Spectrophotometer, cleaning unit and method for cleaning a spectrophotometer

Abstract

The spectrophotometer (100), cleaning unit (120), and method for cleaning the spectrophotometer (100) include a measurement unit (110) having a pair of detection elements (112, 114), a cleaning unit (120) with an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism, and a sealed cleaning chamber (121), wherein a wall defining the cleaning chamber (121) can be formed by the pair of detection elements (112, 114) and the cleaning unit (120), the pair of detection elements (112, 114) are cleaned in the cleaning chamber (121), and the discharge mechanism is configured to discharge a cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber (121) when the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber (121), thereby reducing or avoiding the risk of the cleaning agent leaking out of the cleaning chamber (121).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of spectrophotometers, particularly to the field of microspectrophotometers. Specifically, the present invention first relates to a spectrophotometer equipped with a cleaning unit. The present invention also relates to a cleaning unit that can be used in a spectrophotometer. The present invention also relates to a method for cleaning a spectrophotometer, mainly for cleaning a detection element of a spectrophotometer using the cleaning unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Spectrophotometry is a method for qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing a substance by measuring its absorbance at a specific wavelength or within a certain wavelength range. It has the advantages of high sensitivity, simple operation, and rapidity, making it the most commonly used experimental method in biochemistry experiments. It is widely used for the rapid quantitative detection of samples such as sugars, nucleic acids, enzymes, and proteins.

[0003] Spectrophotometers (also called spectrometers) use a light source capable of generating multiple wavelengths to generate light of specific wavelengths through a series of spectrometers. After the light passes through the sample being measured, some of the light is absorbed, calculating the sample's absorbance value, which is then converted into the sample's concentration. The sample's absorbance value is proportional to the sample's concentration. In addition to biochemistry experiments, spectrophotometers are now widely used in water quality analysis, such as online water quality analyzers. Spectrophotometers can be used to detect the content of pollutants in various water sources, including surface water, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater, and perform quantitative and qualitative analysis. The detection process is fast and convenient, and the detection results are highly reliable.

[0004] In conventional spectrophotometers, the container in which the sample to be measured is placed is a cuvette. However, because the cuvette generally has a relatively large capacity, there is a risk of wasting a large amount of the sample when performing spectrophotometric detection on the sample. This is particularly true when the sample to be measured (e.g., nucleic acid, protein, etc.) itself is relatively valuable, resulting in unnecessary waste and a significant increase in measurement costs. In addition, when measuring a different sample, the cuvette must be thoroughly cleaned, which also reduces experimental efficiency and increases operating costs.

[0005] Currently, so-called microspectrophotometers are commonly used to measure samples. Because microspectrophotometers rely primarily on the tension of a small amount of liquid to form a light path, they can obtain accurate measurement data even with extremely small amounts of sample. For example, in one microspectrophotometer, the sample is bridge-connected between an upper and lower measurement platform, which are spaced apart vertically. Because the sample has a constant surface tension, no discontinuities occur in the bridge-connected sample. The measurement light emitted from the light-emitting fiber on the upper measurement platform passes through the liquid sample and is received by the light-receiving fiber on the lower measurement platform before entering the measurement mechanism and being measured.

[0006] To clean the detecting element of a spectrophotometer, for example, the optical fiber probe of a microspectrophotometer, an operator often manually wipes the detecting element directly with a wiping member, such as a lightweight brush or wet tissue. The repeated friction of the wiping method against the detecting element (for example, the optical fiber probe) can cause damage to the detecting element. Even if the operator's movements are gentle, such damage to the surface of the detecting element cannot be avoided, especially when daily cleaning is performed frequently.

[0007] In addition, small amounts of contaminants or samples may remain on the sensing element, especially the optical fiber probe, due to limitations of the wiping element, for example, incomplete cleaning with a brush or wet tissue. Existing evidence has already demonstrated that, for example, when the sample to be measured is a low-concentration liquid, trace amounts of contaminants remaining on the surface of the sensing element, especially the optical fiber probe, directly affect the detection accuracy of the spectrophotometer and the reproducibility of experiments.

[0008] Therefore, there is a continuing need in the field of spectrophotometers, and particularly microspectrophotometers, to thoroughly clean sensing elements, particularly fiber optic probes, and to do so in a manner that is minimally damaging to the sensing elements and highly efficient. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention relates to a spectrophotometer comprising a measurement unit which may have a pair of detection members, a cleaning unit which may have an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism, and a sealed cleaning chamber, wherein a wall defining the cleaning chamber may be formed by the pair of detection members and the cleaning unit, the pair of detection members may be washed in the cleaning chamber, and the discharge mechanism may be configured to discharge the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber when the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber.

[0010] By using the spectrophotometer of the present invention, the cleaning unit and the detection element of the measurement unit themselves can form a sealed cleaning chamber (walls), and in particular by ejecting the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber when injecting it into this sealed cleaning chamber, the risk of the cleaning agent leaking out of the cleaning chamber can be reduced or avoided, effectively cleaning the detection element and reducing any adverse effects of the cleaning operation on the spectrophotometer.

[0011] Advantageously, the injection mechanism may comprise a first cleaning member, the dispensing mechanism may comprise a second cleaning member, and the spectrophotometer may have a cleaning mode in which the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member can be moved to a position to form a cleaning chamber.

[0012] By forming the injection mechanism and the discharge mechanism into separate cleaning members, they can be easily moved to a position for forming a cleaning chamber or to a cleaning position when cleaning is required, which increases the degree of freedom in configuration while not interfering with other modes of the spectrophotometer, such as the detection mode.

[0013] Preferably, the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member may each comprise a flexible portion that can be joined to the outer surface of at least a part of the pair of detection members, and the flexible portion may form part of a wall that defines the cleaning chamber.

[0014] By configuring the flexible portion to be joined to the outer surface of the detection member, the flexible portion can be better joined (e.g., better "hugged") to the outer surface of at least a portion of the pair of detection members, thereby achieving good sealing of the cleaning chamber.

[0015] In particular, the flexible portion of the first cleaning member may be provided with an inlet that can be fluidly connected to the cleaning chamber, and the flexible portion of the second cleaning member may be provided with an outlet that can be fluidly connected to the cleaning chamber.

[0016] By providing an injection port and an outlet port in each flexible portion, the overall structure becomes compact (there is no need to provide separate components for providing the injection port and the outlet port), while the flexibility of the configuration of the injection mechanism and the outlet mechanism can be improved.

[0017] More preferably, the inlet and the outlet may be provided opposite each other with respect to the washing chamber, and / or a pair of detection members may be provided opposite each other with respect to the washing chamber.

[0018] The opposing sensing elements facilitate overall operation of the spectrophotometer, for example, allowing the spectrophotometer to be in either detection or cleaning mode through relative movement. Opposing the inlet and outlet is advantageous for the flow path design of the injection and discharge mechanisms, making the overall structure more compact and reducing interference. Opposing the inlet and outlet also favors the flow of cleaning agents or other substances within the cleaning chamber, which contributes to improved cleaning performance.

[0019] The first cleaning member may further include an injection tube extending into the cleaning chamber through the injection port, allowing the cleaning agent to flow into the cleaning chamber through the injection tube.

[0020] The advantage of using a separate injection tube is that the cleaning agent can be flushed, washed, cleaned, etc., closer to the location of the sensing element to be cleaned.

[0021] Advantageously, the dispensing mechanism may be configured such that the rate at which it draws from the washing chamber is greater than the rate at which the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the washing chamber.

[0022] The aspiration speed is faster than the injection speed, which effectively reduces the cleaning agent from leaking out of the sealed cleaning chamber, and reduces the adverse effect of cleaning on the spectrophotometer.

[0023] In particular, the aspiration speed may be 2 to 5 times faster than the injection speed, which effectively prevents the cleaning agent from accumulating in the cleaning chamber and leaking out to other locations in the spectrophotometer.

[0024] The cleaning unit may also include a gas supply mechanism, and the gas supply mechanism may be configured to supply gas to the cleaning chamber for drying the pair of detection members.

[0025] By providing dry gas to the detection member, it can quickly enter a detectable state after being cleaned by the cleaning agent, which effectively improves the cleaning efficiency.

[0026] In some specific examples, the pair of detection members may comprise a fiber optic light emitting probe and a fiber optic light receiving probe, and in a cleaning mode, at least one of the fiber optic light receiving probe and the fiber optic light emitting probe can be moved to a position to form a cleaning chamber.

[0027] By moving at least one of the optical fiber receiving probe and the optical fiber emitting probe to a position for forming the cleaning chamber, the freedom of the configuration of the detection member can be improved, and the detection member itself can form part of (the wall of) the sealed cleaning chamber.

[0028] In particular, the pair of detection members may be arranged substantially vertically, and the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member may be arranged substantially horizontally and joined to the pair of detection members from their sides.

[0029] By arranging the detection elements vertically, the tension of the droplets can be effectively utilized to form a sample column, and the cleaning mode can be entered without changing this vertical direction. By arranging the cleaning elements horizontally, it becomes easy to surround the pair of detection elements from the sides, contributing to the rapid entry into the cleaning mode of the spectrophotometer from the separated state of the first and second cleaning elements.

[0030] The present invention also provides a cleaning unit for use in a spectrophotometer that may include a measurement unit that may have a pair of detection elements, wherein the cleaning unit may include an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism, and the cleaning unit and the pair of detection elements may form a sealed cleaning chamber, thereby allowing the pair of detection elements to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber, and the discharge mechanism may be configured to discharge the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber when the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber.

[0031] By utilizing the cleaning unit of the present invention and by injecting the cleaning agent into the sealed cleaning chamber while expelling the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber, the risk of the cleaning agent leaking out of the cleaning chamber can be reduced or avoided, effectively cleaning the detection element and reducing any adverse effects of the cleaning operation on the spectrophotometer.

[0032] The present invention also provides a method for cleaning a spectrophotometer that may include a measuring unit that may have a pair of detection elements and a cleaning unit, the method including: moving the cleaning unit to a cleaning position; at the cleaning position, the cleaning unit can form a sealed cleaning chamber with the pair of detection elements, thereby cleaning the pair of detection elements in the cleaning chamber; and discharging a cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber when the cleaning agent is injected into the cleaning chamber.

[0033] Using the cleaning method of the present invention, the risk of cleaning agent leaking out of the cleaning chamber can be reduced or avoided, effectively cleaning the detection element and reducing any adverse effects of the cleaning operation on the spectrophotometer.

[0034] Preferably, the method further comprises supplying a gas to the washing chamber for use in drying the pair of detection elements after stopping the injection of the cleaning agent into the washing chamber.

[0035] By providing dry gas, the detection element can quickly enter a detectable state after being cleaned by the cleaning agent, which effectively improves the cleaning efficiency.

[0036] More preferably, the method further comprises, before injecting the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber, moving at least one of the pair of detection members to a position for forming the cleaning chamber.

[0037] By moving at least one of the pair of detection members to a position for forming the cleaning chamber, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the detection members can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] 1 is an exemplary perspective view of an embodiment of a spectrophotometer of the present invention, showing the first and second cleaning members not yet in the cleaning position; [Figure 2] 1 is an exemplary perspective view of an embodiment of a spectrophotometer of the present invention, showing that a first cleaning member and a second cleaning member are incorporated into a support part. [Figure 3] 1 is an exemplary perspective view of one embodiment of a spectrophotometer of the present invention, the spectrophotometer being in a cleaning mode. [Figure 4] 1 shows an exemplary cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a spectrophotometer according to the present invention, showing that the detection element and the washing unit form the walls of the washing chamber. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of an embodiment of a cleaning unit according to the present invention, showing a part of an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism of the cleaning unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 100 spectrophotometer 110 Measurement Unit 112 first detection member 114 Second detection member 116 Optical Fiber 118 Optical fiber outer cover 120 Cleaning Unit 121 Cleaning Chamber 122 first cleaning member 122a (of the first cleaning member) flexible portion 122b (first cleaning member) support portion 123 Second cleaning member 123a (of the second cleaning member) flexible portion 123b (of the second cleaning member) support portion 124a injection tube 124b Discharge port 125a Injection line 125b Discharge line 126a Heating device 126b Filtration device 127a Detergent container 127b Waste material container 127c quantitative container 128 motor 129 Air Cylinder DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] In the present invention, a spectrophotometer refers to a device or instrument that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of a substance (e.g., a sample solution) by measuring the absorbance of the substance over a certain wavelength range, and is also called a spectrometer. The present invention covers various types of spectrophotometers, including, but not limited to, microspectrophotometers. Preferably, the present invention relates to a UV / visible microplate spectrophotometer that can analyze DNA, RNA, and proteins, as well as measure turbidity.

[0041] In the present invention, the expression "a certain device or component used in a spectrophotometer" may mean that the certain device or component is a part of a spectrophotometer, for example, a spectrophotometer including the certain device or component can be purchased on the market as a whole, or that the certain device or component is not a part of a spectrophotometer, for example, it may be separately arranged and purchased on the market. Also, the expression "used in a spectrophotometer" means that the certain device or component can be used mainly in a spectrophotometer, but is not limited to being used only in a spectrophotometer, for example, it can be used in a device or instrument in the biochemistry field similar to a spectrophotometer, in which the detection component needs to be cleaned in a manner that leaves almost no damage.

[0042] In the present invention, the term "cleaning" refers to cleaning a member or part to be cleaned (e.g., a member or part that comes into direct contact with a test sample) by removing dirt, residual samples, etc., but does not require 100% complete removal of dirt, residual samples, etc. Furthermore, "cleaning" in the sense of the present invention not only includes removing dirt, residual samples, etc., but may also include other auxiliary steps that cooperate with the main cleaning step, and includes various pre-treatment steps or post-treatment steps such as drying, but is not limited to these.

[0043] In the present invention, the term "measurement" is not limited to the detection of a substance to be measured, but can also cover further operations such as analysis of the detection results and signal transmission. In other words, a unit, apparatus, member, device, etc. named by a function in the present invention can achieve at least this function, but is not limited to this, and can also achieve other functions. Furthermore, the term "unit" is not limited to a physical device that achieves a predetermined function, but may also include non-physical devices such as software and models.

[0044] The spectrophotometer 100 according to the present invention includes a measurement unit 110 for detecting the absorbance of a sample to be measured. The measurement unit 110 may include a pair of detection elements. The term "a pair" refers to the pair of detection elements functioning in concert with one another, but does not necessarily require that the pair of detection elements be identical in shape, size, or alignment. In the present invention, depending on the specific type of spectrophotometer 100, the pair of detection elements may be in direct contact with the sample to be measured, or may be non-contact. A detection element that is in direct contact with the sample to be measured requires greater cleaning because the sample to be measured remains on the detection element, but this does not mean that a non-contact detection element does not require cleaning.

[0045] In one preferred embodiment, the spectrophotometer 100 is a microspectrophotometer 100. A small amount of sample to be measured, particularly in the form of a droplet, can be contained between a pair of detecting elements due to the effect of surface tension. This allows an optical path diameter for transmitting the sample to be established between the pair of detecting elements, mainly between the two surfaces where the sample to be measured is brought into contact with the pair of detecting elements. The sample to be measured held between the pair of detecting elements may be referred to as a sample column.

[0046] In one specific example, the pair of detection members may be optical fiber probes. The optical fiber probe may include one light-emitting fiber and one light-receiving fiber, each of which is held in an optical fiber outer cover 118 to prevent damage to the optical fiber 116. When the sample to be measured is positioned between the pair of optical fiber probes, light for detecting absorbance, such as ultraviolet light, is emitted from the light-emitting fiber, passes through an optical path including the sample to reach the light-receiving fiber, and the absorbance of the sample to be measured can be obtained based on a signal generated by the light-receiving fiber.

[0047] In the present invention, the pair of detection elements preferably face each other so as to hold the sample to be measured between them, but this is not necessarily required. For example, the pair of detection elements may also be located on the same side of the sample to be measured. In this case, an optical reflecting device, such as a mirror, must be disposed on the other side of the sample to establish an optical path from the light-emitting side to the light-receiving side. Other forms of optical paths, such as differential paths, are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] In the present invention, spectrophotometer 100 may have different modes. Here, the term "mode" refers to a state that spectrophotometer 100 takes to achieve different main functions, and in this state, at least some devices or components of spectrophotometer 100 can be in corresponding positions to achieve the main functions. These positions are usually predetermined, but do not exclude changes depending on actual circumstances (e.g., replacement of devices or components, sample to be measured, etc.). "Being in a... position" may mean moving to this position, or may mean already being in this position and remaining there without moving. It can be understood that whether or not each device or component needs to move to this position may differ.

[0049] For example, the spectrophotometer 100 may have a detection mode in which the pair of detection elements are positioned, e.g., separated by a predetermined distance, appropriate to detect the sample being measured. In addition to the position, the pair of detection elements themselves may be in an operational state that realizes a detection function, such as the light-emitting fiber probe being able to emit light and the light-receiving fiber probe being able to receive light transmitted through the sample being measured. Furthermore, for example, the spectrophotometer 100 may have a cleaning mode in which the pair of detection elements can be cleaned. Advantageously, the cleaning mode is set after the detection mode of the spectrophotometer 100, but one cleaning mode may also be set after multiple detection modes. It can be understood that the spectrophotometer 100 includes a controller for controlling various modes or states, and can control, for example, various operations of the pair of detection elements and the cleaning unit described below. This controller may be independent or integrated with the overall controller of the spectrophotometer 100.

[0050] In the present invention, the pair of detection members are capable of relative movement. For example, the first detection member 112 (e.g., an emitting fiber probe) of the pair of detection members can move relative to the second detection member 114 (e.g., a receiving fiber probe). Here, the term "relative movement" may include both members moving, for example, moving toward or away from each other, or one of them remaining stationary while the other moves.

[0051] For example, when the spectrophotometer 100 is in a detection mode, the first and second detection members 112 and 114 are movable relative to one another, e.g., so that the sample to be measured moves under tension to form a liquid column between them. Furthermore, when the spectrophotometer 100 is in a cleaning state or mode (described in more detail below), the first and second detection members 112 and 114 are movable relative to one another to a predetermined or suitable position to provide adequate space for cleaning the detection members. Alternatively, the first detection member 112 may move relative to the second detection member 114, while the second detection member 114 remains stationary, e.g., remaining in the position it was in during the previous detection mode. In one example, at least one of the first and second detection members 112 and 114 may move up to 1000 micrometers apart, although other distances are contemplated.

[0052] The measuring unit 110 of the present invention may include other components or devices other than the pair of detection elements that are used for analysis, signal transmission, or driving or powering the detection elements, but since this is not the focus of the present invention, the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0053] In order to clean the detection elements of the spectrophotometer 100, the spectrophotometer 100 further includes a cleaning unit 120. The cleaning unit 120 and the pair of detection elements can form a cleaning chamber 121, so that the pair of detection elements can be cleaned in this cleaning chamber 121. "Cleaned in the cleaning chamber 121" can be understood to mean that the parts of the pair of detection elements that are most in need of cleaning, for example, the parts that come into direct contact with the sample to be measured, are exposed inside the cleaning chamber 121 so that they can be easily cleaned by a cleaning agent.

[0054] Specifically, the cleaning chamber 121 may have a wall defining it, and the cleaning unit 120 and the pair of detection members may form the wall of the cleaning chamber 121. Here, the term "forming a wall" means that at least a part of the wall of the cleaning chamber 121 may be formed by the cleaning unit 120 and the pair of detection members, and may be, for example, formed only by these two members (which is preferable in terms of realizing a compact structure using existing members), or may be formed together with other members or parts of the measurement unit 110, such as a part of the mirror described above. In the present invention, the term "wall" refers to any substance that forms the outer periphery of the cleaning chamber, for example, including a flexible or rigid substance and including a transparent or opaque substance.

[0055] In the present invention, the cleaning chamber 121 may be sealed. Here, the term "sealed" does not mean that the cleaning chamber 121 is completely airtight, but mainly means that the cleaning chamber 121 is essentially liquid-tight, and in particular, the cleaning agent essentially does not unintentionally leak from the cleaning chamber 121 (expected injection and discharge of the cleaning agent is allowed; for example, the injection port and discharge port may be reserved, but this does not affect the sealing characteristics of the cleaning chamber in an operating state). The cleaning chamber 121 may be a single complete chamber or may include multiple chamber portions, with these chamber portions fluidly connected to each other. The present invention does not exclude the possibility that air may be sucked into the cleaning chamber 121 from outside and discharged from the cleaning chamber 121 during the process of discharging the cleaning agent or drying the gas or its mixture.

[0056] In the present invention, when the cleaning chamber 121 starts to function, for example, by injecting a cleaning agent or other pretreatment substance, such as air, into the cleaning chamber 121, the position where the cleaning unit 120 is located is called a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121 (i.e., for forming its walls), or may be abbreviated as a cleaning position. This position does not usually change for a particular spectrophotometer 100, particularly for a particular pair of detection elements, but may change with replacement of the spectrophotometer 100, particularly for replacement of the pair of detection elements.

[0057] Note that the position of the washing unit 120 for forming the washing chamber 121 or the washing position is independent of whether other components, primarily the pair of detection elements, that form the walls of the washing chamber 121 together with the washing unit 120 are already seated (here, the term "seated" means that the detection elements are in a predetermined position to form the walls of the washing chamber 121), except for the case where the spectrophotometer 100, particularly the detection element itself, changes as described above. In other words, "in the washing position, the washing unit 120 can form the pair of detection elements and the sealed washing chamber 121" means "is capable of forming" and does not mean "in the washing position, the washing unit 120 has already formed the pair of detection elements and the sealed washing chamber 121." Furthermore, the expression "for forming" in this specification means that it is expected that the washing chamber 121 (walls) can be formed, and does not mean that it is used only to form the washing chamber 121, or that the washing chamber 121 is formed solely by it.

[0058] The cleaning unit 120 of the present invention may include an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism. In the present invention, the injection mechanism may inject into the cleaning chamber 121 a cleaning agent (e.g., a cleaning liquid) and other auxiliary substances, such as a gas (especially air) for drying the detection element. The discharge mechanism may discharge from the cleaning chamber 121 the cleaning agent, another substance (e.g., a gas), or a mixture thereof (e.g., a gas-liquid mixture).

[0059] By injecting a cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121, the sensing element can be effectively cleaned without damaging the surface of the sensing element, especially the optical fiber probe, as with a wipe, and the durability and detection accuracy of the sensing element can be significantly improved. The cleaning agent may be, for example, distilled water, pure water, deionized water, double-distilled water, etc. The cleaning agent may be obtained from a cleaning agent container 127a or directly from a running water pipe, etc.

[0060] According to the present invention, when the cleaning agent is injected into the cleaning chamber 121, the cleaning agent is discharged from the cleaning chamber 121. This means that the cleaning agent is discharged at least at the time of injection of the cleaning agent. For example, when the cleaning agent is not injected into the cleaning chamber 121, the cleaning agent or a mixture of the cleaning agent and another substance (e.g., a gas-liquid mixture) already present in the cleaning chamber 121 may be discharged from it. It can be understood that discharging the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber 121 at least when the cleaning agent is injected into the cleaning chamber 121 minimizes the accumulation of the cleaning agent in the cleaning chamber 121 or reduces the risk of the cleaning agent leaking from the cleaning chamber 121 (although the cleaning chamber 121 is designed to be sealed, there may still be a risk of liquid leakage). Therefore, the present invention (although this is one embodiment) is not limited to discharging the cleaning agent immediately while injecting it into the cleaning chamber 121; the cleaning agent may be discharged after the injection of the cleaning agent begins, but the cleaning agent must be discharged at least during the injection process. As described above, an injection mechanism allows for the injection of cleaning agents or other substances into the washing chamber 121, and a discharge mechanism allows for the ejection of cleaning agents, other substances or mixtures from the washing chamber 121.

[0061] In the cleaning mode of the spectrophotometer 100, the cleaning unit 120 may be in a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121, and may particularly be moved to this position. The advantage of moving the corresponding part of the cleaning unit 120 to this position is that the corresponding part of the cleaning unit 120 is not in this position in the non-cleaning mode of the spectrophotometer 100 because this position may interfere with the operation of the spectrophotometer 100 in other modes, for example, be detrimental to the detection of the sample to be measured. Therefore, the cleaning unit 120 advantageously moves to a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121 only in the cleaning mode or other modes related to cleaning. As mentioned above, whether the cleaning unit 120 is in a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121 is independent of whether other devices or components for forming the walls of the cleaning chamber 121 are already seated, and therefore only whether the cleaning unit 120 itself is in this position is considered.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the injection mechanism and the discharge mechanism each have corresponding parts to form part of the enclosed wash chamber 121. In the wash mode of the spectrophotometer 100, the corresponding parts of the injection mechanism and the discharge mechanism each move into position to form the wash chamber 121, and may move, for example, towards each other, or one may remain stationary while the other moves, although the latter is not preferred.

[0063] For example, as most clearly shown in FIG. 1, the injection mechanism may include a first cleaning member 122, and the discharge mechanism may include a second cleaning member 123. As most clearly shown in FIG. 4, in a cleaning mode, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 can move to positions for forming the cleaning chamber 121. In this preferred embodiment, the walls for defining the cleaning chamber 121 are composed of the first cleaning member 122, the second cleaning member 123, and a pair of detection members (i.e., the first detection member 112 and the second detection member 114). More specifically, the portions of the pair of detection members for forming the walls of the cleaning chamber 121 include the optical fiber 116 and a portion of the optical fiber outer cover 118 provided to surround the optical fiber 116, mainly outer surfaces (not limited to end surfaces) facing each other. The advantage of this embodiment is that the existing detection element forms part of the wall of the cleaning chamber 121, and the mechanism for injecting and discharging the cleaning agent forms the other part of the wall of the cleaning chamber 121, eliminating the need for other auxiliary devices to specially form the cleaning chamber 121, thereby making the structure of the spectrophotometer 100 compact.

[0064] The present invention also covers a single unitary mechanism that is not divided into multiple components, and this single unitary mechanism may, for example, be used to directly form part of the wall of the washing chamber 121 in cooperation with a pair of detection components. This single unitary mechanism can be moved into position when the spectrophotometer 100 is in the washing mode. Of course, it is also within the scope of the present invention for the washing unit 120 to have more than two components, for example, three or four components, to form part of the wall of the washing chamber 121.

[0065] To better form a seal, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 may each have a flexible portion 122a, 123a. The flexible portion is made of a material such as rubber or polymer, and its rigidity is clearly less than that of the pair of detection members. The detection member, for example, the optical fiber outer cover 118, may be made of a metal material. The flexible portions 122a, 123a can be better joined (e.g., better "hugged") to the outer surfaces of at least a portion of the pair of detection members, so that the flexible portions 122a, 123a can form part of the wall defining the cleaning chamber 121.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 4, the flexible portions 122a and 123a of the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 may be bonded to the side surfaces of the pair of detecting members from their sides (not limited to this, but may also be bonded to part of the end surfaces of the detecting members). These flexible portions 122a and 123a can be "surrounded" the pair of detecting members (up to the position shown in FIG. 3) so that they are sufficiently attached to the outer surfaces of the detecting members. In the present invention, the range in which the flexible portions 122a and 123a of the cleaning unit 120, for example, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123, are bonded to the outer surfaces of the pair of detecting members may vary and are not limited to the range and bonding position shown in FIG. 4, as long as they can form a sealed cleaning chamber 121.

[0067] FIG. 3 shows the spectrophotometer 100 in cleaning mode, with the cleaning member already moved to a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121, and the pair of detecting members already in a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121. In other words, the cleaning member and the detecting member each have a position for forming (the walls of) the cleaning chamber 121. Specifically, as most clearly shown in FIG. 4, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 have already been joined to the pair of detecting members, e.g., fiber optic probes, to form the sealed cleaning chamber 121. Advantageously, the second detecting member 114, e.g., the receiving fiber optic probe, can be moved from a (final) position (see FIG. 1) away from the cleaning chamber 121 to a position where it is joined to the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123, i.e., a position closer to the first detecting member 112, e.g., the emitting fiber optic probe.

[0068] The cleaning unit 120 may be provided with an inlet and an outlet 124b fluidically connected to the cleaning chamber 121 in corresponding portions thereof for forming the walls of the cleaning chamber 121. In the case of an integrated mechanism, the inlet and the outlet 124b may be provided therein. When the cleaning unit 120 includes a first cleaning member 122 and a second cleaning member 123, advantageously, the flexible portion 122a of the first cleaning member 122 may be provided with an inlet fluidically connected to the cleaning chamber 121, and the flexible portion 123a of the second cleaning member 123 may be provided with an outlet 124b fluidically connected to the cleaning chamber 121.

[0069] Preferably, the inlet and outlet 124b are provided opposite each other with respect to the cleaning chamber 121, i.e., they may be located on opposite sides of the cleaning chamber 121. More preferably, the inlet and outlet 124b are provided substantially horizontally. Most preferably, the inlet and outlet 124b are opposed to each other by approximately 180 degrees and at least partially overlap in height.

[0070] Preferably, the pair of detection members are provided opposite each other with respect to the cleaning chamber 121, i.e., they may be located on opposite sides of the cleaning chamber 121. More preferably, the pair of detection members, for example, the light-emitting fiber probe and the light-receiving fiber probe, are provided substantially vertically.

[0071] In the present invention, it is understood that the cleaning agent or other substance may flow directly into the cleaning chamber 121 through the inlet, or may flow into the cleaning chamber 121 through another element provided in the inlet. Therefore, the function of the inlet is at least to provide fluid communication between the outside and the cleaning chamber 121. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the first cleaning member 122 may have an inlet tube 124a extending into the cleaning chamber 121 through the inlet, and the cleaning agent or other substance, e.g., air, may flow into the cleaning chamber 121 through the inlet tube 124a rather than directly through the inlet. The advantage of using a separate inlet tube 124a is that the cleaning agent can be washed, flushed, and cleaned in a manner closer to the detection element to be cleaned.

[0072] Similarly, the cleaning agent, other substance, or mixture thereof may be discharged from the cleaning chamber 121 directly through the outlet 124b, or may be discharged from the cleaning chamber 121 through another element provided at the outlet 124b. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it may be considered to employ a discharge element extending into the cleaning chamber 121 through the outlet 124b, which can cause the cleaning agent to form a vortex within the cleaning chamber 121, which enhances the cleaning effect. In particular, such a discharge element can cooperate with the position of the injection tube 124a, so that the cleaning agent can follow an advantageous cleaning path from the time it enters the cleaning chamber 121 until it leaves it.

[0073] In some embodiments, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 of the cleaning unit 120 may include, in addition to the flexible portions 122a and 123a, more rigid portions (also referred to as support portions 122b and 123b) adjacent to the flexible portions 122a and 123a. These portions may be connected to a mechanism for driving the cleaning unit 120 to move for easier operation. The more rigid portions may have features, such as grooves or protrusions, that match the shape of the flexible portions 122a and 123a. FIG. 2 shows the flexible portions 122a and 123a already incorporated into the support portions 122b and 123b, which can bias the flexible portions 122a and 123a into the cleaning position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, these support portions can each be configured as a flat plate that can move the holder of the spectrophotometer 100, but this is not a limiting structure.

[0074] Of course, the present invention may also be envisaged in which the first cleaning member 122 does not have to be divided into multiple parts comprising the flexible portions 122a, 123a and the support portions 122b, 123b, but comprises only a single member that forms part of the wall of the cleaning chamber 121 and is in contact with the drive mechanism. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, an injection tube 124a extends from the flexible portion 122a of the first cleaning member 122 and the adjacent support portion 122b.

[0075] To better ensure that the cleaning agent does not unintentionally leak from the cleaning chamber 121, for example, from the non-discharge port 124b, the discharge mechanism is preferably configured so that the suction speed at which the cleaning agent is drawn from the cleaning chamber 121 is greater than the injection speed at which the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121. Here, what the discharge mechanism discharges from the cleaning chamber 121 may include not only the cleaning agent but also a mixture containing the cleaning agent, for example, a mixture of the cleaning agent and air. Therefore, the term "suction speed" refers to the speed at which a substance (e.g., cleaning agent, e.g., air gas, a gas-liquid mixture of cleaning agent and gas, etc.) is drawn from the cleaning chamber 121, and does not necessarily refer to the discharge flow rate at which the cleaning agent leaves the cleaning chamber 121.

[0076] In particular, the aspiration rate may be two to five times faster than the injection rate (of the cleaning agent) to ensure that no cleaning agent leaks out. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional dimensions of the injection port may be only one-half to one-tenth of the diameter of the outlet port 124b to facilitate rapid ejection of the cleaning agent. For example, the diameter of the injection port may be on the order of 200 micrometers, and the diameter of the outlet port 124b may be on the order of 1000 micrometers.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, to improve cleaning power and cleaning efficiency, the cleaning agent may be pressurized before being injected into the cleaning chamber 121. The pressure should be determined so as not to damage the detection element, e.g., the fiber optic probe. In some embodiments, the pressure of the cleaning agent may be provided by a pump, i.e., the flow rate of the pump determines the pressure of the injected cleaning agent.

[0078] In addition to cleaning the pair of cleaning elements, e.g., optical fiber probes, with a cleaning agent, gas, e.g., air, particularly heated air, may be injected into the cleaning chamber 121 to dry the cleaned surface more quickly. Therefore, the cleaning unit 120 may be configured to supply gas to the cleaning chamber 121 to dry the pair of detection elements after stopping the injection of the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121. Here, "after the injection of the cleaning agent" refers to the period during which the cleaning agent is no longer injected into the cleaning chamber 121. However, it should be noted that some cleaning agent may be expelled from the cleaning chamber 121 at this time, but this does not affect the blowing of drying gas into the cleaning chamber 121. For this reason, the cleaning unit 120 of the present invention may be provided with a gas supply mechanism for supplying drying gas. The gas supply mechanism may share some elements or flow paths with the injection mechanism for injecting the cleaning agent, or may be a completely independent mechanism.

[0079] 5 shows an exemplary structure of the cleaning unit 120 of the present invention. The cleaning agent may be pumped from a cleaning agent storage device 127a to an injection line 125a using an air cylinder 129 driven by a pump or motor 128, and the injection line 125a is connected to an injection port or injection pipe 124a. Other devices, such as a filter or a pressurizing device, may be provided in the flow path from the cleaning agent container to the injection line 125a. The flow path for supplying the drying gas may overlap, partially overlap, or not overlap with the flow path for injecting the cleaning agent (i.e., an independent flow path may be provided that is connected to the injection port or injection pipe 124a). Advantageously, a heating device 126a for heating the gas may be provided in the flow path for supplying the drying gas to improve the rapid drying effect.

[0080] 5 shows a specific example in which the detergent is first sucked into one metered container 127c at a fixed amount, and then, after all the detergent in this container 127c has been sucked, air is sucked directly back in. When air is sucked in, it may flow into the injection line via a filter 126b. In this embodiment, there is no need to provide separate flow paths for the air and the detergent, and both systems share elements such as a pump, motor, and air cylinder.

[0081] To discharge the cleaning agent or a mixture of cleaning agent and other substances, such as dry air, from the cleaning chamber 121, the discharge mechanism may include a pump, an air cylinder 129 driven by a motor 128, or other similar device. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 5, the air cylinder can simultaneously pump in the cleaning agent or gas and pump out the cleaning agent or mixture. Alternatively, a controller can control the timing (i.e., time point), duration, etc., of the injection and discharge of the cleaning agent. The cleaning agent discharged from the cleaning chamber 121 can be sent to a waste container 127b via a discharge line 125b.

[0082] An exemplary method for cleaning the spectrophotometer 100 according to the present invention will now be described.

[0083] As shown in Figure 1, the spectrophotometer 100 has not yet entered the cleaning mode. The spectrophotometer 100 may, for example, be in a detection mode, but need not be in a detection mode. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the second detection member 114 is separated from the first detection member 112, and the measurement unit 110 of the spectrophotometer 100 is in a breakaway state.

[0084] The cleaning method of the present invention includes at least moving the cleaning unit 120 to a cleaning position (i.e., a position for forming the cleaning chamber 121), where the cleaning unit 120 can form a sealed cleaning chamber 121 with the pair of detection elements, thereby cleaning the pair of detection elements in the cleaning chamber 121. In a preferred embodiment, the first cleaning element 122 (which may be part of the injection mechanism) and the second cleaning element 123 (which may be part of the discharge mechanism) of the cleaning unit 120 move toward each other to the cleaning position where they are joined to at least one of the pair of detection elements. More preferably, the flexible portions 122a, 123a of the first cleaning element 122 and the second cleaning element 123 are directly joined to the outer surface of the first detection element 112, sandwiching it from the sides. However, the present invention may also be envisioned where a cleaning element other than a plurality of elements is joined to the pair of detection elements to form the sealed cleaning chamber 121.

[0085] During the period from when the cleaning unit 120 moves to the cleaning position to when it starts injecting the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 usually remain in their positions (no change at the macro level). Before forming the final sealed cleaning chamber 121, one of the pair of detection members, for example, the second detection member 114 (for example, an optical fiber probe), may not move to the position for forming the cleaning chamber 121, but may be separated from the first detection member 112, for example. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , one of the pair of detection members may be moved toward the other. This relative movement may be accomplished by a drive mechanism of the measurement unit 110, for example, a motor. Thus, in some embodiments, the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 may be seated before one of the pair of detection members (seated at a macro level), but alternatively, the pair of detection members may be seated first (seated at a macro level) and the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 may be seated afterwards, i.e., both of the seated pair of detection members may be joined, typically to part of their outer surfaces.

[0086] In some advantageous embodiments, to achieve optimal bonding between the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 and the pair of detection members, fine adjustment may be performed after one of the pair of detection members or at least one of the first cleaning member 122 and the second cleaning member 123 has formed the sealed cleaning chamber 121. Such fine adjustment does not involve unseating at the macro level, but rather involves adjustment at an extremely short distance (micrometer level) after the member has already been seated.

[0087] After forming the sealed cleaning chamber 121, the cleaning agent can be injected into the cleaning chamber 121. The cleaning agent can be injected under pressure into the cleaning chamber 121, for example, through an injection port or injection pipe 124a. When the injection of the cleaning agent begins, or within a short period of time after the injection of the cleaning agent, the discharge mechanism of the cleaning unit 120 begins to discharge the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber 121. To thoroughly remove the cleaning agent, the discharge mechanism can maintain its suction force to discharge any remaining cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber 121 even after the injection mechanism stops injecting the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121.

[0088] To dry the pair of detection elements in the cleaning chamber 121 as quickly as possible, gas, particularly air, can be supplied to the cleaning chamber 121 after stopping the injection of the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber 121. To dry the pair of detection elements more quickly, the dry gas may be heated before being injected (as shown in FIG. 5 ). In this case, the discharge mechanism may be configured to subsequently provide suction so that the dry gas or a gas-liquid mixture of the dry gas and the cleaning agent is discharged from the cleaning chamber 121 through the outlet 124b. It may be understood that a pretreatment step, such as blowing in gas or injecting other substances beneficial to the functioning of the cleaning agent, may be performed before injecting the cleaning agent. However, in any case, the discharge mechanism should ensure that no liquid accumulates in the cleaning chamber 121, thereby reducing the risk of the liquid leaking outside and affecting the normal operation of the spectrophotometer 100.

[0089] In each drawing, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to examples of the structure of a microspectrophotometer equipped with an optical fiber probe, but it can be understood that embodiments within the scope of the present invention can be applied to spectrophotometers having similar structures and / or functions, their cleaning units, and methods for cleaning spectrophotometers, and can also be applied to other application scenarios in which high-precision detection elements similar to spectrophotometers need to be cleaned.

[0090] The foregoing description has provided many features and advantages, including various alternative embodiments, and details of the structure and function of the devices and methods. This description is intended to be illustrative rather than exhaustive or limiting.

[0091] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in terms of structure, materials, elements, components, shapes, dimensions, and arrangements of components throughout the scope indicated by the broad generic concepts of the terms expressed in the appended claims, particularly including combinations of these aspects within the scope of the principles described herein. To the extent that these various modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, they are also intended to be included herein.

Claims

1. A spectrophotometer comprising a measurement unit (110) having a pair of detection elements, The spectrophotometer (100) a cleaning unit (120) having an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism; a sealed washing chamber (121), the walls of which are formed by the pair of detection elements and the washing unit (120), and the pair of detection elements are washed in the washing chamber (121); The spectrophotometer, characterized in that the discharge mechanism is configured to be able to discharge the cleaning agent from the washing chamber (121) when the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the washing chamber (121).

2. 2. The spectrophotometer of claim 1, wherein the injection mechanism comprises a first cleaning member (122), the discharge mechanism comprises a second cleaning member (123), the spectrophotometer (100) has a cleaning mode, and in the cleaning mode, the first cleaning member (122) and the second cleaning member (123) can be moved to a position to form the cleaning chamber (121).

3. 3. The spectrophotometer of claim 2, wherein the first cleaning member (122) and the second cleaning member (123) each have a flexible portion that can be joined to an outer surface of at least a portion of the pair of detection members, and the flexible portion forms part of the wall that defines the cleaning chamber (121).

4. 4. The spectrophotometer of claim 3, wherein the flexible portion of the first cleaning member (122) is provided with an inlet that can be fluidly connected to the cleaning chamber (121), and the flexible portion of the second cleaning member (123) is provided with an outlet (124b) that can be fluidly connected to the cleaning chamber (121).

5. 5. The spectrophotometer according to claim 4, wherein the inlet and the outlet (124b) are arranged opposite each other with respect to the washing chamber (121), and / or the pair of detection members are arranged opposite each other with respect to the washing chamber (121).

6. 5. The spectrophotometer of claim 4, wherein the first cleaning member (122) further comprises an injection tube (124a) extending into the cleaning chamber (121) through the injection port, and the cleaning agent can flow into the cleaning chamber (121) through the injection tube (124a).

7. The spectrophotometer of any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the discharge mechanism is configured so that a suction speed at which the discharge mechanism draws the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber (121) is greater than a injection speed at which the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber (121).

8. 8. The spectrophotometer according to claim 7, wherein the aspiration speed is 2 to 5 times the injection speed.

9. The spectrophotometer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cleaning unit (120) includes a gas supply mechanism, and the gas supply mechanism is configured to supply gas to the cleaning chamber (121) for drying the pair of detection elements.

10. The spectrophotometer of any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pair of detection members comprises an optical fiber light emitting probe and an optical fiber light receiving probe, and in the cleaning mode, at least one of the optical fiber light receiving probe and the optical fiber light emitting probe can be moved to a position to form the cleaning chamber (121).

11. The spectrophotometer according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the pair of detection members are arranged approximately vertically, and the first cleaning member (122) and the second cleaning member (123) are arranged approximately horizontally and are joined to the pair of detection members from their sides.

12. A cleaning unit for use in a spectrophotometer (100) having a measurement unit (110) having a pair of detection elements, comprising: The cleaning unit (120) is provided with an injection mechanism and a discharge mechanism, and the cleaning unit (120) and the pair of detection elements form a sealed cleaning chamber (121), so that the pair of detection elements can be washed in the cleaning chamber (121), and the discharge mechanism is configured to discharge the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber (121) when the injection mechanism injects the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber (121).

13. A method for cleaning a spectrophotometer (100) including a measuring unit (110) having a pair of detection elements and a cleaning unit (120), comprising: The cleaning unit (120) is moved to a cleaning position, and at the cleaning position, the cleaning unit (120) can form a sealed cleaning chamber (121) with the pair of detection elements, so that the pair of detection elements can be cleaned in the cleaning chamber (121); and expelling the cleaning agent from the cleaning chamber (121) when the cleaning agent is injected into the cleaning chamber (121).

14. 14. The method for cleaning a spectrophotometer according to claim 13, further comprising supplying gas to the cleaning chamber (121) to be used for drying the pair of detection elements after stopping the injection of the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber (121).

15. 15. The method for cleaning a spectrophotometer according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising moving at least one of the pair of detection members to a position for forming the cleaning chamber (121) before injecting the cleaning agent into the cleaning chamber (121).

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