JPH0121468B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic sample introduction device used for analysis of biological components in clinical tests, general industrial analysis, and the like.

The conventional crank slider mechanism detects the position of the nozzle up/down mechanism by using two detectors to detect when the nozzle is at its highest point and when it is at its lowest point. However, since the nozzle position cannot be detected when the nozzle is at a position other than the highest or lowest point, it has not been possible to stop the nozzle at an intermediate position.
Furthermore, since the nozzle position cannot be detected when the nozzle is at a position other than the highest or lowest point, it is not possible to detect whether the nozzle tip is within the container, and it is not possible to automatically determine whether the container can be moved.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic sample introduction device that can automatically determine the positional relationship between a nozzle and a sample container so that the sample container is not transferred while the nozzle tip is inserted into the sample container. It is in.

The present invention includes a nozzle that can move in and out of a sample container positioned at a predetermined position by a container transfer device, a crank slider mechanism that moves up and down a holding member that holds this nozzle, and a crank of this crank slider mechanism. A detection plate that is fixed to the rotating shaft and has a detection hole for the highest point, a detection hole for the lowest point, and outer circumferences of different sizes, and first and second detection plates arranged near the detection plate. Set up a container,
The first detector is arranged so that it can detect the highest point detection hole and the lowest point detection hole, and the second detector is blocked by the large outer circumferential area of the detection plate, but is blocked by the small outer circumferential area. The combination of signals from the first and second detectors is located at the highest point of the nozzle, between the highest point and the top of the sample container, between the top of the sample container and the lowest point of the sample container, and It is characterized by being configured to correspond to the position of the lowest point.

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. To explain FIG. 1, when the crank 5 is rotated by the motor 1 in response to a signal from the control circuit 11, a slider 6, an arm 7 attached to this slider 6, and a nozzle 8 attached to this arm 7 are rotated.
moves up and down. Below this nozzle 8 is a sample container 9 mounted on a turntable 10.
The sample is sucked or discharged from the nozzle 8 within the chamber.
The sample sucked from the nozzle 8 is measured by a photometer 12. A detection plate 2 that rotates together with the rotating shaft of the crank 5 is attached to the crank 5, and a detector 3 and a detector 4 are arranged around the outer circumference of the detection plate 2, and the output of the detector is , control circuit 11
be taken in.

FIG. 2 shows details of the detection plate 2 and the positional relationship between the detection plate 2, the detector 3, the detector 4, and the crank 5. A photointerrupter is used as a detector. The following description will be made assuming that the output electrical signal is L when there is an object inside the photointerrupter, and H is the signal when there is no object. The detection plate 2, which rotates integrally with the crank 5, has a step on its outer periphery and has a disc shape consisting of two concentric arcs, one large and one small. When one of the two steps is at the position of the detector 4, the tip of the nozzle 8 is at the same height as the upper end of the container 9. There is also a hole 13 on the detection plate at the position of the detector 3 when the crank 5 is at the top dead center, and a hole 14 on the detection plate at the position of the detector 3 when the crank 5 is at the bottom dead center. .

When the nozzle 8 is at the highest point, the hole 13 is the detector 3
, and the output signal of the detector 3 is H. Since the small arc side of the detection plate 2 is located at the position of the detector 4, the signal of the detector 4 is H. When the nozzle 8 is at the lowest point, the hole 14 is at the position of the detector 3, the signal of the detector 3 is H, and the large arc side of the detection plate 2 is at the position of the detector 4, so the light from the detector 4 is is blocked, so the signal is L. Also, when the tip of the nozzle 8 is between the highest point and the top of the container, the signal of the detector 3 is L, and the small arc side of the detection plate 2 is at the position of the detector 4, so the light is not blocked, so the signal of the detector 3 is L. The signal is H. When the tip of the nozzle 8 is inserted into the container but is not at the lowest point, the signal of the detector 3 is L, and since the large arc side of the detection plate is located at the position of the detector 4, the signal of the detector 4 is It is L. As described above, the height of the tip of the nozzle 8 can be determined from the combination of signals from the detectors 3 and 4.

According to this embodiment, even if the nozzle is at a height other than the top and bottom points when the power is turned on or for some other reason, it is automatically determined whether the tip of the nozzle 8 is inserted into the inside of the container 9. From this, it can be determined whether or not the turntable 10 is rotatable. In addition, the crank 5 can be rotated forward or reverse within the range where the signal from the detector 4 is H and stopped at the top dead center, so even if the turntable 10 is not at the correct angle and the container 9 is misaligned. Nozzles 8 will not collide. Furthermore, since the position of the nozzle 8 can be detected even when it is at an intermediate height, the nozzle can be stopped at that position, reducing time.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the nozzle up and down mechanism can be operated in such a way as to eliminate the problem of the sample container being transferred while the nozzle tip is inserted into the sample container, thereby increasing the reliability of the operation. An automatic sample introduction device with high performance can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the detection plate 2 of FIG. 1 and the arrangement of two detectors. 8... Nozzle, 9... Container, 5... Crank,
6...Slider, 2...Detection plate, 3, 4...Detector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A nozzle that can be moved in and out of a sample container positioned at a predetermined position by a container transfer device, a crank slider mechanism that moves up and down a holding member that holds this nozzle, and a crank rotation shaft of the crank slider mechanism. A detection plate that is fixedly installed and has a detection hole for the highest point, a detection hole for the lowest point, and outer circumferences of different sizes, and first and second detectors arranged near the detection plate. and the first detector is arranged so as to be able to detect the highest point detection hole and the lowest point detection hole, and the second detector is blocked by a large outer peripheral area of the detection plate. is arranged so that it is not blocked by a small outer peripheral area, and the combination of signals from the first and second detectors is located at the highest point of the nozzle, between the highest point and the upper end of the sample container, and at the upper end of the sample container. and the lowest point, and the automatic sample introduction device is configured to correspond to the position of the lowest point.