JPS61247970A - Cleaning method for reaction pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve cleaning effect by using constant temperature as a part or the whole of cleaning water. CONSTITUTION:When a plunger moves from its top dead point to the bottom dead point, the valve of the three-way valve 5a of the connection part to the cleaning water intake 4b of a cleaning water discharge nozzle 4 is closed and the valve of the coupling part to the constant temperature water outlet 8b of a thermostatic chamber 8 is open, so the constant temperature water 8a as cleaning water is sucked into a syringe 5 through the three-way valve 5a. Then, when the plunger 5b moves from the bottom dead point to the top dead point, the valve of the coupling part to the cleaning water outlet 4b of the cleaning water discharge nozzle 4 is open at this time. Then, the valve of the coupling part to the constant temperature outlet 8b is closed, so the cleaning water sucked into the syringe 5 in a preliminary process is supplied to the discharge nozzle 4 through the three-way valve 5a and cleaning water outlet 4 and further spouted to the internal wall of the reaction pipe 1 from the outlet 4a. Consequently, the internal wall of the reaction pipe 1 is cleaned with its spouting pressure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention belongs to the field of medical equipment for diagnosis, and relates to a method for cleaning the inside of a reaction tube after analysis and measurement in an automatic chemical analyzer.

[Background of the Invention] In an automatic chemical analyzer, reaction tubes that have undergone analysis and measurement are sequentially cleaned in a reaction tube cleaning section to eliminate the influence of the reaction liquid used in the previous measurement during the next measurement. There is.

Here, a conventional reaction tube cleaning method will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a conventional reaction tube cleaning section in an automatic chemical analyzer. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a reaction tube, in which a reaction liquid after measurement is stored and moved intermittently along a drive path (not shown).

Reference numeral 2 denotes a cleaning nozzle, which is mounted above the drive light path of the reaction tube 1 so as to be movable up and down so as to be inserted through the opening of the reaction tube 1. The cleaning nozzle 2 also includes a suction nozzle 3 having a suction port 3a at its lower end and a discharge port 3b at its upper end;
A discharge nozzle 4 into which the suction nozzle 3 is inserted has a discharge port 4a consisting of a plurality of holes for discharging cleaning water at its lower end, and a cleaning water supply port 4b at its upper end for supplying cleaning water to the discharge port 4a. When the cleaning nozzle 2 is inserted into the reaction tube 1, the suction port 3a is connected to the bottom of the reaction tube 1, and the discharge port 4a is connected to the bottom of the reaction tube 1.
is set near the opening of the reaction tube 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes a syringe pump, which supplies wash water 6 to the wash water supply port 4 through a three-way valve 5a by pushing a plunger 5b.
supply to b. A vacuum pump 7 applies suction force to the suction nozzle 3 by driving the vacuum pump.

The operation of the device configured as above will be explained.

When the reaction tubes 1 that have undergone analysis and measurement move sequentially and reach the bottom of the cleaning nozzle 2, the cleaning nozzle 2 descends and the reaction tubes 1
inserted within. Next, the plunger 5 of the syringe pump 5
b is pushed to supply the cleaning water 6 into the discharge nozzle 4 through the three-way valve 5a and the cleaning water supply port 4b, and further to the discharge part 4a.
is discharged into the reaction tube 2 through the reaction tube 2, and the reaction I! is carried out according to the discharge pressure. Clean the inner wall of No. 1. Further, the vacuum pump 7 operates simultaneously with the operation of the syringe pump 5, and sucks the reaction liquid in the reaction tube 1 and the washing water discharged from the discharge part 4a into the suction nozzle 3 through the suction port 3a. The inside of the reaction tube 1 is cleaned by discharging from the discharge port 3b.

On the other hand, the constant-temperature water used to keep the reaction solution at a constant temperature during the reaction needs to be replaced regularly because microorganisms will grow if left for a long time.

[Problems with the Background Art] The exchange of constant-temperature water was done by inserting a hose 8 between reaction tubes 1 into a constant-temperature chamber (reaction chamber) 9 and using a funnel 10, as shown in FIG. 3, which was quite troublesome. Met.

If such constant-temperature water is replaced regularly, microorganisms will occur in the constant-temperature chamber, deteriorating and contaminating the water quality in the constant-temperature chamber. The device for photometrically measuring the concentration of a specific component in a reaction solution has a drawback that greatly affects the measurement results.

[Object of the invention] The present invention improves the cleaning effect by using constant-temperature water as part or all of the washing water for reaction tubes, and changing the constant-temperature water as needed. The purpose is to provide water with multiple functions and use water efficiently.

[Summary of the Invention] In a reaction tube cleaning method in which the inside of a reaction tube is cleaned using a cleaning nozzle having a suction port for sucking waste liquid and a discharge port for discharging cleaning water, part or all of the cleaning water is heated to a temperature of the reaction liquid in the reaction tube. A reaction tube cleaning method characterized by using constant temperature water to maintain constant temperature.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a reaction tube cleaning section for explaining the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a syringe for discharging cleaning water, which includes a plunger 5b that reciprocates with the same stroke, for example, by the operation of one drive source (not shown). 5
alct is a three-way valve connected to the discharge syringe 5, one of which is connected to the [1a water outlet 8b, and the other is connected to the wash water supply port 4b of the discharge nozzle 4.

The opening and closing of the three-way valve 5a is performed in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the plunger 5b. Reference numeral 7 denotes a vacuum pump, one of which is connected to the outlet 3b of the suction nozzle 3 that sucks cleaning waste liquid, and the other is connected to, for example, a waste liquid storage section (not shown).

A method of cleaning the reaction tube 1 in the apparatus configured as above will be explained. When the reaction tube 1 that has undergone analysis and measurement is successively moved and reaches below the cleaning nozzle 2, the cleaning nozzle 2 is lowered and inserted into the reaction tube 1. Next, the vacuum pump 7 is activated, and the reaction liquid in the reaction tube 1 is sucked through the suction port 3a of the suction nozzle 3, and is further discharged to a waste liquid storage section (not shown) through the discharge port 3b. Also, plunger 5
When b moves from the top dead center to the bottom dead center, at this time, the valve in the three-way valve 5a that connects the cleaning water discharge nozzle 4 to the cleaning water supply port 4b closes, and the constant temperature water outlet 8b of the constant temperature bath 8 closes. Since the valve at the connecting portion to is open, constant temperature water 8a, which is washing water, is sucked into the syringe 5 through the three-way valve 5a. Thereafter, when the plunger 5b moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center, the valve at the connection part of the three-way valve 5a to the washing water supply port 4b of the washing water discharge nozzle 4 opens, and the constant temperature water is sent to the constant temperature water discharge port 8b. Since the valve at the connection part is closed, the washing water sucked into the syringe 5 in the previous process is transferred to the three-way valve 5a.
, supplied into the discharge nozzle 4 via the cleaning water supply port 4b,
Furthermore, it is discharged while being sprayed onto the inner wall of the reaction tube 1 from the discharge port 4a.

Therefore, the inner wall of the reaction tube 1 is cleaned by the discharge pressure. After that, when the vacuum pump 7 is operated again, the reaction liquid remaining in the reaction tube 1 and the washing water discharged in the previous process are sucked through the suction port 3a, and at this time, the suction pressure at the suction port 3a The resulting suppressing effect makes it possible to clean the bottom of the reaction tube 1. By repeating the above operations, the inner wall of the reaction tube 1 can be sufficiently cleaned. On the other hand, the same amount of pure water as required for cleaning the reaction tube is supplied into the constant temperature bath 8 from a pure water supply port (not shown).

Compared to the conventional method of using water as cleaning water, the method of using constant-temperature water waste as cleaning water as described above increases the cleaning effect due to the high temperature of constant-temperature water of 37°C. You can expect it. In addition, constant temperature water needs to be replaced periodically to prevent water quality from deteriorating due to the proliferation of microorganisms, but by automatically performing this along with reaction tube cleaning, the hassle of constant temperature water replacement can be eliminated. Since deterioration of water quality can be reliably prevented, the reliability of measurement is improved. Furthermore, by giving a certain amount of water the two functions of constant temperature and cleaning, the amount of water used is relatively reduced, making it more efficient.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the nozzles for discharging cleaning water and sucking cleaning waste liquid do not necessarily have to be the same; for example, a cleaning water discharge nozzle connected to the syringe 5 that only discharges cleaning water, and a vacuum pump that only sucks cleaning waste liquid. A nozzle connected to 7 can also be provided. Further, the shape of the cleaning nozzle 3 does not necessarily have to be as shown in FIG. 1, and can be modified within a range that does not reduce the cleaning effect. In addition, it is not necessary to drain all of the cleaning water as constant temperature water.
It is also possible to use pure water as part of the washing water.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention: Since the constant temperature water is 37° C., which is higher temperature than water, the cleaning effect is increased.

- Constant-temperature water is automatically replaced at any time, saving you the trouble of replacing it and at the same time preventing measurement errors due to constant-temperature water contamination.

- A certain amount of water can have two functions: constant temperature and cleaning, making it efficient and economical as the amount of water used is relatively reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a reaction tube cleaning section for explaining the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a conventional reaction tube cleaning section in an automatic chemical analyzer, and FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram for explaining a conventional constant temperature water exchange operation in an automatic chemical analyzer. 1... Reaction tube, 2... Washing nozzle, 3... Suction nozzle. 3a... Suction port, 3b... Discharge port, 4... Discharge nozzle. 4a...discharge port, 4b...supply port, 5...syringe. 5a... Three-way valve, 5b... Plunger, 6... Pure water. 7... Vacuum pump, 8... Constant temperature bath, 8a... Constant temperature water. 8b... Constant temperature water outlet representative patent attorney Noriyuki Norichika (and one other person) Figure 111Figure 21Il Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a reaction tube cleaning method in which the inside of a reaction tube is cleaned using a cleaning nozzle having a suction port for sucking in waste liquid and a discharge port for discharging cleaning water, part or all of the cleaning water is used to keep the temperature of the reaction liquid inside the reaction tube constant. A reaction tube cleaning method characterized by using constant temperature water.