JPS62217142A - Photometric part for chemical analysis - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit extremely easy change-over of filters by providing a light source so as to face the position where the measuring surface of a slide is disposed, providing plural pieces of optical sensors to the positions where reflected light can be received and respectively providing interference filters which are different from each other in the wavelengths of the light to be selectively transmitted to the photodetecting surfaces of the respective optical sensors. CONSTITUTION:The light source 3 emits the irradiation light suitable for measurement of the slide 5. The irradiation light passes an irradiation light passage 2C in a block 2 and is made incident perpendicularly on the measuring surface 5a of the slide 5. The reflected light thereof passes a reflected light passage 2D and advances toward the respective optical sensors 4. The interference filters 10 which are different from each other in the wavelengths of the light to be selectively passed are respectively provided on the photodetecting surfaces of the optical sensors 4. The quantity of the reflected light to be received is surely changed by the concn. of the measuring component if the outputs of the optical sensors 4 are electrically changed over. The measurement corresponding to measurement items is thus easily made with good accuracy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of the Invention) The present invention irradiates a measurement surface of a chemical analysis slide containing a sample with irradiation light, and receives reflected light from the measurement surface with an optical sensor. The present invention relates to a photometric unit for chemical analysis that measures the reflection density of the measurement surface, and more particularly, to a photometric unit for chemical analysis that can perform good measurements according to the components to be measured in a sample. .

(Technical Background and Prior Art of the Invention) In recent years, it has become possible to quantitatively analyze specific chemical components or formed components contained in a sample liquid such as blood or urine by simply applying small droplets of the sample liquid. Dry type chemical analysis slides have been developed (Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-21677, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-164356, etc.) and have been put into practical use.

The analysis of chemical components in a sample solution using such a chemical analysis slide involves dot-feeding the sample solution onto the chemical analysis slide, and then incubating it in an incubator for a predetermined period of time. A color reaction (pigment formation reaction) is performed by optically measuring the color optical density, i.e., by combining the component to be measured in the sample solution with the reagent contained in the reagent layer of the chemical analysis slide. This chemical analysis slide is irradiated with measurement irradiation light containing a wavelength and its reflected optical density is measured, thereby quantitatively analyzing the content of the substance to be measured mainly based on the principle of colorimetry.

The above-mentioned reflection temperature measurement, which is performed after the incubation is completed, is performed by a photometer for chemical analysis. The photometry section includes a light source that irradiates the measurement surface of the chemical analysis slide with irradiation light and a light sensor that receives the reflected light of the irradiation light reflected by the measurement surface.The output of this light sensor determines the concentration of the measurement surface. It is designed to measure.

The light source of the photometry section is usually a tungsten lamp or the like, which emits light over a relatively wide wavelength range. On the other hand, effective wavelengths for measurement vary depending on the component in the sample to be measured. That is, the wavelength of light at which the amount of reflected light from the measurement surface changes most significantly when the concentration of a certain measurement component changes varies depending on the measurement component. For example, light around 510 nm is most effective for measuring glucose. Therefore, if the optical sensor selectively receives only the light of the specific wavelength according to the measurement item, the concentration of the component to be measured can be measured most effectively. In order to allow only reflected light of a specific wavelength to enter the optical sensor, an interference filter that selectively allows only light of a specific wavelength to enter may be formed on the light receiving surface of the optical sensor.

However, there are multiple types of items to be measured, and in order to always perform effective concentration measurements, an interference filter with characteristics corresponding to the measurement item must be placed on the light-receiving surface of the optical sensor each time the measurement item changes. There is a need. Therefore, it is conceivable to prepare multiple interference filters in advance and move these interference filters mechanically to arrange the desired interference filter on the light receiving surface, but it is not possible to mechanically switch the interference filters as described above. In order to do this, a mechanism for moving the interference filter is required, resulting in the inconvenience that the structure of the measuring section becomes complicated and large.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to perform measurement with an optical sensor equipped with an interference filter having desired characteristics depending on the measurement item, and to use an optical sensor that is equipped with an interference filter having desired characteristics. Turn off the filter! It is an object of the present invention to provide a photometric section for chemical analysis that can be replaced extremely easily without increasing the size of the device.

(Structure of the Invention) In the photometry section for chemical analysis of the present invention, the light source is provided opposite to the position where the measurement surface of the slide is disposed, and the optical sensor is capable of receiving reflected light of the irradiation light emitted from the light source. It is characterized in that a plurality of interference filters are provided at different positions, and interference filters are provided on the light-receiving surface of each optical sensor, each of which transmits selectively different wavelengths of light.

In other words, in the photometry section, the light source is arranged to face the measurement surface, and the irradiation light is made to enter the measurement section almost perpendicularly, so that the reflected light of the irradiation light is reflected at multiple positions around the light source under approximately the same conditions. It becomes possible to receive light.

Therefore, as described above, it is possible to provide multiple optical sensors and provide interference filters with different characteristics on the light receiving surface of each optical sensor. By switching the output, it is possible to detect reflected light using only an optical sensor having an interference filter with characteristics according to the measurement item. Therefore, according to the photometry section of the present invention, high-precision measurements can be performed on multiple items by switching the electrical light sensor without making the entire photometry group larger or more complicated using mechanical filter switching means. can be done.

(Actual/l! Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 11B are schematic side views for explaining the operation of a photometric section for chemical analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The photometering section 1 has a light source 3 and a plurality of optical sensors 4 embedded in a single block 2, and is supported by a support member 6 with the top surface exposed. As shown in FIG. 2, the slide 5 for chemical analysis on which the concentration is measured by the photometer 1 has a dry multilayer film 5B formed by laminating a support, a reagent layer, and a developing layer in a frame 5A. A measuring surface 5a is formed on the back surface (upper surface in the figure). This slide 5 has a sample (substance to be measured) such as urine or blood dropped onto the film 5B through a circular hole (not shown) provided in the surface for a predetermined number of meters, and is kept at a constant temperature (incubation) for a predetermined period of time. A color reaction is caused. Further, a barcode 5b is written on the back side of the slide 5. This slide 5 is placed i! on the support member so that the back side is in contact with the support member 6. placed.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a slide 5 is placed on the photometry section 1.
Prior to photometry, the reference white board 7W and the reference blackboard 7B for correcting errors in the measured reflection density values of the slide 5 are moved by the lever 8, and the photometry section 1 measures the reflection of the reference white board 7W and the reference blackboard 7B. Measure 1 degree.

Next, a slide 5 is moved onto the photometer 1 by being pushed by a lever 8, but before the reflection density is measured, the slide 5 is read by a barcode reading means 9 provided in the support member 6. , the barcode 5b attached to the back side is read. When the reading of the barcode 5b is completed, the slide 5 moves to the photometer 1 as shown in FIG. 1B.
It is moved upward and the reflection S degree of the measurement surface 5a is measured. The structure of the photometry section of this embodiment will be further explained below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 and 4 are a sectional view and a bottom view of the block 2 of the photometry section 1, respectively. A light source fitting hole 2A is formed in the center of the lower part of the block 2, and four photosensor fitting holes 2B, for example, are formed around the light source fitting hole 2A. The light source 3 such as a tungsten lamp and the four optical sensors 4 are provided with the light source fitting hole 2A and the optical sensor fitting hole 2Bl, respectively.
: Fitted and attached to block 2. The light source 3 emits illumination light suitable for measuring the slide 5, and this illumination light passes through the illumination light path 2C in the block 2 and the slide 5.
The light is incident on the measurement surface 5a perpendicularly to the measurement surface. Measurement surface 5
The reflected light of the irradiation light reflected by a passes through a reflected light path 2D formed in the block 2 and heads toward each optical sensor 4.

By the way, the light source 3 emits light over a relatively wide wavelength range, but as mentioned above, the effective wavelengths for measurement are:
It differs depending on the component to be measured in the sample in the slide 5. Therefore, in the photometry section of the present embodiment, the light sensor 4 is configured so that only light having an effective wavelength can be selectively incident on the optical sensor 4 according to the component to be measured.
Interference filters 10 with different wavelengths of light that are selectively transmitted are provided on each light receiving surface of the two optical sensors 4. That is, by selecting the optical sensor 4 having the interference filter 10 with desired characteristics according to the measurement item, and electrically switching the output of the optical sensor 4 so that detection is performed using only the selected optical sensor 4. The amount of reflected light received can be reliably changed depending on the concentration of the component to be measured, and highly accurate measurements can be easily performed depending on the measurement item.

The output from one of the four optical sensors 4 selected according to the measurement item as described above is transmitted to the amplifier 13 and A/D converter 14 as shown in FIG. 1B. The concentration of the component is sent to the CPU (central processing unit) 15 for processing, and the concentration of the component thus measured is displayed on an external display device (not shown) as necessary. Further, which of the four optical sensors is used for density measurement is determined by inputting information from the barcode reading means 9 into the CPU 15, and selecting the slide whose reflection rate is measured by the CPU 15's serial control. It can be done every 5.

Note that the number of optical sensors, that is, the types of filters required, can be arbitrarily determined depending on the number of items to be measured by the photometer J5. Further, the arrangement of each optical sensor can be arbitrarily set within a range that allows reflected light to be incident on all optical sensors in a good condition. Also, in the photometry section of this embodiment, as described above? In order to arrange the 12-loss optical sensor, the light source 3 is placed opposite the slide 5, so that the measurement surface 5a of the slide 5 is placed so that the heat generated by the light source 3 does not cast a shadow on the slide 5. A heat insulating filter 11 is provided at opposing portions. (See Figure 3)
In the photometry section 1 having a plurality of optical sensors 4 as described above, it is necessary to accurately position each optical sensor at a position where it can receive the reflected light of the irradiated light well. If the light source 3 and the optical sensor 4 are fitted into the block 2 to form a unit like the photometric section 1 of the embodiment, there is no need for precise positioning of each optical sensor, which is extremely convenient. That is, since the light source fitting hole 2A and the light sensor fitting hole 2B are formed in the block 2, when assembling the photometry section 1, the light source 3 is
By fitting the optical sensor 4 into the block 2 along each fitting hole, the optical sensor 4 can be easily placed at an accurate position. In addition, in the present invention, it is not necessarily a necessary requirement that the photometry section be unitized as described above, and the photometry section may have any structure as long as the optical sensor and the light source are arranged at predetermined positions. It may be of.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the photometric section for chemical analysis of the present invention, a plurality of optical sensors are provided and interference filters with different characteristics are provided on the light receiving surface of each sensor, thereby making it possible to perform measurement. The light sensor is electrically switched and used depending on the item being measured, and the photometry section is enlarged.

Highly accurate measurements according to measurement items can be performed extremely easily without complication.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic side views illustrating the operation of a photometric section for chemical analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a chemical analysis slide, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view of the block of the photometric section for chemical analysis according to the above embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the block. 1... Photometering section for chemical analysis 3... Light +19i 4... Optical sensor 5... Chemical analysis slide 5a... Measurement surface 10...
・Interference filter Figure 1A Old diagram Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4B

Claims (1)

[Claims] A light source that irradiates the measurement surface of a chemical analysis slide containing a sample with irradiation light, and a light sensor that receives the reflected light of the irradiation light reflected by the measurement surface, the measurement surface being controlled by the output of the light sensor. In the chemical analysis photometry unit that measures the concentration of 1. A photometric unit for chemical analysis, characterized in that interference filters that selectively transmit light of different wavelengths are provided on the light-receiving surface of each optical sensor.