JPH0531555Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Field of industrial application) This invention optically quantifies sample fractions separated on a thin layer plate for thin layer chromatography (TLC) or a sample plate such as an electrophoresis gel. Chromatography scanners used for the purpose of measurement, particularly chromatography scanners that obtain transmission chromatograms or reflection chromatograms using the flying spot method (a method in which light is measured by moving the light beam irradiated onto the sample surface from side to side) It is.

(Prior art) In a conventional chromato scanner, the light beam irradiated onto the sample plate to be measured is fixed, and the stage on which the sample plate is mounted is moved in the The absorbance of the sample spot is measured by scanning the sample spot in a zigzag pattern.

In such a chromato scanner, an irradiation light beam is always present on the sample surface during sample measurement, and a photomultiplier tube that detects the intensity of the irradiation light beam and a photoelectron that detects the intensity of the light transmitted or reflected from the sample are used. The multiplier tube is designed to have a nearly stable electrical operating state.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) In the method of moving the stage, there is a limit to increasing the scanning speed because the inertia of the stage is large.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have proposed a flying spot type chromatography scanner that is capable of high-speed scanning by scanning a light beam irradiated onto a sample plate.

Figure 5 shows the proposed flying spot chromatography scanner.

2 is monochromatic light that enters the spectrometer from the light source and is separated into spectra. As a light source, for example, a xenon lamp,
A tungsten lamp or a deuterium lamp is used. Reference numeral 4 denotes a fixed widthwise slit that defines the widthwise direction, specifically an exit slit of the spectrometer.

A rotating slit disk 6 is installed on the widthwise slit 4. This rotating slit disk 6 is provided with a helical slotted slot 8. The slit 8 is formed in such a shape that the distance R from the center O changes according to the rotation angle Θ according to R=R ₁ +kΘ (k is a constant). Here, R ₁ is the distance between the innermost position of the slit 8 and the center O. This rotating slit disk 6 has a center O
is fixed to the rotating shaft of the pulse motor 10 and driven in a straight axis. Rotating slit disk 6
Regarding the relationship between the widthwise slits 4 and the widthwise slits 4, the rotating slit disk 6 is positioned such that the longitudinal direction of the widthwise slits 4 is in the radial direction of the rotating slit disk 6. A hole is provided on the rotating slit disk 6 to detect the origin of the slit 8. 12 is a photocoupler for detecting the origin.

The light beam that passes through the hole at the intersection of the width direction slit 4 and the slit 8 of the rotating slit disk 6 passes through the imaging spherical mirror 14 and the plane mirror 16, and is separated by the semi-transparent mirror 18, and a part of it is transmitted onto the sample plate 20. The other part is input to the monitoring photomultiplier tube 22. Note that the sample plate 20 is
It is supported on a stage (not shown) that is movable in the direction.

When scanning is actually performed with a flying spot type chromatographic scanner using a combination of a widthwise slit 4 and a rotating slit disk 6 with a spiral slotted slit 8 cut out, this rotation occurs over one rotation of the rotating slit disk 6. Unless the slot 8 is completely continuous, the illumination beam will be interrupted at some point.
This causes a sudden abnormality in the electrical operating state of each of the photomultiplier tubes for monitoring and photometry, that is, a temporary sudden change in the negative high voltage level due to dynode feedback. Therefore, in order to obtain correct photometric data over the entire measurement period,
Even when using a new scanning method called the flying spot method, it is necessary to irradiate the sample surface completely continuously and to maintain a steady electrical state of the photomultiplier tube, which is the detector, just as with conventional models.

This invention is a flying spot type chromatography scanner that prevents sudden abnormalities in the photomultiplier tube by ensuring that the irradiation light flux on the sample surface never stops during one revolution of the rotating slit disk. The purpose is to

(Means for Solving the Problems) Explaining with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing an embodiment, in the chromatography scanner of the present invention, the spiral slits 32a, 32c of the rotating slit disk 30
is included in a slit slot 32 that is completely continuously cut out over one rotation period of the rotary slit disc 30, and includes an inner part 30a surrounded by this slit slot 32 and a remaining outer part 30a. The portion 30b is arranged on the transparent support disk 36, and arranged so that the rotation center of the rotating slit disk 30 and the rotation center of the transparent support disk 36 coincide, and the grooves of the spiral slits 32a and 32b are aligned. The width is correctly reproduced.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a rotary slit disk according to an embodiment.

30 is a rotating slit disk with a thickness of about 0.1 mm, and is fixed on a transparent support disk 36 (located on the back side of the paper in the figure and not shown in the figure) having the same diameter. The rotating slit disk 30 has a slit slot 3
2 is carved out. The slit slot 32 is completely continuous during one rotation of the rotating slit disk 30 and consists of sections 32a-32d.

Helical portions 32a and 32c of slit slot 32
is formed in such a shape that the distance from the center O changes according to the rotation angle Θ (Θ is in the opposite direction for the slot portions 32a and 32c) and according to R=R ₁ +kΘ as described above. The maximum value of R is _R2 .

The slit slot portion 32b has a radius centered at O.
It is an arc of R ₂ , and the slit groove portion 32d is O
It is a circular arc with radius R ₁ centered at .

Helical portions 32a and 32c of slit slot 32
is a part for scanning the light beam on the sample surface in order to capture photometric data, and in order to avoid the absorption characteristics of the transparent support disk 36 being involved in these parts, a broken line including the spiral parts 32a and 32c is used. The transparent support disk 36 in areas 34a, 34b indicated by is punched out as relief holes.

P ₁ to _{P 3} are holes for positioning the rotating slit disk 30 and the transparent support disk 36, and Q ₁ is the hole for positioning the rotating slit disk 30 and the transparent support disk 36 to the pulse motor 10.
The motor shaft holes Q ₂ to _{Q 3} are boss holes for fixing the rotating slit disk 30 and the transparent support disk 36 to the boss of the motor rotating shaft.
Since the slit slot 32 exists in the range from radius R ₁ to R ₂ centered on O, the positioning holes P ₁ to _{P 3} , motor shaft hole Q ₁ and boss holes Q ₂ to _{Q 3} are It is provided except for the range of radius R ₁ to R ₂ . That is, positioning hole P ₁ , motor shaft hole Q ₁ and boss holes Q ₂ to Q ₃ are provided inside a circle with radius R ₁ , and positioning holes P ₂ and P ₃ are provided outside the circle with radius R ₂ . It is provided.

By the way, if a completely continuous slit slot 32 is cut into the rotating slit disk 30 during one rotation, the inner portion 30 surrounded by this slit slot 32 will be cut out.
a will fall off. The rotary slit disk 30 usually has a thickness of 0.1 mm or less, so it requires a support disk, but with a metal plate, the escape hole goes around continuously, causing it to fall off, making it unusable. Therefore, here, transparent support disk 3
6 is used.

Next, a method for fixing the rotating slit disk 30 of this embodiment to the transparent support disk 36 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, in order to align the axis of rotation, that is, the center, on the transparent support disk 36, the inner portion 30a surrounded by ABCD in FIG. 1 is placed on a positioning jig 38 as shown in FIG. In this case, if there is a boss necessary to attach the rotating slit disk 30 and the transparent support disk 36 to the pulse motor shaft, first pass the boss through the jig 38, then attach the transparent support disk 36, the rotating slit disk 30, and securely fix the inner portion 30a of the rotating slit disk 30 from above while positioning it with respect to the transparent support disk 36 and the boss. The position of the inner portion 30a surrounded by the four points ABCD on the plane of the transparent support disk 36 is determined by two points: the motor shaft hole _Q1 and the positioning hole _P1 . Next, the rest of the rotary slit disk 30, that is, the outer portion 30b of the outline of ABCD, is passed through the jig 38 using the two positioning holes P ₂ and P ₃ to position it in the correct position on the surface of the transparent support disk 36. Fixed to. The rotating slit disk 30 may be fixed to the transparent support disk 36 by either adhesive or screwing.

In Figure 1, when the irradiation light flux finishes scanning within the data acquisition period and attempts to stay at a fixed position (in this case, at both left and right ends of the scanning width), or when the situation is the opposite (A, B, C, D 4 points), if a more gradual change is required when the light flux changes from passing through the air to passing through the transparent support disk 36 (or vice versa), As shown in FIG. 4, the thickness of the transparent support disk 36 may be continuously variable at each of the four points.

Figure 4 shows the transparent support disk 36 in Figure 3 in an arcuate section.
It shows a state cut along the X-Y line along BC. The state cut along the other circular arc portion AB is also the same as that shown in FIG. 4.

Further, the positions of the positioning holes P ₁ to _{P 3} are not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 as long as the rotary slit disk 30 is rotated under the condition that no light leaks.

If the transparent support disk were made of a resin with material properties that would cause no problems when used in this device, the weight of the disk could be reduced, and the moment of inertia would be reduced, which would be advantageous for higher speeds. .

If the areas other than the spiral slot used during data acquisition are kept at a constant radius from the center, the X coordinate of the irradiation point (on the sample surface) will not change while the stage is moving in the Y direction, making it easier to process the position in software.

(Effects of the invention) According to the invention, by making the slots on the rotating slit disk completely continuous, there is no need to perform complicated timing processing such as sample and hold in the photometric signal processing electrical system. This also simplifies the software for photometric signal processing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a rotating slit disk in one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a method of attaching the rotating slit disk of the same embodiment to a transparent support disk, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the transparent support disk in the example, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the X-Y position of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the proposed flying spot type chromatographic scanner. 30...Rotating slit disk, 32...Slit slot, 32a, 32c...Spiral slot portion, 36
...transparent support disk.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A rotary slit disk having a spiral slit whose distance from the center changes depending on the angle on the widthwise slit, at its image formation position, or in the vicinity thereof, in the widthwise direction. The longitudinal direction of the slit is placed in the radial direction of the rotating slit disk, and the sample surface is irradiated with a light beam that has passed through the hole at the intersection of the spiral slit of the rotating slit disk and the widthwise slit. a chromatographic scanner, wherein the helical slit of the rotating slit disk is included in a slit slot that is completely continuously cut out over one rotation period of the rotating slit disk;
The inner portion surrounded by the slit slot and the remaining outer portion are arranged on a transparent support disk, and the center of rotation of the rotating slit disk and the center of rotation of the transparent support disk A flying spot type chromatography scanner, characterized in that the spiral slits are arranged so that the groove widths of the spiral slits coincide with each other, and the width of the grooves of the spiral slits is accurately reproduced. (2) The transparent support disk is punched out at the portion where the spiral portion of the slit is used during the period when the light beam from the rotating slit disk scans the sample surface and captures photometric data. The chromatography scanner according to claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, wherein: