JPH0618275Y2 - Flow cell - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a flow cell used in an apparatus for analyzing formed components contained in a sample such as blood or urine collected from a living body,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a flow cell capable of making a sample solution extremely flat and flowing while keeping the direction of formed components in the sample constant.

[Conventional technology]

As a device for analyzing particles such as cells in a sample, a device using a method called a sheath flow method is well known. In this method, by flowing the sheath liquid around the sample discharged from the nozzle, the sample liquid can be narrowed down in the flow cell. Therefore, by performing optical measurement, it is possible to measure and analyze the formed matter in the sample. The sheath flow refers to a flow in which a suspension of particles is precisely aligned in a laminar flow in the center of the hole and passes through the hole.

By the way, the urinary sediment microscopic examination has been performed as a clinical examination for a long time, and is still a frequently performed examination.
This means that the sample (urine) can be easily collected without risking the patient. Furthermore, in the urine, red blood cells due to capillary hemorrhage, white blood cells due to extravasation, epithelial cells of the kidney and genitourinary organs, and renal tubules are used. This is because the formed columns and formed elements such as microorganisms due to infection are included, so that the states of the kidneys and genitourinary organs can be well known. In the past, urine was centrifuged, and the sediment was transferred to a slide to prepare a sample, which was observed with a microscope to observe and classify and count the formed matter. However, in the conventional method, the formed components are destroyed or the accuracy of concentration varies in the centrifugation step. In addition, in observing with a microscope, in order to classify the formed components, it is necessary to distinguish the slight differences, and since the number of the formed components that can be observed is small, the formed components are unevenly distributed on the specimen. As a result, the inspection technician is burdened with a great deal, and the counting / classifying results vary. And above all, the inspection process was time-consuming.

Therefore, an automatic urine analyzer was developed to improve the accuracy and labor of the test. This device uses a sheath liquid as an outer layer, takes an image of a sample liquid that has been made to have an extremely flat flow with a video camera, and processes this still image by image processing,
It is configured to classify and count the formed components in the sample.

The following two points are required in the microscopic examination to which the flat sheath flow method is applied.

(1) Aligning flat, tangible components such as cells (red blood cells) in a fixed direction.

(2) Make the sample solution flow flatter.

The above (1) is for obtaining an image of the formed part whose characteristics are best represented, and (2) is for the sample liquid to have a thickness equal to or less than the depth of field of the video camera and an imaging range. This is to obtain a focused and clear image by making the flat flow that spreads above.

As a flow cell intended to solve the above points, as shown in FIG. 4, a nozzle 1 in which the ratio of the diaphragm is changed vertically and horizontally
There is one using. FIG. 4 is a view of the nozzle 1 of the flow cell as seen from above. The upper part 2 of the nozzle has a rectangular shape with an aspect ratio of B: A, while the lower part 3 of the nozzle has an aspect ratio of b: a.
It has a rectangular shape (b is considerably larger than a).
(A / a> B / b). Although not shown, the flow cell body is connected to the nozzle lower portion 3. When the sample liquid flows in such a nozzle surrounded by the sheath liquid,
The sample liquid receives a large force fh in the direction in which the squeezing ratio is large, that is, in the lateral direction, and a small force fv in the direction in which the squeezing ratio is small, that is, the vertical direction. For this reason, the sample liquid is made flat, and when there are flat particles in the sample, the particles 4 have rotational moments that direct their flat surfaces in the lateral direction, as shown in FIG. Under the action of M,
The orientation of the particles is aligned with that direction.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In the case of the above-mentioned conventional technique, it is effective in aligning the directions of the flat formed components, but it is insufficient in making the sample liquid a flat flow.

Therefore, the present invention improves the orientation of the flat material,
An object is to provide a flow cell capable of flattening a sample solution.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the flow cell of the present invention comprises:
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid truncated pyramid 7 is continuously provided on the lower portion of the tubular body 6, and the lower portion of the substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid truncated pyramid has an opening 8 having a cross section with a large aspect ratio. Sheath nozzle 18,
A sample nozzle 10 for ejecting a sample disposed in the sheath nozzle, and a small gap immediately below the ejection port of the sample nozzle are provided in parallel with the major axis direction of the opening 8 across the sheath nozzle. Two thin wires 1
2 and 14, a sheath liquid supply port 16 provided on the upper part of the sheath nozzle 18 for supplying the sheath liquid, and a rectangular channel 22 having a large aspect ratio, which is connected to the lower opening 8 of the sheath nozzle 18. The cell 20 is characterized by including a cell 20 and a drainage outlet 24 provided in the lower portion of the flat cell.

Then, it is desirable to form the rectangular flow path 22 in the flat cell 20 so that the aspect ratio of the lower end is larger than the aspect ratio of the upper end.

In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the thin wires 12 and 14 may be a teardrop shape, a rectangular shape, or the like other than the circular shape.

[Action]

The sample discharged from the sample nozzle 10 passes through the gap between the two thin wires 12 and 14. Part of the sheath liquid supplied to the supply port of the sheath nozzle 18 also flows through the gap between the thin wires 12 and 14 so as to sandwich the sample flow from both sides, and a large force acts on the sample from the thin wire toward the center line of the gap flow path. . Therefore, the sample is made to flow flat along the shape of the interstitial channel.
When the sample has a flat material component, the flat surface of the material component is oriented so as to be parallel to the thin lines 12 and 14. The flat sample flow in which the formed components are oriented in one direction flows through the sheath nozzle 18 while being surrounded by the sheath liquid even after passing through the gap channel. Sheath nozzle 1
8 Since the opening 8 at the bottom has a cross section with a large aspect ratio, the sample flow receives the same force as that received in the gap flow path, and the orientation of the formed material and the flatness of the sample solution are impaired. Without being damaged, it stably flows in the sheath nozzle 18. Then, the rectangular channel 22 in the flat cell 20 also stably flows. Therefore, if the strobe 26 and the video camera 28 are arranged on the long side of the rectangular channel 22 with the flat cell interposed therebetween,
A flat image of a flat tangible flat surface can be obtained without defocusing. The sample and the sheath liquid flowing through the rectangular channel 22 are discharged from the drainage discharge port 24.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the constituent devices described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to them unless otherwise specified. It is just an example of explanation.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the flow cell of the present invention,
2 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view taken along the line BB in FIG.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a sheath nozzle, in which a substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid truncated pyramid 7 is connected to the lower portion of the tubular body 6, and the lower portion of the substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid truncated pyramid has an opening 8 having a cross section with a large aspect ratio. Is.

Urine that has been subjected to a dyeing process for dyeing the formed components is discharged from the sample nozzle 10 arranged at the center of the sheath nozzle 18 at a constant flow rate. At the same time, the sheath nozzle 18
The sheath liquid is supplied at a constant pressure to the sheath liquid supply port 16 provided on the upper part of the. For this reason, the sample is wrapped in the sheath liquid on the outside and gradually squeezed, and flows as a flat flow in the rectangular flow channel 22 of the flat cell 20 connected to the lower opening 8 of the sheath nozzle 18, and the strobe 26 and the video camera. 28
Takes a still image. The sample and the sheath liquid flowing through the rectangular channel 22 are discharged from the drainage port 2 under the flat cell 20.
Emitted from 4.

Immediately below the tip of the sample nozzle 10, two thin wires 12 and 14 having an outer diameter of about 0.5 mm have a slight gap (for example, about 0.1 mm), and both are orthogonal to the sample nozzle 10 and the thin wires are parallel to each other. So that it is attached. Fine wires are preferably made of platinum. Platinum has excellent corrosion resistance and has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the soda glass, which is the material of the sheath nozzle 18 and the flat cell 20, so that cracking does not occur when the sheath nozzle 18 is manufactured. As shown in FIG. 2, the sample ejected from the sample nozzle 10 passes through the gap flow path 13 formed between the two thin wires 12 and 14. A part of the sheath liquid also flows through the interstitial flow channel 13 so as to sandwich the sample from both sides. As shown in FIG.
Since the gap between 2 and 14 is narrow, the gap flow path 13 of the thin wires 12 and 14 is elongated (about 0.1 m in the left-right direction in FIG. 3).
m, the vertical direction is about 4 mm). Therefore, the gap channel 1
The sample flowing through 3 receives a strong force from the thin line side toward the center line of the gap channel 13. Therefore, the sample is made to flow in a flat shape, and a rotational moment acts on a flat formed component (for example, red blood cells) in the sample, so that the flat surface is arranged so as to face a thin line. As described above, the sample in which the formed components are oriented in one direction and the flow is flattened by passing through the two thin wires is passed through the interstitial channels 13, and then the outer side is further wrapped with the sheath liquid. Flowing. Since the inside of the sheath nozzle 18 is an opening 8 having a rectangular cross section with a large aspect ratio at the tip (lower end), for example, 1:10, the sample receives the same force as that received by the above-mentioned gap channel 13, Stable flow without impairing the orientation of the formed material and the flatness of the sample liquid,
It flows into the rectangular flow path 22 of the flat cell 20 connected to the sheath nozzle 18. The aspect ratio of the rectangular flow path 22 is, for example, 1:10 at the upper end and 1: 100 at the lower end.

In the flow cell of the present invention, by making the tip of the sheath nozzle 18 have a rectangular cross section, not only the formed material in the sample is oriented and the sample liquid is made into a flat flow, but immediately when the sample liquid is discharged from the sample nozzle 10. 2 thin wires 12, 1
In the gap flow path 13 between the four, the flat formed components in the sample are oriented in a certain direction, and the sample liquid is flattened. That is, since the device for enhancing the orientation and flatness is made at two locations, the outlet of the sample nozzle 10 and the outlet of the sheath nozzle 18, the orientation effect of aligning the flat formed components and the flattening of the sample liquid are performed. The flattening effect of a smooth flow can be improved several stages compared to the conventional flow cell.

Therefore, when the sample flow is taken with a video camera, a clear image can be obtained for all the formed components without being out of focus with respect to some of the formed components. . Moreover, the directions of flat formed elements are the same. Therefore, it is possible to improve the accuracy of classification and counting of the tangible components.

Further, in the automatic urine analyzer, there is a case where it is desired to switch the magnification of the lens of the video camera on the way. For example,
If you want to analyze large particles in the sample, lower the magnification,
If you want to analyze small particles, you need to use high magnification. However, changing the magnification of the lens also changes the field search. The higher the magnification, the shallower the object scene search. If the thickness of the sample flow is made thin, the focus will be achieved in both cases, but when analyzing large particles (at low magnification), the amount of sample measured will be small, This leads to a decrease in analysis accuracy. Therefore, if the lens flow is made to have a high magnification and the sample flow is made thin, and if the lens is made to have a low magnification, the thickness is made thick. Can analyze. For this purpose, the discharge flow rate of the sample and the sheath liquid supply pressure can be changed in synchronization with the switching of the lens.

[Effect of device]

Since the flow cell of the present invention has two thin wires with a slight gap near the discharge port of the sample nozzle,
The sample liquid discharged from the sample nozzle is forcibly flattened in the gap flow passage, and the formed components in the sample are oriented in a fixed direction. When the image is picked up by the video camera, the image pick-up portion of the video camera can be flowed without being damaged, so that it is possible to obtain a clear image of a formed object having a uniform orientation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the flow cell of the present invention,
2 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view taken along the line BB in FIG. 2, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view of a conventional flow cell, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing forces acting on flat particles. 1 ... Nozzle, 2 ... Nozzle upper part, 3 ... Nozzle lower part,
4 ... particle, 6 ... cylindrical, 7 ... substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid, 8
...... Aperture, 10 ...... Sample nozzle, 12, 14 ...... Thin wire, 13 …… Gap channel, 16 …… Sheath liquid supply port, 18
...... Sheath nozzle, 20 ...... Flat cell, 22 ...... Rectangular flow path, 24 ...... Drainage outlet, 26 ...... Strobe, 28
……Video camera

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A sheath nozzle in which a substantially inverted quadrangular pyramid truncated pyramid (7) is continuously provided on a lower portion of a tubular body (6), and a lower portion of the substantially inverted quadrangular truncated pyramid truncated pyramid has an opening (8) having a large aspect ratio in section. (18), a sample nozzle (10) for discharging the sample arranged in the sheath nozzle, and a small gap just below the discharge port of the sample nozzle, and the opening (8) across the sheath nozzle. Two thin wires (12, 14) provided parallel to the major axis of the sheath, a sheath liquid supply port (16) for supplying a sheath liquid provided on the upper part of the sheath nozzle (18), and a sheath nozzle (18) A flat cell (20) having a rectangular flow channel (22) with a large aspect ratio, which is connected to the opening (8) at the bottom of the flat cell (20), and a drainage outlet (24) provided at the bottom of the flat cell are included. A flow cell characterized by: 2. The flow cell according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular channel (22) in the flat cell (20) is formed such that the aspect ratio of the lower end is larger than the aspect ratio of the upper end.