Insertion method of automatic analysis device and reaction vessel

Abstract

The present invention provides an automated analysis device capable of smoothly inserting a reaction container into a hole in an incubator. An automated analysis device (100) for analyzing a sample is characterized by comprising: an incubator (105) having a hole (202) for inserting a reaction container (114) containing a mixture of the sample and reagents; and a transfer unit (109) for transferring an unused reaction container (114) to the incubator (105) and inserting it into the hole (202), wherein a lubrication member (203) having self-lubricating properties is provided at the inlet of the hole (202).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automated analysis device. Background Technology

[0002] An automated analysis device is used in hospitals and testing facilities to analyze specific components contained in samples such as blood and urine provided by patients. Before analyzing specific components in the sample, a mixture of the sample and reagents is first reacted in an incubator at a predetermined temperature, such as around 37°C, which is close to human body temperature.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses the installation of polyethylene insulation material in an incubator located outside the area near the hole into which the conical reaction vessel is inserted.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2018 / 147029 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, Patent Document 1 does not consider the smooth insertion of the reaction vessel, particularly a cylindrical one, into the orifice of the incubator. While a cylindrical reaction vessel can reduce the volume of sample required for analysis compared to a conical one, it increases the resistance when inserting it into the orifice of the incubator. This increased resistance can sometimes make the mounting of the reaction vessel on the incubator unreliable, reducing the processing capacity of the automated analysis device.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an automated analytical device capable of smoothly inserting a reaction vessel into a hole provided by an incubator.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an automated analytical apparatus for analyzing samples, characterized in that it comprises: an incubator having an opening for inserting a reaction container containing a mixture of the sample and reagents; and a transfer unit for transferring an unused reaction container to the incubator and inserting it into the opening, wherein a lubrication component is provided at the inlet of the opening, the lubrication component being a self-lubricating component.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, an automated analytical apparatus is provided that allows a reaction vessel to be smoothly inserted into a hole in an incubator. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a top view showing a schematic structure of an example of an automated analytical device used for biochemical testing.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional diagram representing an example of an incubator.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the situation where the reaction vessel is inserted into the hole.

[0017] Figure 4 It means Figure 2 A diagram of section AA.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of a reaction vessel.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing an example of a lubrication component.

[0020] Figure 7 This diagram shows the fit between the protrusion and the guide groove.

[0021] Figure 8 It is an enlarged top view of the part where the lubrication components are installed.

[0022] Figure 9 It means Figure 8 A diagram of the DD section.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of an example of an incubator with its lubrication components removed.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a top view showing a schematic structure of an example of an automated analytical device used for immunological testing. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the automatic analysis apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following description and drawings, structural elements having the same functional structure are labeled with the same reference numerals, thereby omitting repeated descriptions.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] Reference Figure 1 Here is an example illustrating the overall structure of an automated analytical apparatus 100 for biochemical testing. The automated analytical apparatus 100 includes a sample transport path 103, a reagent tray 104, a transfer unit 109, an incubator 105, a spectrophotometer 115, and a control unit 111. Each part will be described below. Additionally, [further details will be provided]. Figure 1 The left and right directions are set as the X-axis, the up and down directions are set as the Y-axis, and the direction perpendicular to the paper, i.e., the vertical direction, is set as the Z-axis.

[0028] The specimen transport path 103 transports the specimen rack 102 to a location accessible by the specimen dispensing section 106, which carries multiple specimen containers 101 for containing the specimens. The specimens contained in the specimen containers 101 are dispensed by the specimen dispensing section 106 into the reaction vessel 114 held in the incubator 105.

[0029] The transfer unit 109 uses a clamp to hold and transfer the reaction container 114 and dispensing tip, which are consumables placed on a tray. The reaction container 114, which is transferred from the tray to the incubator 105 by the transfer unit 109, is used to hold the mixture of sample and reagent and is replaced in each analysis. That is, the transfer unit 109 transfers unused reaction containers 114 to the incubator 105.

[0030] The reagent tray 104 contains multiple reagent containers 112. To slow down reagent deterioration, the interior of the reagent tray 104 is maintained at a temperature lower than room temperature. Furthermore, the reagent tray 104 is covered by a reagent tray cover 113. Figure 1 In this example, only a portion of the reagent tray cover 113 is shown to illustrate the configuration of the reagent container 112. The reagent contained in the reagent container 112 is dispensed by the reagent dispensing section 107 into the reaction container 114, which has been dispensed with the sample.

[0031] While holding multiple reaction vessels 114 containing a mixture of samples and reagents, an incubator 105 maintains the mixture at a predetermined temperature, such as around 37°C, to allow the mixture to react. The mixture reacts for a predetermined time while being held in the reaction vessels 114 in the incubator 105 at the predetermined temperature, thus becoming a reaction solution for analysis.

[0032] Spectrophotometer 115 is used to analyze specific components in the reaction solution contained in reaction vessel 114 by measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution. Spectrophotometer 115 is configured adjacent to incubator 105 and includes a light source, a spectroscopic element, and a photodetector. The light source is a halogen lamp, the spectroscopic element is a diffraction grating, and the photodetector is a photomultiplier tube, photodiode, etc. Light emitted from the light source is dispersed to the measurement wavelength by the spectroscopic element and then irradiated into the reaction solution contained in reaction vessel 114. The intensity of the light transmitted through the reaction solution is detected by the photodetector. The absorbance A is related to a certain wavelength λ. λ The intensity I of the light irradiated onto the reaction solution λ0 and the intensity I of light transmitted through the reaction solution λ It can be calculated using the following formula.

[0033] A λ =log(I λ0 / I λ ...(Equation 1)

[0034] In addition, absorbance A λ It is proportional to the optical path length L and the concentration C of a specific component in the reaction solution, therefore the following formula holds true.

[0035] A λ =ε·L·C…(Equation 2)

[0036] Here, ε is a proportionality constant determined for each type of a specific component. That is, it is based on the intensity I of the light transmitted through the reaction solution. λ Calculated absorbance A λ The concentration C of a specific component is calculated using the value of the optical path length L.

[0037] The control unit 111 is a device, such as a computer, that controls the operation of each unit and receives the input of data required for analysis, or displays or stores the results of the analysis.

[0038] Reference Figure 2 The structure of incubator 105 is described. Figure 2 The incubator 105 includes a ring-shaped disc 201 that rotates at a predetermined angle every predetermined time about a central axis 200, a heater 204, and a heat insulation material 205. Each part will be described below. Furthermore, the radial direction of the disc 201 is defined as the R-axis, the circumferential direction as the θ-axis, and the direction parallel to the central axis 200, i.e., the vertical direction, as the Z-axis.

[0039] The disc body 201 has a plurality of holes 202 along its outer periphery for insertion of the reaction vessel 114. Additionally, in Figure 2 To simplify the accompanying drawings, only one hole 202 is shown. A lubrication component 203, which is a self-lubricating element, is provided at the inlet of each hole 202. Self-lubrication means that the coefficient of friction of the raw material itself is extremely low. The lubrication component 203 is made of a material with a coefficient of friction at least lower than that of the disc 201, such as PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), polyacetal, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, or monomer-cast nylon. By providing the lubrication component 203 at the inlet of the hole 202, the reaction vessel 114 can be smoothly inserted into the hole 202.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, the reaction vessel 114 can be smoothly inserted even when it is tilted into the hole 202. Preferably, the gripper of the transfer unit 109 pushes the reaction vessel deep into the hole 202 from the opening of the hole 202 by a predetermined distance, and then releases the grip. Alternatively, it is preferable that the gripper lowers the reaction vessel 114 vertically from directly above the hole 202, but the grip can also be released after the reaction vessel 114 is intentionally brought into contact with the lubrication member 203.

[0041] The heater 204 is a strip-shaped heating resistor configured to cover the outer periphery of the side of the disc 201, and its power supply is controlled based on the measurement value of a thermometer (not shown) installed on the disc 201. The insulating material 205 is a material with low thermal conductivity configured to cover the outer periphery of the heater 204 and the bottom surface of the disc 201. Through heating by the heater 204 and insulation by the insulating material 205, the disc 201 is maintained at a predetermined temperature, and the reaction of the mixture in the reaction vessel 114 inserted into the hole 202 proceeds to generate a reaction liquid.

[0042] A photometric aperture 206 is provided on the side of the incubator 105 for measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution in the spectrophotometer 115. The photometric aperture 206 can be provided for each aperture 202 inserted into the reaction vessel 114, or it can be provided for multiple apertures 202, for example, every other aperture 202.

[0043] Reference Figure 4 The location of the lubrication component 203 and the photometric aperture 206 will be further explained. The lubrication component 203 is made of resin material such as PTFE and has relatively low thermal conductivity. Therefore, it is positioned at the inlet of the aperture 202 in a manner that does not impede heat transfer from the disc 201 to the reaction vessel 114. In particular, in order not to impede heat transfer to the mixture contained in the reaction vessel 114, it is preferable to position it at least above the liquid level of the mixture.

[0044] The photometric aperture 206 is arranged to be radially connected to the incubator 105 via aperture 202 on both the inner and outer circumferential sides. That is, light emitted from the light source and dispersed by the spectrophotometer passes through one of the photometric apertures 206 to irradiate the reaction liquid contained in the reaction vessel 114, and light transmitted through the reaction liquid passes through the other photometric aperture 206 to be detected by the photodetector.

[0045] Reference Figure 5 An example of reaction vessel 114 will be described. Figure 5 The diagram shows a side view of the reaction vessel 114 viewed from the R direction and a BB cross-sectional view of the side view. Figure 5 The reaction vessel 114 has a protrusion 501 and two light-transmitting surfaces 502, and is cylindrical except for the portion where the protrusion 501 and the light-transmitting surfaces 502 are provided. That is, most of the reaction vessel 114 is cylindrical.

[0046] The two light-transmitting surfaces 502 are parallel; one is the surface through which the dispersed light is incident, and the other is the surface through which the light passes through the reaction liquid. Preferably, the reaction vessel 114 inserted into the aperture 202 is arranged with the light-transmitting surface 502 facing the photometric aperture 206. When the light-transmitting surface 502 is arranged opposite the photometric aperture 206, the distance between the two light-transmitting surfaces 502 is called the optical path length L.

[0047] The protrusion 501 is a portion that protrudes from the side of the reaction vessel 114 and is arranged at a predetermined angle relative to the light-transmitting surface 502 around the central axis of the reaction vessel 114, which is parallel to the Z-axis. For example, the protrusion 501 is parallel to the light-transmitting surface 502, and the angle between the protrusion 501 and the light-transmitting surface 502 is 0°.

[0048] When a certain optical path length L is ensured, the conical reaction vessel can reduce the amount of sample liquid required for analysis as the angle between the vertical axis and the side decreases. The angle is 0°, which is the minimum liquid volume when the reaction vessel 114 is cylindrical. On the other hand, as the angle decreases, the resistance when inserting the reaction vessel 114 into the hole 202 of the incubator 105 increases. This increased resistance during insertion can sometimes make the mounting of the reaction vessel 114 into the incubator 105 unreliable, reducing the processing capacity of the automated analyzer 100. In this embodiment, since a lubrication component 203 is provided at the inlet of the hole 202 of the incubator 105, the reaction vessel 114 can be smoothly inserted into the hole 202, maintaining the processing capacity of the automated analyzer 100.

[0049] Reference Figure 6 An example of the lubrication component 203 will be described. Figure 6 The diagram shows a top view of the lubrication component 203 viewed from the Z direction, a CC section view of the top view, and a perspective view of the lubrication component 203. Figure 6 The lubrication component 203 has an opening through which the reaction vessel 114 passes, and has a cylindrical portion 601, a claw 602, a chamfered portion 603, and a guide groove 604.

[0050] The cylindrical portion 601 is a cylindrical part that is inserted into the upper end of the hole 202 for the alignment of the lubrication component 203 with the hole 202. That is, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 601 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the upper end of the hole 202.

[0051] The claw 602 is a part that engages with the incubator 105 to prevent the self-lubricating lubricating component 203 from falling off. That is, even if the reaction vessel 114 is only in slight contact with the lubricating component 203, there is a possibility that the lubricating component 203 may easily slide off relative to the incubator 105. Therefore, the lubricating component 203 is prevented from falling off by engaging the incubator 105 with the claw 602.

[0052] The chamfer 603 is provided on the lower inclined surface of the opening of the lubrication component 203 on the side of the hole 202 to reduce the resistance when the reaction vessel 114 is inserted into the lubrication component 203. It should be noted that the lubrication component 203, which has self-lubricating properties, has a very low coefficient of friction, so the chamfer 603 may not be necessary.

[0053] Next, the pointing part will be explained. The pointing part refers to the part that has the function of orienting the light-transmitting surface 502 of the reaction vessel 114 toward a predetermined direction.

[0054] As an example of a pointing part, the guide groove 604 functions to align the light-transmitting surface 502 with the light-measuring hole 206, and is a groove for fitting the protrusion 501. That is, when the angle between the protrusion 501 and the light-transmitting surface 502 is 0°, the guide groove 604 is provided along the circumference of the incubator 105. The guide groove 604 is Y-shaped, so even if the protrusion 501 is slightly offset from the guide groove 604, it will still fit. Figure 7 As shown, the offset is corrected along the Y-groove to ensure the positioning accuracy of the reaction vessel 114. Furthermore, as long as the light-transmitting surface 502 faces the light-measuring aperture 206, the pointing portion is not limited to the guide groove 604. For example, the portion corresponding to the guide groove 604 can be convex, and the portion corresponding to the protrusion 501 can be concave.

[0055] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The reaction vessel 114 inserted into the incubator 105, in which the lubrication component 203 is installed, will be described. Furthermore, the angle between the protrusion 501 and the light-transmitting surface 502 of the reaction vessel 114 is 0°, and the guide groove 604 of the lubrication component 203 is arranged along the circumference of the incubator 105. By fitting the protrusion 501 of the reaction vessel 114 into the guide groove 604 of the lubrication component 203, the light-transmitting surface 502 of the reaction vessel 114 faces the photometric aperture 206 and is perpendicular to the optical path axis 801 of the spectrophotometer 115.

[0056] Reference Figure 10 An example of an incubator 105 with the lubrication component 203 removed will be described. Figure 10 The incubator 105 has circumferentially spaced grooves 1001 between adjacent holes 202. The grooves 1001 are arranged parallel to the guide grooves 604 of the lubrication component 203, fitting into the protrusions 501 of the reaction vessel 114. By fitting the protrusions 501 of the reaction vessel 114 into the guide grooves 604 and the grooves 1001, the contact area of ​​the protrusions 501 is increased, making it difficult for the reaction vessel 114 to rotate and facilitating the alignment of the light-transmitting surface 502 with the optical path axis 801 of the spectrophotometer 115. Furthermore, since the grooves 1001 and the disc body 201 of the incubator 105 are concentrically arranged, manufacturing is easier.

[0057] As explained above, according to this embodiment, since a self-lubricating lubricating component 203 is provided at the inlet of the hole 202 in the incubator 105, the reaction vessel 114 can be smoothly inserted into the hole 202. This smooth insertion makes the mounting of the reaction vessel 114 onto the incubator 105 reliable, thus maintaining the processing capacity of the automatic analysis device 100.

[0058] Example 2

[0059] In Example 1, an automated analytical apparatus 100 for biochemical testing was described. In this example, an automated analytical apparatus 100 for biochemical testing was described. Figure 11 The automated analytical apparatus 100 for immunological testing using antigen-antibody reactions will be described below. Furthermore, unlike Example 1, a pre-washing unit 108 and an analysis unit 110 are provided instead of a spectrophotometer 115 for the structure involved in the analysis.

[0060] The pre-wash section 108 is a device for separating unwanted components from the reaction solution during analysis. In this embodiment, a reagent containing magnetic microparticles with attached antibodies is used. Through an immunoassay in the incubator 105, the antigen in the sample, which is the analyte, binds to the antibody attached to the magnetic microparticles. The reaction container 114 containing the reaction solution after the immunoassay is transferred to the pre-wash section 108, where components that have not bound to the magnetic microparticles, i.e., components unwanted during analysis, are separated by a magnetic field. The reaction container 114, from which the unwanted components have been separated, is returned to the incubator 105 and, after being rotated by the incubator 105, is transported to a position accessible to the analysis unit 110, where it is then transferred to the analysis unit 110.

[0061] The analysis unit 110 analyzes the reaction solution containing the separated unwanted components, which is contained in the transferred reaction vessel 114. The analysis unit 110 has a light source, a spectrophotometer, a photodetector, and a function to adjust the temperature to maintain the reproducibility of the analysis. After the reaction vessel 114 containing the reaction solution to be analyzed is transferred from the incubator 105 to the analysis unit 110, it is analyzed by the analysis unit 110.

[0062] In the incubator 105 of this embodiment, since a self-lubricating lubricating component 203 is provided at the inlet of the hole 202, the reaction vessel 114 can be smoothly inserted into the hole 202. Furthermore, the incubator 105 of this embodiment may or may not have a photometer hole 206.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] In Embodiment 1, the case where there is only one guide groove 604 serving as a pointing portion was described. In this embodiment, the case where there are multiple guide grooves 604 will be described.

[0065] For example, if there are two guide grooves 604, there can also be two protrusions 501. In this case, the positioning accuracy is further improved by having a two-point mating position. The two guide grooves 604 and the protrusions 501 can be located in opposite positions or at any angle difference. Regarding the shape, the first protrusion and the second protrusion can also be set to different shapes. There can be one protrusion 501 relative to the two guide grooves, and the number of guide grooves 604 and protrusions 501 can also be inconsistent. Moreover, as long as the number of guide grooves 604 is greater than or equal to the number of protrusions 501, it is not limited to the range that can be provided in the hole 202.

[0066] The present invention has been described above with reference to several embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications can be made to the constituent elements without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the shape of the incubator 105 can be as follows: Figure 2 The circular shape shown can also be a shape in which the reaction vessels 114 are arranged in a straight line. Furthermore, the various constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments can be appropriately combined. Moreover, several constituent elements can be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the above embodiments.

[0067] Symbol Explanation

[0068] 101—Specimen container; 102—Specimen rack; 103—Specimen transport path; 104—Reagent tray; 105—Incubator; 106—Specimen dispensing section; 107—Reagent dispensing section; 108—Pre-washing section; 109—Transfer section; 110—Analysis section; 111—Control section; 112—Reagent container; 113—Reagent tray cover; 114—Reaction vessel; 115—Spectrophotometer; 200—Central shaft; 201—Disc body; 202—Hole; 203—Lubrication component; 204—Heater; 205—Insulation material; 206—Photometric hole; 501—Protrusion; 502—Light-transmitting surface; 601—Cylindrical section; 602—Claw; 603—Chamfered section; 604—Guide groove; 801—Optical path shaft; 1001—Inter-hole groove.

Claims

1. An automatic analysis device, characterized in that, have: An incubator having an opening into which a reaction vessel containing a mixture of sample and reagents can be inserted; and The transfer unit transfers unused reaction vessels to the incubator and inserts them into the orifice. A lubrication component is provided at the inlet of the orifice to facilitate smooth insertion of the reaction vessel into the orifice. This lubrication component is self-lubricating. The lubrication component is positioned above the liquid level of the mixture contained in the reaction vessel, and the lubrication component has claws that engage with the incubator.

2. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction vessel has a light-transmitting surface, which is a flat surface through which analytical light passes. The lubrication component has a pointing portion that directs the light-transmitting surface toward a predetermined direction.

3. The automatic analysis device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The reaction vessel also has a protrusion extending from the side. The pointing portion has a guide groove, which is a groove that fits into the protrusion.

4. The automatic analysis device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The incubator has a groove parallel to the guide groove.

5. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lubrication component is made of any one of PTFE, polyacetal, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, or monomer-cast nylon.

6. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lubrication component has a chamfered portion, which is an inclined surface with a lower profile on the side of the hole.

Images