Liquid container gripping mechanism and automatic analyzer equipped with the liquid container gripping mechanism

Abstract

The present invention achieves a liquid container gripping mechanism that makes it possible to prevent tilting of liquid containers, with respect to various types of liquid containers having different outer diameters. A liquid container gripping mechanism (400) comprises: a first grip member (405) for gripping a liquid container; a second grip member (406) that is arranged on the side facing opposite the first grip member (405) across from the liquid container and that grips the liquid container together with the first grip member (405); and a coupling part (403) for coupling the first grip member (405) and the second grip member (406) together. The first grip member (405) rotates with a first rotating shaft (402) as the center of rotation, and the second grip member (406) rotates with a second rotating shaft (404) as the center of rotation, the grip members rotating at substantially the same angle in mutually opposite directions with the coupling unit (403) therebetween.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid container gripping mechanism and an automatic analyzer provided with the liquid container gripping mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] In an automatic analyzer for detecting a measurement target contained in a sample, in order to dispense a liquid such as a sample or a reagent, it is necessary that a sample container, which is a liquid container, does not tilt and is gripped at the correct position of the sample mounting portion. Samples to be measured by the analyzer are filled in various types of sample containers, and since their outer diameters are different from each other, the mounting portions of the sample containers need to grip containers with different outer diameters with a single mechanism.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a structure in which, in an automatic analyzer, two gripping members rotate around a common axis and grip a reaction tube from both sides.

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 describes that, in the case of a standard cup in an automatic analyzer, the thick part of the head of this standard cup is fixed by a plurality of claws. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which, in the case of a test tube, the test tube is pushed by a plurality of claws with equal stress and supported at the central position regardless of the thickness of the test tube.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, since the two gripping members rotate around a common axis and grip the reaction tube from both sides, a difference occurs in the displacement angles of the two gripping members, resulting in a difference in external force and making it difficult to correctly center the container to be gripped, and the target position of gripping cannot be defined. Therefore, there is a possibility that the reaction tube may not be centered at an accurate position.

[0007] Also in the technology described in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to correctly center the container to be gripped due to a difference in the external forces of the plurality of claws.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to realize a liquid container gripping mechanism capable of suppressing the inclination of a liquid container and an automatic analyzer including this liquid container gripping mechanism for a variety of liquid containers having different outer diameters.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

[0010] In a liquid container gripping mechanism, a first gripping member that grips a liquid container, a second gripping member that is disposed on the side opposite to the first gripping member with the liquid container therebetween and grips the liquid container together with the first gripping member, and a connecting portion that connects the first gripping member and the second gripping member, wherein the first Gripping member and the second Gripping member are formed such that the portion that contacts and grips the liquid container is long in the height direction of the liquid container, the first gripping member rotates about a first rotation axis, the second gripping member rotates about a second rotation axis, and rotate in substantially the same angle in opposite directions via the connecting portion A first container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at a lower portion of the first gripping member, a first interference avoidance space is formed at an upper portion of the first container gripping portion, a second container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at an upper portion of the second gripping member, and a second interference avoidance space is formed at a lower portion of the second container gripping portion .

[0011] Also, in an automatic analyzer, filled with a liquid to be analyzed A plurality ofA liquid container installation part for installing a liquid container, an analysis part for analyzing a liquid to be analyzed, a liquid dispensing mechanism for dispensing liquid from the liquid container installed on the liquid container installation part, and a gripping mechanism for gripping the liquid container installed on the liquid container installation part A plurality of A liquid container gripping mechanism, and the liquid container gripping mechanism The A first gripping member for gripping the liquid container, a second gripping member disposed on the side facing the first gripping member with the liquid container therebetween and gripping the liquid container together with the first gripping member, and a connecting portion connecting the first gripping member and the second gripping member. The first Gripping member And the second Gripping member The portion that contacts and grips the liquid container is formed long in the height direction of the liquid container. The first gripping member rotates about a first rotation axis, and the second gripping member rotates about a second rotation axis. They rotate by substantially the same angle in opposite directions via the connecting portion A first container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at a lower portion of the first gripping member, a first interference avoidance space is formed at an upper portion of the first container gripping portion, a second container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at an upper portion of the second gripping member, and a second interference avoidance space is formed at a lower portion of the second container gripping portion The plurality of liquid container gripping mechanisms are arranged adjacent to each other on the liquid container installation portion. For two liquid container gripping mechanisms adjacent to each other, the first container gripping portion of the first gripping member and the second interference avoidance space of the second gripping member face each other, and the first interference avoidance space of the first gripping member and the second container holding portion of the second gripping member face each other

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] It is possible to realize a liquid container gripping mechanism capable of suppressing the inclination of a liquid container for a variety of liquid containers with different outer diameters, and an automatic analyzer including this liquid container gripping mechanism.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

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

Example

[0015] First, an automatic analyzer equipped with a specimen container holding mechanism will be described. Hereinafter, after describing the overall configuration of the automatic analyzer, the specimen container mounted on this automatic analyzer and the specimen container holding mechanism for holding this specimen container will be described in detail. However, the present invention is applicable not only to specimens but also to liquid containers filled with liquids such as reagents, liquid dispensing mechanisms, and liquid container holding mechanisms.

[0016] (Automatic Analyzer 101) In FIG. 1, the automatic analyzer 101 is a device for analyzing a specimen using a reagent corresponding to a predetermined analysis item, and includes a specimen container mounting disk (liquid container mounting section) 102, a specimen dispensing mechanism 104, a reagent storage 105, a reagent dispensing mechanism 108, a reaction tank (reaction disk) 109, a biochemical detection unit 110 (analysis section), a control unit 111, an operation unit 112, and the like.

[0017] The specimen container mounting disk 102 has a structure for mounting the specimen container 103 in a ring shape. When dispensing the specimen, the specimen container mounting disk 102 rotates to transport the specimen container 103 to the access position (access position) of the specimen dispensing mechanism 104.

[0018] The specimen container 103 has a barcode 116 to be described later, and the barcode reader 115 reads the barcode 116 and transmits the information of the barcode 116 to the control unit 111.

[0019] The specimen dispensing mechanism 104 is composed of a rotation drive mechanism, an up-and-down drive mechanism, and a dispensing probe, and moves between the specimen suction position and the specimen discharge position by the rotation drive mechanism and the up-and-down drive mechanism.

[0020] The reagent storage 105 is a mechanism for storing reagent packs containing reagents, and has a reagent disk 106 and a reagent pack holding unit 107. The reagent storage 105 has a cold storage function.

[0021] On the reagent disk 106, the reagent pack holding units 107 are arranged in a double ring shape so that a plurality of reagent packs can be held. The reagent disk 106 has a rotation drive mechanism and moves each reagent pack to a predetermined position on the circumferential part by rotational movement.

[0022] The reagent dispensing mechanism 108 is composed of a rotation drive mechanism, an up-and-down drive mechanism, and a dispensing probe. The reagent dispensing mechanism 108 rotates and descends to a predetermined type of reagent pack position on the reagent disk 106 and sucks a predetermined amount of reagent. After sucking the reagent, the reagent dispensing mechanism 108 rises. Next, it rotates and descends to a predetermined reaction cell on the reaction tank 109 as the reagent discharge destination and discharges each reagent.

[0023] Hereinafter, the biochemical analysis process will be described in the order of processing.

[0024] The reaction tank 109 is temperature-controlled to an appropriate temperature for the purpose of promoting the reaction between the specimen and the reagent.

[0025] First, the sample dispensing mechanism 104 dispenses a predetermined amount of sample into a predetermined reaction cell on the reaction tank 109. Then, the reaction tank 109 rotates, moving the reaction cell into which the sample has been discharged to the access position of the reagent dispensing mechanism 108, and the reagent dispensing mechanism 108 dispenses a predetermined amount of reagent into the reaction cell into which the sample has been discharged.

[0026] When the reaction process of the sample and the reagent on the reaction tank 109 is completed, the reaction tank 109 rotates, moving the reaction cell containing the reaction solution after the reaction is completed to the installation position of the biochemical detection unit 110.

[0027] Thereafter, the detection unit in the biochemical detection unit 110 measures the reaction signal.

[0028] Among the automatic analyzer 101, the mechanisms described above are referred to as the analysis operation unit.

[0029] Furthermore, in addition to the analysis operation unit, the automatic analyzer 101 includes a control unit 111 and an operation unit 112 that control the operations of the various devices within the automatic analyzer 101.

[0030] The control unit 111 is composed of, for example, a hardware board and a computer, and incorporates a storage device 113 such as a hard disk and a control device 114.

[0031] The storage device 113 stores, for example, control parameters corresponding to each unit.

[0032] The control unit 111 may be configured as hardware by a dedicated circuit board, or may be configured by software executed by a computer. When configured by hardware, it can be realized by integrating a plurality of arithmetic units that execute processing on a wiring board, or within a semiconductor chip or package. When configured by software, it can be realized by mounting a high-speed general-purpose CPU on a computer and executing a program that executes a desired arithmetic process. It is also possible to upgrade an existing device using a recording medium on which this program is recorded. Further, these devices, circuits, and computers are connected by a wired or wireless network, and data is appropriately transmitted and received.

[0033] The operation unit 112 is composed of a display device that is a display, and input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard.

[0034] (Specimen container mounting disk 102) The specimen container mounting disk 102 can mount a plurality of specimen containers 103 on the circumference. If the mounted specimen container 103 is tilted with respect to the probe of the specimen dispensing mechanism 104, or if the center of the specimen container 103 is displaced from the access position of the dispensing probe and is gripped, there is a risk that the dispensing probe will collide with the inner wall of the specimen container 103, damaging the dispensing probe or preventing proper dispensing. Therefore, the gripping of the specimen container 103 needs to be performed with high precision.

[0035] The process of mounting / replacing the specimen container 103 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. At the start of the specimen container replacement process (step 201), the user presses a specimen container replacement start button 302 (shown in FIG. 3) on a specimen container replacement screen 301 (shown in FIG. 3), which is a GUI screen (step 202). The interlock of the gate cover is released, and the gate cover is opened to enable access to the specimen container mounting disk 102 (step 203).

[0036] The specimen container mounting disk 102 has a plurality of protrusions arranged on the circumference. The user grasps these protrusions and rotates the specimen container mounting disk 102 to move the position of the mounting / exchange target to the front, and mounts / exchanges the specimen container 103 (step 205). The gate cover is closed and the specimen container exchange end button 303 (shown in FIG. 3) is pressed on the GUI (step 207), and the mounting / exchange process of the specimen container 103 is completed (step 208).

[0037] (Specimen container 103) The specimen container 103 is used appropriately depending on the measurement item and the type of specimen to be filled. Therefore, the specimen container mounting disk 102 needs to be provided with a mechanism capable of mounting specimen containers 103 having different outer diameters. In this embodiment, the height direction position of the specimen container 103 is determined by the user pushing it in until the bottom surface contacts the hemispherical specimen container receiver 410 (shown in FIG. 4B) provided in the specimen container mounting mechanism 400 (shown in FIGS. 4A to 6B). The shape of the specimen container receiver 410 may not be hemispherical but may be a flat surface. The gripping claws 405 (first gripping member) and gripping claws 406 (second gripping member) (shown in FIGS. 4A, 5A, and 6A) provided in the specimen container gripping mechanism 400 grip the specimen container 103 from both sides (the second gripping member 406 is arranged on the side facing the first gripping member 405 with the specimen container 103 in between), thereby centering the specimen container 103. The ideal position for centering is the position where the center of the specimen container 103 coincides with the center of the hemispherical specimen container receiver 410.

[0038] Some of the specimen containers 103 do not reach the length to reach the hemispherical specimen container receiver 410. The height direction position of these specimen containers 103 is determined by being caught on the upper surface of the specimen container mounting disk 102. Centering is performed by the gripping claws 405 and gripping claws 406 in the same manner as for the specimen container 103 having a length reaching the hemispherical specimen container receiver 410.

[0039] Regarding the identification of the specimen container 103, as described above, the barcode 116 is attached to the specimen container 103 and is read by the barcode reader 115.

[0040] (Specimen container gripping mechanism 400) The outer diameter of the specimen container 103 to be used ranges from φ11 to φ16. Figures 4A and 4B show the state of gripping the specimen container 103 with an outer diameter of φ11, Figures 5A and 5B show the state of gripping the specimen container 103 with an outer diameter of φ13, and Figures 6A and 6B show the state of gripping the specimen container 103 with an outer diameter of φ16. A mechanical stopper 408 is arranged between the two gripping claws 405 to 406. When the specimen container 103 is not inserted, the gripping claws 405 to 406 are in contact with the mechanical stopper 408, and the opening width is narrower than when the specimen container 103 with a diameter of φ11 is inserted.

[0041] A metal spring 401 (elastic member) is attached between the gripping claw 405 and the gripping claw 406. When the specimen container 103 is inserted, the metal spring 401 is compressed, and the specimen container 103 is gripped from the left and right directions by the force that the gripping claws 405 and 406 tend to rotate due to the elastic force. That is, it is provided with a metal spring 401 (elastic member) attached between the gripping claw 405 (first gripping member) and the gripping claw 406 (second gripping member). The metal spring 401 (elastic member) applies an elastic force between the gripping claw 405 (first gripping member) and the gripping claw 406 (second gripping member). The gripping claw 405 (first gripping member) rotates around the rotation axis 402 (first rotation axis), and the gripping claw 406 (second gripping member) rotates around the rotation axis 404 (second rotation axis). The rotation amounts of the gripping claw 405 (first gripping member) and the gripping claw 406 (second gripping member) are configured to be substantially equal to each other.

[0042] The metal spring 401 (elastic member) installed between the gripping claw 405 and the gripping claw 406 can be a torsion spring by providing a guide rod between the gripping claw 405 and the gripping claw 406. Furthermore, not limited to the metal spring, the gripping claws 405 and 406 themselves can be processed into a resin spring shape and used.

[0043] The gripping claws 405 and 406 are inserted and fixed into the cylinders on the bottom and top surfaces of the specimen container mounting disk 102. Using these cylinders as the rotation shafts 402 (first rotation shaft) and 404 (second rotation shaft), the gripping claws 405 and 406 rotate. The rotation shaft 402 is supported by the fixed central shaft 402A (first gripping member fixing portion). The rotation shaft 404 is supported by the fixed central shaft 404A (second gripping member fixing portion). The central shaft 402A is inserted into the first hole 405H formed in the rotation shaft 402 of the gripping claw 405, and the central shaft 404A is inserted into the second hole 406H formed in the rotation shaft 404 of the gripping claw 406. It may be the case that the gripping claws 405 and 406 have cylinders and are shaped to be inserted into the holes in the bottom and top surfaces of the specimen container mounting disk 102.

[0044] The two gripping claws 405 and 406 are connected to each other by a connecting portion 403. The connecting portion 403 has teeth arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the disk, and is shaped such that the teeth of the two connecting portions 403 rotate while meshing with each other. The rotation amounts of the gripping claws 405 and 406 are almost always the same and they rotate. That is, the connecting portion 403 has a gear shape, and the gears mesh with each other to connect the gripping claw 405 and the gripping claw 406.

[0045]

[0046]

[0047] Thus, with the line connecting the center of the specimen container mounting disk 102 and the ideal centering position of the specimen container 103 as the center position, the left and right gripping claws 405 and 406 rotate with substantially equal displacement amounts relative to each other. The portion where the gripping claws 405 and 406 are in contact may have a structure of a friction wheel where the rubber surfaces are in contact and one driving force is transmitted to the other by frictional force, or a structure where a belt is stretched between the gripping claws 405 and 406 and the gripping claws 405 and 406 are provided with a pulley structure to synchronize the magnitudes of the displacement angles. However, by adopting gears, the number of parts can be reduced, and the magnitudes of the displacement angles can be made exactly equal.​Assume that the specimen container 103 is tilted from the gripped state under an external force and comes into contact only with the gripping claw 406 on the right side of the specimen container 103 (shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B). At this time, the gripping claw 405 on the left side also rotates according to the tilt of the specimen container 103 and has the same displacement amount as the gripping claw 406 on the right side. When the external force is no longer applied, the specimen container 103 is pushed by the gripping claw 406 on the right side and tries to return to the left side.

[0048] When the tilt of the specimen container 103 decreases and the rotation angle of the gripping claw 406 on the right side becomes smaller, the rotation angle of the gripping claw 405 on the left side also becomes smaller, and eventually the gripping claw 405 on the left side comes into contact with the specimen container 103. The displacement amounts of the two gripping claws 405 and 406 are equal, and since they are rotating by the common metal spring 401, the magnitudes of the forces exerted on the specimen container 103 are also equal. Therefore, the gripping claws 405 and 406 return to the positions for gripping the specimen container 103 at the ideal position, and the specimen container 103 accurately returns to the same position as before receiving the external force.

[0049] Each of the gripping claws 405 and 406 is provided with two cylindrical specimen container contact portions 407 (liquid container contact portions) that contact the specimen container 103 (liquid container) to apply a gripping force, and a total of four points of the specimen container 103 are in contact with the left and right gripping claws 405 and 406. The positions where these specimen container contact portions 407 are formed are at positions that minimize the difference in the gripping positions of the specimen container 103 with each diameter when gripping the specimen containers 103 of φ11, 13, and 16.

[0050] Due to these characteristics, the specimen container 103 gripped by the gripping claws 405 and 406 is gripped at substantially the same position regardless of the outer diameter of the specimen container 103. When gripping the specimen container 103, in order to make the contact portions between the gripping claws 405 and 406 and the specimen container 103 only these cylindrical specimen container contact portions 407, the portions of the gripping claws 405 and 406 that grip the specimen container 103 are shaped like a cylinder with the central portion cut out when viewed from above.

[0051] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are front views of a state in which the specimen container 103 with an outer diameter of φ16 is being gripped. The gripping claws 405 and 406 have a vertically long shape, and by making the portion where the specimen container 103 contacts the gripping claws 405 and 406 long in the height direction, the inclination of the specimen container 103 is suppressed.

[0052] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing two adjacent specimen container gripping mechanisms 400, and are explanatory diagrams of a configuration in which they do not interfere with each other when the gripping claws 405 and 406 of the adjacent specimen container gripping mechanism 400 are open. FIGS. 7A and 7B omit some illustrations for convenience of explanation.

[0053] In FIGS. 7A and 7B, second interference avoidance spaces 701B and 702B, which are notches, are formed below the right gripping claw 406 that grips the specimen container 103 so that the gripping claws 405 and 406 do not interfere with each other.

[0054] In addition, first interference avoidance spaces 701C and 702C, which are notches, are formed above the left gripping claw 405 that grips the specimen container 103.

[0055] When the gripping claws 405 and 406 of the adjacent specimen container gripping mechanism 400 are open, the second container gripping portion 701A shown in FIG. 7A enters the first interference avoidance space 702C shown in FIG. 7B, thereby avoiding interference between the gripping claws 405 and 406. Also, the first container gripping portion 702D shown in FIG. 7B enters the first interference avoidance space 702C shown in FIG. 7A, thereby avoiding interference between the gripping claws 405 and 406.

[0056] Similarly, when the gripping claws 405 and 406 of the adjacent specimen container gripping mechanism 400 are open, the second container gripping portion 702A enters the first interference avoidance space 701C, thereby avoiding interference between the gripping claws 405 and 406. Also, the first container gripping portion 701D enters the second interference avoidance space 702B, thereby avoiding interference between the gripping claws 405 and 406.

[0057] The upper ends of the gripping claws 405 and 406 are formed with a guide 409 for guiding when the specimen container 103 is inserted. The guide 409 formed at the upper end of the gripping claw 405 is an inclined surface (tapered surface) that slopes towards the gripping claw 406, and the guide 409 formed at the upper end of the gripping claw 406 is an inclined surface (tapered surface) that slopes towards the gripping claw 405. By forming the guide 409 at the upper ends of the gripping claws 405 and 406, the portion where the bottom surface of the specimen container 103 first contacts is an inclined surface, and the specimen container 103 can be inserted while suppressing impact.

[0058] On the side surface sides of the gripping claws 405 and 406, a certain gap (a gap equal to or wider than the width of the barcode 116) is formed. When gripping the specimen container 103 with a diameter of Φ11, the opening width of the gripping claws 405 and 406 ensures a sufficient width (3 mm) for reading the barcode 116.

[0059] A plurality of specimen container gripping mechanisms 400 are arranged on the circumference of the specimen container mounting disk 102, and a plurality of specimen containers 103 can be mounted on the circumference.

[0060] (In the case of an example different from the present invention) As an example of a general specimen container mounting disk, a plurality (for example, four) of resin springs grip the specimen container by contacting it. Consider the case where the specimen container tilts under an external force from a state where the specimen container is vertically gripped.

[0061] When the specimen container tilts to the right, the resin spring on the right is pushed and its deformation amount increases. At this time, the resin spring on the left also moves following the outer wall of the specimen container. Therefore, the deformation amount of the resin spring on the right is large and that on the left is small. When the external force on the specimen container disappears in this state, the specimen container returns to the position where the elastic forces of the left and right resin springs are balanced. However, if friction occurs between the contact part of the left resin spring and the outer wall of the specimen container, the force received by the outer wall of the left specimen container is the resultant force of the elastic force of the resin spring and the frictional force. On the other hand, since the force received by the outer wall of the right specimen container is only the elastic force, the required magnitude of the elastic force becomes larger for the left side, so the deformation amount of the resin spring on the right becomes larger than that on the left. As a result, the specimen container is held in a tilted state to the right, making it difficult to correctly center the specimen container.

[0062] (Comparison between an embodiment of the present invention and an example different from the present invention) A comparison of the specimen container gripping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention and an example different from the present invention described above is made, that is, a comparison of the old and new structures. The experimental method for comparison is described below.

[0063] After inserting the specimen container into the specimen container installation part, hold the upper end of the specimen container and tilt the specimen container in the horizontal direction. Then, measure the angle θ between the central axis of the specimen container and the vertical line. Calculate the error value from the ideal angle, and let Δθ be the value made dimensionless by the error value in the structure of the example different from the present invention. Then, compare Δθ of the embodiment of the present invention with that of the example different from the present invention. Fig. 8 is a graph showing the result of comparing Δθ of the old and new structures. In Fig. 8, the hatched part is the example different from the present invention, and the part with multiple horizontal lines is the example of the present invention. At the outer diameter Φ11, there is no change in Δθ for both. At the outer diameter Φ13, the example of the present invention is reduced by 66.7% compared with the example different from the present invention, and at the outer diameter Φ16, it is reduced by 33.3%.

[0064] From this, it can be seen that the performance of the specimen gripping mechanism in the embodiment of the present invention is improved compared with the example different from the present invention.

[0065] In the present invention, the displacement amounts of the two gripping claws 405 and 406 that grip the specimen container 103 are configured to be equal, and since they rotate by a common metal spring 401, the magnitudes of the forces exerted by the gripping claws 405 and 406 are also equal, and the positioning of the specimen container 103 is correctly performed.

[0066] As described above, according to the present invention, since the two gripping claws 405 and 406 are connected to each other by the metal spring 401 and are connected by the connecting portion 403 having teeth that mesh with each other, the opening degrees of the two gripping claws 405 and 406 and the pressing force exerted on the specimen container 103 are equal in force, and it is possible to suppress the inclination of the specimen container with respect to various types of specimen containers having different outer diameters, and a specimen container gripping mechanism and an automatic analyzer including this specimen container gripping mechanism can be realized.

[0067] Note that the connecting portion 403 has a configuration in which teeth mesh with each other, but instead of the tooth configuration, it may be formed of a material having a high frictional force with each other and transmit a rotational force, or an example in which the rotating shafts 402 and 404 are connected by a belt so as to rotate in opposite directions to each other and transmit a rotational force.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0068] 101 ··· Automatic analysis device, 102 ··· Specimen container mounting disk, 103 ··· Specimen container, 104 ··· Specimen dispensing mechanism, 105 ··· Reagent storage, 106 ··· Reagent disk, 107 ··· Reagent pack holding part, 108 ··· Reagent dispensing mechanism, 109 ··· Reaction tank disk, 110 ··· Biochemical detection unit, 111 ··· Control unit, 112 ··· Operation unit, 113 ··· Memory device, 114 ··· Control device, 115 ··· Barcode reader, 116 ··· Barcode, 201 ··· Specimen container replacement start, 202 ··· Specimen container replacement start button press process, 203 ··· Gate cover opening process, 204 ··· Specimen disk rotation process, 205 ··· Specimen container mounting / replacement process, 206 ··· Gate cover closing process, 207 ··· Specimen container replacement end button press process, 208 ··· Specimen container replacement end, 301 ··· Screen during specimen container replacement, 302 ··· Specimen container replacement start button, 303 ··· Specimen container replacement end button, 400 ··· Specimen container gripping mechanism, 401 ··· Metal spring (elastic member), 402 ··· Rotation shaft (first rotation shaft), 402A ··· Central axis (first gripping member fixing part), 403 ··· Connecting part, 404 ··· Rotation shaft (second rotation shaft), 404A ··· Central axis (second gripping member fixing part), 405 ··· Gripping claw (first gripping member), 405H ··· First hole, 406 ··· Gripping claw (second gripping member), 406H ··· Second hole, 407 ··· Specimen container contact part (liquid container contact part), 408 ··· Mechanical stopper, 409 ··· Guide, 410 ··· Specimen container receiver, 701A, 702A ··· Second container gripping part, 701B, 702B ··· Second interference avoidance space, 701C, 702C ··· First interference avoidance space, 701D, 702D ··· First container gripping part

Claims

1. A first gripping member for gripping a liquid container, a second gripping member disposed on a side opposite to the first gripping member with the liquid container therebetween and gripping the liquid container together with the first gripping member, a connecting portion connecting the first gripping member and the second gripping member, comprising: the first gripping member and the second gripping member are formed such that a portion that contacts and grips the liquid container is long in the height direction of the liquid container, the first gripping member rotates about a first rotation axis, the second gripping member rotates about a second rotation axis, and they rotate by substantially the same angle in opposite directions via the connecting portion, a first container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at a lower portion of the first gripping member, a first interference avoidance space is formed at an upper portion of the first container gripping portion, a second container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at an upper portion of the second gripping member, and a second interference avoidance space is formed at a lower portion of the second container gripping portion. A liquid container gripping mechanism characterized by this.

2. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to Claim 1, the connecting portion has a gear shape, and the gears mesh with each other to connect the first gripping member and the second gripping member. A liquid container gripping mechanism characterized by this.

3. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to Claim 1, it comprises a first gripping member fixing portion for supporting the first gripping member and a second gripping member fixing portion for supporting the second gripping member. The first gripping member fixing portion is inserted into a first hole formed in the first rotation axis, and the second gripping member fixing portion is inserted into a second hole formed in the second rotation axis. A liquid container gripping mechanism characterized by this.

4. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to Claim 1, it comprises an elastic member attached between the first gripping member and the second gripping member. The elastic member applies an elastic force between the first gripping member and the second gripping member. The first gripping member rotates about the first rotation axis, the second gripping member rotates about the second rotation axis, and the rotation amounts of the first gripping member and the second gripping member are configured to be substantially equal to each other. A liquid container gripping mechanism characterized by this.

5. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to Claim 1, each of the first gripping member and the second gripping member includes a liquid container contact portion that contacts the liquid container 103 and applies a gripping force. A liquid container gripping mechanism characterized by this.

6. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to claim 1, The liquid container gripping mechanism is characterized in that the upper end portions of each of the first gripping member and the second gripping member are tapered surfaces.

7. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to claim 1, The liquid container gripping mechanism is characterized in that a certain gap is generated between the first gripping member and the second gripping member when the liquid container is installed.

8. In the liquid container gripping mechanism according to claim 1, The liquid container gripping mechanism is characterized in that the liquid container is a specimen container.

9. A liquid container installation unit for installing a plurality of liquid containers filled with a liquid to be analyzed; An analysis unit for analyzing the liquid to be analyzed; A liquid dispensing mechanism for dispensing liquid from the liquid container installed in the liquid container installation unit; A plurality of liquid container gripping mechanisms for gripping the liquid container installed in the liquid container installation unit; Comprising: The liquid container gripping mechanism includes: A first gripping member for gripping the liquid container; A second gripping member disposed on a side opposite to the first gripping member with the liquid container therebetween, and gripping the liquid container together with the first gripping member; A connecting portion connecting the first gripping member and the second gripping member; Having: The first gripping member and the second gripping member are formed such that a portion that contacts and grips the liquid container is long in the height direction of the liquid container; The first gripping member rotates about a first rotation axis, the second gripping member rotates about a second rotation axis, and rotates in opposite directions by substantially the same angle via the connecting portion; A first container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at a lower portion of the first gripping member, a first interference avoidance space is formed at an upper portion of the first container gripping portion, a second container gripping portion for gripping the liquid container is formed at an upper portion of the second gripping member, and a second interference avoidance space is formed at a lower portion of the second container gripping portion; The plurality of liquid container gripping mechanisms are arranged adjacent to each other in the liquid container installation unit, and two adjacent liquid container gripping mechanisms are arranged such that the first container gripping portion of the first gripping member and the second interference avoidance space of the second gripping member face each other, and the first interference avoidance space of the first gripping member and the second container holding portion of the second gripping member face each other. An automatic analyzer characterized by this.

10. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 9, The liquid to be analyzed is a specimen, the liquid container is a specimen container, the liquid container mounting portion is a specimen container mounting disk, the liquid container gripping mechanism is a specimen container gripping mechanism, and the automatic analyzer is characterized in that a plurality of the specimen container gripping mechanisms are arranged on the circumference of the specimen container mounting disk.

Images