JP3177608B2 - Automatic dispensing 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 automatic dispensing apparatus used for dispensing a sample, dispensing a reagent, diluting and dispensing serum, etc. in the fields of, for example, medical and pharmaceutical fields.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There have been proposed various automatic dispensing apparatuses for automatically dispensing liquid samples, specimens, and the like into a reaction vessel. As one example, an automatic dispensing device proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 59-119268, moves a nozzle by a three-axis directional transfer device that moves in three X, Y, and Z directions. A plurality of containers accommodating a plurality of samples and a plurality of containers accommodating a reagent are arranged within the movable range of the nozzle, and a desired sample or a desired reagent is suctioned by the nozzle, and the sucked sample or reagent is discharged. The structure is such that the liquid is sequentially dispensed into a reaction container that is mounted on a turntable and that rotates.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 59-147268.
A transport table that can be reciprocated by a linear guide mechanism, and a nozzle movable device that is supported so as to be able to move up and down on the upper part of the transport table, and a container that stores a sample or a specimen in the transport table. A plurality of reaction containers are mounted, and the container holding the sample or sample is moved to the lower part of the nozzle movable device by moving the carrier, and the sample, sample, etc. are sucked from the container to the nozzle, and the time when the suction is completed An automatic dispensing device configured to move a carrier table, move a reaction container to a lower portion of a nozzle movable device, and repeat an operation of dispensing a sample or a sample sucked by a nozzle into a reaction container is disclosed. I have.

[0004]

The former of the automatic dispensing apparatus described in the prior art is based on X,
A turntable for moving the reaction vessel is used in addition to the Y- and Z-axial drive mechanisms, and the structure is complicated. Further, since the X-, Y-, and Z-axis driving mechanisms and the turntable must be provided, there is a disadvantage that the occupied space is widened. Further, in the latter example, there is a disadvantage that the occupied area becomes large in consideration of the movable range because the carrier on which the container groups arranged in a matrix are reciprocated. There is also a disadvantage that a large output motor is required to move the container group.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic dispensing apparatus having a structure occupying a small space and requiring a small capacity for a driving motor.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a flat base, a vertical frame planted in a vertical position along one side of the base, and a base mounted on both sides of an upper end of the vertical frame. A pair of cantilever frames protruding in parallel with each other, and a pair of X-axis guide rails extending between the cantilever frames at the base end and the free end of the cantilever frame;
Sliding engagement with this pair of X-axis guide rails,
An X-axis moving body that can move in the X-axis direction;
A Y-axis moving body mounted on the axis moving body and movably supported in a direction parallel to the cantilever frame; and supported by the Y-axis moving body and supported so as to be vertically movable with respect to the plate surface of the base. A pipette tip support pipe capable of holding the pipette tip by being pressed into the hollow portion of the pipette tip, the pipette tip support tube being supported by the Z-axis movable body and moving up and down, A syringe pump connected to a pipe to perform a small amount of suction and discharge operations, an X-axis moving body, and a Y-axis
The X-axis motor, the Y-axis motor and the Z-axis motor for moving the axis-moving body and the Z-axis moving body, respectively, and the drive control of the X-axis motor, the Y-axis motor and the Y-axis motor, and the pipette tip support tube is mounted on the base. Transport control means for controlling the movement to an arbitrary coordinate position of the assigned XY coordinates, and drive control of the Z-axis motor while moving the pipette tip support tube to a desired coordinate position by the transport control means, Z-axis control means for moving the pipette tip support tube up and down to insert and remove the pipette tip supported at the lower end of the pipette tip support tube into and from a container placed on a base;
In conjunction with the operation of the axis control means, aspirate the syringe pump,
An automatic dispensing device is constituted by a syringe pump control means for performing a discharging operation.

According to the structure of the present invention, the pipette tip can be moved up and down by being supported by the Z-axis moving body, and can be any XY designated by the movement of the X-axis moving body and the Y-axis moving body. It can be moved to a coordinate position. Therefore,
By arranging the containers in a matrix on the base, the pipette tip can be moved to any of the positions of the containers, and the Z-axis carriage is moved by the Z-axis control means at the position of the specified container. By controlling the drive and moving the pipette tip up and down, the tip of the pipette tip can be inserted into and removed from the designated container.

When a liquid such as a sample, a specimen, a reagent or the like is present in the designated container, the liquid can be sucked into the pipette tip, and the sucked liquid is moved to another container and discharged. And can be dispensed. As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to move the containers only by arranging the containers storing the samples, the specimens, the reagents, and the like and the empty containers in a matrix on the base. Therefore,
Since the flat area of the base does not need to be large, the occupied area can be reduced and the base can be made small. Also, since there is no need to move the container, there is no need to use a high-output motor, and cost reduction can be expected.

Further, in the present invention, since the mechanism for moving the position of the pipette tip in the X, Y, and Z directions is supported by the cantilever frame, the structure may be such that there is no support on the front side of the base. it can. As a result, there is an advantage that there is no obstacle on the front side of the base and that the container rack containing many containers can be easily mounted and removed.

[0010]

1 to 11 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the external structure of an automatic dispensing apparatus according to the present invention. The feature of the present invention is that the X, Y, and Z axis driving mechanisms 200 are supported by the cantilever frame 102.
That is, a vertical frame 101 planted in a vertical direction along one side of the flat base 100 is provided, and both sides of the upper end of the vertical frame 101 are projected in parallel with the plate surface of the base 100. A pair of cantilever frames 102 are provided. X-axis guide rails 103 and 104 are installed on the base end side and the free end side of the pair of cantilever frames 102. In this embodiment, a round bar-shaped X-axis guide rail 103 is provided on the base end side of the cantilever frame 102, and an iron plate is L at the free end side of the cantilever frame 102.
A case is shown in which an X-axis guide rail 104 (see FIG. 3) formed in a letter shape is provided. In this embodiment, the cantilever frame 10
2 shows a case where the operation panel board 105 is supported by being extended to the free end portion of No. 2. The X-axis guide rail 104 is supported along the back of the operation panel board 105.

The X-axis guide rails 103 and 104 have X,
An XYZ axis moving mechanism 200 that moves in the Y and Z directions is supported. The XYZ axis moving mechanism 200 includes the X axis guide rail 10.
X-axis moving body 201 slidably engaged with 3 and 104
And Y moving along the X-axis moving body 201 in the Y-axis direction.
It is composed of an axis moving body 202 and a Z-axis moving body 203 that moves in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the base 100.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of the XYZ axis moving mechanism 200. The X-axis moving body 201 is the X-axis guide rail 103
And 104 are slidably engaged with each other so as to be movable in the X-axis direction, and are driven by an X-axis motor Mx. The X-axis motor Mx is mounted on a vertical frame 101, and a belt 2 is mounted along the X-axis guide rail 103.
04 is moved forward or backward. X on belt 204
The X-axis moving body 201 is connected to the X-axis moving body 201 by the forward or reverse rotation of the X-axis motor Mx.
Is moved in the forward and reverse directions in the X-axis direction.

The X-axis moving body 201 has a Y-axis guide rail 2
05 is installed in the Y-axis direction.
5 is slidably engaged with the Y-axis moving body 202. Y
A Y-axis motor My for driving the axis moving body 202 is attached to one end of the Y-axis moving body 202 and drives a belt 206 laid along the axis of the X-axis moving body 201. The Y-axis moving body 202 is connected to the belt 206, and the belt 206 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the forward and reverse rotation operations.

A Z-axis moving body 203 is mounted on the Y-axis moving body 202. In this example, the Z-axis moving body 203 is configured by a square shaft. That is, the Z-axis moving body 2
The rectangular shaft constituting 03 is vertically movably supported by penetrating the Y-axis moving body 202 in the vertical direction. In this example, a Z-axis motor Mz for driving the Z-axis moving body 203 is mounted on the end of the X-axis moving body 201, and the Y-axis guide rail 2
The Z-axis moving body 203 is moved up and down by driving the square shaft 207 erected in parallel with the axis 05 to rotate forward or backward. That is, in this example, the pulley 208 is provided on the Y-axis moving body 202. The pulley 208 has a square hole formed in the axis thereof, and the square shaft 207 passes through the square hole. The square hole is slidably engaged with the square shaft 207. Accordingly, the pulley 208 can move in the Y-axis direction following the movement of the Y-axis moving body 202, and is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions following the rotation of the Z-axis motor Mz.

A very fine steel wire 209 is wound around the pulley 208, and both ends of the steel wire 209 are connected to upper and lower ends of the Z-axis moving body 203. With this configuration, the Z-axis moving body 203 can be moved up and down by forward or reverse driving of the Z-axis motor Mz. Each of the X-axis motor Mx, the Y-axis motor My, and the Z-axis motor Mz can use a stepping motor, and the X-axis moving body 201, the Y-axis moving body 202, Z The axis moving body 203 can be moved to any desired position within each stroke. The means for controlling the movement position will be described later.

A pipette tip support tube 211 is provided at the lower end of the Z-axis moving body 203. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the pipette tip support tube 211 has a tapered surface 211A which is tapered at the lower end.
As shown in (2), the pipette tip 300 is press-fitted into the hollow portion to support the pipette tip 300. This press-fitting operation is performed as follows. The pipette tips 300 are arranged on the base 100 in a matrix in accordance with a predetermined XY coordinate position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 in advance.
The XYZ axis drive mechanism 200 is drive-controlled to adjust the position of the pipette tip support tube 211 to the desired position of the pipette tip 300, and the Z-axis moving body 203 is lowered at that position.
The tapered surface 211A is fitted to the upper end opening of the pipette tip 300. By this fitting operation, the pipette tip 3
00 is supported by the lower end of the pipette tip support tube 211.

In order to detect that the pipette tip 300 has been fitted into the pipette tip support tube 211, in this embodiment, a micro switch 212 is provided as shown in FIGS. A case is shown in which the on / off operation is performed by a lever 213 supported so as to be able to move up and down along the pipe 211 to detect the mounted state of the pipette tip 300.

The pipette tip upper rectangular tube 211 C is provided in the support tube 211, the hole 211 B is formed on one surface of the rectangular tube 211 C, the hole 211 B in micro pressure sensor 400 (FIG. 5 and FIG. 7). The micro-pressure sensor 400 is provided to detect the liquid level of a liquid such as a sample, a specimen, or a reagent contained in a container. In this embodiment, the pipette tip support tube 211
, A micro-pressure sensor 400 is mounted near the pipette tip to detect a change in air pressure at a position as close to the tip of the pipette tip 300 as possible.

A pipette tip 30 is detected by detecting a change in air pressure.
The operation of detecting that the leading end of 0 is in contact with the liquid surface is performed as follows. That is, while the Z-axis moving body 203 is descending, a syringe pump described later is caused to perform an operation of discharging air. The air discharged from the syringe pump is sent to the tip of the pipette tip 300 through a tube 401 (see FIGS. 5 and 7), and exhausted from the tip of the pipette tip 300 to the atmosphere. When the tip of the pipette tip 300 comes into contact with the liquid surface of the liquid stored in the container, the tip of the pipette tip 300 is closed by the liquid, whereby the pipette tip 300 and the pipette tip support tube 2 are closed.
The pressure in 11 increases. The micro-pressure sensor 400 detects this sudden change in pressure and transmits a signal indicating that the tip of the pipette tip 300 has contacted the liquid surface.
To stop the descent operation.

As in this embodiment, the micro-pressure sensor 400
Is provided as close to the tip of the pipette tip 300 as possible, a sudden change in air pressure can be detected without delay, and the tip of the pipette tip 300 is always accurately stopped at a certain depth from the liquid level. be able to. In other words, when the micro-pressure sensor 400 is installed at a position away from the tip of the pipette tip 300, the pipette tip 3
From the point in time when the tip of
It takes time before the change in air pressure is transmitted to zero. Moreover,
Since the transmission speed changes depending on the temperature and the atmospheric pressure, the detection time varies. Therefore, when the micro-pressure sensor 400 is provided at a position far away from the tip of the pipette tip 300, a change in air pressure is detected from the time when the tip of the pipette tip 300 comes into contact with the liquid surface, and the lowering operation is stopped. Since the time until the signal is transmitted fluctuates, it is difficult to stop the tip of the pipette tip 300 at a fixed position from the liquid level. Thus, pipette tip 3
If there is variation in the depth at which the tip of 00 is submerged from the liquid surface, the amount of liquid entering the pipette tip 300 will not be constant, and an error will occur in the amount of liquid suction.

In this embodiment, the following measures are taken to improve the accuracy of the stop position of the tip of the pipette tip 300. That is, in the above description, it is described that air exists in the tube 401 that connects the syringe pump and the pipette tip support tube 211. However, since air is a gas as is well known, compression deformation and expansion deformation occur. It is free. For this reason, the air in the tube 401 undergoes compression deformation and expansion deformation in association with the discharge operation and the suction operation of the syringe pump, and there is a disadvantage that the volume change of the syringe pump is not accurately transmitted to the tip of the pipette tip 300. Further, when the liquid to be dispensed is sucked into the pipette tip 300, the air expands and deforms due to the weight of the liquid to be dispensed. Due to this expansion deformation, the amount of liquid to be sucked tends to be smaller than the change in volume of the syringe pump, and there is a disadvantage that the accuracy of the amount of liquid to be sucked is worse than the change in volume of the syringe pump.

For this purpose, in the present invention, washing water (for example, pure water) to be described later is sealed in the syringe pump and the tube 401, and the washing water is moved in the tube 401 in accordance with the suction and discharge operations of the syringe pump. That is, the washing water acts as a kind of piston. When the syringe pump is at the most discharge position, the amount of the washing water is set so that the tip of the washing water is located near the pipette tip support tube 211.

By filling the washing water into the tube 401 in this manner, the syringe pump and the pipette tip 30 are sealed.
The air portion between zero and zero is reduced, and errors in the suction amount and the discharge amount of the liquid to be dispensed due to the elastic deformation of the air can be reduced. By the way, when the washing water is sealed in the tube 401 and the sealed washing water acts as a piston, air enters the washing water and a part thereof is separated,
A part of the separated washing water may enter the hole communicating with the micro-pressure sensor 400 and cause an accident that closes the communication hole. As described above, when the cleaning water enters the hole communicating with the micro-pressure sensor 400 and closes the communication hole, the pipette tip 3
A disadvantage arises in that it is not possible to detect a change in the air pressure generated when the tip of the liquid 00 enters the liquid surface of the liquid to be dispensed.

For this reason, in the present invention, as shown in FIG.
Tube 401 until it protrudes slightly from the lower end of
Into the pipette tip support tube 211. The center hole formed in the pipette tip support tube 211 is
It formed larger than the outer diameter of the gap 211 F between the outer peripheral surface and the inner wall of the pipette tip support tube 211 of the tube 401
To form Hole communicating with the micro-pressure sensor 400 is connected to the pipette tip 300 through the gap 211 F.

With such a structure, even if the washing water sealed in the tube 401 falls to the position of the hole communicating with the micro-pressure sensor 400, the micro-pressure sensor 40
Since the hole communicating with 0 is isolated by the tube 401, it is not blocked by the enclosed washing water. Therefore, an automatic dispensing device with high reliability and high accuracy can be provided.

At the upper end of the pipette tip support tube 211, as shown in FIG. 7, a male screw 211D is formed on the outer periphery, and the male screw 211D is connected to a hole 214A formed in the switch mounting bracket 214 and a flange plate 215. Hole 2 formed
15A, and further through a hole 216A formed in a mounting plate 216 to which the lower end of the Z-axis moving body 203 is mounted. It is integrated and attached to the Z-axis moving body 203.

A female screw 211E is formed on the inner wall at the upper end of the pipette tip support tube 211. A hollow screw 218 for connecting the tube 401 is screwed into the female screw 211 </ b> E.
And insert the tube 401 into the pipette tip support tube 21.
Communicate with 1. The mounting of the cylinder cover 219 shown in FIG. 7 in the flange plate 215, the microswitch 212
And a structure for protecting the switch mounting bracket 214 and the like.

The tube 401 is connected to the syringe pump 500 shown in FIGS. Syringe pump 500
Is a syringe 501, a plunger 502 that moves in and out of the syringe 501 to perform a liquid suction and discharge operation,
As shown in FIG. 10, a screw feed mechanism 503 for driving the plunger 502 in the vertical direction, a syringe drive motor 504 for applying a rotational force to the screw feed mechanism 503, and a state in which the syringe 501 communicates with the pipette tip support tube 211. and <br/> switching valve 505 for switching the state to communicate with the washing water reservoir 601 constituted by the valve switching motor 506 for driving the switching valve 505.

In this example, the syringe 501 is the plunger 5
When the plunger 502 moves downward, air is sucked into the syringe 501 when the plunger 502 moves downward. As described above, lowering the pipette tip 300 toward the container storing the reagent, the sample, etc., raises the plunger 502 in parallel with the lowering operation to detect the liquid level, and the air discharged from the syringe 501. The valve 505 and the tube 40
The liquid is sent out to the pipette tip 300 through 1 and discharged from the tip of the pipette tip 300.

When cleaning the tube 401, the pipette tip support tube 211, and the pipette tip 300,
The valve 505 is switched to the washing water reservoir 601 shown in FIG. 10, and the plunger 502 is lowered. The cleaning water is sucked into the syringe 501 by the lowering operation of the plunger 502. When the washing water is sufficiently sucked into the syringe 501, the valve 505 is
And the plunger 502 is raised at the same time, whereby the cleaning water can be discharged from the pipette tip 300. By this operation, the tube 401, the pipette tip support tube 211, and the pipette tip 300 can be washed with the washing water. Further, as described above, the washing water that acts as a piston on the tube 401 can be sealed.

In the present invention, the pipette tip 3
00 is automatically exchanged so that the dispensing operation can be continuously performed. For this purpose, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 10, a protruding piece 700 provided with a notch 701 capable of engaging with the pipette tip support tube 211 is provided at an edge within an operation range of the XYZ axis moving mechanism 200. . The lower part of the protrusion 700 a reject bin 702 is provided, it has a structure for housing the Lupi Bae <br/> Ttochippu 300 is discarded.

To remove the pipette tip 300, the pipette tip support tube 211 is engaged with the notch 701 of the protruding piece 700, and the Z-axis moving body 203 is raised at the engaged position. The width of the notch 701 is smaller than the outer diameter of the upper end of the pipette tip 300. Therefore, the pipette tip 300 abuts against the notch 701, and only the pipette tip support tube 211 moves upward, the pipette tip 300 is withdrawn from the pipette tip support tube 211, and the waste box 70
Dropped into 2.

In this example, the cutouts 701 are dispersedly arranged at three places, and the positions of the cutouts 701 are alternately used so that the discarded pipette tips 300 are not locally concentrated and deposited. Here is a case where consideration is given. FIG.
9 shows an embodiment of the control means for performing the operation of the XYZ axis drive mechanism 200 and the switching control of the syringe pump 500. FIG.
Reference numeral 750 shown in FIG. 1 indicates the entire control means. The control means 750 can be constituted by a microcomputer.

As is well known, the microcomputer has a central processing unit 751 and an R which stores a program for operating the central processing unit 751 in a predetermined order.
OM752 and RA for temporarily storing input data and the like
M753, an input port 754, an output port 755, and the like. The input port 754 has a keyboard 106 provided on the operation panel board 105 and the micro-pressure sensor 40.
0 and the external storage device 107 are connected. The position of the dispensing start container, the dispensing mode, and the like are input from the keyboard 106. In the dispensing mode, as shown in FIG.
A dispensing mode indicated by an arrow A hatched from 0 and a dotted line B
The mode in which the sample rack 800 is dispensed into a container 840 called a microplate as shown by
As shown by the solid line C from 3,604,605, the reagent dispensing mode for dispensing to each container of the container rack 820 and the container rack 82 as shown by the two-dot chain line D from the diluent container 602.
There is a dilution series dispensing mode for dispensing to each container of No. 0.

Each of these modes is set in advance in the external storage device 10.
7 can be stored. External storage device 107
In this example, a case where an IC card is used is shown.
Reference numeral 108 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates an insertion slot of the IC card. By storing the transport control program, the Z-axis control program, and the syringe pump control program in the external storage device 107, a desired operation mode can be selected by input from the keyboard 106, and input for troublesome setting can be performed. Without doing
It can be activated instantly.

The execution of each mode is performed by the drive motors Mx, My, Mz, 504, 50 connected to the output port 755.
6 is performed. These drive motors Mx, My
, Mz, 504, and 506 can each use a stepping motor. The position of each container is associated with the XY coordinate position, and the number of pulses necessary to move to the target container is transmitted to the X-axis motor Mx. And the Y-axis motor My. It is possible to move to any position on the XY coordinates by the number of pulses given to the X-axis motor Mx and the Y-axis motor My, and access any of the containers in the container racks 800, 820, 840. And access to the array of pipette tips 300. Further, the position of the notch 701 of the protruding piece 700 can be accessed.

Further, by driving the Z-axis motor Mz in a state where each container is accessed, the tip of the pipette tip 300 can be inserted into each container stored in the container rack 800. When the micro-pressure sensor 400 detects a sudden change in atmospheric pressure, Z
The driving of the shaft motor Mz is stopped. At the same time, the motor 504 constituting the syringe pump 500 is switched to the reverse rotation state, and the syringe 501 is switched to the suction operation. When the syringe 501 performs a predetermined, that is, predetermined amount of suction operation, the motor 504 stops and the Z-axis motor Mz
Is activated again to raise the Z-axis moving body 203, thereby driving the X-axis motor Mx and the Y-axis motor My to move to the position of the container to be dispensed, and again at the target container position to the Z-axis motor Mz. Is driven, and the tip of the pipette tip 300 is inserted into a target container. When the tip of the pipette tip 300 is sufficiently inserted into the target container, the Z-axis motor Mz stops, and the syringe pump 500 performs a discharging operation. By this discharging operation, a predetermined amount of a sample or a reagent is dispensed into a target container. It is also possible to divide and dispense a liquid holding a sample or a reagent by a single suction operation into a plurality of containers by a predetermined amount.

At the end of dispensing, the XYZ-axis driving mechanism 200 moves the pipette tip support tube 211 into the notch 701 of the protruding piece 700.
Is moved to the position shown in FIG.
00 is engaged, the pipette tip 300 is removed from the pipette tip support tube 211, and a new pipette tip 300 is attached to the pipette tip support tube 211 again, and the dispensing operation is repeated.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the pipette tip 300 is moved in the XYZ-axis direction by the XYZ drive mechanism 200 to access the containers arranged on the base 100, and Since the sample or the reagent is dispensed by performing the suction and discharge operations of the pump 500, there is no need to move the container. Therefore, the base 100
Since it is not necessary to take a large area, the area of the base 100 can be set small, and an automatic dispensing apparatus having a small occupied area can be provided.

Further, since the driving motor only needs to eventually move the pipette tip 300, it can be driven by a small-capacity motor. As a result, it can be manufactured without increasing costs. Furthermore, since the XYZ-axis drive mechanism 200 is supported on the base 100 by the cantilever frame 102, there is no support at the front corner of the base 100. As a result, the container racks 800, 820, 8
There is also an advantage that the work of attaching and taking out the tube 40 is facilitated, and in the present invention, since the micro-pressure sensor 400 is arranged as close to the pipette tip as possible, the tip of the pipette tip comes into contact with the liquid surface in the container. It is possible to shorten the time for detecting that the pipette tip has been detected, and thereby to set the stop position of the tip of the pipette tip at a fixed position from the liquid level. Therefore, since the amount of liquid entering the pipette tip can be made constant, the amount of liquid adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the pipette tip also becomes constant, so that the accuracy of the amount of liquid to be dispensed can be improved. Therefore, the effect is extremely large for practical use.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of an XYZ axis driving mechanism used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view for explaining the structure of a portion of a support pipe of a pipette tip used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5 as viewed from the side.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a structure of a portion of a support pipe of a Z-axis moving body and a pipette tip used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view for explaining the structure of the syringe pump used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view for explaining the structure of the syringe pump used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view on a base for explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a control unit used in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 base 101 vertical frame 102 cantilever frame 103, 104 X-axis guide rail 105 operation panel panel 200 XYZ-axis driving mechanism 201 X-axis moving body 202 Y-axis moving body 203 Z-axis moving body 211 Pipette tip support tube Mx X-axis motor My Y-axis motor Mz Z-axis motor 300 Pipette tip 400 Micro pressure sensor 401, 402 Tube 500 Syringe pump 700 Projection piece 701 Notch 702 Waste box 750 Control means 800 Sample rack 820 Container rack 840 Microplate

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuhiro Sasaki 1-37-5 Kasoshiya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Sunny House No. 5 (72) Inventor Yukihiro Mitida 2-2-20 Shioki, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba Pref. JP-A-1-38660 (JP, A) JP-A-3-214058 (JP, A) JP-A-3-21800 (JP, U) JP-A-3-50456 (JP, Y2) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01N 35/00-35/10

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flat plate-like base, a vertical frame which is implanted along the base of one side of this, a pair of the upper end sides of the vertical frame of this projecting in parallel to the base of a cantilever frame, a pair of X-axis guide rails at the proximal and free end of the cantilever frame insert extending between the mutually cantilevered frame of this slide in the pair of X-axis guide rails of this Freely engage,
And X-axis moving body that can move in the X-axis direction, is mounted on the X-axis moving body of this, the Y-axis movable body movably supported in a direction parallel to the cantilever frame, this Y-axis It is supported on a moving object, and the Z-axis movable body which is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the base plate surface, the lower end and vertically movable is supported on the Z-axis moving body of this is a pipette tip hollow A pipette tip support tube that can be pressed into the part to hold the pipette tip, and a tube having one end inserted through the pipette tip support tube.
Through the other end of the tube to the pipette tip
Suction of air traces and syringe pump for the discharge operation, the upper Symbol X-axis moving body, the X-axis motor for moving respectively the Y-axis moving body and Z-axis moving body, and the Y-axis motor and the Z-axis motor, the upper Symbol X controls the driving of the shaft motor and Y axis motor, and conveyance control means for controlling movement the pipette tip support tube at any coordinate position of the X-Y coordinates assigned on the base by the transfer control means of this, the The Z-axis motor is driven and controlled while the pipette tip support tube is moved to a desired coordinate position, and the pipette tip support tube is moved up and down so that the pipette tip supported at the lower end of the pipette tip support tube is moved to the above-described base position. inserted into a container that is placed on the table, and Z-axis control means for withdrawal operation, in conjunction with the operation of the Z-axis control means this suction the syringe pump, the syringe pump control means for discharging operation , The tip of the pipette tip contacts the surface of the liquid in the container
Composed of a micro-pressure detection sensor that detects
In the automatic dispensing device, the other end of the tube is a tip of the pipette tip support tube.
More than the gap between the tube and the pipette tip support tube
Is formed, and the communication hole is provided between the micro-pressure detection sensor and the gap.
It is formed on the pipette tip support tube, and the micro pressure detection sensor is mounted on the pipette tip support tube.
An automatic dispensing device for detecting the pressure in the gap through the communication hole . 2. An automatic pipetting apparatus according to claim 1, one end against the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip supporting tube
And can slide in the axial direction of the pipette tip support tube.
A lever which is urchin mounted, is mounted on the pipette tip supporting tube, the other of the lever
A micro switch for detecting the movement of the other end
Automatic dispensing apparatus characterized by that. 3. A automatic dispensing apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the external storage device is provided, a plurality of conveyance control programs said transport control means is operated in various modes in the external storage device A plurality of Z-axis control programs for operating the Z-axis control means in synchronization with each of the plurality of transport control programs, and a syringe for operating the syringe pump control means in synchronization with each of the plurality of Z-axis control programs An automatic dispensing device that can store pump control programs, read and select these control programs arbitrarily, and operate in an arbitrary mode.