JPH084590Y2 - Sample holder for analysis - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to an analytical sample holder used for cooling a large number of samples analyzed by an analytical instrument.

[Prior art]

2. Description of the Related Art In the fields of medicine, chemical industry, and the like, various analytical instruments are used due to the need to analyze drugs, blood, various raw materials and products. For example, a high-performance liquid chromatograph that can analyze in a short time is used for analysis of medicines, blood, and the like.

Many such analyzers are capable of automatically analyzing a large number of samples one after another, but these samples are usually pre-packed in a sample bottle for analysis and stored in a sample holder that can be loaded and unloaded from above. Be prepared to be. Some samples, such as chemicals, whose components do not change with temperature are good, but those whose analysis results cannot be used effectively, such as blood, which must be kept at a low temperature (for example, 0 to 1 ° C) to be analyzed. In this case, it is necessary to cool to a predetermined temperature.

For this reason, conventionally, a device for cooling a sample holder accommodating a large number of sample bottles for analysis by immersing its lower part in a cooling water (for example, a mixed solution of water and ethylene glycol) container has been adopted.

[Problems to be solved]

However, the conventional cooling device using the cooling water has a slow cooling rate and a large amount of water adheres to the upper part of the analysis sample bottle, and the water is mixed into the sample together with the suction needle inserted for the analysis. Then, there arises a problem that the components fluctuate, and a position detection sensor (for example, an optical detector) provided for automatically taking in and out the sample bottle for analysis causes a malfunction due to dew condensation. Furthermore, since the liquid that is always in contact with the sample bottle for analysis is handled, the device is complicated and the handling is complicated.

As one method of avoiding such a problem, a cooling base whose surface is cooled by a cooling source is used, an analysis sample holder is mounted on the base, and an analysis sample bottle accommodated in the holder is used. It is conceivable to cool the bottom surface from the bottom. Then, this invention aims at providing the novel sample holder for analysis suitable for using for such a method.

The liquid level detector of the automatic chemical analyzer disclosed in JP-A-62-289769 is provided with a sample holder made of a synthetic resin side wall with a cooling means at the bottom, and the sample holder has a large number of holes. Has a structure in which the cup is inserted into each hole so that the cup can be inserted and removed freely. Then, the bottom of the cup was brought into direct contact with the cooling conductor.

In such a sample holder, it is necessary to place it on the cooling conductor directly and to take out each cup in a detachable manner. There was a drawback that it was impossible to take a rational means of placing it on a plate.

In the sample container holding structure described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-72557, a large number of cooling elements are projected on a turntable, the cooling elements are penetrated through the bottom of heat insulation, etc., and the sample container storage pot is fixed. However, it is integrated with the cooling element 12. Then, the sample containers are inserted into and removed from the respective storage pots.

Such a conventional sample container holding structure has a drawback that the structure is complicated and the handleability is poor, and it is difficult to smoothly discharge the condensed water.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the analytical sample holder of the present invention is an analytical sample holder that is cooled from the bottom by being detachably mounted on a cooling base 8 from above. A large number of accommodating portions 4 for accommodating the main body 1 and the sample bottles 15 for analysis provided in the main body 1 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals, and the main body 1 and the side wall 5 of the accommodating portion 4 are made of synthetic resin. And the bottom portion 7 of the accommodating portion 4 is insert-molded with a metal material having a good thermal conductivity, and the bottom portion 7 has a discharge hole 11 for discharging condensed water. The sample bottle 15 for analysis is cooled by the cooling base 8 through 7, and the slits 6 for air cooling are formed in the side walls 5 of the respective accommodating parts 4 from the upper end to the vicinity of the bottom part 7. Characterized by .

[Action / effect]

A large number of sample bottles for analysis are stored in the storage portion of the holder body while being vertically supported so as to be vertically movable. It should be noted that this sample bottle storage operation can be performed on the cooling base or can be stored in another place in advance and detachably mounted on the cooling base. When the holder is placed on the cooling base, the bottom of the storage unit contacts or closely faces the surface of the cooling base, and each analysis sample bottle is cooled from its bottom surface via the bottom. It is cooled by the base.

In addition, when they come close to each other, the bottom of the main body of the holder comes into contact with the surface of the cooling base through a slight amount of condensed water.
The dew condensation water required at this time flows out from the discharge hole provided in the bottom of each storage part. Usually, a small amount of the sample liquid is contained in the sample bottle for analysis in many cases, and thus the sample can be cooled extremely efficiently and quickly by cooling from the bottom of the bottle. At this time, since the holder main body and the side wall of the storage section are molded bodies of synthetic resin and a large number of storage sections are formed in parallel and integrally, it is possible to provide high productivity and easy handling. Also, the weight of the holder can be reduced.

Furthermore, the existence of the drain holes for discharging the condensed water provided at the bottoms of the respective storage parts makes it possible to keep each storage part clean and to keep each storage part under uniform cooling conditions. Further, since the air cooling slits are formed on the side wall of each accommodation portion from the upper end to the vicinity of the bottom, air can be cooled from the side.

〔Example〕

 Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a sample holder for analysis of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a part thereof.

The holder body 1 has a disc 2 and a peripheral wall 3 extending vertically from the periphery thereof, and a plurality of accommodating portions 4 are provided along the peripheral wall 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the accommodating portion 4 is composed of a cylindrical space portion having a diameter capable of accommodating the sample holder for analysis in a vertically movable manner, and its side wall 5 is composed of an inner side wall 5a and an outer side wall 5b. Is the inner sidewall
5a is formed integrally with the peripheral wall 3. The outer side wall 5b is provided with slits 6 in the up-down direction from the upper end to the middle of each of the accommodating portions 4 as needed. This slit 6 is effective when the cooling gas is sprayed from the outer peripheral direction of the holder body 1 to further increase the cooling capacity.

The disc 2, the peripheral wall 3 and the accommodating portion 4 of the holder main body may be integrally or adhesively formed of a hard synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride, polyamide (nylon) or polyester by injection molding or cutting. it can.

The bottom portion 7 of the housing portion 4 is formed of a metal material having good thermal conductivity, such as a metal material such as aluminum or copper, and the inner side wall 5a and the outer side wall 5a are formed by an adhesive or insert molding.
Is bound between 5b. The holder body 1 is mounted on the cooling base 8. The cooling base 8 has a cooling surface 9 which is an upper surface thereof and is formed into a circular shape having a size that fits the outer periphery of the holder body 1, and has an annular frame 10 at the peripheral edge thereof. Is placed. Both the cooling surface 9 and the annular frame 10 are made of a metal material having good thermal conductivity. If necessary, a drainage hole 11 for discharging the condensed water is provided in the bottom portion 7 of the accommodating portion, and a drainage groove 12 is provided on the opposite return frame 10. The drainage channel 12 is connected to the outside by a conduit (not shown) from below at an appropriate position.

At the center of the disk 2 of the holder body, the holder body 1
A coupling part to which a drive shaft (not shown) for rotationally driving
13 are provided. The coupling portion 13 has a cylindrical body extending downward from the disc 2 and a polygonal peripheral wall portion provided on the inner periphery of the lower portion for fitting the drive shaft. A drive source such as a step motor is housed inside the cooling base 8, and its drive shaft extends through the cooling surface 9 and extends upward, and is coupled to the above-mentioned coupling portion 13.

The two holes 14 of the disc 2 are provided so as to be convenient for inserting a finger or the like when the holder body 1 is attached to or detached from the cooling base 8.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state where the sample bottle for analysis is housed in each housing part of the holder body. The analysis sample bottle 15 is composed of a bottle main body 16 made of glass or the like and a sealing cap 17 inserted into the upper opening thereof. The sealing cap 17 is integrally formed of a synthetic resin having elasticity such as polypropylene or polyamide (nylon). A sample liquid 19 is contained in the bottle body 16, and when the sample liquid 19 is taken out, a suction needle penetrates the sealing cap 17 from above.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing another example of the sample holder for analysis of the present invention according to FIG. The example of FIG. 4 is different from that of FIG. 2 only in that the inner side wall 5a and the outer side wall 5b in the accommodation portion of FIG. 2 are the integrally formed side wall 5 in FIG. Others are the same. By doing so, there is an advantage that the manufacturing process can be simplified.

Next, the operation of the sample holder for analysis of the above embodiment will be described. The sample bottles 15 for analysis are housed in the respective housing portions 4 of the holder body 1 as shown in FIG. 3, and the holder body 1 is mounted on the cooling base 8. The sample liquid 19 in the analysis sample bottle 15 is cooled by the cooling base 8 at the bottom portion 7 of the storage portion which is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle body 16. At that time, the heat conduction around the bottle body 16 is suppressed by the side wall 5 of the accommodating portion, and the bottle body 16 is kept cool.

A drive source (not shown) is driven by a sample take-out command of the analytical instrument, whereby the holder main body is rotated, and stops when the desired sample comes to the position of the suction needle. Next, the suction needle descends and penetrates the seal material 18,
After sucking out the sample liquid in the bottle body, the sucking needle rises again to prepare for the next sampling. Since a series of methods for sucking out the sample and the apparatus itself are known, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the holder main body 1 is circular and a large number of accommodating portions 4 are provided on the peripheral wall portion thereof. However, the holder main body 1 is rectangular and the accommodating portions are arranged in a plurality of linear rows. Good. As a sample selection method in that case, a method of moving the suction needle along the accommodating portion is mechanically advantageous.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a sample holder for analysis of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a part of FIG. 1 by cutting it, and FIG. 3 is each of the holder main body of FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sample bottle for analysis is stored in the storage section.
The drawing is a partially enlarged view showing another example of the sample holder for analysis of the present invention according to FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Holder main body, 2 ... Disk 3 ... Peripheral wall, 4 ... Storage part 5 ... Side wall, 5a ... Inner side wall 5b ... Outer side wall, 6 ... Slit 7 ... Bottom part, 8 ... Cooling base 9 ... Cooling surface, 10 … Annular frame 11… Drainage hole, 12… Drainage groove 13… Coupling part, 14… Hole 15… Analytical sample bottle, 16… Bottle body 17… Sealing cap, 18… Sealing material 19… Sample liquid

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G01N 35/04 A

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A sample holder for analysis, which is designed to be cooled from the bottom by being detachably mounted on a cooling base 8 from above, and which is provided on a holder main body 1 and the main body 1. A large number of accommodating portions 4 for accommodating the analysis sample bottles 15 are juxtaposed at regular intervals, and the main body 1 and the side walls 5 of the accommodating portions 4 are integrally formed of a synthetic resin molded body, and The bottom 7 of the housing 4 is insert-molded with a metal material having good thermal conductivity, the drain holes 11 for discharging the condensed water are penetrated through the respective bottoms 7, and the analysis sample bottles 15 are connected through the respective bottoms 7. A sample holder for analysis, which is adapted to be cooled by the cooling base 8 and has slits 6 for air cooling formed on the side walls 5 of the respective accommodating portions 4 from the upper end to the vicinity of the bottom 7. .