JPS5847413Y2 - Sample stirring transfer device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention mainly relates to an apparatus for stirring and transferring a sample liquid when measuring the ion activity in a sample liquid such as a body fluid using an ion selective electrode.

Ion activity measuring devices are known that employ a batch system in which a very small amount of a sample liquid such as a body fluid is injected into a sample cup, and a measurement electrode is inserted into the sample cup to measure a specific ion activity of the sample liquid.

In this case, it is important to stir the sample liquid injected into the sample cup in order to avoid air bubbles or solid matter in the sample liquid from adhering to the measurement electrode, causing measurement errors.

For example, if the sample is whole blood, blood cells, fibrin, etc. that adhere to the measuring section can cause fatal measurement errors.

Furthermore, if the sample liquid injected into the sample cup is a body fluid,
In particular, in the case of serum or whole blood, the amount is, for example, 250 μl.
Because the amount is such a small amount, it is important to obtain sufficient contact between the sample liquid and the measurement electrode.Experimentally, it is preferable to perform measurements with a distance of 0.5 to 1 mm between the bottom of the sample cup and the tip of the electrode. However, when injecting a sample into a sample cup with a pipette or the like, it is necessary to keep the sample cup away from the electrode.

As described above, the ion activity measuring device requires two operations: stirring the sample in the sample cup and relatively moving the cup into which the sample is injected and the measurement electrode.

Conventionally, in stirring and transferring devices for performing these two operations, stirring methods include inserting a stirring frame into the sample cup and stirring, and rotating a star placed in the sample cup with an external magnet. A method of rotating the sample cup itself, a method of rotating the sample cup itself, and the like are used.As a means of relatively moving the measurement electrode and the sample cup, the measurement electrode is moved manually or automatically, or the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-58592 As described in 2007, methods have been used in which the measurement electrode is fixed and the sample cup is automatically moved up and down.

However, those that perform each operation manually are complicated to operate,
In all automatic systems, the stirring operation and the moving operation are performed by separate mechanisms, which has the disadvantage of making the mechanism complicated.

For example, in the method described in JP-A-52-58592, a cam driven by a motor is used to move the sample cup up and down, and a cam installed on the cup holder is used to rotate and stir the cup. This is done by bringing a friction plate driven by another drive motor into contact with the friction plate.
Since the drive mechanism is independent, the design and assembly of the control process are complicated, which has the disadvantage of causing failures.

Furthermore, there are disadvantages in that the time required for sample measurement is long, the processing speed is slow, and the size of the apparatus is large due to the complexity of the mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sample stirring and transporting device which is simple in construction and has a high processing speed by performing rotational stirring of a sample cup and relative movement with respect to a measurement electrode in one mechanism.

The sample agitation transfer device of the present invention includes a support rod having a spiral groove cut around the circumference, a guide member having a groove that engages with the spiral groove and holding the support rod movably in a substantially vertical direction. a sample cup or sample cup holder fixedly provided at the upper end of the support bar, the support bar and the sample cup or sample cup holder including means for rotating the platform relative to the guide member; The support rod and the sample cup or the sample cup holder are configured so that by rotating the stand together, the sample contained in the sample cup can be stirred and the sample can be transferred in a substantially vertical direction. It is something to do.

The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings below.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a sample stirring and transferring device according to the present invention.

A sample cup 1 holding a sample liquid is fixed to a support rod 2 having a spiral groove cut therein, and the support rod 2 is fitted into the spiral groove of a guide member 3 supporting the support rod 2.

Therefore, when the support rod 2 rotates together with the sample cup 1, the cup rotates accordingly.

1. The support rod 2 moves up and down.

A rotating shaft 5 of a motor 4 is connected to the lower end of the support rod 2, and the motor 4 is guided to move in the vertical direction by a pin 6 attached to this and a guide groove 7a of a guide plate 7 into which the pin fits. has been done.

Therefore, when the motor 4 is rotated, the support rod 2 and the sample cup 1 move up and down while rotating.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the cup 1 has moved to the uppermost position, and in this state, the upper end of the cup 1 is in contact with a holding plate 9 to which a measuring electrode 8 and the like are attached.

The holding plate 9 also has a reference electrode 10, a drain pipe 11. Attach the calibration standard solution injection tube 12 and the blower nozzle 13.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the sample cup 1 and the like are in the lowest position.

In this state, when the sample 22 is injected with the pipette 21 and the motor 4 is rotated, the cup 1 rises while rotating, so that the sample 22 in the cup 1 is stirred during this time.

When the cup 1 rises to the state shown in FIG. 1, the measuring electrode 8,
The ionic activity in the sample liquid is measured as the potential difference at the reference electrode 10, and then the sample liquid is sucked and discarded through the drain pipe 9 by a drain pump (not shown), and then the electrode is Blow off the spy liquid that adhered to 8 and 10.

Thereafter, a standard solution is injected into the sample cup 1 through the injection tube 12 in an amount sufficient to immerse the electrodes 8, 10.
0 and cup 1 are washed and then drained through drain pipe 11.

Clean the electrodes 8 and 10 with air flow through the blower nozzle 13 again, inject the standard solution through the injection tube 12 again, perform a measurement on this, and perform arithmetic processing together with the measurement results for the previously measured sample solution to determine the sample solution. The measurement results are calibrated to accurately determine the ionic activity of the sample solution and this is displayed.

After this, the semi-liquid is discharged through the drain pipe 11, and the motor 4
By rotating the cup 1 in the opposite direction and lowering the cup 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2, the next sample solution can be injected.

In order to stop the rotation of the motor 4 when the guide knob 1 reaches the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a switch (not shown) may be installed to operate at each position.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, since the cup 1 is rotated near the highest position of the cup 1, that is, even when the sample liquid 22 is in contact with the electrodes 8 and 10, air bubbles and solids attached to the electrodes 8 and 10 are removed. You can remove things.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the sample agitation and transfer apparatus according to the present invention, and the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same members.

In this embodiment, a cup holder with teeth cut on the outer periphery is attached to the tip of the support rod 2 having a spiral groove, and the cup holder fixes the sample cup 1 to the pedestal 25. By rotating the gear 26 meshing with the cup 25 by the motor 4, the cup 1 is moved up and down while being rotated.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spiral grooves of the support rod 2 and the guide member 3 are disengaged at the position where the sample cup 1 is fully raised, and the cup 1 is configured to be able to rotate further at that position. .

In this way, if the cup 1 is further rotated at the highest position, the cup 1 will be rotated with the electrode measuring part immersed in the sample, making it possible to completely remove air bubbles etc. attached to the measuring part. At the same time, the stirring effect becomes even more remarkable.

The mechanism for rotating the sample cup 1 at its highest position as shown in FIG. 3 can also be effectively applied to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the sample agitation and transfer apparatus according to the present invention, and in this embodiment as well, the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same members.

In this embodiment, electrodes 8, 10, drain pipe 11. A holding plate 9 to which a standard liquid injection tube 12 and a blower nozzle 13 are attached is provided so as to be slidable up and down within a frame 28, and a compression spring 29 provided between this holding plate 9 and the frame 28 allows a downward movement. Press.

In this way, even after the sample cup 1 rises and contacts the holding plate 9 and the electrodes 8 and 10 are immersed in the sample liquid by a predetermined amount, the cup 1 holds the holding plate 9 against the force of the compression spring 29. Rotate while pushing up.

Therefore, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the stirring effect becomes even more pronounced.

Furthermore, after the sample cup 1 contacts the holding plate 9, even if the drive of the motor 4 is canceled at an arbitrary position, the distance between the electrodes 8, 10 and the bottom of the cup 1, that is, the electrodes 8, 10 is Since the amount immersed in the liquid is kept constant, there is no need to strictly regulate the stopping position, and therefore control becomes easy.

As described above, according to the present invention, rotational stirring of the sample cup and relative movement with respect to the measurement electrode can be performed simultaneously by one mechanism, so the structure is simple and the sample is small and can be processed at high speed. A stirring transfer device can be realized.

Note that the present invention can be effectively applied not only to an ion activity measuring device but also to other devices that require stirring and transfer of liquid contained in a container, especially medical devices.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, if the sample cup 1 is moved up and down several times before measuring the sample liquid, more sufficient stirring can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are configuration diagrams showing one embodiment of the sample agitation and transfer device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing still another embodiment. It is a diagram. 1...Sample cup, 2...Support rod, 3
...Guide member, 4 ...Motor, 25
...Cup holder is stand, 26...Gear, 2
8...Frame, 29...Compression spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a support rod having a spiral groove cut around the circumference; a guide member having a groove that engages with the spiral groove and holding the support rod movably in a substantially vertical direction; and an upper end portion of the support rod. the fixedly mounted sample cup or sample cup holder comprises a base; the support bar and the sample cup or sample cup holder include means for rotating the base relative to the guide member;
The support rod and the sample cup or the sample cup holder are configured so that by rotating the stand together, the sample contained in the sample cup can be stirred and the sample can be transferred in a substantially vertical direction. Sample agitation transfer device.