JP3140866U - Optical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an optical analysis device in which a heat insulating material is not damaged even when the elastic acting direction of a cushioning heat insulating material covering a sample chamber unit that is slid and inserted / removed from a housing is perpendicular to the sliding direction.
SOLUTION: Thermal insulation materials 44, 45, 46, 47 made of a member having cushioning properties are compressed and arranged on four surfaces between a sample chamber unit 2 and a casing 48. Note that spring plates 41, 42, and 43 having one end held by the casing 48 are interposed between the heat insulating materials 44, 45, and 46 that are perpendicular to the elastic acting direction and the insertion / removal direction and the sample chamber unit 2.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical analyzer for qualitatively and quantitatively determining a substance by irradiating a sample with light and measuring the transmitted light or reflected light or generated fluorescence, and in particular, holding the sample chamber with respect to the apparatus. Regarding insertion and removal.

  There are various types of optical analyzers, but the most common spectrophotometer is a light irradiation unit that includes a light source that emits light, a spectroscope that splits this light, and the light that is split. A sample chamber unit for placing a sample, a photometric unit including a detector and an electric circuit for converting light transmitted or reflected from the sample into an electric signal, and a computer for processing the output of the electric circuit and controlling the apparatus I have.

  As another example of the optical analyzer, a fluorescence spectroscopic detector for high-performance liquid chromatograph includes a light irradiation unit including a light source that emits light, a spectroscope that splits the light, a flow cell, and a sample in the flow cell. Equipped with a sample chamber unit configured to irradiate spectroscopic light, a spectroscope that divides the fluorescence generated in the sample, a photoelectric converter that converts the spectroscopic light into an electric signal, and an electric circuit It consists of a photometric unit and a computer that processes the output signal of this electric circuit and controls the entire apparatus.

  Such an optical analyzer not only performs absorption spectrum measurement and fluorescence spectrum measurement for qualitative substances, but also absorbance time for substance concentration measurement and enzyme reaction rate measurement. Used in a wide range of fields such as change measurement.

The measurement environment, form, and shape of the sample to be measured are extremely diverse depending on the purpose, and it is impossible to handle every sample with one type of sample chamber unit. On the other hand, a plurality of types of sample chamber units are prepared, and sample chamber units matching the purpose are selectively used. Along with the diversification of such sample chamber units, an apparatus having a detachable adapter for holding and fixing a sample chamber unit having another type of held structure that does not fit into the holding and fixing mechanism is being supplied ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
Noto 3116455 gazette

  As an example of the above-described optical analyzer, there is one that inserts and removes the sample chamber unit by sliding it in a single direction from the housing in order to easily maintain the sample chamber unit. When measuring a sample in a temperature-controlled environment, it is necessary to cover the outer peripheral surface with a heat insulating material having heat insulating properties and elasticity in order to maintain the heat retaining property and air tightness of the sample chamber unit. There is no problem if the direction in which the force due to the elasticity of the heat insulating material acts (elasticity acting direction) and the sliding direction of the sample chamber unit are the same, but if the elastic acting direction and the sliding direction are perpendicular, slide the sample chamber unit. When it is inserted and removed, the heat insulating material is drawn in the sliding direction by friction on the contact surface, and eventually it is damaged. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical analyzer that does not damage the heat insulating material even when the direction of elastic action and the direction of sliding are perpendicular.

  The present invention includes a light irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with light, a sample chamber unit that houses and mounts the sample, a photometric unit that measures transmitted light, reflected light, and / or fluorescence generated by the irradiation, and the units. An optical analysis device comprising a housing having a housing portion for housing and holding a heat insulating material that generates elasticity in a direction perpendicular to an inner wall surface of the housing portion of the housing; A spring plate that is lined so as to cover from the side is attached, and is held by the elasticity when the sample chamber unit is inserted into the housing portion of the housing, and can be taken out against the elasticity at the time of removal. Further, a heat insulating material is filled between the inner wall surface of the housing portion and the spring plate. Therefore, the slide surface of the sample chamber unit and the heat insulating material do not contact each other.

  Since the sample chamber unit and the heat insulating material are not in direct contact with each other on the slide surface, the heat insulating material is not damaged even when the elastic acting direction of the heat insulating material is perpendicular to the slide direction of the sample chamber unit. Therefore, the sample chamber unit can maintain temperature characteristics with good stability over a long period of time.

  The spring plate is made of a material having low heat conduction and high corrosion resistance, and an extremely thin plate is used to further reduce heat conduction in the length direction.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of an optical analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of a sample chamber unit and a heat insulating material according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the optical analyzer of the present invention includes a light irradiation unit 1 that irradiates a sample S with light, a sample chamber unit 2 in which a flow cell is provided and the sample S flows, and light irradiation to the sample S. Metering unit 3 for measuring the fluorescence generated by the light source, a temperature control unit 4 for adjusting the temperature of the sample S, a display 6 for displaying analysis data, an operation menu, and the like, and an output signal of the metering unit 3 by controlling each unit. Is provided with a control unit 5 for data processing.

  The light irradiation unit 1 includes a light source 11 made of, for example, a xenon lamp, a spectroscope 12 that splits light generated by the light source 11, and a mirror 13 that changes the direction of the split light, and the split light is not illustrated. The sample S introduced into the flow cell is irradiated. The spectroscope 12 is controlled by the control unit 5, and the wavelength of the light emitted from the spectroscope 12 is determined. The photometric unit 3 includes a spectroscope 31 that splits the fluorescence generated in the sample S, a detector 32 that converts the spectroscopic fluorescence into an electric signal, and an amplifier 33 that amplifies the electric signal and outputs the electric signal to the control unit 5. . The spectroscope 31 is controlled by the control unit 5, and the wavelength of fluorescence to be measured is determined.

  2 is a view showing the structure around the sample chamber unit 2 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the cross section BB in FIG. 2 (b) as seen from the direction of the arrow. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the cross section AA of FIG. On the four surfaces between the sample chamber unit 2 and the casing 48, heat insulating materials 44, 45, 46 and 47 made of a member having cushioning properties are compressed and disposed. In addition, spring plates 41, 42, 43 having one end held by the casing 48 are interposed between the heat insulating materials 44, 45, 46 that are perpendicular to the elastic acting direction and the insertion / removal direction and the sample chamber unit 2. The casing 48 and the heat insulating material 47 have an opening H1 through which the light beam that irradiates the sample S passes. The housing 48, the heat insulating material 45, and the spring plate 42 have an opening H2 through which the fluorescence generated from the sample S passes. Have

  The bottom surface of the sample chamber unit 2 is in contact with the temperature control unit 4, and the temperature is controlled by heat conduction. The sample chamber unit 2 slides in the insertion / removal direction while being in contact with the spring plates 41, 42, 43 along the rails 49, 50, 51, 52 shown in FIG.

  Since the present invention has the above-described structure, the sample chamber unit 2 and the heat insulating materials 44, 45, 46 are not in direct contact with each other on the slide surface due to the interposition of the spring plates 41, 42, 43. Although the elastic action direction of 46 and the sliding direction of the sample chamber unit 2 are perpendicular, the heat insulating materials 44, 45, and 46 are not damaged. Therefore, the sample chamber unit 2 can maintain temperature characteristics with good stability over a long period of time.

  In the illustrated example, the fluorescence generated by irradiating the sample S with light is measured. However, the present invention can be applied to a structure in which the sample S is irradiated with light to measure transmitted light or reflected light. is there. The sample S is a liquid sample flowing through the flow cell provided in the sample chamber unit 2, but may be a liquid sample injected into a cuvette or an individual sample held in a solid sample holder. Moreover, the structure which consists of an elastic board instead of the spring board 41,42,43 has the same function, and is included in this invention. As described above, the optical analyzer can have various structures, and the present invention includes these modifications.

  The present invention relates to an optical analyzer for qualitatively and quantitatively determining a substance by irradiating a sample with light and measuring the transmitted light or reflected light or generated fluorescence, and in particular, holding the sample chamber with respect to the apparatus. Regarding insertion and removal.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical analyzer by the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of the sample chamber unit and heat insulating material by the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light irradiation unit 2 Sample chamber unit 3 Photometry unit 4 Temperature control unit 5 Control unit 6 Display 11 Light source 12 Spectroscope 13 Mirror 31 Spectroscope 32 Detector 33 Amplifier 41 Spring plate 42 Spring plate 43 Spring plate 44 Heat insulation material 45 Heat insulation Material 46 Heat insulation material 47 Heat insulation material 48 Case 49 Rail 50 Rail 51 Rail 52 Rail H1 Open hole H2 Open hole S Sample

Claims (2)

  A light irradiation unit for irradiating a sample with light, a sample chamber unit for storing and mounting the sample, a photometric unit for measuring transmitted light, reflected light and / or fluorescence generated by the irradiation, and storing and holding each unit In an optical analyzer comprising a housing having a housing portion, a heat insulating material that generates elasticity in a direction perpendicular to the inner wall surface of the housing portion of the housing, and a shape that covers the heat insulating material from the inside of the housing portion An optical analysis characterized in that a spring plate lined with is attached, the sample chamber unit is held by the elasticity when inserted into the housing of the housing, and can be taken out against the elasticity when taken out. apparatus. The optical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a heat insulating material is filled between the inner wall surface of the housing portion and the spring plate.

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