Incubation apparatus, incubation system, and sample analyzer

Abstract

SOLUTION: An incubation device, an incubation system, and a sample analyzer are provided. The incubation device includes: a bearing portion 10 having an open bearing region and a closed bearing region, a first bearing hole 11 being provided in the open bearing region, and a second bearing hole being provided in the closed bearing region; and a cover plate structure 20 provided in the closed bearing region and having an opening position and a closing position, the cover plate structure covering an upper side of the closed bearing region when the cover plate structure is at the closing position, and the cover plate structure avoiding the closed bearing region to expose the second bearing hole when the cover plate structure is at the opening position.EFFECT: A problem in the related art, where items prone to volatilization or evaporation during an incubation process are separately incubated outside a reaction system, resulting in a tedious operation, can be effectively solved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices, and specifically to an incubation device, an incubation system, and a sample analysis device.

Background Art

[0002] In this field, a sample analysis device is for detecting samples such as blood, and generally includes a consumable box supply system, an injection system, a reaction system, a measurement system, etc. Among them, the reaction system is an essential component of the sample analysis device and is for performing an incubation operation to provide an appropriate reaction temperature for the reactants in the reaction cup.

[0003] In related technologies, for items that are prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process, in order to avoid affecting other normal items, generally, the incubation operation is performed separately outside the reaction system. For example, incubation is performed in a water bath box, and after the incubation is completed, the operator puts the reactant into the sample analysis device for detection. Therefore, the operation is relatively cumbersome, the workload of the operator is relatively large, and many manual interventions are required, so errors are likely to occur.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The main object of the present invention is to provide an incubation device, an incubation system, and a sample analysis device to solve the problem that the operation becomes cumbersome due to performing the incubation operation separately outside the reaction system for items that are prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process in related technologies.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, an incubation apparatus is provided that includes a mounting section having an open mounting area and a sealed mounting area, wherein a first mounting hole is provided in the open mounting area and a second mounting hole is provided in the sealed mounting area, and a cover plate structure provided in the sealed mounting area having an open position and a closed position, which covers the sealed mounting area when in the closed position and is retracted from the sealed mounting area so as to expose the second mounting hole when in the open position.

[0006] Furthermore, a gripping groove may be provided in the sealed mounting area, and the second mounting hole may be provided in the bottom wall of the gripping groove.

[0007] Furthermore, the structure of the second mounting hole and the structure of the first mounting hole are similar, and / or, a plurality of first mounting holes are arranged in a matrix in the open mounting area, and / or, a plurality of second mounting holes are arranged in a matrix in the sealed mounting area, a plurality of partition plates are provided in the gripping groove, the plurality of partition plates divide the gripping groove to form a plurality of independent gripping cavities, the plurality of gripping cavities are provided so as to correspond one-to-one with a plurality of second mounting holes, the cross-sectional area of ​​the gripping cavity is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the corresponding second mounting hole, and the upper surface of the partition plate may be flush with the upper surface of the sealed mounting area.

[0008] Furthermore, when the reaction cup is placed in the first mounting hole and the lid structure is in the closed position, the upper surface of the lid structure may be flush with or lower than the upper surface of the reaction cup.

[0009] Furthermore, the cover plate structure may include a pivot shaft drilled in the mounting portion and a flip plate fixedly connected to the pivot shaft, and the pivot shaft may be configured to switch the cover plate structure between a closed position and an open position by flipping the flip plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the incubation apparatus may further include a position sensing structure for detecting the position of the lid plate structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the position sensing structure may include a sensing groove and a sensing member provided on the pivot shaft, and may be configured to allow switching between a state in which the sensing member is inserted into the sensing groove and a state in which it is located outside the sensing groove when the pivot shaft is rotated.

[0012] Furthermore, the incubation device further includes a drive unit, the drive unit including a drive motor provided below the mounting unit and a power transmission structure provided between the drive motor and the rotating shaft, the power transmission structure may include a first power transmission gear fitted onto the output shaft of the drive motor, a second power transmission gear fitted onto the rotating shaft, and a power transmission belt wrapped around the outside of the first power transmission gear and the second power transmission gear.

[0013] Furthermore, the mounting section includes a constant temperature member, a heating member, and a heat-retaining layer, with both the first and second mounting holes provided in the constant temperature member, the heating member provided adjacent to the constant temperature member and capable of heating the constant temperature member to 20°C to 50°C, and the heat-retaining layer may cover the outer periphery and bottom of the constant temperature member and the heating member.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, an incubation system is provided comprising an incubation apparatus and a reaction cup, wherein the incubation apparatus is the above-described incubation apparatus, and the reaction cup has an upper opening and can be placed in a first or second placement hole.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a sample analysis apparatus including the above-described incubation apparatus or incubation system is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] Applying the technical concept of the present invention, the mounting section is for mounting the reaction cup and providing an appropriate incubation temperature for the sample in the reaction cup. The mounting section includes an open mounting area, which has a first mounting hole, allowing for normal tests where volatilization or evaporation is unlikely to occur by leaving the reaction cup in the first mounting hole. The mounting section further includes a sealed mounting area, which has a second mounting hole. The lid plate structure is provided in the sealed mounting area and has both an open and a closed position. When the lid plate structure is in the open position, it is retracted from the sealed mounting area to expose the second mounting hole. In this case, the reaction cup can be left in the second mounting hole. After the reaction cup has been left in the lid plate, the lid plate structure is switched from the open position to the closed position, covering the sealed mounting area. This reduces the amount of evaporation or volatilization of the sample in the reaction cup, thereby reducing the change in sample concentration. In other words, special tests where volatilization or evaporation is likely to occur can be performed by placing the reaction cup in the second mounting hole. In this invention, the incubation of both normal and special items is integrated into a single incubation device. The operation of placing the reaction cup 1 in the first or second placement hole and the switching operation of the lid plate structure between the open and closed positions can both be performed by the device, eliminating the need for manual operation by the worker. This reduces the workload on the worker and avoids errors that may occur due to the introduction of manual operation. Therefore, according to the technical proposal of this invention, the problem in related technologies where items prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process are incubated separately outside the reaction system, resulting in complicated operation, can be effectively solved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] The drawings, which constitute part of this application, are for further understanding of the present invention, and the exemplary embodiments and descriptions thereof are for interpretation purposes only and do not unduly limit the present invention. [Figure 1]It is a diagram showing the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of an incubation device according to the present invention, in which the cover plate structure is in the closed position. [Figure 2] It shows an enlarged view of part A of the incubation device in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It shows a schematic plan view of the incubation device in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the incubation device in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It shows an enlarged view of part B of the incubation device in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another part of the incubation device in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the three-dimensional structure of the incubation device in FIG. 1 viewed from another angle, in which the cover plate structure is in the open position. [Figure 8] It shows an enlarged view of part C of the incubation device in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an incubation system according to the present invention, in which the cover plate structure is in the closed position. [Figure 10] It shows an enlarged view of part D of the incubation system in FIG. 9.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described with reference to the drawings. It is needless to say that the embodiments described below are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. In the following, the description of at least one exemplary embodiment is only for the purpose of explanation and is not intended to limit the present invention or its application and use in any way. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive labor based on the embodiments of the present invention are also included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0019] Note that the terms used here are for explaining the embodiments for carrying out the present invention and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. Also, as used here, unless otherwise specifically stated in this specification, the singular forms also include the plural forms. Further, when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, it should be understood that they are used to specify features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0020] Also, unless specifically described otherwise, the relative arrangements, mathematical formulas, and numerical values of the members and steps described in these examples do not limit the scope of the present invention. Needless to say, for the convenience of explanation, the dimensions of each part shown in the drawings are not drawn according to the actual scale. For technologies, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art, although not described in detail, when appropriate, the said technologies, methods, and devices should be regarded as part of the specification. In all the examples illustrated and described here, any specific value is merely exemplary and should not be construed as restrictive. Therefore, in other examples of the exemplary embodiments, different values may be used. Note that similar reference signs and alphabets indicate similar ones in the following drawings. Once defined in one of the drawings, further explanation is not required in the subsequent drawings.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 7, the present application provides an incubation device. An embodiment of the incubation device of the present application includes a placement portion 10 and a cover plate structure 20. Among them, the placement portion 10 has an open placement area 101 and a sealed placement area 102. A first placement hole 11 is provided in the open placement area 101, and a second placement hole 12 is provided in the sealed placement area 102. The cover plate structure 20 is provided in the sealed placement area 102 and has an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, it covers the upper part of the sealed placement area 102, and when in the open position, it retreats from the sealed placement area 102 to expose the second placement hole 12.

[0022] Applying the technical proposal of this embodiment, the mounting section 10 is for mounting the reaction cup 1 and providing an appropriate incubation temperature for the sample in the reaction cup 1. The mounting section 10 includes an open mounting area 101, which is provided with a first mounting hole 11, allowing for normal procedures where volatilization or evaporation is unlikely to occur by leaving the reaction cup 1 in the first mounting hole 11. The mounting section 10 further includes a sealed mounting area 102, within which a second mounting hole 12 is provided. The lid plate structure 20 is provided on the sealed mounting area 102 and has an open position and a closed position. When the lid plate structure 20 is in the open position, it is retracted from the sealed mounting area 102 so as to expose the second mounting hole 12. In this case, the reaction cup 1 can be left in the second mounting hole 12. After the reaction cup 1 has finished being left in the lid plate structure 20, the lid plate structure 20 is switched from the open position to the closed position, covering the sealed mounting area 102. This reduces the amount of evaporation or volatilization of the sample in the reaction cup 1, thereby reducing the change in the concentration of the sample. In other words, special items that are prone to volatilization or evaporation can be performed by leaving the reaction cup 1 in the second mounting hole 12. In this embodiment, the incubation of both normal and special items is integrated into a single incubation device. The operation of placing the reaction cup 1 into the first or second placement hole 11 or 12, and the switching operation of the lid plate structure 20 between the open and closed positions, can all be performed by the device, eliminating the need for manual operation by the worker. This reduces the workload on the worker and avoids errors that may occur due to the introduction of manual operation. Therefore, according to the technical proposal of this embodiment, the problem in related technologies where items prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process are incubated separately outside the reaction system, resulting in complicated operation, can be effectively solved.

[0023] In describing this embodiment, items that are unlikely to volatilize or evaporate during the incubation process are sometimes referred to as "normal items," while items that are likely to volatilize or evaporate during the incubation process are sometimes referred to as "special items."

[0024] For example, when performing blood coagulation detection, typical tests require incubation for 1 to 5 minutes in a 37°C environment. However, tests like the APTT calibration test require longer incubation times. Operators typically complete a 2-hour incubation in a water bath outside the incubation apparatus. During this process, the sample is prone to evaporation, making this test a special case. APTT stands for activated partial thromboplastin time, a blood coagulation function test index that reflects the overall activity of the intrinsic blood coagulation pathway, particularly the first-stage coagulation factors. It is widely used for screening and measuring defects in intrinsic pathway coagulation factors such as factors XI, VIII, and IX, and is also used for initial screening and diagnosis of hemorrhagic disorders and laboratory monitoring of heparin anticoagulation therapy. The calibration test, also known as a mixing study, involves proportionally mixing patient plasma with normal plasma and then re-detecting the relevant detection items. When performing APTT calibration tests in the incubation apparatus of this embodiment, not only can the amount of evaporation during the incubation process be reduced, but because incubation operations are performed in different mounting holes, when the item in question is incubated in the second mounting hole 12, the normal item can still be incubated in the first mounting hole 11, without affecting the experimental process of the normal item.

[0025] Naturally, the incubation apparatus of this embodiment is applicable not only to items that generate evaporation through long-term incubation, such as APTT calibration tests, but also to other items in which the sample or reagent itself is highly volatile.

[0026] Furthermore, for detection such as blood coagulation detection, physicians or researchers typically need to compare and analyze the detection results of both standard and special items to obtain comprehensive analytical results. However, in conventional technology, standard items are incubated in an automated incubation device, while special items are incubated individually in a water bath using a reaction cup with a lid. As a result, the incubation environments and transfer routes for standard and special items are different, leading to significant detection errors and requiring physicians or researchers to have a high level of experience. In this embodiment, by integrating the incubation of standard and special items into a single incubation device, relative consistency in other environmental characteristics and reaction cup passage routes is maintained, which is advantageous for controlling variables. Therefore, it is advantageous for physicians or researchers to obtain reliable analytical results when comprehensively analyzing standard and special items.

[0027] When the lid plate structure 20 is in the closed position, it may be in close contact with the upper surface of the sealed mounting area 102, or it may be pressed against the surface without being sealed.

[0028] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the sealed mounting area 102 is provided with a gripping groove 16, and the second mounting hole 12 is provided in the bottom wall of the gripping groove 16. By providing the gripping groove 16 and the second mounting hole 12 in the bottom wall of the gripping groove 16, the upper surface of the reaction cup 1 placed in the second mounting hole 12 can be made lower than or flush with the upper surface of the sealed mounting area 102. Furthermore, when the lid plate structure 20 is placed over the upper surface of the sealed mounting area 102, the inside of the sealed mounting area 102 can be relatively sealed, thereby avoiding or reducing evaporation and volatilization. At the same time, a gripping mechanism for holding the reaction cup 1 can be inserted into the gripping groove 16 to place or remove the reaction cup 1.

[0029] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7, the mounting section 10 includes a constant temperature member 13, a heating member 14, and a heat-retaining layer 15. The first mounting hole 11 and the second mounting hole 12 are both provided in the constant temperature member 13, the heating member 14 is provided adjacent to the constant temperature member 13 and can heat the constant temperature member 13 to 20°C to 50°C, and the heat-retaining layer 15 covers the outer circumference and bottom of the constant temperature member 13 and the heating member 14. The constant temperature member 13 is made of aluminum alloy 6063-T5 and includes a first constant temperature block and a second constant temperature block which are integrally provided. The space occupied by the first constant temperature block forms an open mounting area 101, and the space occupied by the second constant temperature block forms a sealed mounting area 102. The heating member 14 is a PI heating film or a silicone rubber heating belt which is bonded to the bottom of the constant temperature member 13. The heat retention layer 15 is heat retention cotton which covers the periphery of the constant temperature member 13 and the heating member 14 and the bottom of the heating member 14, exposing only the top surface of the constant temperature member 13. This reduces heat exchange between the mounting area 10 and the outside, thereby stably maintaining the temperature of the constant temperature member 13.

[0030] Furthermore, the incubation apparatus in this embodiment is not limited to being applied to blood coagulation detection that is incubated at 37°C, but may also be similarly applied to other items that are incubated at relatively lower temperatures (20°C to 50°C).

[0031] In this embodiment, the open mounting area 101 and the sealed mounting area 102 share one constant temperature member 13 and one heating member 14, which saves costs, is advantageous for controlling variables, and can contribute to physicians reaching reliable analytical conclusions.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, the incubation device further includes a temperature sensor 181, a temperature control switch 182, and a support member 19. The support member 19 is connected to the outer circumference of the mounting section 10 and also to the housing of the sample analyzer so that the incubation device can be fixed to the housing. The temperature sensor 181 is provided in the central region of the constant temperature member 13 and can detect the temperature of the constant temperature member 13. The temperature control switch 182 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 181 and the heating member 14, and when the temperature sensor 181 detects that the temperature of the constant temperature member 13 has exceeded a predetermined value, it controls the heating of the heating member 14 to stop.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, the structure of the second mounting hole 12 is similar to that of the first mounting hole 11. Thus, since the first mounting hole 11 and the second mounting hole 12 can be combined with the same type of reaction cup 1, the number of types of reaction cup 1 to be combined with the incubation apparatus has been reduced. At the same time, special items and normal items can be incubated using the same type of reaction cup 1, further reducing the introduction of errors during overall comparison and analysis, and making the analytical results more accurate.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3, 7, and 8, the open mounting area 101 has multiple first mounting holes 11 arranged in a matrix, and the sealed mounting area 102 has multiple second mounting holes 12 arranged in a matrix. Since both the multiple first mounting holes 11 and the multiple second mounting holes 12 are arranged in a matrix, the path of the gripping mechanism can be easily controlled. Specifically, the open mounting area 101 has 36 first mounting holes 11 arranged in a 2x18 configuration, and the sealed mounting area 102 has 6 second mounting holes 12 arranged in a 1x6 configuration. Of course, when actually implementing this, the number and matrix configuration of the first mounting holes and the number and matrix configuration of the second mounting holes are not limited to the above format and can be set by the designer as needed.

[0035] As shown in Figures 4, 8, and 9, the sealed mounting area 102 has a plurality of second mounting holes 12 arranged in a matrix, and a plurality of partition plates 17 are provided in the gripping groove 16. The plurality of partition plates 17 divide the gripping groove 16, forming a plurality of independent gripping cavities 161, and the plurality of gripping cavities 161 are arranged to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of second mounting holes 12, the cross-sectional area of ​​the gripping cavity 161 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the corresponding second mounting hole 12, and the upper surface of the partition plate 17 is flush with the upper surface of the sealed mounting area 102. By providing the partition plate 17, when the lid plate structure 20 is in the closed position, multiple independent incubation spaces are formed in the sealed mounting area 102, allowing incubation to be performed for one reaction cup 1 sample within each incubation space. This configuration reduces the likelihood of cross-contamination occurring between samples in adjacent second mounting holes 12 during the incubation process, which could affect the accuracy of the detection results. By making the cross-sectional area of ​​the gripping cavity 161 larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the corresponding second mounting hole 12, a gripping space is formed between the upper end of the reaction cup 1 and the cavity wall of the gripping cavity 161, making it easy to insert the gripping mechanism into the gripping space to place or remove the reaction cup 1.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the second constant temperature block protrudes above the first constant temperature block, and an enclosure structure is formed between the circumferential side wall of the second constant temperature block and the circumferential side wall of the gripping groove 16. When the lid plate structure 20 is in the closed position, the lower surface of the flipping plate 22 comes into contact with the upper surface of the enclosure structure and the upper surface of the partition plate 17, thereby forming multiple independent incubation spaces in the sealed mounting area 102.

[0037] As shown in Figure 9, when the reaction cup 1 is placed in the first mounting hole 11 and the lid structure 20 is in the closed position, the upper surface of the lid structure 20 is flush with or lower than the upper surface of the reaction cup 1. In this way, when incubation of normal and special items is performed simultaneously in the incubation apparatus, the gripping mechanism can operate normally above the incubation apparatus without performing complex movements such as retraction.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the cover plate structure 20 includes a pivot shaft 21 drilled in the mounting portion 10 and a flip plate 22 fixedly connected to the pivot shaft 21. The pivot shaft 21 can switch the cover plate structure 20 between a closed position and an open position by flipping the flip plate 22. Providing the flip plate 22 as a structure that covers the sealed mounting area 102 and driving the flip plate 22 to swing by the pivot shaft 21 has the advantages of a simple structure and reliable control.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the incubation apparatus further includes a position sensing structure 30 for detecting the position of the lid plate structure 20. The position sensing structure 30 can determine whether the lid plate structure 20 is in the closed position or the open position by detecting its position.

[0040] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the position sensing structure 30 includes a sensing groove 31 and a sensing member 32 provided on the pivot shaft 21. When the pivot shaft 21 is rotated, the sensing member 32 can be switched between a state in which it is inserted into the sensing groove 31 and a state in which it is located outside the sensing groove 31. In this embodiment, the position sensing structure 30 further includes two sensing arms 33 provided at a distance from each other and a connecting arm 34 connected to the ends of the two sensing arms 33. The two sensing arms 33 and the connecting arm 34 jointly form the sensing groove 31, and one of the two sensing arms 33 can transmit an optical coupling signal, while the other can receive an optical coupling signal. When the cover plate structure 20 is in the closed position, the sensing member 32 is inserted into the sensing groove 31 and cuts the transmission path of the optical coupling signal. When the cover plate structure 20 is in the open position, the sensing member 32 is located outside the sensing groove 31, so that the optical coupling signal can be transmitted smoothly. The position of the cover plate structure 20 can be determined by determining whether or not the sensing arm 33, which receives the optical coupling signal, has received the optical coupling signal.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3, 6, and 7, the incubation apparatus further includes a drive unit 40, the drive unit 40 including a drive motor 41 provided below the mounting unit 10 and a power transmission structure 42 provided between the drive motor 41 and the rotating shaft 21, the power transmission structure 42 including a first power transmission gear 421 fitted onto the output shaft of the drive motor 41, a second power transmission gear 422 fitted onto the rotating shaft 21, and a power transmission belt 423 wrapped around the outside of the first power transmission gear 421 and the second power transmission gear 422. Specifically, the drive motor 41 is a stepping motor, and by transmitting power via the first power transmission gear 421, the second power transmission gear 422 and the power transmission belt 423, the drive motor 41 can rotate the rotating shaft 21 and the flipping plate 22 at a constant angle to switch the position of the cover plate structure 20, thus having the advantage of a simple structure and easy control. As shown in Figure 5, the drive unit 40 further includes a motor frame 43, and the drive motor 41 is mounted below the mounting unit 10 by the motor frame 43.

[0042] Of course, in embodiments not shown, the cover plate structure may be provided such that it switches between a closed position and an open position by translation. For example, a rack and pinion structure or a screw nut structure may be used to translate the cover plate to seal or retract the sealed mounting area.

[0043] As shown in Figure 9, the present invention further provides an incubation system, an embodiment of the incubation system of the present invention comprising an incubation apparatus and a reaction cup 1, wherein the incubation apparatus is the above-described incubation apparatus, and the reaction cup 1 has an upper opening 1001 and can be placed in a first placement hole 11 or a second placement hole 12. The above-described incubation apparatus can effectively solve the problem in related technologies where items that are prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process are incubated separately outside the reaction system, which makes the operation complicated, and therefore an incubation system having the above-described incubation apparatus also has the above-described advantages.

[0044] Specifically, in this embodiment, the incubation apparatus includes a plurality of first mounting holes 11 and a plurality of second mounting holes 12, and there are multiple reaction cups 1, of which at least some reaction cups 1 can be placed in the first mounting holes 11 and other reaction cups 1 can be placed in the second mounting holes 12. Since the structures of the first mounting holes 11 and the second mounting holes 12 are similar, only one type of reaction cup 1 needs to be prepared.

[0045] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the reaction cup 1 includes a first cup body portion 1002, a second cup body portion 1003, and a support edge 1004, wherein the first cup body portion 1002 is located below the second cup body portion 1003, an upper opening 1001 is formed in the second cup body portion 1003, and the support edge 1004 is located at the boundary between the first cup body portion 1002 and the second cup body portion 1003 and extends outward. When the reaction cup 1 is placed in the first mounting hole 11, the upper surface of the open mounting area 101 is supported below the support edge 1004, and when the reaction cup 1 is placed in the second mounting hole 12, the groove bottom wall of the gripping groove 16 is supported below the support edge 1004 and the second cup body portion 1003 is located in the gripping cavity 161.

[0046] This application further provides a sample analyzer, and embodiments of the sample analyzer of this application include the incubation apparatus or incubation system described above. Both the incubation apparatus and incubation system described above can effectively solve the problem in related technologies where items prone to volatilization or evaporation during the incubation process are incubated separately outside the reaction system, which makes the operation complicated. Therefore, a sample analyzer having the incubation apparatus or incubation system described above also has the above advantages.

[0047] In the description of this invention, the directional or positional relationships supported by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right," "lateral, vertical, vertical, horizontal," and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are merely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the explanation of this invention. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element necessarily has a specific direction or must be configured and operated in a specific direction, and should not be understood as limiting the scope of protection of this invention. Directional terms such as "inside, outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the contour of each component itself.

[0048] For ease of explanation, spatially relative terms such as "on top of...", "above...", "on the top surface of...", and "on the top surface" can be used to describe the spatial relationship between one device or feature shown in the figure and other devices or features. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass situations where a device is in a different orientation than the one shown during use or operation. For example, if a device is inverted in the figure, a device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" would subsequently be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures." Therefore, the exemplary term "above..." includes two orientations: "above..." and "below...". The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or positioned in other orientations) and described in accordance with the spatially relative descriptions used herein.

[0049] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., to limit the parts is merely to facilitate the distinction between corresponding parts, and unless otherwise explained, these terms have no special meaning and should not be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] The foregoing are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes to the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and principles of the present invention should be within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 1: Reaction cup, 1001: Top opening, 1002: First cup body, 1003: Second cup body, 1004: Support edge, 10: Placement area, 101: Open placement area, 102: Closed placement area, 11: First placement hole, 12: Second placement hole, 13: Constant temperature component, 14: Heating component, 15: Insulation layer, 16: Gripping groove, 161: Gripping cavity, 17: Partition plate, 181: Temperature Sensor, 182: Temperature control switch, 19: Support member, 20: Cover plate structure, 21: Rotating shaft, 22: Reversible plate, 30: Position sensing structure, 31: Sensing groove, 32: Sensing member, 33: Sensing arm, 34: Connecting arm, 40: Drive unit, 41: Drive motor, 42: Power transmission structure, 421: First power transmission gear, 422: Second power transmission gear, 423: Power transmission belt, 43: Motor frame

Claims

1. A mounting section (10) having an open mounting area (101) and a closed mounting area (102), wherein a first mounting hole (11) is provided in the open mounting area (101) and a second mounting hole (12) is provided in the closed mounting area (102), The system includes a cover plate structure (20) provided in the sealed mounting area (102) and having an open position and a closed position, which covers the sealed mounting area (102) when in the closed position and is retracted from the sealed mounting area (102) when in the open position so as to expose the second mounting hole (12), A gripping groove (16) is provided in the sealed mounting area (102). The second mounting hole (12) is provided in the bottom wall of the gripping groove (16), The sealed mounting area (102) has a plurality of the second mounting holes (12) arranged in a matrix. Multiple partition plates (17) are provided within the gripping groove (16). The multiple partition plates (17) divide the gripping groove (16), thereby forming multiple independent gripping cavities (161). The plurality of gripping cavities (161) are provided so as to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of second mounting holes (12), The cross-sectional area of ​​the gripping cavity (161) is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the corresponding second mounting hole (12). The upper surface of the partition plate (17) is flush with the upper surface of the sealed mounting area (102). An incubation apparatus characterized by the following.

2. The structure of the second mounting hole (12) and the structure of the first mounting hole (11) are similar, and / or The open mounting area (101) is provided with a plurality of the first mounting holes (11) arranged in a row. The incubation apparatus according to feature 1.

3. When the reaction cup (1) is placed in the first mounting hole (11) and the lid plate structure (20) is in the closed position, the upper surface of the lid plate structure (20) is flush with or lower than the upper surface of the reaction cup (1). The incubation apparatus according to feature 1.

4. The cover plate structure (20) includes a pivot shaft (21) drilled in the previously described mounting portion (10) and a flipping plate (22) fixedly connected to the pivot shaft (21). The pivot shaft (21) rotates the flipping plate (22) to switch the cover plate structure (20) between the closed position and the open position. The incubation apparatus according to feature 1.

5. The position sensing structure (30) for detecting the position of the cover plate structure (20) is further included. The incubation apparatus according to feature 4.

6. The position sensing structure (30) includes a sensing groove (31) and a sensing member (32) provided on the pivot shaft (21), When the pivot shaft (21) is rotated, the sensing member (32) can be switched between a state in which it is inserted into the sensing groove (31) and a state in which it is located outside the sensing groove (31). The incubation apparatus according to feature 5.

7. The drive unit (40) further includes, The drive unit (40) includes a drive motor (41) provided below the mounting unit (10) described above, and a power transmission structure (42) provided between the drive motor (41) and the pivot shaft (21), The power transmission structure (42) includes a first power transmission gear (421) fitted onto the output shaft of the drive motor (41), a second power transmission gear (422) fitted onto the pivot shaft (21), and a power transmission belt (423) wrapped around the outside of the first power transmission gear (421) and the second power transmission gear (422). The incubation apparatus according to feature 4.

8. The mounting section (10) includes a constant temperature member (13), a heating member (14), and a heat-retaining layer (15). The first mounting hole (11) and the second mounting hole (12) are both provided in the constant temperature member (13), The heating element (14) is provided adjacent to the constant temperature element (13) and can heat the constant temperature element (13) to 20°C to 50°C. The heat-retaining layer (15) covers the outer circumference and bottom of the constant-temperature member (13) and the heating member (14). The incubation apparatus according to feature 1.

9. An incubation system comprising an incubation apparatus and a reaction cup (1), The incubation apparatus is the incubation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The reaction cup (1) has an upper opening (1001) and can be placed in the first placement hole (11) or the second placement hole (12). An incubation system characterized by the following.

10. An incubation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A sample analysis device characterized by the following features.

11. The incubation system includes the one described in claim 9. A sample analysis device characterized by the following features.

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