' as shown in FIG. 16 is used. By moving vertically, the cuvettes 1 in the storage unit 10 are taken out in small portions. For example, the separator accepts entry of the cuvette 1 when lowered to its lower position, and drops the cuvette 1 into the placement unit 20 when raised to its higher position.

The placement unit 20 of the cuvette transport device 100 is connected between the storage unit 10 and the transport unit 30 and sequentially places the cuvettes 1 stored in the storage unit 10 on the transport unit 30 .

Specifically, the arrangement unit 20 includes a rail 50, a moving mechanism for vertically moving the rail 50, and a casing for housing the rail 50 and the moving mechanism. As the rail 50, for example, a placement device 50' as shown in FIG. 16 is used.

Here, the cuvette 1 is formed of, for example, a member with an open top, and a flange is formed on the open side of the body of the cuvette 1 . Rails 50 are rails spaced apart a predetermined distance to align the cuvettes 1 . Here, the predetermined distance is shorter than the flange of the cuvette 1 and longer than the outer diameter of the body of the cuvette 1 . Note that the shape of the cuvette 1 is not limited to this, as long as it is a container with an open top, and the cross-sectional shape and appearance thereof may be arbitrarily set according to the reaction disk 60 .

Therefore, the rails 50 move vertically to align the cuvettes 1, thereby supplying the cuvettes 1 to the transport unit 30 in a predetermined posture. For example, the moving mechanism of the placement unit 20 aligns the cuvettes 1 with the rails 50 when lowered to the low position, and sequentially supplies the cuvettes 1 in the rails 50 to the transport unit 30 when raised to the high position. do. In addition, in the arrangement unit 20, the cuvettes 1 that are not aligned with the rails 50 fall into the storage unit 10 when the rails 50 rise to a high position.

The transport unit 30 of the cuvette transport apparatus 100 comprises rails 30A spaced apart by a predetermined distance for aligning the cuvettes 1 . In the transport unit 30, the direction of the rail 30A is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, and the rail 30A is inclined downward from the start end to the end end. As a result, the transport unit 30 holds the posture of the cuvette 1 supplied from the placement unit 20 as it is and transports it to the reaction disk 60, so that the cuvette 1 is placed at a predetermined position on the reaction disk 60 with the opening facing upward. This allows the analysis device 70 to perform analysis on the reaction disk 60 .

The analyzer 70 includes, for example, a reaction disk 60, a reagent reservoir, an injection mechanism and a measurement mechanism.

The reaction disk 60 is a reaction vessel and rotatably holds a plurality of cuvettes 1 arranged on a circumference.

The reagent storage keeps and retains a plurality of reagent containers arranged on a circumference. A reagent container in the reagent storage accommodates a reagent containing a component that reacts with the component of each test item contained in the sample. The reagent storage has a turntable that rotatably holds reagent containers for each test item.

The injection mechanism includes, for example, a sample dispensing probe and a reagent dispensing probe.

The sample dispensing probe, for example, dispenses the sample in the sample container moved to the sample aspirating position. Specifically, the sample pipetting probe aspirates the sample in the sample container positioned at the sample aspirating position for each inspection item, and deposits the amount of sample set as the analysis parameter for the inspection item on the reaction disk 60. The sample is discharged into the cuvette 1 positioned at the sample discharge position. The sample dispensing probe is then washed.

For example, the reagent dispensing probe dispenses the reagent in the reagent container moved to the reagent aspirating position. Specifically, the reagent dispensing probe aspirates the reagent in the reagent container located at the reagent aspirating position, and dispenses the reagent in the amount set as the analysis parameter of the test item to the reagent dispensing position on the reaction disk 60. Dispense into the cuvette 1 located. The reagent dispensing probe is then washed.

The measurement mechanism measures the liquid mixture by, for example, irradiating the cuvette 1 containing the liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent with light. Specifically, the measurement mechanism irradiates the rotating cuvette 1 at the measurement position with light, and detects the light transmitted through the mixed liquid of the sample and the reagent in the cuvette 1 by this irradiation. The measurement mechanism then processes the detected signals to generate standard data and test data represented by digital signals, and outputs the data to the control circuit. The cuvette 1 is then washed.

Here, the storage unit 10 of the cuvette transport device 100 will be described. The storage unit 10 includes a casing 13 in which the cuvette 1 is stored, a separator that moves vertically to take out the cuvette 1 and drop it into the arrangement unit 20, a moving mechanism that vertically moves the separator, and a separator. And, in addition to a casing for housing the moving mechanism, a static electricity removing structure 10A for removing static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 by metal conduction action is provided. FIG. 2A is a bird's-eye view showing an example of the static electricity removing structure 10A provided in the storage unit 10 of the cuvette transporting device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C is a perspective view showing an example of the static electricity removal structure 10A. Here, the static electricity removing structure 10A of the storage unit 10 is an example of the "static electricity removing portion".

The static electricity removal structure 10</b>A of the storage unit 10 includes a plurality of partition plates 11 and a plurality of brushes 12 . A plurality of partition plates 11 and a plurality of brushes 12 are provided within a casing 13 in which the cuvette 1 is accommodated. 2A-2C, the casing 13 for housing the cuvette 1 of the storage unit 10 is schematically and simplified as a cube. 1 does not show a path through which the cuvette 1 can pass between the storage unit 10 and the placement unit 20, but actually, there is a cuvette between the storage unit 10 and the placement unit 20. An opening is provided through which 1 can pass.

For example, the partition plates 11 are made of metal. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, three metal partition plates 11 are provided in the casing 13 in parallel along the vertical direction as the plurality of partition plates 11 . Although three partition plates 11 are shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the number of partition plates 11 does not have to be three, and can be changed as appropriate according to the size of the casing 13 of the storage unit 10. can. For example, each of the plurality of brushes 12 is provided on the partition plate 11 . Specifically, each brush 12 is provided so that one end is fixed to the side surface of the partition plate 11 and the other end extends vertically from the side surface of the partition plate 11 . The brush 12 is made of a conductive material such as conductive fiber or carbon fiber. In the static electricity removal structure 10 A of the storage unit 10 , the partition plate 11 is provided in the casing 13 so that the cuvette 1 passes through the brush 12 . Here, the partition plate 11 is an example of a "plate".

According to this structure, when the cuvette 1 is loaded into the storage unit 10 by the operator or the loading device, the cuvette 1 comes into contact with the brush 12 while moving downward, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. As a result, the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 is removed by the conductive action of the metal. Therefore, impurities such as dust adhering to the cuvette 1 can be easily removed from the cuvette 1 .

Next, the placement unit 20 of the cuvette transport device 100 will be described. The arrangement unit 20 includes the above-described rails 50, a moving mechanism for vertically moving the rails 50, a casing for housing the rails 50 and the moving mechanism, and the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 is removed by metal conduction. A static electricity removal mechanism 20A is provided for removing static electricity. The static electricity removing mechanism of the placement unit 20 collects the dust on the cuvette 1 and removes the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 by the conductive action of the metal. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing an example of the static elimination mechanism 20A provided in the placement unit 20 of the cuvette transporting device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment. Here, the static electricity removing structure 20A of the arrangement unit 20 is an example of the "static electricity removing portion".

The left side of FIG. 3 shows the structure of the arrangement unit 20 excluding the rail 50 , the moving mechanism for vertically moving the rail 50 , and the casing for housing the rail 50 and the moving mechanism. The static electricity removal structure 20A of the arrangement unit 20 comprises a collection box 21 and a discharge circuit 22. As shown in FIG. A collection box 21 is provided below at least part of the path along which the cuvettes 1 are transported, and a discharge circuit 22 attracts dust to the collection box 21 using static electricity. Here, the collection box 21 is an example of the "dust collector", and the discharge circuit 22 is an example of the "static electricity attraction unit".

For example, the collection box 21 is provided below the casing that houses the rails 50 and movement mechanism. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a collection box 21 made of metal with an upper opening is provided under the casing of the arrangement unit 20, and the collection box 21 collects impurities such as dust falling from above. formed into an acceptable shape.

Also, the collection box 21 and the discharge head 22A of the discharge circuit 22 are electrically connected by a wire, so that the discharge circuit 22 discharges to the collection box 21 and causes the collection box 21 to generate static electricity. At this time, the static electricity generated collection box 21 generates an effect of attracting impurities such as dust. For example, impurities such as dust on the cuvettes 1 in the placement unit 20 located above the collection box 21 are drawn into the collection box 21 via through holes provided in the bottom of the casing of the placement unit 20 .

An example of the circuit configuration of the discharge circuit 22 is shown in the upper portion of FIG. The discharge circuit 22 includes a high-voltage DC power supply 22B having one end grounded, resistance elements R1 and R2 connected in series to the other end of the high-voltage DC power supply 22B, and connected between the resistance elements R1 and R2. It has a capacitor C1, which is a capacitive element connected in parallel with the DC power supply 22B, and a discharge switch 22C, which is connected in series with the resistance elements R1 and R2 and accumulates charges for discharging. A power switch 22D for connecting the high voltage DC power supply 22B and the resistance element R1 is provided between the high voltage DC power supply 22B and the resistance element R1. The control circuit turns on/off the discharge switch 22C, whereby the discharge circuit 22 discharges to the collection box 21 and causes the collection box 21 to generate static electricity. The circuit configuration of the discharge circuit 22 shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and the circuit configuration may be different from that shown in FIG. 3 as long as it is capable of discharging.

FIG. 4 is a simple schematic diagram showing an example of the static elimination mechanism 20A provided in the placement unit 20 of the cuvette transporting device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 4, the placement unit 20 is simply represented as a space in which the cuvette 1 can be accommodated, and the collection box 21 is provided below the rail 50 and the casing 20B which accommodates the movement mechanism. A plurality of through holes 23 are provided in the bottom of the casing 20B. A collection box 21 connected to a discharge circuit 22 is provided below the casing 20B of the placement unit 20 at a distance from the placement unit 20. A static electricity removal structure 20A comprising the collection box 21 and the discharge circuit 22. By electrostatically attracting impurities such as dust present in the placement unit 20 , the impurities such as dust are attracted into the collection box 21 via the through holes 23 .

Next, a processing procedure (automatic analysis method) of the automatic analysis device 200 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment.

First, at the start of automatic analysis, the cuvette 1 is loaded into the storage unit 10 of the cuvette transporter 100, and the storage unit 10 stores the loaded cuvette 1. FIG. Here, when the cuvette 1 is put into the casing 13 of the storage unit 10 from above, it falls between the casing 13 and the partition plate 11 or between the two partition plates 11 and comes into contact with the brush 12 (Fig. 5 step S501). In this process, unnecessary static electricity on the cuvette 1 is removed, so that the cuvette 1 is transported from the storage unit 10 to the placement unit 20 without attracting impurities such as dust to the cuvette 1 .

Next, in the cuvette transporting device 100 , the placement unit 20 aligns the cuvettes 1 supplied from the storage unit 10 with the rails 50 to supply the cuvettes 1 to the transporting unit 30 in a predetermined posture. For example, the arranging unit 20 aligns the cuvettes 1 with the rails 50 when lowered to the lower position, and sequentially supplies the cuvettes 1 in the rails 50 to the transport unit 30 when raised to the higher position. Here, in the placement unit 20 , by activating the discharge circuit 22 , the collecting box 21 is used to electrostatically attract impurities such as dust falling from the cuvettes 1 aligned by the rails 50 , into the collecting box 21 . Pull in (step S502 in FIG. 5).

Next, the cuvettes 1 from which impurities such as dust have been removed are arranged on the rails 30A of the transport unit 30 (step S503 in FIG. 5), so that the transport unit 30 changes the attitude of the cuvettes 1 supplied from the arrangement unit 20. It is held as it is and transported to the reaction disk 60 (step S504 in FIG. 5). Next, in the analyzer 70, the injection mechanism injects the sample into the cuvette 1 on the reaction disk 60, and the measurement mechanism measures the liquid in the cuvette 1, thereby performing various analyzes on the sample (Fig. 5 step S505).

As described above, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, impurities such as dust are removed from the cuvette 1 during the process of transporting the cuvette 1 by the cuvette transporting device 100 . do not. Therefore, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, there is no influence on the analysis results performed by the analyzer 70, and the analysis accuracy is improved.

For example, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, the static electricity removing structure 10A (partition plate 11 and brush By providing 12), impurities such as dust can be removed in the process of transporting the cuvette 1 by the cuvette transporting device 100 .

Further, for example, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, static electricity is used to disperse dust and the like below the path (the rail 50 and the casing 20B that houses the moving mechanism) for transferring the cuvettes 1 of the placement unit 20. By providing the static electricity removal structure 20A (the collection box 21 and the discharge circuit 22) that attracts impurities, impurities such as dust can be removed in the process of transporting the cuvettes 1 by the cuvette transporter 100.

Thus, according to the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, analysis accuracy can be improved.

(Modification 1 of the first embodiment)
In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, in the arrangement unit 20 of the cuvette transporting device 100, static electricity is used below the path for transporting the cuvette 1 (the rail 50 and the casing 20B for housing the moving mechanism). A static eliminator structure 20A is provided comprising a collection box 21 and a discharge circuit 22 that act to attract impurities such as but not limited to dust. For example, the static electricity removal structure 20A of the placement unit 20 may not include the discharge circuit 22 and may include only the collection box 21 . Even in this case, the static electricity removal structure 20A can collect impurities such as dust particles dropped from the cuvette 1 during the process of transporting the cuvette 1 using only the collection box 21 .

Moreover, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, the static electricity removal structure 20A is provided in the placement unit 20 of the cuvette transport device 100, but may be provided in the storage unit 10. FIG. Specifically, the static electricity removal structure 20A (the collection box 21 and the discharge circuit 22) is provided below the casing 13 that houses the cuvette 1 of the static electricity removal structure 10A in the storage unit 10, and the bottom of the casing 13 A hole is provided. In this case, in the storage unit 10, the static electricity removal structure 10A (partition plate 11 and brush 12) attracts impurities such as dust falling from the cuvette 1 into the static electricity removal structure 20A (collection box 21, discharge circuit 22). can be done.

Further, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, the static electricity removal structure 10A and the static electricity removal structure 20A are provided in the cuvette transport device 100. For example, the static electricity removal structure 20A (the collection box 21 and the discharge circuit 22) may not be provided. Even in this case, in the storage unit 10, static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 can be removed by the conductive action of the metal by the static electricity removal structure 10A (metal partition plate 11 and conductive brush 12).

Moreover, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, the static electricity removal structure 10A of the storage unit 10 may not include the brush 12 and may include only the partition plate 11 . Even in this case, the static electricity removal structure 10A utilizes only the metal partition plate 11, and the cuvette 1 collides with the partition plate 11 in the process of transporting the cuvette 1, so that the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 is dissipated through metal conduction. It can be removed by action.

Moreover, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, for example, the static electricity removing structure 10A may not be provided. In this case, in the arrangement unit 20, static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 is removed by the conductive action of the metal by the static electricity removal structure 20A (collection box 21, discharge circuit 22).

(Modification 2 of the first embodiment)
Furthermore, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment, in the static electricity removal structure 10A of the storage unit 10, the metal partition plates 11 extending vertically and parallel to each other are provided in the casing 13 for accommodating the cuvettes 1. However, the static electricity removal structure 10A is not limited to the structure provided with the plurality of partition plates 11, and other structures may be used as long as the static electricity can be removed.

For example, FIG. 6A schematically shows a part of the static electricity removal structure 10A as a modification of the static electricity removal structure 10A provided in the storage unit 10 of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the first embodiment. It is a diagram. FIG. 6B is a perspective view showing the static electricity removal structure 10A of FIG. 6A.

The static electricity removal structure 10</b>A of the storage unit 10 includes a plurality of rotating shafts 14 and a plurality of brushes 15 . That is, in this modification, the static electricity removal structure 10A includes a plurality of rotating shafts 14 and a plurality of brushes 15 instead of the plurality of partition plates 11 and the plurality of brushes 12 described above. A plurality of rotating shafts 14 and a plurality of brushes 15 are provided within a casing 13 in which the cuvette 1 is accommodated.

For example, the multiple rotating shafts 14 are made of metal. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , three metal rotating shafts 14 are provided in parallel as a plurality of rotating shafts 14 in the casing 13 . Although three rotating shafts 14 are shown in FIG. 6B, the number of rotating shafts 14 does not have to be three, and can be changed as appropriate according to the size of the casing 13 of the storage unit 10 . For example, each of the plurality of brushes 15 is provided on the rotating shaft 14 . Specifically, each brush 15 is provided so that one end is fixed to the rotating shaft 14 and the other end extends outward from the rotating shaft 14 in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 14 . The brush 15 is made of a conductive material such as conductive fiber or carbon fiber. In the static electricity removal structure 10 A of the storage unit 10 , the rotating shaft 14 is provided within the casing 13 so that the cuvette 1 passes through the brush 15 .

According to this structure, when the cuvette 1 is loaded into the storage unit 10 by the operator or the loading device, the cuvette 1 comes into contact with the brush 15 in the process of moving downward as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. By doing so, the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 is removed by the conductive action of the metal. Therefore, impurities such as dust adhering to the cuvette 1 can be easily removed from the cuvette 1 .

Here, the static electricity removing structure 10A of the storage unit 10 may be provided with a drive mechanism for the rotating shaft 14 to rotate the rotating shaft 14 . Specifically, the static electricity removal structure 10A may further include a drive mechanism that drives the rotating shaft 14 so that the rotating shaft 14 rotates when the cuvette 1 passes the brush 15 . Here, the drive mechanism is an example of a "rotating shaft drive section".

As a result, the static electricity removal structure 10A promotes the cuvette 1 to fall between the casing 13 and the rotating shaft 14 or between the two rotating shafts 14, thereby removing impurities such as dust adhering to the cuvette 1. can also be promoted.

In addition, in the static electricity removal structure 10A of the storage unit 10, the partition plate 11 or the rotating shaft 14 may not be made of metal, and may be made of other materials as long as the static electricity attached to the cuvette 1 can be removed. Also good.

(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. FIG.

FIG. 7 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 7, each configuration of the cuvette transport device 100 in the second embodiment will be described, and description of other configurations such as the analysis device 70 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cuvette transporting device 100 according to the second embodiment comprises a storage unit 10a, a placement unit 20a and a transport unit 30a which are connected in sequence, and the cuvette 1 is transferred from the storage unit 10a to the placement unit 20a. and transported to the reaction disk 60 via the transport unit 30a.

Here, the storage unit 10a, the placement unit 20a, and the transport unit 30a correspond to the storage unit 10, the placement unit 20, and the transport unit 30 in the first embodiment, respectively.

First, a storage unit 10a according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The main structure of the storage unit 10a is a casing 13 with an upper opening, and an empty cuvette 1 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 10a by being thrown into the storage unit 10a through an opening above the storage unit 10a. be. The cuvette 1 is moved toward the placement unit 20a by forming a sloping surface on the lower surface of the casing 13 toward the placement unit 20a.

Specifically, the storage unit 10a includes at least a casing 13 in which the cuvette 1 is stored. Here, in the second embodiment, due to the configuration of the placement unit 20a described below, the storage unit 10a has a separator that moves vertically to take out the cuvette 1 and drop it into the placement unit 20, and a separator. A moving mechanism for vertical movement and a casing for housing the separator and the moving mechanism are not required.

Next, an arrangement unit 20a according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG.

The placement unit 20a is connected between the storage unit 10a and the transport unit 30a. The main body of the arranging unit 20a is a conveyor belt that can spirally rise around a central axis along the vertical direction. used for

Specifically, the placement unit 20a includes a conveyor belt 24, a motor 24A, and a casing that houses the conveyor belt 24 and the motor 24A. That is, the arrangement unit 20a includes a conveyor belt 24 and a motor 24A instead of the rail 50, the moving mechanism for vertically moving the rail 50, and the casing for housing the rail 50 and the moving mechanism in the first embodiment. and

A motor 24A is connected to the lower part of the conveyor belt 24, and the conveyor belt 24 can spirally rise around the central axis in response to the drive by the motor 24A. For example, an opening through which the cuvette 1 can pass is provided between the casing 13 of the storage unit 10a and the casing of the arrangement unit 20a. is formed, the cuvette 1 moves toward the arrangement unit 20a. Therefore, the cuvettes 1 randomly stored in the storage unit 10a are accumulated under the placement unit 20a. Here, the cuvette 1 dropped onto the conveyor belt 24 in the arrangement unit 20a follows the spiral upward movement of the conveyor belt 24 and spirally moves upward.

Thus, in the second embodiment, the arrangement unit 20a includes the conveyor belt 24 and the motor 24A. The vertical movement eliminates the need for a separator for taking out the cuvette 1 and dropping it into the placement unit 20, a moving mechanism for moving the separator vertically, and a casing for housing the separator and the moving mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the arrangement unit 20a of the cuvette transporting device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment. A front view of the conveyor belt 24 is shown in the upper right of FIG. 8, and a bird's-eye view of the conveyor belt 24 is shown in the lower left of FIG.

Conveyor belt 24 forms a helical ascending path around a vertical central axis under the action of motor 24A. Here, the path formed by the conveyor belt 24 functions as a spiral ascending rail. A material having a constant frictional force is used for the surface of the conveyor belt 24 . For example, when the cuvette 1 (for example, the cuvette 1A in FIG. 7) accumulated in the lower portion of the placement unit 20a rides on the spiral ascending rail of the conveyor belt 24, the cuvette 1 spirally ascends according to the spiral ascending motion of the conveyor belt 24. Subsequently, when another cuvette 1 (for example, the cuvette 1B in FIG. 7) accumulated in the lower part of the placement unit 20a rides on the spiral ascending rail of the conveyor belt 24, the cuvette 1 spirals according to the spiral ascending motion of the conveyor belt 24. Rise. On the other hand, if the cuvette 1 (eg, cuvette 1C in FIG. 7) accumulated in the lower portion of the placement unit 20a cannot ride on the spiral ascending rail of the conveyor belt 24, the cuvette 1 falls back to the lower portion of the placement unit 20a.

In addition, the conveyor belt 24 is made of a metal material or is grounded to remove static electricity from the cuvette 1 transported on the conveyor belt 24, for example, in the same manner as the static electricity removal mechanism 20A in the first embodiment. can do.

Furthermore, the placement unit 20a comprises rails 25 having a predetermined length. A rail 25 is provided on top of the conveyor belt 24 . The rails 25 are rails 25a, 25b spaced apart by a predetermined distance to align the cuvettes 1 . Here, the predetermined distance is shorter than the flange of the cuvette 1 and longer than the outer diameter of the body of the cuvette 1 . Due to this shape, when the cuvette 1 sequentially follows the helical upward movement of the conveyor belt 24 and rises to the top of the conveyor belt 24, the body of the cuvette 1 (eg, cuvette 1D in FIGS. 7 and 8) has a certain probability of The cuvette 1 falls between the rails 25a and 25b, is sandwiched between the rails 25, and moves on the rails 25 with the opening of the cuvette 1 facing upward. On the other hand, the cuvette 1 (cuvette 1E in FIG. 8) that is not between the rails 25a and 25b falls back to the bottom of the placement unit 20a.

In the arrangement unit 20a, the rail 25 is connected with the rail of the transport unit 30a. As a result, the placement unit 20a can transfer the cuvette 1 to the transport unit 30a with the opening of the cuvette 1 facing upward. That is, the placement unit 20a is provided with a conveyor belt 24, a motor 24A, and a rail 25, thereby forming a path through which the cuvette 1 can spirally ascend around the axis. , can be arranged in a predetermined posture and sent to the transport guide rail 31 in sequence. Here, the arranging unit 20a is an example of a "container arranging mechanism."

Next, a transport unit 30a according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9. FIG.

By transporting the cuvette 1, the transport unit 30a transports the cuvette 1 to a predetermined position of the reaction disk 60 of the analysis device 70, which is the transport destination, so that analysis is performed in the reaction disk 60. FIG.

Specifically, the conveying unit 30 a includes a conveying guide rail 31 and a clamping unit 35 . That is, the transport unit 30a includes a transport guide rail 31 and a clamping unit 35 instead of the rail 30A in the first embodiment.

The transport guide rail 31 is a rail connected to the rail 25 of the arrangement unit 20a. The transport guide rail 31 receives the cuvette 1 from the arranging unit 20a on the transport path for transporting the cuvette 1 to the transport destination (reaction disk 60) with the opening of the cuvette 1 facing upward. The posture of the cuvette 1 is changed to a state in which the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward. Here, the transport guide rail 31 is an example of a "container direction changing unit".

The transport guide rail 31 changes the position of the cuvette 1 so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward in the transport path, thereby making it easier to remove dust and other impurities inside the cuvette 1 . Further, the transport guide rail 31 is grounded to constitute a static electricity removal mechanism. That is, the transport guide rail 31 can remove static electricity from the cuvette 1 on the transport path.

The clamping unit 35 is provided at the end of the conveying path of the conveying guide rail 31 . The clamping unit 35 receives the cuvette 1 with the opening facing downward from the transport guide rail 31 and clamps the cuvette 1 . Then, the clamping unit 35 reverses the cuvette 1 so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces upward. After that, the clamping unit 35 feeds the reaction disk 60 to a predetermined position.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the transport guide rail 31 forming the transport path of the transport unit 30a of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the transport guide rail 31 has a plurality of guide rails in a plurality of transport paths. For example, the transport guide rail 31 moves the cuvette 1 in a predetermined posture along the guide rails by simultaneously contacting the cuvette 1 with a plurality of guide rails.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, the transport guide rail 31 has three guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c as a plurality of guide rails. For example, the transport guide rail 31 includes, as a plurality of guide rails, a guide rail 31c that abuts on the opening position of the cuvette 1, and at least two guide rails 31a and 31b that sandwich the head of the cuvette 1.

Specifically, since the guide rails 31a and 31b are connected to the rails 25 of the placement unit 20a, the cuvettes 1 sent from the conveyor belt 24 of the placement unit 20a pass through the rails 25 and pass through the guide rails 25. It falls between the rail 31a and the guide rail 31b. At this time, the cuvette 1 is prevented from falling from between the guide rails 31a and 31b by sandwiching the head of the cuvette 1 between the guide rails 31a and 31b. Here, as shown in the BB section of FIG. 9, a flange 1b is formed on the opening side of the body portion 1a of the cuvette 1, and the guide rails 31a and 31b are separated by a predetermined distance. placed. The predetermined distance is shorter than the flange 1 b of the cuvette 1 and longer than the outer diameter of the body 1 a of the cuvette 1 . The head portion of the cuvette 1 is, for example, a portion of the body portion 1a of the cuvette 1 on the side of the flange 1b. The head of the cuvette 1 is sandwiched by contact with 1b.

The guide rail 31a and the guide rail 31b are in contact with the flange 1b of the cuvette 1 while sandwiching the body 1a of the cuvette 1, and the guide rail 31c is in contact with the opening position of the cuvette 1. Prevents falling when the is tilted or turned upside down. Therefore, in the path where the cuvette 1 is positioned between the guide rails 31a and 31b with the opening facing upward, the guide rails 31c are not provided, and the guide rails are provided only at locations where the cuvette 1 may fall. 31c may be provided. In addition, by providing the guide rail 31c over the entire transport path, the position of the cuvette 1 is fixed in the space surrounded by the three guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c by combining the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c. You can

The three guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c have a spiral shape, and as the cuvette 1 moves away from the arrangement unit 20a, the posture of the cuvette 1 simultaneously contacted by the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c changes sequentially. 9, the posture is changed to that shown in the BB cross section, CC cross section, DD cross section, and EE cross section of FIG.

The BB cross section in FIG. 9 is the starting end of the transport path of the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c. In the BB section of FIG. 9, the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c are in contact with the cuvette 1 so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces upward. Posture.

Subsequently, in the CC section of FIG. 9, the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c rotate the cuvette 1 clockwise, and the opening of the cuvette 1 is tilted to the upper right.

Next, in the DD section of FIG. 9, the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c further rotate the cuvette 1 clockwise, and the opening of the cuvette 1 is tilted downward and to the right.

The EE section of FIG. 9 is at the end of the transport path of the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c. In the EE section of FIG. 9, the guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c are in contact with the cuvette 1 so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward. That is, the posture of the cuvette 1 is changed so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the transport unit 30a is provided with the transport guide rails 31, so that when the cuvette 1 is transported by the transport guide rails 31, the cuvette 1 is positioned so that the opening of the cuvette 1 is downward. Since the posture is changed to face toward the cuvette 1, impurities such as dust in the cuvette 1 can be more easily removed.

The guide rail 31a may be connected to the rail 25a, the guide rail 31b may be connected to the rail 25b, and both may be integrally formed. In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 9, the number of rails 25 does not match the number of guide rails 31, but by matching the number of rails 25 with the number of guide rails 31, the connection may be made smoother. .

Returning to the description of FIG.

The conveying unit 30a further includes a static elimination unit 32 and an opening/closing door 33. As shown in FIG. The static electricity removal unit 32 and the opening/closing door 33 are provided at the end of the transport path of the transport guide rail 31 .

As shown in the enlarged view of the dotted frame in FIG. 7, the static elimination unit 32 is a metal shaft with two brushes, and includes a plurality of rotating shafts 32A and a plurality of brushes 32B. Note that the illustration of the transport guide rail 31 is omitted in the enlarged view of the static electricity removing unit 32 in FIG. 7 .

For example, the multiple rotating shafts 32A are made of metal. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, two metal rotating shafts 32A are provided in parallel as a plurality of rotating shafts 32A. For example, each of the plurality of brushes 32B is provided on the rotating shaft 32A. Specifically, each brush 32B has one end fixed to the rotating shaft 32A and the other end extending outward from the rotating shaft 32A in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 32A. In the static electricity removal unit 32, at the end of the transport path of the transport guide rail 31, the rotating shaft 32A is provided so that the cuvette 1 passes through the brush 32B. Here, the static electricity removal unit 32 is an example of a "static electricity removal section."

According to such a structure, the cuvette 1 with its opening facing downward comes into contact with the brush 32B in the process of passing between the two metal rotating shafts 32A, thereby removing static electricity from the cuvette 1. is removed by the conductive action of the metal. Therefore, impurities such as dust adsorbed to the cuvette 1 are more easily removed from the cuvette 1 .

Here, the static electricity removal unit 32 may install a drive mechanism with respect to 32 A of rotating shafts, and may rotate 32 A of rotating shafts. Specifically, the static electricity removal unit 32 may further include a drive mechanism that drives the rotating shaft 32A so that the rotating shaft 32A rotates when the cuvette 1 passes the brush 32B. Here, the drive mechanism is an example of a "rotating shaft drive section".

Thereby, the static electricity removal unit 32 can facilitate removal of impurities such as dust adhering to the cuvette 1 .

Further, the opening/closing door 33 is provided at the end of the transport path of the transport guide rail 31, for example, after the static electricity removal unit 32. As shown in FIG. The opening/closing door 33 receives the cuvette 1 from the transport guide rail 31 and temporarily supports it. , and is pinched by the pinching unit 35. - 特許庁When the clamping unit 35 is not at a position facing the opening/closing door 33, the opening/closing door 33 is closed to prevent the cuvette 1 from falling.

The clamping unit 35 clamps the cuvette 1 and rotates the clamping unit 35 in the circumferential direction around the rotational axis of the clamping unit 35 while extending in the diametrical direction. When the clamping unit 35 rotates downward of the opening/closing door 33, it becomes an open position and receives the cuvette 1 dropped from the opening/closing door 33, and after leaving the receiving position, rotates while clamping the cuvette 1.例文帳に追加When the clamping unit 35 is rotated to a position in which the opening of the cuvette 1 faces upward, the clamping unit 35 opens again and releases the cuvette 1 so that the cuvette 1 falls into place on the reaction disk 60 below.

10A to 10C are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the clamping unit 35 of the transport unit 30a of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the clamping unit 35 includes a receiving plate 352 capable of clamping the cuvette 1 from both sides, a pressing spring 351 that can extend and contract to support the receiving plate 352, and a clamping force between the receiving plate 352 from one side. and a support member 353 that abuts. The clipping unit 35 is provided on a disk that can rotate about the central axis, and the block 34 is fixed to the central axis, so that the clipping unit 35 rotates about the central axis in accordance with the rotation of the disk. and is configured to move relative to the block 34 .

In FIG. 10A, support member 353 abuts positionally fixed block 34 when clamp unit 35 is rotated to a position facing the opening of cuvette 1 facing downward, near the L position shown in the figure. As a result, the receiving plate 352 is pushed outward against the pressure of the pressing spring 351 . Accordingly, the receiving plate 352 opens and the cuvette 1 falls between the receiving plates 352 .

When the clamping unit 35 rotates counterclockwise, the support member 353 is separated from the block 34 and pulled out from between the receiving plates 352 . FIG. 10B shows a state in which the clamping unit 35 rotates while clamping the cuvette 1 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 10C, when the clamping unit 35 is further rotated counterclockwise so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces upward and the bottom is aligned with the corresponding position of the reaction disk 60 that is downward, the supporting Abutment of member 353 against a separate, fixed position block 34 pushes back plate 352 open again against the pressure of pressing spring 351 . Accordingly, the receiving plate 352 is opened and the cuvette 1 drops onto the corresponding position of the reaction disk 60 . Then, the transportation of the cuvette 1 is completed.

10A to 10C show an example in which the pincher unit 35 is provided on a disk rotatable around a fixed central axis, and the block 34 is provided on the central axis. The structure is not limited to that shown in FIG. 10C, and any structure that allows the block 34 to be fixed and the clip unit 35 to be moved to a predetermined position with respect to the block 34 is sufficient. You can

In addition, a plurality of pinching units 35 may be provided at intervals in the circumferential direction in the rotation direction of the pinching unit 35 . In this case, the efficiency of transportation can be improved by sequentially receiving and transporting the cuvettes 1 from the transport guide rails 31 . 10A to 10C show only an example in which four clamping units 35 are provided in the circumferential direction, but the number of clamping units 35 is not limited to four and may be set arbitrarily.

Next, a processing procedure (automatic analysis method) of the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment.

First, at the start of automatic analysis, the cuvette 1 is loaded into the storage unit 10a of the cuvette transporter 100, and the loaded cuvette 1 is stored in the storage unit 10a. Here, when the cuvette 1 is put into the casing 13 of the storage unit 10a from above, it moves toward the placement unit 20a along the slope below the storage unit 10a (step S111 in FIG. 11).

Next, the cuvette 1 enters the conveyor belt 24 of the arranging unit 20a, and the conveyor belt 24 of the arranging unit 20a is driven to spirally ascend, thereby guiding the cuvette 1 so as to be arranged on the transport unit 30a. 1 are aligned on the transport guide rail 31 of the transport unit 30a with one opening facing upward (step S112 in FIG. 11).

Next, the transport guide rails 31 transport the cuvette 1 sandwiched between a plurality of guide rails, and change the position of the cuvette 1 in the transport path of the transport guide rails 31 so that the opening of the container faces downward (step 11 in FIG. 11). S113).

In addition, static electricity of the cuvette 1 is removed by causing the cuvette 1 to pass through the static electricity removal unit 32 on the transfer path of the transfer guide rail 31 . After that, the cuvette 1 is transported above the reaction disk 60 and falls into the clamping unit 35 via the opening/closing door 33 (step S114 in FIG. 11).

After the pinching unit 35 pinches the cuvette 1, the cuvette 1 is turned over and placed in the reaction disk 60 (step S115 in FIG. 11). Next, in the analyzer 70, the injection mechanism injects the sample into the cuvette 1 on the reaction disk 60, and the measurement mechanism measures the liquid in the cuvette 1, thereby performing various analyzes on the sample (FIG. 11). step S116).

As described above, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, impurities such as dust are removed from the cuvette 1 during the process of transporting the cuvette 1 by the cuvette transporting device 100. do not. Therefore, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, there is no influence on the analysis result performed by the analyzer 70, and the analysis accuracy is improved.

For example, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the transport unit 30a changes the posture of the cuvette 1 in the transport path of the transport guide rail 31 so that the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward. Make it easier to remove impurities such as dust in 1. Also, the transport guide rail 31 is grounded to remove static electricity from the cuvette 1 on the transport path.

In addition, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the static electricity removal structure 20A in which the transport unit 30a generates an effect of attracting impurities such as dust using static electricity at the end of the transport path of the transport guide rail 31. By providing (the rotating shaft 32A and the brush 32B), impurities such as dust can be removed in the process of transporting the cuvette 1 by the cuvette transporting device 100. FIG.

In addition, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the clamping unit 35 clamps the cuvette 1, and the cuvette 1 can be smoothly put into the reaction disk by reversing the posture in which the opening faces upward. be possible.

(Modification of Second Embodiment)
In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the guide rail 31 is provided with a configuration for removing static electricity from the cuvette 1 by passing the cuvette 1 through the static electricity removing unit 32. However, there is another method for removing static electricity. Alternatively, the static electricity of the cuvette 1 transported to the guide rail 31 may be removed by grounding the guide rail 31 .

In addition, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the guide rail 31 is composed of the three guide rails 31a, 31b, and 31c, but the number of guide rails is not limited thereto, and three or more guide rails can be used. may be used to guide the cuvette 1, and the number of guide rails may be specifically designed according to the shape of the cuvette 1, as long as the posture of the cuvette 1 can be kept constant and transported stably.

In addition, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the second embodiment, the rotating direction and locus of the clamping unit 35 are not limited to the counterclockwise direction and the locus of the circumference. If possible, the specific rotation direction and trajectory may be changed according to the transfer to the reaction disk.

(Third Embodiment)
A third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the third embodiment, the cuvette 1 is transported by combining the storage unit 10 of the first embodiment with the arrangement unit 20a and transport unit 30a of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the cuvette transport apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment comprises a storage unit 10b, an arrangement unit 20b and a transport unit 30b which are connected in sequence, and the cuvettes 1 are transferred from the storage unit 10b to the arrangement unit 20b and the transport unit 30b. It is transported to the reaction disk 60 via the transport unit 30b.

Here, the storage unit 10b, the placement unit 20b, and the transport unit 30b correspond to the storage unit 10 in the first embodiment, and the placement unit 20a and the transport unit 30a in the second embodiment, respectively.

That is, the structure of the storage unit 10b is the same as that of the storage unit 10 in the first embodiment, and the casing 13 of the storage unit 10b is provided with a brush 12 to remove static electricity from the cuvette 1 passing therethrough. partition plate 11 is provided. The arrangement unit 20b and the transport unit 30b have the same configurations as the arrangement unit 20a and the transport unit 30a in the second embodiment, respectively. to convey. The transport unit 30b is provided with a static electricity removing unit 32 for removing static electricity. , the opening direction of the cuvette 1 is reversed again so as to face upward. Therefore, detailed description is omitted here.

Since the automatic analyzer 200 according to the third embodiment combines the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the same technical effects as those of the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above can be played.

In addition, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the third embodiment, the storage unit 10b and the transport unit 30b are each provided with a structure for removing static electricity from the cuvette 1, thereby removing impurities such as dust generated during each transport process of the cuvette 1. can be further removed, and the accuracy of the automatic analyzer 200 can be further improved.

(Fourth embodiment)
A fourth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fourth embodiment, in contrast to the first to third embodiments, a cleaning mechanism, which will be described below, is further provided in the transport path of the transport unit. For example, in the fourth embodiment, a cleaning mechanism shown in FIG. 13 is provided in the transport path of the transport unit 30a in contrast to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fourth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cuvette transfer device 100 includes a storage unit 10c, a placement unit 20c and a transfer unit 30c which are connected in series, and the cuvette 1 is transferred from the storage unit 10c to the reaction disk via the placement unit 20c and the transfer unit 30c. 60.

Here, the storage unit 10c, the placement unit 20c, and the transport unit 30c correspond to the storage unit 10a, the placement unit 20a, and the transport unit 30a in the second embodiment, respectively. Further, the transport unit 30 a includes a cleaning mechanism 36 on the transport path of the transport guide rails 31 . Therefore, only the points of difference will be explained, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cleaning mechanism 36 is provided in the transport path along which the cuvette 1 is transported by the transport guide rail 31, and cleans the inside of the transported cuvette 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in the enlarged view at the bottom of FIG. 13, the cleaning mechanism 36 includes a clamping member 361 that sequentially clamps the cuvette 1 during the moving process, a blowpipe 362 that extends into the cuvette 1 clamped by the clamping member 361, and a suction pipe. It includes a tube 363 and a sealing material 364 that seals the opening of the cuvette 1 after the blow tube 362 and suction tube 363 have been extended into the cuvette 1 .

A blowpipe 362 blows gas such as air into the cuvette 1, and a plurality of holes are provided at the tip of the suction tube 363 for sucking in impurities such as dust. It is discharged from the suction tube 363 together.

In the fourth embodiment, the depth to which the blowpipe 362 extends into the cuvette 1 is made larger than the depth to which the suction tube 363 extends into the cuvette 1, so that dust and the like in the cuvette 1 can be blown out more completely. .

As described above, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fourth embodiment, by providing the cleaning mechanism 36 in the transport path of the transport guide rail 31, impurities inside the cuvette 1 can be cleaned more thoroughly, thereby automatically The analysis accuracy of the analysis device 200 can be further improved.

(Fifth embodiment)
The fifth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fifth embodiment, in contrast to the first to third embodiments, a cleaning mechanism, which will be described below, is further provided in the transport path of the transport unit. For example, in the fifth embodiment, a cleaning mechanism shown in FIG. 14 is provided in the transport path of the transport unit 30a in contrast to the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an overall schematic diagram showing the structure of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fifth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 14, the cuvette transfer device 100 includes a storage unit 10d, an arrangement unit 20d and a transfer unit 30d which are connected in sequence, and the cuvette 1 is transferred from the storage unit 10d to the reaction disk via the arrangement unit 20d and the transfer unit 30d. 60.

Here, the storage unit 10d, the placement unit 20d and the transport unit 30c respectively correspond to the storage unit 10a, the placement unit 20a and the transport unit 30a in the second embodiment. Further, the transport unit 30 d includes a cleaning mechanism 37 on the transport path of the transport guide rail 31 . Therefore, only the points of difference will be explained, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 14, the cleaning mechanism 37 is provided in the transport path along which the cuvette 1 is transported by the transport guide rail 31, and in particular, the position of the cuvette 1 is changed to a state in which the opening of the cuvette 1 faces downward. The inside of the cuvette 1 is cleaned with respect to the cuvette 1 in which the opening faces downward.

As shown in the enlarged view at the bottom of FIG. 14, the cleaning mechanism 37 consists of a clamping member 371 that sequentially clamps the cuvettes 1 in the transport path, and a piezoelectric ceramic 372 that is provided on the opposite side of the clamping member 371 from the cuvettes 1 . ,including.

The piezoelectric ceramic 372 is used to vibrate the pinching member 371 by generating vibration to remove impurities such as dust in the cuvette 1 .

As described above, in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the fifth embodiment, by providing the cleaning mechanism 37 in the transport path of the transport guide rail 31, impurities inside the cuvette 1 can be cleaned more thoroughly, thereby automatically The analysis accuracy of the analysis device 200 can be further improved.

(Sixth embodiment)
The sixth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the sixth embodiment, a cleaning mechanism combining the cleaning mechanism 36 of the fourth embodiment and the cleaning mechanism 37 of the fifth embodiment will be described. Here, only the cleaning mechanism will be described, and description of other parts will be omitted.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the cleaning mechanism of the cuvette transport device 100 in the automatic analyzer 200 according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15, the cleaning mechanism according to the sixth embodiment includes a clamping member 361 that sequentially clamps the cuvettes 1 in the transport path, and a blow pipe 362 and a suction pipe 363 that extend into the cuvette 1 sandwiched between the clamping members 361. , a sealing material 364 that seals the opening of the cuvette 1 after the blow tube 362 and the suction tube 363 extend into the cuvette 1 , and a piezoelectric ceramic 372 provided on the side of the clamping member 361 opposite to the cuvette 1 . .

A blowpipe 362 blows gas such as air into the cuvette 1, and the tip of the suction tube 363 is provided with a plurality of holes for sucking in impurities such as dust. It is discharged from the suction tube 363 together.

At the same time, the piezoelectric ceramic 372 also shakes the clamping member 361 to remove impurities such as dust in the cuvette 1 . Impurities such as dust falling due to the vibration action are taken to the suction pipe 363 by the air blown from the blowpipe 362 and discharged together with the gas.

In the automatic analyzer 200 according to the sixth embodiment, by providing such a cleaning mechanism, impurities inside the cuvette 1 can be cleaned more cleanly, thereby further improving the accuracy of the automatic analyzer 200. can be done.

According to at least one embodiment described above, analysis accuracy can be improved.

It should be noted that although several embodiments have been described, these embodiments are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

Reference Signs List 1 cuvette 10 storage unit 10A static electricity removal structure 20 arrangement unit 20A static electricity removal structure 30 transport unit 32 static electricity removal unit 100 cuvette transport device

Claims (17)

a storage unit for storing a container for storing a sample to be analyzed;
a transfer unit that transfers the container from the storage unit;
a measurement unit that injects the sample into the container transferred from the transfer unit and measures the liquid in the container;
a static electricity removal unit provided in at least one of the storage unit and the transfer unit and removing static electricity from the container;
Automatic analyzer with The static electricity removing unit
a plate made of metal,
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, comprising: The static electricity removing unit
a brush provided on the plate;
with
the plate is provided so that the container passes through the brush;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 2. The static electricity removing unit
a rotating shaft made of metal,
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, comprising: The static electricity removing unit
a brush provided on the rotating shaft;
with
The rotating shaft is provided so that the container passes through the brush.
The automatic analyzer according to claim 4. The static electricity removing unit
a rotary shaft drive for driving the rotary shaft such that the rotary shaft rotates when the container passes through the brush;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 4, further comprising: The static electricity removal unit includes a brush, and the container is provided so as to pass through the brush.
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1. The static electricity removing unit
a dust collector provided below at least part of the path for transferring the container;
an electrostatic attraction unit that uses static electricity to attract dust to the dust collector;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, comprising: The transfer section is
a container direction changing unit that changes the posture of the container to a state in which the opening of the container faces downward on the transport path that transports the container to the measuring unit;
a pinching unit provided at the end of the conveying path that pinches the container with the opening facing downward, inverts the container so that the opening of the container faces upward, and then feeds the container into the measuring unit; ,
with
The container direction changing unit constitutes the static electricity remover by being grounded,
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1. The transfer section is
a container arranging mechanism for arranging the containers in a predetermined posture and sequentially sending the containers to the container direction changing unit;
with
The container direction changing unit sequentially changes the orientation of the container sent by the container placement mechanism to a state in which the opening of the container faces downward on the transport path.
The automatic analyzer according to claim 9. The container arranging mechanism forms a path that allows the container to spirally ascend around the axis, and after spirally ascending the container on the path, sends the container to the container direction changing unit in the predetermined posture.
The automatic analyzer according to claim 10. The container redirecting unit comprises:
a plurality of guide rails in the transport path;
has
The container direction changing unit moves the container along the plurality of guide rails in the predetermined posture by simultaneously contacting the container with the plurality of guide rails.
The automatic analyzer according to claim 10. The plurality of guide rails include a guide rail that contacts the opening position of the container and at least two guide rails that sandwich the head of the container,
The automatic analyzer according to claim 12. The static electricity removing unit
a cleaning unit for cleaning the container;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, comprising: The cleaning unit
a blowpipe for drawing air into the container; a suction pipe for sucking air from the container;
has
the length of the suction tube extending into the container is shorter than the length of the blowpipe extending into the container;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 14. The cleaning unit
a pinching mechanism that pinches the container;
a vibrating mechanism for vibrating the container;
The automatic analyzer according to claim 14, comprising: a storage step of storing a container for storing a sample to be analyzed in a storage unit;
a transfer step of transferring the container from the storage unit by a transfer unit;
a measurement step of injecting the sample into the container transferred from the transfer unit and measuring the liquid in the container;
a static electricity removing step of removing static electricity from the container in at least one of the storing step and the transferring step;
Automated analysis methods, including

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