JPS60187863A - Automatic continuous diluter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To elevate the analyzing accuracy with a higher processing speed while eliminating pollution of a liquid by diluting and distributing a sample with an automatic diluter while storing racks are vibrated with a vibrator at each row thereof to stir up the sample simultaneously. CONSTITUTION:A sample shifter 16 is shifted to a test tube at the left end of the first row of racks and then, a sample syringe 14 is stroked by a specified amount to suck a specified amount of sample in a sample rope 11. Then, the sample shifter 16 is shifted to a test tube on the left end side of the second row of racks to distribute the sample and a diluted liquid to the test tube from the sample rope 11. As one rack of the operation ends, a vibration mechanism is shifted to the undersurface of the second row of racks while a test tube holder 29 is lowered onto an array of test tubes and vibrates all of the test tubes on the racks with the vibration by a vibrator to stir up and mix the samples and diluted liquid simultaneously.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic serial diluter that automatically performs sample sampling, dilution, dispensing, and mixing operations.

Generally, when analyzing coated substances or inorganic substances such as amino acids, sugars, and organic acids, it is necessary to adjust the sample to an appropriate concentration or to eliminate the influence of pigments, fibers, proteins, bacterial cells, etc. in the sample. A dilution operation is performed. This dilution operation may involve secondary or tertiary dilution depending on the concentration of the sample, and it requires a great deal of effort and time to manually analyze many types of samples. In addition, an automatic dilution device that automatically performs nine such pretreatments has been devised, but it is necessary to prevent contamination of the sample glove used for sampling, dispensing, and diluting samples, and to perform secondary and tertiary dilutions with high precision. However, it could not be used if the sample type and concentration were different.

The present invention eliminates contamination of sample probes even when sample types and concentrations differ, has high-accuracy dilution capability, and has an automatic system that automatically performs sampling, dilution, dispensing, and mixing of samples. It provides a continuous dilution device,
A storage rack in which test tubes are arranged in multiple rows, an automatic diluter that aspirates the sample and dilutes and dispenses it into the test tubes together with a supplied diluent, and vibration is applied to each row of the storage rack. It is characterized by consisting of a vibrator that simultaneously stirs the sample.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In these figures, the automatic serial diluter of the present invention aspirates the test tube storage rack l arranged in multiple rows, aspirates the test tube sample, and dispenses the diluted sample together with the diluent into the next test tube. The test tube consists of an automatic diluter 10 that vibrates and mixes the test tubes row by row.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage rack 1 has independent racks 2. A plurality of racks 2', 2', . Each rack 2
．． 2', 2', . . . are all partitioned, and test tubes 5 can be placed against each partition, whereby the test tubes are arranged in multiple rows on the storage rack 1. A mini bong 6 is connected to the washing tank 4, and the washing water is circulated to wash the sample probe 1, which will be described later, with this acid-resistant water.
It is designed to wash the inside and outside S of 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic diluter IO includes a tank 12, 12', where a diluent is stored, a dilution syringe 13 that sucks the diluent and pumps it to the sample glove 11, and a test tank 12, 12'... A sample syringe 14 that aspirates the sample in the tube 5
and a servo motor for driving each syringe 13.14,
A drive source 15 such as a stetsbink motor, and a sample shifter 16 that removably supports the sun full glove 11 and is controlled to move in three-dimensional directions: up and down, back and forth, and left and right.
and tank 12. It consists of a syringe 13, 14 and a flow path arranged between the sample glove 11.

The function of the automatic diluter 10 is to aspirate a sufficient amount of the sample in the test tube 5 of the rack 2 and inject it together with a diluent into the test tube of the next rack 2'. For this reason, the dilution syringe 13
and the sample syringe 14 are linked to the drive source 15, and this drive source 15 is connected to each syringe 13 and 14.
When the dilution syringe 13 operates, a predetermined amount of diluent is pumped into the tank 12.
When the sample syringe 14 is actuated, the sample in the test tube is sucked into the sample probe 11 through the flow path via the three-way solenoid valve 17. In this case, multiple tanks 1
2.12' can be arranged in parallel to dispense different types of diluent.

The three-dimensional movement of the sample shifter 16 is also programmed and controlled in advance, and the operation of the sample shifter 16 allows different types of samples to be successively diluted and dispensed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the vibrator 20 includes a vibration mechanism 21 that can be automatically shifted downward from the storage rack 1, and a test tube holder 29 that is movable up and down above the storage rack 1. It consists of The vibration mechanism 21 consists of a vibrator 22 and a diaphragm 23 which is connected in series with the vibrator 22 and transmits the vibration to each rank 2,2'... of the storage rack l, for each row of the storage rack l'i. In order to vibrate, the diaphragm 23 is formed to have the same width and length as the rack 2. Further, a foamed sheet 24 made of synthetic resin such as vinyl chloride resin is stretched over the upper surface of the lift plate 23. On the other hand, a sheet 7 made of the same material is attached to the lower part of each rack 2.2' of the storage rack l, and the test tube 5 is placed on this sheet 7. The vibrator @21 shifts and loosens, and vibrations are transmitted well.

The test tube holder 29 has a sheet 28 made of soft silicone rubber or the like stretched on its lower surface, and descends to press the test tube in rank 2, thereby reliably transmitting the vibration of the diaphragm 23 to the test tube. It acts like this. Due to this vibration, the sample and diluent in the test tube are simultaneously stirred and mixed one row at a time.
Automatic stirring is possible.

In this case, if the amount of liquid in the test tube is large, the vibrator 22
Vibration causes a thick stirring flow in the sample, contaminating the holder 29 with liquid. To prevent this liquid contamination, the vibrator 22 is controlled by a timer 25. This timer 25 is adapted to drive the vibrator 22 intermittently, for example, at intervals of several seconds, and the driving method can be selected as appropriate depending on the number of test tubes and the amount of liquid.

Next, an example of diluting and dispensing a sample using the apparatus configured as described above will be described.

In FIG. 2, samples of different types or concentrations are placed in the test tubes of the racks 2 in the first row on the wastewater tank 3, and the dilution syringe 13 is operated several times for initial setting. Fill sample probe 11 with a predetermined amount of diluent. Next, the sample shifter 16 is shifted to the test tube on the left end side of the rack 2 in the first row, and the sample syringe 14 is stroked by a predetermined amount to aspirate a predetermined amount of sample into the sample glove 11. Then sample chic 16
is shifted to the test tube on the left end side of the rack 2 in the second row, and the sample and diluent are dispensed from the sample probe 11 into the test tube. In this dispensing, as shown in Fig. 5, the sample A, air B, and diluent C are placed in the order from the bottom in the sample glove 11, so that at the end of dispensing, diluent C
The inside of the sample glove 11 is cleaned. After this dispensing operation is completed, the sample sifter 16 is shifted to the washing tank 4 and the sample glove 11 is moved to the washing tank 4.
The outside of the probe is immersed in a cleaning solution.9 The outside of the probe is cleaned. In this case, the washing water is constantly circulated by the pump 6, so that the discharged sample does not remain. Next, the sample shifter 16 shifts the sample in the test tube to the second test tube from the left in the rack 2 in the first row, and transfers the sample in the test tube to the second test tube from the left in the rack 2' in the second row in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, in the same cycle, the sample in the test tubes in the rack 2 in the first row is diluted and dispensed into the corresponding test tubes in the rack 2' in the second row. When one rack of this operation is completed, a sensor (not shown) detects the end point, and the vibration mechanism 21 is shifted to the lower surface of the second row of racks 2', and the test pieces arranged in this rack 2' are Test tube holder 29 on the tube
is lowered, and all the test tubes are vibrated simultaneously by the vibration of the vibrator 22 to stir and mix them. Furthermore, when performing secondary dilution, the above operation is performed on the rack 2' of the second row.
and the rack 7 in the third row, and the same applies to the third and fourth dilutions.

Therefore, according to the present invention as described above, since stirring by vibration is performed for each rack, the processing speed is improved. or,
During this stirring, the stir bar etc. does not come into contact with the sample, so
There is no liquid contamination and there is no need for cleaning, making it easy to operate and improving analytical accuracy. Furthermore, by installing a wastewater tank and a washing tank, the inside and outside of the sample group can be washed for each sample, each rack, and each type of diluent, so there is no contamination even when serially diluting different samples. There is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a storage rack, Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of the vibrator and its operation, and Fig. 5 is a sample globe. FIG. 1... Storage rack, 10... Automatic diluter, 20...
・Vibrator patent applicant Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Agent Patent attorney Hide Sato Akizuse / Day 7 Zozu Death 2 Diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] A storage rack in which test tubes are arranged in multiple rows, an automatic diluter that aspirates the sample and dilutes and dispenses it into the test tubes together with the supplied diluent, and a vibrator for each row of the front L-pi storage rack. An automatic serial dilution device characterized by comprising a vibrator that simultaneously stirs the sample by giving the same amount of water.