JPH06109744A - Dispensation mechanism for automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the dispensation mechanism of an automatic chemical analyzer capable of concurrently dispensing to reaction containers located at separate positions and having a simple structure. CONSTITUTION:The dispensation mechanism of an automatic chemical analyzer is provided with sampling arms 1a, 1b and a driving device 2 rotatively driving the sampling arms 1a, 1b, and a sample 5 is sucked and discharged by sampling nozzles 3a, 3b fitted at the tips of the sampling arms 1a, 1b. The sampling arms 1a, 1b are fitted to arm rotating shafts 6a, 6b provided at different positions respectively. The driving device 2 and the arm rotating shafts 6a, 6b are connected together via belts 7a, 7b serving as connecting mechanisms so that the rotative drive can be independently transmitted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispensing mechanism of an automatic chemical analyzer, and more particularly to a dispensing mechanism of an automatic chemical analyzer capable of simultaneously dispensing a sample contained in a sample container into a plurality of reaction vessels. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic chemical analyzer dispenses a sample, for example, serum of a subject contained in a sample container and a reaction solution for performing a predetermined analysis, for example, a test for the subject, into a reaction container, It is a device that can analyze the reaction results.

Recently, many automatic chemical analyzers are provided with a plurality of reaction lines corresponding to each test, because various tests are carried out simultaneously.

In such an automatic chemical analyzer, it is desirable that a sample contained in a sample container can be simultaneously dispensed to the reaction containers on each reaction line in order to efficiently perform an inspection using a plurality of reaction lines.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-99868 discloses an automatic analyzer having a link mechanism incorporating a slider.

This automatic analyzer is provided with a plurality of sampling arms, each sampling arm is provided with a sampling nozzle, and each sampling arm is simultaneously rotated by a motor through a link mechanism to separate positions. It is designed to drive.

To dispense a sample using this automatic analyzer, first, the sample contained in the sample container is sucked by each sampling nozzle attached to the tip of each sampling arm. Then, the motor is operated to rotationally move the predetermined sampling arm. At this time,
The rotationally driven sampling arm rotationally moves another sampling arm via a link mechanism, and each sampling nozzle attached to each sampling arm moves to a separate sample dispensing point. Next, the sucked sample is discharged at each sample dispensing point.

[0008] Thus, the above-mentioned automatic analyzer can simultaneously dispense the sample in the sample container to a plurality of reaction containers located at remote locations.

[0009]

However, in such an automatic analyzer, as the number of reaction lines increases, the number of sampling arms also increases, so that the link mechanism connecting each sampling arm becomes complicated and large in size. The automatic analyzer itself may become large.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing mechanism for an automatic chemical analyzer which is capable of simultaneously dispensing to a reaction container at a distant position and has a simple structure. To aim.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention has at least two or more sampling arms and the sampling arms are rotationally driven as described in claim 1. In the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analysis device, which comprises a driving device for driving a sample, and aspirates and discharges a sample by a sampling nozzle attached to the tip of the sampling arm, the sampling arms are provided at different positions. Further, while being attached to the arm rotation shafts respectively, the drive device and the respective arm rotation shafts are independently provided with a coupling mechanism capable of transmitting the rotation drive.

[0012]

According to the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, first, the sample contained in the sample container is sucked by each sampling nozzle attached to the tip of each sampling arm. Then, by driving the respective arm rotating shafts separately by the driving device via the connecting mechanism,
Each sampling arm attached to each arm rotation shaft is rotationally moved, and each sampling nozzle attached to the tip of each sampling arm is moved to a separate sample dispensing point. Next, the sucked sample is discharged at each sample dispensing point.

[0013]

Embodiments of the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of this embodiment.

As shown in the figure, the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present embodiment comprises sampling arms 1a and 1b.
And a driving device for rotating the sampling arms 1a and 1b, for example, a step motor 2, and the sampling nozzles 3 are provided at the tips of the sampling arms 1a and 1b.
a and 3b are attached.

The sampling nozzles 3a and 3b are constructed so as to be able to suck the sample 5 in the sample container 4.

The sampling arms 1a and 1b are attached to arm rotating shafts 6a and 6b provided at different positions, respectively, and the step motor 2 is connected to the arm rotating shaft 6 via belts 7a and 7b as a connecting mechanism.
a and 6b are independently driven to rotate.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the dispensing mechanism of this embodiment.

As shown in the figure, in the dispensing mechanism of this embodiment, the sampling arms 1a and 1b are rotated to move the sample 5 sucked from the sample container 4 into two.
The reaction vessels (not shown) on the two reaction lines 11a and 11b can be simultaneously discharged.

In order to aspirate and discharge a sample using the dispensing mechanism of this embodiment, first, each sampling arm 1
The sample 5 contained in the sample container 4 is sucked by the respective sampling nozzles 3a and 3b attached to the tips of a and 1b.

At this time, the sampling arms 1a,
1b is in a vertically overlapping position as shown in FIGS.

Next, the arm rotation shafts 6a and 6b are separately driven to rotate by the step motor 2 via the belts 7a and 7b.
Each sampling arm 1a, 1b attached to a, 6b
By rotating the respective sampling arms 1a,
Each sampling nozzle 3a, 3 attached to the tip of 1b
b are moved to separate sample dispensing points, that is, reaction lines 11a and 11b.

Then, the sucked sample 5 is discharged into a reaction container arranged on each reaction line 11a, 11b.

As described above, the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of this embodiment can dispense a sample at a predetermined position into a plurality of reaction vessels at different positions at the same time.

Further, since the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present embodiment is configured so that the link mechanism is omitted, the structure can be simplified, and the design can be easily changed even if the number of sampling arms is increased. It can be performed.

FIG. 3 shows three sampling arms 1a,
1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a dispensing mechanism including 1b and 1c.

As can be seen from the figure, the sampling arms 1a, 1b, 1c are independently driven to rotate by the step motor 2 via the belts 7a, 7b, 7c.

As described above, the dispensing mechanism of the present invention can be freely constructed according to the number of sampling arms,
The number of sampling arms as shown in the embodiment is not limited.

In this embodiment, the connecting mechanism is composed of a belt, but the structure is not limited to such a structure.
It may be configured by a gear, a chain, or the like.

Further, the rotation ratios of the respective sampling arms and the driving device do not necessarily have to be the same, and may be set freely according to the relative positional relationship between the sample container and the reaction line.

[0031]

As described above, the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analysis device of the present invention comprises at least two or more sampling arms and a drive device for rotationally driving the sampling arms, and a tip end of the sampling arm. In the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analysis device adapted to perform suction and discharge of the sample by the attached sampling nozzle, each of the sampling arms is attached to an arm rotating shaft provided at a different position,
Since the driving device and the arm rotating shafts are independently connected to each other so as to be capable of transmitting rotational drive, they can be simultaneously dispensed to the reaction vessels at distant positions and the structure is simplified. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing mechanism of an automatic chemical analyzer according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dispensing mechanism of the automatic chemical analyzer of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b Sampling arm 2 Drive device (step motor) 3a, 3b Sampling nozzle 4 Sample container 5 Sample 6a, 6b Arm rotation shaft 7a, 7b Belt (linking mechanism)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic chemistry comprising at least two or more sampling arms and a drive device for rotationally driving the sampling arms, wherein a sampling nozzle attached to a tip of the sampling arm performs suction and discharge of a sample. In the dispensing mechanism of the analyzer, each of the sampling arms is attached to an arm rotation shaft provided at a different position, and the driving device and each arm rotation shaft can be independently connected to each other so as to be able to transmit rotational drive. Dispensing mechanism of automatic chemical analyzer characterized by having a mechanism.