JPH0371072B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reaction tube holder used in an automatic analyzer for performing clinical blood tests.

[Conventional technology and its issues]

Conventionally, reaction tube holders used in automatic analyzers for biochemical analysis and immunoassay are known to be shaped like a disk.By rotating this reaction tube holder more than 360 degrees, each reaction It was configured to intermittently transport the tube from the sampling position to the reagent dispensing position to the optical measurement position.

However, in the conventional reaction tube holder described above, since the reaction tube holder is directly connected to a drive device such as a pulse motor that rotationally drives the reaction tube holder, it is difficult to process multiple samples quickly. In this case, the number of reaction tubes must be increased, which not only increases the planar area of the reaction tube holder and increases the size of the apparatus, but also reduces the reaction time course of each sample contained in the reaction tube. However, there was also a problem in that there was a limit to the accuracy of the time course because structurally only the number of times corresponding to the number of reaction tubes held in the reaction tube holder could be obtained.

This invention was devised in view of the current situation, and its purpose is to significantly reduce the surface area occupied by this type of automatic analyzer and to significantly increase the amount of sample processing required. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reaction tube holder that is suitable for determining time courses with high accuracy.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a reaction tube formed in a vertical cylindrical shape on the circumferential surface of a reaction tube holder having a substantially C-shaped plan view for storing and holding reaction tubes containing specimens in series. The reaction tube holder is provided with a gear that meshes with a drive gear disposed in the tube transfer path, and the reaction tube holder is aligned with the axis of the light source holder installed upright in the reaction tube transfer path. It is characterized in that a notch is formed for discharging in intersecting directions.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reaction tube holder 10 according to this embodiment has a substantially C-shaped planar shape.
A required number of small holes 11 are formed in the reaction tube holder 10 at required intervals, and a plurality of reaction tubes 12 are held in the small holes 11 in a freely insertable and removable manner, as shown in FIG. ing. It is preferable that each of these reaction tubes 12 has a height dimension that allows the reaction tubes 12 to be held without protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the reaction tube holder 10.

In addition, each small hole 11 of the reaction tube holder 10 has an optical axis hole 1 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of each hole 11.
3 is opened through the optical axis hole 13, and after the measurement light from the light source K (described later) passes through the optical axis hole 13 and the serum sample in the reaction tube 12, it passes through the optical axis hole 13 again and passes through the light receiving element 44 (see Fig. 6). ).

A gear 14 is carved along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the reaction tube holder 10 configured in this way, and the gear 14 is connected to drive gears 45, 45 (described later) at an optical measurement position (described later). ' is configured to rotate the reaction tube holder 10 at least once.

Further, the reaction tube holder 10 is formed with a notch 10' for discharging the reaction tube holder 10 in a direction intersecting the axis of a light source holder 42 erected in a measurement transfer path 40, which will be described later. ing.

The reaction tube holder 10 configured in this manner is used, for example, in an automatic analyzer shown in FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

That is, the reaction tube holder 10 is first fitted and held in a holder holder 15 having a ``cross-shaped'' vertical cross section, which is disposed at the sampling position.

This holder holder 15 is rotationally controlled by a rotating means 16 such as a motor. This control is performed via a control device (CPU).

In this way, the rotation of the holder holder 15 is controlled,
When each reaction tube 12 held by the reaction tube holder 10 stops at the sampling position, the holder holder 1
Sample cup 2 of sampler 20 adjacent to 5
A serum specimen (hereinafter simply referred to as specimen) contained in the chamber 1 is dispensed in required amounts via a pipette P.

This pipette device P has a required number of pipettes P ₁ , P ₂ , . . . corresponding to the opening diameter of the sample cup 21.
It consists of P _o .

These pipettes P ₁ , P ₂ . . . P _o are collected in a bundle at the upper part of the sample cup 21, that is, at the sample suction position, and are guided up and down to aspirate the required amount of the sample in the sample cup 21, respectively. After that, it is rotated in the horizontal direction and transferred to the sample dispensing position, where it is expanded at required intervals and then lowered to transfer the required amount of each aspirated sample into the corresponding reaction tube 12. Dispense. At this time, each pipette
From P ₁ , P ₂ . . . P _o , a required amount of the first reagent or diluent R ₁ corresponding to the analysis item is dispensed into the corresponding reaction tube 12.

Note that if the number of pipettes P ₁ , P ₂ ...P _o is smaller than the number of reaction tubes 12 held in the reaction tube holder 10, for example, if the number of pipettes is 8,
When the number of the holder holder 1 is 32, the holder holder 1
5 is driven and controlled by a control device (CPU) so that it rotates four times by the required angle each time the sample suction/dispensing work using the eight pipettes is completed. Of course,
In order to shorten this dispensing work time, it is possible to install the four pipette devices P _A , P _B , P _C , _PD having the above-mentioned eight pipettes and drive and control them simultaneously. It is. In this case, the sample a is placed in the eight reaction tubes 12 in the range of θ ₁ in Fig. 3 via the pipette P _A , and the sample _b is placed in the range of θ ₂ in Fig. 3 via the pipettor P B. In the eight reaction tubes 12,
The sample _c is transferred to the eight reaction _tubes 12 in the range of θ ₃ in FIG _. It is dispensed into the reaction tube 12.

The pipette after each dispensing work has been completed in this way.
P ₁ , P ₂ . . . P _o are washed with a pipette washing device (not shown).

Further, the reaction tube holder 10 holding the reaction tube 12 into which the sample and the first reagent corresponding to the measurement item have been dispensed as described above is transferred to the vertical cylindrical reaction transfer path 30. Ru. As this replacement operation means, various known mechanisms such as manual or known mechanical means, such as a transfer mechanism consisting of a combination of a belt conveyor and a gripping device that operate at a required timing, can be applied.

The reaction transfer path 30 has a function as a constant temperature bath, and its inner diameter is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the reaction tube holder 10, and the reaction transfer path 30 has a function as a constant temperature bath. The reaction tube holder 10 is inserted into the reaction transfer path 30 through an opening 32 formed at the bottom of the reaction transfer path 30 .

The reaction tube holders 10 transferred to the reaction transfer path 30 in this manner are successively pushed upward by the push-up mechanism 31 disposed near the bottom of the reaction transfer path 30. This lifting operation is performed at a timing that does not prevent the next transfer operation of the reaction tube holder 10 to the reaction transfer path 30, and at a lifting distance that is at least larger than the height dimension of the reaction tube holder 10.

The reaction tube holder 10 pushed upward in this manner is held by a claw body 33 provided inside at an upper position of the side opening 32 of the reaction transfer path 30.

This claw body 33 is attached by a spring so as to allow the reaction tube holder 10 to rise and prevent it from falling. As a result, the reaction tube holders 10 are housed in a densely stacked state along the vertical direction within the reaction transfer path 30, and
It is transported upward at a predetermined timing.

In this way, the blood and the like held in each reaction tube holder 10 are kept at the body temperature during the process of being sequentially pushed up and transferred.

That is, the reaction transfer path 30 is provided with a heating means 34 such as an electric heater or hot water circulation.
The heating means 34 heats and maintains the blood and the like in the reaction tube 12 held by the reaction tube holder 10 in the reaction transfer path 30 at the body temperature.

When the reaction tube holder 10 is transferred to the top of the reaction transfer path 30, the reaction tube holder 10 is transferred to the vertical cylindrical measurement transfer path 40 adjacent to the reaction transfer path 30. This transfer work is
This can be carried out manually or by a known mechanical mechanism such as a horizontal extrusion mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 5, each reaction tube 12 of the reaction tube holder 10 transferred to the measurement transfer path 40 is provided with a pipette device configured similarly to the pipette device P at its top. A required amount of the second reagent or second diluent _R2 corresponding to the analysis item is dispensed via P'.

Then, the reaction tube 1 into which this second reagent etc. was dispensed
Thereafter, the reaction tube holder 10 holding the reaction tube holder 2 is sequentially and intermittently transferred downward along the measurement transfer path 40 one step at a time (that is, by the height of the reaction tube holder 10) at a required timing. This transfer is performed by pulling out the reaction tube holders 10 one by one from the lowest part of the transfer path 40 at the same required timing. Of course, in this case, for example, a known stopper is provided to prevent the reaction tube holder 10 positioned above the reaction tube holder 10 from vibrating due to the reaction tube holder 10 being pulled out.
It is desirable to maintain the original height position until the reaction tube holder 10 at the bottom is removed.

Further, the reaction tube holder 10 is connected to the measurement transfer path 4.
0, the notch 10' of the reaction tube holder 10 is fitted into the projection 41 provided at the top of the transfer path 40 and positioned. As this positioning means, for example, suitable rotation means can be used.

In the middle of the measurement transfer path 40 configured as described above, optical measuring sections 41 are arranged at required stages (four stages in the illustrated embodiment).

The optical measuring device K disposed at each step of the optical measuring section 41 includes a light source holder 42 having an L-shaped front surface,
A light source 43 is disposed in a vertical portion of the light source holder 42 corresponding to each step, and the measurement light l emitted horizontally from each light source 43 is transmitted to each step. Reaction tube holder 1 located in
The light passes through the sample in the reaction tube 12 through the optical axis hole 13 of 0 and enters the light receiving element 44, and the absorbance of the wavelength portion corresponding to the measurement item is calculated and measured. and,
The analysis results are displayed on a display such as a CRT or printed out as necessary.

When the reaction tube holder 10 is transferred to the position of the optical measuring section 41 disposed at each step, each drive gear 45, 45' disposed at the position moves to the gear 14 of the reaction tube holder 10. and rotate the reaction tube holder 10 at least once. The drive gears 45, 45' are rotationally controlled by the motor M so that the reaction tube holder 10 accurately returns to its original position.

Therefore, each sample in each reaction tube 12 held in the reaction tube holder 10 is optically measured every time the reaction tube holder 10 rotates once in the optical measurement section 41 disposed at each step. Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain the opposite time course for each sample with higher accuracy.

In this way, the optical measurement at each stage has been completed, and the reaction tube holder 10, which has reached the lowest part of the measurement transfer path 40, is moved through the same transfer path via a pushing device 50 consisting of a known mechanism using an actuator or the like. 40 and transferred to the cleaning position W. At this time, a light source holder 42 is erected at the center of the reaction tube holder 10, but the diameter f of the body of the light source holder 42 is smaller than the opening dimension F of the notch 10' of the reaction tube holder 10. Since the reaction tube holder 10 is formed with a light source holder 42
It is sent out smoothly in a direction that intersects the axis of the

At the cleaning position W, all the specimens and the like contained in each reaction tube 12 of the reaction tube holder 10 are suctioned and discarded, and then cleaned by a known ultrasonic cleaning device or the like and provided for reuse. In addition, if it is desired to improve the cleaning accuracy, it is possible to do so by arranging a plurality of cleaning apparatuses as shown in FIG.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the reaction tube holder according to the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to quickly process many samples without increasing the planar area of the reaction tube holder, and Since the holder itself is the object of transfer, by installing multiple optical measurement positions, a more precise reaction time course can be easily determined regardless of the number of reaction tubes held in the reaction tube holder. be able to,
It has this excellent effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a reaction tube holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the reaction tube holder set in a sampler, and Fig. 3 shows a serum sample in a sample cup. An explanatory plan view showing an example of the dispensing mode when dispensing into the reaction tubes of the reaction tube holder, FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing the overall mechanism of the automatic analyzer suitable for the reaction tube holder, and FIG. 5 is a measurement transfer diagram. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a plan layout diagram of the entire automatic analyzer. [Explanation of symbols], 10...Reaction tube holder, 1
0'... Notch, 12... Reaction tube, 14... Gear,
42... Light source holder, 45, 45'... Drive gear.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A driving gear arranged in a reaction tube transfer path formed in a vertical cylindrical shape is engaged with the circumferential surface of a reaction tube holder having a substantially C-shaped plane for storing and holding reaction tubes containing samples in series. The reaction tube holder is provided with a notch for discharging the reaction tube holder in a direction intersecting the axis of the light source holder installed upright within the reaction tube transfer path. A reaction tube holder characterized by: