JP6477431B2 - Inspection device - Google Patents

Description

    The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus that rotates a holding unit that holds an inspection chip.

    2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an inspection apparatus that inspects biological substances, chemical substances, and the like by centrifuging a test chip having a mixing part in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed is known. The inspection apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 includes a first rotating body, a holding unit, a rotation driving unit, and an angle adjusting unit. The first rotating body rotates on a predetermined plane. The holding unit is provided in the first rotating body, and holds the inspection chip in a state rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to an axis parallel to the predetermined plane. The rotation driving means includes a main shaft connected to the first rotating body and a main shaft motor that rotates the main shaft, and rotates the first rotating body. The rotation driving means includes a movable portion that is movable in a direction that intersects a predetermined plane with the same axis as the main shaft, and a conversion portion that converts the movement of the movable portion into the rotation of the holding portion. The angle is adjusted during the rotation of the first rotating body. The inspection chip is held by the holding unit and rotated by the inspection device. The liquid injected into the inspection chip is moved and mixed by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation to a plurality of mixing portions in the flow path formed in the inspection chip.

JP 2011-214897 A

    The inspection apparatus has not been sufficiently studied with respect to the size of the apparatus, and requires a relatively large installation space.

    An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus in which a mechanism for rotating a holding portion for holding an inspection chip around a main shaft and a mechanism for adjusting the angle of the holding portion with respect to the main shaft are made more compact than before.

The test apparatus according to the first and second aspects of the present invention includes a holding unit capable of holding a test chip having a mixing unit in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed, and a main shaft connected to the holding unit, A mechanism for rotating the holding portion around a main shaft, the main shaft motor having a first output shaft, for rotating the first output shaft, and connecting the main shaft and the first output shaft. A first rotation mechanism having a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting the main axis, and a mechanism for rotating the holding portion around the rotation axis, having a second output shaft, A rotary shaft motor that rotates the two output shafts, a first transmission portion that is connected to the second output shaft, and an extension direction of the main shaft, and is disposed between the holding portion and the main shaft connecting portion; 1 Rotation coupling part coupled to the transmission part, the holding part, and the rotation coupling part Binding, and is movably supported in the extending direction of the main shaft, in accordance with the rotation of the rotary shaft motor, and a second rotating mechanism and a second transmission unit for rotating the holder.

According to the inspection apparatus of the first and second aspects, the main shaft motor, the second rotation mechanism, and the holding portion are arranged in the extending direction of the main shaft. The rotation connecting portion of the inspection apparatus is disposed between the main shaft connecting portion and the holding portion in the extending direction of the main shaft. In the inspection apparatus, each of the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism can be arranged around the main shaft. Compared to the conventional apparatus, the inspection apparatus has a size of each of the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism. Can be small.

In the inspection apparatus according to the first aspect, the main shaft has a hollow cylindrical shape, and has an opening extending in the extending direction corresponding to a movable range of the second transmission portion, and the first transmission portion is The second transmission portion is disposed outside the main shaft, and the second transmission portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the inner shaft to the outer side of the main shaft via the inner shaft inserted inside the main shaft and the opening of the main shaft. A projecting portion that supports the inner shaft so as to be movable in the extending direction with respect to the main shaft; and a support member that supports the projecting portion so as to be rotatable about the main shaft. , is disposed outside the main shaft, connecting said first transmitting portion, and said support member of said second transmission unit. In the inspection device according to the first aspect , the inner shaft of the second transmission portion is arranged inside the cylindrical main shaft, so that the size of the device can be reduced as compared with the case where both are arranged separately.

In the inspection apparatus according to the first and second aspects, the main shaft coupling portion may be a shaft coupling that arranges the first output shaft of the main shaft motor and the main shaft on the same straight line. In this case, the inspection apparatus reduces the size of the inspection apparatus in the direction orthogonal to the main axis as compared to the case where the output shaft of the main shaft motor and the main axis are not collinear. The driving accuracy of the spindle motor (for example, control of the stop position of the holding unit) can be improved as compared with the case where the belts are connected.

In the inspection apparatus according to the first and second aspects, a detection unit that is disposed on the opposite side of the holding unit with respect to the main shaft motor in the extending direction of the main shaft and detects a rotational position of the main shaft motor; And a control unit that controls driving of the spindle motor based on the detection result of the detection unit. In this case, the inspection device that detects the rotational position of the spindle motor is held in a place other than the side opposite to the holding unit side with respect to the spindle motor (for example, in a virtual plane orthogonal to the extending direction of the spindle). The space required for installing the detection unit in the direction orthogonal to the main axis can be reduced compared to the case where the detection unit is installed on the side away from the main axis with respect to the unit. Further, the inspection apparatus can improve the accuracy of the stop position of the holding unit by controlling the drive of the spindle motor based on the detection result of the encoder. For example, when the inspection device irradiates the inspection chip with light of a predetermined wavelength and measures the intensity of the transmitted light after centrifuging the inspection chip, the transmitted light is improved by improving the accuracy of the stop position of the holding unit. The measurement accuracy can be improved.

In the inspection device according to the second aspect, the rotary connecting portion includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion connected to the first connecting portion so that the position of the main shaft in the rotational direction can be adjusted. , said first connecting portion is disposed between the second connecting portion, further Ru comprising an adjusting portion which is formed of a deformable material. In the inspection device according to the second aspect , the adjustment unit is disposed between the first connection unit and the second connection unit, and the adjustment unit itself is deformed, whereby the rotation connection unit with respect to the main shaft in the rotation direction of the main shaft. The position of is adjusted. The inspection apparatus can simplify the operation of adjusting the position of the rotary connecting portion with respect to the main shaft in the rotation direction of the main shaft.

In the inspection apparatus according to the first and second aspects, the power supply board is disposed on one side in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the main shaft, and supplies power to the control unit, and the control unit, the main shaft And a control board disposed on the opposite side to the one side. In the inspection apparatus in this case, the power supply board and the control board are arranged on one side and the other side with respect to the main shaft. Compared to the case where the power supply board and the control board are on the same side with respect to the main shaft, the inspection apparatus can be driven in a stable manner while the center of gravity of the inspection apparatus is balanced while the apparatus is compact.

It is a front view of the inspection apparatus 1 when a pair of holding | maintenance part 3 rotates 0 degree | times centering on the rotating shaft 9. FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the main axis | shaft 57 from the lower side. FIG. 2 is a front view of the inspection apparatus 1 when a pair of holding portions 3 rotate 0 degrees around a rotation shaft 9 and a main shaft 57 rotates 90 degrees in plan view with respect to the state of FIG. 1. It is an arrow direction fragmentary sectional view in the AA line of FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the rotation connection part 12 of the state which the 1st sheet metal member 25 and the 2nd sheet metal member 26 separated from the right rear. It is the perspective view which looked at the rotation connection part 12 of the state which the 1st sheet metal member 25 and the 2nd sheet metal member 26 connected from the right front. It is a front view of the 2nd transmission part. It is a front view of the inspection apparatus 1 when a pair of holding | maintenance part 3 rotates 90 degree | times centering on the rotating shaft 9. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the inspection apparatus 1. FIG.

<Outline of inspection device 1>
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the schematic structure of the test | inspection apparatus 1 is demonstrated. In the following description, the upper side, the lower side, the right side, the left side, the front side, and the back side of FIG. 1 are the upper side, the lower side, the right side, the left side, the front side, and the rear side of the inspection apparatus 1, respectively. In the present embodiment, the direction of the vertical axis L1 is the vertical direction of the inspection apparatus 1, and the direction of the horizontal axis L2 is the speed direction when the holder 61 and the inspection chip 70 are rotated about the vertical axis L1. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inspection apparatus 1 is an apparatus that inspects biological substances, chemical substances, and the like by centrifuging a test chip 70 having a mixing unit 71 in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed. The specimen is a fluid containing components such as blood, plasma, blood cells, bone marrow, urine, vaginal tissue, epithelial tissue, tumor, semen, saliva, or foodstuff. The reagent is a liquid that is appropriately selected according to the specimen and the test item. The inspection apparatus 1 includes a housing 2, a pair of holding units 3, a first rotation mechanism 4, a detection unit 5, a second rotation mechanism 6, a power supply board 7, and a control board 8. The housing 2 has a box-shaped frame structure. Although not illustrated, the housing 2 includes an operation unit including an opening / closing unit that can expose the holding unit 3 to the outside of the housing 2, a power switch, and a plurality of operation switches.

  The pair of holding units 3 can hold the inspection chip 70. A pair of holding | maintenance part 3 exists in the upper side rather than the board | plate material 32 of a planar view rectangular shape. The plate member 32 extends substantially parallel to the horizontal direction above the center in the vertical direction of the housing 2. The inspection chip 70 is attached to the holding unit 3 with the thickness direction extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

  The first rotation mechanism 4 has a main shaft 57 connected to the pair of holding portions 3, and is a mechanism that rotates (revolves) the pair of holding portions 3 around the main shaft 57. The first rotation mechanism 4 includes a main shaft 57, a main shaft motor 35, and a main shaft coupling portion 37. The main shaft 57 extends along the vertical axis L1. The main shaft 57 penetrates the plate member 32 and protrudes above the plate member 32. The main shaft 57 is rotatably held by support members 53 and 54 provided below the plate member 32. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the main shaft 57 has a hollow cylindrical shape and has a pair of slit-shaped openings 58 extending in the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The pair of openings 58 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center (vertical axis L1) of the planar view main shaft 57. The vertically extending range of the pair of openings 58 corresponds to a movable range of the second transmission unit 14 described later, and is set slightly longer than the movable range of the second transmission unit 14 in this example.

  The main shaft motor 35 has an output shaft 36 and rotates the output shaft 36. The spindle motor 35 of this example is a DC motor and is driven according to the control of a control device 90 described later. The output shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 protrudes upward. The main shaft connecting portion 37 connects the main shaft 57 and the output shaft 36. The main shaft coupling portion 37 of this example is a shaft joint that arranges the output shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 and the main shaft 57 on the same straight line. The lower end portion of the main shaft 57 is inserted into a pair of holes 56 of the second transmission portion 14 which will be described later, and is held by the main shaft coupling portion 37.

  The first rotation mechanism 4 of this example further includes a turntable 33 and a pair of support portions 49. The turntable 33 is disposed below the pair of holding portions 3 and above the plate member 32. The turntable 33 is a disk-shaped plate member extending substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis L1. The turntable 33 is circular with the vertical axis L1 in plan view as the center. The upper end portion of the main shaft 57 is connected to the center portion of the lower surface of the turntable 33. The pair of support portions 49 are fixed to the upper surface of the turntable 33 and support the pair of holding portions 3 via the pair of rotating shafts 9. The pair of support portions 49 are disposed symmetrically with respect to the main axis 57 (vertical axis L1) in plan view. When the main shaft motor 35 rotates the output shaft 36, the driving force is transmitted to the main shaft 57. At this time, in conjunction with the rotation of the main shaft 57, the turntable 33 rotates about the vertical axis L1. The pair of holding portions 3 rotate around the vertical axis L1 through the support portion 49 fixed to the turntable 33.

  The detection unit 5 is disposed on the opposite side of the pair of holding units 3 with respect to the main shaft motor 35 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57 and detects the rotational position of the main shaft motor 35. The detection unit 5 is, for example, an encoder that optically detects the rotational position of the main shaft 57. In this example, with respect to the spindle motor 35, the pair of holding portions 3 are below the spindle motor 35. The detection unit 5 outputs the detection result to a control device 90 (see FIG. 9) described later. The control device 90 controls the driving of the spindle motor 35 based on the detection result of the detection unit 5.

  The power supply board 7 is disposed on one side in the direction intersecting with the extending direction of the main shaft 57 and supplies power to the control device 90. The power supply substrate 7 of this example is a plate-like substrate, and is disposed on the right side with respect to the main shaft 57 in a state where the surface having the largest inner area of the power supply substrate 7 faces in the left-right direction. The control board 8 has a control device 90 and is disposed on the opposite side to the one side with respect to the main shaft 57 in a direction crossing the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The control board 8 of this example is a plate-like board, and is arranged on the left side with respect to the main shaft 57 in a state where the surface having the largest inner area of the surface of the control board 8 faces in the left-right direction. The distance between the power supply board 7 and the vertical axis L1 is longer than the distance between the control board 8 and the vertical axis L1. In this example, the power supply substrate 7 is disposed on one side in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the main shaft 57, and the control substrate 8 is disposed on the opposite side of the main shaft 57 from the one side. Each of the power supply substrate 7 and the control substrate 8 is below the plate member 32. The pair of holding units 3, the first rotation mechanism 4, the detection unit 5, and the second rotation mechanism 6 are each disposed between the power supply substrate 7 and the control substrate 8 in plan view.

  The second rotating mechanism 6 has a pair of rotating shafts 9 extending in a direction intersecting the main shaft 57. The second rotating mechanism 6 rotates (rotates, swings) the holding unit 3 corresponding to each of the pair of rotating shafts 9. The second rotation mechanism 6 includes a rotation shaft motor 51, a first transmission unit 11, a rotation connection unit 12, a guide unit 13, and a second transmission unit 14. Of the second rotation mechanism 6, the rotation shaft motor 51, the first transmission unit 11, and the rotation connection unit 12 are located between the pair of holding units 3 and the main shaft connection unit 37 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The rotary shaft motor 51 has an output shaft 59 and rotates the output shaft 59. The rotary shaft motor 51 of this example is a stepping motor. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary shaft motor 51 is disposed behind the main shaft 57. The output shaft 59 extends rightward.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first transmission unit 11 is connected to the output shaft 59 of the rotary shaft motor 51. The first transmission unit 11 is disposed outside the main shaft 57. The first transmission unit 11 includes a pinion gear 21 and a rack gear 22. The pinion gear 21 is connected to the tip (right end) of the output shaft 59. The rack gear 22 is a plate-like member that is long in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the rack gear 22 includes gear teeth 23 arranged in the vertical direction on the back surface. The rack gear 22 is disposed on the front side of the pinion gear 21 and meshes with the pinion gear 21. The rack gear 22 moves in the vertical direction according to the rotation of the pinion gear 21.

The rotation connecting portion 12 is disposed between the pair of holding portions 3 and the main shaft connecting portion 37 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57 and is connected to the first transmission portion 11. The rotation connecting portion 12 is disposed outside the main shaft 57 and connects the first transmission portion 11 and the second transmission portion 14. The rotary connecting portion 12 includes a plate member 24 , a first sheet metal member 25, a second sheet metal member 26, and a shaft 27. The plate member 24 is a metal plate-like member. Of the surfaces of the plate member 24, the surface having the largest area faces in the left-right direction. A rack gear 22 is connected to the rear portion of the right surface of the plate member 24.

  The first sheet metal member 25 includes a front part 251, a left part 253, and a rear part 255, and is a U-shaped member that opens to the right in plan view. The second sheet metal member 26 includes a front part 261, a right part 263, and a rear part 265, and is a U-shaped member that opens to the left in plan view. The second sheet metal member 26 is connected to the first sheet metal member 25 such that the position of the main shaft 57 in the rotational direction can be adjusted. The first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26 are formed, for example, by bending both end portions of a metal plate member in substantially the same direction by 90 degrees. The first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26 have substantially the same length in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a through hole 252 having a circular shape in front view is provided slightly above the center of the front portion 251 of the first sheet metal member 25 in the vertical direction. A through hole 256 having a circular shape in front view is provided slightly above the center of the rear portion 255 in the vertical direction. The shaft 27 is inserted into the through holes 252 and 256. The left surface of the left portion 253 of the first sheet metal member 25 is connected to the plate member 24. The adjustment unit 16 is attached to the right surface of the left portion 253 of the first sheet metal member 25. The adjustment part 16 is a member that can be deformed so that the position of the rotary connecting part 12 relative to the main shaft 57 in the rotation direction of the main shaft 57 can be changed. The adjustment unit 16 is, for example, a resin sheet having a predetermined thickness.

A concave portion 262 that is recessed from the left end portion to the right in the front view is provided slightly above the center in the vertical direction of the front portion 261 of the second sheet metal member 26. A pair of adjusting portions 15 is attached to the front surface of the front portion 261 with the concave portion 262 interposed therebetween in the vertical direction. The adjusting unit 15 is an elastic member that can change the position of the rotary connecting portion 12 with respect to the main shaft 57 in the rotation direction of the main shaft 57. The adjustment unit 15 is a cushioning material such as urethane, soft rubber, and sponge, for example. The slightly above the vertical center of the rear 265 recessed no concave portion 266 is provided in the front view rightward from the left end. A pair of adjustment portions 15 are attached to the rear surface of the rear portion 265 with the concave portion 266 interposed therebetween in the vertical direction. The shaft 27 is inserted into the recesses 262 and 266. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the second sheet metal member 26 is disposed between the front portion 251 and the rear portion 255 of the first sheet metal member 25 in a state where the shaft 27 is inserted into the recesses 262 and 266. Is done. The shaft 27 is a metal columnar bar and extends in the front-rear direction. The front and rear ends of the shaft are fixed by a fixing member. In a state where the shaft 27 is inserted into the recesses 262 and 266, the first sheet metal member 25, the second sheet metal member 26, and the adjustment units 15 and 16 are in the following positional relationship. The left end of the second sheet metal member 26 is in contact with the adjustment unit 16. The back surface of the front portion 251 of the first sheet metal member 25 is in contact with the adjusting portion 15 attached to the front surface of the front portion 261 of the second sheet metal member 26. The front surface of the rear portion 255 of the first sheet metal member 25 is in contact with the adjustment portion 15 attached to the rear surface of the rear portion 265 of the second sheet metal member 26. The position in the rotation direction of the main shaft 57 of the second sheet metal member 26 with respect to the first sheet metal member 25 is adjusted by the deformation of the adjusting portions 15 and 16.

  The guide portion 13 is a member that defines the moving direction of the rotary connecting portion 12. The guide unit 13 includes a first guide member 41, a second guide member 42, and a fixing member 43. The first guide member 41 is a slider that extends along the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The first guide member 41 is connected to the right surface of the right portion 263 of the second sheet metal member 26. The second guide member 42 is a guide rail that extends in the vertical direction and engages with the first guide member 41. The fixing member 43 is a metal plate-like member extending in the front-rear direction. The fixing member 43 is fixed in the housing 2 in a state where the surface having the largest area among the surfaces of the fixing member 43 faces the left-right direction. The left surface of the fixing member 43 is connected to the right surface of the second guide member 42. The first guide member 41 engages with the second guide member 42, is guided by the second guide member 42, and is movable in the vertical direction with respect to the second guide member 42.

  The second transmission unit 14 is coupled to the pair of holding units 3 and the rotation coupling unit 12, is supported so as to be movable in the extending direction of the main shaft 57, and is paired with the pair of holding units according to the rotation of the rotary shaft motor 51. 3 is rotated. The second transmission unit 14 includes an inner shaft 40, a pair of protrusions 44, and a circumferential part 45. The inner shaft 40 is inserted inside the main shaft 57. The inner shaft 40 is a cylindrical shaft that can move in the vertical direction inside the main shaft 57. The upper end portion of the inner shaft 40 extends through the main shaft 57 and above the turntable 33 and is connected to a pair of rack gears 46 described later. As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of protrusions 44 protrude from the outer periphery of the inner shaft 40 to the outside of the main shaft 57 through the opening 58 of the main shaft 57. The protruding portion 44 is connected to a circular circumferential portion 45 centered on the plan view inner shaft 40 (vertical axis L1). That is, one end of the projecting portion 44 is connected to the inner shaft 40, and the other end is connected to the circumferential portion 45. The pair of protrusions 44 and the inner shaft 40 are on the same straight line in plan view. That is, the pair of projecting portions 44 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the main shaft 57 on a plane orthogonal to the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The circumferential portion 45 is provided at substantially the same position as the lower end portion of the inner shaft 40 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The inner shaft 40, the pair of projecting portions 44, and the circumferential portion 45 of this example are integrally formed. The projecting portion 44 and the circumferential portion 45 project from the outer periphery of the inner shaft 40 to the outside of the main shaft 57 through the opening 58 of the main shaft 57, and are movable in the extending direction of the main shaft 57 with respect to the main shaft 57. The inner shaft 40 is supported. The lower end portion of the main shaft 57 is inserted through a pair of holes 56 surrounded by the inner shaft 40, the pair of protrusions 44, and the circumferential portion 45.

  The second transmission portion 14 of this example further includes a support member 54, a ball bearing 55, a pair of rack gears 46, and a pair of pinion gears 48. The support member 54 is a box-like member having a square shape in plan view. The right side surface of the support member 54 is connected to the left surface of the plate member 24. The support member 54 supports the inner shaft 40 via the ball bearing 55, the circumferential portion 45, and the protruding portion 44. That is, the support member 54 and the ball bearing 55 support the circumferential portion 45 so as to be rotatable about the main shaft 57 (vertical axis L1). In FIGS. 4 to 6, the balls included in the ball bearing 55 are omitted. Specifically, the inner ring of the ball bearing 55 of the support member 54 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the circumferential portion 45. The inner portion 40 formed integrally with the circumferential portion 45 and the circumferential portion 45 rotates about the vertical axis L <b> 1 according to the rotation of the main shaft 57. The ball bearing 55 rotates according to the rotation of the main shaft 57. The support member 54 holds the outer ring of the ball bearing 55. When the rotary shaft motor 51 rotates the output shaft 59, the support member 54 and the ball bearing 55 move up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear 21. At this time, the circumferential portion 45 supported by the support member 54 via the ball bearing 55 moves in the vertical direction along the opening 58 of the main shaft 57. The inner shaft 40 moves up and down integrally with the circumferential portion 45.

  The pair of rack gears 46 are metal plate-like members disposed above the turntable 33. As shown in FIG. 7, each of the pair of rack gears 46 is fixed to the upper ends of the opposed surfaces of the inner shaft 40. One rack gear 46 extends from the inner shaft 40 in one direction when viewed from above, and the other rack gear 46 extends in the opposite direction to the one direction side. Gear teeth 47 are formed in the vertical direction at the end of each of the pair of rack gears 46 opposite to the inner shaft 40 side. The pair of rack gears 46 move up and down as the inner shaft 40 moves up and down.

  Each of the pair of pinion gears 48 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 9 between the holding portion 3 and the support portion 49 corresponding to the plan view. Each of the pair of pinion gears 48 meshes with the corresponding rack gear 46. As the rack gear 46 moves up and down, the pinion gear 48 rotates about the rotating shaft 9, so that the holding unit 3 rotates about the rotating shaft 9. The inspection chip 70 held by the holding unit 3 rotates around the rotation shaft 9 together with the holding unit 3.

  When the support member 54 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is raised to the uppermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 46 is also raised to the uppermost end of the movable range. At this time, the arrangement of the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip is set to a steady state where the angle is 0 degrees. On the other hand, when the support member 54 shown in FIG. 8 is lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range, the rack gear 46 is also lowered to the lowermost end of the movable range. At this time, the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip are rotated 90 degrees from the steady state to the side away from the vertical axis L1 with the horizontal axis L2 as the center. That is, in this example, the range of the angle at which the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip can rotate around the horizontal axis L2 is from the angle 0 degrees shown in FIG. 1 to 90 degrees shown in FIG.

  The inspection apparatus 1 rotates the pair of holding units 3 and the inspection chip 70 around the vertical axis L1 that is separated from the pair of holding units 3 and the inspection chip 70. In this case, centrifugal force acts on the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip 70. The inspection apparatus 1 rotates the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip 70 around the horizontal axis L2. In this case, the centrifugal direction that is the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the pair of holding portions 3 and the inspection chip 70 is changed.

<Electrical Configuration of Control Device 90>
The electrical configuration of the control device 90 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 90 includes a CPU 91, a RAM 92, and a flash memory 93. The CPU 91 governs main control of the inspection apparatus 1. The RAM 92 temporarily stores various data. The flash memory 93 stores a control program and parameters. An operation unit 94, a first controller 97, a second controller 98, and the optical measurement unit 10 are connected to the CPU 91. The CPU 91 controls the first controller 97, the second controller 98, and the optical measurement unit 10. The first controller 97 controls the operation of the pair of holding units 3 rotating around the vertical axis L1 by transmitting a control signal for rotating the spindle motor 35 to the spindle motor 35. The second controller 98 transmits a control signal for rotating the rotary shaft motor 51 to the rotary shaft motor 51, thereby controlling the operation of each of the pair of holding units 3 rotating around the horizontal axis L2. The optical measurement unit 10 performs optical measurement of the inspection chip 70. Specifically, the optical measurement unit 10 performs light emission of the emission unit 73 and light detection of the detection unit 72.

<Example of inspection method>
An example of an inspection method using the inspection chip 70 will be described. A sample and a reagent are injected into the inspection chip 70. The user attaches the inspection chip 70 to the pair of holding units 3 and inputs a process start command from the operation unit (not shown). As a result, the CPU 91 executes centrifugal processing based on the control program stored in the flash memory 93. In the centrifugal process, the CPU 91 performs an operation of changing the rotation angle around the rotation axis 9 (horizontal axis L2) of the inspection chip 70 by drivingly controlling the rotation axis motor 51 via the second controller 98.

The CPU 91 reads motor driving information stored in advance in the flash memory 93, sets driving information of the spindle motor 35 in the first controller 97, and sets driving information of the rotary shaft motor 51 in the second controller 98. At this time, since the inspection chip 70 is in a steady state, the rotation angle is 0 degree. Next, the CPU 91 starts revolution of the inspection chip 70 with a rotation angle of 0 degree. The CPU 91 maintains the revolution speed, which is the movement speed of the revolving inspection chip 70, at the speed V. Centrifugal force acts on the inspection chip 70. Next, the CPU 91 changes the rotation angle from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. When the rotation angle of the inspection chip 70 is changed to 90 degrees, the direction of the centrifugal force acting on the inspection chip 70 is changed. The CPU 91 repeatedly changes the rotation angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees. By direction repeatedly changes in centrifugal force, each liquid moves, the specimen and the reagent are engaged mixed in a predetermined order.

  The CPU 91 changes the angle of the pair of holding portions 3 around the horizontal axis L2 to 0 degrees. The CPU 91 stops the rotation of the main shaft 57 and ends the centrifugation process. At this time, the CPU 91 moves the holding unit 3 to be measured to the measurement position based on the detection result of the detection unit 5. After execution of the centrifugation process, the CPU 91 causes the emission unit 73 to emit light. The measurement light emitted from the emission unit 73 passes through a predetermined measurement position of the inspection chip 70. The CPU 91 performs optical measurement of the liquid mixture based on the amount of change in the measurement light received by the detection unit 72 and acquires measurement data. CPU91 calculates the measurement result of a liquid mixture based on the acquired measurement data.

  In the inspection apparatus 1, the pair of holding portions 3 is an example of the holding portion of the present invention. The output shaft 36, the main shaft motor 35, the main shaft connecting portion 37, and the first rotating mechanism 4 are examples of the first output shaft, the main shaft motor, the main shaft connecting portion, and the first rotating mechanism of the present invention, respectively. The output shaft 59, the rotation shaft motor 51, the first transmission unit 11, the rotation coupling unit 12, the second transmission unit 14, and the second rotation mechanism 6 are respectively the second output shaft, the rotation shaft motor, and the first transmission of the present invention. It is an example of a part, a rotation connection part, a 2nd transmission part, and a 2nd rotation mechanism. The inner shaft 40, the detection unit 5, and the control device 90 are examples of the inner shaft, the detection unit, and the control unit of the present invention, respectively. The support member 54 and the ball bearing 55 are examples of the support member of the present invention. A pair of protrusion part 44 and the circumference part 45 are examples of the protrusion part of this invention. The adjustment units 15 and 16 are examples of the adjustment unit of the present invention. The power supply board 7 and the control board 8 are examples of the power supply board and the control board of the present invention, respectively. The 1st sheet metal member 25 and the 2nd sheet metal member 26 are examples of the 1st connection part and the 2nd connection part of the present invention, respectively.

  According to the inspection apparatus 1, the main shaft motor 35, the second rotation mechanism 6, and the pair of holding portions 3 are arranged in the extending direction of the main shaft. The rotation connecting portion 12 of the inspection apparatus 1 is disposed between the main shaft connecting portion 37 and the pair of holding portions 3 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57. The inspection apparatus 1 can arrange each of the first rotation mechanism 4 and the second rotation mechanism 6 around the main shaft 57, and compared with the conventional apparatus, the first rotation mechanism 4, the second rotation mechanism 6, and the like. The size of each can be reduced. Since the main shaft motor 35 is disposed on the vertical axis L1 and below the housing 2, the center of gravity of the inspection apparatus 1 is lower than the conventional one and is stable.

  The main shaft 57 of the inspection apparatus 1 has a hollow cylindrical shape and has a pair of openings 58 extending in the extending direction of the main shaft 57 corresponding to the movable range of the second transmission unit 14. Since the inspection apparatus 1 arranges the inner shaft 40 of the second transmission portion 14 inside the cylindrical main shaft 57, the apparatus can be reduced in size as compared with the case where both are arranged separately. In this example, as shown in FIG. 4, the guide portion 13 is on the right side with respect to the main shaft 57, and the output shaft 59 of the rotary shaft motor 51 is on the rear side with respect to the main shaft 57. On the other hand, in the inspection apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 5359965, the output shaft of the rotary shaft motor and the guide portion 13 are in the same direction with respect to the main shaft. That is, in the inspection apparatus 1, the direction of each of the plurality of constituent elements with respect to the main shaft 57 is distributed more than the conventional one so that each of the plurality of constituent elements of the second rotation mechanism 6 extends along the periphery of the main shaft 57. Since each of the plurality of constituent elements of the second rotation mechanism 6 is closer to the main shaft 57 than in the prior art, it is easy to take the clearance of the second rotation mechanism 6 with respect to the main shaft 57. For this reason, in the inspection apparatus 1 of this example, compared with the conventional inspection apparatus, the structure of the 2nd rotation mechanism 6 which rotates each of a pair of holding | maintenance part 3 centering on the corresponding rotating shaft 9 can be made more compact than before. .

  The main shaft connecting portion 37 is a shaft joint that arranges the output shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 and the main shaft 57 on the same straight line. The inspection device 1 can reduce the size of the inspection device 1 as compared with the case where the output shaft 36 of the main shaft motor 35 and the main shaft 57 are not on the same straight line. The inspection apparatus 1 has a higher driving accuracy of the spindle motor 35 (for example, control of the stop positions of the pair of holding portions 3) than the case where the spindle motor 35 and the spindle 57 are connected by a belt as in the conventional apparatus. It can be improved. Since the inspection apparatus 1 does not need to take into account belt wear or the like that occurs when the main shaft motor 35 and the main shaft 57 are connected by a belt, the main shaft motor 35 and the main shaft 57 are connected by a belt. In comparison with this, the period during which the rotating mechanism is driven normally can be extended. The spindle motor 35 in this example is a DC motor and is less expensive than a case where a stepping motor is used as the spindle motor 35.

  In the inspection apparatus 1, the detection unit 5 is disposed on the opposite side of the pair of holding units 3 with respect to the main shaft motor 35 in the extending direction of the main shaft 57, and detects the rotational position of the main shaft motor 35. Therefore, in the inspection apparatus, the detection unit 5 that detects the rotational position of the spindle motor 35 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the spindle 57 except for the side opposite to the pair of holding units 3 with respect to the spindle motor 35. Compared to the case where the detection unit 5 is installed on the virtual plane on the side away from the main shaft 57 with respect to the pair of holding units 3, the space required to install the detection unit 5 can be reduced. The inspection apparatus 1 can improve the accuracy of the stop positions of the pair of holding units 3 by controlling the driving of the spindle motor 35 based on the detection result of the encoder. In the inspection apparatus 1 of this example, after the inspection chip 70 is centrifuged, the inspection chip is irradiated with light of a predetermined wavelength and the intensity of transmitted light is measured. The measurement accuracy of transmitted light can be improved.

  The inspection apparatus 1 includes deformable adjustment units 15 and 16. Since the inspection apparatus 1 rotates the main shaft 57 at a relatively high speed, it is necessary to strictly align the main shaft 57 and the inner shaft 40. The inspection apparatus 1 can change the position of the rotary connecting portion 12 with respect to the main shaft 57 in the rotation direction of the main shaft 57 by using relatively small adjustment portions 15 and 16. The inspection apparatus 1 can simplify the operation of adjusting the position of the rotary connecting portion 12 with respect to the main shaft 57 in the rotation direction of the main shaft 57. Each of the first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26 is a metal member. In the inspection apparatus 1, the adjustment units 15 and 16 are disposed between the first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26, and the first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26 are non-metallic adjustment units 15. , 16. Therefore, in the inspection apparatus 1, the first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26 are not in direct contact with each other, and metal sound is prevented from being generated due to the contact between the first sheet metal member 25 and the second sheet metal member 26. Is done.

  In the inspection apparatus 1, the power supply substrate 7 and the control substrate 8 are arranged on one side and the other side with respect to the main shaft 57. Compared to the case where the power supply board 7 and the control board 8 are on the same side with respect to the main shaft 57, the inspection apparatus 1 can balance the center of gravity of the inspection apparatus 1 and can be stably rotated.

  The inspection apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the following modifications may be added as appropriate.

The type of the inspection chip 70 that can be held by the holding unit 3 may be changed as appropriate. A rotation range of the pair of holding portions 3 about the vertical axis L 1 of the first rotating mechanism 4, each of the rotation range of the pair of holding portions 3 about the horizontal axis L2 by the second rotation mechanism 6 as appropriate It may be changed. The shape, configuration, and number of the holding unit 3 may be changed as appropriate. From the viewpoint of stably performing the centrifugal treatment, it is preferable that the number of the holding portions 3 is an even number, and the arrangement of the pair of holding portions is arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical axis L1 in plan view. The main shaft coupling portion 37 is not limited to a shaft coupling. The main shaft connecting portion 37 may connect the first output shaft and the main shaft via a belt. Each of the main shaft motor 35 and the rotary shaft motor 51 may be any motor that can rotate the output shaft, and the type of the motor may be changed as appropriate. The shape of the main shaft may be changed as appropriate. For example, the main shaft may not be hollow. In another example, the number of openings provided in the main shaft may be changed as appropriate. The shaft corresponding to the inner shaft 40 of the second rotation mechanism 6 may be arranged on the outer periphery of the main shaft 57.

  The detection unit 5 may be omitted as necessary. The detection part 5 should just be able to detect the rotation angle of the main axis | shaft 57 directly or indirectly, and may be other than an encoder. The installation position of the detection unit may be changed. The arrangement of the power supply board 7 and the control board 8 may be changed as appropriate. The rotary connection part 12 may be comprised with one member. The second rotating mechanism 6 only needs to be able to rotate the holding unit 3 around the rotating shaft 9 by the driving force of the rotating shaft motor 51 and has a configuration different from the rack gear 46 and the pinion gear 48 such as a link mechanism. May be. The arrangement, size (thickness), shape, and number of the adjusting units 15 and 16 may be changed as appropriate. Only one of the adjustment units 15 and 16 may be provided. The adjustment unit may be omitted as necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inspection apparatus 4 1st rotation mechanism 5 Detection part 6 2nd rotation mechanism 7 Power supply board 8 Control board 9 Rotating shaft 11 1st transmission part 12 Rotation connection part 13 Guide part 14 2nd transmission parts 15 and 16 Adjustment part 35 Spindle motor 36 Output shaft 37 Main shaft connecting portion 40 Inner shaft 51 Rotating shaft motor 54 Support member 55 Ball bearing 57 Main shaft 58 Opening portion 59 Output shaft 70 Inspection chip 71 Mixing portion 90 Controller

Claims (5)

A holding part capable of holding a test chip having a mixing part in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed;
A mechanism having a main shaft connected to the holding portion, and rotating the holding portion around the main shaft;
A spindle motor having a first output shaft and rotating the first output shaft;
A first rotation mechanism having a main shaft connecting portion that connects the main shaft and the first output shaft;
A mechanism having a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting the main axis, and rotating the holding portion around the rotation axis;
A rotary shaft motor having a second output shaft and rotating the second output shaft;
A first transmission unit coupled to the second output shaft;
A rotation connecting portion disposed between the holding portion and the main shaft connecting portion in the extending direction of the main shaft and connected to the first transmission portion;
Said holding unit, coupled to said rotating connection portion, is movable in the extending direction of the main shaft, in accordance with the rotation of the rotary shaft motor, and a second transmission unit for rotating the holding portion and a second rotating mechanism having,
The main shaft has a hollow cylindrical shape, and has an opening extending in the extending direction corresponding to a movable range of the second transmission portion,
The first transmission portion is disposed outside the main shaft,
The second transmission unit is
An inner shaft inserted inside the main shaft;
A projecting portion that projects from the outer periphery of the inner shaft to the outside of the main shaft through the opening of the main shaft, and supports the inner shaft so as to be movable in the extending direction with respect to the main shaft;
A support member that rotatably supports the protrusion around the main shaft;
Have
The rotation connecting portion is disposed outside the main shaft, and connects the first transmission portion and the support member of the second transmission portion . A holding part capable of holding a test chip having a mixing part in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed;
A mechanism having a main shaft connected to the holding portion, and rotating the holding portion around the main shaft;
A spindle motor having a first output shaft and rotating the first output shaft;
A main shaft connecting portion that connects the main shaft and the first output shaft;
A first rotation mechanism having
A mechanism having a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting the main axis, and rotating the holding portion around the rotation axis;
A rotary shaft motor having a second output shaft and rotating the second output shaft;
A first transmission unit coupled to the second output shaft;
A rotation connecting portion disposed between the holding portion and the main shaft connecting portion in the extending direction of the main shaft and connected to the first transmission portion;
A second transmission unit coupled to the holding unit and the rotation coupling unit, supported so as to be movable in the extending direction of the main shaft, and rotating the holding unit according to the rotation of the rotary shaft motor;
A second rotation mechanism having
With
The rotational connecting portion is
A first connecting part;
A second connecting part connected to the first connecting part so that the position of the main shaft in the rotational direction can be adjusted;
With
The inspection apparatus further comprising an adjustment unit that is disposed between the first connection unit and the second connection unit and is formed of a deformable material.     3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main shaft coupling portion is a shaft joint that arranges the first output shaft of the main shaft motor and the main shaft on the same straight line. A detection unit that is disposed on the opposite side of the main shaft motor from the holding unit in the extending direction of the main shaft, and detects a rotational position of the main shaft motor;
The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that controls driving of the spindle motor based on a detection result of the detection unit. A power supply board that is disposed on one side of a direction intersecting the extending direction of the main shaft and supplies power to the control unit;
The inspection apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control board having the control unit and disposed on a side opposite to the one side with respect to the main shaft.

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