JPH02105063A - Automatic chemical analyzing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the deterioration of analytic accuracy by connecting a first optical guide and a first optical fiber, and a second optical guide and a second optical fiber so that the centers of each of them coincide a rotation axis of a rotating body which is placed coaxially with a turntable. CONSTITUTION:In this analyzing device, the center axis of a light source side end part of a first optical guide 17 is allowed to coincide with a rotation axis of a rotating body 4, and also, an optical fiber 19 connected to a light source 13 is installed so as to be opposed by keeping a small clearance to this end part. In such a way, a first optical guide 17 and an optical fiber 19, and a second optical guide 18 and an optical fiber 22 can be connected in a state that each center axis is allowed to coincide, respectively without obstructing a rotation of the rotating body 4. Therefore, it can be prevented that a fluctuation is generated in the quantity by which a light beam from the light source 13 is made incident on a first optical guide in accordance with a rotational position of the rotating body and the quantity of which a transmission light is led into a photodetecting means 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer for analyzing samples such as blood and urine.

[Prior Art] Recently, measurements with high analytical accuracy have been made possible by using empty reaction vessels containing no specimen and monitoring the reaction process from mixing reagents to the specimen until the reaction is completely completed. In order to do this, an automatic chemical analyzer that enables multi-point measurements as shown in FIG. 4 has been developed.

In the figure, 1 is the main body, 2 is a large number of reaction vessels 3a, 3
4 is a rotating body, and this rotating body and the turntable 2 are coaxially attached to the main body 1 via bearings 5a, 5b, and 6, respectively. are rotatably supported. 7 is gear 8,
9 is a pulse motor for intermittently rotating the rotation table 2; 10 is a motor for rotating the rotating body 4 via gears 11 and 12; 13 is Hikari JX;
14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d are mirrors attached to the rotating body 4, and 15 is a light detection means equipped with a spectrometer, which is placed to face the light source 13 with the rotating body 4 in between. ing. 16 is a light-shielding tube.

In such a configuration, light from the light source 13 passes through the mirror 14a.
The transmitted light is reflected by and irradiated across the reaction container 3a, and the transmitted light is reflected by the mirrors 14b and 14c.
, 14d to the photodetecting means 15, where it is dispersed into desired wavelengths and detected. Here, in actual determination of A11l, a large number of containers 3a, 3b held on the turntable are rotated by rotating the rotating body 4 at least one rotation while the turntable 2, which is intermittently rotated, is stopped. It is programmed to sequentially irradiate light onto ... and detect the transmitted light.

[Problem A to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in such a structure that utilizes reflection by a mirror to irradiate the container with light from a light source or guide transmitted light from the container to the light detection means, it is difficult to avoid misalignment of the mirror. For example, the optical axes of the light source and the light detection means are likely to be misaligned with the rotational axis of the rotating body. If there is an axis misalignment, the amount of light from the light source incident on the mirror and the amount of transmitted light introduced into the light detection means will vary depending on the rotational position of the rotating body, resulting in a decrease in analysis accuracy. In addition, the light source and light detection means must be installed close to the center of the rotating body, which limits the installation location and makes maintenance inconvenient. The accuracy of analysis decreases.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and it prevents a decrease in analysis accuracy due to fluctuations in the amount of irradiation to the container or the amount introduced to the light detection means due to axis misalignment, and also prevents the degradation of the analysis accuracy due to the fluctuation of the amount of irradiation to the container or the amount introduced to the light detection means. The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic chemical analyzer that can be installed at any location.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention includes a turntable that holds a plurality of reaction vessels in the same circumference, and a mechanism for intermittently rotating the turntable. an intermittent rotation means; a rotating body disposed coaxially with the turntable; a rotating means for rotating the rotating body independently of the turntable; an external light source; a first optical fiber guided to the intake portion; a first light guide held by the rotary body and guided by the first optical fiber across a reaction vessel held on a turntable; , a second light guide for guiding the light held by the rotating body and transmitted through the reaction container to the light extraction part of the rotating body, and a light detector disposed outside to detect the light guided by the second light guide. and a second optical fiber for guiding the light to the device, and in the light intake section and the light extraction section of the rotary body, the first light guide and the first optical fiber, and the second light guide and the second optical fiber. The present invention is characterized in that the optical fibers are optically connected with their respective centers aligned with the rotational axis of the rotating body.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and the same numbers as in FIG. 4 indicate the same components.

That is, this embodiment is different from the conventional example shown in FIG.
4a to 14d, the light from the light source 13 is transmitted to the container 3a.
The second light guide 18 is used to guide the transmitted light transmitted through the container to the light detection means 15. Second, the central axis of the end of the first light guide 17 on the light source side is made to coincide with the rotation axis of the rotating body 4, and the first light guide 17 is connected to the light source 13 with a slight gap maintained from this end. The point is that one optical fiber was installed so as to face each other. The light guide is made by covering the outer periphery of a rod-shaped transparent material (called a core) such as resin or quartz glass with a material (called a cladding) having a refractive index smaller than that of the material. It is formed so that the light introduced into the substance is totally reflected at its outer periphery. Further, in connecting the optical fiber 19 to the first light guide 17, an optical rotary connector structure is adopted. That is, a cylinder 20 is fixed concentrically to the rotating body 4, and a bearing 21 is attached to the cylinder. This optical fiber is coaxially and rotatably connected to the first light guide 17 by attaching one of the optical fibers through the first light guide 17 .

Furthermore, like the first light guide 17 side, the second light guide 18 side also has an optical fiber 22 concentrically and rotatably attached to the second light guide by a cylinder 20'' and a bearing 21-. It is connected to the photodetection means 15 via.

By doing this, the first light guide 17 and the optical fiber 19 and the second light guide 18 and the optical fiber 22 can be connected with their central axes aligned, without interfering with the rotation of the rotating body 4. be able to.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent variations in the amount of light from the light source 13 incident on the first light guide and the amount of transmitted light introduced into the light detection means 15 depending on the rotational position of the rotating body, as in the conventional case. Analysis accuracy improves.

Further, since the light source 13 and the first light guide 17 and the second light guide 18 and the light detection means 15 are connected via flexible optical fibers 19 and 22, respectively, the light source and the light detection means can be installed in any position. Therefore,
Maintenance etc. can be easily performed, and the optical detection means can be installed separately from the vibration generating section, so that analysis accuracy can be improved.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the same numbers as in FIGS. 1 and 3 indicate the same components.

That is, in this embodiment, the first light guide 17 and the second light guide
It is characterized in that optical fibers 23 and 24 are used as the light guide 18.

If an optical fiber is used for each light guide in this way, the first
In addition to the effects described in the figures, since the optical fiber has flexibility, it can be easily incorporated into the rotating body 4.

By the way, when optical fibers are used, since the optical fibers are connected to each other in the rotary connector section, a fluctuation occurs in the amount of light transmitted (a change in the amount of light).

In other words, since the optical fiber is formed by bundling a large number of optical fibers A with a minute diameter (approximately 200 μm), as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view in Fig. 3, there is a gap between adjacent fibers where no light passes through. A large number of dead spaces B, which serve as conductive parts, are generated. As a result, when one of the opposing optical fibers rotates, the fixed optical fiber faces the dead space 8 of the rotating optical fiber, as shown by the dotted line C, and the light from the rotating side increases accordingly. Since the light is no longer introduced into the fiber, fluctuations occur in the amount of light transmitted, reducing analysis accuracy.

Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to solve this problem, a rod-shaped light-conducting member, for example, a quartz glass 25.
(The light guide explained in Fig. m1 may also be used) are each attached integrally.

By doing so, the entire amount of light from the fixed optical fiber is transmitted to the light-conducting member 25, so that changes in the amount of light due to rotation can be prevented.

In addition, since the quartz glass 26 is also provided on the side where the light transmitted through the container 3a is introduced into the light detection means 15, fluctuations in the amount of light introduced into the light detection means can be prevented for the same reason.

Note that the above description is an example of the present invention, and many modifications can be made in implementation. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 above, the light-conducting member was attached to the optical fiber on the rotating side.
Without being limited to this, it may be attached only to the fixed optical fiber, or it may be attached to both the rotating and fixed optical fibers, respectively.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a case has been described in which the light transmitted through the reaction container is detected by spectroscopy, but the light from the light source may be separated and the container may be irradiated with light of a desired wavelength.

[Effects] As detailed above, according to the present invention, since the rotating first and second light guides are connected to the light source and the light detection means, respectively, by optical fibers, the light of each rotating light guide is The axis can be easily aligned with the optical axes of the light source and the light detection means. As a result, it is possible to prevent fluctuations in the amount of irradiation to the container and the amount introduced to the light detection means, improving analysis accuracy, and making it possible to install the light source and light detection means in any position, making maintenance etc. easier. .

In addition, when an optical fiber is used as a light guide as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, if a light conductive member is installed at the opposing end of either the fixed or rotating side optical fiber, the optical fiber can be formed inside the optical fiber. Fluctuations in the amount of light transmitted due to dead spaces can be prevented, and analysis accuracy can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are schematic configuration diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an optical fiber, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a conventional example. 1: Main body 2: Turntable 3a, 3
b: Reaction container 4: Rotating body 7: Pulse motor 10: Motor 13: Light source 15; Light detection means 17.18 Two light guides 19.22.2B, 24: Optical fiber 20.20'' Two cylinders 21.21-: Bearing 25.26: Photoconductive member

Claims (1)

[Claims] A turntable that holds a plurality of reaction vessels in the same circumferential shape, an intermittent rotation means for intermittently rotating the turntable, a rotating body placed coaxially with the turntable, and a turntable that rotates the rotating body. a rotating means for rotating independently of the rotating body; an external light source; a first optical fiber that guides light from the light source to the light intake portion of the rotating body; a first light guide for guiding the guided light across the reaction vessel held on the turntable; and a first light guide for guiding the light held by the rotating body and transmitted through the reaction vessel to the light extraction part of the rotating body. a second light guide; and a second optical fiber for guiding light guided by the second light guide to a photodetector disposed outside; In the part, the first light guide and the first optical fiber, and the second light guide and the second optical fiber are optically connected with their respective centers aligned on the rotation axis of the rotating body. An automatic chemical analyzer characterized by: