JPS6057545B2 - Automatic sample supply device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device that automatically supplies a sample such as blood contained in a sample container such as a test tube to an analyzer, and is configured to sequentially supply the sample while stirring the sample uniformly. It is something.

Conventionally, liquid samples such as blood collected from the human body generally have a high viscosity, and when supplied to an analyzer to measure the number of blood cells, etc., the contents may be unevenly dispersed due to sedimentation of the blood cells. Therefore, it was necessary to sufficiently shake or stir the sample before supplying and measuring.

Therefore, before supplying a sample to an analyzer, etc., it must be sufficiently shaken using a shaking device or stirred and shaken by hand. In the field that handles samples such as blood as mentioned above, supplying the samples is complicated and requires manpower, and the work efficiency is poor and is an obstacle to improving work efficiency. The shaking and stirring were uneven, which adversely affected the accuracy of analysis and other subsequent processing. In addition, in the sample supply device, it is possible to stir the sample by rotating a stirring rod or using a small propeller, etc., but the sample attached to these stirring rods or propellers may mix into the next sample. There is a problem of contamination caused by the above, and it is necessary to clean the stirring rod and the like every time stirring is performed, which complicates the mechanism and causes an increase in cost and a decrease in processing capacity.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a fixed gap between an upper turntable and a lower turntable having concentric rotating shafts that are inclined downward from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference. , a plurality of notches opening from the inner circumference to the outer circumference are disposed on the slope of the upper turntable at predetermined intervals radially around the entire circumference, and the turntable is inserted into the cutouts. container holding means for holding the sample container in an inclined state in contact with the upper surface of the lower turntable; rotation transmitting means for constantly rotating the lower turntable by a drive motor; The automatic sample is equipped with an intermittent movement means that rotates the sample container by a predetermined angle, and when the upper turntable is stopped, the lower turntable is rotated to agitate and rotate the sample container, thereby uniformly stirring the sample and sequentially supplying it to the analyzer. The present invention provides a feeding device that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of the present invention will be described below based on embodiments with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, automatic sample supply device 1
comprises a container holding means 5 which holds a sample container 4 by an upper turntable 2 and a lower turntable 3; a rotation transmission means 7 which constantly rotates the lower turntable 3 by a drive motor 6; and a rotation transmission means 7 which drives the upper turntable 2. It includes an intermittent movement means 8 that is rotated intermittently by a predetermined angle by a motor 6, and a sample suction means 9.

The upper turntable 2 and the lower turntable 3
(i) It is formed to be inclined downward from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference, and is rotatably supported on the case 12 by the first support shaft 10 and the second support shaft 11, respectively, with a constant gap between them. has been done.

The upper turntable 2 has a plurality of notches 13, which open from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, arranged on the inclined surface of the upper turntable 2 at predetermined intervals radially around the entire circumference. Side grooves 13a for replacing the sample container 4 are continuously provided on both sides along the way. Further, a friction sheet 14 made of rubber, cloth, etc. is laminated on the upper surface of the inclined surface of the lower turntable 3 (third
(see Figures and Figure 4). The rotation transmission means 7 includes a cylindrical second support shaft 1 to which the lower turntable 3 is fixed.
1 is rotatably supported via a bearing 16 on a fixed base 15 erected on the inner bottom surface of the case 12, and this second support shaft 11 meshes with an original gear 17 of a drive motor 6 fixed to the case 12. A follower gear 18 is fixed thereto.

On the other hand, in the intermittent movement means 8, the upper turntable 2 is supported by a first support shaft 10 fixed to the upper end by an adjustment nut 19, which is inserted through the second support shaft 11.
An intermittent motion gear 20 is provided on the support shaft 10 below the second support shaft 11 so as to be rotatable together with the first support shaft 10, and a secondary friction plate 21 is fixed to the upper part of the intermittent motion gear 20. , the slave gear 1 faces above the slave friction plate 21.
An original friction plate 22 is fixed to the lower part of 8. A compression spring 24 is interposed below the intermittent motion gear 20 and a double nut 23 connected to the lower end of the first support shaft 10, and presses the secondary friction plate 21 against the original friction plate 22. There is.
Furthermore, a solenoid 25 is provided on the side of the intermittent motion gear 20, as shown in FIG.
5 has a bushing rod 27 that is shortened when activated and expanded by a spring 26 when not activated, and a roller 28 is provided at the tip of the bushing rod 27.
The grooves 29 are arranged at regular intervals on the outer periphery of the intermittent motion gear 20, and engage with the grooves 29 to restrict the rotation thereof. Further, a sample suction means 9 is provided on the side of the case 12, and a sample suction vibrator 30 is attached to the vibrator holder 3 of the moving device 31.
The sample suction vibrator 30 is inserted into the sample container 4 held on the upper and lower turntables 2 and 3 to aspirate the sample. To explain the operation of the automatic sample supply device 1, first, the sample container 4 containing a liquid sample such as blood is inserted into the notch 13 of the upper turntable 2.
Each sample container 4 is held in an inclined state in contact with the upper surface of the lower turntable 3.

On the other hand, due to the rotation of the drive motor 6, the original gear 17 and the slave gear 1
8, the second support shaft 11 is rotated, and this second support shaft 11
The lower turntable 3 is constantly rotated by this rotation.
Further, the rotation of the second support shaft 11 is transmitted to the first support shaft 10 by pressure contact between the original friction plate 22 and the secondary friction plate 21, and the first support shaft 10 is connected to the intermittent motion gear 20 and the solenoid. 25, its rotation is restricted and both friction plates 21 and 22 slip, causing them to rotate intermittently.In other words, the intermittent motion gear 2
When the roller 28 of the solenoid 25 is engaged with the groove 29 of 0, the intermittent movement gear 20 is prevented from rotating, and both friction plates 21 and 22 are slipping. When the solenoid 25 is actuated from this state and the roller 28 is disengaged from the groove 29, both friction plates 21 and 22 stop sliding and are interlocked, and the intermittent motion gear 20 is rotated until the next groove 29 and roller 28 engage. The rotation of the two support shafts 11 causes them to rotate synchronously, and by repeating this, the upper turntable 2 is rotated via the first support shaft 10.
rotates intermittently by a predetermined angle. Therefore, when the upper turntable 2 is stopped and the lower turntable 3 is rotating, the sample container 4 attached to the notch 13 of the upper turntable 2 is separated from the sample container 4 and the lower turntable 3. Rolling force is generated by friction and rotational movement is performed, and since the sample container 4 is held diagonally, the sample inside the sample container 4 is shaken or stirred by the rotational movement. Equivalent effects occur and are always evenly distributed.

On the other hand, when the upper turntable 2 is rotating synchronously with the lower turntable 3, the rotational movement of the sample container 4 is stopped, and this sample container 4 is moved by a predetermined angle. While the sample suction vibrator 30 is stopped, the sample suction vibrator 30 is inserted into the sample container 4 and suction and supply of the sample is performed.

The sample containers 4 into which the samples have been aspirated through sequential sample feeding are replaced with new sample containers 4. In order to facilitate stirring and rotation of the sample container 4, the upper turntable 2 may be made of a hard resin with low frictional resistance, or an anti-friction tape made of fluororesin may be pasted on the end surface of the notch 13. It may also be done to improve slippage.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the intermittent movement means 8, in which a swinging arm 35 is provided at both ends with pawls 33, 34 that engage with the groove 29 of the intermittent movement gear 20. The tips of the bush rods 27 of the similar solenoid 25 are connected to each other, so that intermittent sequential feeding can be performed more reliably.

Therefore, in the sample supply device of the present invention as described above, a constant amount of water is generated between the upper turntable and the lower turntable, which have concentric rotating shafts that are inclined downward from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference. A gap is provided in the upper turntable, and a plurality of notches opening from the inner circumference to the outer circumference are arranged on the inclined surface of the upper turntable at predetermined intervals radially over the entire circumference. a container holding means for holding a sample container inserted into a notch in an inclined state in contact with the upper surface of the lower turntable; a rotation transmission means for constantly rotating the lower turntable by a drive motor; and an intermittent movement means for intermittently rotating the sample container by a predetermined angle by the drive motor, and when the upper turntable is stopped, the sample container is stirred and rotated by the rotation of the lower turntable. can be uniformly dispersed without the use of
Contamination problems can also be prevented.

In addition, samples can be replaced one after another after they have been supplied, and the replacement work is easy and highly efficient. Furthermore,
The structure is simple, and the number of parts can be reduced because the stirring motion and progressive motion are driven by one drive motor.
It has various excellent advantages such as reducing manufacturing costs and making the device smaller and lighter.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the whole, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the main parts showing the intermittent movement means, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main parts showing a modification. 1...Automatic sample supply device, 2...Upper turntable, 3...Lower turntable,
4... Sample container, 5... Container holding means, 6... Drive motor, 7... Rotation transmission means, 8... Intermittent means of exercise.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A certain gap is provided between an upper turntable and a lower turntable having concentric rotating shafts that are inclined downward from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference, and the upper turntable has a certain gap between the upper turntable and the lower turntable. A plurality of notches, which are open from the inner circumference to the outer circumference, are arranged radially at predetermined intervals over the entire circumference of the surface, and a sample container inserted into the cutout is placed on the upper surface of the lower turntable. a container holding means for holding the lower turntable in an inclined state in contact with the container; and a rotation transmission means for constantly rotating the lower turntable by a drive motor;
An automatic sample comprising intermittent movement means for intermittently rotating the upper turntable by a predetermined angle by the drive motor, and stirring and rotating the sample container by rotating the lower turntable when the upper turntable is stopped. Feeding device.