Storage device, automatic analysis device, and storage method

Abstract

The present invention comprises a container case 9 for containing a QC specimen container 11 to be stored and an annular holder 8 having a plurality of insertion holes 10 to which the container case 9 can be inserted from above. The annular holder 8 has an elastic tongue portion 35 that extends upward along the side surface of the container case 9 and elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the container case 9. The container case 9 has a first projection 25 that engages with the elastic tongue portion 35 to secure the container case 9 when the container case 9 is inserted into the insertion hole 10. Thus, a storage device, an automatic analysis device, and a storage method are provided that allow for an increase in the quantity of objects that can be stored in a storage chamber while achieving a reduction in the size of the storage chamber itself.

Description

Storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage device and storage method suitable for an automatic analyzer that analyzes biological samples such as blood and urine, and in particular to a storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method that store containers containing standard samples and quality control samples in individual cases.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a cooling storage assembly integrated into a clinical analyzer, which includes an insulated housing, an insulated door assembly with one or more doors, one or more thermoelectric coolers, and a cooling base assembly housed within the insulated housing and below the insulated door assembly. The cooling base assembly includes a metal plate thermally coupled to the one or more thermoelectric coolers, one or more thermal sensors, and a plurality of receptacles arranged in an array, each receptacle configured to receive one of a plurality of fluid tubes. When the one or more doors are closed, the cooling base assembly provides a cooling environment configured for multi-day storage of at least one of control and calibrator fluids housed within the plurality of fluid tubes.

[0003] Patent No. 6715385

[0004] Automated analyzers are devices that automatically analyze blood and other biological samples and output the results, and have become essential equipment in hospitals and medical testing facilities. Such automated analyzers are required to perform a wider variety of tests in a shorter time.

[0005] Automated analyzers require quality control using standard samples and quality control samples when necessary, such as when starting up each morning or when new reagents are added, which places a burden on the operator. Therefore, there is a demand for an automated analyzer that can achieve quality control without the operator having to add standard samples and quality control samples each time.

[0006] Such an automatic analyzer requires a repository for storing standard samples and quality control samples, which are sometimes collectively referred to as QC samples or QC specimen samples.

[0007] Since there are many types of QC specimens, each of which differs depending on the analysis item, it is desirable that the number of specimens stored in the repository be, for example, 100 or more.

[0008] Here, it is desirable to store the QC samples in a cooled state to prevent deterioration of the samples, contamination with foreign matter, changes in concentration due to evaporation, etc. One example of such a technique is described in Patent Document 1.

[0009] Here, the cooling method described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that multiple receptacles are arranged in an array on a cooled metal plate, and a fluid tube (container) is inserted into each receptacle for cooling. Therefore, when maintenance such as replacing the receptacles into which containers are inserted becomes necessary for some reason, it is not possible to replace only one receptacle, but rather the entire metal plate equipped with multiple receptacles must be replaced, resulting in a large-scale replacement work. In other words, maintenance must be performed in groups, which takes time, leaving room for improvement in time and cost.

[0010] Therefore, in order to improve maintenance performance, it is desirable to provide individual container cases. Using individual container cases is advantageous because it can prevent mixing of different QC samples.

[0011] However, it is desirable to have the same number of container cases as the number of specimens to be stored, for example, 100 container cases.

[0012] These numerous container cases are arranged concentrically and adjacent to one another in, for example, a cylindrical cooled storage cabinet, and are attached to a substantially disk-shaped holder that serves as a base member for holding the container cases.

[0013] In order to simplify the task of attaching a large number of container cases one by one to holders provided in a storage cabinet, it is desirable to have a simple configuration that does not require the use of special fastening members such as screws.

[0014] A suitable example of such a mechanism is a so-called snap fit, in which a resin member is stretched in a tongue shape and its elastic deformation is utilized to lock two parts together using a claw.

[0015] Furthermore, in order to reduce the size of the storage cabinet and increase the number of container cases that can be stored, it is necessary to arrange the container cases at a high density, and it goes without saying that it is desirable for adjacent container cases to be able to be arranged close to each other. Therefore, a snap fit arrangement and shape that is suitable for arranging the container cases close to each other is required.

[0016] In addition, in order to improve maintainability, for example, when it becomes necessary to replace a container case in a container storage cabinet for some reason, it is desirable to have a configuration that allows replacement by removing and attaching only the relevant container case without disassembling the storage cabinet.

[0017] The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes so-called snap-fit ​​claws for fitting the right case and the left case together, and a receiving portion corresponding to the snap-fit ​​claws, but does not disclose a configuration in which multiple cases are arranged close to each other.

[0018] The present invention aims to provide a storage device, an automatic analyzer, and a storage method that increase the number of storage objects that can be stored in a storage cabinet while reducing the size of the storage cabinet itself.

[0019] The present invention includes multiple means for solving the above problems, and one example is a holder that includes a case for containing items to be stored and a holder that has multiple holes into which the case can be inserted from above, the holder extending upward along the side of the case and having claw portions that elastically deform in a direction away from the surface of the case, and the case having a first engagement portion that engages with the claw portions to secure the case when inserted into the holes.

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the number of storage objects that can be stored in a storage cabinet while miniaturizing the storage cabinet itself. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become clear from the description of the following embodiments.

[0021] 3 is a schematic plan view of an automated analyzer according to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a container storage device according to the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the configuration of the container case and holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from above and front. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the configuration of the container case and holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from below and rear. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the snap-fit ​​locking operation of the container case and holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the state after snap-fit ​​locking of the container case and holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from above and front. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the state after snap-fit ​​locking of the container case and holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from below and rear. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the annular holder and container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the configuration of the container case, holder, and removal jig of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from above and front. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the configuration of the container case, holder, and removal jig of the container storage device according to the first embodiment, viewed from below and rear. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a removal jig is being inserted from above into a container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a removal jig is inserted from above into a container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment and the snap fit has been released. FIG. 3 is a perspective view, seen from above and in front, showing a state in which a removal jig is inserted from above into a container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment and the snap fit has been released. FIG. 4 is a perspective view, seen from above and in front, showing a state in which the container case of the container storage device according to the first embodiment has been removed upward from the holder by the removal jig. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing examples of different vertical heights of the holder of the container storage device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the holder and container case of the container storage device according to the second embodiment.

[0022] The storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings used in this specification, identical or corresponding components are designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated description of these components may be omitted.

[0023] First Embodiment A first embodiment of a storage device, an automatic analyzer, and a storage method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 17. FIG.

[0024] First, the overall configuration of an automatic analyzer including a container storage device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of the automatic analyzer.

[0025] The automatic analyzer 100 according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 includes a container storage device 1 for storing QC sample containers 11 used for measurements in the analyzer 101, an analyzer 101 that is a device for measuring the physical properties of samples and that needs to ensure analytical accuracy using QC samples, etc., a pre-processing device 102 that performs various pre-processing on the samples prior to analysis in the analyzer 101, and a post-processing device that performs various post-processing on the samples, etc. after analysis of the samples.

[0026] The automatic analyzer 100 may include one or more of the analyzer 101, pre-processing device 102, post-processing device, and container storage device 1, or may be omitted as appropriate, and may be modified as appropriate depending on the system configuration.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the container storage device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the container storage device, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 3, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2.

[0028] In this embodiment, the holder is an annular holder 8 in which the container cases are arranged in three concentric circles, and the container cases 9 are arranged concentrically on the annular holder 8 with respect to the central axis 4 of the storage cabinet, but the holder is not limited to an annular shape and can be either a disk shape or a fan shape, but is not limited to these shapes. Also, the container cases 9 do not need to be held concentrically on the holder and can be arranged in other ways.

[0029] In the following description, the up / down, left / right, front / rear directions are based on the up / down, left / right, front / rear directions shown in Figures 2 and 3. The front / rear direction is the radial direction of the storage cabinet or disk along A-A, and the left / right direction is the tangential direction of the arc perpendicular to A-A. In the description from Figure 4 onwards, in order to make the configuration easier to understand, only the unit configuration corresponding to one set of container cases on the central circumference of the three concentric circles indicated as "representative" among the annular holders and on line A-A will be described in detail as a "unit holder", and as the other holders have the same shape as the "unit holder", only their approximate positions will be shown with dashed-dotted circles.

[0030] The holder is arranged concentrically with the "unit holder" configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5 as constituent units, and the unit holders adjacent to each other in the circumferential or radial direction are formed as a single unit, forming an approximately disk-like shape as a whole.

[0031] The container may also be referred to as a sample container or a QC sample container.

[0032] 2 and 3, the schematic configuration of the container storage device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The container storage device 1 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 2, and a substantially cylindrical storage cabinet 3 is provided inside the housing 2. Note that the configuration of a transport unit that transports QC sample containers in and out of the storage cabinet 3 will not be described here.

[0033] The storage cabinet 3 is cylindrically disposed around a vertically oriented storage central axis 4, and in order to maintain the interior of the storage cabinet 3 at a low temperature, for example, below 10°C, it is cooled by a cooling device (not shown in the drawings), and the outer cylindrical surface and the top and bottom surfaces are covered with a heat insulating material 5 having low thermal conductivity. The top surface of the storage cabinet 3 is a removable storage cabinet top lid 3a.

[0034] Inside the storage cabinet 3, there is provided a circular or annular disk 6 rotatably supported around the storage cabinet central axis 4. The disk 6 is rotatable by being connected via a disk drive shaft 7 to a drive motor (not shown), for example, a stepping motor, via a timing belt, and can be stopped at a predetermined angular position by an angle detection sensor (not shown).

[0035] An annular holder 8 is provided on the disc 6 and is rotatable together with the disc 6. The annular holder 8 has a hole (insertion hole 10) at the center thereof for passing a rotary drive shaft or the like therethrough.

[0036] A plurality of container cases 9 for accommodating QC sample containers 11 can be attached to the annular holder 8, and insertion holes 10 for inserting the respective container cases 9 from above are drilled in the holder 8 in the number equal to the number of container cases 9 that can be accommodated. It is desirable to make the outer diameter of the annular holder 8 as large as possible to be approximately equal to the outer diameter of the disk 6 so that a large number of container cases 9 can be accommodated.

[0037] In this embodiment, the container cases 9 are arranged concentrically and radially around the central axis 4 of the storage cabinet, and a QC sample container 11 is stored in each container case 9. That is, the container cases 9 are arranged in three concentric circles, i.e., along an outer circle 12a, a middle circle 12b, and an inner circle 12c.

[0038] An opening 13 is provided in the top cover 3a of the storage cabinet 3 so that the QC sample containers 11 can be removed upward from inside the storage cabinet 3. In this embodiment, the opening 13 has a substantially rectangular shape, with one side parallel to A-A and the other side shorter than the first side and perpendicular to A-A. In this embodiment, the length of one side is set so that the container cases 9 of the outermost outer circle 12a and the innermost inner circle 12c arranged in a triple concentric circle configuration are exposed in a plan view, and the length of the other side is set so that one of the container cases 9 is exposed in a plan view. The opening size is large enough to allow passage when the container case 9 is moved vertically using a removal tool 43 (described later) to be placed on or removed from the annular holder 8.

[0039] A shutter 14 that is opened and closed by a shutter opening and closing mechanism (not shown) is provided at the opening 13. An airtight seal material (not shown) is provided around the shutter 14 to seal the gap between the opening 13 of the storage cabinet 3 and the shutter 14 so that outside air does not enter the cooled storage cabinet 3 when the shutter 14 is closed.

[0040] When the shutter 14 is fully opened, it opens to the outside of the vertical projection plane of the opening 13 so as not to interfere with the grasping and removal of the container case 9 by the removal jig 43 .

[0041] In this embodiment, the QC sample container 11 is stored in the storage cabinet 3 via a ring holder 8, in a state where it is held in a container case 9 provided on the top surface of the storage cabinet 3 and equipped with an opening / closing lid 16 that is pivotally supported around a lid support shaft 15 so that it can be opened and closed freely, through an opening 13 that allows the container case 9 and removal tool 43 to pass through in the vertical direction.

[0042] When the opening / closing lid 16 is closed, the space between the container case 9 and the lid can be kept airtight by an airtight sealant (not shown for convenience of illustration), making it possible to prevent evaporation of the specimen inside the container case 9.

[0043] The opening / closing lid 16 is supported around a lid support shaft 15 provided at one end of the opening / closing lid 16 so that it can be opened and closed freely, and the other end of the opening / closing lid 16 is provided with a lid opening claw receiving portion 17 which is acted upon by a lid opening / closing mechanism (not shown) to open and close the opening / closing lid 16.

[0044] Next, the configuration of the container case 9 and the annular holder 8 will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 6. Figure 4A is a plan view of the holder, Figure 4B is a plan view of the holder, Figure 5 is a perspective view from above and front showing the configuration of the container case and the holder, and Figure 6 is a perspective view from below and rear showing the configuration of the container case and the holder.

[0045] The container case 9 has a roughly stepped cylindrical shape with an opening on the top surface, and the upper part is a first cylindrical portion 18 with a larger diameter, and the lower part is a second cylindrical portion 19 that is concentric with the first cylindrical portion 18 and has a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion 18.

[0046] The step between the inner periphery of the first cylindrical portion 18 and the inner periphery of the second cylindrical portion 19 is a horizontal mounting bottom surface 20 perpendicular to the central axis of the first cylindrical portion 18 to the second cylindrical portion 19, and is configured to be mountable on a case mounting surface 21 provided on the annular holder 8. A ring-shaped seal member 50 is provided on the case bottom surface 49, which is the lowest surface of the second cylindrical portion 19, and when the QC sample container 11 is inserted, as shown in Figure 7, it maintains an airtight seal between the case bottom surface 49 and the outer cylindrical surface of the QC sample container 11.

[0047] The container case 9 includes a positioning protrusion 22 , a first protrusion 25 , a second protrusion 28 , a lid support shaft arm 29 , and a lid support shaft 15 .

[0048] The positioning protrusion 22 is a long protrusion that faces forward and protrudes from the side surface of the first tubular portion 18 along the outer periphery of the first tubular portion 18. The first protrusion 25 protrudes a distance S1 from the cylindrical surface of the first tubular portion 18, has a horizontal locking surface 23 formed on its upper surface, and a first inclined surface 24 formed below that smoothly continues to the outer periphery of the first tubular portion 18. The second protrusion 28 protrudes a distance S2 from the cylindrical surface of the first tubular portion 18, has a horizontal jig receiving surface 26 on its lower surface, and has a second inclined surface 27 formed above that smoothly continues to the outer periphery of the first tubular portion 18.

[0049] Of the above-mentioned protrusions, the first protrusion 25 engages with the elastic tongue portion 35 to fix the container case 9 when inserted into the insertion hole 10, and the second protrusion 28 engages with a step portion 44 of the removal jig 43 on the side surface. Details thereof will be described later.

[0050] A seal portion 30 made of, for example, soft rubber is provided on the underside of the opening / closing lid 16, and when the opening / closing lid 16 is closed, it fits into the inner periphery of the container case 9 to maintain airtightness.

[0051] The locking surface 23 of the first projection 25 is provided at a position H1 in the height direction from the bottom surface 20 of the mounting device.

[0052] The jig receiving surface 26 of the second projection 28 is provided at a position H4 in the height direction from the mounting bottom surface 20.

[0053] 4A in a plan view, the first protrusions 25 are provided in four directions, L1, L2, R1, and R2, from the central axis of the container case 9 that connects the center of the annular holder 8 and the center of the container case 9. In this embodiment, L1 and R1 are symmetrical with respect to the front-rear axis, and L2 and R2 are symmetrical with respect to the front-rear axis. Therefore, two pairs of elastic tongues 35 that pair with the first protrusions 25 are also arranged symmetrically with respect to the line that connects the center of the annular holder 8 and the center of the container case 9.

[0054] Furthermore, the angle between L1 and R1 in a plan view is larger than the angle between L2 and R2. In other words, the distance between the first pair of projections provided farther from the center of the container case 9 with respect to the center of the annular holder 8 (the distance between the first projections 25 provided on L1 and R1, and the distance between the elastic tongues 35) is longer than the distance between the second pair of projections provided between the center of the annular holder 8 and the center of the container case 9 (the distance between the first projections 25 provided on L2 and R2, and the distance between the elastic tongues 35).

[0055] The second protrusions 28 are provided in a total of three directions: a pair facing right and left, and one facing rearward.

[0056] The first protrusions 25 provided in the L2 and R2 directions are provided between the lid support shaft arm 29 and the second protrusion 28 facing rearward.

[0057] The lid support shaft arms 29 are a pair of arms extending rearward and upward from the first cylindrical portion 18. The lid support shaft 15, near the tip of the lid support shaft arm 29, is the shaft of the opening / closing lid 16 that opens and closes the opening on the top surface of the container case 9.

[0058] Next, we will explain the shape of the annular holder 8. As mentioned above, the annular holder 8 is configured by arranging a plurality of "unit holders 31," each having a basic unit shape capable of holding one container case 9, side by side and connecting or integrally molding them to form a disk or ring shape as a whole that can hold a plurality of concentrically arranged container cases 9. Therefore, hereinafter, the configuration of this unit holder 31 will be explained in detail.

[0059] The annular holder 8, i.e., the unit holder 31, is preferably integrally molded from a resin having elasticity, and may be made of, for example, a POM (polyacetal) resin.

[0060] 4 to 9, for the sake of explanation, the shape of only one set of adjacent unit holders 31 on the annular holder 8 is shown in detail, and only the positions of the adjacent unit holders 31 are indicated by dashed dotted lines.

[0061] The unit holder 31 has an overall hollow, stepped cylindrical shape, allowing the container case 9 to be inserted into and removed from above. A stepped portion provided on the inner periphery of a first cylinder 32 forming the outer periphery of the unit holder 31 forms a horizontal, annular case mounting surface 21. The bottom mounting surface 20 of the container case 9 can be placed on the case mounting surface 21. The case mounting surface 21 serves as a reference surface for the mounting position when the container case 9 is engaged with the unit holder 31, and therefore it is desirable that the case mounting surface 21 be machined with high precision.

[0062] A guide surface 33, a case guide portion 34, and an elastic tongue portion 35 are provided extending upward from the outer periphery of the case mounting surface 21.

[0063] The guide surface 33 is the inner surface of an arc-shaped case guide portion 34 that forms part of a cylinder with a diameter slightly larger than that of the first cylindrical portion 18 of the container case 9, extending upward from the outer periphery of the case mounting surface 21 so that an appropriate gap of, for example, about 0.2 mm is provided between the first cylindrical portion 18 and the case mounting surface 21 in a plan view.

[0064] The elastic tongue portion 35 is provided on the annular holder 8 and extends upward along the side of the container case 9, and is a so-called snap fit that elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the container case 9, i.e., in the radial direction of the first cylinder 32.

[0065] The second cylinder 36 is provided below the case mounting surface 21, has a smaller diameter than the first cylinder 32, and is provided with an insertion hole 10 that communicates with the inner periphery of the case mounting surface 21. The diameter of the insertion hole 10 is larger than the diameter of the second cylindrical portion 19 of the container case 9.

[0066] The area of ​​the inner periphery of the case guide portion 34 near the case placement surface 21 may be provided with a positioning cylindrical surface 37 that is machined with even higher precision to minimize the gap between the container case 9 and the case 9, in order to minimize backlash when the container case 9 is placed on the case 9. The positioning cylindrical surface 37 may be formed so as to extend intermittently over only a portion of the cylindrical surface, rather than extending around the entire circumference of the cylinder.

[0067] The elastic tongues 35 are provided to pair with the first protrusions 25 provided on the container case 9, and are provided in four directions, L1, L2, R1, and R2, in a plan view. L1 and R2, and L2 and R1 are respectively arranged substantially opposite each other with respect to the central axis of the unit holder 31, thereby ensuring a reliable and stable engagement when the container case 9 and the unit holder 31 are snap-fitted together, as will be described later.

[0068] The elastic tongue portion 35 has a thin structure, for example, a thickness of about 1 mm, so that the upper end portion can be easily displaced.

[0069] Furthermore, only the area above a first protrusion receiving surface 39 provided horizontally near the upper end of the elastic tongue portion 35 is connected in the circumferential direction, and the area below the first protrusion receiving surface 39 is divided by a slit 38 which is an opening.

[0070] The first protrusion receiving surface 39 is provided at a height H2 from the case mounting surface 21. H2 is set to be, for example, approximately 0.2 mm larger than the height H1 from the mounting bottom surface 20 of the container case 9 to the locking surface 23 of the first protrusion 25. The elastic tongue portion 35 has a shape near its upper end that is inclined in a direction away from the cylindrical inner circumference of the unit holder 31 as it goes upward, and the inner side forms a guide slope 40.

[0071] Arc-shaped case guide portions 34 are provided in a total of four locations between adjacent first protrusions 25, i.e., between L1 and L2, between L1 and R1, between R1 and R2, and between L2 and R2. These case guide portions 34 are not thin, for example, with a thickness of about 2 mm, and have an arc-shaped horizontal cross section, and the moment of inertia in the radial direction of the unit holder 31 in the horizontal cross section is sufficiently large compared to the elastic tongue portions 35, so that they have rigidity that does not easily deform, and are provided to a height of H3 from the case mounting surface 21.

[0072] Furthermore, a groove 41 that opens in the vertical direction is provided in the case guide portion 34 in front of the annular holder 8. This groove 41 is a protrusion that fixes the orientation of the container case 9 by engaging with the positioning protrusion 22 when the container case 9 is inserted into the annular holder 8 from above, and is configured so that the positioning protrusion 22 of the container case 9 can be inserted or removed from above. The left-right width of the groove 41 is made larger than the left-right width of the positioning protrusion 22 provided on the container case 9, for example, by about 0.2 mm, to provide an appropriate gap.

[0073] Furthermore, by making the vertical dimension of the case guide portion 34 have a dimensional relationship with the second protrusion 28 such that (H4 > H3), interference between the second protrusion 28 and the case guide portion 34 does not occur when the container case 9 is engaged with the unit holder 31.

[0074] Next, the operation of inserting the container case 9 into the unit holder 31 from above and locking it by snap-fitting will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the snap-fit ​​locking operation.

[0075] As shown in Figure 7 (a), the second cylindrical portion 19 of the container case 9 is inserted from above into the insertion hole 10 of the unit holder 31, the distance between the mounting bottom surface 20 and the case mounting surface 21 is h1, and the first protrusion 25 does not act on the elastic tongue portion 35 or the guide inclined surface 40.

[0076] As shown in (b) of Figure 7, the distance between the bottom mounting surface 20 and the case mounting surface 21 is h2 (

[0077] ​7(c), when the container case 9 is further lowered, the case mounting surface 21 comes into contact with the mounting bottom surface 20. Here, the locking surface 23 of the first projection 25 is at a height H1 from the mounting bottom surface 20, and the first projection receiving surface 39 of the elastic tongue 35 is at a height H2 from the mounting bottom surface 20. Since H2 is greater than the height H1 by, for example, about 0.2 mm, the first projection receiving surface 39 is positioned above the locking surface 23. Therefore, the elastic deformation of the elastic tongue 35 returns to its original shape, and the first projection receiving surface 39 is positioned above the locking surface 23 and acts as a hook, preventing the container case 9 from moving upward and allowing it to be locked onto the unit holder 31.

[0078] At the same time, the positioning projections 22 of the container case 9 are inserted into the grooves 41 of the unit holder 31, so that the container case 9 can be angularly positioned relative to the unit holder 31 even if it has a cylindrical shape.

[0079] Here, by engaging a claw (not shown) provided on a lid opening / closing device (not shown) with a lid opening claw receiving portion 17 provided on the opening / closing lid 16 and moving it upward and rearward to a fully open state as shown by the dashed line, the top surface of the container case 9 is opened. Next, from this state, the QC sample container 11 held in the container case 9 can be grasped and raised using a container grasping device (not shown) equipped with a gripper 42, which is an openable and closable grasping claw, and removed upward.

[0080] Conversely, the gripper 42 can grasp the QC sample container 11 and descend to insert and set the QC sample container 11 into an empty container case 9.

[0081] Next, the state in which the container case 9 is engaged with the unit holder 31 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, similar to the state shown in Figure 7(c). Figure 8 is a perspective view of the state after snap-fit ​​engagement, seen from above and front, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the state after snap-fit ​​engagement, seen from below and rear.

[0082] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the case mounting surface 21 is in contact with the mounting bottom surface 20, the elastic tongue portion 35 engages the first protrusion 25 with the engaging surface 23, and the positioning protrusion 22 is fitted into the groove portion 41 to be positioned.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the container case 9 is simply inserted from above into the insertion hole 10 opened in the unit holder 31, and is locked and positioned by a so-called snap fit, making it easy to install the container case 9. This makes it possible to provide a container storage device that is easy to install and assemble in a short time, especially when attaching a large number of container cases 9 to the annular holder 8.

[0084] The elastic tongues 35 are fastened, i.e., snap-fitted, at four locations on the circumference of each container case 9, so that all four snap-fit ​​locations must be simultaneously released in order to remove the container case 9 from the unit holder 31. Therefore, even if a foreign object strikes one of the elastic tongues 35 and temporarily releases the fastening, the container case 9 will not come off or shift from the unit holder 31 or the annular holder 8, thereby providing a highly reliable fastening mechanism for the container case 9.

[0085] Next, referring to Figure 10, we will explain the configuration in which a disk-shaped annular holder 8 having an outermost diameter D1 and an innermost diameter D0 inside the storage cabinet 3 is densely packed with a large number of unit holders 31 and container cases 9. Figure 10 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the holders and container cases. Note that the opening and closing lids 16 of the container cases 9 are omitted in Figure 10.

[0086] In this embodiment, as an example, the unit holders 31 and container cases 9 are configured to be arranged in three concentric circles, so in order to arrange them at high density, it is desirable that adjacent unit holders 31 and container cases 9 on the circumference can be arranged close to each other and that the difference in radius a1 between the inner circle and the middle circle and the difference in radius a2 between the middle circle and the outer circle can be arranged close to each other to minimize them. Furthermore, if unit holders 31 of the same shape can be arranged on the inner circle, middle circle, and outer circle, container cases 9 of the same shape can be attached and detached to the inner circle, middle circle, and outer circle, which is preferable because the container cases 9 can be shared.

[0087] First, regarding the configuration in which the unit holders 31 are arranged close to each other on the circumference, it goes without saying that when they are arranged on the inner circumference where the diameter D2 is smallest, adjacent unit holders 31 are closest to each other. If the front-to-rear direction of the unit holder 31 is defined as the orientation of the unit holder 31, the orientation of the unit holder 31 faces the central axis 4 of the storage cabinet, and therefore adjacent unit holders 31 are inclined to each other by an angle θ.

[0088] At this time, the container case 9 is inserted from above and locked, and the elastic tongue portion 35 is elastically deformed as shown in FIG. 7(b), as shown by the broken line.

[0089] As described above, the elastic tongue portion 35 elastically deforms in a direction away from the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion 18 of the container case 9. The orientation of the elastic tongue portion 35 (L1, L2, R1, R2 in FIG. 4 ) is set so that even when the elastic tongue portion 35 is elastically deformed in this way, it does not interfere with the elastic tongue portion 35 provided on the adjacent unit holder 31. Since it is not necessary to insert or remove two container cases 9 at the same time but one at a time, it is sufficient that the deformed elastic tongue portion 35 does not interfere with the undeformed elastic tongue portion 35 that is locking the adjacent container case 9.

[0090] Here, L1 and R1 are on the outer periphery side far from the storage cabinet central axis 4, and L2 and R2 are on the inner periphery side close to the storage cabinet central axis 4. Since the circumference on the inner periphery of the circle is smaller than the circumference on the outer periphery, it is desirable to orient L1, L2, R1, and R2 so that the distance b1 between the pair of elastic tongues 35 arranged on the outer periphery side of L1 and R1 and the distance b2 between the pair of elastic tongues 35 arranged on the inner periphery side of L2 and R2 satisfy the relationship b1 > b2.

[0091] Next, the structure and operation of the removal jig 43 for removing the container case 9, which is fastened by snap fit, from the unit holder 31 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0092] As mentioned above, the container case 9 is secured by two pairs of generally opposing snap fits. Therefore, when some malfunction occurs and the container case 9 needs to be removed, it is desirable to simultaneously release a total of four snap fits and move the container case 9 upward.

[0093] 3, the container case 9 is located in the storage cabinet 3 below the storage cabinet top cover 3a, which has a heat insulating material 5 with a thickness of, for example, about 40 mm from the top surface inside. When the shutter 14 is fully opened, only the top surface of the opening / closing cover 16 is generally visible from the opening 13.

[0094] Although all of the container cases 9 can be accessed from above by disassembling the storage cabinet 3 and removing the top cover 3a, disassembling and reassembling the storage cabinet 3 requires extensive and time-consuming work. If such work were to be performed on an analytical system in operation, the analytical system would be shut down for a long period of time.

[0095] Furthermore, even if the top cover 3a of the storage cabinet is removed, the resilient tongues 35 that form the snap fit are arranged close to each other as shown in Fig. 10, and therefore operability is not necessarily good. In particular, in order to remove the inner container case 9, it is not impossible, but it is a difficult task to simultaneously deform the resilient tongues 35 in four places using, for example, a flat-head screwdriver through the narrow gap between the adjacent container cases 9.

[0096] Furthermore, if such work is performed manually, the elastic tongue portion 35 may be deformed too much, causing plastic deformation, which may result in damage to the annular holder 8.

[0097] Therefore, in this embodiment, a removal tool 43 for the container case 9 is provided which can be accessed from above via the opening 13 without removing the top lid 3a of the storage cabinet, can be inserted from above between the elastic tongue portion 35 and the side of the container case 9, can remove the container case 9 from the annular holder 8, and can minimize plastic deformation of the elastic tongue portion 35.

[0098] The removal jig 43 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views showing the configuration of the removal jig 43 and the positional relationship between the removal jig 43 and the container cases 9 snap-fitted to the unit holders 31.

[0099] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the removal jig 43 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and its inner diameter is slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the container case 9.

[0100] Three second elastic tongues 45a, 45b, and 45c extend downward from the lower end surface of the removal jig 43, and each has a step 44 that protrudes inward at its lower end. The outer diameter of the removal jig 43 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the container case 9 plus the thickness of the removal jig 43.

[0101] The second elastic tongue portion 45 a provided on the right side of the unit holder 31 is configured to act on both the elastic tongue portion 35 provided on the unit holder 31 and the second protrusion 28 provided on the container case 9 .

[0102] Therefore, the range of region e1 is inserted between the elastic tongue portion 35 (R1) and the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion 18, and acts to open the elastic tongue portion 35 (R1) and release the engagement with the first protrusion 25. Furthermore, the range of region e2 climbs over the second protrusion 28, and when it reaches its lowest position, the step portion 44 engages with the jig receiving surface 26 of the second protrusion 28.

[0103] The second elastic tongue portion 45 (R1) may be provided with a chamfer 48 to avoid interference with the adjacent container case 9.

[0104] The second elastic tongue portion 45b provided on the left side of the unit holder 31 has a structure symmetrical to the second elastic tongue portion 45a on the right side.

[0105] A second elastic tongue 45c extending downward is provided at the rear of the removal jig 43, and a step 44 protruding inward is provided at the lower end.

[0106] The range of region e3 of the second elastic tongue portion 45c is inserted between the elastic tongue portion 35 (R2) and the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical portion 18, and acts to open the elastic tongue portion 35 (R2) and release the engagement with the first protrusion 25. The range of region e4 climbs over the second protrusion 28, and when it reaches its lowest position, the step portion 44 engages with the jig receiving surface 26 of the second protrusion 28.

[0107] The second elastic tongue 45c may have a slit 51 extending in the vertical direction in the center, and the provision of the slit 51 makes the second elastic tongue 45c more flexible and ensures a secure engagement with the second protrusion 28. The second elastic tongue 45c has regions that function similarly to region e3 and region e4, symmetrically positioned across the slit 51.

[0108] The outside of the lower end of the second elastic tongue 45 is formed as an inclined surface 46, making it easier to insert between the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 18 and the guide inclined surface 40 at the upper end of the elastic tongue 35. A chamfer may be provided on the inside of the lower end of the second elastic tongue 45 so that the lower end of the second elastic tongue 45 descends smoothly without getting caught on the edge of the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 18 of the container case 9. In the second elastic tongue 45, the thickness from the inner periphery of the stepped portion 44 to the outer periphery of the removal jig 43 is defined as t, and t is greater than the height S1 of the first protrusion 25, i.e., the dimensional relationship is t>S1.

[0109] Next, a procedure for removing the container case 9 from the unit holder 31 using the removal jig 43 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0110] Figure 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken in the left-right direction, showing the state in which the removal jig 43 is set directly above the container case 9 and lowered, so that the inner periphery of the lower end of the second elastic tongue portion 45 of the removal jig 43 engages with the outer periphery of the upper edge of the first cylindrical portion 18 of the container case 9 and is lowered, but is positioned higher than the elastic tongue portion 35 of the unit holder 31. Figures 14 and 15 are a vertical cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, showing the state in which the removal jig 43 is further lowered along the outer periphery of the container case 9 from the state shown in Figure 13, so that the second elastic tongue portion 45 is inserted between the elastic tongue portion 35 of the unit holder 31 and the outer periphery of the container case 9, and the stepped portion 44 on the inner periphery of the lower end of the removal jig 43 engages with the jig receiving surface 26 on the underside of the second protrusion 28 of the container case 9.

[0111] As explained above, the thickness t from the inner periphery of the stepped portion 44 to the outer periphery of the removal jig 43 is greater than the height S1 of the first projection 25 of the container case 9, and therefore in the state shown in Figures 14 and 15, the elastic tongue 35 bends beyond the height of the first projection 25, and the snap-fit ​​engagement with the first projection 25 is released. At this time, the amount of bending of the elastic tongue 35 is limited to the thickness t of the removal jig 43 and it will not bend any further, so the maximum value of displacement is constant and the maximum stress generated at the base of the elastic tongue 35 will not exceed a certain level.

[0112] That is, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of excessive displacement and excessive stress, and to prevent plastic deformation of the elastic tongue portion 35, thereby providing a more reliable container storage device.

[0113] The step portion 44 on the inner periphery of the lower end of the second elastic tongue portion 45 of the removal jig 43 engages with the jig receiving surface 26 on the underside of the second protrusion 28 of the container case 9, and at this time the reaction force that deflects the elastic tongue portion 35 is applied from the outside to the inside of the second elastic tongue portion 45, increasing the pressing force and strengthening the engagement between the step portion 44 and the jig receiving surface 26, which is preferable as it ensures a secure engagement.

[0114] Furthermore, it is desirable that the outer diameter of the opening / closing lid 16 be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the container case 9 so that the inner periphery of the removal jig 43 and the outer periphery of the opening / closing lid 16 do not interfere with each other.

[0115] 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the removal jig 43 has been raised from the state shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. As described above, the engagement between the elastic tongue 35 and the first projection 25 has been released, and the step portion 44 of the second elastic tongue 45 and the jig receiving surface 26 of the second projection 28 are still engaged, so that the container case 9 can be raised together with the removal jig 43 and removed from the unit holder 31.

[0116] That is, the movement direction of the removal jig 43 for engaging with the container case 9 and the movement direction for removing the container case 9 are opposite to each other, and the removal jig 43 can be engaged with the container case 9 by moving it from top to bottom along the outer diameter of the container case 9, and after engagement, can be moved from bottom to top to remove the container case 9 from the unit holder 31. The removal operation of the container case 9 is easy, requiring only a simple up and down movement of the removal jig 43, and has the advantage of not requiring complicated operations.

[0117] The removal jig 43 has a cylindrical shape that is not much different from the container case 9, except that its diameter is larger by the wall thickness than the outer diameter of the container case 9. Therefore, if there is an opening that is larger than the opening in a plan view when the container case 9 and the removal jig 43 are engaged, the removal operation of the container case 9 using the removal jig 43 can be performed through that opening.

[0118] As mentioned above, the dimensions of the opening 13 shown in Figures 2 and 3 are set to allow the container case 9 and the removal jig 43 to pass through in the vertical direction while remaining engaged with each other, making it possible to install, remove, and replace the container case 9 through the opening 13.

[0119] In other words, even if it becomes necessary to replace the container case 9 during maintenance and inspection, there is no need for large-scale disassembly work such as removing the top cover 3a of the storage cabinet, so the work is easy and can be completed in a short time, which has the effect of reducing the downtime of the container storage device 1 or the analysis device 101 connected to the container storage device 1.

[0120] Next, a preferred vertical positional relationship between the container case 9 and the unit holder 31 will be described with reference to Fig. 17. Fig. 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing different forms of the height relationship between the holder and the container case.

[0121] 17A, 17B, and 17C are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing configurations in which the overall vertical height K of the container case 9 containing the QC sample container 11 is the same, while the heights g1, g2, and g3 from the top surface of the unit holder 31 to the top surface of the container case 9 and the vertical heights j1, j2, and j3 of the elastic tongue 35 of the snap-fit ​​portion are different. Since the only difference is the vertical positional relationship between the unit holder 31, the container case 9, and the elastic tongue 35, the same reference numerals are used for parts having the same functions.

[0122] FIG. 17A shows a case where the ratio of the height up to the top surface of the container case 9 to the overall height K, that is, the height g1 of the first cylindrical portion 18, is about 1 / 3.

[0123] As an example, if K = approximately 80 mm, g1 = approximately 28 mm, j1 = approximately 15 to 20 mm, and the height of the first protrusion 25 is approximately 1.5 mm, even if the elastic tongue portion 35, which is made of thin-walled resin with a thickness of approximately 1 mm, is bent to a height of approximately 1.5 mm of the first protrusion 25, the elastic tongue portion 35 can engage the container case 9 without undergoing plastic deformation.

[0124] Furthermore, by setting the diameter of the first cylindrical portion 18 to D1 and setting D1 ≒ g1, the error on the top surface of the container case 9 is approximately the same as the error on the case mounting surface 21 of the unit holder 31, and since the case mounting surface 21 is machined with high precision, the position of the container case 9 can be maintained with high precision without increasing the error, which is advantageous.

[0125] 17(B) shows the case where the unit holder 31 is placed near the bottom surface of the container case 9. When placed in this manner, g1 > 50 mm, which is nearly twice the diameter D1 of the first cylindrical portion 18. Therefore, the error of the case mounting surface 21 of the unit holder 31 is magnified by approximately two times on the top surface of the container case 9.

[0126] Here, snap-fit ​​fastening has lower rigidity than, for example, screw fastening, making it difficult to more stably position the container case 9 in the horizontal plane, particularly on the top surface of the container case 9. Therefore, it is desirable to more reliably maintain the spacing between adjacent container cases 9. Furthermore, if the length j2 of the elastic tongue 35 is approximately equal to j1, the container case 9 is recessed from the opening 13 when inserted from above, making it necessary to improve visibility. Furthermore, since the length of the second elastic tongue 45 of the removal jig 43 increases, it becomes necessary to increase the rigidity of the second elastic tongue 45. Further improvement is desirable to ensure that the lower end of the second elastic tongue 45 is properly inserted between the guide slope 40 at the upper end of the elastic tongue 35 and the cylindrical surface of the container case 9 when the second elastic tongue 45 is inserted downward along the outer periphery of the container case 9.

[0127] On the other hand, if the elastic tongue 35 is raised from j2 to j2' so that the upper end of the elastic tongue 35 is closer to the height of the inlet of the container case 9, the rigidity of the elastic tongue 35 decreases, making it difficult to increase the horizontal reaction force and thereby improve the holding power of the container case 9. Furthermore, when the unit holder 31 or the annular holder 8 is made into a resin-molded part, the mold becomes deeper depending on the height of the elastic tongue 35, and care must be taken to prevent the mold shape from having elongated, weak portions. For example, if the mold is made thicker by increasing the spacing between adjacent container cases 9 in order to ensure the mold strength, there is a limit to how close the container cases 9 can be arranged, which limits the density that can be increased, and therefore some ingenuity in arrangement is required.

[0128] 17(C) shows a case where the unit holder 31 is arranged near the upper surface of the container case 9, which is the opposite of FIG. 17(B). When arranged in this manner, the length j3 of the elastic tongue portion 35 becomes smaller than j1, and therefore it is necessary to devise a way to suppress plastic deformation of the elastic tongue portion 35 when attaching or detaching the elastic tongue portion 35 to or from the first projection 25 or when removing the elastic tongue portion 35 using the removal jig 43.

[0129] Therefore, as shown in Figure 17 (A), if the diameter D1 of the first cylindrical portion 18 and the height g1 of the first cylindrical portion 18 are approximately equal, D1 ≒ g1, and are approximately 1 / 3 of the overall height K, and the height j1 of the snap-fit ​​elastic tongue portion 35 is positioned close to the top surface of the container case 9 and at a position that is also easily visible from the opening 13, the container case 9 will sit well when set in the unit holder 31 or the annular holder 8, the positional accuracy of the container case 9 will be easy to achieve, the container case 9 will be easy to remove and install, and further, the snap-fit ​​will be well-locked, and adjacent container cases 9 can be positioned close to each other, thereby achieving a configuration that is suitable for high-density packaging.

[0130] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0131] The container storage device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention described above comprises a container case 9 that contains the QC sample container 11 to be stored, and a circular ring holder 8 that has a plurality of insertion holes 10 into which the container case 9 can be inserted from above, the circular ring holder 8 extending upward along the side of the container case 9 and having an elastic tongue portion 35 that elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the container case 9, and the container case 9 has a first protrusion 25 that engages with the elastic tongue portion 35 when inserted into the insertion hole 10 to secure the container case 9.

[0132] As a result, the container case 9 is configured to be engaged with the annular holder 8 provided inside the storage cabinet by a snap fit, so that attachment and positioning can be completed simply by pushing the container case 9 from above, eliminating the need for special fastening members such as screws, and providing the effect of simplifying the assembly work and enabling it to be completed in a short time. Therefore, containers containing QC samples or the like can be stored airtightly in individual container cases 9 one by one for refrigerated storage with a simpler structure, thereby preventing evaporation of samples and the inclusion of foreign matter, and providing a highly reliable container storage device 1.

[0133] In particular, for QC samples, which have an extremely long storage period in the storage cabinet 3 compared to assay reagents and specimens and for which even slight evaporation needs to be suppressed for quality control purposes, it is desirable to store them individually in sealed containers rather than storing them directly in the storage cabinet 3, and this is very suitable for storing such QC specimen containers 11.

[0134] In addition, multiple elastic tongue portions 35 are provided along the side of the container case 9, and multiple first protrusions 25 are provided to pair with the multiple elastic tongue portions 35, so that the container case 9 can be fixed to the annular holder 8 more firmly and easily.

[0135] Furthermore, the container storage device 1 has an opening 13 on the top side, and by holding a container containing a liquid inside as the storage object, it is possible to provide a container storage device 1 that is very suitable for storing QC sample containers 11 with the characteristics described above.

[0136] Furthermore, since the container case 9 is cylindrical in shape, when the container case 9 is arranged concentrically on the annular holder 8, the same container case 9 can be placed from the inner circumference to the outer circumference, which has the effect of enabling parts to be standardized.

[0137] Furthermore, the container case 9 further has a positioning protrusion 22 protruding from the side, and the annular holder 8 further has a groove portion 41 that fixes the orientation of the container case 9 by engaging with the positioning protrusion 22 when the container case 9 is inserted into the annular holder 8 from above, thereby preventing rotation when the container case 9 is engaged with the unit holder 31 and positioning it, resulting in high positional accuracy.

[0138] In addition, the holder is either disk-shaped, annular, or fan-shaped, the container case 9 is arranged concentrically with the holder, and two pairs of elastic tongues 35 and first protrusions 25 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a line connecting the center of the holder and the center of the container case 9. The distance between the first pair, which is located farther from the center of the holder than the center of the container case 9, is longer than the distance between the second pair, which is located between the center of the holder and the center of the container case 9. Therefore, even if adjacent unit holders 31 are arranged close to each other, or even if the elastic tongues 35 are elastically deformed when the container case 9 is attached, they will not interfere with the adjacent elastic tongues 35, and since the unit holders 31 can be arranged close to each other, the container cases 9 can be arranged at high density, which has the effect of increasing the number of container cases 9 that can be stored and making the storage cabinet 3 smaller.

[0139] Furthermore, it further includes a removal jig 43 that can be inserted from above between the elastic tongue portion 35 and the side of the container case 9 for removing the container case 9 from the ring-shaped holder 8, and the container case 9 further has a second protrusion 28 on its side that engages with the step portion 44 of the removal jig 43.When the removal jig 43 is inserted between the elastic tongue portion 35 and the side and reaches a first predetermined position, the engagement between the elastic tongue portion 35 and the first protrusion 25 is released, and the step portion 44 engages with the second protrusion 28.As the removal jig 43 is pulled upward, the container case 9 is also removed from the insertion hole 10, and the container case 9 can be easily removed from and attached to the ring-shaped holder 8 using the removal jig 43.

[0140] Furthermore, the removal jig 43 moves in opposite directions to engage with the container case 9 and to remove the container case 9, so that the container case 9 can be removed from the annular holder 8 simply by lifting the removal jig 43. This makes it easier to remove the container case 9 from the opening on the top surface of the storage cabinet 3 without disassembling the storage cabinet 3, which has the effect of making it even easier to replace the container case 9.

[0141] The storage device further comprises a cylindrical storage cabinet (3), a cylindrical disk (6) rotatably supported around a storage cabinet central axis (4) provided inside the storage cabinet (3), an opening (13) on the top surface of the storage cabinet (3) through which the container case (9) and removal tool (43) can pass in the vertical direction, and an opening / closing lid (16) that can open and close the opening (13), the annular holder (8) being either disk-shaped, annular, or fan-shaped and rotating with the disk (6), the container case (9) being held by the holder concentrically with the storage cabinet central axis (4), and with the opening / closing lid (16) open, the removal tool (43) can be lowered through the opening (13) to engage with the container case (9), the engagement between the container case (9) and the holder is released, and the removal tool (43) can be raised to remove the container case (9) from the opening (13), allowing the container case (9) to be replaced through the opening (13), and there is no need to disassemble the storage cabinet (3) when replacing the container case (9), and the container case (9) can be replaced easily and in a short time, resulting in an advantageous effect of providing a container storage device (1) that is easy to maintain.

[0142] The container storage device 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0143] For example, the annular holder 8 is configured as a disk-shaped structure in which multiple unit holders 31, which are basic unit shapes, are placed side by side and connected to each other, and as a whole can hold multiple container cases 9; however, it is not limited to this form, and the annular holder 8 may be divided into multiple fan-shaped shapes rather than a single disk, and the multiple fan-shaped holders may be connected adjacent to each other along an arc to form an annular holder 8 that is disk-shaped as a whole.

[0144] The annular holder 8 may be integral with the disk 6 or may be separate from it.

[0145] Furthermore, although the container case 9 is described as being cylindrical with a step, it is not limited to being cylindrical, and for example, the container case may be shaped like a rectangular prism, with an elastic tongue portion and a first protrusion on each side of the rectangular prism.

[0146] Second Embodiment A storage device, an automatic analyzer, and a storage method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a plan view showing the arrangement of holders and container cases in a container storage device according to the second embodiment.

[0147] Figure 18 shows a configuration in which the container cases 9 are arranged in a grid pattern, not concentrically, but vertically and horizontally, within a rectangular storage cabinet. In this embodiment, similar to the concentric arrangement shown in Figure 10, the elastic tongues 35 are provided in the directions L1, L2, R1, and R2 relative to the unit holders 31A. As mentioned above, the orientation of the elastic tongues 35 need only be such that they do not interfere with the elastic tongues 35 of adjacent unit holders 31A when the container cases 9 are deformed during installation and removal, so they may be positioned differently from the orientation suitable for the concentric arrangement.

[0148] In this embodiment, the holder 47 is also rectangular and cannot rotate, so as shown in Figure 7 (C), a container gripping device (not shown) equipped with a gripper 42 that removes the QC sample container 11 from the container case 9 can be configured to be freely movable on a plane within the rectangular area in which the container case 9 is arranged, for example, by using a sliding member that can move in the forward and backward directions and a sliding member that can move in the left and right directions.

[0149] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0150] The storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method of the second embodiment of the present invention also provide substantially the same effects as those of the storage device, automatic analyzer, and storage method of the first embodiment described above.

[0151] <Others> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications. The above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the described configurations.

[0152] It is also possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment, or to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

[0153] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...container storage device 2...casing 3...storage cabinet 3a...storage cabinet top lid 4...storage cabinet central axis 5...insulating material 6...disk 7...disk drive shaft 8...annular holder 9...container case 10...insertion hole 11...QC sample container (item) 12a...outer circle 12b...middle circle 12c...inner circle 13...opening 14...shutter 15...lid support shaft 16...opening / closing lid 17...lid opening claw receiving portion 18...first cylindrical portion 19...second cylindrical portion 20...mounting bottom surface 21...case mounting surface 22...positioning protrusion 23...engaging surface 24...first inclined surface 25...first protrusion (first engaging portion) 26...jig receiving surface 27...second inclined surface 28...second protrusion (second engaging portion) 29...lid support shaft arm 30...sealing portion DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 31, 31A...Unit holder 32...First cylinder 33...Guide surface 34...Case guide portion 35...Elastic tongue portion (claw portion) 36...Second cylinder 37...Positioning cylindrical surface 38...Slit 39...First protrusion receiving surface 40...Guide inclined surface 41...Groove portion 42...Gripper 43...Removal jig 44...Step portion (third engagement portion) 45, 45a, 45b, 45c...Second elastic tongue portion 46...Inclined surface 47...Holder 48...Chamfer 49...Case bottom surface 50...Sealing member 51...Slit 100...Automatic analyzer 101...Analyzer 102...Pretreatment device

Claims

1. a case for storing items to be stored; a holder having a plurality of holes into which the case can be inserted from above, the holder has a claw portion on its side surface that extends upward along the side surface of the case and elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the case; The case has a first engagement portion that engages with the claw portion to fix the case when inserted into the hole. Storage device.

2. The storage device according to claim 1, a plurality of the claw portions are provided along the side surface of the case, The first engaging portions are provided in plural so as to form pairs with the plurality of claw portions. Storage device.

3. The storage device according to claim 2, The storage device has an opening on the top side, The storage object is a container for storing a liquid. Storage device.

4. The storage device according to claim 3, The case has a cylindrical shape. Storage device.

5. The storage device according to claim 4, The case further has a protrusion protruding from the side surface, The holder further has a groove with which the protrusion engages to fix the orientation of the case when the case is inserted into the holder from above. Storage device.

6. The storage device according to claim 5, The holder is in the shape of a disk, an annulus, or a sector, the case is disposed concentrically with the holder, two pairs of the claw portions and the first engagement portions are arranged symmetrically with respect to a line connecting the center of the holder and the center of the case, The distance between the first pair of contacts provided farther from the center of the case with respect to the center of the holder is longer than the distance between the second pair of contacts provided between the center of the holder and the center of the case. Storage device.

7. The storage device according to claim 1, a jig that can be inserted between the claw portion and the side surface of the case from above and that is used to remove the case from the holder; the case further includes a second engaging portion on the side surface that engages with a third engaging portion of the jig; When the jig is inserted between the claw portion and the side surface and reaches a first predetermined position, the engagement between the claw portion and the first engagement portion is released, and the third engagement portion is engaged with the second engagement portion, and as the jig is pulled upward, the case is also removed from the hole. Storage device.

8. The storage device according to claim 7, The jig has a movement direction opposite to that for engaging with the case and a movement direction opposite to that for removing the case. Storage device.

9. The storage device according to claim 8, A cylindrical storage facility and a disk rotatably supported around a central axis of the storage provided inside the storage; The top surface of the storage cabinet further includes an opening through which the case and the jig can pass in the vertical direction, and an opening / closing lid that can open and close the opening, the holder is disc-shaped, annular, or fan-shaped and rotates together with the disk; The case is held by the holder concentrically with respect to the central axis of the storage cabinet, With the opening / closing cover open, the jig is lowered through the opening to engage with the case, and the case is disengaged from the holder. The jig is then raised to remove the case from the opening. Storage device.

10. an analysis unit that measures the physical properties of the sample; a storage device for storing items used in the measurement in the analysis unit, The storage device is a case for storing the item; a holder having a plurality of holes into which the case can be inserted from above, the holder has a claw portion on its side surface that extends upward along the side surface of the case and elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the case; The case has a first engagement portion that engages with the claw portion to fix the case when inserted into the hole. Automatic analyzer.

11. A method of storing an item, comprising: a case for accommodating the items to be stored; a holder having a plurality of holes into which the case can be inserted from above, and the article is stored between the holder and the case; The holder has a claw portion on its side surface that extends upward along the side surface of the case and elastically deforms in a direction away from the surface of the case, The case has a first engaging portion that engages with the claw portion to fix the case when inserted into the hole. Storage method.