JPH0639266A - Method and device for agitating liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely agitate even a viscous liq. by this agitator while not in contact with the liq. CONSTITUTION:When plural kinds of liqs. 2 in a vessel 1 are agitated, air A is continuously or intermittently injected along the one inner side wall of the vessel 1 toward the liq. 2 surface from an injection nozzle 3 not in contact with the liq. 2 in the vessel 1, and the liq. 2 in the vessel 1 is stably raised on the side where the air is not injected with the air A jet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid stirring method used in an automatic analyzer for performing physicochemical analysis, biochemical analysis, immunological analysis and the like, and more particularly to a liquid stirring target. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a novel liquid stirring method and apparatus capable of surely stirring without contact.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, taking immunological analysis as an example, in recent years, RIA has been used as a trace component analysis in clinical tests.
The EIA method, EIA method and latex agglutination reaction method are known, and as an automatic analyzer utilizing these methods, a predetermined amount of a liquid sample in a sample cup is sucked with a sample pipette for sample suction and dispensing, and the sample is sampled. After dispensing into the reaction cell, a predetermined reagent was dispensed into the reaction cell, the sample and the reagent were stirred with a stirrer, and then the reaction between the sample and the reagent was optically analyzed. Things are already provided.

The stirring method conventionally used in such an automatic analyzer is, for example, to immerse the stirring blade in the liquid in the reaction cell and rotate the stirring blade to remove the sample and the reagent in the reaction cell. Each sample test is performed from the viewpoint of preventing the so-called carryover phenomenon that prevents the sample of another person from entering the reaction cell and reduces the reliability of the test item due to the sample of another person. The method of cleaning the stirring blade is adopted.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional stirring method, since the cleaning performance is limited, it is not sufficient to completely avoid the carry-over phenomenon. A stirring method without contact with the liquid has been demanded. Under such a request,
The applicant of the present invention has devised a method of stirring the liquid in the reaction cell by externally applying mechanical vibration to the reaction cell by devising a device for supporting the reaction cell. It has been found that the technical problem that the agitation property itself tends to be insufficient and the agitation performance is deteriorated when such is used. Incidentally, such a technical problem similarly occurs in the stirring method used in an automatic analyzer such as physicochemical analysis and biochemical analysis.

The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problems, and even if the liquid to be stirred is a highly viscous liquid, it can be surely stirred in a non-contact state with the liquid. A liquid stirring method and apparatus therefor are provided.

That is, in the liquid stirring method according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, when stirring a plurality of types of liquid 2 contained in the container 1, the liquid 2 is not contacted with the liquid 2 in the container 1. Air A directed toward the surface of the liquid 2 along the inner wall on one side of the container 1 from the injection nozzle 3 is continuously or intermittently injected, and the liquid 2 in the container 1 is directed to the non-air injection side by this air A jet flow. It is characterized by stable swelling.

An apparatus invention embodying such a method is
As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 set on the stirring stage
A liquid agitating device for agitating a plurality of types of liquid 2 contained therein, the air jet flow being arranged in non-contact with the liquid 2 in the container 1 and directed toward the liquid 2 surface along an inner wall on one side of the container 1. And an injection nozzle 3 for generating the air A, which is connected to the injection nozzle 3 and has a pressure such that the liquid A in the container 1 stably rises toward the non-air injection side by the air A injection flow from the injection nozzle 3. It is characterized by including an air supply means 4 for supplying the air and a valve means 5 for selectively supplying the air A from the air supply means 4 to the injection nozzle 3 side in accordance with the stirring processing timing.

In such a technical means, the supporting structure for the jet nozzle 3 may be fixedly provided above the opening end position of the container 1 in the stirring stage. Air jet flow liquid 2
From the perspective of further improving the efficiency of spraying
The jet nozzle 3 is supported by the nozzle elevating means 6, and the jet nozzle 3 is lowered from the standby position only during the stirring process so that the tip of the jet nozzle 3 enters the space inside the container 1 and the jet nozzle 3 waits after the stirring process is completed. It is preferable to return to the position.

Regarding the jetting state of the air from the jetting nozzle 3, it may be continuously jetted during the stirring process, but from the viewpoint of further improving the stirring efficiency, the valve means 5 is opened and closed appropriately. It is preferable that the air A is intermittently supplied during one stirring process so that the stirring of the liquid 2 is further promoted by utilizing the returning operation of the liquid portion that is raised during the air injection.

[0010]

According to the technical means as described above, the air A that is directed toward the liquid 2 surface along the inner wall on one side of the container 1 from the injection nozzle 3 which is not in contact with the liquid 2 in the container 1 is continuous or When jetted intermittently, the liquid A in the container 1 is stably raised toward the non-air jet side by this jet of air A. At this time, the convection is repeated inside the liquid 2 that is raised on one side, so that the liquid 2 is reliably stirred. In particular, when the air jet flow is intermittently jetted, the liquid 2 which is bulged to one side at the time when the supply operation of the air jet flow is lacking.
This part of the liquid will return due to its own weight.
The liquid 2 is agitated during the returning operation of.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. 2 to 4 are explanatory views showing the entire system of an embodiment of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied. ◎ Outline of automatic analyzer The automatic analyzer according to this example is configured for immunological analysis using the latex agglutination reaction method, and samples a plurality of samples (serum in this example) respectively. After a predetermined reagent (latex reagent in this embodiment) is dispensed to the sampling device 100 and the sampled sample, both are stirred to react the sample with the reagent, and the reaction result is optically measured. A sample reaction measuring device 200, and a control system 300 that controls the sample sampling device 100 and the sample reaction measuring device 200 according to a predetermined sequence and outputs the reaction result of the sample and the reagent.

Sample Sampling Device In FIGS. 2 to 4, reference numeral 101 is a disk-shaped sample table which holds a required number of sample cups (sample cups) 102 and dilution cups 103 in a concentric loop, and a predetermined sample suction The stage is configured to intermittently transfer the sample cup 102 in which the sample to be inspected is stored and the dilution cup 103 in which the dilution liquid of the sample can be stored. Further, as many disposable nozzle tips 104 as the number of sample cups 102 that can be discarded are detachably held in a loop shape at the outermost periphery of the sample table 101.

Reference numeral 105 is a serum pipetting mechanism for sampling serum as a sample (sample aspirating operation and sample dispensing operation), and has a sample pipette 106 that can be vertically moved and rotated. The nozzle tip 104 is detachably attached to the tip of the pipette 106 for each specimen test, and a required amount of the specimen in the sample cup 102 is sucked, or if necessary, the dilution cup 1
The sample and the diluting liquid are dispensed in the sample 03, or the sample sampled in the cuvette 202 described later is dispensed. In this embodiment, since the nozzle tip 104 for the same sample does not have a risk of so-called carryover, it is cleaned in the cleaning tank 110 and reused. It is artificially discarded when the inspection is completed. In addition, reference numeral 107 denotes a serum quantitative pump (sampling pump), 108 a diluent tank, 109 a dilution metering pump, 111 a drain tank, 112 a washing tank pump,
113 is a washing pump, 114 is a water supply tank, and 12
Reference numerals 1-127 are solenoid valves for switching the flow paths.

Sample Reaction Measuring Device In FIGS. 2 to 4, reference numeral 201 is a reaction table in which a required number (60 in this embodiment) of cuvettes (reaction cells) 202 are held in a loop at predetermined pitch intervals. ,
The cuvette 202 is intermittently transferred in a fixed direction by stepwise driving. In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the cuvette 202 is integrally molded with a transparent synthetic resin in a rectangular cross section, and the inner wall surface of the intermediate portion is a tapered surface with a narrowed end. Two
Waist portion 202 formed as 02a (see FIG. 7)
b, on the other hand, a flange portion 202c that is locked in the locking hole of the reaction table 201 is formed on the upper part, and a cuvette feeder 2 described later is formed in a part of this flange portion 202c.
A concave portion 202d for gripping at 14 is formed.

Further, reference numeral 203 is a reagent bottle containing a latex reagent, and the reagent bottle 203 is provided with a reagent table 261 coaxially with the reaction table 201.
However, the reagent table 261 is rotatably driven independently of the reaction table 201 by a rotary shaft 263 connected to a drive motor 262. Then, the reaction table 201 and the reagent table 26
1 is provided with a cover 264 for covering them,
The cover 264 is provided with a sample dispensing hole, a reagent dispensing hole, and a reagent take-out hole (all not shown). Reference numerals 204 and 205 denote first and second reagent pipetting mechanisms and 206 and 2, respectively.
Reference numeral 07 is a reagent cleaning tank for cleaning each reagent pipetting mechanism, and 208 and 209 are a first reagent metering pump and a second reagent metering pump.

Reference numeral 211 denotes a cuvette supply / disposal device that supplies a new cuvette 202 into the reaction table 201 and discards the cuvette 202 that has been inspected, and sequentially guides and conveys a plurality of rows of cuvettes 202 to the front row side. Cuvette rack holder 212 and cuvette discard tray 213 for discarding the inspected cuvette 202
The cuvette rack holder 212 is provided in the front row, and holds one cuvette 202 to set the cuvette 202 at a predetermined portion of the reaction table 201, holds the inspected cuvette 202, and conveys it to the cuvette discard tray 213. Cuvette feeder 214.

Further, reference numeral 220 is a stirring device for stirring the sample and the reagent on the cuvette 202 into which the sample and the predetermined reagent are dispensed at a predetermined stirring stage. In this embodiment, it is shown in FIG. As described above, the injection nozzle 221 is fixedly arranged above the cuvette 202 positioned on the stirring stage via the support bracket 222, and the injection nozzle 221 is connected to the pressure-adjustable air pump 224 via the air tube 223. Further, a valve 225 that opens and closes in accordance with a stirring process control signal from the control system 300 (a signal that synchronizes with the timing at which the target cuvette 202 is intermittently transferred to the stirring stage) is provided in a part of the air tube 223. It has been inserted. In particular, the injection nozzle 221 used in this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The air injection flow A from the injection nozzle 221 is disposed at a position corresponding to the corner portion 20 of the cuvette 202.
It faces the liquid surface along the inner wall surface of 2c.

Further, reference numeral 230 is an optical measuring apparatus which optically assumes the reaction between the sample and the reagent at a predetermined inspection stage. In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, a semiconductor laser 231 is used as a light source and an optical path is used. The amount of change in the forward scattering intensity that changes with the progress of the antigen-antibody reaction in the inside cuvette 202 is captured and measured by the integrating sphere 232, and at the same time the intensity of the transmitted light is also measured. Compensation measures for interference factors other than
It is for obtaining the turbidity value.

Control System A so-called microcomputer system is adopted as the control system 300 in this embodiment, and CP
U301 executes a predetermined inspection program, and the control circuit 3
The sample sampling device 100 and the sample reaction measuring device 200 are operated via 02. Incidentally, reference numeral 303 is a liquid crystal display for displaying inspection results and the like.
Reference numeral 04 is an operation panel for instructing an inspection menu and the like, 305 is a printer for outputting inspection results and the like, and 306 is a floppy disk drive used for storing data such as inspection results on a floppy disk.

Operation of the Example Apparatus Therefore, according to this example, the sample sampling apparatus 1
00 dispenses each sample into the cuvette 202, the sample reaction measuring device 200 dispenses an appropriate reagent into the cuvette 202 into which the sample has been dispensed, and then stirs the sample and the reagent with the stirrer 220. After that, the reaction result of the sample and the reagent is measured by the optical measuring device 230.

At this time, on the side of the sample sampling device 100, the sample is dispensed using the individual nozzle tip 104 for each sample test, and the stirring device 220 is used as the cuvette 2.
Since the liquid W is stirred in a state where it does not come into contact with the liquid (sample, reagent) W in 02, there is no concern that another person's sample will be mixed.

Further, when the stirring state of the liquid by the stirring device 220 according to this embodiment was examined, as shown in FIG. 7, the air A jet flow from the jet nozzle 221 was found to be the inner wall surface on one side of the cuvette 202, in particular. The recessed portion 2 is sprayed onto the corresponding liquid W surface in the cuvette 202 along the tapered surface 202a, and is formed on the liquid W surface corresponding to the air injection portion.
26 is stably formed, on the other hand, a raised portion 227 is stably formed on the non-air jet side of the liquid W surface, and convection 228 as shown by an arrow is generated inside the liquid W, so that the sample and the reagent are It was confirmed that the mixture was continuously stirred. Here, in examining the stirring performance of the stirring apparatus according to the example, CEA (carinoembryonic) using a reagent having a high viscosity with respect to 10 samples (NO. 1 to NO. 10) obtained by diluting a standard sample.
When the reaction results (concentration value: corresponding to the turbidity value) were examined after a predetermined time had elapsed, the results shown in Table 1 were obtained. In addition, the same test as in the example was performed for the stirring device according to the comparative example using the stirring blade (however, the dilution degree of the standard sample was slightly different, and 10 samples were NO.1 ′).
~ NO.10 ') and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0023]

[Table 1]

According to Table 1, the concentration values (ng / ml) in the examples are
Mean value m = 5.84, standard deviation σ = 0.229, and density value variation CV = 3.92%, whereas in the comparative example, mean value m = 6.22, standard deviation σ = 0.38
8. Variation in concentration value CV = 6.24% is understood, and it is understood that the examples show the stirring performance equal to or higher than that of the comparative examples. Further, when a similar test was performed in the stirring device according to another comparative example which gives mechanical vibration, the variation in the concentration value was extremely large (concentration value variation CV = 13.82%), and compared with the example. It was confirmed that the stirring performance was inferior. Also, in this embodiment,
When the pressure of the air A jet flow is gradually increased, minute bubbles are generated in the liquid W even if the raised portion 227 of the liquid does not spill from the cuvette 202, and these minute bubbles interfere with the optical measurement. Since it has been confirmed that, when selecting the pressure of the air jet flow, it is necessary to consider that micro bubbles are not generated.

Modified Example of Stirrer According to the Embodiment In the embodiment, the valve 225 is continuously opened during the stirring process. However, if the valve is opened intermittently, as shown in FIG. So that the air A from the injection nozzle 221
When the jet flow is stopped, the ridge 2 of the liquid W
Since 27 returns to the recessed portion 226 side by its own weight, the stirring performance is further improved because the liquid W is stirred even during the returning operation of the liquid W.

Further, in the embodiment, the injection nozzle 22
Although the nozzle No. 1 is fixedly provided, as shown in FIG. 9, the jet nozzle 221 may be moved up and down by the nozzle lifting mechanism 250. The nozzle elevating mechanism 250 includes, for example, a movable piston portion 252 that advances and retracts when the electromagnetic solenoid 251 is turned on and off. A support bracket 222 of the injection nozzle 221 is attached to the movable piston portion 252, and the movable piston portion 252 is used during stirring processing. And the tip of the injection nozzle 221 enters the space inside the cuvette 202, and when the stirring process ends, the movable piston portion 252 is retracted and the injection nozzle 221 waits above the cuvette 202. According to this type, the tip of the injection nozzle 221 is the cuvette 202.
Since it is arranged close to the inner space, all the air A jet flow from the jet nozzle 221 is surely guided to the liquid W surface along the inner wall surface of the cuvette 202.
Compared to the embodiment type in which 21 is arranged above the cuvette 202, even if the pressure of the air jet flow from the jet nozzle 221 fluctuates, the stirring effect is kept substantially uniform.

Further, in the embodiment, the side peripheral portion and the bottom wall portion of the cuvette 202 are formed as the corner portions, but if the portions are formed as the R portion, the stirring effect is further improved. Was confirmed.

[0028]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1 or 2, the air jet flow from the jet nozzle is blown onto the liquid surface along the inner wall surface on one side in the container, and the air jet flow is obtained. As a result, the liquid surface on the non-air jet side is stably raised, and convection is effectively generated inside the raised liquid, so even if the liquid to be stirred is a highly viscous liquid, it does not come into contact with the liquid. The liquid can be surely stirred in this state. Therefore, as compared with the type in which the stirring member comes into contact with the liquid, it is possible to reliably prevent the carry-over phenomenon due to the mixing of another sample during the stirring process, and to maintain the liquid stirring performance in good condition.

In particular, according to the third aspect of the invention, the tip of the injection nozzle is arranged in the space inside the container during the stirring process, and all the air injection flow from the injection nozzle is liquefied along the inner wall surface on one side of the container. Since it is guided to the surface, even if the pressure of the air jet flow fluctuates, the loss of the air jet flow itself is extremely small, and compared with the type in which the jet nozzle is fixedly arranged above the container, the air jet flow The raised state of the liquid can be generated substantially uniformly, and the stirring effect of the liquid can be kept substantially uniform accordingly.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 4, since the air from the injection nozzle is intermittently supplied in one stirring process, at the time when the air injection flow from the injection nozzle is not supplied, Due to the air jet flow, a returning operation of the once raised liquid portion occurs, and the liquid stirring effect can be further enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a liquid stirring method and an apparatus thereof according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front explanatory view of the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the stirring device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between the stirring device according to the embodiment and the cuvette.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a stirring operation principle of the stirring device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the stirring device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing another modification of the stirring device according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Container, 2 ... Liquid, 3 ... Injection nozzle, 4 ... Air supply means, 5 ... Valve means, 6 ... Nozzle raising / lowering means, A ... Air

Front page continued (72) Inventor Akira Tsukada 1-8-5 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Kyowa Medex Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. When a plurality of types of liquids (2) contained in a container (1) are stirred, a jet nozzle (3) arranged in a non-contact manner with the liquid (2) in the container (1) to the container ( Air (A) directed to the liquid (2) surface along the inner wall on one side of 1) is continuously or intermittently jetted, and the liquid (2) in the container (1) is not jetted by this air (A) jet flow. A method for stirring liquid, characterized in that it is stably raised toward the air jet side. 2. A container (1) set on a stirring stage.
A liquid stirrer for stirring a plurality of types of liquids (2) contained in a container, the liquid stirrer being arranged in non-contact with the liquid (2) in the container (1), along an inner wall on one side of the container (1). Liquid (2)
An injection nozzle (3) for generating an air injection flow toward the surface,
It is connected to this jet nozzle (3) in communication, and has a pressure such that the liquid (2) in the container (1) is stably raised toward the non-air jet side by the jet flow of air (A) from the jet nozzle (3). Air supply means (4) for supplying air (A) and valve means (5) for selectively supplying the air (A) from the air supply means (4) to the injection nozzle (3) side in time with the stirring process timing. ) And a liquid stirrer. 3. The injection nozzle (3) according to claim 2, wherein the injection nozzle (3) is lowered from the standby position only during the stirring process so that the tip of the injection nozzle (3) enters the space inside the container (1).
A liquid stirrer characterized by comprising nozzle elevating means (6) for returning the jet nozzle (3) to the standby position after the stirring process is completed. 4. A valve means (5) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the valve means (5) is air (A) in one agitation process.
A liquid stirring device, characterized in that the liquid stirring device performs an intermittent opening / closing operation so as to be intermittently supplied.