JP3688068B2 - Liquid sample measuring device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid sample measuring device, for example, a blood coagulation measuring device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, this type of liquid sample measuring apparatus is known in which a reagent is supplied to a container containing a blood sample and the time until the coagulation of the blood sample is optically detected is measured ( For example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-34592.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since such a conventional apparatus does not include a stirring device, it is necessary to separately stir the reagent and the liquid sample. For this reason, there is a problem that stirring is troublesome, stirring is not uniform, and measurement values are poorly reproducible.
The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and a liquid sample measuring device with a stirring function capable of obtaining a reproducible measurement result without the need for stirring the reagent and the liquid sample. Is to provide.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a storage member that removably stores a translucent container that stores a liquid sample therein, a support member that supports the storage member so as to be swingable, a light source that irradiates light to the container, and a container. a photodetector for detecting light from the light source Te, comprising a heater for heating the vessel, and swinging means for swinging the housing member, and a control unit for controlling the oscillating means, the control unit, the photodetection Provided is a liquid sample measuring device that detects that a reagent has been injected into a translucent container accommodated in a storage member according to a change in the amount of light received by the container, and controls the swinging means to swing the storage member It is.
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can be applied to all liquid sample measuring apparatuses that optically measure the concentration and reaction time of a liquid sample.
One example is a blood coagulation measurement apparatus, which measures the coagulation ability after adding a reagent to a blood sample of a mammal including humans, and contributes to the diagnosis of a disease or the like. Measurement items include prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen amount (Fbg), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and the like, which are determined depending on which component in the blood is reacted with the added reagent.
[0006]
The translucent container to be applied to the present invention is not limited as long as at least the portion relating to optical detection is transparent. Usually, a glass or resin test tube having a diameter of 10 to 20 mm and a height of 50 to 100 mm is used. A liquid sample (for example, a blood sample) and a reagent (for example, a coagulation reagent) to be measured are put into this container. The storage member that detachably stores the container is, for example, a member that stores a transparent bottomed cylindrical container (test tube) so that the axis of the container is vertical. It is preferable to be detachable in the axial direction.
[0007]
This device includes a light source that irradiates light to a container and a photodetector that detects light from the light source through the container. The light source includes, for example, a light emitting diode, and the photodetector includes, for example, a photodiode or a phototransistor. Use each one.
[0008]
The photodetector detects the reaction of the liquid sample with the reagent as a change in the amount of light. At this time, when detecting a change in the amount of transmitted light accompanying coagulation, the light source and the photodetector sandwich the container. In the case of detecting the change in the amount of scattered light arranged on a straight line and facing each other, the light source and the photodetector are arranged so that the optical axes of the light source and the light detector are substantially orthogonal to each other at the approximate center of the container.
[0009]
In addition, since this measuring apparatus starts time measurement from the time when the reagent is put into the container containing the liquid sample, it is preferable to further include another light source and a photodetector for detecting the time of loading.
In this case, the light source and the light detector are positioned above the container relative to the light source and light detector for detecting the reaction so as to detect an increase in the contents of the container accompanying the introduction of the reagent by a change in the amount of transmitted light. Installed.
[0010]
That is, when the storage member stores the translucent cylindrical container so that the axis of the container is vertical, the storage member is provided with first and second light sources arranged vertically as light sources, and as a photodetector, If the first and second light sources arranged to detect light from the first and second light sources through the container are provided, the first light source and the first photodetector detect the introduction of the reagent, The second light source and the second photodetector will detect the reaction.
[0011]
A feature of the present invention is that the liquid sample and the reagent stored in the container are efficiently stirred at the start of measurement by swinging the container with the swinging means. A motor in which the weight member is eccentrically provided on the output shaft is installed in the storage member, and the storage member can be swung by the reaction of the weight when the motor is rotated. The swing in the present invention is a pendulum motion, a reciprocating motion, an eccentric rotational motion, or a combined motion in which two or more of these are combined, and thereby a plurality of types of contents in the transmitted light container stored in the storage member. It tries to mix things uniformly.
[0012]
Further, the swinging means is constituted by a magnetic body provided on the storage member and an electromagnet provided on the support member so as to oppose the magnetic body, and the storage member is shaken by intermittently attracting the magnetic body by the electromagnet. It may be moved.
[0013]
In addition, this measuring apparatus includes a heater for holding the container contents, that is, the liquid sample, at a predetermined temperature, for example, 37 ° C., which includes, for example, a resistance heater (nichrome wire heater) provided in the storage member. Used.
In this case, it is preferable to include a temperature sensor that detects the container temperature and a controller that controls the heater current according to the sensor output to keep the container temperature constant.
[0014]
Further, in the support member that supports the storage member in a swingable manner, the support member can be swingably supported by holding or hanging the storage member via an elastic member such as a rubber or a spring.
[0015]
The invention preferably further comprises a measurement control means for measuring the reaction time. In this case, the measurement control means includes a translucent container containing a liquid sample stored in a storage member and a reagent in the container. At the time of injection, after detecting the introduction of the reagent by the change of the detection value of the first photodetector, the swinging means is driven for a predetermined time, and the reaction time is calculated from the change of the detection value of the second photodetector with the passage of time. Configured to measure.
[0016]
This measurement control means can be constituted by a microcomputer comprising a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. Moreover, it is preferable to further include a measurement result output means such as a CRT, a liquid crystal display or a printer.
[0017]
【Example】
1 is a top view of a blood coagulation measuring device main body (hereinafter referred to as a main body), FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken along arrows CC, DD, and EE of FIG. 3, respectively.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 1 has a housing member 3 for removably housing a resin sample tube 2 as a transparent container, and the housing member 3 is swingable via an elastic member 4 made of rubber or the like. A support member 5 to be supported, a nichrome coil heater (heater) 6 wound around the upper outer surface of the storage member 3, and a motor that is installed at the lower end of the storage member 3 and swings the storage member 3. The motor 7 includes a weight member, that is, an unbalancer 8 whose center of gravity is eccentric on the output shaft 7a. The main body 1 includes a lid 9 for covering the upper portion of the support member 5, and a reagent injection hole 9 a is provided at the center of the lid 9.
[0019]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the main body 1 includes LEDs 10 and 11 as first and second light sources provided on the support member 5, and the LEDs 10 and 11 are the axis of the sample tube 2, that is, the axis of the storage member 3. They are arranged vertically above and below the heart.
[0020]
The support member 5 is provided with a photodiode 10a (FIG. 3) as a first light detector and a photodiode 11a (FIG. 2) as a second light detector. So that the light from the LED 11 is scattered by the contents of the sample tube 2 so as to receive the light from the LED 11 and the photodiode. The optical axis 11 a is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the axis of the sample tube 2.
[0021]
That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the light emitted from the LED 10 passes through the sample tube 2 through the openings 21 and 22, and is further received by the photodiode 10a through the openings 23 and 24. The light emitted from the LED 11 is As shown in FIG. 6, the light is scattered by the contents in the sample tube 2 through the openings 25 and 26, and the scattered light is received by the photodiode 11 a through the openings 27 and 28.
[0022]
A temperature detection thermistor 16 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is provided on the side surface of the holder 3. A bottom plate 12 is attached to the bottom of the support member 5, and two circuit boards 13 (FIG. 2) and 14 (FIG. 3) are erected on the bottom plate 12.
[0023]
The assembling procedure of the main body 1 will now be described with reference to a longitudinal sectional view of the storage member 3 (FIG. 8) and a top view of the elastic member 4 (FIG. 9).
First, the coil pressing plate 15 is bonded to the upper end of the housing member 3 (FIG. 8) molded from a resin such as polycarbonate or polyacetal, and then the coil winding portion 3a is wound with a nichrome wire coated with a heat-resistant resin to produce a coil heater. 6 is created. Next, after the thermistor 16 is bonded to the side surface of the storage member 3, the motor 7 having the unbalancer 8 on the output shaft is fitted from the lower end of the storage member 3 and bonded.
[0024]
On the other hand, the LEDs 10 and 11 and the photodiodes 10a and 11a are mounted on the support member 5 in advance, and the elastic member 4 (FIG. 9) made of rubber or the like is fitted into the groove 4a on the inner wall from the upper opening of the support member 5. While being pushed down to the lower end of the groove 4a, it is fixed. Next, the storage member 3 is inserted into the insertion port 4c (FIG. 9) provided in the receiving portion 4a of the elastic member 4, and is fixed by being pushed down. Next, the base plate 12 on which the circuit boards 13 and 14 are erected in advance is attached and fixed to the bottom portion of the support member 5, and then the lid 9 is attached to the upper portion of the support member 5. Thereby, the assembly work of the main body 1 is completed.
[0025]
The elastic member 4 is elastically balanced and connected between the storage member 3 and the support member 5 by four legs 4b extending in four directions from the receiving portion 4d. This is to maintain the concentric state of the support member 5 and the support member 5 and to perform a swinging motion such that the storage member 3 circulates around the axis of the support member 5 by driving the motor 7. In other words, this is to prevent only one side of the swinging.
[0026]
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the blood coagulation measuring apparatus. The control unit 18 includes a microcomputer composed of a CPU, ROM, and RAM, a heater 6, a motor 7, a display device 19, and a driver circuit that drives the LEDs 10 and 11, and includes a keyboard 17, photodiodes 10a and 11a, and the thermistor 16. In response to this output, the heater 6, the motor 7, the display device (CRT) 19 and the LEDs 10, 11 are driven. The built-in components of the control unit 18 are mounted on the circuit boards 13 and 14.
[0027]
In such a configuration, when an activation command is input from the keyboard 17, the control unit 18 drives the heater 6 to heat the storage member 3 and detects the temperature of the storage member 3 by the thermistor 16. The temperature of 3 is maintained at 37 ° C. and ± 1.0 ° C.
[0028]
When the temperature of the storage member 3 reaches 37 ° C., the control unit 18 displays “Ready for measurement” on the display device 19 and lights the LEDs 10 and 11. Therefore, the user removes the lid 9 from the support member 5, loads the sample tube 2 containing a predetermined amount of blood sample (for example, 50 μl of plasma) into the storage member 3, attaches the lid 9, and removes from the pipette (not shown). A predetermined amount of reagent (for example, 100 μl of PT reagent) is injected into the sample tube 2 through the injection hole 9a.
[0029]
When detecting the injection of the reagent by the change in the amount of light received by the photodiode 10a, the controller 18 drives the motor 7 for 0.5 to 1.0 seconds to stir the contents of the sample tube 2. The control unit 18 starts measuring the coagulation time t simultaneously with the start of driving of the motor 7, and measures the scattered light quantity Q detected by the photodiode 11a every predetermined time (for example, every 0.1 second). Values are stored sequentially in the built-in RAM.
[0030]
When the rate of change of the scattered light quantity Q eventually reaches zero (saturation), the control unit 18 ends the measurement, and displays the temporal change of the scattered light quantity Q, that is, the coagulation curve on the display device 19 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the minimum level of the scattered light quantity Q is set to 0% and the maximum level is set to 100%, and the time t ₁ corresponding to the 50% level is calculated as the coagulation time and displayed on the display device 19.
In this way, the coagulation time is measured.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the liquid sample and the reagent stored in the container are agitated by the rocking of the container at the time of measurement, so that the sample can be analyzed with high accuracy and good reproducibility. Further, since the stirring work and the measurement work can be performed with the same apparatus, the labor of the stirring work can be saved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a top view showing an apparatus main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3;
5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 3;
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a top view of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a graph showing a measuring method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Sample tube 3 Storage member 4 Elastic member 5 Support member 6 Coil heater 7 Motor 8 Unbalancer 9 Cover 10 LED
10a Photodiode 11 LED
11a Photodiode 12 Bottom plate 13 Circuit board 14 Circuit board

Claims (3)

A storage member for removably storing a translucent container for storing a liquid sample therein, a support member for swingably supporting the storage member, a light source for irradiating light to the container, a light source from the light source through the container A photodetector for detecting light, a heater for heating the container, a swinging means for swinging the storage member, and a control unit for controlling the swinging means, wherein the control unit receives the amount of light received by the photodetector A liquid sample measuring device that detects that the reagent has been injected into the translucent container accommodated in the accommodating member due to a change in the position, and controls the oscillating means to oscillate the accommodating member.   2. The liquid sample measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating means comprises a motor and a weight member provided eccentric to the motor shaft.   The liquid sample measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the light source and the photodetector are provided on the support member.

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