Pretreatment device

Abstract

Provided is a preprocessing device that carries out a dispensing process for suctioning a liquid sample accommodated in a sample container, and subsequently discharging and dispensing the sample into another sample container, the preprocessing device comprising: a dispensing nozzle; a dispensing nozzle tip detachably provided to the distal end of the dispensing nozzle; a disposal box in which the dispensing nozzle tip is disposed of after having being removed from the dispensing nozzle; and a cutting mechanism for cutting a dispensing nozzle tip inserted into a removal part, which removes the dispensing nozzle tip from the dispensing nozzle, from the longitudinal-direction side. This makes it possible to improve accommodation efficiency while suppressing accumulation of disposed-of dispensing nozzle tips.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pretreatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Known devices related to automatic analyzers include pretreatment devices, such as a specimen dispensing device, that perform pretreatment on specimens to prepare them for analysis. The specimen dispensing device is installed in the laboratory of a hospital or a testing facility together with or as part of an automatic analyzer, and dispenses specimens from a parent specimen container that contains a specimen such as blood or urine collected from a subject, into empty child specimen containers that are suitable for analysis by various analyzers.

[0003] In dispensing in a dispensing device, for example, a dispensing head equipped with a dispensing nozzle tip (a consumable) aspirates a sample from a parent sample container and dispenses it into a child sample container. After dispensing is completed, the dispensing nozzle tip attached to the dispensing head is removed from the dispensing head by a tip remover and disposed of in a waste box provided in the dispensing device. At this time, two tip removers are provided above the box to dispose of the dispensing nozzle tips in a dispersed manner, so that the dispensing nozzle tips are not concentrated in one place in the waste box.

[0004] As techniques relating to the disposal of dispensing nozzle tips in such dispensing devices, for example, those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for storing pipette tips, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cutting at least a portion of the pipette tip; (b) stacking the cut pipette tips closer together by utilizing the deformability of the pipette tip obtained by the cutting; and (c) storing the cut pipette tips in a designated storage area.

[0006] Patent document 2 discloses a nozzle tip disposal device which drops and discards nozzle tips which have been removed from nozzle bases, the nozzle tip disposal device having a pair of rotating rollers which are arranged parallel to each other and rotate in opposite directions below a tip remover for removing the nozzle tips, the nozzle tips being dropped into the gap between the pair of rotating rollers and the nozzle tips being crushed by the pressing force of the pair of rotating rollers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-039674 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2007-139470 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] By the way, the number of dispensing nozzle tips that can be stored in the waste box is limited, and for example, an alarm is sounded when a preset threshold is exceeded, to prompt the operator to remove the dispensing nozzle tips from the waste box. On the other hand, when removing the dispensing nozzle tips from the waste box, the dispensing device temporarily stops processing, so it is desirable to remove them infrequently.

[0009] In disposing of dispensing nozzle tips in a dispensing device, for example, tip removers are placed in two locations above the box, and the dispensing nozzle tips are disposed of in a dispersed manner, so that the dispensing nozzle tips are not concentrated in one location in the disposal box. However, when the discarded dispensing nozzle tips are piled up in the disposal box, although this is rare, the dispensing nozzle tips may pile up like bamboo shoots, and when this phenomenon occurs, the dispensing nozzle tips may easily pile up to the entrance of the disposal box, causing the problem that subsequent dispensing nozzle tips cannot be disposed of.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and has an object to provide a pretreatment device that can improve storage efficiency while preventing discarded dispensing nozzle tips from piling up. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present application includes multiple means for solving the above problems, and one example is a pretreatment device that performs a dispensing process by aspirating a liquid sample contained in a sample container and then dispensing it into another sample container, and is equipped with a dispensing nozzle, a dispensing nozzle tip that is detachably attached to a fitting portion at the tip of the dispensing nozzle, a disposal box for removing and discarding the dispensing nozzle tip from the dispensing nozzle, and a cutting mechanism that cuts the dispensing nozzle tip inserted into a removal portion for removing the dispensing nozzle tip from the dispensing nozzle, from the longitudinal side. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve storage efficiency while suppressing the accumulation of discarded dispensing nozzle tips. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a sample testing automation system, which is an example of a pretreatment device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating a schematic internal configuration of the dispensing module. [Diagram 3] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a dispensing tip waste duct provided in a dispensing module together with related configuration. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a chip cutting mechanism in a schematic manner. [Diagram 5] 1 is a plan view showing a tip holding portion of a tip cutting mechanism in a schematic manner; FIG. [Figure 6] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which the dispensing nozzle tip is inserted into the cutting mechanism. FIG. [Figure 7]11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the dispensing nozzle tip is inserted into the cutting mechanism. FIG. [Figure 8] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which the dispensing nozzle tip has been cut by the cutting mechanism. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the dispensing nozzle tip has been cut by the cutting mechanism. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overlapping state of dispensing nozzle tips in the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of a specimen testing automation system, which is an example of a pretreatment device according to the present embodiment.

[0016] In FIG. 1, the specimen testing automation system 1 is composed of a feeding module 2, a centrifugation module 3, an uncapping module 4, a daughter test tube preparation module 5, a dispensing module 6, a capping module 7 and a storage module 8.

[0017] Each module 2 to 8 has an internal transport device such as a belt conveyor capable of transporting a sample transport holder for carrying and transporting samples such as blood or urine, and the transport device also enables the transfer of sample transport holders between adjacent modules.

[0018] The input module 2 inputs sample containers (hereinafter referred to as parent samples) containing samples such as blood or urine collected from patients into the sample testing automation system 1. The parent samples are input by an operator into the input module 2. Here, an example is shown in which three parent samples are input.

[0019] The three parent samples input into the input module 2 are sequentially loaded onto a sample transport holder arranged on a transport device from the input position by a moving mechanism such as a robot arm (not shown), and are transported to other modules by the transport device. The parent samples input into the input module 2 are transported together with the sample transport holder to the centrifuge module 3 or the cap removal module 4 according to the requested analysis items.

[0020] The centrifugation module 3 performs a centrifugation process on the transported parent specimen, and the specimen is transported together with the specimen transport holder to the daughter test tube production module 5 and the capping module 4. The capping module 4 performs a capping process to open the parent specimen (specimen container), and the specimen is transported together with the specimen transport holder to the daughter test tube production module 5.

[0021] The parent specimen transported to the child test tube generating module 5 is further transported by a transport device to the dispensing module 6. In addition, when the parent specimen passes through the child test tube generating module 5, the child test tube generating module 5 generates a specimen container (child specimen container) to which information about the parent specimen (for example, a barcode with information printed on it) is added, and the specimen container is loaded onto a specimen transport holder arranged on the transport device and transported together with the specimen transport holder to the dispensing module 6.

[0022] The dispensing module 6 performs a dispensing process (described in detail later) in which the parent sample transported together with the sample transport holder by the transport device is dispensed into a child sample container similarly transported together with the sample transport holder by the transport device.

[0023] The capping module 7 performs a capping process to cap the parent sample (sample container) uncapped by the uncapping module 4 and the child sample container created by the dispensing module 6, and transports them together with the sample transport holder to the storage module 8 by a transport device.

[0024] The storage module 8 stores and keeps warm the parent sample and child sample containers together with the sample transport holders transported from the capping module 7. The child sample containers stored in the storage module 8 are inserted into an analyzer or the like by an operator or a transport device.

[0025] Fig. 2 is a top view showing a schematic internal configuration of the dispensing module, and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic internal configuration of a dispensing tip waste duct provided in the dispensing module together with related configuration.

[0026] In Figure 2, the dispensing module 6 has a parent sample transport line 11 that transports a sample transport holder carrying a parent sample using a transport device (e.g., a belt conveyor), a child sample transport line 12 that transports a sample transport holder carrying a child sample container using a transport device (e.g., a belt conveyor), and an output line 13 that transports the sample transport holder carrying the parent sample (sample container) after dispensing processing and the sample transport holder carrying the child sample container.

[0027] A parent specimen dispensing standby position 11a is provided on the parent specimen transport line 11, where a specimen transport holder carrying a parent specimen (specimen container) to be dispensed waits during dispensing processing. Also, a child specimen dispensing standby position 12a is provided on the child specimen transport line 12, where a child specimen container corresponding to the parent specimen waiting at the parent specimen dispensing standby position 11a waits during dispensing processing.

[0028] The dispensing module 6 also has a plurality of (e.g., three) dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c that can move integrally between above the parent sample dispensing standby position 11a of the parent sample transport line 11 and above the child sample dispensing standby position 12a of the child sample transport line 12. As shown in Fig. 3, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c have a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and their lower tips (lower ends) have a tapered shape that becomes thinner as it goes downward so that they can be inserted into and attached to the dispensing nozzle tip 101a.

[0029] A tip magazine 18 having a number of insertion holes for holding multiple dispensing nozzle tips 101a by inserting them is disposed in front of the parent sample transport line 11 and the child sample transport line 12 in the dispensing module 6 (lower in FIG. 2). The dispensing nozzle tips 101a have a cylindrical shape with one end (tip) narrowed. The dispensing nozzle tips 101a are drilled into the multiple insertion holes on the tip magazine 18, respectively, with their tips facing downward.

[0030] A tip remover 14 for removing the dispensing nozzle tip 101a attached to the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c is disposed in front of the parent sample transport line 11 and the child sample transport line 12 in the dispensing module 6 (lower in FIG. 2) and behind the tip magazine 18 (upper in FIG. 2). The tip remover 14 has a plate shape disposed along the horizontal direction and is provided with the same number or more (three in this case) of U-shaped cutouts at the same intervals as the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c, which are provided so that the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c can be inserted from the horizontal direction. The width of the U-shaped cutouts of the tip remover 14 is formed to be wider than the joint part of the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c with the dispensing nozzle tip 101a and narrower than the upper end (end different from the tip) of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a. That is, with the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c equipped with the dispensing nozzle tip 101a inserted horizontally into the U-shaped notch of the tip remover 14, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c can be moved upward (towards the front of the paper in Figure 2) to remove the dispensing nozzle tip 101a from the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c.

[0031] In addition, below the tip remover 14 (in the direction toward the back of the page in FIG. 2) is disposed a waste duct 15 through which pass the dispensing nozzle tips 101a that are removed from the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c by the tip remover 14 and discarded. Furthermore, below the waste duct 15 (in the direction toward the back of the page in FIG. 2) is disposed a waste box 20 that can accommodate a large number of used dispensing nozzle tips 101a that have passed through the waste duct 15.

[0032] 3, a cutting mechanism 25 that cuts the dispensing nozzle tip 101a from a longitudinal side is provided in the disposal duct 15. The cutting mechanism 25 performs a cutting process when disposing of the used dispensing nozzle tip 101a fixed to the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c. The cutting mechanism 25 will be described in detail below.

[0033] Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the chip cutting mechanism in a schematic manner, and Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the chip holding portion of the chip cutting mechanism in a schematic manner.

[0034] 3 and 4, the cutting mechanism 25 has cutting units in the same number or more as the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, and 17c (here, three, the same number as the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, and 17c). Hereinafter, the cutting unit associated with the dispensing head 17a will be described as a representative, and descriptions of other cutting units having similar configurations will be omitted.

[0035] The cutting portion of the dispensing head 17a comprises a first blade 31 having a first blade surface 311 and a second blade surface 312 formed continuously so as to abut against the side of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a from different directions, and is rotatably arranged in a direction along a plane including the first blade surface 311 and the second blade surface 312, and a second blade 32 having a blade surface 321 formed so as to abut against the side of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a from a direction different from the first blade surface 311 and second blade surface 312 of the first blade 31, and is fixed relative to the first blade 31.

[0036] More specifically, the first blade 31 is supported by a pin 35 fixed to a base 41 of the cutting mechanism 25 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The second blade 32 is fixed to the base 41 of the cutting mechanism 25. Then, by rotating the first blade 31 toward the second blade 32 while the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is disposed between the first blade 31 and the second blade 32, the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is cut while being held within a range defined by the first blade surface 311 and the second blade surface 312 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32. The other cutting parts of the dispensing heads 17b and 17c have the same configuration.

[0037] An oblong hole 313 is provided in each of the first blades 31 of the multiple cutting units, and a pin 45 provided on a movable base 44 (connecting member) is inserted into each of them, and the first blades 31 of each cutting unit are connected by the movable base 44. The movable base 44 is fixed to a timing belt 43 that transmits the power of a motor 42 which is an actuator, and the movable base 44 moves with the rotation of the motor 42, and the first blades 31 of each cutting unit are rotated via the pin 45, thereby simultaneously cutting the multiple dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c arranged on the multiple cutting machine units, respectively. As shown in Fig. 5, a tip holder is provided below the first blade 31 and the second blade 32 of each cutting portion (the rear side of the paper in Fig. 4). Hereinafter, the tip holder associated with the dispensing head 17a will be described as a representative, and descriptions of other tip holders having a similar configuration will be omitted.

[0038] The tip holder of the dispensing head 17a is provided rotatably coaxially with the first blade 31, and is configured to abut against the side of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a along the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31, and is restricted from rotating relative to the first blade 31 from a position along the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31 toward the dispensing nozzle tip 101a side, and to rotate from a direction facing the first tip holder 33 (the same direction as the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32) toward the dispensing nozzle tip 101a side. The nozzle tip 101a is provided with a second tip holding member 34 which abuts against the side of the nozzle tip 101a and is arranged along the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32, and an elastic member 38 (e.g., an elastic body such as a spring) which urges the first tip holding member 33 toward the nozzle tip 101a and rotates the first tip holding member 33 as the first blade 31 rotates toward the nozzle tip 101a, thereby gripping the nozzle tip 101a between the second tip holding member 34 and the first tip holding member 34.

[0039] More specifically, a first tip holding member 33 rotatably supported by a pin 35 is disposed below the first blade 31. The first tip holding member 33 has a cushioning rubber surface 331 that contacts the side of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a along the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31, and a protrusion 332 that is formed to rise toward the first blade 31 and contacts the first blade 31 to suppress rotation of the first tip holding member 33 toward the dispensing nozzle tip 101a side beyond the first blade surface 311. A second tip holding member 34 that is fixed to the base 41 in the same manner as the second blade 32 is disposed below the second blade 32. The second tip holding member 34 has a cushioning rubber surface 341 that contacts the side of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a along the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32. The other tip holders associated with the dispensing heads 17b and 17c have a similar configuration.

[0040] Here, the positional relationship between the first blade 31 and the second blade 32 will be described.

[0041] It is desirable that the dispensing nozzle tip 101a does not move away from the position between the first blade 31 and the second blade 32 while the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is being cut by the first blade 31 and the second blade 32. For example, if the rotation axis (pin 35) is located outside the extension line of the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32, the dispensing nozzle tip 101a will move in a direction (leftward in FIG. 4) away from the position between the first blade 31 and the second blade 32 during cutting. Therefore, it is desirable that the position of the rotation axis (pin 35) is located between the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32. Furthermore, the closer the pivot shaft (pin 35) is to the first blade 31 and the second blade, the greater the operating amount of the motor 42 must be (the greater the amount of movement of the movable base 44), but the torque of the motor 42 can be relatively small. Therefore, when the dispensing nozzle tip 101a to be cut is hard, it is desirable to bring the pivot shaft (pin 35) closer to the first blade 31 and the second blade 32.

[0042] Furthermore, if the gap between the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 322 of the second blade 32 is too narrow, the dispensing nozzle tip 101a cannot be placed therein, and if it is too wide, the amount of operation of the motor 42 increases. Therefore, it is desirable to set the gap between the first blade surface 311 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 322 of the second blade 32 to be slightly wider than the outer diameter of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a to be cut (for example, about the tip diameter + 1 to 3 mm).

[0043] A description will be given of the tip disposal operation of the cutting mechanism 25 configured as above. Hereinafter, the operation relating to the dispensing head 17a will be representatively described, and the description of the operation of other dispensing heads having a similar configuration will be omitted.

[0044] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the state in which the dispensing nozzle tip is inserted into the cutting mechanism, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the state in which the dispensing nozzle tip has been cut by the cutting mechanism, and Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

[0045] First, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c to which the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c to be discarded are attached are moved to a position (hereinafter, this position shown in FIG. 3 is referred to as the tip discarding position) where they are horizontally inserted into the U-shaped notch of the tip remover 14. At this time, the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c attached to the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c is positioned between the first blade 31 and the second blade 32 of the cutting part of the cutting mechanism 25 in the waste duct 15.

[0046] Next, with the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, and 17c (in other words, the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, and 101c) placed at the tip disposal position, the cutting mechanism 25 starts to operate, the motor 42 rotates, and the movable base 44 moves via the timing belt 43. As a result, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pin 45 of the movable base 44 rotates the first blade 31 clockwise around the pin 35 (i.e., in a direction in which the first blade surface 311 and the second blade surface 312 of the first blade 31 approach the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32). In addition, with the rotation of the first blade 31, the first tip holding member 33 rotates in the same direction as the first blade 31 due to the biasing force of the elastic member 38. As a result, the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is sandwiched between the first blade surface 311 and the second blade surface 312 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32. Additionally, the first tip holding member 33 and the second tip holding member 34 grip the underside of the cut portion of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a (the positions of the first blade 31 and the second blade 32).

[0047] When the motor 42 further rotates and moves the movable base 44, the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is cut from the side by the first blade surface 311 and the second blade surface 312 of the first blade 31 and the blade surface 321 of the second blade 32, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0048] At this time, the part above the cut surface of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a is held attached to the tip of the dispensing head 17a, and the part below the cut surface is held by the first tip holding member 33 and the second tip holding member 34 (tip holding portion).

[0049] After the dispensing nozzle tip is cut, the motor 42 of the cutting mechanism 25 rotates in the reverse (clockwise) direction, the first blade 31 and the first tip holding member 33 open, and the lower part of the cut dispensing nozzle tip 101a, which was held by the first tip holding member 33 and the second tip holding member 34, is released and discarded in the disposal box 20.

[0050] Thereafter, the dispensing head 17a rises, and the upper part of the cut dispensing nozzle tip 101a attached to the dispensing head 17a gets caught in the U-shaped notch of the tip remover 14, falls off the dispensing head 17a, and is discarded in the waste box 20.

[0051] The effects of the present embodiment configured as above will be described.

[0052] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overlapping state of dispensing nozzle tips in the prior art.

[0053] The number of dispensing nozzle tips that can be stored in the waste box is limited, and for example, an alarm is sounded when a preset threshold is exceeded, to prompt the operator to remove the dispensing nozzle tips from the waste box. On the other hand, when removing a dispensing nozzle tip from the waste box, the dispensing device temporarily stops processing, so it is desirable to remove the tip infrequently.

[0054] In disposing of dispensing nozzle tips in a dispensing device, for example, tip removers are placed in two locations above the box, and dispensing nozzle tips are disposed of in a dispersed manner, so that dispensing nozzle tips are not concentrated in one location in the disposal box. However, as discarded dispensing nozzle tips are piled up in the disposal box, there are rare cases in which the dispensing nozzle tips pile up like bamboo shoots, as shown in Fig. 10. When this phenomenon occurs, the dispensing nozzle tips easily pile up to the entrance of the disposal box, causing the problem that subsequent dispensing nozzle tips cannot be disposed of.

[0055] In contrast to this, in the present embodiment, the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c inserted into the removal section (tip disposal position) for removing the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c from the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c (dispensing nozzles) are cut from the longitudinal side, thereby improving storage efficiency while preventing the discarded dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c from piling up.

[0056] The overall operation of the dispensing module in this embodiment configured as above will now be described.

[0057] The parent sample and child sample containers transported to the dispensing module 6 are transported to the parent sample dispensing waiting position 11a on the parent sample transport line 11 and the child sample dispensing waiting position 12a on the child sample transport line 12, respectively, and when they reach there, they are fixed by a gripping member not shown.

[0058] Next, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c move above the tip magazine 18 and then lower, and the tips of the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c are inserted into the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c of the tip magazine 18 and attached.

[0059] After that, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, and 17c rise, move above the parent sample dispensing standby position 11a, and then descend. During the descent, when the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, and 101c come into contact with the liquid surface of the parent sample, the sample in the parent sample container is sucked into the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, and 101c by utilizing the pressure change.

[0060] Next, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c rise with the parent sample filled in the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c, move above the child sample dispensing standby position 12a, and then descend. When the tip of the dispensing nozzle tip 101a, 101b, 101c reaches the bottom of the tube of the child sample container, the heads stop descending, and while ascending, the heads eject the sample filled in the dispensing nozzle tip 101a, 101b, 101c into the child sample container by using pressure change (dispensing process). After dispensing, the parent sample and child sample container are transported by the parent sample transport line 11 and child sample transport line 12, and are transported from the dispensing module 6 via the transport line 13.

[0061] After the dispensing process is completed, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c move above the waste duct 15 and then descend. When the upper ends of the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c attached to the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c descend to the position of the lower surface of the tip remover 14, the dispensing heads 17a, 17b, 17c are moved horizontally and inserted into U-shaped notches of the tip remover 14, and the cutting mechanism 25 performs a tip disposal operation of the dispensing nozzle tips 101a, 101b, 101c at the tip disposal position (see FIG. 3).

[0062] <Additional Notes> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes various modifications and combinations within the scope of the gist of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to those having all the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, and includes those in which some of the configurations are deleted. The above-described configurations, functions, etc. may be realized by designing some or all of them as an integrated circuit, for example. The above-described configurations, functions, etc. may be realized by software, in which a processor interprets and executes a program that realizes each function. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1...Sample testing automation system, 2...Input module, 3...Centrifugation module, 4...Uncapping module, 5...Child test tube production module, 6...Dispensing module, 7...Capping module, 8...Storage module, 11...Parent sample transport line, 11a...Parent sample dispensing waiting position, 12...Child sample transport line, 12a...Child sample dispensing waiting position, 13...Extraction line, 14...Tip remover, 15...Waste duct, 17a...Dispensing head, 17b...Dispensing head, 17c...Dispensing head, 18...Tip magazine, 20...Waste Box, 25...cutting mechanism, 31...first blade, 32...second blade, 33...first tip holding member, 34...second tip holding member, 35...pin, 38...elastic member, 41...base, 42...motor, 43...timing belt, 44...movable base, 45...pin, 101a...dispensing nozzle tip, 101b...dispensing nozzle tip, 101c...dispensing nozzle tip, 311...first blade surface, 312...second blade surface, 313...elliptical hole portion, 321...blade surface, 322...blade surface, 331...rubber surface, 332...projection portion, 341...rubber surface

Claims

1. A pretreatment device that performs a dispensing process of aspirating a liquid sample contained in a sample container and then dispensing the liquid sample into another sample container, A dispensing nozzle; a dispensing nozzle tip detachably provided at the tip of the dispensing nozzle; a disposal box for removing and disposing of the dispensing nozzle tip from the dispensing nozzle; a cutting mechanism that cuts the dispensing nozzle tip inserted into a removal section that removes the dispensing nozzle tip from the dispensing nozzle from a longitudinal side; A pretreatment device comprising:

2. 2. The pretreatment device according to claim 1, The cutting mechanism includes: a first blade having a first blade surface and a second blade surface that are continuously formed so as to come into contact with a side surface of the dispensing nozzle tip from different directions, the first blade being provided rotatably in a direction along a plane including the first blade surface and the second blade surface; a second blade having a blade surface formed to abut against a side surface of the dispensing nozzle tip from a direction different from the first blade surface and the second blade surface of the first blade, and fixed relatively to the first blade; A pretreatment device characterized in that the dispensing nozzle tip is positioned between the first blade and the second blade, and the first blade is rotated toward the second blade, thereby cutting the dispensing nozzle tip while holding it within the range defined by the first blade surface and the second blade surface of the first blade and the blade surface of the second blade.

3. 3. The pretreatment device according to claim 2, A plurality of the cutting mechanisms; a connecting member that connects the first blades of each of the plurality of cutting mechanisms; an actuator that rotates the first blade of each of the plurality of cutting mechanisms via the connecting member so as to simultaneously cut the plurality of dispensing nozzle tips respectively disposed on the plurality of cutting mechanisms; A pretreatment device comprising:

4. 3. The pretreatment device according to claim 2, The cutting mechanism includes: a first tip holding member that is rotatably provided coaxially with the first blade, that abuts against a side surface of the dispensing nozzle tip along the first blade surface of the first blade, and that is restricted from rotating relative to the first blade from a position along the first blade surface of the first blade toward the dispensing nozzle tip; a second tip holding member that contacts a side surface of the dispensing nozzle tip from a direction different from that of the first tip holding member and is provided along a blade surface of the second blade; a pretreatment device having an elastic body that biases the first tip holding member toward the dispensing nozzle tip and rotates the first tip holding member in conjunction with the rotation of the first blade toward the dispensing nozzle tip, thereby gripping the dispensing nozzle tip between the first tip holding member and the second tip holding member.

Images