Specimen measuring device and specimen measuring method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SYSMEX CORP
- Filing Date
- 2022-06-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-05
Smart Images
Figure 0007900952000001 
Figure 0007900952000002 
Figure 0007900952000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a specimen measurement device and a specimen measurement method.
Background Art
[0002] A specimen measurement device that measures a specimen using a reagent includes a reagent container storage unit that stores a reagent container containing the reagent.
[0003] Since the reagent needs to be maintained at a predetermined temperature or lower in order to maintain the accuracy of specimen measurement, the reagent container storage unit of the specimen measurement device has a function of cooling the reagent contained in the reagent container.
[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a specimen analysis device that cools the bottom of a housing in a reagent storage by a cooling unit and circulates the air in the housing by a fan provided in the housing to cool the reagent.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0005]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0006] However, since the above specimen analysis device requires a fan for circulating the air in the housing of the reagent storage, the device becomes large-sized and is not suitable for a small-sized device.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object thereof is to provide a specimen measurement device and a specimen measurement method that can cope with miniaturization of the device.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0008] As shown in Figures 2, 6 to 9, the sample measuring device (1) according to the present invention comprises a reagent container storage section (52) in which a reagent container (580) containing a reagent is stored, and a measuring section (53) for measuring a sample using the reagent. The reagent container storage section (52) has a housing (500) in which the reagent container (580) is stored, and a cooling section (501) for cooling the housing (500). A ventilation passage (602) is provided below the reagent inside the housing (500), and at least a part of the cooling section (501) is provided in the housing (500) at a higher position than the ventilation passage (602).
[0009] According to the sample measuring device (1) of the present invention, by cooling the portion of the housing (500) of the reagent container storage section (52) that is higher than the ventilation passage (602) with the cooling section (501), natural convection is generated within the housing (500) that passes through the ventilation passage (602), thereby cooling the reagent inside the housing (500). As a result, there is no need to provide a fan to circulate the air inside the housing (500), and the device can be made smaller.
[0010] As shown in Figures 13, 2, 6, and 9, the sample measurement method according to the present invention is a sample measurement method using a sample measurement device (1) in which a casing (500) housing a reagent container (580) is provided with a ventilation passage (602) below the reagent container (580), and includes a cooling step (T1) of cooling the reagent in the reagent container (580) by cooling at least the portion of the casing (500) that is higher than the ventilation passage (602); a dispensing step (S4) of aspirating the reagent in the cooled reagent container (580) and dispensing it into a reaction vessel (70); and a measurement step (S5) of measuring the sample in the reaction vessel (70) into which the reagent has been dispensed.
[0011] According to the sample measurement method of the present invention, by cooling the portion of the housing (500) that is higher than the ventilation passage (602), natural convection is generated within the housing (500) that passes through the ventilation passage (602), thereby cooling the reagent inside the housing (500). This eliminates the need to provide a fan to circulate the air inside the housing (500), allowing for miniaturization of the device. [Effects of the Invention]
[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sample measurement device and a sample measurement method that can accommodate miniaturization of the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the sample measurement device. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the sample measurement device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram relating to the control of the sample measurement device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a dispensing device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the container holding section. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the reagent container storage section. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exploded view of the reagent container storage section. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the reagent container storage section AA. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a side view of the rack support section. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the drawer mechanism of the rack support section. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the cooling unit attached to the heat transfer housing. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of a sample measuring device showing the configuration of the heat dissipation section of the reagent container storage unit. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart of the sample measurement method. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a side view of a rack support section showing another example of a ventilation passage configuration. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a side view of the rack support section and rail section, showing another example of the ventilation passage configuration. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a side view of a rack support section showing another example of a ventilation passage configuration.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0014] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a specimen measurement device and a specimen measurement method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0015] <Specimen Measurement Device> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a specimen measurement device 1 according to the present embodiment. The specimen measurement device 1 is used, for example, for blood coagulation measurement that analyzes the activity of coagulation factors in a specimen (blood specimen).
[0016] The specimen measurement device 1 has a device housing 10 in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The device housing 10 has a front surface 20, a rear surface 21, a right side surface 22, a left side surface 23, an upper surface 24, and a bottom surface 25. In this specification, the “left” and “right” of the specimen measurement device 1 are based on the directions when the front surface 20 is viewed from the front.
[0017] A cover 30 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front surface 20, and by opening the cover 30, the user can access the inside of the device housing 10. On the front surface 20, a door 31 for accessing the inside of a reagent container storage unit 52 described later and a door 32 for accessing the inside of a specimen rack storage unit 50 are provided.
[0018] The upper surface 24 is a square flat surface, and a monitor 40 can be installed thereon. The monitor 40 is a touch panel type display, and can perform input for operations necessary for specimen measurement, display various information, and display the result information of specimen measurement.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the internal configuration of the specimen measurement device 1. The specimen measurement device 1 includes a specimen rack storage unit 50, a reaction container storage unit 51, a reagent container storage unit 52, a measurement unit 5z3, a cleaning unit 54, a waste unit 55, a power supply unit 56, a control unit 57, and a dispensing unit 58 inside the device housing 10.
[0020] The specimen rack storage section 50 is located on the front 20 side of the center in the front-to-back direction Y of the device housing 10, and near the center in the left-to-right direction X of the device housing 10. The specimen rack storage section 50 houses a specimen rack that holds multiple specimen containers. The specimen rack storage section 50 has an upper surface 60, and multiple holes 61 are formed in the upper surface 60. The pipette 200 of the dispensing section 58, described later, can enter the specimen containers in the specimen rack storage section 50 through the holes 61 and aspirate the specimens from the specimen containers. The specimen racks in the specimen rack storage section 50 are inserted into and removed from the door 32 of the device housing 10 shown in Figure 1.
[0021] The reaction vessel housing section 51 shown in Figure 2 is located on the front 20 side of the center in the front-to-back direction Y of the apparatus housing 10, and to the right of the center in the left-to-right direction X of the apparatus housing 10. The reaction vessel housing section 51 houses a container rack 71 that holds a plurality of reaction vessels 70.
[0022] The reagent container storage section 52 is located on the front 20 side of the center in the front-to-back direction Y of the device housing 10, and to the left of the center in the left-to-right direction X of the device housing 10. The reagent container storage section 52 is located to the left of the sample rack storage section 50. The reagent container storage section 52 stores multiple reagent containers containing reagents. Details of the reagent container storage section 52 will be described later.
[0023] The measuring unit 53 includes a heating unit 80 and a detection unit 81. The heating unit 80 and the detection unit 81 are located on the rear surface 21 side of the center in the front-to-back direction Y of the device housing 10, and to the right of the center in the left-to-right direction X of the device housing 10.
[0024] The heating unit 80 has a plurality of holding holes 90 for holding the reaction vessel 70. The plurality of holding holes 90 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction X. The heating unit 80 can heat the reaction vessel 70 held in the holding holes 90 using a heat source.
[0025] The detection unit 81 has a plurality of holding holes 100 for holding the reaction vessel 70. The plurality of holding holes 100 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction X. The plurality of holding holes 100 are provided on the rear surface 21 side of the holding holes 90 of the heating unit 80. The detection unit 81 can detect measurement data related to the sample by irradiating the sample inside the reaction vessel 70 held in the holding holes 100 with light and receiving the light that has passed through the sample.
[0026] The cleaning unit 54 is located near the center of the device housing 10 in the front-to-back direction Y, between the measuring unit 53 and the reaction vessel housing unit 51. The cleaning unit 54 has a cleaning tank 110 for cleaning the pipette 200 of the dispensing unit 58.
[0027] The waste section 55 is located between the measuring section 53 and the reaction vessel storage section 51. The waste section 55 has a waste port 120 for disposing of the reaction vessel 70.
[0028] The power supply unit 56 is located near the rear surface 21 in the front-to-back direction Y of the device housing 10, and to the left of the center in the left-to-right direction X. The power supply unit 56 supplies power from an external power source to various devices such as the reagent container storage unit 52, the measurement unit 53, the control unit 57, and the dispensing unit 58.
[0029] The control unit 57 is located near the rear surface 21 in the front-to-back direction Y of the device housing 10, and to the right of the center in the left-to-right direction X. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 57 can communicate with various devices such as the reagent container storage unit 52, the measurement unit 53, and the dispensing unit 58, and controls the operation of these devices. The control unit 57 has memory and a CPU, and the CPU can control the various devices and perform sample measurement by executing a program stored in memory. The control unit 57 can communicate with the monitor 40, and can perform sample measurement based on information input from the monitor 40, or display the results of the sample measurement on the monitor 40.
[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the device housing 10 has a vertical wall 140 located inside it, positioned on the rear side 21 of the center in the front-to-back direction Y. The vertical wall 140 has a plate shape with its surface oriented in the front-to-back direction Y. The vertical wall 140 separates the inside of the device housing 10 into a main area R1 and a rear area R2. The power supply unit 56 and the control unit 57 are located in the rear area R2. The power supply unit 56 and the control unit 57 are mounted on the rear area R2 side of the vertical wall 140. The sample rack storage unit 50, the reaction vessel storage unit 51, the reagent container storage unit 52, the measurement unit 53, the washing unit 54, the waste disposal unit 55, and the dispensing unit 58 are located in the main area R1.
[0031] The dispensing unit 58 has the function of dispensing into the sample container, reaction vessel 70, and reagent container. The dispensing unit 58 includes a dispensing device 150 and a moving device 151 for moving the dispensing device 150.
[0032] <Composition of Dispensing Section 58> Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the dispensing device 150. The dispensing device 150 includes a pipette 200, a container holder 201, a moving mechanism 202, and the like.
[0033] The pipette 200 is an elongated tube extending vertically in the Z direction, capable of holding a predetermined amount of liquid within it. The pipette 200 is configured to draw liquid from its tip 210 and to dispense the drawn liquid.
[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the container holding section 201 has two (a pair of) holding arms 220 for holding the reaction vessel 70. The holding arms 220 are positioned below the pipette 200 and can hold the reaction vessel 70 coaxially with the pipette 200 in the vertical Z direction. The pipette 200 is narrower than the distance between the two holding arms 220 of the container holding section 201 and can be inserted between the two holding arms 220 in the vertical Z direction.
[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the moving mechanism 202 moves the pipette 200 and the container holding part 201 relative to each other in the vertical direction Z while maintaining the holding arm 220 and the pipette 200 on the same axis.
[0036] The moving mechanism 202 has a mechanical mechanism configured such that when one of the pipette 200 or the container holder 201 rises, the other descends in conjunction with it. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 202 has a mechanical mechanism configured such that when the pipette 200 descends, the container holder 201 rises in conjunction with it, and when the container holder 201 rises to a predetermined position, the linkage is released, and the pipette 200 descends with the container holder 201 no longer rising. An example of such a mechanical mechanism will be described below.
[0037] The moving mechanism 202 includes a first moving part 250 for moving the pipette 200 in the vertical direction Z, a second moving part 251 for moving the container holding part 201 in the vertical direction Z, an interlocking part 252 for interlocking the first moving part 250 and the second moving part 251, and a drive source 253 for driving the interlocking part 252.
[0038] The moving mechanism 202 has a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member 260. The plate-shaped member 260 is positioned so that its surface faces the left-right direction X. The first moving part 250, the second moving part 251, and the interlocking part 252 are provided on the first plate surface 260a of the plate-shaped member 260, on the right side in the left-right direction X (front side in Figure 4). The drive source 253 is provided on the second plate surface 260b of the plate-shaped member 260, on the left side in the left-right direction X (back side in Figure 4).
[0039] The first movable part 250 includes a pipette holding member 270 that holds the pipette 200, and a first lifting member 271 to which the pipette holding member 270 is fixed and which moves up and down by an interlocking part 252.
[0040] A pipe 280 for supplying and aspirating air into the pipette 200 is connected to the upper part of the pipette holding member 270. The pipe 280 is connected to a pump device.
[0041] The first lifting member 271 has a plate shape. The pipette holding member 270 is fixed to the right side of the plate surface of the first lifting member 271 in the left-right direction X.
[0042] The first lifting member 271 is movably attached to a first guide rail 272 provided in the vertical direction Z of the plate-shaped member 260. The first lifting member 271 is attached to a belt 322, which will be described later.
[0043] The second movable part 251 has a container holding part 201 fixed to a second lifting member 300 that can move up and down, a biasing member 301 that biases the second lifting member 300 upward, a stopper 302 that stops the second lifting member 300 from rising, and a pressing member 303 that moves up and down by the interlocking part 252 and can press the second lifting member 300 downward.
[0044] The second lifting member 300 comprises a main body 310 and an arm 311 that connects the main body 310 and the container holding part 201.
[0045] The second lifting member 300 is movably attached to a second guide rail 304 which is provided in the vertical direction Z of the plate-shaped member 260.
[0046] The biasing member 301 is a spring and is oriented in the vertical direction Z. The upper end of the biasing member 301 is fixed above the second lifting member 300 of the plate-shaped member 260, and the lower end is fixed to the upper part of the second lifting member 300. The biasing member 301 biases the second lifting member 300 upward.
[0047] The stopper 302 is provided above the second lifting member 300 on the plate-shaped member 260. The stopper 302 is provided to abut against the upper part of the second lifting member 300 when the second lifting member 300 rises to a predetermined upper limit position, i.e., a predetermined position (position in Figures 4 and 5) where the pipette 200 is inserted into the reaction vessel 70 held by the holding arm 220 of the container holding part 201, thereby stopping the second lifting member 300 from rising.
[0048] The pressing member 303 is positioned above the second lifting member 300. The pressing member 303 is attached to a belt 322, which will be described later, and is able to move up and down by the belt 322. When the pressing member 303 is lowered, it can push the second lifting member 300 downwards, and it can also rise above the upper limit position of the second lifting member 300.
[0049] The second movable part 251 is configured such that when the container holding part 201 is lowered, the pressing member 303 is lowered by the interlocking part 252, pushing the second lifting member 300 downward against the biasing force of the biasing member 301. When the container holding part 201 is raised, the pressing member 303 is raised by the interlocking part 252, and the second lifting member 300 is raised by the biasing force of the biasing member 301. When the container holding part 201 has risen to a predetermined position, the second lifting member 300 is stopped from rising by the stopper 302.
[0050] The interlocking section 252 has a pair of pulleys 320 and 321 arranged vertically in the Z direction, and an annular belt 322 stretched over the pair of pulleys 320 and 321.
[0051] A pair of pulleys 320 and 321 are arranged vertically on the plate-shaped member 260. The pair of pulleys 320 and 321 are provided in the front-rear direction Y between the first guide rail 272 of the first movable part 250 and the second guide rail 304 of the second movable part 251. Pulley 320 is provided near the upper part of the plate-shaped member 260, and pulley 321 is provided near the lower part of the plate-shaped member 260.
[0052] The belt 322 is stretched over a pair of pulleys 320 and 321, and the belt portions 330 and 331 facing each other in the front-rear direction Y move up and down in opposite directions via the pulleys 320 and 321.
[0053] The first movable part 250 is driven by the belt portion 330. That is, the first lifting member 271 is attached to the belt portion 330, and as the belt portion 330 moves up and down, the first lifting member 271, the pipette holding member 270, and the pipette 200 move up and down.
[0054] The second movable part 251 is driven by the belt part 331. That is, the pressing member 303 is attached to the belt part 331, and the pressing member 303 moves up and down as the belt part 331 moves up and down. As the pressing member 303 moves up and down, the second lifting member 300 and the container holding part 201 can move up and down.
[0055] The drive source 253 is a single motor connected to the pulley 320. The drive source 253 is fixed to the second plate surface 260b on the left side in the left-right direction X of the plate-shaped member 260. The drive source 253 can switch between forward and reverse rotation, and can rotate the belt 322 clockwise and counterclockwise via the pulley 320.
[0056] The moving mechanism 202 has a vibrating member 350 that vibrates the reaction vessel 70 held by the container holding part 201. The vibrating member 350 is a vibrating element that vibrates when power is supplied and is provided on the arm part 311 of the second lifting member 300.
[0057] The transfer mechanism 202 has a heating element 360 for heating the sample or reagent in the pipette 200. The heating element 360 is a heating element that generates heat when power is supplied and is provided on the pipette holding member 270.
[0058] The moving device 151 shown in Figure 2 is configured to transport the entire dispensing device 150 to any position in the left-right direction X and the front-back direction Y within the device housing 10.
[0059] <Configuration of reagent container storage section 52> The configuration of the reagent container storage section 52 will now be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the reagent container storage section 52, and Figure 7 is an exploded view of the reagent container storage section 52. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view AA of the reagent container storage section 52. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the reagent container storage section 52 has a housing 500, a cooling section 501, and a heat dissipation section 502.
[0060] <Configuration of the 500 enclosure> The housing 500 houses multiple reagent containers. As shown in Figure 6, the housing 500 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the front-to-back direction Y, and forms a roughly rectangular parallelepiped space inside.
[0061] The housing 500 has a hexahedral structure and includes a first side portion 500a, a second side portion 500b, a third side portion 500c, a fourth side portion 500d, a top portion 500e, and a bottom portion 500f.
[0062] As shown in Figure 7, the housing 500 has a heat transfer housing section 530, an insulating housing section 531, a bottom section 500f, a rack support section 533, and an insulating member 534. The heat transfer housing section 530 is made of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum. The heat transfer housing section 530 forms part of the inner wall of the housing 500. The heat transfer housing section 530 has a first side wall section 540 located on the left side in the left-right direction X, a second side wall section 541 located on the right side in the left-right direction X, a third side wall section 542 located on the rear side in the front-rear direction Y, and an upper surface connection section 543 located above it. The front side of the heat transfer housing section 530 in the front-rear direction Y is open.
[0063] The first side wall portion 540 and the second side wall portion 541 have a rectangular plate shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction Y. The first side wall portion 540 and the second side wall portion 541 are arranged perpendicularly to each other so that their plate surfaces face in the left-right direction X. The first side wall portion 540 and the second side wall portion 541 are arranged so that they face each other and are parallel to each other.
[0064] The third side wall portion 542 has a rectangular plate shape. The third side wall portion 542 is positioned vertically such that its plate surface faces the front-rear direction Y. The third side wall portion 542 connects the rear end of the first side wall portion 540 and the rear end of the second side wall portion 541. The third side wall portion 542 is formed to be lower in height than the first side wall portion 540 and the second side wall portion 541.
[0065] The top connecting portion 543 has a rectangular plate shape. The top connecting portion 543 is positioned horizontally so that its plate surface faces the vertical direction Z. The top connecting portion 543 connects the upper front end of the first side wall portion 540 and the upper front end of the second side wall portion 541. The top connecting portion 543 is not provided to cover the entire upper surface portion 500e of the housing 500, but only covers a portion of the upper front portion 500e of the housing 500. In a plan view, the top connecting portion 543 is provided in a position where it does not overlap with the reagent containers 580 housed in the housing 500.
[0066] A temperature sensor 544 is provided on the first side wall portion 540. The temperature sensor 544 detects the temperature of the heat transfer housing portion 530. The control unit 57 can control the cooling unit 501 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 544 and adjust the temperature inside the housing 500. The control unit 57 controls the cooling unit 501 so that the temperature of the first side wall portion 540, as measured by the temperature sensor 544, is between 0°C and 10°C, for example, 5°C.
[0067] The insulated casing 531 is made of an insulating material such as expanded polystyrene or cellulose fiber. The insulated casing 531 constitutes a part of the outer wall of the casing 500. The insulated casing 531 has a first outer wall 550 located on the left side in the left-right direction X, a second outer wall 551 located on the right side in the left-right direction X, a third outer wall 552 located on the rear side in the front-rear direction Y, and an upper outer wall 553 located above it. The front side of the insulated casing 531 in the front-rear direction Y is open.
[0068] The first outer wall portion 550 is located outside the first side wall portion 540 and has a rectangular opening 550a in the center. The second outer wall portion 551 has a rectangular plate shape that is long in the front-to-back direction Y. The second outer wall portion 551 is arranged vertically such that the plate surface faces in the left-to-right direction X. The second outer wall portion 551 is located outside the second side wall portion 541 and is positioned to cover the second side wall portion 541.
[0069] The third outer wall portion 552 has a rectangular plate shape. The third outer wall portion 552 is positioned vertically such that its plate surface faces the front-rear direction Y. The third outer wall portion 552 connects the rear end of the first outer wall portion 550 and the rear end of the second outer wall portion 551. The third outer wall portion 552 is positioned outside the third side wall portion 542 and covers the third side wall portion 542.
[0070] The upper outer wall portion 553 has a rectangular plate shape that is elongated in the front-to-back direction Y. The upper outer wall portion 553 is arranged horizontally such that the plate surface faces the vertical direction Z. The upper outer wall portion 553 connects the upper end of the first outer wall portion 550 and the upper end of the second outer wall portion 551. The upper outer wall portion 553 is provided so as to cover the entire upper surface portion 500e of the housing 500. The upper outer wall portion 553 has a portion 553a that covers the upper connection portion 543 and a portion 553b that does not cover the upper connection portion 543.
[0071] The portion 553b of the upper outer wall 553 is provided with through-holes 555 for the pipette 200 of the dispensing section 58 to enter and exit. Multiple through-holes 555 are arranged in a row (five in this embodiment) along the front-to-back direction Y. In addition, multiple rows of through-holes 555 are provided in the left-to-right direction X (two rows in this embodiment).
[0072] An opening 560 is formed on the front surface of the heat transfer housing 530 and the heat insulation housing 531 in the front-to-back direction Y, allowing the rack support 533 to enter and exit.
[0073] In this embodiment, the first side wall portion 540 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 and the first outer wall portion 550 of the heat insulation housing portion 531 constitute the first side surface portion 500a of the housing 500, the second side wall portion 541 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 and the second outer wall portion 551 of the heat insulation housing portion 531 constitute the second side surface portion 500b of the housing 500, the third side wall portion 542 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 and the third outer wall portion 552 of the heat insulation housing portion 531 constitute the third side surface portion 500c of the housing 500, and the upper connection portion 543 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 and the upper outer wall portion 553 of the heat insulation housing portion 531 constitute the upper surface portion 500e of the housing 500.
[0074] The bottom surface 500f has a rectangular plate shape that is long in the front-to-back direction Y. The bottom surface 500f is made of a material with lower thermal conductivity than the heat transfer housing 530, such as resin. A rail portion 570 is formed on the bottom surface 500f on which the rack support portion 533 slides. As shown in Figure 8, a groove 571 is formed at the left end of the bottom surface 500f in the left-to-right direction X, which is used to collect liquid if condensation occurs inside the housing 500.
[0075] As shown in Figure 7, the rack support portion 533 supports a reagent container rack 581 that holds a plurality of reagent containers 580 in a row. The reagent container rack 581 has a shape that is long in the direction in which the plurality of reagent containers 580 are arranged (front-to-back direction Y in Figure 7). Two rack support portions 533 are provided side by side in the left-to-right direction X. Figure 9 is a side view of the rack support portion 533 as seen from the left-to-right direction X. As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the rack support portion 533 has a bottom portion 590 that is long in the front-to-back direction Y, a front portion 591 that extends upward from the front end of the bottom portion 590, and a handle portion 592 formed on the front side of the front portion 591.
[0076] The bottom portion 590 has a slider portion 600 that moves along the rail portion 570 in the front-rear direction Y, and a mounting portion 601 on which the reagent container rack 581 is placed. The slider portion 600 fits into the rail portion 570. The mounting portion 601 has a projection 601a that protrudes upward from the slider portion 600. The projection 601a is provided at the front and rear of the bottom portion 590. The reagent container rack 581 is placed on the upper surface of this projection 601a. With the reagent container rack 581 placed on the projection 601a, a ventilation passage 602 is formed between the slider portion 600, the mounting portion 601, and the reagent container rack 581, penetrating in the left-right direction X for ventilation.
[0077] As shown in Figure 7, the front portion 591 has a rectangular plate shape when viewed from the front. The front portions 591 of the two rack support portions 533 are configured to be able to close the front openings 560 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 and the heat insulation housing portion 531. In other words, the two front portions 591 function as the fourth side portion 500d of the housing 500. The housing 500 has no parts that allow air to circulate between the inside and outside except for the through holes 555, and can form a sealed space inside.
[0078] The handle portion 592 is configured to extend forward from the upper end of the front portion 591 and then extend downward.
[0079] The rack support section 533 is movable in the front-rear direction Y relative to the housing 500 by the movement of the slider section 600 on the rail section 570 of the bottom section 500f. As a result, the rack support section 533 can be pulled out relative to the device housing 10 and housing 500, as shown in Figure 10. By moving the rack support section 533 in and out of the door 31 of the device housing 10, the reagent container rack 581 and reagent containers 580 can be moved in and out of the device housing 10. In a plan view, the position of the reagent containers 580 stored in the housing 500 by the rack support section 533 coincides with the through-hole 555 of the housing 500.
[0080] As shown in Figure 7, the heat insulating member (sealing member) 534 has a frame shape that can be fitted into the front side of the heat transfer housing 530. The heat insulating member 534 has a first side wall portion 610 located on the left side in the left-right direction X, a second side wall portion 611 located on the right side in the left-right direction X, and an upper surface portion 612 located above it.
[0081] The first side wall portion 610 and the second side wall portion 611 have a rectangular plate shape that is elongated upwards. The first side wall portion 610 and the second side wall portion 611 abut against the inner surface of the first side wall portion 540 and the inner surface of the second side wall portion 541 of the heat transfer housing portion 530, respectively. The top surface portion 612 has a rectangular plate shape that is elongated in the left-right direction X. The top surface portion 612 connects the upper end of the first side wall portion 610 and the upper end of the second side wall portion 611. The top surface portion 612 abuts against the inner surface of the top connection portion 543 of the heat transfer housing portion 530.
[0082] The first side wall portion 610, the second side wall portion 611, and the top surface portion 612 each have a contact portion 630 that abuts against the front portion 591 of the rack support portion 533. The heat insulating member 534 prevents contact between the rack support portion 533 and the heat transfer housing portion 530, and between the reagent container rack 581 and the heat transfer housing portion 530. In addition, the heat insulating member 534 prevents air inside the housing 500 from flowing out to the outside from between the rack support portion 533 and the heat transfer housing portion 530.
[0083] <Configuration of the cooling unit 501> As shown in Figure 11, the cooling unit 501 is composed of a Peltier element. The cooling unit 501 has a rectangular plate shape. The cooling unit 501 is bonded face-to-face to the outer surface of the first side wall portion 540 of the heat transfer housing portion 530.
[0084] <Configuration of heat dissipation section 502> As shown in Figure 12, the heat dissipation section 502 includes an intake port 800, a duct 801, an exhaust port 802, a heat sink 803, and a fan 804.
[0085] The heatsink 803 is mounted on the left side of the cooling unit 501 in the left-right direction X, and the fan 804 is mounted on the left side of the heatsink 803 in the left-right direction X.
[0086] The intake port 800 and exhaust port 802 are located on the left side 23 of the device housing 10 in the left-right direction X. The intake port 800 and exhaust port 802 are positioned vertically, with the exhaust port 802 located higher than the intake port 800. The duct 801 is formed to reach the fan 804 from the intake port 800 and the exhaust port 802 from the heat sink 803.
[0087] <Sample Measurement Method> Next, an example of sample measurement using the sample measurement device 1 configured as described above will be explained. Figure 13 shows an example of the overall processing flow for sample measurement.
[0088] In the sample measurement process of the sample measuring device 1, the following steps are performed in this order: starting step S1 of the reagent cooling step T1, transferring step S2 of the reaction vessel, dispensing step S3 of the sample, dispensing step S4 of the reagent, measurement step S5, and recovery and disposal step S6 of the reaction vessel. The reagent cooling step T1 is performed continuously while the other steps S2 to S6 are being carried out. Each of these steps is executed by the control unit 57.
[0089] Before the start of sample measurement, multiple empty reaction vessels 70 are stored in the reaction vessel storage section 51, as shown in Figure 2. Multiple sample containers containing samples are held in a sample rack, and the sample rack is stored in the sample rack storage section 50 through the door 32 shown in Figure 1.
[0090] As shown in Figure 10, the reagents used for sample measurement are contained in multiple reagent containers 580, which are held in a reagent container rack 581, and the reagent container rack 581 is supported by a rack support 533. The rack support 533 is then inserted into the housing 500 of the reagent container storage unit 52 along the rail section 570 from the door 31 of the device housing 10, and the reagent containers 580 are stored inside the housing 500. At this time, a sealed space is formed inside the housing 500 with the multiple reagent containers 580 stored inside.
[0091] Then, the reagent cooling process T1 is started (process S1 in Figure 13). First, the cooling unit 501 shown in Figure 8 is activated and the housing 500 is cooled. At this time, the cooling unit 501 absorbs heat from the first side wall portion 540 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 of the housing 500. As a result, the first side wall portion 540 of the heat transfer housing portion 530 is cooled, and the cold air generated in the upper part of the housing 500 flows downward and through the ventilation passage 602, creating natural convection and lowering the temperature of the internal space of the housing 500 to below the target temperature.
[0092] Furthermore, the temperature of the first side wall 540, where the cooling unit 501 is located, is the lowest, followed by the upper connection portion 543 and the third side wall 542, then the second side wall 541, and finally the bottom portion 500f is the highest. This creates a temperature distribution within the internal space of the housing 500, resulting in natural convection. In natural convection, first, the cooler air near the first side wall 540 flows downward through the gap between the first side wall 540 and the reagent container 580 toward the hottest bottom surface 500f. Next, it flows to the right in the left-right direction X through the ventilation passage 602 below the reagent container rack 581 on the bottom surface 500f. Then, it flows upward through the gap between the second side wall 541 and the reagent container 580. Finally, it flows to the left in the left-right direction X through the gap between the top connection part 543 and the top outer wall 553 and the reagent container 580, returning to the vicinity of the first side wall 540, and this circulation continues.
[0093] Meanwhile, on the outside of the housing 500, as shown in Figure 12, the fan 804 on the outside of the cooling unit 501 operates, drawing outside air from the intake port 800 into the duct 801 and supplying it to the heat sink 803. The heat generated by the cooling unit 501 is transferred to the air in the heat sink 803. The air that has passed through the heat sink 803, along with the heat, travels through the duct 801 to the exhaust port 802 and is exhausted to the outside of the device housing 10 from the exhaust port 802. In this way, the heat from the cooling unit 501 is dissipated to the outside of the device housing 10.
[0094] As shown in Figure 13, the reaction vessel transfer process S2 is performed after the start of the reagent cooling process T1. In the reaction vessel transfer process S2, first, the container holding section 201 of the dispensing device 150 shown in Figure 2 moves from its initial position onto the container rack 71 of the reaction vessel storage section 51, then descends to hold the empty reaction vessels 70 on the container rack 71.
[0095] Next, the container holding section 201 of the dispensing device 150 moves onto the heating section 80, then descends, and the reaction vessel 70 is held in the holding hole 90 of the heating section 80. Then, the container holding section 201 rises.
[0096] Next, the sample dispensing process S3 (shown in Figure 13) is performed. First, the pipette 200 of the dispensing device 150 shown in Figure 2 moves onto the sample rack storage section 50 and then descends. The pipette 200 passes through the hole 61 in the upper part 60 and is inserted into the sample container in the sample rack within the sample rack storage section 50, and the sample is aspirated.
[0097] Subsequently, the pipette 200 rises above the sample rack storage section 50 and moves onto the heating section 80. The pipette 200 then descends towards the reaction vessel 70 on the heating section 80 and injects the sample into the reaction vessel 70.
[0098] Next, the pipette 200 rises over the heating unit 80 and moves onto the washing unit 54. The pipette 200 descends towards the washing tank 110 in the washing unit 54, is inserted into the washing tank 110, and is washed. Finally, the pipette 200 rises over the washing unit 54.
[0099] Next, the reagent dispensing process S4 is performed (shown in Figure 13). First, the pipette 200 of the dispensing device 150 shown in Figure 2 moves onto the housing 500 of the reagent container storage section 52. Subsequently, the pipette 200 descends and enters the housing 500 through the through hole 555 in the upper outer wall section 553. The pipette 200 is then inserted into the reagent container 580 of the reagent container rack 581 and aspirates the reagent from the reagent container 580.
[0100] Next, the pipette 200 rises above the reagent container storage section 52. Then, the reagent in the pipette 200 is heated by the heating element 360. While the reagent in the pipette 200 is being heated, the pipette 200 moves onto the heating section 80.
[0101] Next, the container holding section 201 of the dispensing device 150 descends toward the reaction vessel 70 of the heating section 80 and holds the reaction vessel 70 of the heating section 80.
[0102] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the container holder 201 rises above the heating unit 80, and the pipette 200 descends and is inserted into the reaction vessel 70. The pipette 200 then injects the reagent into the reaction vessel 70 of the container holder 201. Next, the reaction vessel 70 of the container holder 201 is vibrated by the vibrating member 350, and the sample containing the reagent is agitated.
[0103] Next, the container holding unit 201 shown in Figure 2 moves onto the detection unit 81 and descends. The container holding unit 201 descends toward the holding hole 100 of the detection unit 81 and holds the reaction vessel 70 in the holding hole 100. Finally, the container holding unit 201 rises on the detection unit 81.
[0104] Next, measurement step S5 (shown in Figure 13) is performed. In the detection unit 81, a blood coagulation measurement is performed to analyze the activity of coagulation factors in the sample in the reaction vessel 70.
[0105] Finally, the reaction vessel recovery and disposal process S6 (shown in Figure 13) is performed. First, the container holding section 201 of the dispensing device 150 shown in Figure 2 moves above the detection section 81 and then descends. Next, the container holding section 201 holds the reaction vessel 70 of the detection section 81.
[0106] Next, the container holder 201 rises over the detection unit 81 and moves onto the waste unit 55. The container holder 201 descends towards the waste port 120 of the waste unit 55 and discards the reaction vessel 70 into the waste port 120. Finally, the container holder 201 rises over the waste unit 55 and is then returned to its initial position.
[0107] According to this embodiment, the reagent container storage section 52 of the sample measuring device 1 includes a housing 500, a cooling section 501 for cooling the housing 500, and a reagent container rack 581 for holding reagent containers 580 inside the housing 500. The cooling section 501 is provided on a first side wall 540, which is part of the first side surface 500a of the housing 500, and a ventilation passage 602 is provided between the reagent container rack 581 and the bottom surface 500f inside the housing 500. In this case, the first side wall 540 of the housing 500 is cooled by the cooling section 501, so a downward airflow is generated near the first side wall 540 inside the housing 500, and natural convection occurs inside the housing 500, passing through the ventilation passage 602. As a result, there is no need to provide a fan to circulate the air inside the housing 500, and the device can be made smaller. Furthermore, cooling by natural convection allows cold air to circulate throughout the housing 500, cooling multiple reagent containers 580 from the surroundings, thereby enabling uniform temperature control of the reagents within the multiple reagent containers 580.
[0108] The upper surface 500e of the housing 500 is provided with a through-hole 555 for the pipette 200 to enter and exit. In this case, the pipette 200 is outside the housing 500, and can enter the housing 500 to aspirate reagents as needed. This allows the volume of the housing 500 to be reduced, and as a result, strong natural convection can be reliably generated inside the housing 500. Therefore, the reagents in the reagent container 580 inside the housing 500 can be cooled stably and sufficiently.
[0109] The housing 500 has a heat-conductive heat transfer housing section 530, which has a first side wall section 540, a second side wall section 541, and an upper connection section 543, and the cooling section 501 is provided on the first side wall section 540. As a result, the entire heat transfer housing section 530 is suitably cooled, and the reagents in the reagent container 580 can be cooled from above and from the left and right. As a result, the reagents in the reagent container 580 can be cooled suitably and stably. In addition, the cooling section 501 first cools the heat transfer housing section 530 itself, and then the internal air of the housing 500 is cooled, which in turn cools the reagent container 580, thus suppressing condensation on the reagent container 580.
[0110] The bottom surface 500f of the housing 500 contains a material with lower thermal conductivity than the heat transfer housing 530. This increases the temperature difference between the first side wall 540, where the cooling section 501 is provided, and the bottom surface 500f. As a result, the downward airflow from the vicinity of the first side wall 540 toward the bottom surface 500f becomes stronger, and natural convection becomes stronger, so the reagents in the reagent container 580 can be sufficiently cooled.
[0111] The upper connection portion 543 of the heat transfer housing 530 is positioned so as not to overlap with the reagent container 580 housed in the housing 500 when viewed from above. This prevents water droplets from falling onto the reagent container 580 even if the upper connection portion 543 is cooled and condensation occurs.
[0112] The housing 500 is configured to accommodate multiple reagent containers 580 arranged along the front-to-back direction Y, which runs along the first side wall 540 and the second side wall 541. Furthermore, the housing 500 is configured to house the reagent container rack 581 with its longitudinal direction oriented in the front-to-back direction Y, which is perpendicular to the left-to-right direction X from the first side wall 540 to the second side wall 541. This shortens the path along the inner wall of the housing 500 in the direction in which natural convection occurs, making it easier for strong natural convection to occur. As a result, the reagents in the reagent containers 580 can be sufficiently cooled.
[0113] Since the housing 500 has an insulating housing section 531 that covers the heat transfer housing section 530, the heat transfer housing section 530 can be cooled efficiently.
[0114] The reagent container storage section 52 has a rack support section 533 within the housing 500 that supports the reagent container rack 581, and the rack support section 533 is configured to be retractable from within the housing 500. This allows for easy removal and replacement of the reagent containers 580.
[0115] The ventilation passage 602 is formed between the reagent container rack 581 and the rack support portion 533. This allows for the suitable formation of a ventilation passage 602 for natural convection to pass through.
[0116] The sample measuring device 1 is equipped with a heat dissipation unit 502 that dissipates the heat generated by the cooling unit 501. As a result, the heat from the cooling unit 501 does not accumulate in the housing 500, so that the reagents in the reagent container 580 in the housing 500 can be properly cooled.
[0117] The sample measuring device 1 comprises a device housing 10 having a measuring unit 53 and a reagent container storage unit 52 inside. As a result, the housing 500 of the reagent container storage unit 52 is located inside the device housing 10. Therefore, the volume of the housing 500 can be reduced, and the reagents in the reagent containers 580 inside the housing 500 can be efficiently cooled.
[0118] The housing 500 is configured such that the natural convection generated inside the housing 500 by the cooling of the cooling unit 501 circulates in the following order: between the first side portion 500a of the housing 500 and the reagent container 580, through the ventilation passage 602, between the second side portion 500b of the housing 500 and the reagent container 580, and between the top portion 500e of the housing 500 and the reagent container 580. Therefore, the reagent in the reagent container 580 can be properly cooled within the housing 500.
[0119] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the ideas described in the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.
[0120] The sample measuring device 1 described in the above embodiment may have other configurations. The housing 500 of the reagent container storage section 52, the heat transfer housing section 530, the heat insulating housing section 531, the bottom section 500f, the rack support section 533, etc. may have other configurations. The cooling section 501 and the heat dissipation section 502 may also have other configurations. The cooling section 501 is not limited to a Peltier element; it may be any other device that has a cooling function. The cooling section 501 does not need to be composed of a single element such as a Peltier element; it may be composed of multiple elements.
[0121] The ventilation passage 602 may be formed in the rack support portion 533 as shown in Figure 14. In this case, the ventilation passage 602 may be formed to penetrate the bottom portion 590 of the rack support portion 533. Alternatively, the ventilation passage 602 may be formed in the bottom surface portion 500f as shown in Figure 15. In this case, the ventilation passage 602 may be formed to penetrate the lower part of the rail portion 570. Furthermore, the ventilation passage 602 may be formed in the reagent container rack 581 as shown in Figure 16.
[0122] The cooling unit 501 was provided on the first side wall portion 540, which is part of the first side portion 500a of the housing 500, but it may also be provided on any of the other side portions 500b, 500c, or 500d. Alternatively, the cooling unit 501 may be provided on the top portion 500e of the housing 500. In this case as well, cooling the top portion 500e of the housing 500 causes the air near the top of the housing 500 to descend, forming natural convection through the ventilation passage 602, thereby cooling the reagent in the reagent container 580. Furthermore, the cooling unit 501 may be provided on any other part of the housing 500, as long as a part of it is provided in a portion of the housing 500 that is higher than the ventilation passage 620. The cooling unit 501 may be provided on the entirety of the side portions 500a, 500b, 500c, or 500d of the housing 500, or on the entirety of the top portion 500e. The cooling unit 501 may be provided on the entirety of both the side portions 500a, 500b, 500c, 500d and the top portion 500e of the housing 500. Alternatively, the cooling unit 501 may be provided on only a portion of the side portions 500a, 500b, 500c, 500d and the top portion 500e. The cooling unit 501 does not need to be in direct contact with the housing 500, but may be indirectly in contact via a heat transfer member such as a heat sink.
[0123] The specimen measurement device of the present invention can also be applied to specimen measurements other than blood coagulation measurement, such as blood immunoassay, blood cell count measurement, biochemical analysis, and urine analysis. [Industrial applicability]
[0124] This invention is useful in providing a sample measurement device and a sample measurement method that can accommodate miniaturization of the device. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0125] 1. Sample measuring device 52 Reagent container storage section 53 Measuring part 70 Reaction vessel 500 cabinets 500a to 500d side part 500e top part 500f bottom part 501 Cooling section 502 Heat Dissipation Section 533 Rack support section 580 Reagent containers 581 Reagent container rack 602 Ventilation channel
Claims
1. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The aforementioned housing includes a heat-conducting housing portion, The heat transfer housing section is The first side wall portion, A second side wall portion is positioned on the opposite side of the reagent container from the first side wall portion, and is opposite to the first side wall portion, It has an upper connecting portion that connects the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion, The cooling section is provided on the first side wall, the second side wall, or the upper connection section. The bottom portion of the housing includes a material with lower thermal conductivity than the heat transfer housing portion. Sample measuring device.
2. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The aforementioned housing includes a heat-conducting housing portion, The heat transfer housing section is The first side wall portion, A second side wall portion is positioned on the opposite side of the reagent container from the first side wall portion, and is opposite to the first side wall portion, It has an upper connecting portion that connects the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion, The cooling section is provided on the first side wall, the second side wall, or the upper connection section. The upper connection portion of the heat transfer housing is positioned in a location that does not overlap with the reagent container housed in the housing when viewed from above. Sample measuring device.
3. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The aforementioned housing includes a heat-conducting housing portion, The heat transfer housing section is The first side wall portion, It has a second side wall portion that is positioned on the opposite side of the reagent container from the first side wall portion and is opposite to the first side wall portion, The cooling section is provided on the first side wall or the second side wall, The housing has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the first side wall to the second side wall, and is configured to accommodate a plurality of reagent containers arranged along the perpendicular direction. Sample measuring device.
4. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The aforementioned housing includes a heat-conducting housing portion, The heat transfer housing section is The first side wall portion, It has a second side wall portion that is positioned on the opposite side of the reagent container from the first side wall portion and is opposite to the first side wall portion, The cooling section is provided on the first side wall or the second side wall, The reagent containers are stored inside the housing while being held in the reagent container rack. The reagent container rack has a long shape in the direction in which multiple reagent containers are held side by side. The housing is configured to house the reagent container rack such that the longitudinal direction of the reagent container rack is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the first side wall to the second side wall. Sample measuring device.
5. The housing has an insulating housing portion that covers the heat transfer housing portion. A specimen measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The system further includes a heat dissipation unit for dissipating the heat generated by the cooling unit. A specimen measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
7. The apparatus further comprises a housing having the measuring unit and the reagent container storage unit inside. A specimen measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
8. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The reagent containers are stored inside the housing while being held in the reagent container rack. The aforementioned reagent container storage section is Within the housing, there is a rack support portion that supports the reagent container rack, The rack support section is configured to be retractable from within the housing. The bottom surface of the housing has a rail portion for sliding the rack support portion, The aforementioned ventilation passage is provided in the rail section, Sample measuring device.
9. The housing has a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces. The cooling unit is provided on the side or top surface of the housing. The specimen measuring device according to claim 8.
10. The housing has two opposing side portions, The cooling unit is provided on one of the two opposing side surfaces of the housing. The specimen measuring device according to claim 9.
11. The reagent container storage section further includes a pipette for aspirating the reagent contained in the reagent container and dispensing it into the reaction vessel containing the sample. The upper surface of the housing is provided with a through hole for the pipette to enter and exit. The specimen measuring device according to claim 9.
12. A reagent container storage section where reagent containers containing reagents are stored, A measuring unit that measures a sample using the aforementioned reagent, Equipped with, The aforementioned reagent container storage section is A housing in which the reagent container is housed, A cooling unit for cooling the aforementioned housing, It has, A ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container within the housing. At least a portion of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a height higher than the ventilation passage. The aforementioned enclosure is The natural convection generated inside the housing by the cooling of the cooling section is configured to circulate in the following order: between the first side surface of the housing and the reagent container, the ventilation passage, between the second side surface of the housing facing the first side surface and the reagent container, and between the top surface of the housing and the reagent container. Sample measuring device.
13. The cooling unit is provided on the first side portion, the second side portion, or the top portion of the housing. The specimen measuring device according to claim 12.
14. The reagent container storage section further includes a pipette for aspirating the reagent contained in the reagent container and dispensing it into the reaction vessel containing the sample. The upper surface of the housing is provided with a through hole for the pipette to enter and exit. The specimen measuring device according to claim 12.
15. The system further includes a heat dissipation unit for dissipating the heat generated by the cooling unit. A specimen measuring device according to any one of claims 8 to 14.
16. The apparatus further comprises a housing having the measuring unit and the reagent container storage unit inside. A specimen measuring device according to any one of claims 8 to 14.
17. A method for measuring a sample using a sample measuring device in which a ventilation passage is provided below the reagent container in a housing that houses the reagent container, A cooling step is performed to cool the reagent in the reagent container by cooling at least the portion of the housing that is higher than the ventilation passage, A dispensing step involves aspirating the reagent from the cooled reagent container and dispensing it into the reaction vessel, The measurement step includes measuring the sample in the reaction vessel from which the reagent has been dispensed, In the cooling process, the natural convection generated inside the housing circulates in the following order: between the first side surface of the housing and the reagent container, the ventilation passage, between the second side surface of the housing facing the first side surface and the reagent container, and between the top surface of the housing and the reagent container. Sample measurement method.