JP2564902Y2 - Optical sample measuring device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical sample measuring device for measuring light emitted from a sample in a test tube, and more particularly to an optical sample measuring device for sequentially measuring a plurality of test tubes stored in a test tube storage rack. The present invention relates to a sample measuring device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of analysis techniques, there is a demand for efficient and accurate analysis of many and many kinds of samples.

For example, in the measurement of tritium, the measurement of food additives, and the internal exposure of the human body at very low levels in precipitation, rivers, groundwater, seawater, and the like, which are performed using a liquid scintillator, the liquid is emitted by the action of the liquid scintillator. By measuring weak light to measure the concentration of radioactivity contained in the sample, or by mixing a chemical substance into the sample and causing a chemical change with luminescence with the substance in the sample, this An optical sample measuring method of measuring weak light emitted at the time to analyze the components of the sample is generally used.

As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional optical sample measuring apparatus includes a test tube storage rack 10 in which the inside is separated into a plurality of test tube storage chambers 12, and a light measuring device 18 such as a photomultiplier tube.
The optical measurement unit 11 includes The test tube storage rack 10 stores a test tube 13 containing a sample 14 mixed with a liquid scintillator or a chemical substance in each test tube storage chamber 12 and emits weak light generated by the action of the liquid scintillator or the chemical substance. The light is emitted from the emission hole 15 provided on the outer wall of the test tube storage chamber 12. On the other hand, the light measurement unit 11 is in close contact with the test tube storage rack 10 so that the entrance hole 17 overlaps the exit hole 15, and receives the weak light taken in from the entrance hole 17.
The measurement is performed by the optical measuring device 18 provided in 1.

When a measurement is performed, first, a test tube 13 containing a liquid scintillator or a sample 14 mixed with a chemical substance is stored in a test tube storage chamber 12 of a test tube storage rack 10. The test tube storage chamber 12 is provided with several test tube holding plates (not shown) having holes with a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the test tube 13 at predetermined intervals, and holds and fixes the test tubes 13 to be stored. It is carried out. After the test tubes are stored in each storage room, the upper lid 16 is closed to prevent external light from entering. Next, the test tube storage rack 10 is moved by a rack moving / adhering mechanism (not shown) provided on the back surface (a surface facing the surface with the emission hole 15) and a unit moving mechanism (not shown) provided on the optical measurement unit 11. The contact and separation of the test tube storage rack 10 and the light measurement unit 11 are repeated.

That is, the exit hole 15 and the entrance hole 17 are repeatedly contacted and separated, and the sample 14 is measured optically sequentially.

[0007]

However, since the light generated by the light emitting action using a liquid scintillator or a chemical substance is weak light, one light measuring unit and a plurality of test tube storage chambers of a test tube storage rack. In an optical sample measuring apparatus which performs optical measurement sequentially by repeating contact and separation, the measurement of the optical measuring instrument by the displacement of the hole when the exit hole of the test tube storage rack and the entrance hole of the optical measurement unit are engaged is performed. External light intrusion due to a reduction in the area or a gap generated at the time of engagement causes a problem in that the measurement accuracy of the optical measuring instrument is significantly reduced.

Therefore, the present invention eliminates the displacement and gap of the hole when the exit hole of the test tube storage rack of the optical sample measuring device and the entrance hole of the optical measurement unit are engaged, and provides an optical measurement device with high measurement accuracy. It is an object to provide a sample measuring device.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inside is divided into a plurality of test tube storage chambers for individually storing test tubes, and the outer wall of each test tube storage chamber has the above-mentioned structure. A test tube storage rack in which an emission hole for passing light emitted from a sample placed in a test tube is formed, and the emission hole of the test tube storage rack is sequentially contacted and passed through the emission hole. A light measuring unit having a built-in light measuring device that sequentially measures light by entering the light from the incident hole; and an optical sample measuring device having a band-shaped concave shape or a peripheral portion around each of the emitting holes of the test tube storage rack. A first engaging portion having a convex shape; a second engaging portion formed in a shape surrounding the first engaging portion in a peripheral portion of the incident hole of the light detection unit;
It is characterized by having.

[0010]

In the optical sample measuring apparatus according to the present invention, the first engaging portion having a band-like concave or convex shape provided around the emission hole of each test tube storage chamber of the test tube storage rack is provided as the light measuring unit. And a second engaging portion that fits with the first engaging portion provided in a peripheral portion of the incident hole.

That is, since the exit hole and the entrance hole are securely engaged with each other, no displacement occurs between the positions of the two holes, and the gap can be eliminated.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a test tube storage rack 10
The inside is separated into a plurality of test tube storage chambers 12, and each test tube storage chamber 12 stores a test tube 13 containing a liquid scintillator or a sample 14 mixed with a chemical substance. The generated weak light is emitted from the emission hole 15 provided on the outer wall of each test tube storage chamber 12. On the other hand, the light measuring unit 11 has a light measuring device 18 inside the entrance hole 17 and
The entrance hole 17 is brought into close contact with the test tube storage rack 10 so as to overlap the exit hole 15, and the light emitted from the exit hole 15 is taken in from the entrance hole 17 and measured by a light measuring device 18. In FIG. 1, the test tube storage rack 10 and the light measurement unit 11 are shown separately for clarifying the shape.

The present invention is characterized in that a strip-shaped concave first engagement portion 20 is provided in the periphery of the emission hole 15 of each test tube storage chamber 12 of the test tube storage rack 10, A second engaging portion 22 having a belt-like convex shape to be fitted to the first engaging portion 20 is provided around the entrance hole 17 of the measurement unit 11.

When measuring, first, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of test tube storage chambers 12 provided in a test tube storage rack 10 are provided.
A test tube 13 containing a sample 14 mixed with a liquid scintillator or a chemical substance is housed therein. At this time, the test tube 13 is held inside the test tube storage chamber 12 by a test tube holding plate 24 having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the test tube 13. At least one test tube holding plate 24 is provided at a position where the test tube holding plate 24 does not overlap the emission hole 15.
The position of the test tube 13 in 0 is regulated. After each test tube 13 is stored in the test tube storage chamber 12, the upper cover (not shown) (the upper cover 16 in FIG. 1) is closed to close the test tube storage rack 1.
Blocks external light from above 0.

Next, the test tube storage rack 10 is provided on the back surface of the test tube storage rack 10, and is provided in the rack moving / adhering mechanism 26 for driving the test tube storage rack 10 in the directions A and C in FIG. The test tube storage rack 10 and the light measurement unit 11 are relatively moved by a unit moving mechanism 28 that drives the light measurement unit 11 in the direction B in FIG. That is, the test tube storage rack 10 is moved by the rack moving / adhering mechanism 26 in the direction of arrow A1 in FIG.
Is moved to the front of the optical measurement unit 11. Subsequently, the light measuring unit 11 is moved in the direction of arrow B1 in FIG.
Press Further, the test tube storage rack 10 is moved in the direction of arrow C1 in FIG. 2 by the rack moving / adhering mechanism 26 so that the test tube storage rack 10 and the optical measurement unit 11 are aligned. At this time, the first engagement portion 2
The exit hole 15 of the test tube storage rack 10 and the entrance hole 17 of the light measurement unit 11 are brought into close contact with each other by the engagement of the second engagement portion 22 with the zero.

As described above, the light measuring device 18 incorporated in the light measuring unit 11 measures the light emitted from the sample 14 in a state where the exit hole 15 and the entrance hole 17 are in close contact with each other.

After the measurement is completed, the rack moving / adhering mechanism 2
6 and the unit moving mechanism 28 are respectively C2 and B2
In the A1 direction so that the test tube storage chamber 12 where the next measurement is performed by the rack moving / adhering mechanism 26 comes to the front of the optical measurement unit 11 by retreating in the direction. Moving.

As described above, the test tube storage rack 10 and the light measuring unit 11 are repeatedly brought into contact with and separated from each other, and the sample is optically measured sequentially.

In the first embodiment, the shapes of the first engaging portion 20 and the second engaging portion 22 have been described using a triangular shape as shown in FIG. 3 (a). It may be square or trapezoidal as shown in (c).

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment according to the present invention.

The test tube storage rack 10 'has substantially the same shape as the test tube storage rack 10 shown in the first embodiment. In FIG. 4, the test tube storage rack 10 'and the light measurement unit 11' are shown separately for clarity of the shape.

A feature of the second embodiment is that a first engaging portion having a strip-like concave shape provided in a peripheral portion of the emission hole 15 has a rectangular first engagement shape surrounding the emission hole 15. That is, the portion 20 'is formed. Therefore, the first
The second engaging portion that fits with the engaging portion 20 ′ also forms a convex rectangular second engaging portion 22 ′.

That is, the engagement between the first engaging portion 20 'and the second engaging portion 22' ensures the close contact between the exit hole 15 and the entrance hole 17 and completely prevents the entrance of light from the outside. Can be eliminated.

Further, the shape of the engaging portion is not specified, and a ring-shaped engaging portion 30 as shown in FIG. 5 may be formed. Further, by forming the engagement portions in a double or triple manner, the effect of blocking external light is further improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the first engaging portion has a concave shape and the second engaging portion has a convex shape.
The engaging portion may be formed in a convex shape, and the second engaging portion may be formed in a concave shape.

[0027]

[Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention is configured as described above,
When the first engagement portion provided on the test tube storage rack and the second engagement portion provided on the optical measurement unit match,
It is possible to remove the displacement and the gap of the holes generated when the exit hole and the entrance hole are engaged.

Therefore, there is provided an optical sample measuring apparatus capable of reliably performing the sequential engagement of the test tube storage rack and the optical measurement unit and performing the optical sample measurement with high accuracy without being affected by external light. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of an optical sample measuring apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating a first embodiment of the optical sample measuring apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing an example of a shape of a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion of the optical sample measuring device according to the present invention;
(a) has a triangular shape, (b) has a square shape, and (c) has a trapezoidal shape.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the optical sample measuring apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a third embodiment of the optical sample measuring apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional optical sample measuring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Test tube storage rack 11 Optical measurement unit 12 Test tube storage room 13 Test tube 14 Sample 15 Outgoing hole 17 Incident hole 18 Optical measuring device 20 First engaging part 22 Second engaging part

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. The interior is divided into a plurality of test tube storage chambers for individually storing test tubes, and light emitted from a sample placed in the test tube is passed through the outer wall of each test tube storage room. A test tube storage rack provided with an output hole for the test tube, and a light measuring device for sequentially contacting the output hole of the test tube storage rack and sequentially entering and measuring the light passing through the output hole from the input hole. An optical sample measuring device comprising: a first engaging portion having a band-like concave or convex shape in a peripheral portion of each emission hole of the test tube storage rack; An optical sample measuring device, comprising: a second engaging portion formed in a shape surrounding the first engaging portion at a peripheral portion of the incident hole.