Sample analysis device

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to precisely control the temperature in each storage chamber of a specimen analysis device in which a plurality of storage chambers store specimen containers, respectively. The specimen analysis device according to the present invention generates cold air (see fig. 2) such that the temperature at the bottom of the specimen container is lower than the temperature at a lid of the specimen container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a specimen analysis apparatus for analyzing a specimen.

Background Art

[0002] In medical research institutions, hospitals, etc., the culture state of cells or bacteria is examined based on the turbidity of a specimen containing cells or bacteria. In cell culture and bacterial culture, a microwell plate, a petri dish, etc. are used as specimen containers. A pretreated specimen, nutrients, etc. are dispensed or applied into the specimen container, and the specimen is cultured (for example, in an environment of 35°C). The specimen in the specimen container is repeatedly cultured and observed over a long period of time. When observing, the morphological changes of the specimen are quantified by image analysis or turbidity, and the result is output according to the quantified value or the amount of change over time.

[0003] In this examination, the specimen container is to be placed in the apparatus for a long time. Since the inside of the specimen container becomes saturated due to evaporation of the culture solution, etc., dew condensation may occur on the interface between the specimen container and the specimen container lid. In an inspection apparatus (transmission observation) that performs optical observation on the specimen inside the specimen container from the outside of the specimen container, when dew condensation occurs on the surface of a transmission member such as the lid on the upper surface of the intervening specimen container, refraction of light occurs, leading to deterioration of contrast and reduction of light quantity, making it difficult to accurately observe the state change of the specimen and resulting in misjudgment of the measurement result.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes temperature control when observing a specimen with a microscope. The document discloses a technique of blowing warm air onto the upper part of an observation dish to prevent dew condensation on the inner surface of the observation dish lid.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] A sample analysis device, for example, places sample containers containing samples (cells, bacteria, etc.) in each of its multiple storage chambers and periodically observes the samples while culturing them. If condensation occurs on the inside of the lid of the sample container, the amount of light from the observation lamp decreases, which can reduce the accuracy of the measurement. Therefore, a mechanism to prevent condensation is necessary. For example, as described in Patent Document 1, supplying warm air to the sample container is one possible solution.

[0007] However, if the effect of the warm air on each storage compartment varies, the condensation suppression effect will also vary from compartment to compartment. This can lead to a decrease in the accuracy of temperature control in each compartment, potentially causing variations in measurement results.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to accurately control the temperature in each storage chamber of a sample analyzer in which multiple storage chambers each store a sample container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The specimen analyzer according to the present invention generates cold air so that the temperature at the bottom of the specimen container is lower than the temperature of the specimen container lid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the specimen analysis apparatus of the present invention, when multiple storage chambers each store specimen containers, the temperature of each storage chamber can be controlled with high precision. Other configurations, problems, and effects of the present invention will become clear from the following description of embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of the overall configuration of the analytical apparatus 0001 according to Embodiment 1 is shown. [Figure 2] An example of the configuration of the storage section 0003 is shown. [Figure 3] Examples of the shapes of the airflow control element 2116 and the outlet 2113 are shown. [Figure 4] Another example of the airflow control material 2116 configuration is shown. [Figure 5] An example of the configuration of the storage unit 0003 provided in the analytical device 0001 according to Embodiment 2 is shown. [Figure 6] Another example of the storage compartment 0003 is shown. [Figure 7] Another example of the storage compartment 0003 is shown. [Figure 8] Another example of the storage compartment 0003 is shown. [Figure 9] Another example of the storage compartment 0003 is shown. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the calculation unit 11 controls the temperature of each part of the analyzer 0001. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the calculation unit 11 controls the temperature of each part of the analyzer 0001. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <Embodiment 1> Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of an analytical apparatus 0001 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The analytical apparatus 0001 includes an input / output unit 0002, a storage unit 0003, a transport unit 0004, a detection unit 0005, and a temperature control unit 0006. The calculation unit 11, storage unit 12, and monitor 13 can be provided outside the analytical apparatus 0001 or inside the analytical apparatus 0001.

[0013] The user can load and unload the sample container 0007 through a door not shown in the loading / unloading section 0002. The sample container 0007 has two parts: a lower sample container 2110 and a sample container lid 2112, which will be described later. The lower sample container 2110 is a container having multiple wells, such as 96 wells or 384 wells, and a sample 2111 is placed in each well. Examples of samples include biological samples such as cells, blood, urine, bacteria, and tissue fragments. The sample container lid 2112 may be a seal type, and the lower sample container 2110 may be a single-well type.

[0014] The storage unit 0003 has a plurality of stages of specimen container storage chambers 2003 for storing the specimen containers 0007. The analyzer 0001 may have a plurality of storage units 0003 therein. Details of the storage unit 0003 will be described later.

[0015] The transport unit 0004 includes an actuator 1001, an actuator 1002, a specimen container holding unit 1003, and a ball screw or a belt mechanism (not shown). The specimen container holding unit 1003 moves vertically by the actuator 1001 and moves in the depth direction by the actuator 1002 via the ball screw or the belt mechanism. The specimen container holding unit 1003 can receive and deliver the specimen container 0007 from and to the loading / unloading unit 0002, the storage unit 0003, and the measurement unit 1005.

[0016] In the detection unit 0005, the measurement unit 1005 in the measurement unit 1004 receives the specimen container 0007 from the specimen container holding unit 1003 and measures the culture state of the specimen 2111 in each well of the specimen container 0007. Examples of the measurement method include turbidity measurement, absorbance measurement, fluorescence measurement, and image analysis.

[0017] The temperature control unit 0006 includes a heat source 1006, a heat sink 1007, and a fan 1008. The heat of the heat source 1006 via the heat sink 1007 is supplied into the apparatus by the wind from the fan 1008. As the heat source, a heater, a Peltier, etc. are used to heat or cool the temperature inside the analyzer 0001. Aluminum, copper, iron, stainless steel, etc. can be used for the heat sink (radiator). The temperature control unit 0006 has a role of warming the entire analyzer 0001 so that dew condensation, which will be described later, does not occur when the specimen container 0007 is taken out from the storage unit 0003.

[0018] When the analyzer 0001 is started, the user can place the sample container 0007 into the loading / unloading unit 0002. After placement, the sample container 0007 in the loading / unloading unit 0002 is transported via the transport unit 0004 to the measurement unit 1005 of the measurement unit 1004. The measurement unit 1005 measures the culture state of the sample 2111 inside the sample container 0007. After measurement, the sample container 0007 is transported via the transport unit 0004 to the storage unit 0003. The sample measurement cycle is repeated, for example, at intervals of 20 to 30 minutes for a maximum of 18 hours. The analyzer 0001 sends the amount of change in the culture state of the sample 2111 over time to the calculation unit 11. The calculation unit 11 outputs the measurement result estimated from the amount of change to the monitor 13 or the like. After measurement is complete, the sample container 0007 is transported back to the loading / unloading unit 0002 via the transport unit 0004. In this embodiment, the user places the sample container 0007 in the loading / unloading section 0002, but the loading / unloading section 0002 may be eliminated, and the user may directly place the sample container 0007 into the storage section 0003.

[0019] As described above, the sample container 0007 comprises a lower part 2110 and a lid 2112. The sample 2111 is placed in each well within the lower part 2110 of the sample container. When the sample container 0007 is placed in the storage section 0003, if the thermal energy supplied to the sample 2111 within the lower part 2110 from the material on the lower surface of the lower part 2110, air, etc., becomes higher than the thermal energy supplied to the lid 2112 of the sample container, condensation will occur at the interface between the lower part 2110 and the lid 2112 of the sample container.

[0020] Figure 2 shows an example configuration of the storage unit 0003. The storage unit 0003 comprises a storage unit 2001 and a temperature control unit 2002. The storage unit 2001 has a sample container storage chamber 2003, a fan 2107, a duct 2108, and an airflow control member 2116. The storage unit 0003 has multiple levels of sample container storage chambers 2003, and each sample container storage chamber 2003 stores a sample container 0007. In the figure, there are six levels of sample container storage chambers 2003, but this is not limited to this, and the number of levels may be increased or decreased, or the storage chambers may be arranged horizontally.

[0021] The specimen container storage chamber 2003 is surrounded by insulation material 2109, airflow control material 2116, insulation material 2114, side metal material 2115, top metal material 2117, and bottom metal material 2118. The airflow control material 2116 is equipped with an outlet 2113. Examples of metal materials include aluminum, stainless steel, copper, iron, and titanium, and examples of insulation materials include, but are not limited to, glass wool, cellulose fiber, insulation board, sheep's wool insulation, rock wool, rigid polyurethane foam, bead-molded polystyrene foam, and phenolic foam. Resin may also be used as insulation material. Examples of resins include, but are not limited to, nylon, POM, PEEK, PPS, PTFE, PVC, PE, PP, PS, and ABS.

[0022] The temperature control unit 2002 includes a cooling / heating source 2101, a heat sink 2102, a temperature sensor 2104, a fan 2103, a heat sink 2105, and a fan 2106. Thermal energy from the cooling / heating source 2101 via the heat sink 2102 is supplied to the storage unit 2001 by airflow from the fan 2103. The cooling / heating source 2101 can be a heater, chiller, Peltier, etc. The temperature sensor 2104 attached to the heat sink 2102 controls the heating or cooling temperature. The heat sink (heat sink, heat dissipation plate) can be made of aluminum, copper, iron, stainless steel, etc. The temperature sensor 2104 can be a thermistor, platinum resistor, IC chip, thermocouple, etc., and can be installed in locations other than the heat sink 2102, such as the installation space of the temperature control unit or inside the duct 2108.

[0023] The heat sink 2105 and fan 2106 are configured assuming a Peltier element, and serve as the heat dissipation side of the Peltier element. The heat dissipation side heat sink 2105 may be installed inside the housing of the analytical instrument 0001 and used as an auxiliary heat source for the temperature inside the instrument. If temperature control is difficult, the heat sink 2105 may be installed in an external space (such as a testing room or laboratory) outside the analytical instrument 0001, and the structure may be designed to dissipate heat outside the instrument.

[0024] Cool air controlled by the temperature control unit 2002 is supplied into the duct 2108 via the fan 2107. The cool air supplied to the duct 2108 is supplied to the underside of the lower part 2110 of the sample container via the outlet 2113 of the sample container storage chamber 2003. By controlling the temperature so that the temperature around the transport unit 0004 > the temperature of the cool air from the temperature control unit 2002, the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the sample 2111 inside the lower part 2110 of the sample container, thereby preventing condensation at the interface between the lower part 2110 of the sample container and the sample container lid 2112.

[0025] If the sample 2111 is, for example, bacteria, growth may be affected at temperatures above 36°C, and culture may be slow at temperatures below 34°C for some bacterial species. With this configuration, it is possible to control the temperatures of the temperature control unit 0006 and temperature control unit 2002 at a temperature (e.g., 35±1°C) in which the temperature of the storage unit 2001 does not affect the culture of the sample 2111.

[0026] The position of the air outlet 2113 is preferably such that the temperature of the bottom surface of the sample container 2110 can be brought up to the target temperature. In the vertical direction, it should be positioned between the bottom surface of the sample container 2110 and the top surface of the insulation material 2114, and in the horizontal direction, it should be positioned between the left and right insulation materials 2109.

[0027] It is desirable that the cold air supplied from the duct 2108 at each stage is not supplied from above the lower part 2110 of the sample container at each stage. Alternatively, the relationship "airflow at the bottom of the sample container 0007 > airflow at the top ≥ 0" is acceptable, such that "temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110". Warm air flowing from the bottom to the top of the sample container 0007 is acceptable.

[0028] The temperature sensor 1009 that controls the temperature control unit 0006 is preferably located in a position where it can relatively measure the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 or the space near it. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 1009 can be located anywhere as long as a correlation with the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 within the storage compartment can be obtained. For example, it may be located inside or near the heat sink 1007, or near the sample container lid 2112. The location and number of temperature sensors 1009 are not limited.

[0029] The temperature sensor 2104 that controls the temperature control unit 2002 is preferably located in a position where it can relatively measure the temperature of the space below the sample container 2110 or in its vicinity. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 2104 may be located anywhere as long as a correlation with the temperature of the sample container below 2110 within the storage unit can be obtained. For example, it may be located inside or near the heat sink 2102, or near the sample container below 2110. It may also be located inside the temperature control unit 2002, inside the duct 2108, or in the space near the airflow control material 2119 (described later). The location and number of temperature sensors 2104 are not limited.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an example of the shape of the airflow control material 2116 and the outlet 2113. The airflow control material 2116 has an outlet 2113 in order to supply cool air uniformly from the upper to the lower section of the specimen container storage chamber 2003. The outlet 2113 may be a square hole, an elliptical or circular hole, a porous hole, etc. In other words, it is sufficient to limit the amount of air flowing into the storage chamber. The airflow control material 2116 makes the amount of air blown out from the lower outlet 2113 and the amount of air blown out from the upper outlet 2113 uniform, so that the evaporation rate of the specimen 2111 in the specimen container 0007 installed in the specimen container storage chamber 2003 is uniform from the upper to the lower section (fluctuations in the amount of evaporation are suppressed). By suppressing fluctuations in the amount of evaporation, it is possible to suppress changes in the concentration of culture medium, drugs, etc., and changes in the culture state of the specimen, and reduce the risk of misinterpretation of test results.

[0031] Figure 4 shows another example of the airflow control material 2116 configuration. The airflow control material 2116 may have circular perforated metal or mesh-like sections, but it may also be made of a continuous porous material, a honeycomb structure, or cut into a square shape, as long as the opening ratio can be controlled. Regarding the amount of airflow supplied to the upper and lower parts of each plate, it is desirable that the upper part of each stage has no or few holes, so that the airflow at the bottom > airflow at the top ≥ 0, within the range where the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110. The airflow control material 2116 for each stage may be the same or may have different shapes for each stage. In addition, a combination of perforated members may be used to adjust the airflow. That is, the combination of opening size / number / arrangement should be adjusted so that the airflow below the sample container lid 2112 is greater than the airflow above the sample container lid 2112.

[0032] The purpose of the insulating material 2114 is to reduce the loss of thermal energy from the cold air supplied to the entire bottom surface of the lower part 2110 of the sample container and to prevent a temperature drop in the metal material 2118 near the lid 2112 of the lower sample container. However, if there is a sufficient temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the sample container 0007, the insulating material 2114 may be omitted.

[0033] <Embodiment 1: Summary> The analyzer 0001 according to this embodiment is equipped with an airflow control member 2116 to uniformly supply cool air to each of the sample container storage chambers 2003 such that the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 is higher than the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container. This makes it possible to uniformly suppress condensation in each storage chamber while using a simple configuration. Therefore, it is possible to suppress variations in measurement results in each storage chamber. In addition, it becomes possible to accommodate and cultivate multiple sample containers 0007, improving the processing capacity of the device and reducing the burden on the user. Furthermore, by consolidating the sample containers 0007 into the storage section 0003, it is possible to reduce the size of the device.

[0034] The analyzer 0001 according to this embodiment can accurately control the temperature of the sample 2111 by combining the hot air supplied by the temperature control unit 0006 and the cold air supplied by the temperature control unit 2002. In other words, since both temperature increases by hot air and temperature decreases by cold air are possible, more accurate temperature control is possible compared to a configuration that supplies only hot air.

[0035] <Embodiment 2> Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the storage section 0003 of the analytical apparatus 0001 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the example configuration shown in Figure 5, an airflow adjustment material 2119 is provided near the outlet 2113 in order to supply cool air uniformly from the upper to the lower section of the storage section 0003. The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0036] If the airflow control material 2119 is not used, the airflow from the lower outlet 2113 may be greater than the airflow from the upper outlet 2113. This can cause the evaporation rate of the sample 2111 in the sample container 0007 installed in the sample container storage chamber 2003 to fluctuate between the upper and lower sections. In other words, the concentration of the culture medium, drugs, etc., will change, and the culture state of the sample will also fluctuate, which carries the risk of misinterpreting the test results. The airflow control material 2119 can reduce this risk by making the airflow of the cold air more uniform from the upper to the lower section than in Embodiment 1. While circular perforated metal or mesh-like materials are common for the airflow control material 2119, any material cut into a specific shape, such as a continuous porous material, honeycomb structure, or square shape, can also be used, as long as the opening ratio can be controlled.

[0037] Figure 6 shows another configuration example of the storage section 0003. In the configuration example shown in Figure 6, a duct 2120 is provided inside the duct 2108. An airflow control material 2121 is placed at the interface between the duct 2108 and the duct 2120. An airflow control material 2116 is placed at the entrance of each storage chamber, similar to Embodiment 1. The airflow control materials 2116 and 2121 may have the same configuration, or they may have different opening ratios (e.g., the airflow control material 2121 has a larger opening ratio). The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0038] The duct 2120 has the function of adjusting the pressure of the cold air. By providing the duct 2120, the influence of axial flow from the fan 2107 is suppressed, and the flow rate from the outlet 2113 can be made more uniform from the upper to the lower stage. As a result, the evaporation rate of the sample 2111 in the sample container 0007 can be kept constant from the upper to the lower stage. A temperature sensor 2104 may be placed on the surface of the airflow control material 2121, and the cold air temperature may be controlled using this.

[0039] Figure 7 shows another configuration example of the storage section 0003. In the configuration example shown in Figure 7, in addition to the configuration described in Figure 6, an airflow control material 2122 is provided at the interface between the duct 2120 and the outlet 2113. The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1. By making the opening ratio of the airflow control material 2122 less than the opening ratio of the airflow control material 2121, it becomes possible to supply the airflow from the outlet 2113 more uniformly from the upper to the lower section than in Figure 6.

[0040] Figure 8 shows another configuration example of the storage unit 0003. In the configuration example shown in Figure 8, the insulating material 2123 is attached to at least a portion of the inner surface (and / or at least a portion of the outer surface) of the duct 2108, thereby improving robustness against temperature from outside the storage unit 2001. The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1. This structure makes it possible to supply cool air with minimal heat loss from the temperature control unit 2002 to the bottom surface of the lower part 2110 of the sample container from the outlet 2113. The insulating material 2123 may be combined in any of the structures shown in Figures 5 to 6.

[0041] Figure 9 shows an alternative configuration example of the storage section 0003. In the configuration example shown in Figure 9, the sample container storage chamber 2003 has a heat source 2124, a temperature sensor 2125 for controlling the temperature of the heat source 2124, a heat source 2126, and a temperature sensor 2127 for controlling the temperature of the heat source 2126 on the left and right sides. Heaters or Peltier elements can be used as the heat sources 2124 and 2126. The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1. This configuration may also be combined with the configurations shown in Figures 5 to 8. The side referred to here is a surface that is at least not perpendicular to the path through which the cold air passes inside the sample container storage chamber 2003.

[0042] The sample container 0007, which is kept warm by the storage unit 0003, needs to be kept warm to approximately 35°C ± 1°C for the culture of the sample 2111, for example, if the sample 2111 is a bacterium. Heat sources 2124 and 2126 are used to assist in this heating and to improve the accuracy of temperature control. To suppress condensation, the control temperature of heat sources 2124 and 2126 is set to > the control temperature of the cooling source 2101, so that the temperature of the cold air blown onto the bottom surface of the lower part 2110 of the sample container is lower than the warming temperature of the sample container 0007. The temperature control of heat sources 2124 and 2126 is also controlled so that the temperature of the storage unit 2001 does not affect the culture of the sample 2111.

[0043] The temperature sensors 2125 and 2127 are preferably positioned to measure the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 or the space near it relatively. The temperature sensors 2125 and 2127 can be located anywhere as long as a correlation with the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 inside the storage section 0003 can be obtained. For example, they may be located on a metal surface inside the sample container storage chamber 2003 or on the cover surfaces of the heat sources 2124 and 2126. In other words, it is sufficient that the temperature of the sample 2111 can be measured directly or indirectly.

[0044] In the above embodiments, the temperature control unit 2002 may be placed inside the duct 2108. However, if a heat exchange mechanism such as a Peltier element is used as the temperature control unit 2002, it is desirable to appropriately adjust the position of the housing unit 0003 so that the low-temperature side (such as the heat sink 2105) can be easily placed outside the analyzer 0001.

[0045] <Embodiment 3> Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the calculation unit 11 controls the temperature of each part of the analyzer 0001. This flowchart can be used in any of the configurations shown in Figures 2, 5 to 8. This flowchart is implemented by the calculation unit 11 controlling each temperature control unit.

[0046] The temperature control of the entire analyzer 0001 by the temperature control unit 0006 (left half of the flowchart) and the temperature control by the temperature control unit 2002 (right half of the flowchart) can be performed simultaneously. The temperature control by the temperature control unit 0006 controls the temperature of the entire device, and in particular, the temperature control of the sample container lid 2112 in the storage unit 0003 is aimed at suppressing condensation on the lid. The temperature control by the temperature control unit 2002 controls the temperature of the sample by controlling the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container.

[0047] In the overall temperature control procedure of the device, the target temperature, upper temperature limit, and lower temperature limit of the sample container lid 2112 in the storage section 0003 are set, and the temperature is heated by the temperature control unit 0006. The upper and lower temperature limits may be set based on the upper and lower temperature limits that affect the growth and reaction of the sample, or they may be set according to the measurement conditions for sample measurement determined by the operator. However, the target temperature of the sample container lid 2112 must be set higher than the target temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110, and it is sufficient that the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110. The upper and lower temperature limits may be set as an allowable temperature range. There may also be temperatures that are not set.

[0048] In the heating procedure by the temperature control unit 0006, heating is turned off when the sample container lid 2112 reaches or exceeds the target temperature. However, the overshoot after heating is turned off is kept below the upper limit temperature, and the undershoot is kept above the lower limit temperature. Furthermore, when the sample container lid 2112 falls below the target temperature, it is heated again by the temperature control unit 0006. Instead of measuring the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 itself, the temperature of the vicinity of the sample container lid 2112, for which a correlation can be obtained, may be measured. In other words, it is sufficient if the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 can be measured directly or indirectly.

[0049] In controlling the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110, the target temperature, upper temperature limit, and lower temperature limit of the lower part of the sample container 2110 are set, and the temperature is controlled by the temperature control unit 2002. The upper and lower temperature limits may be set based on upper and lower temperature limits that do not affect the sample, or they may be set according to the measurement conditions for sample measurement determined by the operator. However, the sample temperature must be set lower than the temperature of the sample container lid 2112. In this flow, the temperature of the entire device is set via the temperature of the sample container lid 2112, so the lower part of the sample container 2110 is cooled to a temperature lower than the temperature of the sample container lid 2112. Therefore, in the flow, it is indicated as cooling by the temperature control unit 2002.

[0050] In the cooling procedure by the temperature control unit 2002, cooling is turned off when the lower part 2110 of the sample container falls below the target temperature. However, the undershoot after cooling is turned off must be above the lower limit temperature, and the overshoot must be below the upper limit temperature. Furthermore, if the lower part 2110 of the sample container rises above the target temperature, cooling is resumed by the temperature control unit 2002. Depending on the set temperature, if the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container may rise above the temperature of the sample container lid 2112, the temperature control unit 2002 must control the cooling so that the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container.

[0051] Examples of temperature settings include: target temperature of sample container lid 2112 35.5°C, upper limit temperature 36.0°C, lower limit temperature 35.0°C; target temperature of sample container bottom 2110 34.5°C, upper limit temperature 35.0°C, lower limit temperature 34.0°C.

[0052] The lower limit temperature of the sample container lid 2112 can be used, for example, when determining control parameters. For instance, the lower limit temperature of the sample container lid 2112 may be used as a reference when determining the interval for one loop cycle on the left side of Figure 11.

[0053] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the calculation unit 11 controls the temperature of each part of the analyzer 0001. This flowchart can be used in the configuration shown in Figure 9. This flowchart is implemented by the calculation unit 11 controlling each temperature control unit.

[0054] Temperature control of the entire analyzer 0001 by the temperature control unit 0006 (Figure 11 left), temperature control by the temperature control unit 2002 (Figure 11 center), and temperature control by heat sources 2124 and 2126 (Figure 11 right) can be performed simultaneously. Temperature control by the temperature control unit 0006 can primarily control the temperature of the entire analyzer 0001. Temperature control by the temperature control unit 2002 is primarily the control of the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110 (sample) in the storage unit 0003. Temperature control by heat sources 2124 and 2126 is primarily temperature control to suppress condensation on the sample container lid 2112 by controlling its temperature. By performing temperature control in this manner, it is possible to achieve higher temperature control accuracy compared to the temperature control in Figure 10.

[0055] In the overall temperature control procedure for the apparatus, the target temperature, upper temperature limit, and lower temperature limit of the analyzer 0001 are set, and the temperature control unit 0006 heats the analyzer. The upper and lower temperature limits may be set based on the upper and lower temperature limits that affect the sample, or they may be set according to the measurement conditions for sample measurement determined by the operator. The upper and lower temperature limits may also be set as an acceptable temperature range.

[0056] In the heating procedure by the temperature control unit 0006, heating is turned off when the temperature reaches or exceeds the target temperature of the analyzer 0001. Heating is initiated by the temperature control unit 0006 when the temperature reaches or falls below the lower limit temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110. Considering the influence of the internal temperature of the device during sample transport and measurement, it is preferable to set the heating to occur when the temperature reaches or falls below the lower limit temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110. If the temperature influence during sample transport and measurement is not considered, heating may be set to occur when the temperature is below the target temperature of the analyzer 0001. Therefore, depending on the user's settings, the step in the bottom left of Figure 11 may be either "below the lower limit temperature of the lower part of the sample container" or "below the target temperature of the analyzer".

[0057] In the temperature control procedure using the temperature control unit 2002, the target temperature (target temperature of the sample), upper temperature limit, and lower temperature limit of the lower part 2110 of the sample container are set, and the temperature is controlled by the temperature control unit 2002. The upper and lower temperature limits may be set based on upper and lower temperature limits that do not affect the sample, or they may be set according to the measurement conditions for sample measurement determined by the operator. However, the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container (sample temperature) must be lower than the temperature of the sample container lid 2112. In this flow, the lower part 2110 of the sample container will be cooled to a temperature lower than the temperature of the sample container lid 2112, so it is indicated as cooling by the temperature control unit 2002 in the flow.

[0058] In temperature control by the temperature control unit 2002, cooling is turned off when the lower part 2110 of the sample container falls below the target temperature. However, when cooling is turned off, the undershoot is set to be above the lower limit temperature, and the overshoot is set to be below the upper limit temperature. Furthermore, when the lower part 2110 of the sample container rises above the target temperature, cooling is resumed by the temperature control unit 2002.

[0059] In controlling the temperature of the sample container lid 2112, a target temperature (target temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110), an upper limit temperature, and a lower limit temperature are set for the sample container lid 2112, and it is heated by heat sources 2124 and 2126. The lower limit temperature of the sample container lid 2112 is set so that it can be controlled to be higher than the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110. In other words, it is sufficient to achieve that the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110.

[0060] In the temperature control procedure using heat sources 2124 and 2126, heating is turned off when the sample container lid 2112 reaches or exceeds the target temperature. However, the overshoot after heating is turned off must be below the upper limit temperature, and the undershoot must be above the lower limit temperature. Furthermore, when the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 falls below the target temperature, it is heated again by heat sources 2124 and 2126. Since the heat sources are located near the sample container 0007, temperature control can be performed with high precision. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the temperature while taking into account the temperature influence of the temperature control unit 0006 and the temperature influence of the temperature control unit 2002. Depending on the set temperature, if the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110 is higher than the temperature of the sample container lid 2112, it is necessary to heat using heat sources 2124 and 2126 so that the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 > the temperature of the lower part of the sample container 2110.

[0061] Examples of temperature settings include the following: Target temperature of analyzer 0001: 35.0°C, upper limit: 35.3°C, lower limit: 34.5°C; Target temperature of sample container bottom 2110: 35.0°C, upper limit: 35.3°C, lower limit: 34.5°C; Target temperature of sample container lid 2112: 35.5°C, upper limit: 36.0°C, lower limit: 35.3°C.

[0062] <Regarding variations of the present invention> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the air outlet 2113 is configured by making the entire surface of the sample container storage chamber 2003 open, and by adjusting the size and position of the opening of the airflow adjustment material (2116, etc.), the temperature of the sample container lid 2112 can be made higher than the temperature of the lower part 2110 of the sample container. In other words, it is sufficient if the combination of the air outlet 2113 and the airflow adjustment material (2116, etc.) can achieve the same effect as in the above embodiment.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the calculation unit 11 may display the temperature measured by each temperature sensor, the airflow rate (and / or air pressure) of each part, etc., on the monitor 13. It may also display other information useful to the user.

[0065] In the embodiments described above, the arithmetic unit 11 can be configured by hardware such as a circuit device that implements its function, or by a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing software that implements its function. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 0001 Analyzer 0002 Loading / Unloading Section 0003 Storage section 0004 Conveying section 0005 Detection unit 0006 Temperature control section 0007 Specimen container 1001 Actuator 1002 Actuator 1003 Specimen container holding section 1004 Measurement Unit 1005 Measuring part 1006 Heat source 1007 Heatsink 1008 Fans 1009 Temperature Sensor 2001 Storage Unit 2002 Temperature control section 2003 Specimen container storage room 2101 Cold source 2102 Heatsink 2103 Fans 2104 Temperature Sensor 2105 Heatsink 2106 Fans 2107 Fans 2108 Duct 2109 Insulation 2110 Bottom of sample container 2111 samples 2112 Specimen container lid 2113 Air outlet 2114 Insulation 2115 Metal materials 2116 Air volume adjustment material 2117 Metal materials 2118 Metal materials 2119 Air volume adjustment material 2120 duct 2121 Air volume adjustment material 2122 Air volume adjustment material 2123 Insulation 2124 Heat source 2125 Temperature Sensor 2126 Heat source 2127 Temperature Sensor

Claims

1. A specimen analyzer that analyzes specimens, A storage section for storing the sample container that contains the aforementioned sample, Temperature control unit that generates cool air, The first duct through which the cold air passes, An outlet that supplies the cold air passing through the first duct to the area below the specimen container in the storage section, Equipped with, The sample container has a lower part and a sample container lid that covers the upper surface of the lower part of the sample container. The temperature control unit generates the cold air so that the temperature at the bottom of the sample container is lower than the temperature of the lid of the sample container. A specimen analyzer characterized by the following features.

2. The sample analysis device further includes a first airflow control element that adjusts the airflow rate of the cold air supplied from the outlet to the storage section. The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

3. Inside the storage section, two or more storage chambers for storing the sample containers are arranged adjacent to each other. The aforementioned outlet is composed of two or more openings that supply the cool air to each of the storage chambers, The first airflow control member is configured to equalize the airflow supplied by each of the openings. The specimen analyzer according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

4. The aforementioned outlet is configured such that the cold air passes below the bottom of the sample container. The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

5. The aforementioned outlet is The cold air is introduced into the storage chamber from a position below the bottom of the sample container. or The airflow rate of the cold air passing below the bottom of the sample container is greater than the airflow rate of the cold air passing above the bottom of the sample container. It is configured to be at least one of the following. The specimen analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

6. The aforementioned opening is Of the inlet surface into which the cold air is introduced to the storage chamber, it is provided only in the portion below the bottom of the sample container. or Of the inlet surface through which the cold air is introduced into the storage chamber, the total area of ​​the opening provided in the portion below the bottom of the sample container is greater than the total area of ​​the opening provided in the portion above the bottom of the sample container. It is configured to be at least one of the following. The specimen analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

7. Inside the storage chamber, insulation material is placed below the area where the sample containers are placed. The specimen analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

8. The aforementioned sample analysis device further, A second duct adjusts the pressure of the cold air supplied by the first duct to the storage section. A second airflow adjusting member is positioned between the first duct and the second duct to adjust the airflow of the cold air. Equipped with The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

9. The aforementioned sample analysis device further, A second duct adjusts the pressure of the cold air supplied by the first duct to the storage section. A second airflow adjusting member is positioned between the first duct and the second duct to adjust the airflow of the cold air. Equipped with, The opening ratio of the first airflow control material is different from the opening ratio of the second airflow control material. The specimen analyzer according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

10. The sample analysis device further includes a third airflow control member positioned between the second duct and the outlet, which adjusts the airflow rate of the cold air. The opening ratio of the second airflow control material is greater than the opening ratio of the third airflow control material. The specimen analyzer according to claim 8, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

11. At least a portion of the inner surface of the first duct or at least a portion of the outer surface of the first duct is covered with thermal insulation material. The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

12. The storage unit is equipped with a heat source and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heat source on a side surface that is not perpendicular to the direction in which the cold air is introduced from the outlet. The controlled temperature of the heat source is higher than the controlled temperature of the temperature control unit. The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

13. The sample analysis apparatus further includes an airflow generating device that generates airflow within the first duct across each of the storage chambers. The temperature control unit is located inside the first duct. The specimen analyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

14. The temperature control unit is A first temperature control device that controls the temperature of the sample container lid by supplying warm air into the housing of the sample analyzer, A second temperature control device that controls the temperature of the lower part of the sample container by supplying the cold air to the storage section. Equipped with, The sample analysis device further includes a calculation unit that controls the temperature control unit, The calculation unit controls the temperature control unit so that the temperature of the sample container lid is higher than the temperature of the bottom of the sample container. The specimen analyzer according to feature 4.

15. The temperature control unit is A first temperature control device that controls the temperature of the lower part of the sample container by supplying the cold air to the storage section, A second temperature control device that controls the temperature of the sample container lid by supplying warm air to the storage section using the heat source, Equipped with, The sample analysis device further comprises the temperature control unit and the calculation unit that controls the heat source, The calculation unit controls the temperature control unit and the heat source so that the temperature of the sample container lid is higher than the temperature of the bottom of the sample container. The specimen analyzer according to claim 12, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

16. The aforementioned specimen is a biological specimen, The temperature control unit supplies the cold air that is at a temperature suitable for growing the biological specimen. The specimen analyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a specimen analyzer.

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