JPH0353172Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to the reaction container body of an automatic analyzer for biochemical analysis or immunological analysis. The present invention relates to a reaction container body suitable for an automatic analyzer (of a type that is discarded).

[Prior art and its problems]

It is well known that the automatic analyzer of the disbo type is superior to the automatic analyzer of the type in which the reaction container is cleaned and then reused in terms of preventing cross-contamination during measurements.

However, in the case of conventional disposable type automatic analyzers, the cost of forming reaction vessels individually is high, and furthermore, these individually formed reaction vessels must be manually set into the automatic analyzer each time. This process is very complicated, and although various systems have been proposed that automatically supply the reaction vessels, they have many problems, such as complicated configurations, cumbersome handling, and high costs. I had a problem.

[Means and actions for solving problems]

This invention was devised in view of the current situation, and its purpose is to be particularly suitable for automatically supplying a reaction container in a disposable type automatic analyzer, and to have a simple structure. The present invention aims to provide a reaction container that is easy, low cost, and convenient to transport and set in an automatic analyzer.

In order to achieve the above object, in this invention, the reaction container body has a main body formed in a sheet shape of a predetermined thickness from a translucent material having excellent reagent resistance;
It is composed of reaction vessels having a substantially concave cross section arranged in a grid pattern on the main body, and engagement holes formed at both ends of each reaction vessel in the width direction.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, this invention will be explained in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the reaction container body H according to this embodiment has a main body made of a transparent material such as plastic that is flexible and has excellent reagent resistance. It is formed into a sheet shape with a thickness of about 6 mm to 10 mm, and this main body has a total of 50 reaction vessels 1, each having a rectangular planar shape and a concave cross section, for example, 10 in the horizontal direction and 5 in the vertical direction. , injection, vacuum forming, etc.

Further, in this main body, reaction vessels 1 having a rectangular planar shape and a concave cross section are formed in several rows at required intervals and are arranged in a grid pattern, and each row has both ends in the width direction. Engagement holes 2 for engaging with feed claws 11b of a reaction vessel transfer device C, which will be described later, are formed at predetermined intervals along its longitudinal direction.

Note that this reaction container 1 has a thin film adhered to its opening that can be easily broken with a sample pipette or reagent pipette, which will be described later, so that the inside of the reaction container 1 is sealed when not in use. It may also be configured to prevent dust and the like from entering.

The reaction container body H configured in this manner is applied to, for example, an automatic analyzer A as shown in FIG.

This automatic analyzer A is a so-called disposable type automatic analyzer, and includes a reaction vessel H according to an embodiment of this invention, and a stocker B that stores the sheet-like reaction vessels H in a layered manner. , the separated reaction container 1 is moved to the sample (serum) dispensing position a, the first reagent dispensing position b, and the second reagent dispensing position at a predetermined timing.
A reaction container transfer device C linearly transports the reaction containers H to the reagent dispensing position c, stirring position d, optical measurement position e and reaction container disposal position f, and the reaction containers H are arranged in each row (that is, 10 reaction containers). A cutter device E that cuts the reaction container row cut by the cutter device E into individual containers; A sample dispensing device G dispenses a required amount into the reaction vessel 1, and a sample dispensing device G dispenses the required amount of reagent corresponding to the measurement item sucked from the reagent containers 30, 30' at the reagent dispensing positions b and c into the reaction vessel 1. 1st
The reagent dispensing device J ₁ , the second reagent dispensing device J ₂ , the stirring device M that works in conjunction with the second reagent dispensing device J ₂ to stir bubbles in the reaction liquid in the reaction container 1, and the optical measurement is completed. and a disposal device L for discarding the reaction vessel 1 that has been used.

The stocker B accommodates a plurality of stacked reaction containers H according to this example, and at the beginning of the measurement, as shown in FIG. 4, the stocker B is sent to the top by the transfer device N. The uppermost reaction container body H
are transferred one row at a time through an intermittent transfer device (not shown) toward the transfer side end (lower right side in FIG. 3) of the reaction vessel transfer device C, and at this position, are cut by a cutter device E. Cut one row at a time. One row of reaction containers thus cut is set at the end of the reaction container transfer device C on the transfer start side. Of course, positioning at this time is performed accurately using a known sensor.

The one row of reaction vessels H cut by the cutter device E is cut by the cutter device F, one container at a time, at least one pitch before the sample dispensing position a. The cutter device F cuts the reaction vessels 1 one by one when the analysis request is completed, assuming that the reaction vessels 1 are transferred line by line while remaining continuous. In addition, since the analysis work cannot be said to have ended unless the reaction container containing the last sample to be analyzed has been transferred to the disposal position, This is because a plurality of unused reaction vessels would be wasted, and furthermore, for convenience of disposal, it is easier to handle if the reaction vessels are cut.

Note that the cutter devices E and F have the same structure as a known cutter mechanism, so a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted here.

The reaction vessels 1 cut one by one by the cutter device F are transferred to the reaction vessel transfer device C described above.
is sequentially transferred toward the optical measurement position along a linearly formed transfer path.

The transfer path of the reaction container transfer device C is formed with a U-shaped cross section on the top surface of a heating block 10, and the heating block 10 is fixed to the bottom of the transfer path so as not to move. On both sides of 10, as shown in FIG.
They are arranged in a state where they are connected to be able to cooperate in the vertical direction.

The walls 11, 11 configured in this way are supported at their lower ends 11a, 11a by elastic supports 12, 12, respectively.

The elastic supports 12, 12 include a roller 14 in which a groove 13 is formed at the upper end into which the lower ends 11a, 11a of the side walls 11, 11 are fitted, and a holder that rotatably supports the roller 14. 15, and a spring 16 that normally biases the holder 15 upward.

Elastic supports 12, 12 configured in this way
are arranged at each of the four corners of the transfer path, and support the walls 11, 11 so as to be movable left and right and up and down.

The walls 11, 11 supported by the elastic supports 12, 12 in this way are moved to the left and right by the motor 17.
Driven to move up and down.

That is, the motor 17 has a cam 18 fixed to the tip of its drive shaft, and the cam 18 has an eccentric body 1 attached thereto.
8a is arranged. And the eccentric body 18a
engages with a square engagement notch 19 formed in one wall 11, and as the eccentric body 18a rotates, the walls 11, 11 are driven in the horizontal and vertical directions, and as a result, the walls 11 , 11 are engaged with the engagement holes 2 of the reaction vessel 1 to transfer the reaction vessel 1 one pitch at a time in the direction of the optical measurement position.

Incidentally, regarding the upward movement of the side walls 11, 11 among the horizontal and vertical movements by the motor 17, although the side walls 11, 11 are supported upwardly by the elastic supports 12 as described above, It is configured such that its rise is regulated by a lid body 20, which will be described later.

Further, a plurality of cams 18 and motors 17 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the transfer path.

When the reaction vessels 1 are transferred by the reaction vessel transfer device C configured as described above, the reaction vessels 1 cut one by one by the cutter device F are cut as shown in FIG. 6A. When set in the transfer path, the eccentric body 18a of the cam 18 is set at a 90 degree position, so that the eccentric body 18a of the cam 18
is in contact with the upper right side of the engagement notch 19 formed in the wall 11. In this case, the respective feeding claws 11b, 11b formed at the upper end portions of the walls 11, 11 do not engage with the engagement hole 2 of the reaction vessel 1.

From this state, the cam 18 rotates clockwise in FIG. 6 to the position where the angle is 0 degrees, and the walls 11, 11 are pressed and lowered.
Each feed claw 11b, 11 formed at the upper end of 11
b engages with the engagement hole 2 of the reaction vessel 1.

Then, as the eccentric body 18a contacts the lower right side of the notch 19 as shown in FIG.

After this, as shown in FIG. 6C, when the eccentric body 18a further rotates clockwise to the 270 degree position,
The walls 11, 11 are pushed out by the eccentric body 18a against the biasing force of the spring 16 of the elastic support 12, and the walls 11, 11 are moved one pitch to the left in the figure, and as a result, the reaction vessel 1 is also moved one pitch to the left in the figure.

Thereafter, as the eccentric body 18a rotates to the 180 degree position as shown in FIG.
11 is raised by the biasing force of the spring 16 and returns to its original position. After this, the cam 18
The wall 11, 11 rotates to the position shown in Figure A.
rises until it collides with the lid 20, so the wall 1
Each feed claw 11b formed at the upper end of 1, 11,
11b and the engagement hole 2 of the reaction vessel 1 is released, and as a result, only the reaction vessel 1 is transferred one pitch.

Reaction container 1 transferred one pitch in this way
is transferred pitch by pitch by a similarly constructed motor and cam (not shown) located at the next transfer position.

Note that the lid 20 has the sample dispensing position a,
At the reagent dispensing positions b and c and the stirring position d, through holes (not shown) through which each pipette is inserted into the reaction vessel 1 are provided.

The heating block 10 is also equipped with a heating element made of nichrome wire, etc., so that the sample in the reaction vessel 1 transferred along the transfer path is
During transportation, it is heated to, for example, the temperature of a living body (approximately 37°C).

A required amount of sample is dispensed by the sample dispensing device G into the reaction container 1 that has been transferred to the sample dispensing position a.

The sample dispensing device G is connected via the drive device 21 to the third
A sample holder 22 that rotates clockwise in the figure;
A sampling pipette 23 aspirates a required amount of the sample in the sample container 5 held by the sample holder 22 at the sample absorption position g, and the sample holder 22 has a required number of samples on its outer circumference. The containers 5 are held in a loop shape, and a required number of sample containers 5' are also held in a loop shape on the inner peripheral side of the loop row.
The sample container 5 is a container for storing general samples, and the sample container 5' stores samples for a calibration curve and emergency samples (specimens).

In this way, a given sample container 5 or 5'
is transferred to a predetermined sample suction position g,
After the required amount of the sample in the sample container 5 or 5' is aspirated via the sampling pipette 23,
It is dispensed into the reaction vessel 1.

The reagent device R includes a first reagent bolt 30 and a second reagent bolt 3 containing reagents corresponding to measurement items.
0' and a bolt transfer device that rotationally controls the table 33 on which the reagent bolts 30 or 30' are placed to transfer each bolt 30 or 30' to the first reagent suction position i or the second reagent suction position j. (not shown)
, a first reagent pipette 31 that aspirates a required amount of the first reagent corresponding to the measurement item from within the first reagent bolt 30 at the first reagent suction position i, and a second reagent bolt 30' at the second reagent suction position j. It is comprised of a second reagent pipette 32 for aspirating a required amount of a second reagent corresponding to the measurement item from inside the pipette. Note that the first and second reagent bolts 3 disposed on the table 33
0,30' are set at predetermined positions,
These positions are each stored in the controller CPU. In addition, in Fig. 3, 38 is a reagent refrigerator, and the reagents in the reagent bolts 30 and 30' are kept at 10 degrees Celsius.
Cooled to ~12°C.

In this way, when the reagent bolts 30, 30' corresponding to the measurement item arrive at the predetermined reagent suction positions i, j, the first and second reagent pipettes 31,
32, the corresponding reagents are dispensed into the reaction vessel 1 in required amounts.

The stirring device M includes an arm 41 that can rotate using a shaft 40 as a fulcrum, a Geneva gear 42 fixed to the arm 41, a tube 43 that sends air into the sample in the reaction vessel 1, and a It consists of a cutter (not shown) that cuts the contact portion of the tube 43, a feeding means (not shown) that feeds out the tube 43 by a certain length, and a tube stocker 44 that stores the tube 43 in a wound state. The Geneva gear 42 meshes with a gear 38 disposed on the arm 35' of the second reagent pipette 32.

When the dispensing operation of the second reagent is started, this stirring device M is pushed out to the arm 35' and is moved to the arm 41.
is lowered, so that the tip of the tube 43 is immersed into the sample in the reaction vessel 1, thereby supplying air bubbles into the sample and stirring the sample. This cutting is done to eliminate contamination during measurement by cutting off the contact portion of the tube 43 that has once contacted the sample as described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the optical measuring device K includes a light source 50, a filter device 51 that converts the measuring light emitted from the light attenuator 50 into a wavelength corresponding to the measurement item, and a wavelength-converted measuring light. A light receiving element 52 that receives the amount of light after passing through the reaction container 1, a control unit CPU that converts the amount of light received by the light receiving element 52 into voltage and processes the analysis value, and a storage unit 53 that stores the data. , a display section 54, a printer 55, a stabilized power supply/detection circuit 56, a unit 5 in which the stabilized power supply/detection circuit 56, a light source 50, a filter device 51, and a light receiving element 52 are accommodated.
7, and a detector moving device 58 for sliding the unit 57 back and forth along the transfer path of the reaction container 1.
It is composed of and. Of course, the light source 50 and the light receiving element 52 are set at positions opposite to each other across the transfer path of the reaction vessel 1.

In addition, this optical measuring device K is arranged such that the reaction container 1 crosses the optical path q, and the absorbance of the sample in the reaction container 1 that crosses the optical path q is measured colorimetrically as it crosses the light beam. .

The disposal device L is arranged at the end of the transfer path of the reaction vessel 1, and its structure uses a low-profile container with an open top, and the reaction vessel 1 after all operations is disposed of at the disposal position. It is discarded in the discard device L at f.

The control unit CPU controls the operation of each device of the automatic analyzer A, calculates and judges measurement signals, and the like. Further, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 60 indicates a power supply, 61 indicates a cooling control section, and 62 indicates a constant temperature control section. The sample in each reaction container 1 transferred along the path is heated to the biological temperature (approximately 37° C.).

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, this invention has multiple reaction vessels formed in a sheet shape, so it is suitable for automatic supply of reaction vessels in a disposable automatic analyzer, and is easy to manufacture, so it is low cost. It has many excellent effects, such as being easy to transport and set up in an automatic analyzer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a reaction vessel body according to an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a reaction vessel body cut into one example, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of a reaction vessel body according to an embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer suitable for applying the reaction container body, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the stocker, and FIG. FIGS. 6A to 6C are cross-sectional views showing the configuration, and are explanatory views showing the procedure for transferring the reaction container. Explanation of symbols, H...Reaction container body, A...Automatic analyzer, E...Cutter, F...Cutter, 1...
...Reaction container, 2...Engagement hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A main body formed in a sheet shape of a predetermined thickness from a translucent material with excellent reagent resistance, reaction vessels having a generally concave cross section arranged in a grid pattern on the main body, and a width direction of each reaction vessel. A reaction container body comprising engagement holes opened at both ends.