JPH09127128A - Tip cartridge with disposable tray - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove the cause of contagion to a worker and simplify the arrangement and disposal of a tip by providing integrally a disposable tray part which will contain an used tip and a cartridge part wherein several pipette tips can be arranged, in a cartridge. SOLUTION: Roughly half volume of a cartridge 1 is occupied by a cartridge part 2 wherein pipette tips T whose total number is 14 can be arranged in two rows, and the remaining volume is occupied by a disposable tray 3 which contains used tips T, and these two parts next to each other are integrally composed. An unused tip T is fitted to a suction nozzle head of an analytical instrument, the position thereof being detected using automatic mechanism, and an used tip T is temporally contained in the tray 3. After all of 14 pieces of tips are used, the cartridge 1 is discarded together with the used tips T. Therefore, the washing of a tray for disposal only is not required, and the cause of contagion to a worker is removed, and the replacement period of the cartridge 1 coincides with the disposal period thereof, and thereby a lot of labor can be saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tip cartridge with a disposal tray for storing a pipette tip detachably connected to a tip of a suction nozzle of an analyzer for collecting a test liquid such as blood or serum. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in order to react a test solution with a reagent and analyze the property of the test solution from the change of the reagent, a strip-shaped thin piece coated with the reagent is set at a predetermined position and a blood collection tube is used. After collecting the test solution with a pipette from a container such as the above, moving the pipette and dropping the test solution on the reagent, the concentration of the component in the test solution is measured by optically measuring the change of the reagent, for example, the degree of color change. And type.

When this operation is automatically performed by the analyzer,
A plurality of conical tubular tips (hereinafter referred to as "pipette tips") and test liquid containers are arranged in a pair in a rack, and they are placed at a predetermined position in the device together with the rack, and the tip of a suction nozzle connected to a pump. The tip is packed and connected, and the suction nozzle and the tip are combined and used as a pipette. In order to improve the analysis accuracy, the chip is changed every test solution.

Conventionally, used chips are temporarily stored in a waste tray placed separately from the rack, and are collectively discarded when they are accumulated in the waste tray to some extent.
However, the waste tray was reused after being washed to prevent biohazards such as infection. Then, in order to prevent the attached parts, which should be clean, such as the suction nozzle, from touching and contaminating the chips discarded in the waste tray, the waste tray is detected to be full with chips. .

[0005]

However, reusing the same waste tray carries the risk of infecting workers during or after inadequate cleaning. In addition, it is troublesome to check the empty condition of the waste tray after each measurement.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a chip cartridge with a disposal tray as a chip arranging means and a disposal means which is less likely to cause infection to workers and is easy to handle.

[0007]

In order to achieve the object, the means of the present invention comprises a plurality of pipette tips which are detachably connected to the tip of a suction nozzle of an analyzer for collecting a test liquid. A chip cartridge with a waste tray, which is integrally provided with a cartridge part that can be arranged and a waste tray part that is adjacent to the cartridge part and that stores a used pipette chip.

According to the present invention, the waste tray portion is integrated with the cartridge portion. And the cartridge is
After all the pipette tips in it are used, they are discarded as a biohazard together with the used pipette tips. Therefore, the operator can be freed from the work of cleaning the dedicated tray for disposal, and the infection of the operator can be prevented. Also,
Since the number of chips that can be arranged in the cartridge unit is limited, it is not necessary to detect the fullness of the waste tray unit. Further, since a new cartridge filled with the chip is placed in the analyzer after being discarded, the replacement time of the cartridge and the disposal time coincide with each other, and the labor of the operator can be saved.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 1 of a chip cartridge with a waste tray of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "cartridge").
Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing a cartridge, FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a plan view, FIG. 4 is a bottom view, FIG. 5 is a right side view, and FIG.
FIG.

The cartridge 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with some irregularities, and about half the volume of the cartridge 1 is used as a cartridge portion 2 in which 7 pipette tips T × 2 rows = 14 in total can be arranged. The remaining volume is adjacent to the cartridge portion 2 and is a waste tray portion 3 for storing the used pipette tips, and both are integrally provided.

The position of the pipette tip before use is detected by an automatic mechanism and is fitted into the tip of a suction nozzle (not shown). The suction nozzle is guided by a rail or the like and mechanically travels on a predetermined track. Therefore, the cartridge unit 2
When the cartridge 1 is attached to the analyzer,
14 recessed spaces 4 having a contour complementary to the outer shape of each chip
Are arranged in an orderly manner so as to be located under the orbit of the suction nozzle.

On the other hand, since the waste tray unit 3 only needs to be able to temporarily store the used chips, there is no particular restriction on the space shape, and the size is smaller than the outer dimensions of the entire cartridge unit 2 and the outer one corner is smaller. It has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that has been removed. However, unlike the cartridge unit 2, it is not necessary to arrange the chips in advance, so that a space with a volume sufficient for accommodating 14 cartridges can be secured even with an outer size smaller than the cartridge unit 2. A collar 5 protruding in a shape complementary to the planar shape of the cut portion is continuously formed on the upper edge of the waste tray portion 3 at the outer corner next to the cut corner. Tsuba 5 and waste tray 3
The volume of the space formed by the side surface of the device is such that a person's fingertip can be inserted therein. Therefore, by grasping the collar 5, the cartridge 1 can be easily or safely replaced or discarded.

As described above, in the cartridge 1, the discard tray portion 3 and the cartridge portion 2 are integrated, and after all 14 pipette tips are used, they are discarded as a biohazard together with the used pipette tips. To be done. Therefore, the operator can be freed from the work of cleaning the dedicated tray for disposal, and the infection of the operator can be prevented. Further, since the number of chips that can be arranged in the cartridge unit 2 is limited to 14, and the space volume of the waste tray unit 3 is 14 or more, it is not necessary to detect fullness. Further, since a new cartridge filled with the chip is placed in the analyzer after being discarded, the replacement time of the cartridge and the disposal time coincide with each other, and the labor of the operator can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cartridge of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cartridge 2 cartridge part 3 waste tray part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pipette tip detachably connected to a tip of a suction nozzle of an analyzer for collecting a test liquid,
A chip cartridge with a waste tray, which is integrally provided with a cartridge part capable of arranging a plurality of parts and a waste tray part adjacent to the cartridge part for accommodating used pipette chips.