Sample Holder

Abstract

To provide a sample holder that simplifies exchange work of a sample by using a resin member and can suppress deterioration of the resin member because of X rays.SOLUTION: A sample holder for fluorescent X-ray analysis includes: a cylindrical body that has a hole partially provided on an upper end face and allows its lower end to open; a tray that is disposed inside the cylindrical body and allows a sample to be placed; an elastic body that urges the tray upward; a resin member that has an arch section and abuts on a lower end of the elastic body; and a baseplate disposed in a lower end of the resin member. The cylindrical body, the tray, and the baseplate are formed from metal, the arch section has a nib section provided in the end and a pressing section pressed to the inside, and is elastically deformed to the inside by pressing force to the pressing section, the cylindrical section comprises a fitting section to which the nib section is fitted, and an exposed section in which the pressing section is exposed to the outside, the resin member is disposed between the tray and the baseplate, and a part other than the pressing section is surrounded by the tray and the baseplate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sample holder. [Background technology]

[0002] An X-ray fluorescence analyzer is an apparatus for measuring elements contained in a sample and the concentration of the elements. When performing measurements using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, a sample holder may be used. For example, a sample holder having a configuration in which a pressure lid is placed over the sample to fix the sample placed on a tray inside a case is known (see Patent Documents 1 to 3 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-80738 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-009042 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-58350 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional sample holders have adopted methods of fixing the case and the lid by screwing them together (Patent Document 1 above), by fastening them with screws (Patent Document 2 above), or by fitting a plunger into a groove (Patent Document 3 above).

[0005] When the holder is secured by screwing or fastening, it is necessary to rotate the cover or screw many times every time the sample is replaced, which is time-consuming. In addition, the screwing or fastening can become loose due to vibration, which can cause the sample holder to come apart inside the X-ray fluorescence analyzer. When the plunger is fitted into the groove, there is also the possibility that the plunger will come off the groove inside the X-ray fluorescence analyzer, causing the sample holder to come apart, and there is also the problem of high component costs.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a sample holder that uses a resin member to simplify the sample replacement process and suppress deterioration of the resin member due to X-rays. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) A sample holder for X-ray fluorescence analysis according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a cylindrical body having a hole partially formed on an upper end surface and an open lower end, a tray arranged inside the cylindrical body on which a sample is placed, an elastic body that urges the tray upward, a resin member having a bow portion and in contact with the lower end of the elastic body, and a bottom plate arranged below the resin member, wherein the cylindrical body, the tray, and the bottom plate are formed of metal, the bow portion has a claw portion provided at an end and a pressing portion that is pressed inward, and is elastically deformed inward when pressed against the pressing portion, the cylindrical body is formed with a fitting portion into which the claw portion fits and an exposed portion where the pressing portion is exposed to the outside, the resin member is arranged between the tray and the bottom plate, and portions other than the pressing portion are surrounded by the cylindrical body, the tray, and the bottom plate.

[0008] (2) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the tubular body is characterized by having a cylindrical body and an upper body having a hole.

[0009] (3) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the cylindrical body is characterized in that it is formed integrally.

[0010] (4) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the tray further has a recess on the surface on which the sample is placed, in which the sample is placed.

[0011] (5) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the tray has a convex portion on a bottom surface, and an upper end of the elastic body fits into the convex portion of the tray.

[0012] (6) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the resin member has a claw-shaped locking portion, and a lower end of the elastic body is locked by the locking portion of the resin member.

[0013] (7) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the cylindrical body, the tray, and the bottom plate are formed of an alloy containing aluminum as a main component.

[0014] (8) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the fitting portion is a recess into which the claw portion fits.

[0015] (9) In the above aspect of the present disclosure, the exposed portion is a notch through which the pressing portion is exposed to the outside. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a sample holder that allows easy sample replacement and is not likely to come apart inside an X-ray fluorescence analyzer. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a top view of the sample holder. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the components of a sample holder. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sample holder taken along line IV-IV. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a VV cross section of the sample holder. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the sample holder is placed on the sample stage of a top-illumination type X-ray fluorescence analyzer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] A preferred embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as an embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a bird's-eye view of the sample holder 100. FIG. 2 is a view showing each component of the sample holder 100, in which the sample holder is disassembled in the vertical direction. FIG. 3(a) is a bottom view of the sample holder 100 with the bottom plate 210 removed, and FIG. 3(b) is a bottom view of the sample holder 100 with the bottom plate 210 attached. FIG. 4 is a view showing a IV-IV cross section of FIG. 3(b). FIG. 5 is a view showing a VV cross section of FIG. 3(b). As shown in FIG. 2, the sample holder 100 has a cylindrical body 202, a tray 204, an elastic body 206, a resin member 208, and a bottom plate 210.

[0019] The cylindrical body 202 has a hole partially provided on the upper end surface, and the lower end is open. The cylindrical body 202 is also formed with a fitting portion 404 into which the claw portion 218 (described later) fits, and an exposed portion 216 where a part of the bow portion 220 (described later) is exposed to the outside. Specifically, for example, the cylindrical body 202 has a cylindrical body 212 and an upper surface body 214 with a hole, and the upper surface body 214 arranged on the cylindrical body 212 is fixed with a screw. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the upper surface body 214 has a hole in the center through which the sample 402 is exposed, and has a disk-like shape. The upper surface body 214 is a so-called sample mask for preventing unnecessary X-rays from being irradiated to a portion of the sample 402 that is not to be analyzed. The cylindrical body 202 may be formed by replacing the upper surface body 214 with a different hole diameter and attaching it to the cylindrical body 212. As shown in Fig. 4, the fitting portion 404 is, for example, a recess into which the claw portion 218 fits. Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the exposed portion 216 is a notch through which a part of the bow portion 220 is exposed to the outside. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cylindrical body 212 may have a hole on the side surface thereof that functions as an air hole when performing measurements in a vacuum environment, but such a hole does not have to be provided. Also, the cylindrical body 202 may be formed integrally with the cylindrical body 212 and the upper surface body 214 without being separated.

[0020] The tray 204 is disposed inside the cylindrical body 202, and the sample 402 is placed thereon. Specifically, the tray 204 has a disk shape with an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 212. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray 204 has a convex portion on the bottom surface, which is fitted with the upper end of the elastic body 206. Furthermore, the tray 204 may have a concave portion on which the sample 402 is placed, on the surface on which the sample 402 is placed. Note that in FIG. 4, the sample 402 is solid Since the diameter of the recess is larger than the diameter of the recess, a space exists between the sample 402 and the tray 204 (above the recess). When the sample 402 is a powder or is smaller than the diameter of the recess, the sample 402 is placed in the recess.

[0021] The elastic body 206 biases the tray 204 upward. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, the elastic body 206 is a spring. The lower end of the elastic body 206 is locked by a locking portion 228 of the resin member 208, and the upper end of the elastic body 206 fits into a convex portion of the tray 204. As a result, the elastic body 206 biases the tray 204 toward the upper body 214.

[0022] The resin member 208 is made of resin and can be mass-produced at low cost. For example, the resin member 208 may be injection molded from PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) resin, which has high mechanical strength and high resistance to X-rays. The resin member 208 has a claw portion 218 at its end, an arch portion 220 that is elastically deformed inward when pressed, and is in contact with the lower end of the elastic body 206. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the resin member 208 has a base portion 222 near the center and the arch portion 220 that extends from the base portion 222 along the inner wall of the cylindrical body 202, and is made of an elastically deformable resin. The arch portion 220 also has a curved portion 224 that is elastically deformed inward when pressed, a claw portion 218 provided at the tip of the curved portion 224, and a pressing portion 226 to which a force is applied from the outside. Two arch portions 220 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the base portion 222. As shown in FIG. 4, the two claws 218 are fitted into recesses (fitting portions 404) provided in the cylindrical body 212, and the resin member 208 is fixed to the cylindrical body 202. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the two pressing portions 226 are exposed from the notches provided in the cylindrical body 212. The two pressing portions 226 are disposed at positions facing each other with respect to the center of the base portion 222, and are pressed inward by the user when removing the resin member 208 from the cylindrical body 202. The curved portion 224 is formed thin so as to be elastically deformed inward by pressing, so that when the two pressing portions 226 are pressed inward, the two curved portions 224 are each curved inward of the cylindrical body 202. When the two curved portions 224 are each curved inward of the cylindrical body 202, the claws 218 are in a state of being disengaged from the recesses (fitting portions 404) provided in the cylindrical body 212. In this state, by separating the resin member 208 from the cylindrical body 202, the resin member 208 can be removed from the cylindrical body 202.

[0023] Furthermore, the resin member 208 has claw-shaped locking portions 228, and the lower end of the elastic body 206 is locked by the locking portions 228. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the base 222 has two claw-shaped locking portions 228 near the end of the surface facing the elastic body 206. The two locking portions 228 are disposed at a distance approximately equal to the diameter of the elastic body 206, which is a spring, on the resin member 208 side. The positional relationship between the elastic body 206 and the resin member 208 is fixed by the resin member 208 side being locked by the claws of the locking portions 228.

[0024] Furthermore, the resin member 208 has a screw hole 302 for fixing the bottom plate 210 on the side facing the bottom plate 210 .

[0025] The bottom plate 210 is disposed below the resin member 208. Specifically, the bottom plate 210 has a disk shape with a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 202. The bottom plate 210 also has a hole 230 at a position corresponding to the screw hole 302 provided in the resin member 208. The bottom plate 210 is fixed to the resin member 208 by a screw passing through the hole provided in the bottom plate 210 and the screw hole 302 provided in the resin member 208.

[0026] The cylindrical body 202, the tray 204, and the bottom plate 210 are made of metal. Specifically, for example, the cylindrical body 202, the tray 204, and the bottom plate 210 are made of an alloy mainly composed of aluminum. The alloy mainly composed of aluminum is lighter than the conventional sample holder 100 made of stainless steel, and therefore the weight can be reduced. Incidentally, "mainly composed of aluminum" means, for example, that aluminum is the element with the highest content among the elements constituting the cylindrical body 202, the tray 204, and the bottom plate 210. It may also mean, for example, that the content of aluminum contained in the cylindrical body 202, the tray 204, and the bottom plate 210 is a predetermined ratio (for example, a mass percent concentration of 10%) or more.

[0027] As described above, the tray 204 is fitted with the elastic body 206, the elastic body 206 is engaged with the resin member 208, and the bottom plate 210 is fixed to the resin member 208. The claw portion 218 of the resin member 208 is fitted with the recess (fitting portion 404) of the cylindrical body 202, so that the resin member 208 is fixed to the cylindrical body 202. The user can remove the resin member 208 from the cylindrical body 202 by releasing the resin member 208 and the cylindrical body 202 while pressing the pressing portion 226, and therefore the sample 402 placed on the tray 204 can be removed. The operation of releasing the resin member 208 and the cylindrical body 202 while pressing the pressing portion 226 is simpler than the operation of disassembling the sample holder 100 fixed by a screw or screwing. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the sample 402 can be easily replaced.

[0028] Moreover, by disposing the bottom plate 210 on the lower surface of the resin member 208, deterioration of the resin member 208 can be reduced. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the sample holder 100 according to the present disclosure is installed on a sample stage 602 of a top-illumination type fluorescent X-ray analyzer. The sample holder 100 is disposed in a hole provided in the sample stage 602. Since the resin member 208 is formed of resin so as to be elastically deformable, deterioration due to exposure to X-rays is more prominent than other components formed of metal. However, according to the present disclosure, the resin member 208 is disposed between the tray 204 and the bottom plate 210, and the portion other than the pressing portion 226 is surrounded by the cylindrical body 202, the tray 204, and the bottom plate 210. Furthermore, since the pressing portion 226 is disposed at the lower end of the sample holder 100, the pressing portion 226 exposed from the cylindrical body 202 is located below the hole of the sample stage 602. While the X-ray fluorescence analyzer is irradiating the sample 402 with X-rays, X-rays traveling in various directions exist inside the measurement chamber, but the X-rays irradiated to the sample 402 are predominant (high intensity), and X-rays irradiated below the hole in the sample stage 602 are rare (low intensity), so the intensity of the X-rays irradiated to the exposed pressing portion 226 is low. Therefore, the configuration of the present disclosure can reduce deterioration of the resin member 208 due to X-rays. Furthermore, by covering the lower surface of the sample holder 100 with the bottom plate 210, it is possible to prevent contamination of the inside of the X-ray fluorescence analyzer due to powder peeled off or chipped off from the sample 402. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 100 sample holder, 202 cylindrical body, 204 tray, 206 elastic body, 208 resin member, 210 bottom plate, 212 cylindrical body, 214 upper surface body, 216 exposed portion, 218 claw portion, 220 bow portion, 222 base portion, 224 curved portion, 226 pressing portion, 228 engaging portion, 230 hole provided in bottom plate, 302 screw hole, 402 sample, 404 fitting portion, 602 sample stage.

Claims

1. a cylindrical body having a hole partially provided on an upper end surface and an open lower end; a tray disposed inside the cylindrical body and on which a sample is placed; An elastic body that urges the tray upward; a resin member having a bow portion and in contact with a lower end of the elastic body; A bottom plate disposed below the resin member; having the cylindrical body, the tray and the bottom plate are made of metal; The bow portion has a claw portion provided at an end portion and a pressing portion that is pressed inward, and is elastically deformed inward by pressing against the pressing portion, The cylindrical body is formed with a fitting portion into which the claw portion fits and an exposed portion through which the pressing portion is exposed to the outside, the resin member is disposed between the tray and the bottom plate, and a portion other than the pressing portion is surrounded by the cylindrical body, the tray, and the bottom plate; A sample holder for X-ray fluorescence analysis, comprising:

2. 2. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body has a cylindrical body and an upper body having a hole.

3. 2. The sample holder of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is integrally formed.

4. 4. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the tray further has a recess on the surface on which the sample is placed, the recess being adapted for placing the sample thereon.

5. The tray has a convex portion on a bottom surface, The upper end of the elastic body is fitted into the protrusion of the tray.

4. A sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the sample holder is a sample holder having a diameter of 100 mm or less.

6. The resin member has a claw-shaped engaging portion, A lower end of the elastic body is locked by the locking portion of the resin member.

4. A sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the sample holder is a sample holder having a diameter of 100 mm or less.

7. 4. A sample holder according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical body, said tray and said bottom plate are made of an alloy containing aluminum as a main component.

8. 4. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the fitting portion is a recess into which the tab portion fits.

9. 4. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the exposed portion is a notch through which the pressing portion is exposed to the outside.

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