JP2564335Y2 - Particle detector - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a particle detector having a simple structure in which a particle detector is provided in a sample quantification unit for introducing a fixed amount of sample into the detector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When measuring the number and size of fine particles such as blood cells, a suspended liquid of particles is passed through a fine hole of a detector to detect a change based on a difference in electric impedance between the particles and the liquid. Particle counting devices are widely known. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a fine hole portion, and FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram of a detected particle signal. When the particle 44 passes through the center of the fine hole 42 (shown by a solid line), a particle signal 48 having a height proportional to the size of the particle 44 is obtained. However, the fine holes 4
In the case where the particles 46 passing through 2 return to the vicinity of the fine holes 42 again (shown by broken lines), a gentle signal 50 is obtained (hereinafter, the signal generated by the return particles 46 is referred to as a return signal). Call). The presence of the return signal 50 causes a problem in correctly counting and measuring the particle signal.

Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-91923 discloses that a sample quantifying device capable of simultaneously quantifying a sample and washing a detector is used, thereby eliminating reversion of particles and making the device compact. Have been.

[0004]

However, the prior art sample quantification apparatus has a problem that it is large and expensive. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and compact particle detection device.

[0005]

Referring to FIG. 1, the particle detecting device of the present invention has a cylindrical container provided with a first supply port F at the bottom and a second supply port B at the top. 12 and integrally formed at the bottom of the cylindrical container 12,
At the position of the bottom portion that matches the first supply port F, a fine hole 2 is formed.
6, a third supply port A is provided on the side, and an auxiliary container 24 containing the first electrode 30a; a sample container 28 provided at the bottom of the auxiliary container 24 and containing the second electrode 30b; Rod 1 attached to the upper surface of head 14a
And a piston 14 that penetrates the top surface of the cylindrical container 12 so that the head 14a moves up and down inside the cylindrical container 12. The upper and lower parts of the cylindrical container 12 and the auxiliary First, second, and third discharge ports C, D, and E are provided on the sides of the container 24, respectively.

[0006]

According to the structure of the present invention, when the piston is moved upward at a constant speed, the volume of the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container decreases, and the volume of the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container decreases. Increase. By connecting the second supply port and the third supply port, the cleaning liquid in the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container enters the auxiliary container through the second supply port and the third supply port, and enters the second container from the auxiliary container. One chamber enters the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container through the supply port.

At this time, the cross-sectional area of the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container is shorter than the cross-sectional area of the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container by the integral of the cross-section of the rod. Therefore, when the cleaning liquid in the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container is moved to the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container by moving the piston upward, the product of the cross-sectional area of the rod and the moving distance of the piston is obtained. There is a shortage of the corresponding liquid.

This shortage enters the auxiliary container from the sample container through the fine hole, and is filled with the liquid from the auxiliary container into the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container through the first supply port. That is, by moving the piston upward at a constant speed, the sample liquid containing the test particles enters the auxiliary container from the sample container through the fine holes, and further from the auxiliary container through the first supply port to the cylindrical container. You will enter the room below the head. At this time, the sample liquid that has passed through the micropores enters the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container through the first supply port while being surrounded by a clean liquid (a state in which a back sheath is formed). Will be. Therefore, the test particles in the sample liquid entering the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container do not flow back to the auxiliary container through the first supply port.

Next, when the piston is moved downward at a constant speed, the volume of the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container increases, and the volume of the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container decreases. At this time, clean liquid enters the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container from the second supply port, and the liquid in the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container and the liquid in the auxiliary container becomes the second liquid in the lower part of the cylindrical container. It is discharged through the discharge port and the third discharge port of the auxiliary container.

Next, for cleaning the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container, the cleaning liquid is poured into the chamber above the head of the cylindrical container from the second supply port, and the cleaning liquid is supplied from the first discharge port above the cylindrical container. This is performed by discharging the cleaning liquid. Further, for cleaning the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container, the cleaning liquid is poured into the auxiliary container from the third supply port, and the cleaning liquid is transferred to the chamber below the head of the cylindrical container through the first supply port. This is performed by discharging the cleaning liquid from the lower second discharge port.

The cleaning of the auxiliary container is performed by putting the cleaning liquid into the auxiliary container from the third supply port and discharging the cleaning liquid from the third discharge port on the side of the auxiliary container.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the shapes of the components described in this embodiment, the relative arrangement thereof, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them, unless otherwise specified. It's just

FIG. 1 is a fluid circuit diagram of a particle detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a quantification unit 10 for quantifying a liquid includes a cylindrical container 12, an auxiliary container 24 integrally formed on the bottom of the cylindrical container 12, and a piston 14 that moves vertically inside the cylindrical container 12. , A drive source 24 for moving the piston 14. Cylindrical container 12
Is formed with a large-diameter portion 12a having a large inner diameter and a small-diameter portion 12b having a small inner diameter. The piston 14 includes a head 14a having a large cross-sectional area and a rod 14b having a small cross-sectional area provided in continuation of the head 14a, that is, attached to the upper surface of the head 14a.
4b penetrates the top surface of the cylindrical container 12.

A seal member 16 is attached to the head 14a of the piston 14, and a seal member 18 is attached to the small diameter portion 12b of the cylindrical container 12. These sealing materials 1
According to 6, 18, the head 14a of the piston 14 and the rod 1
4b is a large-diameter portion 12a and a small-diameter portion 1 of the cylindrical container 12, respectively.
2b can reciprocate linearly while maintaining airtightness. Thereby, the inside of the cylindrical container 12 is the piston 1
4 are divided into two by the head 14a.

In FIG. 1, the head 14 of the piston 14
The space formed below the head 14a is called a large capacity chamber 20, and the space formed above the head 14a is called a small capacity chamber 22. A discharge port D is provided below the large-capacity chamber 20 to allow the large-capacity chamber 20 in the cylindrical container 12 to communicate with the outside. Above the small-capacity chamber 22, a supply port B is provided to allow the small-capacity chamber 22 to communicate with the outside. And a discharge port C.

The large capacity chamber 20 is provided with a supply port F of the partition wall 32.
And a small hole (aperture) 26 through which the test particles pass. The supply port F of the partition 32 is provided so that the center of the fine hole 26 coincides with the center. Auxiliary container 24
Is provided with a supply port A which is an inflow / outflow port of a liquid communicating with the outside, and a discharge port E is provided on the other side.

A sample container 28 containing a sample liquid containing particles to be detected is provided with a fine hole 26 at the bottom of the auxiliary container 24.
The sample liquid in the sample container 28 is disposed in contact with the micropores 26 in the vicinity of. 30a and 30b are a pair of electrodes (a first electrode and a second electrode) arranged with the fine hole 26 interposed therebetween. The electrode 30a is housed in the auxiliary container 24,
b is accommodated in the sample container 28. Electrodes 30a, 30
b may be formed on the wall surface in the form of a film.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a liquid tank containing a clean washing liquid. In this embodiment, a diluent is used. Reference numeral 38 denotes a waste liquid tank for collecting a waste liquid. A pressure source 40 for generating a negative pressure (a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure) is connected to the waste liquid tank 38. The supply ports A and B communicate with each other via valves V1 and V2, and also communicate with the diluent tank 36 via a valve V6. Discharge ports C, D, and E are valves V3, V4, and V, respectively.
5 and the waste liquid tank 38.

The operation of the circuit of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to Table 1 showing a sequence chart.

[0020]

[Table 1]

(1) The count valves V1 and V2 are opened, and the piston 14 is slowly moved upward by the drive source 34 at a constant speed. The other valves V3 to V6 are closed. The small volume chamber 22 is already filled with a clean diluent. As the piston 14 rises, the volume of the small volume chamber 22 decreases by ΔQ ₂ .
On the other hand, the volume of the large capacity chamber 20 is ΔQ ₁ (ΔQ ₂ <ΔQ ₁ )
Only increase. Accordingly, the diluent having the volume ΔQ ₂ flows out from the supply port B, and the diluent enters the auxiliary container 24 from the supply port A through the valves V2 and V1, and the large volume chamber from the auxiliary container 24 through the supply port F. Flow into 20. Regarding the volume of the remaining ΔQ ₃ (= ΔQ ₁ −ΔQ ₂ ), which is the difference between the _two , the sample liquid in the sample container 28 enters the auxiliary container 24 through the fine holes 26 and further enters the large-capacity chamber 20 through the supply port F. Replenished by flowing in.

The sample liquid having passed through the fine holes 26 is shown in FIG.
As shown by a straight arrow in the micropore portion, the straight line goes straight as it is surrounded by the diluent indicated by the curved arrow in the auxiliary container 24, passes through the supply port F of the partition wall 32, and the large-capacity chamber 23 at the back.
Will be collected. As described above, in the configuration of the embodiment, the particles passing through the micropores 26 are wrapped in the clean diluent, that is, the back sheath is formed, and the particles move straight and move to the back of the large capacity chamber 2.
Since the particles are collected at 0, the particles do not return to the auxiliary container 24.

At this time, a current is applied between the electrodes 30a and 30b, and the particles are removed by the detection circuit (not shown).
6. A particle signal is detected based on a change in electrical impedance when passing through 6. (2) The reset valves V6, V2, V4, and V5 are opened, and the driving source 34 moves the piston 14 downward. Other valves V
1, V3 is closed.

At this time, the valves V6, V2
The diluent is supplied to the small capacity chamber 22 through the supply port B. The liquid collected in the large capacity chamber 20 is discharged to the discharge port D.
Through the supply container F or through the supply port F
After entering, it is discharged to the waste liquid tank 38 through the discharge port E. (3) Cleaning the auxiliary container 24 By opening the valves V6, V1, and V5, the diluent tank 3
6 from the supply port A and discharge port E
And is sent to a waste liquid tank 38, whereby the auxiliary container 24
Rinse the inside. (4) The diluent tank 3 is opened by opening the cleaning valves V6, V1 and V4 of the large capacity chamber 20.
6 from the supply port A to supply the diluent from
Through the discharge port D and sent to the waste liquid tank 38, whereby the auxiliary container 24 and the large capacity chamber 20 are washed away. (5) The diluent tank 3 is opened by opening the cleaning valves V6, V2 and V3 of the small capacity chamber 22.
6 from the supply port B and discharge port C
And sent to a waste liquid tank 38, whereby the small capacity chamber 22 is
Rinse the inside.

The order of the washing steps (3) to (5) may be changed, and there is also an effect of removing air bubbles in each room. If the pressure sensor 33 is provided in the large-capacity chamber 20 to detect a change in pressure, it is possible to detect a jam of the fine holes 26.

[0026]

According to the particle detector of the present invention, the sample liquid can be sucked and the liquid for the back sheath can be supplied only by moving the piston. That is, the particles that have passed through the micropores are recovered by being wrapped in the washing liquid, so that the particles can be prevented from returning. In addition, the amount of the sample liquid and the liquid for the back sheath can be determined. In addition, since a fine hole for passing particles is provided in the liquid quantitative section, the apparatus is more compact than a conventional apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a particle detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a fine hole portion.

FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram of a detected particle signal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 cylindrical container 14 piston 14a head 14b rod 20 large-capacity chamber 22 small-capacity chamber 24 auxiliary container 26 micropore 28 sample container A supply port (third supply port) B supply port (second supply port) C discharge port (first 1 discharge port) D discharge port (second discharge port) E discharge port (third discharge port) F supply port (first supply port)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A cylindrical container provided with a first supply port at the bottom and a second supply port at the top, and a position of the bottom formed integrally with the bottom of the cylindrical container and aligned with the first supply port. An auxiliary container containing a first electrode, a third supply port provided on the side, and a sample container provided at the bottom of the auxiliary container and containing a second electrode; A piston that allows the attached rod to penetrate the top surface of the cylindrical container so that the head moves up and down inside the cylindrical container, and upper and lower portions of the cylindrical container and a side of the auxiliary container. A particle detection device provided with a first, a second, and a third discharge port respectively in the section.