JP3489430B2 - Automatic dispensing device and dispensing method - 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 device and a dispensing method used for dispensing specimens and reagents in the field of biochemistry and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic dispensing device is known as a device used when systematically conducting tests such as biochemical reactions of substances. This automatic pipetting device automatically carries out operations such as taking out and transferring medicines and specimens in a sample storage plate. The sample storage plate is provided with a number of small recesses, and various dispensing operations are performed by sucking and discharging the liquid in the recesses by the dispensing head.

Dispensing materials such as a plate used for this dispensing operation, a reservoir in which a drug is stored, and a dispensing tip mounted on a dispensing head are stocked in predetermined storage locations and are required. According to the above, it is taken out by a transfer means such as a robot arm and is transferred to a dispensing stage where dispensing is performed. Further, the plate after the dispensing is carried again to a predetermined place.

[0004]

Since many kinds of chemicals and samples are used in the automatic dispensing apparatus, many plates and dispensing materials are stocked in the stock section. Therefore, when transporting these stocked plates, etc. to the dispensing stage, it is necessary to perform an operation that requires multiple steps of taking out a predetermined plate, etc. from a large number of plates in the stock section by a robot arm. After that, these plates and the like must be transported to a dispensing stage separated from each other at a low speed such that the sample does not spill, so that one cycle of transportation requires a considerable time.

For this reason, in the conventional automatic dispensing apparatus, while the plate or the like is taken out from the stock unit and conveyed to the dispensing stage, the plate after dispensing is carried out from the dispensing stage and again stocked. While the robot is being transported to a predetermined position such as the other equipment, the dispensing stage is waiting without waiting for the dispensing head and no work is done.As a result, the operating efficiency of the entire automatic dispensing equipment is increased. Was very low.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic dispensing apparatus and a dispensing method capable of improving operating efficiency.

[0007]

An automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 is an automatic dispensing apparatus for dispensing a liquid sample on a plate provided with a large number of recesses for storing a sample. Dispensing means for inhaling / discharging the sample, dispensing stage for mounting the plate on which the dispensing operation is performed, and dispensing
Between the buffer stage for temporarily placing the plate before and / or after the dispensing in the vicinity of the tage, the stock section for stocking the plate, and the dispensing stage, the buffer stage and the stock section A transport unit for transporting the plate, a control unit that controls the operation of each unit during the dispensing operation, a plate position storage unit that stores the position of each plate during the dispensing operation, and a sequence that stores the dispensing work procedure. Has a storage unit and dispenses at the dispensing stage
Is controlled by the control unit while
The plate of the stock section is buffered by the transport means.
The buffer stage plate.
Pipette stage, and after the dispensing is completed, the dispensing stage
Transport the plate to the buffer stage and
The plate of the cage was transferred to the dispensing stage .

The dispensing method according to claim 2 is a test for dispensing objects.
Dispensing means for inhaling / discharging and dispensing
Dispensing stage for mounting the plate
Or a batch for temporarily placing the plate after dispensing.
Fastage and stock to stock the plate
Section, the dispensing stage, buffer stage and
And a transport means for transporting the plate between the hook portions.
A dispensing method for dispensing a liquid sample to a plate provided with a large number of recesses for storing a sample by an automatic dispensing device ,
While dispensing to the plate by the dispensing means at the dispensing stage, the stock plate is buffed.
Plate on the buffer stage
Is transferred to the stock section, and after further dispensing is completed,
Transfer the stage plate to the buffer stage and
Transfer the front stage plate to the dispensing stage
In addition , if an empty stage is generated in the dispensing stage, the plate is loaded into the dispensing stage from the buffer stage.

[0009]

According to the invention described in each claim, a buffer stage for placing the plate and the dispensing material is provided in the vicinity of the dispensing stage, and the next dispensing is performed while the dispensing work is being performed on the dispensing stage. By transporting the planned plate to the vicinity of the dispensing stage and transporting the dispensed plate and the like to a predetermined position, the transport time of the plate and the like can be shortened.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are partial perspective views of a dispensing head of the automatic dispensing device, and FIG. 2 (c) is the same. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a chip container of the automatic dispensing apparatus, FIG. 3 is a front view of the automatic dispensing apparatus, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the automatic dispensing apparatus, and FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a control system of the automatic dispensing apparatus. A block diagram, FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing the same dispensing method, and FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a conventional dispensing method.

First, the overall structure of the automatic dispensing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, an automatic pipetting device 1 includes a frame 2 formed by combining mold materials and a base plate 3 fixed to the frame 2. The automatic dispensing device 1 is divided into three parts, namely, a dispensing part A, a stock part B and a processing part C by a frame 2 and a base plate 3. The dispensing unit A is arranged on the base plate 3 and performs a dispensing operation on a plate containing a sample.
The stock section B stocks the plates and dispense tips used in the dispense section A. After the dispensing operation, the processing section C carries out processing such as analysis and washing of the returned plate sent to another device such as an incubator.

Next, the dispensing unit A will be described with reference to FIG. On the base plate 3, three stages on which the plate 4 is placed, that is, a dispensing stage 10, a buffer stage 11, and a standby stage 12 are provided. On the dispensing stage 10, a plate 4 of a medicine or a sample to be dispensed is placed. The buffer stage 11 plays a role of a buffer for temporarily placing the dispensing material such as the plate 4 and the dispensing tip placed in the dispensing stage 10. Further, the standby stage 12 has a processing section C below through a transfer hole 3a provided in the base plate 3.
It is a stage for waiting the plate 4 conveyed to.

On the side of the dispensing stage 10, a slide table 13 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the dispensing stage 10. A first dispensing head 14 and a second dispensing head 16 are mounted on the slide table 13, and the first dispensing head 14 and the second dispensing head 16 are mounted.
Are individually moved on the dispensing stage 10 along the slide table 13 by driving means (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the dispensing tip 15 as the dispensing material and the plate 4 will be described. The dispensing tip 15 is a tapered taper nozzle component, is a so-called disposable component that is replaceably attached to the dispensing head and is replaced each time it is used. As shown in FIG. 2A, the first dispensing head 14 has a plurality of dispensing tips 15 in a grid pattern (in this embodiment, 8 tips × 12 rows, a total of 96 tips).
2), and as shown in FIG. 2B, a plurality of dispensing tips 15 (eight in this embodiment) are mounted in a row on the second dispensing head 16. . Note that FIG.
For simplicity of drawing, the number of dispensing tips 15 is omitted in the drawing.

The tips of these dispensing tips 15 are shown in FIG.
Recesses 4a provided in a grid pattern on the plate 4 shown in (a)
The liquid medicine or the specimen is sucked down into the concave portion 4a of the other plate 4 and discharged to the different plate 4
Perform various dispensing operations such as sample transfer in between. First
By using the dispensing head 14 of No. 3, the samples in all the recesses 4a of the plate 4 can be dispensed at once. Further, by using the second dispensing head 16,
It is possible to select an arbitrary row of the plate 4 and dispense only the sample in the concave portion 4a constituting the row. The slide table 13, the first dispensing head 14 and the second dispensing head 16 are dispensing means.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the dispensing tip 15 is housed in a tip container 5 having a grid-like arrangement similar to that of the plate 4, and the dispensing head 14 is placed on the tip container 5, The dispensing tip 15 is automatically mounted by lowering the dispensing tip 15. Further, after use, the dispensing heads 14 and 16 are moved up and down on the tip removing mechanism section 19 (see FIG. 1) arranged in the dispensing section A to form a comb tooth-shaped plate of the tip removing mechanism section 19. The dispensing tip 15 is locked and automatically removed from the dispensing heads 14 and 16. Further, on the end of the base plate 3 on the opposite side of the slide table 13,
A lid removing unit 18 is provided. The lid removing unit 18 removes the lid that covers the plate 4 when the plate 4 is stocked.

Next, the stock section B will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the stock section B
A plate stocker 30 is arranged in the. A Z-axis table 31 having a motor 31a is fixed to the frame 2, and a back plate 33 is connected to a slider 32 of the Z-axis table 31. The back plate 33 has a plurality of shelves 3
4 are provided in a plurality of rows, and the plate 4 is placed on the shelf plate 34.
Is placed. The row of shelves to be placed is specified by the type of plate 4, and as shown in FIG.
A plate 4A containing a sample or a diluent is placed on each of 4A, 34B, 34E and 34F, and a reservoir 4B containing a drug is placed on each of the shelf rows 34C and 34D. By driving the motor 31a of the Z-axis table 31, it is possible to raise and lower the arbitrary plate 4 placed on the shelf plate 34 to a height at which a transfer head (described later) can clamp it.

A chip stocker 35 is arranged so as to face the plate stocker 30. The chip stocker 35 is configured by connecting a stock table 37 to a Z-axis table 36 that is vertically arranged and has a motor 36a. The chip containers 5 are stacked and stocked on the stock table 37. By driving the Z-axis table 36, the uppermost one of the stocked chip containers 5 can be raised and lowered to a height at which a transfer head (described later) can clamp.

Next, referring to FIG. 1, the ceiling feeding robot 20 which is a conveying means will be described. Ceiling transport robot 2
Reference numeral 0 is composed of a Y-axis table 21, an X-axis table 23, a lifting / lowering rotation unit 24, and a transfer head 26. The Y-axis table 21 is arranged in the longitudinal direction on the frame 2 at the end, and the X-axis table 23 has one end driven by the Y-axis table 21 and the other end on a guide rail 22 arranged on the frame 2. It is supported. The lifting / lowering rotation unit 24 is driven by the X-axis table 23, and the transfer head 26 is mounted on the lower end of the arm 25 hanging from the lifting / lowering rotation unit 24.

The ceiling feeding robot 20 conveys the dispensing material such as the plate 4 and the tip container 5 between the dispensing unit A and the stock unit B or between the dispensing unit A and another device. That is, the plate 4 on the shelf 34 of the plate stocker 30
Alternatively, the chip container 5 on the stock table of the chip stocker 35 is clamped by the transfer head 26, conveyed to a predetermined position, and mounted. In the present embodiment, 1
Although an example of the transfer means for transferring the plate 4 by the individual transfer heads 26 is shown, it may be one having a plurality of transfer heads or combined with another transfer mechanism.

Next, the arrangement of stages in the dispensing stage 10 of the dispensing unit A will be described with reference to FIG. The dispensing stage 10 has stages DS1 and DS as shown in FIG.
2 stages are set, and the type of the plate 4 placed on each stage is specified.
The plate 4A is mounted on the stage DS1 and the reservoir 4B is mounted on the stage DS2. Further, the tip container 5 in which the dispensing tip 15 is set is placed on the stage 10E.

The buffer stage 11 includes a stage BS.
Four stages of 1, BS2, BS3 and BS4 are set. A plate 4A, a reservoir 4B, a chip container 5 and the like before or after dispensing are placed on these stages depending on the situation.

Next, the structure of the control system of the automatic dispensing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, the control unit 50
Controls the operation of the entire automatic dispensing apparatus, and includes the following parts: the plate stocker 30 of the stock section B, the chip stocker 35, the overhead traveling robot 20 as the conveying means 51, and the slide table 1 as the dispensing means 52.
3, the first dispensing head 14 and the second dispensing head 16 are controlled.

The plate position storage unit 54 stores in real time the positions of all the sample plates 4A, reservoirs 4B, and dispensing tip containers 5 in the automatic dispensing apparatus. The sequence storage unit 55 stores the procedure of the dispensing work. That is, the plate position storage unit 54 and the sequence storage unit 5
When the control unit 50 reads the data of No. 5, the control unit 50 controls the above units to convey a predetermined plate to a predetermined stage at a predetermined timing.

The automatic dispensing device is constructed as described above, and its operation will be described below. In FIG. 4, the chip container 5 stocked in the chip stocker 35 is held by the transfer head 26 and mounted on the stage 10E of the plate stage 10. Next, the first dispensing head 14 and the second dispensing head 16 are sequentially positioned on the tip container 5 of the stage 10E, and then moved down with respect to the tip container 5 so that the first dispensing head 14 and The dispensing tip 15 is mounted on the second dispensing head 16. At this time, if the dispensing tip used in the previous dispensing operation is already mounted on the first dispensing head 14 or the second dispensing head 16, prior to mounting the dispensing tip 15. The chip removing mechanism 19 removes the dispensed chips already mounted.
This allows a new dispensing operation.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the movement of the plate and the dispensing material in the dispensing operation will be described. FIG. 6 shows the transfer head 26 for the plate stock positions of the plate stocker 30 (shelf plate rows 34A, 34B, 34E, 34).
F) or reservoir stock position (shelf plate row 34C, 3
4D), dispensing stage 10 and buffer stage 11
It shows the movement of the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B during the time series.

The solid arrow in FIG. 6 (marked with an ST number) indicates that the transfer head 26 is the plate 4A or the reservoir 4.
The carrying operation in which the transfer head 26 is moved while holding B and the return operation in which the transfer head 26 is moved in the empty state are shown by the broken line arrows. Further, in the horizontal lines showing the respective stages of the dispensing stage 10 and the buffer stage 11, the thick lined portion indicates the plate 4 on the stage at that timing.
A (denoted by a symbol P) or reservoir 4B (denoted by a symbol R)
(Indicated by) is present.

First, at the timing t0, when the operation start of the automatic dispensing apparatus is instructed, the transfer head 26 moves to the plate stock position, where the plate 4A is taken out and placed on the plate stage DS1 (ST1). Next, the transfer head 26 moves to the reservoir stock position, takes out the reservoir 4B there, returns to the dispensing stage 10 again, and places the reservoir 4B on the stage DS2 at timing t1 (ST2).

From timing t1 to timing t2
At time T0 until the first dispensing head 14 or the second
Dispensing head 16 from reservoir 4B to plate 4A
Dispensing is performed to transfer the drug to. In parallel with this dispensing operation, the transfer head 26 immediately returns to the plate stock position when the reservoir 4B is mounted at the timing t1, where the plate 4A is taken out and moved to the buffer stage 11, and the stage BS1 The plate 4A is placed on (ST3). Next, the transfer head 26 returns to the reservoir stock position, takes out the reservoir 4B, and then mounts the reservoir 4B on the stage BS2 by the timing T2 (ST4).

Thereafter, the transfer head 26 transfers the plate 4A, which has been dispensed, from the stage DS1 to the stage BS3.
In addition, the reservoir 4B is moved from the stage DS2 to the stage BS4.
To (ST5, ST6). Next, the transfer head 26 conveys and mounts the plate 4A from the stage BS1 to the stage DS1 and the reservoir 4B from the stage BS2 to the stage DS2 (ST7, ST8). New dispensing is performed from timing t3 when this ST8 is completed.

The transfer head 26, which has placed the reservoir 4B on the stage DS2 at timing t3, immediately picks up the plate 4A from the stage BS3 and stores it in the plate stock position (ST9). The reservoir 4B is picked up and stored in the reservoir stock position (ST10). Then, the transfer head 26 again moves the plate 4A from the plate stock position to the buffer stage BS1 and the reservoir 4B from the reservoir stock position to the buffer stage BS2.
It is sequentially conveyed by the timing t4 when the dispensing is completed (S
T11, ST12).

After that, the same operations as ST5 to ST10 described above are repeated, and the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B after dispensing are repeated.
Are carried out to the buffer stages BS3 and BS4 (ST1
3, ST14), the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B waiting on the buffer stages BS1 and BS2 are carried into the dispensing stages DS1 and DS2 instead (ST15 and ST1).
6) Next, the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B from the buffer stages BS3 and BS4 are stored in the plate stock position and the reservoir stock position, respectively (ST1).
7, ST18). In this embodiment, ST9, ST
Although the operation example of storing the plate 4A after dispensing at the plate stock position in 17 is shown, it may be placed at a predetermined position for delivery to another device.

Here, the time required for the dispensing operation will be described in comparison with the timing chart of the conventional dispensing method shown in FIG. In the conventional dispensing method, as shown in FIG. 7, the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B are directly conveyed from the plate stock position and the reservoir stock position to the dispensing stages DS1 and DS2, respectively, and when the dispensing is completed, the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B are transferred. Was directly returned to each stock position, and the same operation was repeated for each dispensing operation. That is, the time of one cycle of dispensing was the sum T0 + T1 of the time T0 of the dispensing operation itself and the time T1 required to convey the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B. That is, while the dispensing stage 10 is dispensing, the transfer head 26 does not operate and is in a waiting state, and while the transfer head 26 is transporting the dispenser stage 1.
In 0, no dispensing was done and the operation efficiency was low.

In the method shown in this embodiment, the time T0 required for the dispensing operation itself and the dispensing stages DS1 and DS
2 for transporting and exchanging the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B between the buffer stage BS1 and the buffer stage BS1 to BS4.
The sum T0 + T1 'of 1'is the time of one cycle. Here, the time T0 of the dispensing operation itself is the same as the conventional one, but the buffer stages BS1 to BS4 are the stage DS.
1 and DS2, the distance between these stages is significantly shorter than that of the case where they are directly conveyed from the stock section B, and thus the plate 4A, at a time T1 ′ that is significantly shorter than T1, The reservoir 4B can be transported and replaced. Then, the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B are efficiently transferred by performing the transfer from the stock section B, which has a long distance and takes time, to the buffer stage 11 while the dispensing stage 10 is performing the dispensing. The hand waiting time can be minimized.

As described above, while the dispensing stage 10 is performing the dispensing, the plate 4A and the reservoir 4B are moved from the stock section B separated by the transfer head 26 to the buffer stage 11 near the dispensing stage 10. The time required for carrying the plates 4A and the reservoirs 4B can be reduced by carrying them and once waiting them, and by carrying the plates 4A and the reservoirs 4B that have been once carried out to the buffer stage 11 after dispensing to the stock section B and storing them. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time for one dispensing cycle and improve the operation efficiency of the automatic dispensing apparatus.

[0037]

According to the present invention, a buffer stage for mounting a plate is provided in the vicinity of the dispensing stage, and a plate to be dispensed next time is dispensed while the dispensing stage is performing dispensing. Since the plate is placed near the stage and temporarily placed on the buffer stage after dispensing to the stock section, the time required to transport the plate is shortened, and therefore the time for one dispensing cycle is reduced. Can be shortened to improve the operation efficiency of the automatic pipetting device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a partial perspective view of a dispensing head of an automatic dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a partial perspective view of a dispensing head of an automatic dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (C) A perspective view of a tip container of an automatic dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 3 is a front view of the automatic dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the automatic dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the automatic dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing a dispensing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a conventional dispensing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automatic dispensing device 4, 4A plate 4B reservoir 5 chip containers 10 dispensing stage 11 buffer stage 13 slide table 14 First dispensing head 15 dispensing tips 16 Second dispensing head 50 control unit 54 Plate Position Storage Unit 55 Sequence storage A dispensing section B stock department

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Naoki Miyazaki 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Kenichi Kuroda 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideyoshi Kitahara 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kenji Ishiyama 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takashi Oguro 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-9-145663 (JP, A) JP-A-9-236607 (JP, A) JP-A-11-223636 (JP, A) JP 9-211005 (JP, A) JP 8-327633 (JP, A) JP 8-29432 (JP, A) JP 9-274046 (JP, A) Patent 26 69541 (JP, B2) (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01N 35/00-35/10 JISC file (JOIS)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic dispenser for dispensing a liquid sample into a plate provided with a large number of recesses for storing a sample, and a dispensing means for inhaling and discharging the sample to be dispensed. , minutes and dispensing stage the plate for mounting the Note operation is carried out, minute
A buffer stage in the vicinity of the injection stage for temporarily placing the plate before and / or after the injection,
A stock unit that stocks the plate, a transport unit that transports the plate between the dispensing stage, the buffer stage, and the stock unit, a control unit that controls the operation of each unit during the dispensing operation, and a dispensing operation In the dispensing stage, a plate position storage unit that stores the positions of the respective plates and a sequence storage unit that stores the dispensing work procedure are provided .
Controlled by the control unit while dispensing is being performed
The transfer means buffers the plates in the stock section.
The buffer stage plate.
After transporting to the stock section and further dispensing,
Transport the plate to the buffer stage and
An automatic pipetting device, characterized in that the plate of the stage is conveyed to the pipette stage . 2. A sample to be dispensed is dispensed by inhaling / discharging.
Dispensing means and the amount on which the plate on which the dispensing operation is performed is placed
Pour stage and play before and / or after dosing
Buffer stage that temporarily mounts the
Stock section for stocking
The plate between the baffle stage and the stock section.
A dispensing method for dispensing a liquid sample to a plate provided with a large number of recesses for storing a sample by an automatic dispensing device equipped with a transporting means for transporting the plate by the dispensing means at a dispensing stage. while performing the dispensing against, strike
Transport the plate of the rack to the buffer stage and
Transfers the plate of the buffer stage to the stock section, and
After the dispensing is complete, baffle the plate on the dispensing stage.
To the stage and separate the plate from the buffer stage.
A dispensing method, characterized in that the plate is conveyed to a pouring stage, and if an empty stage is generated in the dispensing stage, the plate is carried into the dispensing stage from the buffer stage.