JPS626534Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a sample cooling device used in a biochemical analyzer, and particularly to a sample cooling device that prevents evaporation of water in the sample.

In recent years, the required amount of samples used in biochemical analyzers has become significantly smaller. In the case of such extremely small amounts of samples, water may evaporate and concentrate during storage, which may adversely affect analysis results. Therefore, as a conventional measure to prevent water evaporation, a method has been used for test tube-shaped sample containers, in which each container 1 containing a sample 2 is sealed with a thin sheet-like membrane 3 for storage, as shown in FIG. In this method, the sheet must be removed when sucking a sample from a sample container, and this attachment and detachment work is troublesome. In addition, since the sample used in the electrophoresis device is even smaller at several tens of micrometers, a sample container 4 is used in which the sample 5 is placed in a shallow recess 4a as shown in FIG.
is used. In this case as well, water evaporation was a problem, and especially since the sample was in an extremely small amount, the concentration of the sample due to water evaporation had a very large negative effect on the measurement data. For this purpose, the sample container 4 must be placed in a container 6 filled with water-soaked gauze 7, etc., as shown in Figure 3, and sealed and stored, and the lid 8 must be removed when applying the sample. It is necessary to exclude
It was inconvenient to handle.

The present invention was devised in view of the above points, and the container for storing the sample container has a structure that facilitates the suction of the sample, and a cooling mechanism is provided on the container itself or near the container. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sample cooling device that reduces the saturated vapor pressure of the sample, eliminates the need to seal the storage container, and reduces evaporation of the sample.

The details of the present invention will be explained below. First, before explaining the specific structure of the device of the present invention, the principle will be explained. The relationship is shown in Figure 4. As shown in this figure, evaporation occurs into the space of the sample container immediately after sealing, but once the space inside the container is saturated, evaporation stops, preventing the sample from concentrating. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the vapor pressure above the sample changes depending on the distance x from the sample, and as x increases, the vapor pressure decreases, and the point x Then it becomes px. The difference between the saturated vapor pressure p on this sample surface and the vapor pressure px at point x Δp=p
-px will cause evaporation. Therefore, by bringing this pressure difference Δp close to zero, evaporation from the sample can be prevented. On the other hand, the relationship between the saturated vapor pressure and the temperature of the liquid is shown in FIG. 6. As the temperature rises, the saturated vapor pressure increases, and conversely, as the temperature decreases, the saturated vapor pressure also decreases.

This invention was developed with the above points in mind.
By lowering the temperature of the liquid (sample), the saturated vapor pressure is lowered. Evaporation from the sample is reduced by reducing the difference Δp) from the vapor pressure px at . This makes it easy to carry out operations such as suction without covering the sample, and prevents moisture from evaporating.

Next, the specific contents of the device of the present invention will be explained based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. 10 is a container-shaped cooling container body; 11 is a table made of a material with good thermal conductivity (for example, aluminum or copper), and a number of protrusions 11a are provided on the lower surface of the table.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a highly water-absorbent sheet such as paper that is pasted on the lower surface or protrusion of the table 11, and its lower end is immersed in water 13. Reference numeral 14 denotes a blower which blows air into the main body 10 and sends it out from the ventilation opening 10a.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sample container 4 having the structure shown in FIG. Evaporation of the water contained in the table 12 is promoted, and the table 11 is cooled to remove the heat of evaporation during the evaporation of the water, and the sample container 4 placed thereon is also cooled. Therefore, the sample is cooled, the saturated vapor pressure of the sample is reduced, and evaporation of water from the sample is suppressed for the reasons already mentioned.

In the case shown in FIG. 9, for example, a cooler 16 as shown in FIG. 8 is housed in a case 15 that is open at the top, and a test tube 1 placed in a rack 17 is covered inside the case 15. It was installed without any problems. In this embodiment, the atmosphere inside the case 15 is cooled and evaporation of moisture is suppressed as in the embodiment shown in FIG. Furthermore, since the upper part of the cooling device is open and the mouth of the test tube is not covered, it is possible to aspirate the sample through the nozzle in that state.

FIG. 10 shows a case where the device of the present invention is used in an automatic electrophoresis device. For example, the table 1 of the cooling container main body 10 of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8
A tray 18 on which a plurality of sample containers are set is placed at a predetermined position by a positioning member (not shown) on the tray 1 . On the other hand, 20 is a sample coating device used in an automatic electrophoresis apparatus, 21 is an applicator moving device, 22 is a sample applicator, and 23 is a support such as a cellulose acetate membrane.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 10, the applicator 2
2 is moved to position A shown in the figure and then lowered, the sample directly below is deposited on the tip of the applicator 22. Next, when the applicator 22 is raised, moved in the direction of the arrow, and lowered to the position B shown by the chain line, the sample adhering to the tip of the applicator 22 will be applied onto the support 23, and after coating, the applicator 22 will be moved. Return to original position A. As described above, after the sample is attached to the tip of the applicator 22, the tray 1 is moved while the applicator is being moved.
8 to the left side in FIG. 10 by the distance t between the sample containers using an appropriate moving mechanism, when the applicator 22 returns to position A, the second sample from the left in FIG. 10 is under the applicator. The container is coming. Therefore, by repeating the above-described operations by the coating device, the samples placed in each sample container are sequentially supplied and coated onto the support. These operations are performed on the table of the cooling device, which is open at the top, and are therefore performed without any interference. Further, since the table of the cooling device is cooled, evaporation of water from the sample is suppressed as described above.

As explained above, in the sample cooling device of the present invention, since at least the part for storing and supplying the sample container is open, it is possible to easily carry out supply operations such as sucking the sample, and also to cool the sample by cooling the sample. Since the evaporation of water can be suppressed, there is no effect on measurement data due to sample concentration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional means for preventing evaporation of water from a sample in a test tube-shaped sample container, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sample container used in electrophoresis, etc., and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional means for preventing evaporation of water from a sample in a test tube-shaped sample container. 4 is a diagram showing the state of evaporation of water from the sample in each of the conventional examples, and FIG. A diagram showing the relationship between distance and vapor pressure at that point,
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between temperature and saturated vapor pressure, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the - line in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the main FIG. 10, which is a sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention, is a diagram showing an example in which the apparatus of the invention is used in a sample application device of an automatic electrophoresis apparatus. 1, 4...sample container, 10...cooling container body,
11...Table, 14...Blower.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A sample cooling device for cooling a sample contained in a sample container, which has a plurality of protrusions below and a table on which the sample container is placed above, and a table that covers the plurality of protrusions and is partially submerged in water. A cooler body made of a water-absorbing sheet and a blower for introducing outside air into the cooler body are provided, and the sample is cooled by evaporating water contained in the water-absorbing sheet and cooling the table by blowing air. A sample cooling device characterized in that it is configured to cool.