JPS58154661A - Thermostatic chamber of automatic biochemical analizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance accuracy in analysis, by reducing an effect of temp. fluctuation caused by operations of devices attached to a reaction line, preventing an effect of temp. change of the outside air and raising accuracy in maintaining constant temps. at the position of reaction of a sample in reaction tubes, and a mesuring position. CONSTITUTION:Reaction tubes 7 arranged in parallel with the drive directon of a reaction line fixed to reaction cassettes 6 are moved in the direction from the surface of the figure toward the reverse side along slide plated 14 in a wind tunnel 8d. The air used as a heat medium for maintaining the wind tunnel 8d at a constant temp. is circulated in the order of the wind tunnel 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d by rotation of a fan 9 in the circulation course perpendicular to the drive direction of the tubes 7. The inside of the wind tunnel 8d through which the tubes 7 pass is maintained at a constant temp. by installing a temp. sensor 11, a heater 10, a control circuit 15, and a wind-uniformizing plate 12 for stabilizing and uniformizing the air circulated through the tunnel 8a-8d, at the inlet of the tunnel 8d, and by always controlling heating temp. of the heater 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a thermostatic chamber most suitable for an automatic biochemical analyzer.

In general, a constant temperature chamber that uses air as a constant temperature medium maintains temperature equilibrium by sealing the air circulation system and isolating it from the outside air, but if the air circulation system is open, the temperature of the outside air Due to the change in theory, there is a risk that the accuracy of maintaining constant temperature will deteriorate. Conventionally, when installing a Knell fixed system in a thermostatic chamber in an automatic biochemical analyzer, the reaction line moves inside and outside the thermostatic chamber, so the air circulation system must be opened. The above problems can be solved if the entire device can be installed in a thermostatic chamber, but automatic biochemical analyzers are equipped with at least a moving reaction line, its driving device, sampling, cleaning device, etc. In order to completely seal the whole thing, the constant temperature bath has to be made much larger, and even if it is completely sealed, Il! The number of moving parts that cause temperature fluctuations increases, and there is a risk that the temperature required to maintain a constant temperature will deteriorate.

The present invention was made in view of the piJ article circumstances,
In an automatic biochemical analyzer, f attached to the reaction line
By slightly reducing the influence of temperature fluctuations caused by the operation of the 2ait, and by preventing the influence of 1Ii1 degree fluctuation due to outside air, the accuracy of maintaining constant temperature at the reaction position and measurement position of the sample in the reaction tube is increased. The purpose is to provide a constant temperature bath that improves the accuracy of sample analysis.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the power distribution of reaction lines and a thermostatic chamber in an autobiochemical analyzer. In the iFi reaction line, the upper line in the figure (the opening of the reaction tube is facing upwards) moves from left to right in the figure.
The bottom -〇 line (the opening of the reaction tube is facing down) is
Move from right to left. 2 is a goury for driving the reaction line, and is connected to a drive device m (not shown). 6 is a constant temperature chamber, each of which is independent of the other.
Built-in 6, 5b, 5C, and 5d. Using 4ti sampling, a fixed amount of the sample is dispensed into the reaction tube of the reaction line. This is a 5-piece cleaning device. Figure 2 is the Kou M411 shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one block of FIG. Constant temperature equipment! 13g,
It is assumed that 3c and 3j also have the same configuration as described below. In the figure, 6 is a reaction cassette to which, for example, four reaction tubes 7 are attached, and is movable on a slide plate 14, the details of which will be described later.

The reaction tube 7tj is installed in parallel with the driving direction of the reaction line 1 in FIG.
is driven by the drive of 1-Li 2, and the second
It will move from the front side to the back side of the drawing. 8g, 84, 8C, and 8d are each equipped with wind tunnel and fan 9. Heater 10. Temperature sensor 11. and a rectifying plate 12 are built in, and the periphery thereof is covered with a heat insulating material 16. Due to the rotation of the fan 9, air, which is a constant temperature medium, flows through the wind tunnel 8α→8
It cycles as b → 8C → 8d. Further, in accordance with the signal value of a temperature center t11 installed near the reaction tube 7, the heater 10 is controlled through a control path 15 installed outside the wind tunnel to adjust the heating temperature of the circulating air. In addition, since the reaction tube 7 moves through the wind tunnel 8d circle (Figure 1) in the order of constant temperature device i13α → 6b → 6c → 3t, the wind tunnel 8d in the six constant temperature devices 113g, 3A, 3C, 3d is in the driving direction of the reaction tube 7. It is connected based on the Also, reaction line 1 in #1 slide plate 14Fi Figure 1
The reaction cassette 6 is provided in an endless manner along the reaction line 1, and is therefore provided in the wind tunnel 8d in the constant temperature chamber 113, so that the reaction cassette 6 moves into and out of the constant temperature chamber 3 along the reaction line 1.
■It is a Noh performance.

In Figure 0f41, which explains the operation of a good device constructed as described above, the reaction line 1 into which a fixed amount of the sample is dispensed in sampling 4 is kept at a constant temperature by a drive device (not shown) connected to the gooley 2. Move inside the tank 6 and proceed in the order of constant temperature device 6α → 6b → 3c → 6d. The constant temperature chamber 3 is a constant temperature device 34 that appears as the entrance and exit of the reaction line 1! and 3d are open to the outside air. Therefore, the influence of temperature fluctuations due to outside air is large at the inlet of the constant temperature device 3α and the outlet of the constant temperature device 13m. However, since the sampling device 4 and the cleaning device 1115 are installed outside the thermostatic chamber 6, at least the temperature liquid caused by the operation of these devices does not affect the thermostatic chamber 6. Next, the operation within the constant gong 1113 will be explained.

In FIG. 2, the reaction tubes 7 installed in parallel to the driving direction of the reaction line are fixed to the reaction cassette 6, and are moved through the wind tunnel 8d by a slide plate 14Ka from the O surface in the drawing toward the surface. It's moving. Air, which is a constant temperature medium in the wind tunnel, is circulated through the wind tunnel 81 → 8b → 8c → 8d by rotating the fan 90 times.
It circulates in this order.

Therefore, the air circulation path is provided perpendicularly to the driving direction of the reaction tube 7. In addition, a temperature center t11 is provided in the wind tunnel 8d to maintain a constant temperature in the wind tunnel 8d through which the reaction tube 7 moves, and the heating temperature of the heater 10 is constantly controlled by the control path 15. In order to stabilize and equalize the flow of circulating air, a rectifier plate 12 is installed in the wind tunnel 8d. Each constant temperature device 6αe3be
5'e5' has the above functions individually, so if the set temperature in the constant temperature unit 13 is 37℃, the heater i of each constant temperature unit rl 5tx, 5A, 5C, 5d By individually and independently controlling o by the oalt sensor 11, the temperature distribution Iri in the wind tunnel 8d in the direction of the reaction tube 7 in the direction IIIJ can be set as shown in FIG. In Figure 5, the temperature drop of 1m degree is seen in the constant temperature chamber [3α and 3d]. ! Device 13α
It is a round shape that is open to the outside air at the outlet of the temperature control device 6d.

Father, the reason why the constant temperature can be maintained in the constant temperature device fl16dt by flooding the entire body of the reaction tube 7 with the temperature reaching 67℃ in the constant temperature device fil13α is that the temperature can be maintained at a constant temperature in the constant temperature device fl16dt. By installing it in the direction of force perpendicular to the direction of driving force,
This is because the air passing through the wind tunnel Bd is constantly controlled by the heater 10 of each constant temperature device, so that no temperature gradient occurs in the direction driving the reaction f7. In a constant temperature chamber 6 with a temperature distribution as shown in FIG. It is important to carry out constant tl! in the reaction process of the sample and the measurement position. The temperature can be maintained, thereby making the chemical reaction rate of the sample uniform, which is an important element of measurement accuracy. After the measurement, the reaction tube 7 is placed outside the constant temperature bath 6! [[l
L, you have been washed in the washing device fl15 of FIG.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the chemical reaction rate of the sample required for measurement can be maintained uniformly even though the air circulation system of the constant temperature chamber is opened to the outside air at the entrance and exit of the reaction line in the in-house biochemical analyzer. In order to do this, it is possible to provide a highly accurate constant temperature bath that maintains a constant temperature at least during the reaction process of the sample and at the measurement position.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In the fourth example, members having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 4, 8C2131, bg,
8h and bi are wind tunnels. 7 is a reaction tube;
O I Qa and I Qh ij are heaters installed in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG. Although not shown, the temperature inside the wind tunnel 8L is controlled to be kept constant. 12 is a rectifying plate, and 16a and 16b are fans for circulating air.

The operation of the device constructed as described above will be explained. As the fans 16α and 16b rotate, air, which is a constant temperature medium, moves from the wind tunnel 8e to 8f or 8! I
→ 8mm → 8L cycle. The functions of the heaters 10α, 10b and the rectifier plate 12 are the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

By circulating the air as described above, for example, if the set temperature in the constant temperature chamber 6 is set to 37°C, the temperature distribution in the driving direction of the reaction tube 7 in the wind tunnel 8L will be as follows as in the example shown in Fig. vA2. The temperature distribution shown in Figure 3 can be obtained.

The reason for this is that, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the ON ring path for air, which is a constant temperature medium, is provided in a direction perpendicular to the driving direction of the reaction tube 7, so that the photogenic air passing through the wind tunnel 8L is , the temperature is constantly maintained by the heater 10α and IQA of each constant @ device.
This is because there is no temperature gradient with respect to the f#A power direction of the reaction tube 7 because the temperature is controlled by the temperature gradient. Further, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, 41 M is also applied to the parallel direction of the reaction tubes in the series installed in parallel to the driving direction of the reaction tube 7.
Force direction h Since the ring system yarn path is provided, the temperature tf of the reaction tubes in the series in the parallel direction.

It is possible to increase the temperature at which a constant temperature is maintained for each reaction tube in the series without affecting the temperature.

Although the present invention has been described in detail above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and includes various modifications without changing the gist of the present invention. It goes without saying that each member can be replaced with another member having the same function. For example, in the above embodiment, air was used as the constant temperature medium, but
In addition to this, an air flow such as gas may also be used.

As explained above, according to the present invention, in an automatic biochemical analyzer, a plurality of thermostatic devices are installed in the thermostatic chamber while the thermostatic medium circulation system of the thermostatic chamber is opened to the outside air at the entrance and exit of the reaction line. By installing the circulation system for the constant temperature medium of each constant temperature device in a direction that intersects the direction of the driving force of the reaction tube, the influence of temperature fluctuations due to outside air can be avoided in the constant temperature device near the entrance and exit of the reaction line in the constant temperature chamber. It is possible to increase the degree of absorption and maintain a constant temperature at least in the reaction process of the sample and at the same position, thereby making the chemical reaction rate of the sample uniform and improving the accuracy of sample analysis.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of a reaction line and a constant temperature bath. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the AA' cross section of the thermostatic chamber in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrow. FIG. 83 is a diagram showing the temperature distribution in the thermostatic oven, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the thermostatic oven showing another embodiment of the present invention. 1...Reaction line, 2...Guri, 3...
・Thermostat, 3a, 5h, 5c, 6tL...Thermostat,
4... Sampling, 5... Cleaning device, 6...
・Reaction cassette, 7... Reaction tube, 8α, δb, 8
C, Bd, 8g, 8f, Bf, Bh, No. 8...wind tunnel,
9... Fan, 10, 10, 10b... Heater, 11... Temperature sensor, 12... Rectifier plate,
13...Insulating material, 14...Sliding plate, 1
5...Control circuit, 16g. 16A...Fan.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Automatic biochemical analysis! ! In II, a plurality of constant temperature devices 1 are provided in series along the driving force direction of the reaction tube containing the sample, and each constant temperature device includes a wind tunnel in which a constant temperature medium circulates, a circulation drive means to circulate the constant temperature medium, and a constant temperature device. Each is provided with a heating control droplet that heats the medium and maintains the heating temperature at a predetermined temperature, and a part of the wind tunnel of each constant temperature device is connected along the driving direction of the reaction tube to serve as a drive system path for the reaction tube. , and each circulation driving means forms a circulation path for the constant temperature medium in a direction crossing the yarn drive path of the reaction tube, thereby increasing the accuracy of maintaining the constant temperature of the sample in the reaction tube. A constant temperature bath that makes the mold moldy.