JPS63167273A - Spectrophotometer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automate setting of measurement parameters by providing means for attaching assignment codes to plural sets of measurement parameter groups, then storing said groups and storing the corresponding table set with the assignment codes corresponding to sample numbers. CONSTITUTION:Plural test tubes 9 are successively moved to the lower side of a suction nozzle 10 and the samples in the test tubes 9 are sucked by a pump 12 into a flow cell 3, by which an optical measurement is carried out. The parameter assignment codes (1-20), the measurement parameter sets corresponding to the respective assignment codes and the correspondence table of the respective sample numbers (1-100) and the measurement assignment codes (1-20) are previously stored into a RAM16. The automatic setting of the measurement parameters is thereby permitted while the assignment codes are successively read out of the correspondence table even if the measurement parameters are different with every sample.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a spectrophotometer that automatically measures samples in a plurality of test tubes in sequence.

(Prior art) In measurement using a spectrophotometer, the measurement method (used for quantitative determination)
Measurements are performed by setting a series of measurement parameters for each sample, such as the number of wavelength values used), the measurement wavelength, and the number of the calibration curve used. Therefore, although automatic switching devices have been provided in the past that sequentially switch between multiple test tubes and aspirate the sample in the test tube into the αj-directed optical path frame rJ-cell using a pump, the operator has to wait until the measurement of one sample is completed. Since the measurement parameters for the next sample must be set at the same time, there is a drawback that the method is restricted until the measurement of all samples is completed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a spectrophotometer that automatically exchanges test tubes and aspirates samples, and also automates the setting of measurement parameters for each sample. The purpose of this is to alleviate the time burden on the operator.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The spectrophotometer according to the present invention has a means for suctioning a sample from a test tube into a flow cell in a measurement optical path using a pump while sequentially switching between a plurality of test tubes, and a plurality of test tubes used for measurement. A storage means for storing a set of measurement parameters with a designation code, a manual operation means for selecting and setting an arbitrary designation code corresponding to each sample number, and storing a set correspondence table. The apparatus is equipped with a storage means for storing data, and a control means for automatically measuring each sample according to a measurement parameter set sequentially specified in a correspondence table.

(Function) When Moe starts measuring multiple samples, if a measurement parameter set is specified for each sample using a specified code, the sample will be automatically switched each time the sample measurement is completed. , the measurement parameter set designated for each sample according to the correspondence table is read out from the storage means, and measurement is performed accordingly. Therefore, once the operator first loads the samples and sets the measurement parameter set for each sample using the specified code, there is no need to intervene in the apparatus until the measurements of all samples are completed.

(Example) Figure 1 shows an example of the present invention. After the light emitted from the spectrometer 2 is separated into spectra, it is absorbed by a sample in a flow cell 3 placed in the optical path of the emitted light from the spectrometer 2, and the transmitted light is converted into an electrical signal by a photodetector 4. After being amplified by an amplifier 5, it is A/D converted by a Δ/D converter 6, and read into a CI) U 7 for processing.

The test tube switching device 8 is configured to sequentially move the plurality of test tubes 9 below the suction nozzle 10, and the suction nozzle! 0 is inserted into the test tube 9 by the lifting device l+, and the sample in the test tube 9 is transferred to the flow cell 3 by the operation of the pump 12.
It is designed to be inhaled internally. The CPU 7 outputs the sample switching signal 1, the nozzle control signal b1, and the pump control signal C via the I10 controller 13, and also controls the wavelength switching device 14 of the spectrometer 2 using the wavelength switching signal d. In the figure, 15 is a pass line, I6 is an ItAM memory for storing data, 17 is a ROM memory for storing programs, 18 is a CftT display device, 1
9 is a keyboard for manual operation.

FIG. 2 shows a list of the parameter designation codes (1 to 20) read out from the RAM memory I6 and displayed on the display device 18, and the contents of the measurement parameter set corresponding to each designation code. While looking at this list, the measurement parameters for each sample are set using the operation keyboard 19, and as a result, a correspondence table as shown in FIG. 3 is created and stored in the ItAM memory 16.

FIG. 3 shows a correspondence table between sample numbers (1 to 100) and parameter designation codes (1 to 20) that are read out from the RAM memory I6 and displayed on the display screen for one day. The designation code 0 in the correspondence table indicates a blank sample, that is, a state in which there is no sample in the corresponding test tube, and the absorbance is thereby zero-adjusted.

In Figure 3, sample numbers 1-100 in the left column correspond to the numbers of 100 test tubes, and constant codes I, 2.3 in the right column.
etc. indicate which measurement parameter group in FIG. 2 is used. In the illustrated example, first, the sample with sample number l (
Blank sample) and ze[1], sample numbers 2 to 1.
0 sample is measured using the measurement parameter set QUANTIλ of designation code I shown in FIG. Next, sample number 1
After zeroing with sample 1, the sample number! 2-50
The sample is measured using the measurement parameter set QUANT2λ with designation code 2. In this way, if the measurement parameters for the sample fσ are different, the measurement parameters are automatically set while sequentially reading out the specification codes from this correspondence table, and the measurements of the samples with sample numbers 1 to IQO are performed as a series of measurements. It is fully automated without any intervention.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention provides a spectrophotometer that sucks a sample into a flow cell in a measurement optical path while sequentially switching between a plurality of test tubes. Multiple types of measurement parameter sets can be arbitrarily set corresponding to each sample number, and each sample is automatically measured sequentially using the measurement parameter set specified in the correspondence table. By specifying the measurement parameter set for each of the 6 samples using the specified code before starting the measurement of multiple samples, there is no need to intervene in the device until all samples have been measured. be.

Although the above embodiments apply the present invention to a single-beam spectrophotometer, it can be similarly applied to a double-beam spectrophotometer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block system diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure shows a plurality of types of measurement parameter groups used in the above shown on the display screen, and FIG. 3 shows the correspondence table between the sample numbers and designation codes shown in the above shown on the display screen. l... Light source, 2... Spectrometer, 3... Flow cell,
4... Photodetector, 5... Amplifier, 6... A/D converter, 7... CI) U, 8... Test tube switching device,
9... Test tube, 10... Suction nozzle, 11... Lifting device, 12... Pump, ■3... I10 controller, 14... Wavelength switching device, 15... Pass line, 16...RAM memory, I7...110M memory, I8...CRT display device, I9...operation keyboard.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A means for suctioning a sample from a test tube into a flow cell in a measurement optical path using a pump while sequentially switching between multiple test tubes, and storing multiple sets of measurement parameter groups used for measurement with specified codes. an operation input means for selecting and setting an arbitrary designation code corresponding to each sample number; a storage means for storing a set correspondence table; A spectrophotometer comprising a control means for automatically measuring according to a set of measurement parameters.