JPH0623771B2 - Automatic spotting device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for spotting and supplying a fixed amount of a sample solution onto a chemical analysis slide (hereinafter simply referred to as slide) having a predetermined reagent layer. Relates to a device for automatically performing this spotting supply.

(Prior Art) Qualitatively or quantitatively analyzing a specific chemical component in a liquid sample is an operation commonly performed in various industrial fields. Particularly, quantitative analysis of chemical components or formed components in biological fluids such as blood and urine is extremely important in the fields of biochemistry and clinical practice.

In recent years, a dry type slide has been developed which can quantitatively analyze a specific chemical component or a formed component contained in the sample solution only by spot-feeding a small droplet of the sample solution (JP-B-53-21677). No. 55-164356). The use of these slides makes it possible to analyze sample liquids more easily and quickly than conventional wet analysis methods, so its use is particularly useful in medical institutions and laboratories that need to analyze many samples. It is preferable.

In order to analyze the chemical components in the sample solution using such a slide, after the sample solution is weighed and adhered to the slide, it is kept at a constant temperature (incubation) for a predetermined time in an incubator (incubator). A color reaction (dye formation reaction) is performed, and then irradiation light for measurement containing a wavelength preselected by the combination of the sample components and the sample contained in the reagent layer of the slide is irradiated to this slide to measure its reflection optical density. With this, quantitative analysis of the above chemical components and the like is performed.

When carrying out such an analysis, a predetermined amount of the sample liquid to be spotted and supplied to the reagent layer of the slide must be accurately measured and spotted. This is because if the amount of the sample liquid is different from the predetermined amount, the reflection optical density will be different, and the degree of analysis will be lowered.
Therefore, various pipettes and the like have been devised so that a predetermined amount can be spotted correctly when the sample liquid is spotted and supplied. Such a pipette is, for example, one in which a tip is attached to the tip of the pipette, a predetermined amount of sample liquid is sucked into the tip, and then this predetermined amount of sample liquid is spot-supplied on the reagent layer of the slide. is there. In many such pipettes, a piston / cylinder mechanism is used to suck a predetermined amount of sample liquid into the chip and discharge the sample liquid. In order to aspirate the sample solution into the chip and discharge it to the reagent layer using such a pipette, first insert the tip of the chip into the sample solution, and then use the piston / cylinder mechanism etc. The liquid is sucked and held, and then the tip of the chip is positioned on the reagent layer of the slide, and the sample liquid in the chip is spot-supplied onto the reagent layer by a piston / cylinder mechanism or the like. However, in this case, when the tip of the tip is inserted into the sample solution and then pulled out for spotting, the sample solution adheres to the outer periphery of the tip of the tip, and this adhered sample solution is also spotted on the reagent layer. There is a problem that an error occurs in the amount of the sample liquid that is deposited and spotted, and the measurement accuracy is reduced.

For this reason, in the past, after the sample solution was sucked into the chip by a pipette, the sample solution adhering to the outer periphery of the tip was wiped off, and then the sample solution was supplied by spotting. However, there is a problem in that the wiping work is required and the work efficiency is not improved so much, and it is difficult to automate the wiping work when performing automatic spotting.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention controls the vertical position of the tip and the sample liquid surface so that the amount of insertion of the tip of the tip into the sample liquid is always kept constant when the sample liquid is sucked into the chip. Thus, an automatic spotting device was proposed in which the amount of the sample adhered to the tip tip outer peripheral portion was always made constant, and the amount of the sample supplied by spotting was made always constant. Here, the tip is designed to be replaced each time for reasons such as prevention of mixing of sample liquids and hygiene, but the dimensional accuracy of this tip is often not very high, and the shape Since different tips may be used, it is difficult to accurately grasp the position of the tip attached to the tip of the pipette, and it is difficult to control the insertion amount of the tip.

Further, in order to control the insertion amount of the tip of the tip into the liquid, it is necessary to accurately detect the liquid surface position. Therefore, conventionally, a light projecting element is provided at one of opposite positions on the left and right sides of the sample container, and It is known that a light receiving element is provided on the surface of the sample container and the surface position of the liquid in the sample container is detected by the change in the amount of light received by the light receiving element. If this liquid level position can be detected, the distance between this liquid level position and the tip of the nozzle (corresponding to the tip of the tip in the device of the present invention) can be known. Therefore, if the descending amount of the nozzle tip is controlled based on this distance, the amount of insertion in the liquid Can be determined.

However, according to this technique, the light emitting / receiving element moves up and down integrally, and the liquid level position can be detected by this movement, but the sample container is fixed and the liquid level position varies depending on the liquid volume. It is necessary to store the detected liquid level position in the memory for each detection and then calculate the distance between the nozzle tip position and the stored liquid level position by using the calculating means.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to accurately detect the tip position of the tip, accurately control the insertion amount of the tip of the tip into the sample liquid, and supply the sample by spot application. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic spotting device that can always keep the amount of liquid constant and can easily calculate the amount of insertion of the tip of the liquid into the liquid.

(Structure of the invention) The automatic spotting device of the present invention is a point for sucking and holding the sample solution contained in the sample solution from the lower end and spotting the sucked sample solution on the reagent layer of the chemical analysis slide. The spotting tip and the spotting tip are detachably attached to the tip and communicate with the spotting tip through the tip, and the sample solution is sucked into the spotting tip by a certain amount, and then the reagent layer Suctioning / discharging means for discharging a predetermined amount of the sample liquid in the spotting tip, vertical position control means for vertically moving the tip of the suctioning / discharging means, and the spotting on the tip. The tip of the spotting tip has a reference surface with which the lower end of the spotting tip abuts when the tip is attached, and the vertical position of the tip when the lower end abuts the reference surface is detected. Vertical position detecting means for detecting the position, The spotting tip attached to the end is moved between a position detecting position located above the reference surface, a suction position located above the sample container, and a spotting position located above the reagent layer. A moving means, a liquid level detection sensor which is arranged at a predetermined position, and which detects the liquid level of the sample liquid in the sample container when the liquid level is arranged at this position, and moves the sample container up and down. The sample container moving means moves the liquid level of the sample liquid in the lever sample container to the position where the liquid level detecting sensor is arranged. At the suction position, the upper and lower position detecting means detect the position. Based on the lower end position of the spotting tip, the lower end of the spotting tip by the vertical position control means is inserted into the sample liquid by a predetermined depth from the liquid surface position detected by the liquid surface detection sensor, the above It is characterized in that the sample liquid is sucked into the spotting tip by the suction / discharge means.

(Examples) Hereinafter, preferred examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a chemical analyzer having an automatic spotting device 50 according to the present invention, which is a cartridge 11, an incubator 20, a conveying / inserting means 40 and an automatic spotting device on a main body 10. A plan view of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 2 in which 50 are attached, and these are viewed from above with the cover plate 16 covering the main body 10 removed. In addition, as shown in FIG.
This device includes a display unit 14 for displaying measurement data during measurement, operation keys for operating this display, etc.
15 and a magnetic disk insertion portion 13 for recording are provided, but they are omitted in FIG.

The cartridge 11 accommodates a plurality of unused chemical analysis slides 1 in a stacked manner, and the chemical analysis slides 1 are extruded backward (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2) one by one from the lowermost one by the pushing lever 12. It has become so. An incubator 20 is located on the right side of the cartridge 11, and a plurality of chemical analysis slides 1 are housed and held in the incubator 20 on the same plane as the lowermost chemical analysis slide 1 in the cartridge 11 on the right side. The storage rooms 21, 21 ..., 21 are formed. In front of this incubator 20, a tray 29 for receiving the used slide discharged from the storage chamber 21 is arranged. In addition, below the incubator 20, in a lateral direction (direction of arrow C) facing the lower surface of the incubator 20.
A slidable read head for reflection optical density measurement (not shown) is arranged in the. The sliding is performed on a rail extending laterally below the incubator 20 by being driven by, for example, a linear motor or the like, the rail extending to the lower surface of the cartridge 11, and the read head of the cartridge 11. It can slide to a position facing the lower surface and can face the chemical analysis slide 1 at the bottom of the cartridge. As a result, not only the reflection optical density of the slide 1 stored in each storage chamber 21 of the incubator 20 can be measured by the reading head, but also the fog photometry for measuring the reflection optical density of the unused slide 1 can be performed. You can do it.

The incubator 10 has a built-in heater (not shown) so that the chemical analysis slides 1 held in the storage chambers 21, 21, ..., 21 can be kept at a constant temperature (incubation). The chemical analysis slide 1 comprises a dry multi-layer film in which a support, a reagent layer and a development layer are laminated in this order in a frame having a circular hole for dropping a liquid sample,
A predetermined amount of a sample such as urine and blood is dropped on this film, and the color reaction is carried out by keeping the sample in the incubator 10 at a constant temperature.

On the other hand, behind the incubator 20, there is arranged a conveying / inserting means 40 facing the entrance opening 21a of the storage chamber 21 and slidable in the lateral direction (arrow C direction). This sliding is performed by the conveying / inserting means 40 placed on a rail 49 extending in the lateral direction being driven by, for example, a linear motor or the like, and the position facing the incubator 20 as well as the cartridge 11 (first It is slidable up to the position indicated by the chain line X in FIG. 2). Therefore, the chemical analysis slide 1 extruded from the cartridge 11 by the extruding lever 12 is received by the conveying / inserting means 40 slid to the position of the chain line X, and is conveyed to a predetermined position, and then this slide 1 is moved. It can be inserted into the predetermined storage chamber 21.

An automatic spotting device 50 having a rotatable spotting arm 55 as shown by an arrow B in FIG. 2 is arranged behind the carrying / inserting means 40. The spotting arm 55 has a spotting tip 53 detachably attached to the tip thereof, and the tip is indicated by an arrow B.
Position detection position (position indicated by chain line symbol M) located above the chip holding base 51 having a reference surface by rotating in a direction.
A suction position (position indicated by a chain line symbol N) located above the sample container 52 and a spotting position located above a spotting hole 19 formed in the cover plate 16 on the main body 10 (position shown by a solid line in the figure). ), And is freely movable. At each of the above positions, the spotting arm 55 can move up and down, and the vertical position control means for controlling the vertical movement of the spotting arm 55 and the moving means for rotating in the direction of arrow B are automatic points. It is provided in the dressing device.

The tip holding base 51 is a base for holding the spotting tip 53 with its lower end in contact with the reference surface 51a, as shown in FIG. 3 showing a cross section along the arrow III-III. It is fixed to. Therefore, the spotting arm 55 is rotated to the position detection position, and the spotting arm 55 is moved downward and the vertical position of the spotting arm 55 when the spotting tip 53 is attached to the tip as shown in the figure Since the position of the reference surface 51a is known in advance if read by the detecting means, the position of the lower end of the spotting tip 53 can be accurately known.

On the other hand, below the spotting hole 19, after being transported from the cartridge 11 by the transporting / inserting means 40 and transported on the rail 49, a predetermined position (solid line Y is shown in FIG. 2) for spotting the sample liquid. The reagent layer of the slide 1 placed at the position) is located, and at the spotting position, the spotting tip 53
Is located above the reagent layer of the slide 1.
Therefore, at the suction position, a predetermined amount of the sample liquid in the sample container 52 is sucked into the spotting tip 53, and then the spotting arm
By rotating 55 in the direction of arrow B to position the spotting tip 53 at the spotting position, the sample solution can be spot-supplied and supplied onto the reagent layer of the slide 1. After that, the slide 1 is inserted into the vacant storage chamber 21 of the incubator 20 to be incubated, and at this time, the optical reflection density is read by the read head, and the chemical analysis of the sample liquid can be performed. Incubator 20
A reference density plate 17 for correcting the photometric error by the reading head is provided between the cartridge 11 and the cartridge 11.

The operation of the chemical analyzer configured as described above will be briefly described.

First, the read head is moved to a position facing the lower surface of the cartridge 11, and the fog photometry of the lowermost chemical analysis slide 1 of the chemical analysis slides 1 stored in the cartridge 11 is performed. When the read head moves,
The photometric error is corrected by facing the reference density plate 17. When the fog measurement is performed, the chemical analysis slide 1 is pushed out by the pushing lever 12 onto the carrying / inserting means 40 moved to the position shown by the chain line X in FIG. 2 and held there. The conveying / inserting means 40 moves rightward on the rail 49 and moves to a position below the spotting position (position indicated by solid line Y). Next, the automatic spotting device 50 is operated, the spotting tip 53 is attached to the tip of the spotting arm 55 at the position detection position, and the position of the lower end of the spotting tip 53 at this time is read by the vertical position detecting means. After this, the spotting arm 55 is moved upward with the spotting tip 53 attached to the tip, and moved to the suction position. Then, at this suction position, based on the lower end position of the spotting tip 53 read by the vertical position detecting means, the lower end of the tip is inserted into the sample liquid by a predetermined depth, and the sample liquid in the sample container 52 is spotted. The spotting arm 55 is sucked into the tip 53, and then the spotting arm 55 is rotated to the spotting position, and at this spotting position, onto the reagent layer of the slide 1 conveyed to the position indicated by Y, A predetermined amount of the sample liquid is spotted and supplied. After that, the transport / insertion means 40 moves on the rail 49 in the lateral direction (direction of arrow C) to face the predetermined storage chamber 21 of the incubator 20, and the slide 1 is inserted into the storage chamber 21. incubator
The slide 1 which is kept at a constant temperature (incubation) in 20 is irradiated with irradiation light and its reflected optical density is measured by a reading head moved to the lower part of the storage chamber, and the sample is chemically analyzed. When these measurements are completed, the chemical analysis slide 1 is discharged from the storage chamber 21 into the tray 29 by the carrying / inserting means 40. Hereinafter, by repeating the above operation, it is possible to automatically and continuously carry out chemical analysis using a large number of chemical analysis slides.

An example of the automatic spotting device 50 for automatically spot-feeding the sample solution in the sample container 52 onto the reagent layer of the slide 1 when performing the above-described measurement will be described in detail below.

The structure of this automatic spotting device 50 is shown in FIG.
Is a tip vertical position control means 60 for vertically moving the spotting arm 55 and the spotting tip 53, a vertical position detection means 65 for detecting the vertical position of the spotting arm 55, and a container vertical position control for vertically moving the sample container 52. Means 70, tip moving means 80 for rotating the spotting arm 55 to move the spotting tip 53 between the position detecting position, the suction position and the spotting position, the sample liquid communicating with the tip 53 and into the tip 53 Suction / discharging means 90 for sucking the sample liquid and discharging the sample liquid from the tip 53, and a liquid level detection sensor 1 for detecting the liquid level position of the sample liquid in the sample container 52
00, the spotting arm 55 is a suction / discharge means.
It constitutes the tip of 90.

The chip vertical position control means 60 includes a first pulse motor 61 attached to the main body 10 and a first driving body 63 connected to a rotating shaft of the first pulse motor 61 via a coupling 62.
And a first driven body 64 having a male screw 64b that meshes with a female screw 63a formed on the first driving body 63. First driven body 64
Has a recess 64a loosely fitted to the protrusion 10a of the main body 10, as shown in FIG. 5 showing a cross section taken along the line V-V,
It can move up and down with respect to the body 10, but is prevented from rotating. Further, the rotary shaft 55a of the spotting arm 55 is connected to the upper part of the first driven body 64 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. Therefore, the first pulse motor 61
When the drive body 63 is rotated, the rotation of the first driven body 64 is blocked, so that the screw engagement amount with the first drive body is changed, and the first driven body 64 is moved up and down. The rotating shaft 55a of the spotting arm 55 connected to the driven body 64 is also moved up and down. The vertical position detecting means 65 detects the vertical position of the spotting arm 55 by detecting the rotational speed of the motor 61 based on the number of pulses of the first pulse motor 61.

The container vertical position control means 70 includes a second pulse motor 71 attached to the main body 10, and a second drive body 73 connected to the rotation shaft of the second pulse motor 71 via a coupling 72.
Male screw 74 that meshes with female screw 73a formed on the second drive body 73
and a second driven body 74 having b. The second driven body 74 is
As shown in FIG. 6 showing a cross section taken along the arrow VI-VI, the main body 10 has a concave portion 74a that is loosely fitted to the protrusion 10a of the main body 10.
It is movable up and down with respect to, but is prevented from rotating, and has a mounting table 74c on which the sample container 52 is mounted. Therefore, when the second driving body 73 is rotated by the second pulse motor 71, the rotation of the second driven body 74 is blocked, so that the screw engagement amount with the second driving body 73 changes, and The passive state 74 is moved up and down, whereby the sample container 52 placed on the placing table 74 is moved up and down.

The chip moving means 80 includes a rotary motor 81 attached to the main body 10, a drive gear 83 connected to the rotary shaft of the rotary motor 81 via a coupling 82, and meshes with and drives the drive gear 83. Driven gear that can move up and down with respect to gear 83
84, and the driven gear 84 is the rotating shaft 55a of the spotting arm 55.
It is fixed coaxially. The rotating shaft 55a of the spotting arm 55 is rotatably supported by the main body 10, and therefore, when the rotating motor 81 is driven to rotate, this rotation causes the coupling 8 to rotate.
2, transmitted to the rotary shaft 55a via the drive gear 83 and the driven gear 84. As a result, the spotting arm 55 is rotated about the rotary shaft 55a, and the spotting tip 53 attached to the tip of the spotting arm 55 can be moved between the suction position and the spotting position. There is.

The suction / discharge means 90 includes a piston drive motor 91 having a cam plate 92 on its rotation shaft, a piston rod 94 connected to the cam plate 92 via a link 93, and a piston rod 94.
A flexible hose that connects a cylinder 95 into which a piston 94a mounted at the tip of the cylinder is fitted and a passage 98 formed in the spotting arm 55 and communicating with the space 53a in the spotting tip 53 to the space 96 in the cylinder 95. It consists of 97 and. The rotational movement of the piston drive motor 91 is converted into the reciprocating movement of the piston rod 94 by the link 93, and the reciprocating movement of the piston 94a caused by this changes the volume of the cylinder inner space 96, which passes through the hose 97 and the passage 98. The sample liquid is transmitted to the spotting tip internal space 53a, and the sample liquid is sucked or discharged into the spotting tip internal space 53a.

Further, the liquid level detection sensor 100 optically detects the liquid level position of the sample liquid in the sample container 52, and the container vertical position control means 70 moves the sample container 52 up and down to detect the liquid level position. The liquid level sensor 100
Is not limited to the optical detection as in this example, but a sensor utilizing sound waves or ultrasonic waves (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-2
62019, JP-A-60-158318, JP-A-6
There is a sensor disclosed in 0-216226),
Various sensors such as an electrostatic capacitance type (JP-A-60-192226), a purge type (JP-A-60-155926), and an electric resistance type (JP-A-60-185134) are used. Of course, it may be used.

The operation of the automatic spotting device configured as described above will be described.

First, the tip moving means 80 positions the spotting arm 55 at the position detection position, and then the tip vertical position control means 60.
The position arm 55 is moved downwards by means of this, and as shown in FIG. 3, the spotting tip 53 is attached to the tip of the arm. At this time, since the lower end of the spotting tip 53 is in contact with the reference surface 51a, if the vertical position of the spotting arm 55 at this time is read by the vertical position detecting means 65, the lower end position of the spotting tip 53 can be accurately measured. Can be detected. After that, the tip vertical position control means 60 moves the spotting arm 55 upward, and the tip moving means 80 positions the spotting arm 55 at the suction position.

In the suction position, first, the mounting table 74c of the second driven body 74
A sample container 52 containing the sample solution is placed on the top. Then, the container vertical position control means 70 moves the mounting table 74c up and down, and the liquid level detection sensor 100 detects the vertical position of the liquid level in the sample container 52. Then, the tip vertical position control means 60 is operated based on the detected liquid surface position to move the spotting tip 53 attached to the spotting arm 55 at the suction position downward.
Based on the lower end position of the spotting tip 53 detected by the vertical position detecting means 65, the lower end of the spotting tip 53 is inserted into the sample solution by a predetermined depth “h ₁ ”. In addition, it is desirable that the predetermined depth “h ₁ ” be made as shallow as possible in order to reduce the amount of the sample liquid adhering to the outer periphery of the lower end of the spotting tip 53. Since the lower end position is accurately detected, the insertion depth can be accurately controlled, and the predetermined depth “h ₁ ” can be easily made very shallow.

After that, the suction / discharge means 90 is operated to move the piston 94a to suck a predetermined amount of the sample liquid into the space 53a of the spotting tip 53. At this time, since the liquid surface is lowered by sucking the sample liquid, this decrease is caused by the liquid level detection sensor.
When detected by 100, the container vertical position control means 70
Then, the mounting table 74c is moved upward to move the sample container 52 upward so as to keep the liquid surface position constant. As a result, the spotting tip 53
The insertion depth "h ₁ " of can be always kept constant even during the suction of the sample liquid, and the amount of the sample liquid attached to the outer peripheral portion of the chip can be kept constant. Further, since it is possible to avoid sucking air by lowering the liquid surface by suction and lowering the lower end of the spotting tip 53 above the liquid surface, it is possible to make the insertion depth “h ₁ ” considerably shallow. it can.

When a prescribed amount of the sample liquid is sucked into the space 53a in the spotting tip 53 as described above, the tip vertical position control means 60 moves the spotting arm 55 upward to lift the spotting tip 53. After this, the tip moving means 80 causes the spotting arm 55.
Is rotated about the rotary shaft 55a, and the spotting tip 53 is moved from the suction position to the spotting position. Then, the spotting tip 53 is moved downward by the tip vertical position control means 60, and when the tip thereof is located near the upper portion of the reagent layer portion 1a of the slide 1, the sample in the spotting tip 53 is caused by the action of the suction / discharge means 90. The liquid is slowly discharged, and a liquid bulb as shown in FIG. 7A is formed at the lower end of the spotting tip 53. Then, the spotting tip 53 descends as it is, and the liquid bulb is spotted and supplied onto the reagent layer portion 1a of the slide 1 (see FIG. 7B). The distance "h ₂ " between the lower end of the spotting tip 53 and the surface of the reagent layer portion 1a at this time is controlled so as to be always constant. This example, spotting tip 53
Is moved up, the spotting of the sample solution is completed.

In the above, the spotting tip 53 is rotated by the rotation of the spotting arm 55.
The automatic spotting device 50 adapted to move is shown, but another embodiment of the automatic spotting device is shown in FIG. 8 and FIG.
The automatic spotting device 150 will be described below.

This automatic spotting device 150, as the tip moving means 180,
It uses a timing belt 183 hung between two wheels 181,182. This timing belt 183 has
Tip vertical position control means 160 and suction / discharge means 190
The chip control means 120, which has a built-in integrated circuit, is connected, and the tip control means 120 slidably mounted on the laterally extending support shaft 184 is the timing belt 183.
As shown in FIG. 8, the position detection position (the position indicated by the solid line “J”), the suction position (the position indicated by the chain line “K”) and the spotting position (the position indicated by the chain line “L”) are pulled by Moved to each position.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the tip control means 120 is moved to the position detection position by the tip moving means 180. The tip control means 120 is configured by integrally including the tip vertical position control means 160 and the suction / discharge means 190 as described above. Chip vertical position control means 160
Is a main body 163 that is connected to the timing belt 183 and is slidably supported by the support shaft 184.
And a first drive motor attached to the main body 163
161, a first drive shaft 162 directly connected to the rotation shaft of the first drive motor 161, and a male screw formed on the first drive shaft 162.
The main body 163 has a female screw 164a that is screwed with the 162a, and is composed of a driving body 164 that is vertically slidable. On the other hand, the suction / discharge means 190 is formed on the second drive motor 191 fixed to the side surface of the main body 163, the second drive shaft 192 directly connected to the rotation shaft of the motor 191, and the drive shaft 192. It has a female screw 193a to be screwed with the male screw 192a and has a piston 19 at the lower end.
A piston member 193 having 3b is fixed to a side surface of the main body 163 and a cylinder 194 into which the piston 193b is vertically slidably inserted, and one end communicates with a cylinder chamber of the cylinder 194. The other end is the driver
The flexible tube 195 is connected to the lower end of 194.

When the chip control means 120 is located at the position detection position, the first drive shaft 161 is rotated by the first drive motor 161 and the screwing amount between this and the drive body 164 is changed to move the drive body 164 downward. As a result, the tip 195a of the flexible tube 195 connected to the lower end of the driving body 164, that is, the tip 195a of the suction / discharge means 190 is also moved downward. As a result, the tip 195a is inserted into the spotting tip 53 held by the tip holding base 51, and the spotting tip 53 is attached to the tip 195a. At this time, the lower end of the spotting tip 53 is in contact with the reference surface 51a, and if the position of the tip is read by the vertical position detecting means 165 that detects the rotation speed of the first drive motor 161, the spotting tip 53 will be detected. The exact position of the lower edge of can be detected.

Next, the first drive motor 161 is rotated in the reverse direction to move the tip 195a to which the spotting tip 53 is attached together with the driving body 164, and then the tip moving means 180 is used to move the tip control means
Move 120 to suction position. Thereafter, the vertical position control means 160 moves the spotting tip 53 downward and the suction / discharge means 190 sucks the sample liquid into the spotting tip 53. This operation and the subsequent spotting tips are carried out. Since the operation is the same as in the case of FIG. 4, the description thereof will be omitted. The vertical movement of the piston member 193 causes the sample liquid to be sucked and discharged into the spotting tip 53.
The vertical movement of the piston member 193 is performed by adjusting the screwing amount of the second drive shaft 192 and the piston member 193 by the rotation of the second drive motor 191.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the lower end of the spotting tip is brought into contact with the reference surface with the spotting tip attached to the spotting arm that constitutes the tip of the suction / discharge means. Since the vertical position of the spotting arm can be accurately detected by reading the vertical position of the spotting arm with the vertical position detecting means in contact with each other, the dimensional accuracy of the spotting tip is rough and the vertical position of the spotting chip may be slightly different for each product. Even when there are variations in size or when the spotting tips having different shapes are used, the lower end position of the spotting tip can always be accurately grasped. Therefore, it becomes easy to control the insertion depth of the lower end of the spotting tip into the sample solution during suction, and it is easy to keep the spotting supply amount of the sample to the chemical analysis slide constant.

Further, since the liquid level position can be detected when the sample container is moved up and down so that the liquid surface reaches the liquid level detection sensor installation position, the sample container of the sample container is detected at the timing when the liquid level position is detected. By stopping the movement, the distance between the liquid surface position and the tip of the spotting tip is always constant,
Since it is not necessary to calculate this distance, the amount of insertion of the tip of the tip into the liquid becomes extremely easy to control.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing a chemical analysis device having an automatic spotting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the chemical analysis device with a cover plate removed, and FIG. 3 is an arrow III in FIG. -III is a sectional view showing the chip holder, FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of the automatic spotting device according to the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are arrows V-V in FIG. And VI-VI
7A and 7B are sectional front views showing the operation of spotting the sample liquid onto the slide from the spotting tip, and FIG. 8 is a different embodiment of the automatic spotting device according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic front view showing an example, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing tip control means used in the automatic spotting device of FIG. 10 …… Main body, 11 …… Cartridge 16 …… Cover plate, 20 …… Incubator, 40 …… Transfer / insertion means, 50 …… Automatic spotting device 51 …… Chip holder, 51a …… Reference surface 53 …… Spotting tip, 55 …… Spotting arm 60,160 …… Chip vertical position control means 65,165 …… Vertical position detection means 70 …… Container vertical position control means 80,180 …… Chip moving means 90,190 …… Suction / discharge means 100 …… Liquid Surface detection sensor 120 ...... Chip control means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spotting tip for sucking and holding a sample solution contained in a sample container from the lower end and spotting the sucked sample solution on a reagent layer of a chemical analysis slide, and the spotting tip on the tip. The tip is removably attached and communicates with the spotting tip through the tip, and a certain amount of the sample solution is sucked into the spotting tip, and then this spotting is applied to the reagent layer. Suction / discharge means for discharging a predetermined amount of the sample liquid in the tip, vertical position control means for moving the tip of the suction / discharge means up and down, and the point with the spotting tip attached to the tip. A vertical position detecting means for detecting the vertical position of the tip when the lower end contacts the reference surface, and detecting the vertical position of the tip when the lower end contacts the reference surface; , The spotting chitch attached to the tip Moving means for moving the table between a position detection position located above the reference surface, a suction position located above the sample container and a spotting position located above the reagent layer, and a predetermined position. A liquid level detection sensor which is provided and detects the liquid level of the sample liquid in the sample container when the liquid level of the sample liquid in the sample container is placed at this position and the sample in the sample container by moving the sample container up and down. The sample container moving means for moving the liquid surface of the liquid to the position where the liquid level detecting sensor is arranged. At the suction position, the lower end of the spotting tip detected by the vertical position detecting means at the position detecting position. Based on the position, the lower end of the spotting tip is inserted by the vertical position control means into the sample liquid from the liquid surface position detected by the liquid surface detection sensor to a predetermined depth, and the suction / discharge means is used to point Automatic spotting apparatus being characterized in that so as to suck the sample solution in the chip.