Inspection Cartridge Suitable for Image Acquisition

Abstract

To provide an inspection cartridge suitable to clearly photograph with strobe light an identification symbol or image with black ink on the transparent or translucent integrally-molded resin-made inspection cartridge in a device housing in a dark room state.SOLUTION: A transparent or translucent integrally-molded resin-made inspection cartridge comprises: one or more wells having openings; a horizontal plate-like well support plate which supports the one or more wells at the openings; and an entry area in such a form that the well support plate extends in the horizontal direction. In the inspection cartridge, a rear surface of the entry area is roughened and / or a side face part hangs down vertically downward from the side edge of the entry area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a test cartridge suitable for image acquisition.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in clinical tests, for simple and accurate measurement, POCT (Point of care testing) devices have been increasingly popular. In many POCT testing devices, a test cartridge in which reagents, instruments, etc. are stored in advance is used to perform the test simply. Generally, for the materials of the test cartridge, a transparent or translucent resin material is used for easy confirmation of the contained reagents, mounted instruments, etc. during manufacturing and easy attention during use.

[0003] Regarding sample identification, there are methods such as printing an ID for identification with a barcode and attaching it to the cartridge. However, in the case of POCT, a method of reading a directly written identification symbol on the test cartridge with a black ink pen, etc. as an image is preferable. However, in the case of a transparent or translucent resin test cartridge, since the irradiation light passes through the cartridge due to the light projection from the installation position of the imaging camera, sufficient reflected light cannot be obtained, and there is a possibility that an image with a clear contour of the written identification symbol cannot be acquired. To increase the reflected light, a method of providing a reflector for reflecting the irradiation light on the device can be considered, but additional members are required and the cost increases.

[0004] Therefore, it is preferable that the test cartridge itself has a structure that can sufficiently scatter light. For example, as described in Patent Document 1, when photographing a white imaging object on a transparent or translucent resin sheet by the transmission method, if there are fine unevenness (shibo) on the resin sheet, irregular reflection occurs, and this irregular reflection and the white imaging object are assimilated, and it is known that it hinders the photographing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0006] To provide an inspection cartridge suitable for clearly stroboscopically photographing identification symbols and images in black ink on a transparent or translucent integrally molded resin inspection cartridge in a darkroom-like apparatus housing.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0007] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have reached the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention is a transparent or translucent resin integrally molded product including one or more wells having openings, a horizontal plate-like well support plate that supports the one or more wells at the openings, and a filling region provided by extending the well support plate in the horizontal direction. In the inspection cartridge, the back surface of the filling region is roughened and / or has side portions that hang vertically downward from the side edges of the filling region.

[0009] The inspection cartridge is not particularly limited with respect to the shape, material, etc. of the wells as long as it is transparent or translucent, has one or more wells, and is a resin integrally molded product having a filling region with black ink, and there is no problem in changing the structure according to the reagents, instruments, etc. required for the measurement to be performed.

[0010] The writing area refers to the upper surface area of a horizontal plate with a well support extending horizontally. The writing area is a smooth surface, and its back surface is characterized by being roughened. By making the writing area a smooth surface, smooth handwriting input with an oil-based marker or the like becomes possible, resulting in the effect that the outlines of the drawn identification symbols and images become clear. The back surface of the writing area is roughened by embossing. Therefore, part of the irradiation light from the side of the imaging camera is diffusely reflected on the back surface of the writing area, and the diffused light from the background part of the imaging field of view enters the imaging element of the imaging camera, enabling the acquisition of an image with a clear contrast between the identification symbols and images in black ink.

[0011] Also, vertically downward from the side edge of the writing area, there is a hanging side surface portion. The irradiation light that has passed through the writing area diffuses on the back surface of the writing area, and part of it enters the inside of the side surface portion. Also, part of the irradiation light that has entered and passed through from the outside of the side surface portion enters the inside of the opposite side surface portion and repeats reflection and diffusion. The diffused light generated from the side surface portion in this way reaches part of the writing area, or the resin integrally molded product acts as an optical waveguide, serving to enhance the diffused light from the background part of the imaging field of view in the writing area.

[0012] Since the identification symbols drawn with black ink on the inspection cartridge can be clearly photographed, it becomes possible to print the acquired image together with the result report or insert it into an electronic medical record. Furthermore, if a high-resolution imaging camera is used, it becomes possible to easily identify the sample by converting it into text using the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) function.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to clearly take a stroboscopic photograph of identification symbols and images drawn with black ink on a transparent or translucent integrally molded resin inspection cartridge inside an apparatus housing in a darkroom state.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail below. However, the present invention can be implemented in different forms and is not limited only to the examples of the embodiments and examples shown below.

[0016] The unevenness of the embossing process is preferably 500 μm or less.

[0017] As the material of the inspection cartridge, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. can be used, but it is not particularly limited as long as it is a transparent or translucent resin.

Examples

[0018] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited by these examples. (Example 1) As shown in FIG. 1, in Example 1, inside the apparatus, the inspection cartridge 20 is stored in the inspection cartridge storage unit 21, and the imaging camera 10 is disposed above the inspection cartridge 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging camera 10 has an imaging lens 12 at the center and two illumination lenses 11 on both sides thereof. The illumination lens 11a, the illumination lens 11b, and the imaging lens 12 are arranged side by side in the X direction with respect to the inspection cartridge that is long in the Y direction. The illumination light is projected from the illumination lens 11 onto the entry area 30 of the inspection cartridge 20 using the imaging camera 10, and the identification symbol entered in the entry area 30 is photographed from the imaging lens 12.

[0019] Figure 3(a) is a perspective view of Example 1. The inspection cartridge 20 is translucent, has an entry area 30, and has a side surface portion 40 that hangs vertically downward directly below the side edge of the entry area 30. The entry area 30 is a smooth surface, and the back surface 31 of the entry area is embossed. The unevenness of the embossing is 500 μm or less. The material of the inspection cartridge 20 is polypropylene. The side surface portion 40 hangs vertically downward from the side edge of the entry area to about the same level as the bottom end of the well. Also, the outer surface 41 of the side surface portion has nine vertical line structures 43, and nothing is done to the inner side 42 of the side surface portion. By providing the vertical line structures 43, it is made difficult to slip when handling the inspection cartridge. (Example 2) Using an inspection cartridge 20 that is translucent, has no embossing on the back side 31 of the entry area, and has a side surface portion 40 that hangs vertically downward directly below the entry area 30, the same examination as in Example 1 was conducted. (Example 3) Figure 3(b) is a perspective view of Example 3. Using an inspection cartridge 20 that is translucent, has embossing on the back side 31 of the entry area, and has no side surface portion 40, the same examination as in Example 1 was conducted. (Comparative Example 1) Using an inspection cartridge 20 that is translucent, has no embossing on the back side 31 of the entry area, and has no side surface portion 40, the same examination as in Example 1 was conducted.

[0020] Table 1 and Figure 4 show the results of photographing the identification symbols entered in the entry area 30 of the inspection cartridges 20 of Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, and Comparative Example 1 using a photographing camera. As the identification symbols, "Wada" was entered with a black ink pen in all cases.

[0021]

Table 1

[0022] As a result of photographing the identification symbol entered in the entry area 30 using the inspection cartridge 20 of Example 1, it was possible to obtain an image with a clear outline of the entered identification symbol as shown in FIG. 4. Also, even in the case of the inspection cartridge 20 of Example 2 without the embossing on the back surface 31 of the entry area and Example 3 without the side surface portion 40, it was possible to obtain an image with a clear outline of the identification symbol in the same manner as in Example 1. On the other hand, in the case of the inspection cartridge 20 of Comparative Example 1 without the embossing on the back surface 31 of the entry area and the side surface portion 40, an image with a clear outline of the identification symbol could not be obtained.

[0023] By using the inspection cartridge of any one of Examples 1, 2, or 3, it was possible to clearly photograph the identification symbol drawn with black ink on the inspection cartridge, and the obtained image could be printed together with the result report or inserted into the electronic medical record. Also, by using a high-resolution photographing camera and converting it into text using the OCR function, the sample could be easily identified as characters.

Explanation of Signs

[0024] 10 Photographing camera 11 Illumination lens 12 Imaging lens 20 Inspection cartridge 21 Inspection cartridge storage section 30 Entry area 31 Back surface of the entry area 40 Side surface portion 41 Outer side of the side surface portion 42 Inner side of the side surface portion 43 Vertical line structure

Claims

1. One or more wells having an opening, A horizontal plate-like well support plate that supports the one or more wells at the opening, An entry area provided by extending the well support plate in the horizontal direction, In an inspection cartridge that is a transparent or translucent resin integrally molded product including, The inspection cartridge is characterized in that the back surface of the entry area is roughened and / or has side surfaces that hang vertically downward from the side edges of the entry area.

2. The inspection cartridge according to Claim 1, wherein the roughening is a embossing process with irregularities of 500 μm or less.

3. The inspection cartridge according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the entry area is a smooth surface.

4. The inspection cartridge according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the one or more wells are supported by the well support plate in a form in which a plurality of wells are arranged in a straight line.

5. The inspection cartridge according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the side surfaces are a pair of side surfaces that hang vertically downward from the opposing side edges of the entry area, respectively.

6. The inspection cartridge according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the side surfaces hang vertically downward from the side edges of the entry area to approximately the same level as the lowermost end of the well.

7. The inspection cartridge according to Claim 6, which is intended to acquire an image of an identification symbol on the inspection cartridge and print the image on a result report.

8. The inspection cartridge according to Claim 6, which is intended to acquire an image of an identification symbol on the inspection cartridge and insert the image into an electronic medical record.

9. The inspection cartridge according to Claim 6, which is intended to acquire an image of an identification symbol on the inspection cartridge and convert the image into text by OCR (Optical Character Recognition).

Images