JPH0326452Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to an automatic biochemical analyzer that performs multi-item analysis of a large number of samples such as serum components at high speed and efficiently.

[Conventional technology]

In this type of automatic biochemical analyzer, the autosampler is used to automatically sequentially sample samples such as serum components using a pipettor, and is usually arranged on a turntable or the like and transported sequentially. Samples contained in a large number of sample containers are sequentially sampled and analyzed, and in case of an emergency, a sample dispenser is installed within the movement range of the sample dispenser's dispensing nozzle, other than the above-mentioned normal sampling position. Generally, a configuration is widely used in which a sample is sampled from one or a small number of sample containers placed at an emergency sampling position, and the sample is analyzed.

By the way, due to the remarkable progress of analytical instruments in recent years, the amount of sample required for analysis is becoming smaller and smaller. This creates a dead volume in which it is impossible to aspirate the specimen with the dispensing nozzle, and if the amount of specimen becomes very small, it becomes difficult to sample the specimen with a normal sample cup. Therefore, recently, a small amount of sample is sucked up into a glass capillary tube by capillary development, the lower end is sealed, and the glass capillary containing the sample is held in an adapter, and the adapter is used as a support for a turntable or the like instead of a sample cup. There is also a device in use that is attached to a glass capillary tube and a dispensing nozzle is inserted into the glass capillary tube to sample a specimen and analyze it.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, the length of the glass capillary is longer than the height of a normal sample cup, so compared to an autosampler that only mounts a normal sample cup, an autosampler that can also mount a glass capillary with an adapter has a length that corresponds to the height of a normal sample cup. The problem is that it takes up a lot of space and becomes large in size.

By the way, collecting the sample into this glass capillary,
Sampling a small amount of sample using a glass capillary tube, such as attaching a glass capillary tube to an adapter, requires time and effort. However, although the use of glass capillary tubes to collect and analyze samples is not required very often, it is very effective in cases such as when collecting blood from children and infants for analysis. This method is highly desirable, and its application is highly desired.

This idea was created in view of the current situation as described above, and it not only makes it possible to sample from glass capillary tubes, but also appropriately responds to the situation where there are few opportunities to use glass capillary tubes. This was done with the aim of solving the above-mentioned problem of increasing the size of the device.

[Means for solving problems]

This idea is to install a separate sampling position for emergency interruption in an automatic biochemical analyzer outside the normal sampling position and within the movable range of the dispensing nozzle of the sample dispenser. The above object was achieved by detachably attaching an adapter holding a glass capillary to the support of a sample container in the present invention.

[Effect]

According to the automatic biochemical analyzer according to this invention,
In the normal sampling position, specimens are collected and analyzed only from the normal sample cup, and therefore the space occupied by the device in the height direction is no different from that of conventional devices, and in the emergency sampling position, the sample is collected and analyzed only from the normal sample cup. In addition to being able to collect and analyze specimens, by using an adapter it is also possible to collect and analyze samples from glass capillary tubes.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an external perspective view of an automatic biochemical analyzer that is an embodiment of this invention.
This device is based on a turntable 13 that supports and rotates a large number of commercially available sample cups 11 and sequentially transfers sample cups 11 containing specimens to a position directly below a dispensing nozzle 17 of a specimen dispenser 15. It is placed on a stand 19, which is usually the sampling position. When the sample cup 11 containing the specimen is transferred to a position directly below the dispensing nozzle 17, the dispensing nozzle 1 held by the holding arm 21
7 moves downward (see FIG. 2), immerses the tip of the dispensing nozzle 17 into the specimen 23 in the sample cup 11, and aspirates the specimen into the dispensing nozzle 17.
The dispensing nozzle 17 that has sampled the sample rises and returns to its original position, and is further held by the holding arm 21 and moved to the position of a reaction tube (not shown), where the sample is discharged and injected into the reaction tube for analysis. In section 25, a predetermined analysis is performed. All these operations are performed on the CRT
Operation keyboard 29 while looking at display 27
This is done by controlling the In the figure,
31 is an electrical section of the control section, and 33 is a front cover of the device.

The above is a description of the normal sampling position, but this apparatus is also provided with a stand position 35 for emergency interruption at the end of the base 19 on the side of the front cover 33 of the apparatus. Figure 2 shows
A sample cup 11 similar to that attached to the turntable 13 is shown attached to the support portion 37 of this static position 35. The static position 35 also includes a glass capillary tube 4 held by an adapter 39, as shown in FIG.
1 can also be attached.
As the glass capillary tube 41, generally commercially available ones may be used, but for example, one with an outer diameter of 1.65 mm,
A pipe with an inner diameter of 0.85 mm, a total length of 75 mm, and an internal volume of approximately 40 μ is used. In addition, the outer diameter of the dispensing nozzle 17 is
It is 0.7mm. This glass capillary tube 41 is suitable for children,
It is used when there is only a small amount of sample, such as when collecting blood from an infant. In other words, commercially available 2000μ sample cups, for example, have a dead volume of about 100 to 200μ, and even 500μ sample cups have a dead volume of about 100 to 200μ.
Since a dead volume of about 50μ is generated, several
In the case of a sample amount of approximately 10μ, it is impossible to sample with a normal commercially available sample cup. Therefore, a glass capillary tube is used for small amounts of specimen. To briefly explain the sampling method, first, a glass capillary is tilted and its tip is dipped into the sample, and several tens of micrometers of the sample are sucked up into the capillary using capillary action. Once the sample has been sucked up, the tip of the glass capillary tube is pulled up from the sample and sealed by filling the tip with a rubber-like substance or by heating and welding the tip. For example, if the sample is blood, In this method, a glass capillary containing a sample is directly passed through a centrifuge to separate serum components and blood clot components. After separation, as shown in FIG. 3, the glass capillary tube 41 is held by an adapter 39, and the adapter 39 is attached to the support portion 37 of the static position 35. Then, the dispensing nozzle 17 is held by the holding arm 21 and moved horizontally to a position directly above the glass capillary tube 41, and then moved downward, and the tip of the dispensing nozzle 17 is inserted from the upper end of the glass capillary tube 41. Aspirate the centrifuged serum components. The subsequent operations are similar to those at the normal sampling position described above.

In the illustrated embodiment, since the stop position 35 is provided to protrude horizontally from the front cover 33 of the device, the glass capillary tube 41 is longer than the normal sample cup 11 in the vertical direction. There is no problem even if there is no special structure. Also, stat position 35
is provided at the end of the base, so a simple mechanism such as a stopper (not shown) is provided at the end of rotation of the holding arm 21 of the dispensing nozzle 17.
The accuracy with which the dispensing nozzle 17 stops relative to the glass capillary tube 11 can be ensured. Of course, there is no problem in taking measures to further improve the stopping accuracy.

Although this invention has the above-described configuration, the scope of this invention is not limited by the above description and drawings, and includes various modifications without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, the placement of the stat position is not limited to the end of the base; for example, a concave portion may be formed on the top surface of the base within the movement range of the dispensing nozzle, and that location may be placed in the stat position. You can also use it as Further, the normal sampling mechanism may be a linear transfer type instead of a turntable type.

〔effect〕

Since this invention has the above-mentioned configuration and operates, according to the automatic biochemical analyzer according to this invention, sampling using a glass capillary tube is performed only at the emergency sampling position, and at the normal sampling position. Since sampling is done only from the normal sample cup,
This does not lead to an increase in the size of the autosampler such as a turntable, and as long as the stopping accuracy of the dispensing nozzle at the sampling position for emergency interruption is ensured, the stopping accuracy of the dispensing nozzle at the normal sampling position can be maintained. Since there is no need to increase the stopping precision of the turntable, etc., the mechanism itself is relatively simple and manufacturing costs can be kept low. Although not used very often, it is possible to efficiently and appropriately handle sampling and analysis of trace amounts of specimens, which are absolutely required for this type of device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an automatic biochemical analyzer that is an embodiment of this invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are
The figure is a partially sectional side view showing the vicinity of the start position of the device, in which Figure 2 shows a state in which a normal sample cup is attached, and Figure 3 shows a state in which a glass capillary tube is held in an adapter. Shows the adapter installed. 11...sample cup (sample container), 13...
…Turntable (normal sampling position), 1
5... Sample dispenser, 17... Dispensing nozzle, 23...
...Specimen, 35...Stat position (sampling position for emergency interruption), 37...Support part, 39
...Adapter, 41...Glass capillary tube.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A normal sampling position where a large number of sample containers each containing a sample are sequentially transferred, and an emergency interrupt position located outside of this normal sampling position and within the movable range of the sample dispenser's dispensing nozzle. an automatic biochemical analyzer having a sampling position, wherein an adapter holding a glass capillary tube is detachably attached to the support part of the specimen container at the emergency sampling position. Device.